I really would like to keep this moving along, so here's another short-ish chapter.
117
Shortly before eleven, Sam says she's going to bed and suggests that everyone could use some sleep. Janet and Cassie take the downstairs spare room, Daniel sprawls on the couch and Teal'c goes upstairs to the study.
Sam lies down on their bed and Jack turns off the light and spoons himself behind her. He is starting to doze, when she stirs and asks, "Have you given any more thought to names for Beanie?"
"Not today." He yawns. "Why? Have you?"
"A little," she admits, then pauses.
"What's your thought?" he asks after a moment.
"Well... I don't want to upset you, so if you say no, then that's it."
"Upset me?" He's awake now. "Why would a name upset me?"
"Hmm... I was thinking of... Charles..." She feels him draw a sharp breath at her back. "I'm sorry, Jack. I won't mention it again..."
His arms tighten around her, and she feels his quick breath on her neck. He is quiet for a long minute.
"I'm sorry..." she whispers again.
"It's okay. I was just thinking. Charles Jacob—" His voice is only the tiniest bit unsteady on the name. "It sounds good together."
"We could call him CJ," Sam says tentatively. "Or it could be Jacob Charles..."
"Ha! And give Dad the satisfaction? No way!" She can feel him grin against her shoulder. "CJ. I like it. Charles Jacob Carter O'Neill. It sounds good." He nuzzles the side of her neck, making her shiver. "Cassie will be happy that we've come to one decision at least." He puts his hand on her stomach and rubs gentle circles. "Do you hear that, Beanie? If you're a boy, your name is CJ." The muscles under his hand tighten and harden, as if in response.
"Oh!" Sam says as the contraction goes on and on.
"Breathe, Sam," Jack orders, sitting up behind her, supporting her against his chest as the contraction brings her partway up. "Keep breathing... Relax, try not to tighten up. I've got you..." Mentally he is counting off the seconds, until finally the muscles begin to relax again.
Sam sinks back against him. "I guess that might have been a real one," she says, slightly breathless.
"I'd say so." Jack looks over at the clock. "Eleven fourteen. And it lasted about thirty-five seconds. What do you want to do? Should I wake Janet?"
"Not yet. Dr. Pat said the early ones can be as much as an hour apart. There's no point getting everybody up yet." She moves to lie down again, and he helps her, until she is lying on her side facing him.
"Are you comfortable?" he asks. "Let me know if you need to turn over or anything."
"I'm okay. Lie down with me."
He stretches out beside her, and slips his arm under her head. Beanie is half resting against his side. "Is that going to work?"
"For a while," she says. "Can you hold me?"
"Absolutely," he says, smiling, and turns on his side toward her, curving his long body around her stomach, and drawing his bottom arm up around her shoulders. With his top hand he strokes her side and stomach. "How's that?"
"That's perfect." She turns her cheek into the hollow of his shoulder. "In just a few hours we're going to be parents, Jack."
"We've been parents for months, Sam," he says gently. "Even before the day we met Beanie on that ultrasound screen. This is the next step. Soon we get to see what he, or she, looks like. And he gets to meet us, and find out if he approves."
She giggles. He sometimes surprises her with his perspective on things. But after all he's been talking to the baby for months, she thinks. Maybe it's been a two way conversation!
"Try to sleep." He brushes his knuckles across her cheek, then moves his hand back to rest on Beanie. "Let me know if you need anything."
"Okay."
She falls sleep quickly, he can feel her relax. After a few minutes, he also finds himself drifting off.
The next contraction actually wakes Jack first, he senses the tightening muscles under his hand. He raises his head to see the clock. Eleven fifty-eight. Forty-four minutes since the first one. He starts counting off in his head.
Sam comes awake seconds later, with a groan. "Jack..."
"Right here. Breathe. Relax. Do you need to sit up?"
"No... This one's harder..." She stops talking and just breathes. It is shorter than the first one—Jack only gets to twenty-four seconds. He holds her while she catches her breath afterward.
