Chapter one
This was just possibly the best news Sam had ever heard!
"Are you sure?" she asked for the third time in two minutes.
Caroline Lam, CMO of the base beneath Cheyenne Mountain, smiled patiently. "Sam, you just heard both heart beats. What more proof positive do you need?" she asked Sam O'Neill, who was sitting on the side of the bed in the base infirmary.
Sam slid down off the bed and onto her feet. Then she pulled her stretchy, hot pink maternity top down over her protruding belly, before giving the small mound a little pat.
"Wait till Jack finds out," Sam said.
"Wait till Jack finds out what?" Jack asked as he strolled into the room carrying their three-year-old daughter on his shoulders. Sam and Caroline watched him duck, as they came through the doorway.
"Mommy!" the child shouted upon seeing Sam. Kelly reached out for Sam, but Jack hung onto her leg with one hand, and grabbed her arm with the other, successfully flipping her over his head and down into his arms.
"Hold on a minute, honey. Mommy and Daddy are talking. Wait till I find out what, Sam? Is something wrong?"
Kelly continued to wriggle, so Jack put the squirming child down. The little girl wrapped her arms around her mother's legs and buried her face in the hem of Sam's short, brown skirt. Normally Jack would be ogling his wife's long, shapely legs about now, and thinking about how they wrapped around him when he was fucking her. But what he'd heard as he entered the room had him very worried, and even the short skirt was wasted on him at the moment.
"I'll let you tell him the news, Sam," Caroline said, and then she walked to the other side of the large room and began tinkering with a heart monitor that had been acting up.
Caroline wouldn't admit it, particularly to General O'Neill, but she thought she'd better stick around, just in case the man had a heart attack. After all, he was a little old to be adding to his family...specially two babies at a time! Or maybe, she mused, two at a time was the best way for him to procreate at his age? That way he could have more kids in less time and with less physical effort, she mused, wondering if General O'Neill, who seemed so virile in so many other ways, had any trouble getting hard.
'Well, you know that Sam has been pregnant only twice...even though she was married to that Pete guy for three years...but both times Jack was the natural father. So was it just plain luck, or was the General a total stud?' she wondered, trying to keep a straight face. Caroline turned her back on the three, and tried not eavesdrop on their conversation.
"I think you should sit down, Jack," Sam said, patting the bed.
"No! I'm not sitting down! Tell me what's wrong, damn it!" Jack yelled, his face a mask of worry and anger.
"Jack, shush! Nothing's wrong, but I think my news might be a little shocking, that's all. Come on, sit down here next to me," she said as she managed to pry Kelly's arms from around her legs. Sam sat on the bed, and Jack bent over and picked Kelly up, putting the child on Sam's knee. Then he sat next to them, trying his best to remain calm.
"Well, you know I just had my monthly pre-natal check up. And when Caroline listened to the baby's heart beat, she heard two."
At first Jack's face registered nothing but confusion, his forehead furrowing between his dark brown eyes. Then suddenly his confused expression turned into shocked understanding.
"Two babies! We're gonna have two babies?" he shouted, and Sam nodded. Kelly clapped her little hands together and shouted, "Yaaaay!"
Jack threw his arms around Sam and Kelly and hugged them. Then he kissed Sam on the lips. And Kelly, never one to be left out, tipped her chin up, while tugging on his shirt.
"Me too, Daddy!" Jack gave her a quick peck on the mouth, as he patted the top of her blonde head.
"Holy Hannah, Sam! This is great news! Terrific news! OH! Are you okay? Is there anything you should be doing differently? Do you need to quit working? Cause I'd be fine with that," he said quickly, and Sam sighed.
Yes, she knew he'd be fine with that, but she wouldn't! They had discussed how little time she spent with him and Kelly many times before, and their arguments had always ended with her promising to cut back. Well, even though she had meant to, she hadn't cut back, and now she was determined that he was NOT going to use these babies as a way of tying her to the house!
"Jack, I don't need to quit my job at the SGC. I'm fine! Tell him, Caroline...this is just like any other pregnancy, right?" Caroline came over and stood at the foot of the bed.
"Well, actually, Sam, Jack is correct; you do have to slow down a bit," Dr. Lam said quietly, realizing the reaction this was going to get from her patient. Most people at the SGC knew that Sam worked far more hours than anyone else on base...a fact that would definitely have to change!
