Moebius Part II – Interlocked Lives
by StarnightSam
Disclaimer: Not mine… yeah, you all know the drill…….. Well, maybe most of you...
Chapter Twenty-One -- The Wedding
Summary: Sam takes care of Cassie………
Still in 2005
The four returned to the SGC after their vacation. Sam submitted her acceptance for the position at Area 51 and by the next week, it was approved effective immediately. Area 51 didn't want to chance losing her by delaying the approval.
Sam requested three month's leave to get every thing packed and moved and to get all the details for their wedding in place. Cassie was having some problems adjusting to the University. It was her first time away from her family and it had compounded her grief over losing Janet. As long as she'd been able to live with Sam or Jack, she had coped. Now Sam knew Cassie needed her close by.
She intended to spend some of her leave getting Cassie settled. It would be good too, that Cassie was attending the university close to Sam's new appointment. They would be within a short two hour drive of each other.
They would have time in the three months to prepare for the wedding, even get in a two week honeymoon, as well as take care of Cassie before Sam had to report to Area 51. With Jack at the SGC and Sam at Area 51, they thought it would be simple for them to be together frequently. They would be close enough to get together each weekend since it was less than two hours flight time between them.
Every thing was going great during the first six weeks. Sam and Jack had Cassie back on track and they were able to spend a lot of time together. She'd made sure that Cassie was involved in the wedding planning.
It seemed to bring the young woman such delight just being with Sam and Jack, knowing that they were finally admitting to their feelings and getting married. She knew they loved her as if they were her biological parents. She felt like she was a part of a family again, something she desperately needed right now.
It also helped her depression to know that Pete was out of hers and Sam's life. It wasn't that she really disliked him, but he came into Sam's life at a time when she'd needed Sam's attention and companionship the most. And she'd felt like a fifth wheel around them, not so with Jack and Sam. She felt like she belonged with them as much as she had Janet, her Mom.
It never even made her uncomfortable to find them all wrapped around each other, kissing or hugging. She would even join in for a group hug. It had made her not only jealous but angry when she walked in on Pete and Sam hugging or kissing.
The wedding planning turned out to be fun for all of them. Sam had time to spend and this time she really enjoyed making her wedding plans. It seemed as if every detail was the most important thing on Earth. It hit her while she was picking out flowers the contrasts between her interest in her wedding to Jack and her wedding to Pete. It brought back the memory of her dad trying to force the issue just before he got so ill.
She had to admit, she hated that she'd hurt Pete, but so was glad for all three of them that she'd finally realized she couldn't marry him. Even if Jack hadn't wanted her, she had decided to break up with Pete. He didn't deserve to be married to someone who was in love with someone else. No one did.
All three of them were as happy as they'd ever been. It was only three days until the wedding, and Cassie couldn't wait. She seemed at times more excited than either the bride or the groom.
That is until the Joint Chiefs hit Jack and Sam with their news. They had something else in mind for Jack. They were insisting that he take the appointment to head of Homeworld Security, which would be effective four weeks after their wedding date.
Jack was promoted to Major General and made Head of Homeworld Security, although he refused it. He even tried to retire, but his request was denied. He had no choice but to take the promotion and the title.
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The new couple had one month before Jack would be her CO again. Homeworld Security had overall responsibility for Area 51 and as head Jack would be Sam's direct CO. Neither Jack nor Sam was happy about the distance between their assignments, but George promised that Jack would only have to take the appointment until they could get someone they could depend on.
They were married in a small Church just down the road from his cabin. Cassie, of course was her maid of honor and Daniel was best man. Teal'c, Hammond, Walter, Dixon, Reynolds and their families and a few others from the SGC was there. Many of Jack's friends from the area were there. The only blood relatives either of them had left were Sam's brother and his family, who also were there. Sam asked Mark to give her away and her niece was the flower girl.
Her dress was beautiful and she looked like a fairy princess in it. Jack thought his heart would stop when she seemed to float down the isle on Mark's arm. He knew it must be painful for her to not have her father there. But he wouldn't bring it up, because he wanted nothing to spoil the absolute bliss of this day.
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They didn't exactly keep their marriage a secret; they just felt it would be safer for both of them if it wasn't publicized. It would also keep down the gossip, which Jack didn't want for Sam.
Although being posted so far away from each other wasn't in their plans, things worked out for them when Thor found out about their marriage and gave Jack and Sam a communication stone as a wedding gift.
