====
-- Chapter Six: Mid-Term Madness!
====
Jack closed up the box of old clothes to be given away to Goodwill and carried it downstairs. On the way down he remembered one more old shirt he didn't want, so instead of taking the box to the porch, he turned to sit it on the sofa, stumbling over a pile of magazines in the process.
"DANNNNNNNNNIELLLLLLLLL!" Jack screamed, falling onto the couch and letting loose with a slew of curse words.
"Jack?"
Daniel ran into the living room from the study where he had been on the phone.
"Oh for crying out loud ... baby magazines?"
Jack tossed the current issue of Parenting to his left side as he tried to settle himself.
"Are you all right?"
"Danny, why are all these magazines here?"
"I ... just brought them in from the car."
"And you left them on the floor?"
"I was going to read them, but then I remembered I needed to call Megan. She needed some advice about a translation."
Jack nodded, his hands gripping the top of the sofa back tightly.
"Don't you think you overdid it a little?"
Daniel looked at the pile of publications and shrugged. Jack shook his head and moved to straighten out the pile and put it on the coffee table, but first he moved the large box of clothing to the end of the sofa.
Daniel knelt down to help pick up the scattered items. He had to admit he might have gone overboard, having purchased at least thirty-five different baby, parent, and children magazines.
Jack started laughing looking at some of the titles.
"Daniel, I love you, but you have to admit ... look at this ... Child's Life. It's fiction for nine to eleven-year-olds! And this one ... Jack and Jill, specializing in self-confidence for seven to ten-year-olds! Danny, our baby isn't even born yet!"
"But ... but we have to be prepared. We need to know what's out there ... and they aren't all for older kids."
"Babe, even this one ... a standard ... ole Humpty Dumpty doesn't kick in until they are at least four-years-old."
"I got Disney," Daniel said defensively, knowing how much Jack loved all the Disney cartoon characters.
"Oh yeah?"
Jack searched, coming up with Disney Princess, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, and Disney Adventures.
After looking through all of them, Jack laughed some more.
"Love Disney, but Angel, Pooh is the first one we can make use of ... in about two years!"
Daniel sighed, feeling a bit like an idiot.
"I just ... we should learn as much as we can, that's all I'm saying."
"Now this is more like it," Jack said, thumbing through the latest issue of American Baby. "At least it's about babies. Oh look, 'Fashions for the Trendy Two-Month-Old'."
Jack laughed at the over-exuberance of his lover, but actually, it just made him love Daniel even more for caring so much.
"You're making that up."
"Yes, I am ... it does have fashion in it, but looks like it has some good stuff on health and medicine, too. Might be a keeper."
"Here's one called Parents. We're parents, Jack," Daniel said hopefully.
"Look it over. See if we're included."
Suddenly, Daniel threw the magazine towards the door.
"Not about us?"
"Women, eighteen to thirty-four, on how to run a family."
"Try this one, Angel ... Parenting. Sara used to read this."
Jack handed the magazine to Daniel who finally smiled.
"It's for babies and young kids with age-specific child development guides. Oh, and it focuses a lot on discipline and diet and other health issues."
"A keeper," Jack said.
"Fit Pregnancy?" Jack chuckled, his eyes sparkling.
"Well, I thought maybe Kayla would like it. It has stuff about breathing and exercises and post-natal ... women-type stuff."
Daniel shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed. At the time, he was sure buying all of the publications had been the right thing to do, but now, he wasn't so sure.
I only want us to be prepared. I'm ... new at this.
"Women-type stuff?" Jack teased.
Daniel glared, his embarrassment turning into aggravation at Jack's teasing.
"I was just trying to help," the archaeologist said a tad defensively.
Jack scooted off the sofa and sat next to Daniel. He took his lover's right hand and gently caressed it, and then he leaned forward for a passionate kiss.
"Geez, I love you." Jack understood. He'd been there once, not quite to this extreme, but everything Daniel was doing these days was in keeping with the caring, loving, and nurturing person the young man was. Jack smiled and kissed him again. Then he spoke gently, "You're trying so hard, but you don't have to, Danny. You're a natural."