"But I'm fine! You said so yourself!"
"I said your blood pressure was normal, as is your weight gain. But Sam, your body is going to have to nurture and protect two other lives besides your own. For the next five months you need to watch your diet and get lots of rest. And while that doesn't mean doing nothing, it DOES mean cutting back on your hours here at the SGC. I can tell Landry to cut you back to part time starting today, if that's what you want, Sam?" Caroline threatened.
"No! Please! I've got too many projects to finish! Caroline, you wouldn't!"
"Sam, calm down," Jack said, as he put his arm around Sam's shoulders. You just need to work nine to five like other people, instead of twelve hours a day. Isn't that what you mean, Doc?"
"For now, yes. Nine to five for now. And then next month I want you to cut back to four days a week, or nine to three, five days per week. You can decide which, unless your health suffers. And then I WILL talk to Landry. But for now it's nine to five, Sam. No more burning the mid-night oil, or even the seven o'clock pm oil! Got it?"
"Yes," Sam said, albeit reluctantly. She felt like everyone, including these babies, was ganging up on her! Couldn't anyone understand how important this job was to her? ...how important this work was to the protection of their country?...the entire world?
"Mommy, if there are two babies, can I have one to play with, while you have the other?" Kelly asked.
While Sam discussed the babies with Kelly, Jack slipped of the bed and took hold of Caroline's smock sleeve. He tugged her toward her office, saying he just needed to talk to her for a minute about something. When they were out of earshot of a certain little Miss Sponge Cake, as he liked to call his daughter, he asked the question foremost on his mind.
"Eh...What I want to know is... I was just wondering if..."
"Let me guess; you want to know if Sam can have sexual relations, to what extent and for how much longer. Right?" she asked the obviously embarrassed man. He nodded his head.
"Ya! That stuff! I mean I wouldn't want to hurt the kids or anything," he explained.
"Well, let me assure you, there isn't anything Sam can't do for the next four months, that she couldn't do before, unless she has complications, like bleeding or cramps. But let's not go there for now. Sam is a very healthy woman, with a good track record. So there's no reason to think that this pregnancy will be any different than her last.
"It's four thirty on Friday afternoon, Sam. I want you to go home now and spend some quality time with your family. And I don't want to see you back here on base until nine o'clock Monday morning," Dr. Lam said firmly, just as her father, General Henry Hank Landry came walking into the infirmary.
"Did I hear you sending my top researcher home early?" he asked curiously.
"It's not that early. And yes, you did. Your top researcher is expecting twins, Dad. And I've told her to cut back on her hours in the lab, since those babies are going to take precedence over anything and everything that goes on here on base," Caroline said with conviction.
"Twins! That's great, you two! Congratulations, Jack! I never thought you had it in you...er...I mean I thought you were a bit past your prime to be making babies at your age, Jack," Hank said with a chuckle.
"I'll have you know I can make babies as fast or faster than a man half my age," Jack bragged, obviously feeling a bit slighted.
"I don't think we should discuss my husband's fertility, or his stamina, in the presence of our progeny, if you don't mind," Sam reminded them. Sam took Kelly in her arms and slid down off the bed. Jack quickly reached for Kelly, taking the little girl from her mother's arms, and Sam began walking, her nose in the air.
"And no carrying anything heavy, Sam," Jack could be heard telling his wife, as he followed her out of the infirmary.
"I'd love to be a fly on THEIR wall tonight," Caroline said aloud.
"Would that be because your own life is do dull?" Hank asked her.
"No, Dad. It would be because I find those two intriguing! I mean look at them! Don't you? They were SG-1, for heaven's sake! They were two of the most talked about, honest-to-God heroes that this planet has ever seen...at least in this century! They faced and defeated countless enemies! They risked their lives on a daily basis, while sacrificing their own personal happiness to do so! And now they're finally married, to each other, and are raising a family! I think it's better than a frakin fairy tale, Dad! Don't you?"
"Frakin?"
"Yes, frakin. It means fucking. It's from a science fiction show I watch on television," she said as she went to her small office, Hank hot on her heels.
"You see, that's what I mean! If you had more of a life than the SGC and television, you would be happier, Caroline."
