A/N: I don't think I've touched this fic in a couple of years, but I suddenly had some ideas for the next few chapters.
For anyone that doesn't know, Auction was my very first story I ever wrote. Not just fanfiction, but actual story. I learned a lot, but always hated that I never finished it. So we're going to see how this goes. I'm going to post chapters as inspiration strikes and see if I can finally bring it to a satisfying end. Thank you for sticking with me!
"What would you like to eat, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked as they sat down at SG-1's usual table. Sam was entering the third month of pregnancy and had settled into a daily routine that consisted of the guys taking turns taking care of her. Much to her frustration.
"I can get my own food," she tried to remind him, but at his raised eyebrow, she shook her head and accepted that he was determined to help her. "Just a muffin and some blue Jello, please," she sighed. She was touched by the thoughtfulness, but was tired of being treated like a piece of crystal.
She was one to talk, though, because she was being overly cautious with Jack. She would like to eat more than just a muffin and Jello, but he'd been suffering from horrible morning sickness for the past several weeks. She'd noticed his discomfort tended to increase whenever she ate a large meal, so Sam had adapted by eating several smaller meals throughout the day.
Surprisingly, her own morning sickness hadn't been too bad. Slight nausea, but nothing like Jack was experiencing. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he must be absorbing most of her discomfort. He'd done it before when he'd absorbed all of the pain while Sam had fought off the Goa'uld back on Bal'al's ship. It was as if his subconscious was seeking to protect her once again.
I'm not doing it on purpose, he grumbled through their connection. And you need to eat. That's an order.
Sam rolled her eyes.
I saw that, he sent her a gentle poke, then whispered softly into her mind. I appreciate what you're trying to do, Sam, but please just eat. I'll be fine.
Before Sam could respond, she felt someone approach her from behind.
"Hello, ma'am," Captain Smith, one of the soldiers who had 'rescued' them after they'd escaped from Ba'al, said coming to stand beside the table.
"Hello, Captain," Sam nodded, ending the telepathic conversation with Jack.
"How are you feeling, ma'am? We haven't seen you much over the last few weeks," Captain Smith said with a warm smile.
"I've been busy," Sam hedged. "But I'm doing well."
Sam had been hanging out in her lab trying to avoid people the last couple of weeks. She was worried about what would happen once the base found out she was pregnant with her CO's child. That would set the rumor mill a buzz for sure. While everyone at the SGC was aware of her and Jack's unconventional marriage, they had decided to keep the pregnancy quiet for as long as possible. Janet had calculated that in order for Sam to be as far along as she was, she would have had to conceive on Creetia. Given the tight timeline, people would naturally assume Jack had knocked her up and the off-world marriage had been merely a cover.
Captain Smith shifted hesitantly, redrawing Sam's attention. There was indecision on the young woman's face, but she clearly had something on her mind.
"Is there something I can help you with, Captain?" Sam asked cautiously. She didn't know much about the woman, except that she was privy to the fact that Sam and Jack shared a unique mental bond.
"I hope you don't consider this too forward or presumptuous," Captain Smith rushed out. "But I have something for you," she handed Sam a small bag of candy.
"Umm..," Sam stared at them.
"They're ginger candies," she explained. "My sister's recipe. They were the only thing that stopped her, um, nausea," Captain Smith in a hushed voice, her eyes making sure no one was too close to overhear.
Sam's eyes widened at the implication but also at the kindness. She motioned for Captain Smith to join her at the table.
"Thank you, ma'am," she said, sitting down.
"Please call me, Sam."
"Evelyn," she replied, smiling.
"How did you know?" Sam asked her, opening the bag and smelling the rich ginger scent.
"It was just a hunch," Evelyn smiled knowingly. "Colonel O'Neill has been eating some rather odd combinations of foods lately and camping out in the restroom. I know you both are connected somehow, and—" she snapped her mouth shut.
"And?" Sam prompted.
"Well, if you don't mind me saying," Evelyn said carefully. "You're glowing."
Sam's eyes snapped to her hands as panic surged through her. Was she shimmering again?
"My sister had the same radiance about her," Evelyn continued, not noticing Sam's panicked reaction.
"Carter!" Jack barked from across the room, his strides long and fast as came tearing into the commissary. What happened? His eyes searched for the source of her panic.
Nothing, really, Sam replied sheepishly. She let her mind replay the conversation with Evelyn and her own subsequent overreaction. Jack's lips quirked and a relieved chuckle escaped as he sank into the chair next to hers. His adrenaline abating, he started looking a little green again as a wave of nausea rolled through him.
"Here," Sam handed Jack one of the candies, then popped another into her own mouth.
Jack eyed the semi-hard, brown ball, trying to determine if he wanted to risk putting anything on his fragile stomach.
"It'll help with the nausea, sir," Evelyn said when he hesitated.
"Is it that obvious?" Jack blanched.