Daniel looked down, still feeling a little silly and insecure over his overindulgence into childcare publications, most of which wouldn't apply to their children for a few years at least.
"Hey." Jack smiled, putting his arm around Daniel's shoulder and pulling him close. "I love you, even more for this. Love you, Angel."
Jack placed a kiss on Daniel's temple before going back to their unexpected project.
"Let's see what else is here," Daniel suggested, giving Jack a covert glance, and then losing himself in his silent thoughts. I love you so much, Jack, especially for times like this, when I get a little crazy ... because no matter how crazy I get, you still love me.
Jack looked up and saw Daniel looking at him. He smiled and the two kissed again.
They spent the next half hour reviewing the magazines, and finally selected several to subscribe to for a while.
"We'll, uh, keep the rest of these in mind for the future," Jack promised his lover.
"I'm sorry I got carried away."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"You are, too!"
"Am not!"
"Are, too!"
"No way!"
"Way!"
"Love you!"
"You, too!"
Daniel smiled as the magazines were forgotten in lieu of a wonderful thirty-minute make-out session, interrupted only by a phone call from Sylvia's office reminding them of their appointment for the next day.
====
"It's a beautiful plane, Neil. Of course, I don't really know much about ... planes."
"Trust me, Daniel, this baby is a gem. A classic 1960 Meyers 200A in tip-top shape. You'll love flying her."
"I, uh, don't fly."
"You don't?"
"No, my ... my husband does."
"Husband?" Daniel nodded. "He ... was in the Air Force. Loves to fly and misses it."
Daniel moved to walk around the plane. Telling people openly about Jack was still new and a bit scary. There was always that one awkward moment, and after that, people either disappeared, became very formal, or understood. He hoped Neil was in the last category.
"Husband, eh? Air Force? Now there must be a story there."
"Long one."
"Well, if he's a pilot of the soul, he'll love this plane. Now, some fly boys care only about speed, silly tricks you can do in the sky, better fire power, but if you just love the fly, this plane will take you to new heights. She's sleek and fast, and put together with love and care. They were all handmade, the Meyer's planes."
"I didn't know that."
"Your husband will, if he's a genuine affectionado of the magic of flying."
"He is."
"I've kept great records, and I'm willing to let you take her for a spin."
"How about ... two spins?"
"Two?"
"Well, I'd like to surprise Jack, have everything worked out. Let him fly her not knowing she's ... ours, and then I'd to let him take her on a test flight. He's the pilot, Neil. I don't know anything about it."
"Okay. Two flights. Would you like me to help you with a flight plan for the first one?"
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you."
"Let's go inside."
Daniel was thankful that Neil was part of the understanding group, especially because he had a feeling about the red aircraft. It had called out to him. He couldn't understand it and wasn't sure what it meant, but in the end, he remembered that so much of his life with Jack was the result of luck and some unknown forces that seemed to pull them from Point A to Point B.
He's going to love it! I hope.
====
"Another good check-up, Syl?" Jack asked hopefully.
"Jack, Daniel, sit down."
Hesitantly, the two sat on the chairs in Sylvia's office. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Sylvia went to open it, and smiled.
"Come on in, Kayla."
Jack and Daniel stood, hugging the mother of their unborn baby. They chatted lightheartedly for a couple of minutes, and then Sylvia got their attention with a loud whistle.
"Sorry, but I can't get a word in here."
"Sorry," Jack laughed, turning to give the doctor his full attention.
"Okay, listen ... Jack and Daniel, for the last several weeks, the two of you have been insistent that you didn't want to know anything about this baby other than that everything is normal."
"That's right, and we don't," Jack spoke assuredly.
"Okay, I understand what you're saying, and the reasons, but guys, there really is something you need to know."
"No!" both Jack and Daniel spoke in unison.
"Unless there's something wrong," Daniel added meekly.
Sylvia just shook her head at the expectant father. Daniel was always worried, and she was trying her best to keep him reassured whenever she could.
"Is the baby healthy?" Daniel asked.
"Yes."
"I mean ... everything's there ... where it's supposed to be ... you aren't trying to tell us the baby's healthy, but not ..."
