Chapter 11

The last of the presents have been opened and both children are lost in worlds of their own imagination. Adria has a new art set and she's currently painting what Cam reassures her is the prettiest family portrait ever. She's good at it, but that's not surprising; she seems to have natural talent for everything she sets her mind to.

Cam takes a trash bag around to bag up all of the ripped apart wrapping paper while Vala sits on the floor and plays with Tyler. He periodically asks for another present, and Vala has to explain to him that that's all the presents he gets until his birthday. He seems skeptical of this answer... or maybe he just doesn't like it.

"Also, we won't get as many presents from now on," Adria chimes in.

Cam gives her a confused look. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, next year we'll have a little brother or sister and they'll get presents, too," she says, explaining her reasoning. "Mommy and Daddy will have one more person to buy things for."

Vala thinks about it, and then nods. "But it won't be next year. Babies that little don't need toys. All the baby will do is drool and chew on things. A few years after that, perhaps."

Cam almost laughs at her honest answer, but he can see that Adria accepts it and maybe even appreciates it. "But we still have our birthdays. As long as the baby isn't born on one of our birthdays. If that happened we might even have to share a birthday party. I get to pick what it is though because I'm oldest, if the baby is born on my birthday."

Tyler looks up at Vala, who has to reassure him. "Don't worry. The baby isn't going to be born near either of your birthdays. It'll be here by April."

"Unless it's in a hurry," Cam says.

"Was I in a hurry?" Adria asks. "Did you know when I was going to be born?"

Vala can see that Cam has no idea how to answer, but she responds smoothly. "I had no doubt that you'd come precisely when you were ready and not a moment beforehand hand."

Adria puzzles that one through in her mind. "Mommy, that doesn't make sense."

"Neither does life, sometimes." Vala gives her a wide smile and Adria seems to realize that it's a losing battle to keep pursuing that line of questioning.

"I want to know if it's a brother or a sister," she says.

"Brudder!" Tyler makes sure they all know his preference, reaching out to pat clumsily at Vala's stomach.

"We'll be finding out soon. Then we have to pick out names though." Vala pulls Tyler closer as he puts his head down to try to listen to the baby.

"Roger, mommy." Adria calls over her painting.

"You wanna name the baby after the cat?" Cam's laughing. "What if it's a girl?"

"Sally, then." Adria says it as if he's silly to even ask.

Tyler looks closer at the belly. He tugs up Vala's shirt so he can inspect the baby bump. "Doesn't look like a Roger or a Sally to me." He kisses her right above the belly button before standing up and hugging Vala around the neck. "Mommy, when I was in there was I that circly?"

"Why yes, You were a little bigger at this point though I think."

"Doesn't look like there is room to be bigger." Tyler touches her stomach again.

Vala kisses his head and smiles against his hair. "Oh there is lots more room. Just you wait baby boy. Momma is gonna be giant soon enough."

"But always beautiful." Cam settles behind her on the floor, cradling both of them. He raises his hand when Adria looks up and she rushes over to get in on the family hug. "I love you." He kisses Vala's temple before leaning around her and finding Tyler's head. "I love you, too." Then Adria receives a kiss. "And I love my baby girl."

"Daddy, can we have Christmas tomorrow too?" Tyler likes presents but he really likes his family time.

Cam and Vala grin at each other. "Sorry, buddy, only once a year."

xxxx

The room is chilly and Vala's nipples feel it. They're already sensitive and tight most of the time anyway. She can see Cam eyeing her breasts under the lightweight shirt she's wearing. Her body feels overheated all the time. But in this room it seems like it's betraying her expectations.

"Eyes on the screen, old man." She sees him blush slightly and Carolyn just shakes her head.

"It's healthy to look... I mean you look healthy." He just gets a skeptical look from his wife. He's ready for a subject change. "Who gets to do the goo this time?"

"Me! Me!" Tyler reaches out for the ultrasound lubricant from Carolyn and she hands it over. He starts off slow but when mom flinches at it he stops and looks at her.

"Just cold, baby, keep going. Gotta get enough goo to look at the baby." He nods and adds more until Carolyn tells him it's enough.