Once she's relaxing and breathing normally, he sits up and turns on the light. "I need to write the times down, so I don't forget." He searches the bedside table drawer for the pen and pad she keeps there, and quickly jots down the times; 23:14h 35s, 23:58h 24s.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Sam says. "Help me up, please."
He helps her get to her feet, and then walks with her to the door. Ten seconds after they hit the hallway, Janet's door opens. "You okay?"
"Bathroom," Sam says, ducking in and shutting the door.
"Two contractions," Jack says. "Forty-four minutes apart. 35 and 24 seconds."
"When was the last one?"
"Just now."
"They were mostly pressure," Sam tells the doctor a few minutes later. "Not really pain, a lot of pressure."
"Go back to bed," Janet says. "Sleep if you can. It may be hours before they get close. Call me if you need me."
118
By morning, Sam's contractions have strengthened, and now she can definitely call them painful, though they remain infrequent. Jack's pain has also increased. He grits his teeth and ignores it. Sam is growing restless and moody. She is up, she is down, she is hungry but takes only a bite before saying her stomach is upset, her temper grows short.
"How about a warm shower," Jack suggests. "That might help. I'll get in with you." He digs a pair of swim trunks out of his bureau and puts them on. Sam raises an eyebrow. "Well, just in case I have to call Janet in for some reason, I don't want to be naked," he says.
She smiles for the first time in a couple of hours.
They wait until after the next contraction—they are coming about twenty-five minutes apart now, and Jack thinks that will give her time to relax and enjoy the shower in between. There is a bath stool in the tub for her to sit on.
Jack starts the water running and adjusts the temperature, then helps Sam out of her clothes. He holds her carefully as they climb in. For a few minutes they simply stand under the warm water. Jack rubs Sam's back and shoulders. Using the body gel, he soaps his hands and washes her carefully. He can sense her starting to relax. He begins with her back and shoulders, then moves to her arms, massaging each one. Kneeling down, he soaps her legs, urging her to sit on the stool so he can wash her feet and calves. Then he turns to her thighs, kneading and massaging the muscles deeply, trying to work out some of the tiredness there. Sam sighs and he looks up to see her leaning back against the tiles, eyelids heavy.
"God, that feels good," she groans.
After a while he adds extra gel to his hands and begins to lightly caress her belly. As the gel rinses away he leans over and kisses her belly all over, taking his time to be sure he doesn't miss a spot. His hands move up to cup her heavy breasts, and he closes his lips over a nipple carefully, knowing she is very tender there, feeling the bud stiffen in response.
"Jack..." she groans as he gently explores with his tongue. Her hands are on his shoulders, bracing herself, gripping tightly. "Oh, God. Is that supposed to feel... so good now..." Her voice trails off, and her eyes flutter closed.
Jack rises onto one knee and cradles her in his arms, guiding her head to his shoulder. She leans heavily into him, her arms wrapped around his neck. The warm water beats soothingly on their heads.
"Thank you," she murmurs after a while, so relaxed she does not think she can move. "That was very nice."
"I aim to please," he jokes.
"And you do," she assures him.
"We need to get out of the shower soon," Jack suggests. "Your next contraction will be coming along pretty quick."
"Mmhm..."
She struggles to stand and he practically lifts her out of the tub. He is helping her dry off when the next contraction hits.
"Hold on," Jack says, pushing aside the pain that is building in his own gut, as he eases her to the floor, and sits behind her, letting her lean against his chest. He wraps his arms—and a large towel—around her. Under his hands he can feel her stomach hardening as the contraction progresses. "Breathe," he commands, echoing her panting, rubbing her belly lightly. Despite her best efforts, she cries out with the pain.
"Sam!" Janet's voice comes through the door.
"Just a contraction..." Jack calls. "We're okay."
119
The time between contractions is shortening. This interval was nineteen minutes, Janet tells them when they emerge from the bathroom. "Forty-eight seconds long," Jack adds.
"I think it's time we head for the hospital," Janet says.
"Already?" Sam protests. "It could be hours before they get down to five minutes."
"I know. But I talked with Pat, and she'd like you to come sooner. There haven't been any complications due to the naquadah in your blood so far, but she thinks we should play it safe. And I agree."