"Daniel, your baby is just fine. No problems. I promise. If something comes up, I will tell you," Sylvia said as firmly as she could.
"Is there any risk or concern with Kayla?" Jack asked again, looking to the young woman for anything she might be hiding.
"No, but ... guys, this is something a father might want to know."
"Then ... NO NO NO!" Jack insisted, pushing his chair back and standing up.
He moved behind the chair, and leaned forward, his hands holding on to the chair back.
Kayla laughed softly.
"You two are wonderful ... just wonderful."
"We just want it all to be ... whatever it's supposed to be, without all the science and techno stuff ... if we can avoid it," Daniel explained.
"Fellas, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't try to explain this one more time. You see, it's just that ..."
Sylvia's words were cut off by a sudden, loud hum. Jack was prancing around the office, his fingers in his ears, humming the Air Force theme song, finally starting to sing it, "Up we go, into the wild blue yonder" ... only he wasn't using his good voice.
Daniel cringed ... and laughed, standing to get his lover under control.
"Stop, Jack," he said, removing Jack's hands from his ears.
"Okay, I give ... but don't say I didn't warn you," Sylvia scolded lightheartedly.
"We won't," Jack assured, a big grin on his face.
"Well, Kayla is fine. No problems with ... anyone."
Kayla listened as Sylvia reported anything relevant about the baby's condition. She noticed how Jack's hand held Daniel's securely, his thumb gently rubbing Daniel's as they listened; how, as Sylvia spoke about how the baby had grown since the last sonogram, Daniel glanced at Jack and smiled, seemingly just enjoying the expression on his lover's face; and how when they were done, Jack and Daniel exchanged a look where their eyes seemed to be talking -- no words were spoken, but the young woman could swear her friends were engaged in a very loving conversation from their hearts!
The more Kayla got to know Jack and Daniel, the more she realized she had made the correct choice in deciding to have their babies. For the first time in her life, she sensed there was something truly greater than adventure and chasing dreams. She wasn't yet sure what that was, but whatever that strange thing was, she knew Jack and Daniel had it!
====
"I wonder why he wants to meet with us again," Daniel pondered as he buttoned his green and white striped shirt.
"How about because his clinic messed up?"
"Jack, we agreed. We're just happy we're having a baby."
"Daniel, the point is, it never should have happened. You know, most couples would have already filed the law suit."
Jack zipped up his pants and reached for his black shirt that he had placed on the bed earlier.
"I don't want to sue, Jack. Maybe that makes me an idiot, but doing something like that would take a lot of time and energy, and to be honest, I'd rather devote all that to my family."
"I'm not arguing, Danny, but does that mean we just let them off the hook?"
Daniel pulled his gray jacket from the closet and slipped it on, and then he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Jack, years from now, I don't want to tell any of our children that they weren't wanted or loved, or that I even had a second thought about bringing them into this world simply because it's not my sperm that helped to bring them here. I don't want to tell them that any amount of money played a part in their birth."
"So we let them off the hook?"
"What do you want to do?"
Jack put on his own gray jacket and sat next to his husband. He took a deep breath as he thought.
"We don't need the money, do we?"
"No."
"We could settle for a nice amount and stick it in a trust fund for the baby," Jack suggested.
"And what do we tell our other children? Besides, I don't know how to explain it, but I don't want any part of our family tied into money like that. But, if you think it's the right thing to do ... I mean, it's not just me."
"We could split it among all our kids."
"Okay, Jack. We should go."
Daniel stood and headed for the door.
"Whoa there, Dannyboy!"
Daniel turned, folding his arms in front of him. Jack approached his husband, physically unfolding Daniel's crossed arms.
"Jack, what are you doing?"
"No defensive postures. No self-hugs. You don't want us to take any money?"
"But you do, Jack, so we will."
"Daniel, I'm not trying to punish anyone, but we were lucky ... because we can afford to have another baby, and because we're just so dang happy to be having one in the first place. What if it had been someone else, or, even worse, if it hadn't been our sperm? What if that nurse had grabbed some stranger's?"
"Okay," Daniel said softly.