"You guys all ready to find out what it is?" There is a request for each sex from each child. "Well I can only please one of you, unless there is one of each in there."

"Don't..." Cam put his hand up. "That's not-"

"Shouldn't be twins, but..."

"Lets not use buts when the word twins is floating around." Cam can barely handle one newborn, let alone two.

Carolyn can see Vala is enjoying her ribbing her husband and she picks up the wand and moves the gel around. "Lets see here." She pauses over the baby. "Here's the head." Both kids are held in rapture over her showing them their baby sibling still inside their mother. "And that little blipping is the heart. There are the legs and this is-"

"A brudder!" Tyler yells first at the same time that Adria declares it a sister.

"It's a girl." Carolyn smiles up at Cam and Vala. She can see Adria is extremely delighted.

"Not another one..." Tyler scoots up to cuddle in with his mom.

"Hey, slugger, a sister's not so bad." Cam tries to help Tyler through it. Inside he's thrilled to have another girl.

"Sally!" Adria cheers.

"Uhh, we're not sold on the name yet," Cam immediately says. "Mom and Dad get a say, too."

Adria gives them a yeah, sure look.

xxxxx

"You realize that after this we're out of bedrooms, right?" Vala says. She's sitting on the couch with her feet in Cam's lap while the children play in what is currently their play room, but will soon become the nursery. "If you want more children, we'll have to move..."

Cam just laughs. They've talked about it, and three is a good number. He digs his thumb into a tender spot on her heel and she sighs with relief. "I'll have to break the news to them that they're giving up the play den, though."

"Oh, they'll be terrified. A child without an entire room for toys? What awful parents we are." Vala smiles, eyes closed.

"Yeah. They'll be calling CPS on us."

"I don't know what that is, but I'll assume it's not good." Vala says. "Though if they do come... well, that's why I keep a zat."

He just hums in response, just so she knows that he's still listening.

He knows she isn't joking. It's not something that's ever really come up, but there's little Vala won't do to protect her children. He figures a zat is a little less dangerous than a gun - and he does have a couple of those in very secure places in the house. She keeps the drawer that it is in locked, and he doesn't say anything about her having it.

"They have such a nice childhood," Vala says. Her voice is soft and sort of wistful. He doesn't hear that from her often.

"Unlike yours?"

"Mm, yes." She opens her eyes and looks at him, resting her hand on her belly. "Very unlike mine."

"If something happened..."

"Cameron." She looks annoyed, and a little troubled, but he just shakes his head. She falls silent to let him continue.

"If something happened to me, where would you take them?"

"I don't know," she answers, honestly. "Nowhere of Qetesh's. Perhaps my father..."

"I don't think-"

"Just as a last resort," she says, to appease him. "I've been out of the game for a while now. My old allies might not be allies anymore. Or even still alive. He would find a safe place for me, I think. For the children."

Cam still doesn't look happy.

Conversations that take this sort of direction always leave her feeling upset. She doesn't want to think about him not... "If something happened to you..." The words are hard to think, let alone speak. "What do you want me to do?"

"My parents-"

"In a serious situation, Cameron?" Vala feels the little girl inside her kick. She doesn't like where this is heading either. Cam rubs once more along her foot before crawling up and laying next to her. She's looking at him and he's looking right back. Both of them know it's always a possibility. There is always a threat, always. "I can't risk them. I can't do that."

"Your father is a poor choice."

"Tell me who then." She sits up, a little, as much as she can and her gaze bores into him. "Tell me what other options we have? Samantha? Daniel? Jack O'Neill?"

"All-"

"No, Cameron. If you're not here. If something's happened to keep you from getting to me... or worse." She can feel the tears well up. His death, even a thought of him leaving her like that, it tears her apart. "They are in just as much danger then."

"Not necessarily." He wipes away the lone escaped tear with his thumb. His hand slips under her shoulders and lets his arm support her, pulling her close against his chest.

She's just shaking her head though as she melts into him. "I couldn't risk the children. If you're captured or worse... They're all I've got left of you then. I'd have to get off this planet. As quickly as possible if it looks like something bigger than just one person. We have a very valuable child to some very horrible people. I cannot take a chance with her."