"No, sir," Evelyn shook her head. "I just had a hunch. Excuse me," she said, rising. "My team has a pre-mission briefing in a few minutes."
"Thank you, Evelyn," Sam smiled, then turned to Jack. "They're really good." She took the candy from his hands and popped it into his mouth.
The strong ginger flavor overwhelmed his taste buds and his stomach instantly stopped rolling. He moaned lightly as the ever-present nausea finally ceased.
"I told you," she chuckled at the look of pure bliss on his face.
"I see you are feeling better, O'Neill," Teal'c said, setting down a tray of food in front of them. It contained the requested muffin and blue Jello, but also had an assortment of bacon, dry toast, and fruit.
"Actually, I am," Jack grinned, swiping a piece of the bacon and popping it into his mouth. "Do you think they have chocolate sauce?" He stood up and took off for the kitchen area, leaving his teammates laughing behind him.
"Hi Janet," Sam called, walking into the infirmary for her checkup later that day. While Thor had been monitoring her condition closely, Janet insisted she keep track of Sam and the baby's health, as well. So far, the pregnancy had been progressing normally; however, given the Naquadah in Sam's blood, Janet decided to be extra cautious. T'Mar assured them everything would be fine, but Sam didn't mind taking extra precautions.
"Hi Sam," Janet called from the back. "I'm just finishing up some paperwork."
"No rush, Colonel O'Neill is on his way," Sam called and hopped onto the exam table.
"Colonel O'Neill, huh?" Janet asked as she walked into the room and crossed to the sink to wash her hands. "Not Jack?" She teased.
"I'm trying to maintain some professionalism while on base," Sam said with a laugh. "This," she pointed to her head, "is making it rather difficult."
Sam felt Jack humph in her head, followed by his chuckle.
"I can only imagine," Janet turned to her friend with a wide grin. "But you two seem to be handling it well."
"Most of the time," Sam started to say.
" Unscheduled off-world activation !" Walter's voice called over the intercom as the base's klaxons blared loudly.
"Go," Janet sighed as Sam jumped to her feet. "Just make sure you come back after!" She called to her as Sam took off.
"Major," General Hammond motioned for Sam to join him as she walked into the control room. "It's the Tok'ra's IDC code," he told her.
"Finally," Sam breathed a sigh of relief. They'd been trying to reach her Dad ever since finding out about the pregnancy. After several weeks of no response, Sam finally just told the Tok'ra High Council to tell him he was going to be a grandpa in an attempt to get them to deliver the message.
"Do you think Jacob received our message already?" Jack asked, joining them a minute later.
"How—," Hammond started to ask how Jack knew who was dialing Earth, then stopped and looked between the two officers. Jack just pointed to his head and shrugged, making Hammond sigh. This bonded thing between his two officers was really hard to get used to.
Jacob and Anise exited the event horizon and walked down the ramp.
"Dad," Sam said, quickly descending the stairs into the gate room and embracing him at the bottom of the ramp.
"Hey Sammy," he hugged her tightly. "Jack," he nodded, releasing his daughter. Jacob's tone was guarded as he acknowledged the man. He had accepted the bond between Jack and Sam, but he wasn't quite ready to go easy on his new son-in-law just yet. It was too much fun making Jack squirm.
"I guess you received our message," Sam smiled, a faint blush across her cheeks.
"Actually," Jacob shook his head, "I haven't. We've come with a request."
"What's going on, Jacob?" General Hammond asked, joining the small group in the gate room.
Anise stepped forward. "Selmac told me of your mental bond and we are hoping you'd be willing to undergo some tests."
"Tests?" Sam eyed the Tok'ra scientist warily. The last time she wanted to run some tests, SG-1 had almost been killed.
"Anise thinks studying your bond will allow her develop a technology that would stimulate the parts of the brain that are responsible for preventing the blending," Jacob explained.
"I wish to make it so no symbiote can blend with an unwilling host," Anise finished.
"That's pretty ambitious," Sam frowned, unsure of what to say. Normally, she'd be all for finding a way to thwart the Goa'uld using any means necessary, but being pregnant added another layer of safety they'd need to consider. Sam felt a wave of unease flow from Jack to her and shared his concerns. Anise wasn't exactly the most trustworthy Tok'ra.
Jacob watched as his daughter and Jack shared a long look. "I thought you two would jump at the chance to deal this type of blow to the Goa'uld," he frowned.
"Dad," Sam said hesitantly, "there's been some developments that we need to discuss before deciding if tests like these are a good idea."
"Are you guys still bonded?" Jacob arched an eyebrow at them.
Sam nodded.
"Then unless your husband knocked you up, I don't see the problem."
Sam felt her eyes widen as Jack started laughing in her head. A tense silence descended over the small group. She watched as her Dad's eyes narrowed slightly then went wide as realization dawned.
Jack stepped forward to slap Jacob on the back. "Surprise," he grinned. "Guess this means I get to start calling you Grandpa instead of Dad."