Jack sighed. He wasn't trying to be greedy, but there was an important principle at play here. They were lucky, yes, but it could just as easily have been yet one more nightmare to endure. Just as he had been reprimanded over the years for actions, in spite of good intentions that had caused those actions, he felt the clinic needed to do something to right the wrong.
"It's not the money, Daniel. You know me better than that. Think of something else."
"What do you mean?"
"You're the negotiator, the genius with the solutions. Find me an 'or' ... just like in the old days." Jack smiled warmly and kissed his husband. "Give me an alternative."
"Right," Daniel responded as turned back towards the hallway and walked down the stairs, Jack following a few seconds later.
====
"Doctor Jackson-O'Neill. General Jackson-O'Neill. Thank you for coming," Doctor Joel Sumneers greeted his guests with a smile and motioned to the empty chairs in the private dining area of a local restaurant. "Please, sit down."
"Please, just call me, uh, Daniel ... and this is Jack."
"I thought Sylvia was going to be here?" Jack asked.
"She's going to try, but she had an emergency about an hour ago."
Jack nodded, but said nothing as the waitress approached to take their lunch order.
"Doctor Sumneers, I've been wondering about the nurse who ..." Daniel paused, not wanting to place blame.
"Janeel?" the clinic owner asked.
"Yes. What did she decide?"
"I think we've finally convinced her to stay. She's an excellent nurse with a promising future."
"I'm glad. Sylvia really sang her praises."
"I know apologies don't go anywhere near far enough in this kind of a situation," the doctor spoke sincerely, "and that potentially, this could have been much worse. I wanted to let you know some of the things we've come up with to prevent it from ever happening again."
"I'd like to hear about that," Jack spoke, the intimidating General extremely evident in his voice.
For the next half hour, as they lunched on salads, soups, and their entrees, Sumneers outlined the changes the clinic was introducing. Among them were a new labeling system that included a special procedure for samples where there were multiple donors with same or similar names, a triple check procedure to verify the sample being used prior to insemination, an arrangement with a nearby nursing agency where they could easily and quickly get staffing help when needed, and the creation of a new staffing position which had as its primary function the overseeing of procedures and reviewing staffing needs on an hourly basis.
"I'm excited about this new position."
"Don't you already have someone who does that, some sort of office manager?"
"Yes, but the responsibilities aren't as focused as this new job is. The office supervisor has an abundance of duties that don't necessarily tie in with the medical staff. The new position will be one of our nurses. His or her main duty is to not only point out any flaws in our current medical protocol, but when we get those unexpected calls, they will have the authority to immediately call in assistance, without approval from me or any other staff member, including the office supervisor."
"So it's an administrative position."
"No, not at all. In fact, I've asked Janeel if she'd be interested."
"Okay, so what if Janeel or whomever you hire is involved in a procedure or whatever," Daniel asked, "and that's when the crisis hits?"
"She'll always have a backup, and that person will have the same authority. They'll be responsible only to me and no one else. It's actually a chance for someone to look at what we do and point out what works and what doesn't, and having it be one of our regular nurses will enable that. Who else to better know if we need to change things?"
"Sounds good," Jack said.
"General. Doctor. I don't expect this to be enough for you. As I said from the beginning, I take full responsibility for what happens at my clinic. We could call in the lawyers and have them discuss some kind of settlement. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised not to have been served already."
Jack and Daniel exchanged a look and then Jack spoke up, "Look, Doctor Sumneers, the money isn't the point, but ..."
"No, it's not," Daniel interrupted. "Jack, I think I have your 'or'. Doctor, would you excuse us for a minute?"
Sumneers nodded, and Jack and Daniel stood and walked to the corner of the room.
"Okay, I'm listening."
"Jack, we've both agreed that it's not about money, not for us, and Doctor Sumneers is doing everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen again, right?"
"I guess so, but how do we really know? Daniel, we may have had our share of bumps and bruises over the years, but what do we know about this and what Sumneers is doing?"
"Okay, let's do this. Let's check it out with Janet and Sylvia. Sylvia probably already knows, but we can ask Janet what she thinks about the new changes and the staff position."
"And then what?"
