AN: Ok campers... it's inventory so I'm going to try to remember to post but my schedule is ALL over the place for real and I'm too tired to write or sew or cross stitch much. It will get better at the end of December when we slow down for several months. In the mean time.. enjoy the last chapter of part 1 and remember... this is only the beginning.

Chapter 12

P4X-650 was an arboreal and very pretty planet. It had clusters of small continents surrounded by expansive oceans.

All four of them were on the bridge of the ship when the base hailed them during their planetary approach.

"Alpha Base, this is 'Daunou's Hand. We have some passengers you might be interested in hearing from." The communications engineer announced.

"Hey guys, di'ja miss us?" Jack said cheerfully.

"Colonel O'Neill?" The question was a combination of incredulity and excitement.

"Last time I checked yah. Hey, you guys got some decent grub? The stuff served on this ship is worse than the crap in our MRE's."

The next voice was Ben Pierce. "Jack, you old son of a gun, where the hell have you been?"

"We took an extended vacation at Chez Prisón. We all got out but I can't take the credit. We had some help."

"You have Major Carter, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c with you sir?!"

"Say hi kids." Jack said with a grin.

"Hi Ben." Sam said.

"Hey Ben." Daniel said almost immediately after.

"Colonel Pierce, it is good to hear your voice." Teal'c said.

"Listen, we'll shuttle down and meet you outside the base. Might need a welcome wagon."

"Wagon? For you, Jack, I'm trotting out the whole dame parade complete with floats and balloons." Ben told them excitedly.

Jack chuckled and shook his head. "We're home, kids." He told his team. And whatever else happened, home was home. He slung an arm around Danny's neck to give him a noogie.

There was a small gathering in the field just south of the entrance to the base. Pierce and Sheffield stood together and remarkably both men were able to control their shock as Sam now looked clearly pregnant.

There were a lot of hugs and back pounding depending on the relationship. Everyone was gentle with Sam for obvious reasons.

"Ben, Mike, These are the folks that got us home."

"Pleasure." Ben said, putting out a hand that the captain of the Daunou's Hand and shook it. "Thanks for getting our people home."

"It was my honor. I will extend your thanks to Administrator Londaris."

"Well, let's get everyone inside folks." Ben said, herding his people back to the base.

"Sir, I appreciate your hospitality but your delivery stop isn't strictly sanctioned by our government and we'd like to return to our own space as discreetly as possible." The captain whose name was Paulidris told Colonel Pierce.

"Oh, oh yes, of course. Carry on then." He said with an absent wave of his hand.

"You're going grey." Jack noted to Ben as they walked back to the base together after the shuttle left.

"Have you looked in the mirror in the last year, Jack?" Ben asked him chuckling. "How's Sam?"

"Hanging in there. I want her to see Dr. Harris first."

"How far along is she?"

"About six months." Jack told him.

"Who's the father?"

But Jack just sighed at that question.

"Ah."

"Yah." Jack frowned. "It's not what it looks like."

"I still have to tell them, Jack." Ben said with regret.

"I know that." Jack grunted.

"What are you going to do?"

"Handle it." Jack told the other man and wouldn't discuss it further.

Two hours later after bloodwork and an ultrasound for Sam, SG-1 sat in the briefing room of Alpha-Site on conference call with General Hammond.

"Son, your betting pool just swept the squares." George told Jack.

"Walter cleaned up, didn't he, sir?"

George chuckled. "Yes he did, son. Glad to hear your whole team made it out all right."

"We did, sir. Thank you." Jack said.

"All right. We have an open window for your return in two hours, SG-1. Prepare for a full debriefing after your checkups."

"Yes sir." Jack said firmly and Ben stood as the tech let him know the Gate had disengaged.

"Go grab some grub, guys." Ben suggested.

Jack tilted his head at his team who took the hint though Sam gave him a perturbed look. His eyes asked her to trust him and she gave him a small nod before leaving with Teal'c.

"I haven't seen Lou." Jack said casually.

"You know how it goes. He'll be back next week."

Jack nodded thoughtfully. "Do me a favor if you can, try to keep him around. Our benefactor has proof that Sam and I are innocent of wrongdoing but it's going to take him a little time to get back. We told him to talk specifically to Lou."

"So, what, you don't trust me now?" Ben asked Jack in an injured tone.

"It's not that, Ben, I gave the guy specific instructions to prove the message is legit. Only Lou is going to know what it is." Jack told him, choosing to keep Danny out of the mix for now if Ben is asked.

"Playing this close to your chest might backfire, Jack." Ben warned him.

"Yah yah… But there's only so much I can do and the most important thing is to protect Sam from any fall out." Jack admitted.

Ben nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"Play it by ear. There's not much I can do. I know there's enough bad blood with NID alone that someone is going to have a problem with this situation."

"How do you feel about this… situation?"

Jack snorted then grinned a little. "The timing could be better." He admitted but his expression indicated he was very happy about being a dad.

Ben gave Jack a sort of lopsided smile. "For what it's worth, congratulations. I hope not too much of this bites you on the ass."

"Thanks Ben." Jack told his friend but his expression before it closed off into the flat military expression he assumed when the shit was in the wind was one of worry.

Ben shook his head as his old friend walked out of the briefing room. They should have gotten married years ago in Ben's opinion. To hell with being on the same team.

Roughly two hours later the Gate is dialed up and SG-1 stands ready to leave in borrowed fatigues. They had their weapons back and what equipment had been salvaged from the prison storeroom which wasn't much.

"See yah around, Ben." Jack told his old friend.

Ben nodded. "I'll keep my eye out for your lucky charm."

"Appreciate it. Well, come on, campers, time to go home and tell dad how much fun we had." Jack quips dryly and walks to the ramp without looking back.

When Daniel, Teal'c, and finally Sam join him, they walk together through the Gate.

"Welcome home SG-1" George said with a fond smile but it was strained and the mood in the Gate room was subdued.

Everyone knew why when General Bauer stomped in with a pair of cold faced colonels flanking him and four AFs ahead of him. "Arrest that man." He ordered the Air Force Police unit he'd brought and pointed at Jack.

"We discussed you doing this after their medical check and debriefing, Henry." Hammond said in stern tone.

"So you can shove him back through the Gate to who knows where? I think not, George."

The AFs grabbed Jack's arms and tugged them behind his back. Jack's expression had gone from cautiously happy to see Hammond to dead blank after a single look of warning to his team.

"Sir," One of the colonels with Bauer said, "You are under arrest for violation of USMCC code Subparagraph Article 134. You have the right to remain silent per UCMJ Article 31. You have a right to representation according to Article 31."

"I'm sorry, son, he arrived about an hour ago. There's not anything I can do." George admitted.

Jack just stoically looked ahead, not responding to the charges he expected. Hammond watched as Jack was led out of the Gate room without any resistance.

"Bauer, you'll be hearing from Colonel O'Neill's representative shortly." He warned the other man, in case he had plans to get creative and try to take him off base without SGC knowledge.

Henry Bauer just smiled smugly as Jack was taken to the brig.

"The remainder of SG-1 will report to the infirmary." George said. His voice clipped with suppressed ire.

As Sam passed, Bauer sneered. "You're next." He said just loud enough that Teal'c heard him too. Before Sam could react, Teal'c grabbed her arm and tugged her through the door. Sam looked like she'd gleefully commit murder. Of all the asshats, the NID could have sent this one took the cake.

So ends part one… dun dun DUUNNNNNN!