AN: So 2 days in of inventory and man I am WIPED but Everyone was pleased with my work and I made friends with my co-assistant manager so that's a bonus. Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday. I've been up since 1300 Monday. I think I'll push through to reset my sleep pattern.

Chapter 10

The guest suite was done in calming pale colors, mostly blues and coffee, it reminded Jack of the beach a little. When Sam walked to the large balcony and looked out, Jack put his head down and motioned Daniel and Teal'c over to speak to them both. "One of you stay with Carter at all times, even when she sleeps."

"Is something wrong Jack?"

"I'm not sure but she's not acting like herself. I'm worried about it."

"She does not appear to desire your company O'Neill." Teal'c pointed out needlessly.

Jack just nodded and without another word went to find a bathroom. They could all use a hot shower but he'd settle for washing his face for now.

Half an hour later an attractive red head came in and smiled engagingly at them, especially Jack. Normally Sam's reaction to such behavior would be a hairy eyeball but she didn't even seem to notice. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a look.

After she left, Sam went to one of the rooms to lie down. All three men stared at each other miserably. There was nothing any of them could do and they couldn't talk about it with her right in the next room.

Finally Daniel figured out how to break the silence. "So do you think he's telling us the truth? About letting us go that is?"

"Well that or he's selling us out to the Goa'uld and is trying to keep us complacent until they get here." Jack said thoughtfully.

"That's a cheerful thought." Daniel said sarcastically.

"It was not, Daniel Jackson."

"Thanks T." Jack said with an ironic smirk. Sometimes Teal'c didn't get the joke but most of the time Teal'c was actually being a dick by pretending to not get the joke.

Jack supposed some of Sam's odd behavior was her exhaustion with being cooped up with him for over a year. Jack could get on his own nerves let alone someone else's. He really wished he had a yo-yo right now... or something to juggle. See, that right there is why she's sick of you, O'Neill. He told himself and shook his head slightly.

One of the maids came into the common area of their suit. "It is now midday meal if you wish to join us?"

"Thanks." Jack said.

"Major Carter has fallen asleep." Teal'c said. "I shall remain with her until your return."

"I'll bring you both up a tray." The maid said politely to Teal'c who nodded in agreement.

Jack and Daniel followed the maid out. "Hey, make sure you put enough food for about four regular people on that tray. The big guy eats a lot and Carter is pregnant."

She nodded. "Is she having food aversions?"

"Uh… only really smelly stuff." Jack said thoughtfully. Daniel gave Jack an odd look. "What? I've been sleeping and eating with her daily for months, Danny. I'd have to be pretty oblivious not to notice stuff at this point."

"Ok." Daniel said soothingly, his hands up in supplication. He wasn't sure what nerve he'd hit.

"I will be sure to add some pregnancy friendly foods, sir." She said gently, trying to defuse the unexpected tension between the two very attractive men.

"Thanks." Jack said shortly still giving Daniel the evil eye.

"Why did you not wish to dine with the others, Samantha?" Teal'c asked her once Jack and Daniel were long out of ear shot.

There was a pause. "How did you know I was awake?"

"You would not have fooled O'Neill either. Your breathing rate was too rapid." He told her.

Sam finally sat up and clasped her hands in her knees. "I don't know what to do." She admitted.

"What is it you are uncertain about?" He could guess easily but he knew to process her resolutions, she had to articulate the problem verbally.

Sam sighed. "Colonel O'Neill is probably going to be saddled with a child he doesn't want because he was forced to sleep with me against his will and that's assuming they don't throw him in the nearest brig first."

Teal'c nodded thoughtfully. "I do not believe O'Neill does not want this child, Samantha. I believe he is afraid to hope you do."

Sam looked at him oddly. After a long moment she sighed. "That's worse."

"How do you mean?"

"Because he's so upset about the situation that he hasn't said that. He hasn't even tried to."

Teal'c nodded. "That is true."

