Chapter 15 – Go Confidently

"You need to pick someone for a birthing coach." Daniel told Sam while they sat in her lab eating lunch. "You're five months along."

"I know… it's just…" Sam shrugged.

The guys had cleaned out her guest room and bought her a crib, a changing table, and a small dresser for the baby. Nearly everyone on base had bought her baby clothes and diapers. She was running out of room. Jack had baby-proofed every potential hazard and she forgave him for being a little nervous about the whole thing. She politely ignored that he'd baby proofed his own home as well. He'd also set up a crib in the corner of the guest room so she could bring the baby on team nights.

His slightly grumpy delivery of this thought process had made her tear up and kiss him thoroughly.

"You want Jack to do it and you're afraid to ask after what he's been through." Daniel suggested.

"That's some of it but he's going to be upset if I don't ask him too and what if he's off-world when I go into labor?"

"But Sam, that's going to apply to almost everyone you are friends with who has the clearance to be here for the birth."

Sam sighed and toyed with her... whatever it was on her plate. It couldn't be healthy for her and she'd stuck to eating the salad he'd brought with it.

Jack was training a group of recruits with Teal'c today which was why Daniel was eating lunch with her in her lab. The guys had basically rotated making sure she ate lunch if they had things scheduled. Once Jack's leg had healed enough that he could sit again though, Sam had moved back out when Jacob went back to his duties with the Tok'ra. Sam had not been kidding about how much she didn't trust herself to jump him without supervision.

She blamed her hormones but she honestly knew it wasn't just her body being out of whack. The only thing she was really suffering from was her inhibitions being a bit lower due to baby brain combined with her current superior sense of smell and Jack smelled… really good.

Jack was the one that made sure she left for the night though and followed behind her in his truck until she split off to head for her own home. Periodically he talked her into dinner somewhere. They talked about the baby and a little about work and flirted with each other lightly over burgers and salads.

"Carter, it's eighteen hundred. Go change." Jack said gruffly from her lab doorway. Her assistant had already left and he called the desk upstairs to find out unsurprisingly that she was still on base.

"Sorry Sir, I was in the middle of something and lost track of time." She admitted.

Jack chuckled. "Carter, you're always in the middle of something."

Sam smirked. "Yes sir." She admitted.

Jack fought a smile. "You're supposed to be taking it easy Carter." He gave her middle a significant stare.

She was still remarkably flat stomached for how far along she was. Her height and her physical fitness worked to her advantage. Pregnancy agreed with her for the most part and the fact that she wasn't currently in his chain of command wasn't helping him keep his hands off her when they were off base. It was probably a good thing she'd backed off a little physically. They had gone back to fairly safe kinds of making out situations where it couldn't go further like a good night kiss by their cars or when the guys were there so they would be interrupted. It was only a good thing because in a few months, she'd be back in his chain of command and while making love to her right now wasn't breaking any regs, it wouldn't just end because they had to work together directly again and even Jack had to admit that was going to be a problem later if they acted on their feelings now.

He hated that she'd been right that even though George had given them permission to pursue a relationship, that they really probably shouldn't. He knew their child would keep them connected regardless so no matter what, he always had that open line with her to work with. It was only a couple more years. He hoped.

"Carter." He said in a sing song voice. It had been a solid ten minutes. He gave her a pointed look as he pointed at his watch.

"Sorry sir." She ducked her head and started shutting stuff down. In reality, she'd been avoiding the conversation she needed to have with him. They were fine, mostly. She was included on mission briefings that they found anything of scientific value which she appreciated. The guys made sure she didn't eat alone. Jack made sure they ate in public so they weren't tempted to discuss subjects at work that they shouldn't. But that was the problem. She needed to ask him to be her birthing coach if he wanted to be.

"Not an issue Carter, but it's late and you need to eat."

"I know sir." She told him as she shut her computer off and walked to the door. She smiled nervously up at him.

Jack tilted his head at her odd behavior. "What is it?" He asked her gently as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed her down the hall.

"Sir… I was wondering…" She said and bit her lip.

"The unladen speed of an average swallow?" He asked grinning which earned him a bit back smile from her.

"Actually sir, I had a request of a rather personal nature." She admitted looking at him from under her lashes.

"I'm all ears Carter." He said as they entered the elevator.

Sam leaned back against the elevator wall and regarded the tall graying man in front of her.

"Sam?" he asked, looking slightly befuddled.

"I need a birthing coach." She admitted. "You don't have to. I'd totally understand if you aren't comfortable but I thought possibly under the circumstances…" She went from babbling nervously to her voice faltering as his expression transitioned from befuddled to tender.

"When's your ultrasound?" He asked her gently, his eyes warm with the love he felt for her.

"Tuesday."

"Can I come?"

"Don't you think that's going to look…"

"Like your birthing coach is joining you for your ultrasound?"

Sam's eyes went wide a moment but a slow smile spread across her face until she was grinning at him full bore and it nearly took his breath away. "Yes sir." She said warmly.

Jack nodded. "Well that's settled then." He said grinning back.

The door slid open and they both smothered their grins as a pair of airmen got on the elevator with them.

"Sirs." One of them said and Jack nodded politely but cut his eyes to Sam and winked which made her bite back another smile.