Set after End Game (Season 8), thirty-seventh in the 'By My Side' Series
Sam and Jack finally bring their daughter home for the first time
Author's Note: I hope you guys appreciate this story. It was great to write all of this, but it was hard to get it just right. It originally took a life of it's own, but I wasn't totally happy with it. But it's done, and I'm much happier with this result! I hope everyone likes it:) And everyone, I'm SO sorry the update was late, but things are pretty crazy at the moment. Just a quick part to tide you over, until next time:)
Krahmogh: Hi there:) Always happy to hear from new readers! Welcome:) Well, I was glad to hear from a mother that you enjoyed this last part, and that you could identify with Sam not picking up the early signs of labour - I had to base this entirely on what others told me. LOL, yes, I think everyone thinks that Jack's behaviour was typical of him... it was a hoot to write! I'm glad that you liked the name I chose, and there is some significance to the names, I will explain in a later story, but I'll give you a quick run-down now... Rachel, well it is a sweet name, and it was something I thought Sam and Jack might agree upon. It's a favourite of mine, and with its meaning of 'lamb', I thought it was gentle and calming. As for Elizabeth... I have decided to give this name to Sam's deceased mother... as for Clare, I have decided that this was the name of Sam's grandma who died not that many years prior. In my own life, it was the name of my great-grandmother and was in consideration for my own middle name. I also like its meaning, which is 'bright', and 'shining'. I hope that explains thing enough.:) Here's the update, at last!
StarrGazer: Yes, aw, a girl! Well, you must be a mind reader, being right about it! I'm so dreadful at guessing that kind of thing! I'm generally astute, but I never know whether a baby is going to be a boy or girl. I always think it's the reverse of what it ends up being. So now, I go with the reverse of my gut-feeling, which makes my guesses far more accurate:) Glad to hear that you liked the last part! Hey, I can understand about not reviewing sooner! I tried to update as soon as possible, but things were so crazy on boxing day, I never had a chance 'til evening. Actually, the thoughtof my humble little fic being read at 'Orlando International Airport', on the other side of the globe from where I am is quite amusing, and staggering! Yeah, I think everyone was amused by Jack's over-interest in football! I've had a lot of comments about that.:) Yeah, he had to be a sap about his daughter, though! I hope you enjoy this next part! I hope you've been having a great new year!
CharmedAli: I'm glad you enjoyed the last part.:) I'm sorry to hear that you thought it was out of character. What specifically made you think this?
J. Hicks: Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! I'm also glad that you liked the name I selected.:) Hey, that's ok about the late review... my update is late, so who am I to complain:)
Trickster's Queen of War: Glad you enjoyed the last part! Here's the update, so it took awhile!
Jennyvre Moss: Yay! Yes, Sam had the baby at last! I'm glad that you enjoyed the last part. And yeah, everything went fine. I didn't have to heart to scare Sam too much... this time!;) yeah, I have Jacob's upcoming appearance all planned... think Jacob's appearance late in season eight, it will be based around that.
sparkles make me smile: Thanks SO much! I'm glad you loved the last part! Thanks, I'm glad you thought I did Thanksgiving justice... the bit about the pecan pie that Sam went to the trouble of buying was a nod to your own little anecdote:) I'm glad that you found it realistic. Um, no (coughs) I really don't know much about football, I swear! I have to credit the info I used to roseofthegate and J. Hicks. I don't even know much about the football of my own country! As for how many people were in the delivery room... I suppose I was stretching it there, though I don't know enough to say. I didn't have them in there that long, though. So, you're probably right in the point you made, but I didn't want to leave anyone out.
LOL! Glad that you liked the part where Sam threw the cup at Jack's nose:) That was a last minute addition before I uploaded that last part.
