A/N: Posted with the deepest respect for the real life American heroes we honor on this Memorial Day weekend.
Last time: I just can't believe all of this. Jack, how are we going to protect these kids? Everyone's going to want something from them."
"We'll find a way, Sam. I promise we will," Jack said with conviction holding her hands in his and looking intently into her eyes.
INTRIGUE AND LOVE
Thor had left the O'Neills alone for sometime, ostensiblygiving them time to process what they'd heard about their children. In reality, he'd gone to confer with the Asgard scientists stationed on the Daniel Jackson. Their discussion was relayed simultaneously to the geneticists on Orilla where it was a source of great excitement.
It didn't takelong for the Asgard to realize that the healing ability shown by the unborn malechild might be an important step in solving the cloning problems that had plagued their race for millenia. Moreover, the genetic code they'd mapped for the child appeared to be exactly the one for which they had been searching all these years.
Meanwhile, left alone for a few minutes before being spirited back to earth, Sam and Jack tried to comprehend what they'd just learned about the twins.
"We're going to have some special stuff to deal with, aren't we?" Jack began, trying to sound lighthearted.
"I don't think we can even imagine, Jack. Without meaning to, we've given our children amazing gifts and terrible burdens. We have to be there for them. We can do this, just like you said."
"Yes, we can. And first off, we need to set a few ground rules with our Asgard friends."
Before the O'Neills were transported back to Alexandria, they had a long talk with their old buddy, the little grey alien. With very little persuasion, Thor and the Asgard ruling body agreed that anyone among the Asgard who would harm the children or attempt to abduct them for scientific purposes would face the severest of punishments, namely banishment from the Asgard nation.
During his discussion with Thor, Jack had no idea exactly how valuable his children were to the Asgard. What's more, Thor was not allowed to tell him.
OoOoOo
In the Ori's home galaxy, the Ancients had begun to infiltrate their estranged brothers and sisters. In their efforts to contain the evil they had long ignored, the original Alterans had set out on missions of subterfuge while attempting to open negotiations with the Ori around issues of mutual concern.
At this very moment, the Convener of the Supreme Council of the Ancients was meeting with a delegation from the Ori. The Doci served as spokesperson for the Ori who accompanied him to this meeting, yet refused to speak directly. For his part, the Convener was part of an Ancient contingent which included three members of the Innocent.
"It is not that we do not believe in a God. We simply do not believe that we are God," the smallest of the Innocent calmly told the Doci who appeared visibly shaken by the heretical statement. In fact the atmosphere of the meeting place darkened considerably as a disembodied, forbidding voice, not the Doci, replied.
"You, young one, are ultimately presumptuous and mistaken. A god is a creator, one in total control by virtue of his power. That power makes him worthy of worship. The Ori are such beings."
"It is you who are mistaken and ultimately deluded," the child, Christina, replied softly, the convener standing directly beside her. "Your delusion has harmed many and caused destruction in the name of love, peace and religion. We would like to work with you to end this destruction."
"What do you propose? The Ori delegate asked.
OoOoOo
On Kheb, Oma had requested a meeting with her daughter and her small friends Anya and Leia. Within minutes the three Innocent were in Oma's presence, listening intently.
"Sam's children will need protectors," Oma began. "Even now I have noticed their parents' anxiety for their future safety. I believe they will need protection from their own people. What's more our friends, the Asgard, have voiced concern for them as well."
"But why would they need protection from their own people?" Leia asked, truly perplexed.
"Because their people are young and fear what they do not understand," Oma replied.
"I believe that this is true, Mother," Elizabeth responded with a voice of maturity. "We would be very happy to help Sam." All of the Innocent, but especially Elizabeth, had grown close to Sam during the time she had spent on Kheb. Always the pragmatist, the seven-year-old Ancient had to ask, "But how do we protect the children? Samantha told us that everything about the Stargate is secret on her planet. So how do we help if we must remain a secret?"
"Be as helpful and quiet as a silent whisper through the trees," Oma advised. The young Innocents nodded in understanding.
"So we can never let the children know we are with them?"
"No, they musn't know. Remember, they will be human children andwill be unable to stop themselves from revealing your presence. To do so would place them in even greater danger."
After thinking but a moment, Elizabeth stood in front of the other children and solemnly decreed, "We will protect them, Mother, until they become able to protect themselves."
OoOoOo
Luke Sisko had been biding his time since Sam returned from Kheb. Rather than make any move that might arouse suspicion before the babies were born, he followed the direction of his handlers and slowly worked to gain Sam's trust on a personal basis. The Memorial Day picnic had helped with this and knowing "Uncle George" had certainly been a plus. As he waited for the delivery, he worked to position himself as the obvious choice for the children's pediatrician. Actually he was making progress. He'd been to the O'Neills for dinner twice since Memorial Day, once with the rest of the research team and the second time for a more personal visit accompanied by George Hammond.