"Jack, what good does it do to bring in lawyers who are going to get some ridiculous fee to get us money we don't want or need ... and," Daniel paused, organizing his thoughts, "maybe more importantly, why drain someone like Sumneers of financing that could be put to better use?"
"Daniel, where are you going with this?"
"Instead of putting it in a trust for our baby, let's do something in honor of our baby, something that is already a positive thing."
"Daniel, the point?"
"A scholarship. The Baby Jackson-O'Neill Scholarship, specifically designed to educate and maintain the clinic staffing. Jack, we make them pay for 'x' number of scholarships per year for 'x' number of years, AND they employ them when they graduate, if a position is open, and the graduate is interested. We don't have to figure out the details, Babe; that's what the accountants and lawyers are for."
Jack chuckled at the idea. Leave it to Daniel to once again come up with a solution that benefits others.
"The Baby Jackson-O'Neill Scholarship, eh?"
"They won't forget, Jack, and we'll be doing some good and not just cashing in on a mistake."
Jack glanced over at Sumneers and observed him. They'd researched the man and the clinic thoroughly before deciding to use the facilities, and Jack had to admit the clinic owner hadn't shirked responsibility or reacted in haste. What's more, in their conversations since the mistake had been discovered, the doctor had never been anything less than forthright. As he observed the doctor, Jack was impressed that Sumneers didn't seem overly nervous or anxious, and seemed prepared to do whatever was necessary to move forward in good faith.
"Okay. Let's tell him we may have a proposal, but we need to finalize it. We'll go see Janet and get back to him in a few days."
"Jack, are you really okay with this? I mean, do you want the money? It could be ... a lot?"
"It could set our kid up for life, and maybe not this baby, but all our brood." Daniel listened, a sadness taking him over. "But, like you've said, we don't really need it, and even if we did, we both grew up earning our way, and I'm not sure that's not the best way to go. It would be a legacy for our child. No, Danny, I don't want the money. I have everything I want right here," Jack said as he tapped his husband on the chest.
"I love you, Jack."
"Backatcha, Babe," Jack spoke with a lustful grin. "Let's go!"
"Backatcha? Geez, Jack, has the romance burned out or what?"
Jack laughed, pinched Daniel on his butt as they walked and whispered a suggestion for what they should do when they got home. By the time the two reached the table, Daniel was ready for action, and couldn't wait to get home with his spouse for Jack to carry through with his suggestions!
====
"You bought them all?" Sam asked and then took a bite of her salad as the friends lunched at O'Malley's.
"I didn't have time to look at them at the bookstore, so I just picked up one of everything. Gawd, Jack thought I was crazy."
"He's been a father before, that's the only reason he's calmer than you are, Daniel," Kayla said with a smile.
"He's not so calm. He's just better at hiding it," Daniel commented before swallowing a spoonful of his soup.
"Where is he anyway?" Kayla asked, adding, "You know it's funny, but I'm not used to seeing one of you without the other."
Daniel smiled as he answered, "We like it that way. Gawd, you'd think we'd get tired of each other, but we don't. Um, sorry. He, uh, is over at Lou Ferretti's working on the Monstermobile or ... whatever it is those two do when they're together."
"Oh, I've heard Jack mention that. Are the Ferretti's neighbors?"
"No, Lou's military. He and Jack served together for a long time."
"Kayla, have you decided yet what method you want to use for the birth?" Sam asked, knowing the young woman had been studying several different options.
"I think natural childbirth is the way to go."
"Lamaze?"
"Yes, definitely!"
"Oh that's great. Are you and the General going to be the coaches, Daniel?" Sam asked ?" Daniel dropped his spoon, causing it to splash into the soup, vegetables flying all over Daniel's tie and his placemat.
Sam and Kayla chuckled as Daniel tried to clean up the mess, but finally he tossed in the towel, or the napkin, to be more precise. He shrugged, "Gawd, I'm nervous."
"Daniel, you've delivered babies before. Relax," Sam said.
"Yeah, but they weren't MINE!"
"You'll be just fine," Kayla spoke reassuringly. "The classes only last a few weeks, and you won't be alone. There will be several other couples there for support."