Yeah, for quite a few reasons, I wanted to give them a girl:) I think everyone wanted the same thing! I'm glad that you liked the choice of name. Yeah, I know everyone uses Grace, which is quickly turning very unoriginal - though one of my favourite writers (janissima) here does use it, but it's forgivable there 'cause she's so damn good at writing. But it is a nice name, just the same. Aw, your kitty is called Gracie? How cute! My own kitty is called Schroedinger)
Yeah, Jack had to be his usual charming self, so I'm glad that you though that was realistic)
I hope you like this update, despite its brevity. And sorry I was so late in updating!
froggy0319: Ah, I'm always happy to hear such words of praise:) Tears has to be a good thing:) Yes, Jack is lucky he remained in one piece! I hope I'll do justice to writing Rachel as a part of the O'Neill household.:)
Sci Fi Fan Gillian: Thanks so much, I'm glad that you thought so:)
roseofthegate: LOL, glad you're happy with the name! Yes, I do know how Rachel means lamb in Hebrew... I have quite an interest in names and their origins. I'm glad that the story turned into a birthday present for you, and that you had a great day:) I hope I'll live up to your expectations of Sam and Jack as parents!
MajorMaru: LOL! Yes, Bubba had to be a girl, I thought.:) I'm glad that you liked the name choice! I like the name Rachel (obviously) but it's also a name that most people probably wouldn't have a problem with. Yes, I know what you mean about unoriginal names. It gets very old very quickly. I decided to have fun with the naming! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter:)
deathstreet90: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. As for Teal'c... his squeals were far more dignified, I'm sure:) As for Cassie, um, Rachel already has cousins, and since she's sort of made a home with Jack and Sam, she will be in a big sister role. I don't think I ever suggested Cassie would be a cousin figure, but correct me if I'm wrong.
Vickysg: Thanks so much! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Yes, Rachel will well and truly have her father around her little finger... Jack adores her already!;) I hope you had a merry Christmas too, as well as a happy New Year.:)
feb04: Yes, thanks, I did have a nice Christmas, but a quiet one.:) I hope you enjoyed both your Christmas and New years! LOL, yes I thought I just had to have Jack watching the sport - yes, I thought it was very typical.:) Ha ha, yes, I just had to include the line about the pecan pie Sam had gone to all the trouble to... buy! Not only was it referring to the episode 'Rite of Passage', it referred to what 'sparkles make me smile' was telling me about her family's Thanksgiving.:) I thought it was sad that Janet wasn't there for the labour, so blame TPTB for killing her off! I was annoyed, but seeing as I'm sticking to canon as much as possible, I went along with it. DON'T worry - Jack will definitely forget the name 'Bubba' now he has a proper name to use! Glad that you approved of the choice I made with 'Rachel'. Oh, as for Jacob... I will give you a small hint... think of when he finally appears again in season 8! So yes, he will be back! Nah, Jake'll be too enamoured with his new granddaughter to concern himself with Jack. Glad you enjoyed the last part:)
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Four days after giving birth to Rachel, Sam made her way home. Jack had swung past the hospital after signing out of the SGC for the night, and brought Sam and Rachel home.
"You won't believe the amount of cards and gifts that have arrived," he told her. "Once everyone at the SGC found out... all hell broke loose. I left you to do the unwrapping, of course."
Sam smiled. "That's so sweet of them. As you know, some of them have called past the hospital. I think the matron nearly had a fit when she saw how many flowers there were in the room!"
Jack laughed. "I took one look at her once, and went in the other direction."
Sam cackled at that. "She's not that bad. I know Janet spoke highly of her, anyway."
Jack shuddered. "I'll take your word on that."
They finally pulled into their driveway, Jack quickly exited the car and opened Sam's side, and she gingerly stepped out, since she was still rather tender from giving birth.
Once Sam was out of the car, she opened the back door of the car, and took Rachel out of the back, and picked her up, to take her inside for the first time. Rachel wriggled slightly, but settled easily into her mother's loving arms.
"You ok, there?" Jack asked, gazing affectionately at his wife and daughter.
