Chapter 25
Several Days Later….
Carter was released from the infirmary. She was placed on light duty. She was already beginning to show. Signs that the Mistressa was beginning to gain there trust Carter sat in her lab. Her immediate trips to the bathroom became less frequent, and she was beginning to settle into this new role. Of course O'Neill visited often. He would tell her often about the most recent mission. It was a catch 22 though. Every time he brought it up her heart sank with the longing of her wanting to be there. But she also wanted to hear about it. She though id she could be there then she would live vicariously through them. There talks became often. Where lunch would be the SG1 as a whole, now a days you would find carter and the colonel sitting alone conversing and laughing. It was quite a sight to see. Personnel would watch them, but where you though actions or repercussion would take place, it was quite the opposite. Most of them knew that sg1 had sacrificed any type of normalcy in order to protect the planet, better yet in order to protect them. So they let them be. Carter and O'Neill knew they were being watched. But they also knew tat the connection between them was growing stronger by the day. So they honestly didn't care.
"Hey" a voice interrupted the hysterical laughing from Carter and O'Neill. It was Daniel. He looked like a lost puppy. "Hey" Carter said back. "You guys mind if I join you?" he asked with a pout on his face. "Of course not Danny boy" O'Neill said reaching out his hand to have him sit next to him
"Thanks …was getting pretty lonely eating alone" he said but with the obvious implications. Carter and O'Neill looked at each other and grinned. They didn't mean to exclude Daniel our Teal'c for that matter, but with Teal'c off world, and Daniel spending most of his time in the lab, it was just Carter and O'Neill. And they didn't mind at all.
"So what's new Daniel" O'Neill asked. As usual he really didn't care to know, but was trying to make casual conversation.
"Well actually SG15….." Daniel began to babble away. Of course Carter was intrigued but O'Neill zoned out. He just watched as Carters eyes lit up with Daniels info about new missions and encounters. She can sense him starring and looked up only to find him grinning like a Cheshire cat. She pushed her leg underneath the table and softly tapped his foot. He waved his hands as if to say "what" but he didn't say a word. Daniel and Carter kept up the "techno-babble" as O'Neill called it. But then suddenly it was interrupted
"Ahhhhh…."Carter yelled as she grasped her belly.
"Carter" O'Neill ran to her side. "What is it" he asked scared out of his mind for her.
"I don't know" she replied back in fear.
"Let's get you to the infirmary" O'Neill said already grabbing her elbow to help her up.
"No..It's o.k…Sir…its o.k. I'm ok really" carter was trying to convince him. She wasn't sure what the twinge was but she didn't want to go the infirmary again, so she hoped it was just the baby adjusting itself.
"If I start to run to Frasier for every little twinge I feel I might as well move into the infirmary" Carter said hoping she could calm him.
"Not a bad idea" O'Neill spat back. Carter gave him that look of "I'd like to punch your arm right now" but again words were spoken for him to know exactly what she was thinking.
He paused for a second and then realized that she was right. He remembered Sara's pregnancy and how sometimes she would yell out only for it to be Charlie playing soccer with her insides.
"But promise me you will go see the Doc if anything else occurs" he asked.
"I promise" she said back, seeing the worry in his eyes.
"Well I'd love to sit here and chat all day, but I have some reports I need to complete by end of day soo…I'll catch with you all later?" she said aiming the question towards O'Neill. But Daniel answered. "Yea…we could" but he stopped realizing she wasn't talking to him.
"Oh you meant….um..never mind" he said, embarrassed he jumped to conclusions. Carter chuckled and left the table.
"So…Jack…the two of you" Daniel began to tread on dangerous waters.
"Daniel" O'Neill said his name in that voice of annoyance.
"What?" he said.
By this point O'Neill was making his way out of the commissary and left Daniel alone at the table. He wasn't going to discuss their relationship, if you can even call it that.
Carter was walking towards her lab. The smile on her face was evident to all. If you didn't know her, you would wonder why she would be so happy in such an awkward situation. But Carter smiled because she knew her Colonel and yes she can call him that, loved her. She could almost skip it gave her so much joy. But suddenly that joy was quickly replaced by pain. Carter leaned against the hallway wall and gasped her belly. "oh God" she yelled" "What's wrong: she asked it. She knew it could respond. She suddenly heard the voice but she could sense that it was struggling. "Your makeup..it's different from Amiris. I've been trying to stabilize it without making you ill, but in turn it's affected me" it said. Carter leaned against the wall for balance. As she leaned, she looked down and suddenly saw red running down her leg.
