Sam was quiet on the plane back to Denver. Jack could tell that she was thinking and it bothered him. Did she regret this weekend? Did she already wish that she hadn't married him? Jack's head was filled with worries. Eventually Sam fell into a restless sleep, leaving Jack to his own thoughts and doubts.
The couple traveled mostly in silence, even through gathering luggage and dropping Ferretti off at the base with a threat not to discuss what had happened that weekend, especially to Kawalsky.
Once they got to their house, Sam threw her bag on the floor of their bedroom and collapsed on the bed in tears. Not just a few tears, Jack noted, but all out sobs. Being a guy, Jack had no idea how to correct his mistake other then to gather Sam into his arms and hold her as long as she cried.
When she finally quieted but didn't remove her face from his now tear soaked shirt, Jack went into 'I screwed up and now I have to fix it mode' and apologized. "I'm sorry," he said.
"What for?" Sam asked, lifting her head from his shirt to look into his eyes, a confused expression on her face.
"For whatever I did that made you cry," Jack explained.
"It wasn't you," Sam whispered, "It was my dad."
"What did he say?"
"More like what didn't he say? I guess the fact we forgot to tell him that you unretired started things off and it went downhill from there. Wanted to know how we were going to have a relationship and why you wanted to get married so fast," Sam explained. "He's supposed to be my dad and support me but all he did was try to make me feel I was making a mistake. Which it's not."
"There's no way that what I feel for you could ever be a mistake," Jack promised. "I love you."
"I know," Sam replied, "Me too."
"Don't worry about Dad. He'll either figure out that's he's wrong and fix it or he doesn't belong in your life," Jack declared.
"You're right," Sam said quietly.
"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."
Sam swatted Jack playfully. "You heard me," she insisted. "You're right but don't get to used to it-it won't happen often."
Seeing a smile on Sam's face made all of Jack's efforts worthwhile. "I'll forget your insubordination Colonel if you'll go order some pizza," Jack offered.
"Just order pizza?" Sam asked, suspicious of Jack's easy offer.
"We'll start with pizza and work up to the rest," Jack hinted.
Sam untangled herself from Jack and rose off the bed. "Huh," she huffed mockingly as a blush lit her cheeks. "You presume an awful lot for a supposedly intelligent guy," she called over her shoulder as she put a little extra swagger into her steps, leaving Jack with a great look at her butt.
It was only after she disappeared from view that Jack realized what she had said. "Hey!" he called as he bounded after her, "Supposedly intelligent?"
Sam's laughter was music to Jack's ears.
----
At precisely 0800 hours, Jack and Sam stood at attention as Major General George Hammond entered the briefing room and motioned them all to take their seats. Once they were seated, Hammond began to speak. "First of all, several housekeeping items. Unless announced, day-to-day uniforms will be BDU's unless an announcement is made otherwise. You are all receiving permanent transfers from whatever unit you were with, to NORAD under the cover of 'deep space radar telemetry'."
This announcement was met with several groans from those seated around the table at the lacking cover story. Before anyone could raise any objections though, George forged on. "Furthermore, the President has agreed with Dr. Jackson's argument that there is much to be learned through using the Stargate. He has ordered the formation of 9 teams. This entire operation is classified top secret. No one will know the truth about what we do here except for the President and the Joint Chiefs. Colonel O'Neill, you will lead the SG-1 which will consist of yourself and Dr. Jackson. Colonel Carter, you will lead SG-2. Major Kawalsky and Major Ferretti, for at least the first two months you will operate as the second in commands to Colonel O'Neill and Colonel Carter respectively, before receiving command of SG-8 and SG-9 when the personnel becomes available to fill those teams."
The glances shared between the four military personnel were priceless as each tried to contain their enthusiasm.
George didn't fail to notice the special glance that was shared between the two Colonels but before he could say anything else, the klaxon sounded, announcing an incoming wormhole, something which had become common place ever since the mission to Chulak. "Dismissed," he announced and headed for the control room, followed by his four newest team leaders and Dr. Jackson.
While Major General George Hammond didn't know what kind of threats were out there, he felt confident that he had the nation's best under his command protecting their planet. He could only hope that it would be enough.
----
Several days later, Jack collapsed into their bed and Sam flopped next to him, both of them thoroughly exhausted after the past few days' events.
"I never told Charlie that we got married," Jack said quietly, "And now he'll never know."
Sam didn't know what to say, so she just let Jack hold her like she was his teddy bear.
"And Hammond doesn't want us flashing our relationship until the President decides something so…"
"No one else will know unless we tell them," Jack finished for her. "I'm sorry that things aren't going like they should be."
"Like they shouldn't be?" Sam questioned, turning to face him.
"I'm supposed to be retired and living with you wherever you're stationed at. And we're supposed to be working on…" Jack explained before dropping off.
"Working on what?" Sam asked.
"Working on adding a little girl to our family," Jack said quietly.