The Joint Chief's tried to take the stone from Jack. But Thor made the President an offer he couldn't refuse. Thor wanted Jack designed as Ambassador to the Asgard and in return, the Asgard would begin to share some of their technology with Earth.
The President and especially the military wanted space craft technology and the ability to protect Earth from alien invasion. The President and Joint Chiefs had no choice but to accept Thor's demands. As the official Ambassador to Othala, Thor insisted that Jack be able to keep the stone on his person at all times.
The stone would not only signal the Asgard but it could be used to connect to the transport beaming sensors and transport objects and people several hundred miles within seconds as long as the transport beam of the ship was within range of the stone's reception which was a vast distance.
Using the latest technology provided as a result of the agreement, much of the Prometheus and the Deadalus' technology was upgraded. The upgrades to the beaming technology enabled it to move even larger objects and from a much greater range than previously. The stone could also be used with the beaming technology on Earth's ships.
Jack secretly asked Thor for another stone, one for Sam to keep on her person as well. He had gained the little Asgard's promise not to tell the President or any one else for that matter. As it turned out Jack and Sam could spend even more time together than if Jack had stayed at the SGC; that is until Sam was transferred back to the SGC due to the Ori threat. And her time off world was more than her time on world.
The only thing that had hampered their happiness during the first year of their marriage was the fact that Sam hadn't been able to conceive. She wanted a baby, and so did Jack. But it seemed to upset Sam more that they had not been able to have their own child.
As much as Sam loved Cassie and felt like she was own child, she wanted a baby, a tiny little thing to hold in her arms and nurse and not miss a second of the baby's life. Samantha O'Neill wanted more than anything to feel Jack's baby growing in her womb.
2006
General Jack O'Neill was snapped out of his reverie by his wife's loud sighs. He reached for her hand and held it tight. "Sam, why don't you go to your quarters and get some rest. I'll sit with her for a while." He offered.
"I'm not that tired. More worried. She should be coming around by now, don't you think?"
"We don't know. Her body was devastated by this thing. It could take some time for her to wake. Doc explained it like a coma. Her body needed complete rest so it put her mind to sleep so her auto something or other can take over and repair what Thor's pod didn't. Or something like that. I'm not good at explaining."
"Ya think?" Sam smiled at him. "Dr. Lam told me too. But, thanks." She reached for his hand as he walked to the side of the bed where Sam had moved to stand over the child.
"Okay, if you don't want to leave, get in bed with her. I'll stand watch, if anyone comes in; I'll get you up. I know you don't want to be caught resting." Jack teased.
"Maybe that's not a bad idea. She will feel my presence too. I know how much it meant to me as a child when Mom held me when I was sick. Jack, you always have the best ideas, even if they are so simple." She teased smiling at him. It felt so good to be able to be with him, to have him there for her in every way. He'd always had her back, but now they could vocalize it and it made it so much more special.
Sam gently sat down on the bed, and then move to spoon her body behind Grace. Grace seemed to relax into Sam. "See, Sam, I think she knows you're close," Jack said softy as he kissed her temple.
Sam gently pushed the hair off Grace's forehead and snuggled closer to her. It was only a few minutes until she was sound asleep. One of the nurses came in to record Grace's vital signs from the monitors and Jack signaled her to be quiet and not wake Sam. She quickly recorded the information and smiled at Jack as she left the room. Jack settled in to wait.
He woke to Sam's soft voice calling to him. "Jack." His eyes popped open and he caught her gaze. "She's been moving a lot. I think she's trying to wake up. Do you know how long I've slept?"
He looked at his watch, "Almost three hours, you feel better? Want to eat now?"
"If you want to bring us something, I'll eat; but only if you eat too." Sam answered.
"I'll be right back. Stay where you are." He leaned in to kiss her. She met his lips for a soft gentle kiss.
"I love you." Sam said.
"Me too." He replied.
"You love you too?" She laughed softly.
"You, I love you." He smiled at her teasing.
"Jack? Isn't she beautiful?" Sam had turned her attention back to the sleeping child. Her heart was in those words. Jack knew that this would break Sam's heart if they took this child from her. He wasn't getting his hopes up, because he knew just how Daniel felt about her too.
It was possible that they would decide for Daniel and his family to take Grace back to ancient Egypt or some other place. She had lived with him longer than anyone. He just hoped Sam would keep all that in mind, but he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. Not now, watching her look at Grace with such love.