"Can we all come?" Cassie asks.
"Yes. At least for now. They'll put Sam in a birthing suite, and she can have anyone there she wants, as long as things go smoothly."
"All right," Sam concedes. "I'll go get dressed."
"Let me help you," Janet says, glancing at Jack. "Jack looks like he could use a few minutes rest. Daniel's making coffee," she adds pointedly to Jack. "Go get a cup, and something to eat."
"Yes, ma'am," he says obediently and heads for the kitchen.
He is eating cereal and drinking coffee ten minutes later when Janet joins him. "Sam's supposed to be lying down," she tells him as he raises an eyebrow. "She said she'll call if she needs us. Your cramps are worse." The last is not a question.
"They're not that bad. Who's with Sam?"
"Cassie's with her. And don't try to distract me. You're her birthing partner, Jack. You have to be at your best."
"I'm fine," he says, resisting the urge to glare at her.
120
It is 10:30 when they arrive at the Academy Hospital. The birthing suite they are taken to is large, and for the most part looks more like a first class hotel suite than a hospital room. There is a double bed, which can be adjusted for height, and angles, both head and foot. The nurse's aide who shows them around explains the controls carefully. At the far end of the room are the pieces of equipment usually associated with delivery; sink, cabinets, bassinette, movable lights, etc. Other equipment and supplies are hidden behind the cabinet doors, the aide tells them.
There are comfortable armchairs, a large couch, a table and four chairs—plenty of room for several visitors. Everything is done in pleasant, restful colors and there are pictures on the walls. There is a walk-in shower, as well as a separate tub large enough to accommodate a water birth, if the mother-to-be so desires.
The aide shows them the hidden television, as well as the music controls, the small refrigerator stocked with juices and water, the coffee maker and microwave. She is smiling as she talks with them, and does not seem fazed by the number or assortment of people. They are all given name tags, with Sam's name and the suite number printed on them, to fill out and wear.
"It helps us to keep track of who's where," she explains. "If you're expecting other guests, please give their names to the receptionist at the Labor and Delivery desk," she says before she leaves. "And if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. The nurse will be here to check you in shortly. Please press the call button if you have a contraction before she comes."
"Thank you," Jack glances at her name tag. "Melinda."
"This is, like, amazing!" Cassie exclaims, looking around. "You could fit a whole apartment in here!"
Half an hour later, Sam has been checked in, changed into loose-fitting tunic top and boxer bottoms, and has had another contraction. Dr. Pat is called in at the onset of the contraction, and then shoos everyone out except Jack while she examines Sam.
"When was the last one?" the doctor asks.
"Twenty-eight minutes before, on the way here," Jack says.
"And the one before that?"
"Twenty minutes."
Dr. Pat nods. "Okay. I hate to tell you, but it's going slowly, Sam. You're only 2 centimeters dilated. There's still a long way to go, so just try to relax, and watch TV or play card games. Take a walk—anywhere around the halls in this section. Jack or someone should go with you just in case. If you want, you can get in the tub. Some people say the contractions are easier. Just ask a nurse or an aide. I'm going to send someone in to draw blood. And I'll be back soon."
"Damn," Sam mutters after the doctor is gone.
"What's wrong?" Jack asks.
"I guess I was hoping it would go faster than this," she says. "Well. It is what it is. Wanna play gin rummy?"
"Sure. Whatever milady desires."
Daniel and Cassie join them in the game. Halfway through, Sam stops and looks at Jack. "How about Zoe, if it's a girl? Zoe Anna—that's sort of after your mother."
"My mom's name is Susanna," Jack points out.
"Yeah—but the Anna part..."
He considers for a second. "Whatever you want, darling."
"Darling!" She laughs. "You've never called me that before!"
"Well, my mom calls me darling sometimes," he says without thinking.
"Oooh! Darling Jack!"
"No! She calls me Jon." After that he shuts up, having given her enough ammunition to tease him.
I'd like to say here that I had picked the nickname CJ before I read the currently posted story which uses that name. Honest and truly! I debated changing it, but I had already written the dialog around it. And I really like it! Interesting how great minds run along similar lines :-)