Sam opened her eyes wide at the admission. "Wow! I wasn't sure what you would say about kids, especially after Charlie, but I guess we'll have to get started on that right away. If we do things right, he should be here by Father's Day," Sam said.
"She would be a pretty good present," Jack claimed, "But you realize that you'd have to leave the field, give up command of SG-2."
"This would be worth it," Sam declared. "Besides, I'm pretty sure the President is going to say that I be made the head of science and technology at the base and report directly to General Hammond while you handle military matters. I'll just work in the labs and on the gate program when I can't lead a team."
"Maybe you should suggest that to Hammond," Jack murmured as he leaned over to kiss her.
"I already have," Sam replied as she pulled Jack's head down to meet her own lips.
----
A few days later, after Charlie Kawalsky's funeral, Hammond called Jack and Sam into his office and gave the exact orders that Sam had suggested to him.
The first trip through the gate was done by SG-1, plus Sam, and it was the first test of their marriage. Sam disappeared in the middle of the night wearing a gorgeous blue dress. Jack was so relieved that she was returned safely to them that he had to resist the urge that he had to kiss her senseless in front of Daniel and Teal'c, neither of whom had been informed about the relationship.
But Sam was distant, not letting Jack touch her. It wasn't until Sam got back and was sequester in the infirmary overnight with heavy wounds on her back that Jack found out just how back things had really been. It was then that he realized that if he had been just a little bit later, he could have lost his wife. That thought sent Jack O'Neill thinking. While Sam lay sedated in the infirmary Jack thought, and thought, and thought some more. And he came to the conclusion that he wasn't sure he could do this anymore.
Luckily, Sam woke up and talked him out of leaving the field.
"You can't give up command of SG-1," Sam insisted. "No one else wants to have Daniel or Teal'c on their team."
Sam giggled at the expression on Jack's face.
"That was just wrong!" he declared, reaching out to tickle her. When things started to get a little hot, they were interrupted by the new CMO, Dr. Janet Fraiser.
She looked curiously at the position the two officers were in before saying, "I need examine Colonel Carter now." Janet gave him a piercing stare that indicated he should leave.
"I know when I'm not wanted," he moaned as he leaned down to kiss Sam before leaving.
The doctor looked questionably at Sam and raised an eyebrow, "You know he didn't move the entire time you were out."
"I kind of figured that," Sam admitted. "He's my husband."
"That explains things," Janet said. "But it's not in your medical chart and I'm guessing that it's not public knowledge."
"We got married a little over two weeks ago. And we're keeping that quiet, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread that around Doctor," Sam advised her.
"It's Janet," Janet insisted, "And you can count on me."
"It's Sam then," Sam smiled as the doctor checked her wounds.
"Well then Sam, how do you feel about joining the rest of us women for a girl's night out?"
That question was the start of a close friendship between Janet and Sam.
----
A year and a half later, Jack O'Neill stood, holding his nine month old daughter in his arms. She was his pride and joy.
A week after Sam had been beaten, she had led her newly formed team, including temporary 2IC Major Ferretti, on their first mission through the Stargate and came back infected with the Broca virus which had turned everyone into primitive humans. A fortunate side effect for Sam and Jack had been that the virus was also a fertility drug. Nine months later, Grace Elizabeth O'Neill had been born.
The unfortunate outcome of the virus had been the fact Sam and Jack were forced to reveal their relationship. Though next to no one had said much about it, it had limited the amount of time they spent together in the field. But that hadn't been much of a problem a couple of months later when Janet had pulled Sam out of the field.
//Flashback//
Sam had suited up to lead SG-2 on a joint mission with SG-1 to a planet where Teal'c had revealed there was a creature that could make its self invisible.
The dialing of the gate had been halted and Janet had come into the gate room.
"Colonel Carter you can not go on this mission," Janet ordered.
"Why not Doc?" Jack had asked coming to stand next to his wife.
"There were irregularities in her pre-mission blood test that I need to check out," Janet explained handing Sam a sheet of paper, "Residual effects from the Broca virus."
Jack looked at her confused. "We've been on several missions sent then. Why did you just catch this now?" Jack demanded slightly worried he shifted his P-90 so that he could stand closer to Sam and try to read the report.
"Some things just take time to be detected," the Doctor claimed as she tried to pacify the worried officer.
"What things?" Jack practically yelled, becoming worried about his wife and the fact that the doctor wasn't really saying anything.
Sam could tell that things were going to get out of hand unless she did something, and after reading her own medical file, she was pretty sure that she knew what the problem was.
"It's okay Jack," Sam said as she placed a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him down.
"How is it okay?" Jack demanded.
Sam inconspicuously placed a hand on her stomach and looked to Janet for confirmation. Janet had noticed the action and smiled at Sam nodding her head.
At the point General Hammond came in the room, wanting to see what the holdup was. "Doctor, what is the problem?"
"I'm pulling Colonel Carter from the field for the foreseeable future General," Janet said.