Sam smiled. "Rachel and I are just fine."
Jack opened the door, and the new family stepped through. Inside, Sam was greeted pile a pile of presents.
"Wow, she remarked, shifting Rachel slightly. "You weren't exaggerating!"
Rachel started to whimper.
"Oh, she must be hungry," Sam said, going to sit down on the sofa, starting to feed her.
"You're a pro already," Jack remarked, impressed.
Sam blushed. "Well, I don't know about that. This is all pretty overwhelming. I have to admit that it's all a bit scary. I'm just lucky that Rachel's a little angel."
Jack grinned. "She must take after her father."
Sam smothered a giggle. "Whatever you say, dear."
"Well, you might be singing a different tune, when she starts teething," Jack recalled, thinking back to the days when Charlie had been a baby.
Sam nodded. "I'm your mother would agree with that."
Jack jokingly objected, "Hey! I didn't mean it like that!"
Once Rachel had had her fill, Sam started patting her back. "Jack, would you bring some of those presents here?" she requested.
Jack picked up a few of them in his arms, and carried them over to Sam.
"Could you open a couple for me. I wanna see what's inside," Sam asked Jack sweetly.
Rolling his eyes, but grinning, he opened a gift from Sgt. Siler and his wife. "Sucking up to the boss, I see," he couldn't help but say.
"Jack, that's terrible! I think it's so nice how everyone has done this," Sam scolded him, amused.
Inside the gift, was a beautiful pink dress, very girly, and very frilly.
"Oh, that's so cute!" Sam exclaimed.
"When did you turn into such a girl?" Jack teased.
This time Sam rolled her eyes. "Jack, I think you're supposed to be extremely nice to me, considering I just gave birth to your child."
Jack looked contrite. "Sorry, baby."
Sam turned her attention to Rachel, whose head was laid on her shoulder. "I think someone's sleepy," she observed, a sappy look on her face.
"Why don't you put her down to sleep, and I'll heat up something for dinner," Jack offered.
Sam gratefully accepted, and gently kissed Rachel's soft skin, and placed her in her bassinet.
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Slowly, over the course of a few days, started to settle into a routine with Rachel. It was hard at times, with lack of sleep, but Rachel was a good baby, Jack was totally committed to helping out, and Sam had fallen under Rachel's spell. She had fallen deeply in love with her daughter the moment she had first laid eyes on her. She loved everything about her - her wispy hair, her huge blue eyes, her dear little face, her soft skin, and her sweet baby smell. She was devoted to her. Much to her relief, she didn't have a great deal of problems with 'baby blues', as she had been more on the depressed side in the final weeks leading up to Rachel's birth. The birth, and the relief of the end of her pregnancy seemed to have eased that. As for Jack, he doted on Rachel completely. Having a daughter was a wonderful new experience for him. It was obvious already that she was going to be a 'Daddy's girl'. He was amazed at this second chance at parenthood, and was left in awe.
Jack had taken a few days leave, (leaving Reynolds and a terrified Walter keeping an eye on things at the base) and both delighted themselves in the role of new parents.
Sam would sit feeding Rachel in their new rocking chair, and rested when she could. Jack helped out with the cooking, the diapers (when Sam could rope him in to the latter task), and they pitched in together with most tasks. They both adored cuddling and gazing at their little girl - the new little life they had together created. Rachel soaked up her parents' attention, her early days established in love.
Apart from a couple of visits from Mary, it was just the three of them. That suited them just fine, they were amazing and enamoured by their new daughter and their new roles.
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The weekend finally arrived, and Teal'c, Daniel and Sarah stopped by for a visit. Luckily for them, Rachel was awake.
"Hey Sam," Daniel greeted her, as she answered the door, with Rachel in her arms.
Sam's face burst into a big smile. "Hey guys, come in!"
"How are you doing?" Sarah asked.