Sam didn't continue. She was certain that want this baby or not, Jack wasn't ready to co-parent with her specifically and certainly not a baby conceived against his will.

Teal'c understood Sam more than she knew. "Perhaps you should rest until our food arrives."

"Thanks Teal'c." she said.

Later that evening clothes were dropped off for SG-1. Everyone changed into the simple shirts and linen slacks common to the planet. Sam's shirts were made out of some stretchy material meant to drape easily over her slowly expanding belly. She thanked the maid that brought them clothing but otherwise hadn't said anything to any of them.

Jack was almost positive it wasn't her usual 'lost in thought about a doohickey' silence and cast worried frowns in her direction when he didn't think she'd see them.

When she showed no inclination to go down to dinner with everyone else, Jack finally had it. Enough was enough. "Carter. It's not fair to Teal'c and Danny to make them stay behind."

"I'm fine by myself, sir." She said in a hollow absent voice.

"Like hell you are." He said under his breath. "I'm making it an order… Major." His face having gone stern to hide his worry.

"Yes sir." But her tone was acidic.

Jack gave her a sharp look but let it go. It had been a year and a half since they had disappeared. By now, they were all listed MIA and most likely PKIA. Once that happened... anything that happened between them was essentially their own damn business in theory.

In practice though, it was likely Hammond would have to yank some very hard knots in someone's ass. Jack snorted out a frustrated sigh and herded his team down the hall, sullen silent Carter included.

Tueri greeted them as they entered the main dining hall. "Ah, Major Carter, you are feeling better then? Londaris has instructed me to inform you that a medical professional will be made available to you shortly. For obvious reasons, we'd prefer none of you left the grounds so a private room will be equipped as soon as we are able to help track the progress of your pregnancy."

"Thank you, Tueri." Sam said simply and offered no opinion on being kept in captivity or being examined.

Lontaris joined them shortly as did his wife, Florina.

"It is nice to finally meet you all." She said with a kind smile especially for Sam in particular. "How far along are you dear?"

"About five months in my people's time, Ma'am." Sam said quietly.

"How exciting. Have you picked out any names yet? No, of course not, how uncouth of me, you must have thought they were going to sell your baby until just today." She looked briefly distressed and patted Sam's arm. "I am sorry for what's happened to you. We were off planet for three years and only just now got back. Lontaris is furious about the entire thing."

Jack watched the woman try to engage Sam and smiled inwardly. She was playing at being somewhat vapid but there was an obvious well intended duplicity in her manner. She did seem to genuinely care what happened to Sam but was trying to make her smile at this outwardly silly vapid woman. 'Well done, Florina' he thought. 'If Sam is going to respond to anything it's going to be that'.

Sam however polite wasn't taking the bait though and remained withdrawn. Jack gave Florina a wan smile and the conversation swirled around the star system's various legal exports and relationships with other star clusters in the immediate area.

Jack half expected her to try to excuse herself right after the meal but Sam stuck it out though only spoke when spoken to directly.

"I think they are sincere, Jack." Daniel was saying.

Jack thought for a moment. "I hope you're right, Danny. Keep your eyes open. All of you." Not that he expected Sam to pay attention to anything in her current state. She wasn't out of it so much as just disassociating. Jack ran his tongue along his teeth thoughtfully. "I don't want a rehash of the incident with the Eurondans." Jack waited for Sam's snarky remark that he got the name right but it never came. Jack was getting a bit desperate here. Short of some ridiculous cheesy romance novel level schmaltz, he didn't know what to do to snap her out of this. They had a job to finish.

When they got back to their wing, Jack flopped down with a disgruntled sigh and Sam all but drifted back to her room and lay down on her bed facing the wall.

Jack's eyebrows drew together and Daniel started to ask him about Sam but Jack shook his head heard and firmly set his mouth. This was not open for discussion. Not until he got to the bottom of what was going on.