"Oth...oth...other couples?"
"That's not a problem, is it?" Kayla asked.
"No ... no, of course not. Gawd, I'm nervous."
Sam and Kayla laughed again as Daniel sank further down in his chair.
====
"Daniel, no ... N - O ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Why not, Jack?"
"Because ... I don't know ... just no!"
"Lamaze is helpful for everyone. Kayla needs us."
"NO!" Jack put the newspaper in front of his face as he sipped a cup of coffee.
"Do you even want to see our baby brought into this world?"
"Of course, I do," Jack answered, laying the paper down. "I want to be right there."
"Then why the objection to the classes?"
"Danny, Kayla is going to be doing the hard work. There's not much we can do, you know!"
"Yes, there is. We can help her, Jack ... do something constructive instead of just standing there ... gaping!"
"I do NOT gape! You are the gape-ee, usually standing there looking like a guppy or something."
"I do not look like a guppy, and stop trying to distract me."
"Usually works," Jack said off-handedly.
"Well, not this time, Colonel."
"General."
"Sorry. Old habits. General."
"Besides, I'm retired."
"Sometimes I wonder why."
"Oh, Danny, stop it."
"I don't understand the problem here, Jack. We can be there to help her breathe, stay calm, focus, and ... I don't know ... Obviously, I haven't been to the classes yet, so I don't know what there is to do, but whatever it is, we can do it ... help her ... breathe."
"She knows how to breathe."
"Jack, as you are well aware, the dumb act doesn't work anymore, not that it ever did."
"Daniel, do you really want to walk into a class with a dozen other couples for a month and ... breathe?"
"Yes, I do!"
"Give me strength," Jack requested of the ceiling.
"Fine, Jack. Don't do it, but I am!"
Daniel turned and walked outside to play with Bijou and Katie, leaving Jack to stew in the living room. The other man grunted in frustration and then his eyes focused on the fish tank.
Staring at the fish, Jack said, "I am not giving in! No, I'm not! I am NOT!"
Jack could have sworn he heard "Bloop! Bloop! Oh yes you blooping are" coming from one of the fish that seemed to be staring at him.
"Watch it, fish, or you'll find yourself down the toilet!"
"Bloop!"
Jack grunted in response.
"Where'd he go anyway? Daniel?"
Jack walked outside and sat on the patio deck steps, watching Daniel with Katie in her play yard.
"Danny, are you going to be mad at me because I don't want to do this?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sleeping out here tonight?"
"No."
Jack nodded, not convinced. He stood nervously for a moment, and finally said, "I'm gonna go inside and ... watch the fish."
"Okay."
====
Later that night, Jack and Daniel prepared for bed. Jack got in first, wearing only pajama bottoms, silently thinking about luring his lover back into their nation of two.
The chest will get you, My Sweet.
However, when Daniel lay down, it was on his left side, away from Jack.
Jack watched as Daniel settled in, and listened as he said, "Good night, Jack."
"Hey! Where's my blanket?"
"I'm not a blanket."
"Right, and I'm not a pillow either."
"No, you're not," Daniel agreed.
"Oh for crying out loud, will you get over here where you belong? Danny, I love you and ... I'm cold!"
Daniel sighed and turned, moving to his usual position, his head against Jack's chest. Jack smiled as he put his arms around his husband.
"Thank you, Angel."
"You're welcome."
Hmmm ... still cold, dang it!
====
Daniel thumbed through the latest issue of Pregnancy Magazine as he chatted with Kayla on the telephone.
"I think it'll be an awesome experience, Kayla ... I know I can't really do much, but ... It's nice of you to say that ... No, I've tried, he just doesn't want to, and I don't know why. Maybe it's just because of Charlie. He's done this before ... What? ... No, I don't think they did Lamaze. He was gone, out of the country until just before his son was born ... I know, Kayla, but I don't want to talk him into everything. I'd feel like I'd be forcing him, and that wouldn't be right ... Yeah, I know ... I'll be there, though. I'm really excited about it! ... laughter ... Well, don't be surprised if I pass out ... Okay, maybe passing out is an exaggeration, and yes, Sam was right. I have delivered a couple of babies, but this is different, Kayla. This baby is the first one that is actually mine! ... smiles ... Thanks, but you don't need to talk to him. I'm being overly sentimental about the whole thing. I just want to share it all with him. It's all new to me, and, uh, I forget this is old hat to him. ... oh, okay. Good luck with the publisher ... Good night!"