"How do you know I'm not happy, Dad? A since when are you such a good judge of when someone is happy or unhappy? As I recall, you didn't seem to know when either of your wives was unhappy," she reminded him.
"Touché! Well, how about taking your old man out to dinner tonight? I feel like knocking off early."
"Okay, but only if you promise not to bring up my love life or lack there of."
"It's a deal, but only if you promise not to bring up my ex-wife."
"Your on! Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll meet you at the elevator," she said with a smile.
All the way home Sam had been quiet...way too quiet to suit Jack. And he thought he knew why; she had felt like everyone was ganging up on her earlier. Well, he had a plan to make her forget about that. He just needed to find a sitter for Kelly. If only Daniel and Vala weren't out of town!
As soon as they got home, Kelly went to her room to play, and Jack went into his office to make some phone calls. He was talking on his cell phone, when the house phone rang. Sam, who was in their bedroom changing clothes, picked it up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Sam! Hey, it's me."
"Hey, Daniel! How's Costa Rica?"
"I don't know. I mean I'm not there. We got home this morning."
Sam knew that 'we' meant he and Vala Mal Doran, an alien woman who had been assigned to SG-1 last year. She and Daniel had been sleeping together for a few months, and they had most recently gone to Costa Rica on a six-week-long dig with several of Daniel's archaeologist friends.
"You did? I thought you were coming home next week?"
"We were, but I found something I want you to take a look at, Sam. Plus, Vala was getting kind of tired of picking bugs out of her hair," he said with a laugh. Then there was a muffled cry and a loud 'thump' sound. "Sorry. Vala was just being playful," Daniel giggled.
Daniel actually giggled. Now there was one for the record books, Sam thought with joy. Maybe he's finally found happiness, after all those years of pining away for his lost Sha're.
"I hear. So when can I see this thing you found?" Sam asked, eager to find out more about whatever it was. There was nothing Sam liked better than a mystery doohickey.
"How about in the morning? I'll be at the SGC by about seven. Wanna meet me there?"
"Eh...I'd love to, but..."
Just then Jack walked into the bedroom and went into the closet. Sam didn't feel like discussing her jail sentence in front of one of her jailers, so she declined without going into detail.
"But I'm sorry, I can't. I'm going to be busy in the morning. Oh, and by the way, I'm having twins," she said.
"Very funny, Sam."
"I'm not kidding, Daniel." Jack came out of the walk-in closet and held his hand out.
"If that's Daniel, I want to talk to him," Jack said. Sam handed him the hand set and remained seated on the bed.
"She's not kidding. Just found out less than an hour ago."
"Whoa, twins? No fooling? That's incredible! Sam's going to have twins." Daniel was obviously yelling at Vala. Jack hung on and waited. He heard shrieking in the background, and then Daniel was back. "Wow, that really is great, Jack."
"Thanks! So when are you two coming home? We could use your help around here," Jack said as he sat down on the bed next to Sam.
"Harrumph!" she said, and then she stood up and went into the bathroom. He knew a cold shoulder when he was given one, and Sam was giving him one that would freeze the a Goa'uld symbiote!
"We ARE home. We got home this morning, Jack."
"You did? Well, why didn't you say so! Say, listen," Jack said, lowering the volume of his voice. "Can you take Kelly for a couple of nights? I'm sorry to give you no warning, but I've got a situation here," he spoke conspiratorially.
"Sure. Is Sam alright? I mean TWINS! Golly!"
"They're fine, Daniel. But their mother is a little upset right now, because Caroline told her to cut back on her hours at the SGC."
"Ahhhh. So that's why Sam said she couldn't come to the base tomorrow!"
"I'll say she can't! Listen, I'll talk to you about that when I see you. How soon can you come and get Kelly? Or should I bring her over there?"
"How about now? We were going out to dinner anyway. We can take her with us to Mickey D's."
"McDonald's is the best you can afford, Daniel?"
"No, Jack. That's where Vala wants to go."
"Vala wants to go to McDonald's for dinner? You aren't kidding, are you?" he asked rhetorically.
Jack was thinking, 'Talk about a cheap date', but he didn't say it. He suspected his young friend had fallen in love with the wacky alien woman, and who was he to tell the guy she was all wrong for him...even if he thought she was. "We'll see you soon, Daniel."
TBC