"Hold on!" Jack said raising a hand, "I thought it was just an issue with some blood work and an effect of the Broca virus. Can't' you just give her a shot or something to take care of the problem?"
"Colonel O'Neill," Hammond lightly reprimanded, "I am sure that Doctor Fraiser knows what to do better than you. Unless there is a reason to detain SG-1 and the rest of SG-2 I would like to send them on their way."
Doctor Fraiser thought about for a few seconds. "I see no reason to delay their mission sir. Colonel Carter is the only one suffering these effects. By the time Colonel O'Neill returns I should have more information on Colonel Carter's condition."
"I am not going anywhere until someone tells me what is wrong with Sam," Jack declared, almost stomping his foot like a child.
"Colonel O'Neill-"
"Jack"
"Sir"
Was all said at the same time, by General Hammond, Sam, and Doctor Fraiser respectively.
General Hammond held up his hand for silence and looked between Doctor Fraiser and Sam. "Would one of you ladies like to reassure the Colonel that he has nothing to worry about?" he requested.
"I'm not sure this is the place for that-" Janet began only to have Sam interrupt her.
"I'm pregnant," Sam stated.
Jaws dropped in the gate room as they all turned to look at Sam, at least those who hadn't been looking or were pretending not to look earlier.
"Is that true Doctor?" Hammond asked, glancing at the doctor.
"Yes sir," Janet confirmed, particularly enjoying watching Jack try to figure out how to respond.
"I believe that congratulations are in order then Colonel Carter and-" General Hammond tried to say only to be interrupted by a whoop from Jack as it dawned on him.
"I'm going to be a dad again," Jack yelled, picking Sam up and twirling her around. When he put her down, he kissed her, dipping her back which permitted Sam to put her hands around his neck.
Wolf whistles came from many people in the gate room, started by Ferretti, Jack suspected, but he had no intention of stopping to reprimand the man.
//End Flashback//
Sam had left Ferretti in charge of SG-2 and sent Jack with them on the mission. After the mission was over and Sam heard just how close she came to loosing Jack, she out rightly told him that she wasn't sure she could return to the field after their child was born.
Shortly after Grace was born, Jack went on his first mission in what turned out to be a string of close calls. He had ended up in Antarctica with Ferretti and almost froze to death, become a robot double, and saved the world. Saving the world for the first time had been the scariest.
//Flashback//
"I'm going with you Jonathan O'Neill and nothing you can say or do will stop me!" Sam exclaimed.
"But what if something happens to us?" Jack asked. "What about Grace?"
"I'm doing this for Grace," Sam reminded him. "Can you override the dialing program without me? Can you fix a broken DHD?"
//End Flashback//
At that point, Jack knew that there would be no arguing with her, she was going with them. So Jack and Sam had left their daughter in Janet's care and she had been one of the first sent through to the Alpha site. Saving the world didn't even compare to the feeling of holding his wife and daughter in his arms once again.
The lowest point over the last year and half had come when Sam had been taken over by a Tok'ra. He wasn't sure that she would ever come out of the state she was in until he had brought their then four and half month daughter to see her. For the first time in days, Sam had reacted to someone rather than just staring at the wall.
Right before they left for the medal ceremony in Washington, Janet had given him and Sam some bad news though, one that made him so glad to have Grace.
//Flashback//
"There's no easy way to say this Sam, but I'm afraid that you'll never have any more children. The way that the Tok'ra broke down in your body changed your body," Janet said softly trying to soften the blow she knew this would be. "I'm sorry."
Jack had held Sam in his arms as she cried tears of disappointment at never being able to have another child.
//End Flashback//
Now Jack was holding his daughter while Sam said good-bye to Jacob who now had his own symbiote, Selmac. Jacob hugged Sam firmly before holding out his hands to Jack, indicating that he wanted to hold the granddaughter that he had just met a month ago. Despite having been invited out to Colorado multiple times, it had taken Sam, Jack, and Grace going to D.C. with General Hammond before Jacob had made a move to connect with his granddaughter. But it had only taken once and Jacob had fallen in love with the little girl, moving to Colorado Springs so that he could spend what time he had left with her.
Jacob held her gently but tightly before the gate started spinning, whispering in her ear. Jacob handed Grace to Sam. He hugged Jack and promised, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Take care of them Jack."
"I will Dad," he promised.
Jack stood with one arm around Sam and watched as his father-in-law stepped through the gate. "What a strange life we lead," Jack said to no one in particular.
"Well I think it's our own kind of normal," Sam insisted as she gazed at her daughter.
"Then it hasn't be the strangest normal out there," Jack claimed as he kissed his wife on the cheek and took Grace from her, after all, he had changed her last diaper and that had to count for holding privileges!
----
AN: Well that's all for now everyone! I have gotten some requests for a sequel, but I'm not sure where I'd take the story from here. Besides, I'm working on several new stories, including one that's just been posted titled "Finding Calm Waters" that I hope many of you will take a look at. In the meantime, thanks for reading and all your great reviews!