"Oh God" she cried. "You must go..see your Doctor…Sam…you need to get to her" it pleaded.
The pain was worsening. Carter cried out "Help..someone please….." An airman head her cried and immediately came to her side. He can see the blood and knew what was happening.
"I got you major" He said. He wisped her up into his arms and ran her to the infirmary. "Dr…Dr" he yelled. Frasier came out of her office. "What happened?" she asked. "I found her in the hallway" He said.
"Janet" Carter cried.
"It's ok Sam, I got you.." she said.
"Frasier began instructing the nurses in what needed to be done. Carter laid there crying. This life had become a part of her. She couldn't lose it. It would be like losing Amiri all over again.
"Janet please I can't lose her" She pleaded with Dr. Frasier.
"You won't Sam, if I have anything to do with it. You hang in there you hear me" Frasier practically ordering her. By this time news had traveled to O'Neill.
"What the hell" he said as he made his way into the infirmary.
"I'm sorry Sir, you will have to wait out here" the nurse said. "the hell I am" he said. Fighting to get through.
"Sir..please Major Carter is being examined right now. You can't go in there" the nurse pleaded with him.
Realizing what she was saying he backed off, and just started to pace the hallway again. Minutes felt like hours and O'Neill was growing impatient. Examination or none he was going to walk in there. But right before he did, Frasier came out.
"Doc what the hell happened?" he asked her.
"I don't know sir, I have no idea" she said. "I've given her something for the pain, but it doesn't look good" she said.
"For crying out loud, can't she catch a break" he yelled. As he punched the door.
"Colonel.." Frasier yelled. "hey…Hey…Jack you need to calm down, she needs you to be there for her" she said.
He ruffled his hair, as he always did when he didn't have control and he was upset.
"Go be with her Jack, just be with her" Frasier said. Knowing there was nothing more she could do for her. He knew that when she used his first name that things weren't looking good. He nodded his head and made his way in. He went to her side, and grabbed her hand to be met with yet again the surge. It had become part of the routine and at times he wouldn't even realize it was happening. But this time was different. Now it was a steady surge, where as before it was just short burst of shocks.
"Carter" he called her name.
"Jack…she's weak, Jack…she said it's my genetic makeup, it's different from Amiri's ..and that she's been trying to adapt without harming me but it's taken a toll on her",,, Carter said as tears rolled of her face.
"shhhhhhhhhh it's gonna b o.k." he said as he wiped her tears.
"Carter…listen to me…do you feel that?" he asked her. The surge hadn't stopped. "What do you mean?" Carter stated in confusion.
"The surge….Sam, it hasn't stopped since I touché your hand, and I haven't let go, it's just a constant sensation" he said.
"Jack I don't feel it, I don't feel it at all" she said starting to panic wondering if she should be feeling it.
"Shh…it's ok….it's ok….." he said..trying to calm her..
"Has she said anything else to you?" he asked trying to get some answers.
"No…not since was in the hallway" she said.
"I'm scared Jack…" she admitted to him, he brought her hand up to his face, and said "So am I, Sam, so am I".
They looked into each others eyes, and both could see the fear in each others eyes.
All he wanted to do was lie beside her, hold her and take away the pain and fear, but all he could do is hold her hand and be there for her during this ordeal.
Hours had passed and he had fallen asleep by her bed side still holding her hand. Where Frasier would have interrupted, she let them be. She knew that these two needed each other, but what she didn't know was how much. When she began to examine Carter she started to see improvement. She was bewildered. Couple of hours ago, it looked grim, but they both might have a chance. If her findings were correct, Carter and baby were almost back to normal. She had to inform O'Neill.
"Sir" she whispered as to not wake Carter up..
"Hmm…he said softly…"can you come with me to my office" Frasier said softly. O'Neill was stiff for having been in an awkward position. He stretched and starting following Frasier.
"What's up Doc" he said, trying to make light of the situation as he always did.