"She is, she's just like her mother." Sam's eyes snapped to eyes. Fear and uncertainty seemed to suddenly fill them. "I just meant…," he tried to explain but she interrupted.
"I know Jack, its okay. She does look just like us. All three of us. Is it really a bad thing for me to pray that they let me keep her? I know how much it's going to hurt all of them to let her stay here. But, Jack……." Tears were beginning to form in Sam's eyes.
"Hey, don't cry. It will work out. Let's just see to getting her well, first." He leaned in to kiss her and squeezed her hand holding onto her. He stood there for several minutes in silence, then letting her hand go, "I'm gonna go get us something to eat. I won't be long."
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General O'Neill had only been out of the room a few minutes when Daniel popped his head through the door.
"Hey, Sam, you're awake." Daniel smiled at the perfect picture of Sam and Grace. He walked into the room followed by Vala, Teal'c and Mitchell.
"We just wanted to check on you guys. We came in earlier, but all three of you were asleep," Daniel said.
"Some guard Jack is," Sam laughed. "He was supposed to wake me if someone came in."
"Yeah, well it was a wonderful site, the three of you all homey like." Vala stated.
"Vala, please." Daniel warned. He loved the girl, but she just didn't know when to keep her opinions to herself.
"What!? Daniel. They did."
"Indeed." Teal'c added his own opinion.
"It's okay guys. It really is. Daniel, I know she's not mine. I really do." Sam said in Vala's defense. "Looks to me I'm not the only one that needs to be reminded of things."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Daniel asked defensively. He and Sam had had several conversations concerning Vala or Sam had tried to get across that he needed to wake up before it was too late.
"Nothing, Daniel. Just that life's so short; why not go for happiness when you can? Okay, I'm done." Sam added watching him blush.
"Why you blushing, Jackson?" Mitchell asked getting in on the teasing.
"Maybe we should tell them Daniel?" Vala questioned him.
"Tell us?" Sam inquired.
"Indeed?"
Daniel stared at Vala. He really wanted to crawl in a hole.
"Daniel, are you ashamed for your friends to know about us?" She asked him somewhat dejectedly. She caught Daniel off guard. He looked at her and really saw how much it hurt her to keep their relationship a secret.
"No, no. Of course not. I love you. There. I love her. Just so you'll all know and stop hounding me. I love Vala Mal Doran." As Daniel was saying the words out loud they seemed to take on a reality he had never before felt. He did love her. He really did. He smiled at her, the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face. Suddenly Daniel's arms were full of a gorgeous brunette.
"Well, well. What did I miss?" General O'Neill asked as he walked back into the room carrying a tray loaded down with food. He sat the tray on the hospital table and pushed it toward Sam.
"Apparently we both missed a lot." Sam answered smiling at him.
"Indeed you did." Teal'c said with a wide grin on his usually stoic face.
"You saying you knew?" The General asked.
"Indeed." He actually smirked at O'Neill. "Indeed I did. As I knew about the two of you from the beginning."
"What! You a mind reader or something?" O'Neill teased Teal'c. He moved the bed side tray in front of Sam and laid out the spread for her. "By the way, congratulations you too." He directed at Daniel and Vala. "It's about time you two…. 'come out of the closet'." Laughter filled the room.
"From me too," Sam added to Jack's statement.
"Sam, you want coffee or tea, I brought both?" He asked leaning over her to put sugar in the tea.
"Both. I'll want the coffee with the cake." Sam said as she picked up the blue jello and started to eat it, their eyes locked on each other.
"Don't you think you should eat some of the real food first." Jack teased.
"I just had to taste it. Haven't had any in a long time. Haven't had something else in a looongg time either." She whispered so she thought only Jack could hear, her eyes twinkling. "I think that would help as much as the food."
"Ahhh.. Maybe…." Jack grinned his trademark grin, "…we could get Daniel or Teal'c to watch over her and take an hour and rest… in your quarters," he whispered back to her.
"I really think I'd like that, Jack. I need to feel you all over and around me," she whispered. He winked at her.
She actually ate a lot while they all laughed and talked with their friends. It was the first time since the time travelers had appeared with Grace that they were so relaxed and happy.
After Sam and Jack had finished all the food Teal'c spoke up, "O'Neill, did you not make your wife an offer a short while ago? Is it not time for you to fulfill your request?" His eyes were shining pools of laughter.
TBC in Chapter 22
I really thank you all for taking time to read this….. and especially to those who take time to review! Su, I'm really glad you're back I missed you!