"Good. Really, good," Sam told her, her face nearly cracking in half.
Teal'c inclined his head. "You look well, Colonel Carter."
"Thanks, Teal'c," Sam replied, touched.
Sam led them into the living room, telling them, "Come, sit down. Jack's gone out to the store at the moment, so if one of you wants to take Rachel, while I get some drinks..."
She was faced with three pairs of eager eyes.
Sam laughed. "Daniel, why don't you hold your niece, while I go to the kitchen." Passing Rachel to Daniel's outstretched arms, she asked, "What does everyone want?"
After taking everyone's orders, Sarah followed Sam into the kitchen to help.
In the kitchen, the two women started to talk.
"So how is everything going for you?" Sarah asked her.
Sam just shook her head. "I just look back to when I first decided to have a baby. You know, I was kinda scared to have any children. I just put the decision off. Also, I didn't know how I would go away from my work... And I just look what I have in front of me now, and I think 'wow'! I can't believe I put this all off! Everything has just taken on new meaning. Rachel is my life, it all centres around her now. I mean, adjusting in some ways has been hard but Jack and Rachel are worth it, I love them so very much."
Sarah smiled at Sam's enthusiasm. "That's so wonderful Sam. I am so happy for you. Rachel is beautiful."
Sam looked proud. "Isn't she just? You wouldn't believe the amount of photos I've taken with our new digital camera. And there Jack is, still trying to figure out how the thing works!"
Sarah laughed, but Sam noticed a wistful look in her eyes.
She bit her lip, but kept that thought in mind. Perhaps Daniel needed a push.
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While the women were still in the kitchen, Jack, carrying a couple of bags of groceries, stepped through the front door, whistling "Hi ho, hi ho" (from 'Snow White'). Seeing Daniel and Teal'c, with Rachel, he greeted them, "Hey guys! Making yourselves slaves to my daughter, are we?" Smirking, and nearly dropping his bags in the process, he leaned over and gave his little daughter a kiss on the head.
Teal'c smiled. "Indeed."
Daniel, jiggling Rachel, smirked. "I find it amazing how good natured and well behaved any kid of yours can be."
Jack snorted. "You're sounding like Sam. Where is she, anyway, Uncle Danny?"
"Colonel Carter and Sarah Gardner are in the kitchen preparing drinks," Teal'c informed his friend.
"Right. Well, that's where I have to go anyway," Jack told them, heading to the kitchen, where the two women were pouring out coffee, and hot water for tea.
"Hey Sam!" Jack spoke, putting down the groceries on the bench, and kissing his wife on the temple.
"Hey, Jack. Wanna drink?" Sam offered.
"Eh, I can get one," Jack replied, offering to help, in his own funny way.
"I'm nearly done here, go talk to Daniel and Teal'c," Sam instructed him.
Jack sighed. "Fine, then. Bye the way - Hi Sarah, bye Sarah."
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After being kicked out of the kitchen, Jack sat down with his two friends, and leaned over to give his daughter another kiss.
"How's this all going for you, I mean, I don't want to sound nosey here, but how are things with this a second time around...?" Daniel trailed off.
Jack grinned. "Don't worry, Danny, I'm not gonna whump your ass for that. Seriously, though, I'm fine. I just feel, just this amazement about this all. Having a baby daughter, wow... and a family. I just feel so lucky to have Sam and Rachel."
Sam and Sarah stepped into the living room, carrying the drinks, as Jack was speaking. After placing down the drinks, Sam went and cuddled up to Jack, touched by his words. They wrapped their arms around each other, and watched their daughter, as Daniel passed her over to Teal'c.
The group watched on fondly. There was no question that Sam would be a terrific mother to Rachel. Nor was there any question that Jack would continue to be devoted to Sam and Rachel. It was clear that he was so proud and pleased with his family and would do anything for them. That was true love, their friends observed.
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Coming Soon on Story 38: Deck The Halls
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