Luke had to admit that watching Uncle George with his friends, the O'Neills, made him a little nervous. George Hammond was a man he'd learned to respect and admire from early childhood. He could only assume that Uncle George was not as good a judge of character as his parents had always said he was. Clearly he didn't understand the kind of manipulative traitor that Jack O'Neill was, dedicated to bringing down the politically powerful. After all, O'Neill had caused the downfall and eventual demise of his uncle, Vice President Kinsey.
Once the O'Neills selected him as the pediatrician for their children, Luke was sure he would have access to some of the greatest marvels of modern medicine. And the marvels would be for sale.
OOoOO
(Months later…)
It had been a long day. Sam was home, true to her word, by 1830 hours most evenings. Tonight, she pulled into the driveway at 1900 hours. As she opened the door, she could smell the aroma of Chinese food and felt a smile tugging at her very tired lips.
"Hi, Sam," Jack greeted her, coming over and giving her a peck on the cheek. Taking in her totally exhausted appearance, he was more than a little worried. "Are you okay? You think its time to cut back some more till after the delivery?"
Sam was now eight months pregnant and felt every last day of it. At least the weather was getting cooler now in early October. She'd thought she'd collapse and die in the 90 degree days of Washington's August heat spell! She had to admit, she was tiring more easily every day. Maybe Jack was right.
"I think its time to consider it. After all, I look like a beached whale. I'm not sure I want to be seen in public like this anymore."
"Come here … you are my beached whale you know." Jack said teasingly, wrapping his gratefully long arms around his wife and pulling her as close as possible given her greatly distended abdomen. "You know you are the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Jack O'Neill you are so full of it! I'm fat and I feel huge."
Tipping her chin up to face him, he looked into her eyes and was saddened by the mist of tears he saw. "Honey, I love you. There is nothing more beautiful to me than the gorgeous woman I love, pregnant with our children. Do you understand?"
"Thank you. I really needed to hear that today. I'm sorry for being so shallow. It's just been a really long day."
"Well then, Mrs. O'Neill, I would recommend the distraction of a good chopstick challenge," he said in a lilting, teasing tone "followed by a surprise".
"A surprise? What is it?"
"Now if I told you…"
"I know, I know. It wouldn't be a surprise. But the closer I get to being a mother, the more I feel like a child; I just have to know!"
"Dinner first. We're going to be saying that a lot you know, Sam."
"Not fair! I can't wait." She said, coming over and kissing him seductively.
"Talk about not fair! Sam, Sam, I love you too, but someone has to be the adult here! You're eating for three and the better you do with the chopsticks, the faster you see the surprise."
By now they were both giggling, though of course Jack insisted he never giggled.
"Why do I feel like a little kid right now?"
"Maybe because you're acting like one?"
With a look of mock anger, Sam sat down heavily at the kitchen table, "Hmphf…Okay, be that way. See if I care."
"Oh now you do sound like an eight year old," he said, starting to tickle her till she giggled.
"Hey!"
"Alright, you win…"
"The surprise?"
"Yep."
"Oh, you are going to be one soft touch for these kids!"
"Oh yeah, that's why Mrs. O'Neill will be doing the discipline."
Sam just gave him a look and followed him. "Where are we going?"
"The basement. You've been dying to go there, right?"
Jack was trying so hard not to laugh at this point. He just led the way to the workshop – of course Sam hadn't seen the finished workshop yet! That itself would be a bit of a surprise. He'd been adding equipment gradually over the past 3 months so at this point, it was pretty complete.
As he opened the door, he heard a sharp intake of breath from Sam who was fairly astonished at how the shop had expanded since last she'd been inside.
"So this is the surprise – you've maxed out our credit cards?"
"Not exactly," he said in a teasing tone. "Over here." Jack directed Sam to an out of the way alcove where the rocker, polished to a lovely finish, stood waiting. Sam's eyes were immediately drawn to the star field carved in great detail on the back of the rocker.
"You made it? For me? For us?" she asked, her eyes slowly starting to fill with happy tears, one hand in Jack's and the other massaging her large abdomen.
"I didn't want to make you cry, you know."
Sam turned towards her husband with a look of pure, unadulterated love that shown through her tears. That look always disarmed Jack. It reminded him of the man he wanted to be for Sam and triggered his own fierce feelings of devotion.
"I love you, you know," was all he could say and of course it was more than enough.
"I love you," Sam answered, gently touching his check with her hand and gazing in his eyes.
"You wanna try it out?"
Smiling, Sam walked over and sat down in the large, comfortable chair, graced as it was with her husband's professional workmanship and attention to detail. Jack knelt down in front of Sam and wrapped his arms around her as far as they would reach.
"See this is my idea. It might sound corny, but …
"Sitting in the chair holding the baby will be like being in your arms…."
"Hey, did Oma make you a mind reader too?"
"No I just know my wonderful husband, who's really a romantic at heart."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, and its not corny at all. It's beautiful." She said with a smile that for Jack was beyond all things beautiful.
I realized that I've set up the twins to be fairly extraordinary. The bits and pieces in this chapter were to some extent attempts to set up the equally extraordinary supports the O'Neills will have in safeguarding and raising these two.
Love to hear how you liked the chapter or any suggestions. Please review.