He isn't going to win. In reality he knows that she's right. There isn't a better option. That man might be sleazy and a swindler but he does seem to care for Vala in his own way. She's going to be there for them too, it's not as if she'd be leaving them there.

"Just promise me that if I'm not confirmed dead you'll leave a way for me to come after you. I won't give up getting back to you until I breathe my last breath."

She snuggles closer, glad this conversation is over. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

xxxx

"All right, now, little girl," Vala says, addressing her stomach. She's naked in front of the mirror, frowning at the reflection she sees. "I've had quite enough of this. I realize that you probably heard the doctors say that you had a few weeks left, but it would please your mother very much if you'd just decide to join us right now. You have a brother and sister very excited to meet you, a father that, frankly, you've already got wrapped around your little finger, and a mother that would like her body back."

Cam stands in the doorway watching her. She hasn't spotted him yet. He's amused by the serious look on her face, the scowl that doesn't match the sweetness of her voice as she tries to coerce their daughter into being born early. While he'd never question her ability to coerce anyone into doing anything, he also has a feeling that the baby is probably enjoying where it's at a little too much to come out tonight. And personally, he hopes she holds off at least until after the weekend.

"I promise you, we have a nice comfy bed in here... and the food! The food is much better. Whatever you're getting in there, that can't be tasty, now can it?" Vala continues.

"Maybe try bribing her with candy?" Cam says.

Vala jumps slightly, turning around. "Are the children-"

"Just drove off with Sam and Daniel," Cam says, walking over to her. She's fresh from a shower, skin still damp in places - mostly the places she can't actually reach to dry off now, but Cam refrains from making it obvious that he realizes that. Her hair is half dried and pulled back. It's just them tonight; date night at home this time, a meal that Cam's prepared. She cares more about comfort than looking sexy at the moment, mostly because she knows that Cam finds her sexy no matter what she looks like.

He kisses her shoulder and hugs her from behind, absently cupping her breast and feeling how heavy it is against his palm. Her milk has already come in and he knows just as well as she does that their little girl is probably not waiting three more weeks. This might be the last night they have alone together and free of sleep deprivation for months, so as long as she's up to it Cam has every intention of taking advantage.

"I should get dressed," she says, giving her reflection one more mournful look. "If I have anything that fits."

"You could always eat naked..." He playfully nips at her neck. "Or we could just skip the food and stay naked here."

She narrows her eyes at him. "Did you just suggest we not eat?"

"Um." Cam swallows. "Yeah, sorry, forget I mentioned that. Dinner's ready! And you look beautiful."

"Good." She gives him a peck on the cheek. "That's better. Go set the table."

She orders him in the same voice she uses on Tyler but, again, he really wants to get laid tonight so he is willing to forgive a multitude of sins in hopes that his reward will be Vala ready to go, not hindered by stomach pains, back aches, swollen ankles, or any of the other things bothering her this far along in this pregnancy.

xxxx

"Dinner is served, my lady." Cam sweeps an arm across the place setting. He's moved a smaller table in front of the french doors to the outside for a lovely view of the sunset. The orange red glow of dusk is sweeping across the floor and it's making the candle lit table even more gorgeous. She smells the rich scents of steak and potatoes and her stomach makes a loud noise.

Before she sits in the chair he's holding out for her she walks over to him and puts her hands on his cheeks. He's adorable. She can see more and more of his face in Tyler's everyday. "Some girl is gonna be so lucky one day."

"You planning on leaving me? Making me find someone younger?" He teases knowing that's not what she's referring to but still unable to comment. Cam leans in and kisses her. Softly and sweetly, lips lingering on hers as the sun sets deeper into the horizon.

Vala pulls back and shakes her head. "Tyler, he looks just like you and someday he'll make a woman one of the happiest people on earth. Just like his daddy did for me."

"You think he'll dig alien chicks too?"

"Oh, they are quite lovely, don't you agree?" She settles into the chair then and Cam starts serving the food. The size of the table prevents the extras to be on there so Cam fills her plate before his own.

He kisses her head and sits across from her. "They are the only kind I want to be married too." She's satisfied with that response. Her knife begins cutting and she's all concentration as the food is devoured.