"Actually Sir, "she's improved. "They both have" she said.
"What did you do?" he asked in shock. For the last time they spoke it wasn't looking good.
"That's just it…..I didn't do anything…." She said confused.
"Well as long as they are ok. It doesn't matter to me" he said in relief.
"Well I'm going to run some more test. So why don't you go get some sleep.. I'll come get you when she wakes up" she said.
"neh.." he said and stretched. "I'm fine" as he walked his way back to Carters bed.
"Sir, I can make it an order" she said strongly.
"Janet..Really I'm fine, I just need to be with her" he said to her, hoping she would understand.
"I know that Jack, trust me I do, but you are no good to her exhausted" she said.
Suddenly the nurse came running into her office. "Dr. Frasier it's Major Carter…her vitals have dropped again" the nurse said.
"What???" the Colonel and Dr. Frasier stated at the same time.
They both ran out of the office to Carters side. O'Neill immediately grabbed her hand, and again the surge was there but stronger this time. But he didn't realize all he was concerned was about her right now. Frasier started working on Carter. Two steady beats started to be heard on the monitors. Carter's and the babies.
"What the?" O'Neill said in shock. He was confused as ever. Frasier suddenly began to see a pattern.
He was confused as ever.
"Nurse when did her stats start dropping?" Frasier asked. She was starting to realize that there was a pattern here.
"It was right about the time you and the colonel went to your office" the nurse said.
"Sir…do me a favor, let go of her hand" Frasier said. O'Neill was starting to worry that she was talking about there non-frat rules.
"Doc..ah..it's not like that?" he bone faced lied to her.
"Sir, I know that . I just want to see something here" She said. O'Neill slowly pulled his hand away. They watch her stats. Nothing.
"Hmmm…ok..Colonel would you mind going and waiting in the hallway" Frasier asked. "For crying out loud Janet" Colonel please just humor me would ya."
She said having a feeling that there was more to Carters stats dropping and returning normal than met the eye. Colonel, annoyed, walked into the hallway and leaned against the wall. Not even 1 minute had passed and Carters vitals began to drop again.
"Sir" Frasier yelled out.
He ran back in. "What the?" O'Neill said.
"Sir I need you to come close and grab her hand again." Frasier said immanently. O'Neill did jus that .Just as Frasier had suspected. Cater was reacting to O'Neill. His proximity, his touch is what was maintaining them . Frasier couldn't believe it.
"Ahhhh…so…I'm doing this?" O'Neill said. Realizing what Frasier was testing.
"It seems so Sir" Frasier said. As they both stared at each other. Carter started to wake. She slowly opened her eyes to see Jack standing there.
"Hey" she could barely get the word out.
"Hey back" O'Neill said.
"She's weak" Carter said. Frasier and O'Neill both looked at each other. What was Carter talking about?
Carter continued. "my make-up is different than Amiri's" she said trying to sit up.
"She was trying to adapt without harming me…but she wasn't successful. She says that there is something in you. You are different. When you are close she feeds of your energy and can then begin to adapt to me" Carter finished saying.
"Can you hear her now Major?" Frasier asked.
"No…it's …it's like in a dream…I can almost see her too." Carter said.
"Well sir…I guess you are not going anywhere." Frasier said.
"Nurse, lets move Carter into her private quarters, and lets have them add a bed in there; Sir, till I talk to Hammond, private quarters will have to do for now" Frasier wondering if this was just fate finally throwing Sam and Jack a bone.
"Ah ok…so you'll brief Hammond?" O'Neill said worried how this was going to play out.
"Well you can't unless we bring Carter along. And I'd rather have her resting" she said.
"I'm fine.." Carter sneaked in. Trying to sit herself up.
"Carter you are not moving from that bed unless you need to pee, and I can fix that to with a catheter if you'd like" Frasier stated strongly.
Carter immediately replied "I'm lying down, I'm lying down."
O'Neill looked at her and made the facial expression of "ouch" Catheters were never fun.
Frasier made her way to Hammond's office. This was one for the books. O'Neill and Carter were now linked by this being. How? She had no clue. all she knew was that O'Neill was Carters life-line and they had to stay together in order for her and the Mistressa to live.