Daniel hung up the phone as he continued to read an article that had caught his eye during the conversation.
====
"How's the great American novel?" Jack asked, sitting down on the small sofa in Kayla's apartment.
"Actually, it's coming along nicely. It's interesting because it's not at all what I thought it was going to be."
"How so?" Daniel asked, leaning back into Jack's embrace.
The pair were enjoying a visit at Kayla's, just chatting about life and current events. They had made a point of meeting at least once a week to talk, either at Kayla's or the Jackson-O'Neill residence. They'd spent hours discussing the world and themselves. It was a growing relationship, each of the three learning to care more about the other as time progressed.
"Well, I always had a dream about writing some great big adventure. I wanted it to be grand ... wild ... exotic. My travels have always been a part of that, or so I thought, but when I finally sat down to write, what's emerged hasn't been grand or wild or exotic at all. In fact, it's been very simple, but ... simple is oftentimes the grandest story of them all."
"I hope we get to see it," Jack spoke earnestly.
"You will ... when the time is right, and when you do, I hope you'll like it."
"Oh, I'm sure we both will," Daniel responded.
"It has a long way to go, that's for sure, and I'm still trying to hook the publisher I want."
"I thought you had that settled?"
"Not quite, Jack. I actually have two interested, but both want me to make changes I'm not willing to make. I'm working hard to try and get one of them to believe in the concept, that it's ... appeal will be broader than they think."
"How about giving us a glimpse?" Jack asked.
"No, not yet."
They chatted some more about the publishers and other things Kayla was doing in her daily life, and then Jack and Daniel told her about their recent trip to Laramie, Wyoming in Jo.
"Jo?"
"J-O, for Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel explained.
"Which is actually a nickname for The Flying High."
"Oh, you named the plane ... twice?"
The lovers laughed.
"I guess it's a little silly," Daniel admitted.
"No, it's not," Jack insisted. "Anyway, we're talking her to New Mexico tomorrow, and if she passes muster, she's ours."
"She already is, Jack, and you know it."
A short while later, Jack and Daniel got up and put on their jackets to go home. They had spent the last few minutes discussing the healthy and frequently kicking "baby."
Kayla chuckled after Daniel spoke, "That baby has a big kick!"
"Guys, are you sure you don't want to ..."
"Kayla," Jack barked with a smile, "We'll throw away your manuscript and notes if you speak one word about our baby."
"Baby?" she tried to tease.
"YES!" both said in force, with laughter, but still quite serious.
She shook her head and closed the door behind them.
"You two are in for a very big surprise!"
====
While waiting for Sam and Teal'c to meet him for lunch, Daniel took the opportunity to call Kayla on his cell phone. He had promised to give her the name of a book he thought would be helpful in her research for her novel, at least, he thought it was the subject of her novel, but he wasn't really sure.
After giving her the source information, they continued chatting.
"I was surprised you two were so ... close," she said about their visit the night before.
"Why?"
"Well, you were angry at Jack about the Lamaze, right?"
"No, not angry, just disappointed. Jack and I ... well, we're different. We always have been. I'm more curious than he is, and like I said before, he's already been a dad. I'm driving him crazy with stuff as it is. I don't have a right to force him."
"But you wish he'd do it?"
"Gawd, yes. I feel like an idiot. I mean," Daniel paused, wondering when he and Kayla had bonded so completely.
"Come on, Daniel. No holding out. It's not good for your baby to know Daddy is stressed."
Daniel laughed his response -- "I'm not stressed."
"Aren't you?"
"I just wish he understood how important it is to me that we do everything we can to be the best we can, and that means ... helping with the birth in some small way. I want him there, participating. I want him ... with me, not just ... standing there like a statue. Oh, ignore me."
"I don't want to ignore you, and neither should Jack."
"He's not, and if I told him I wanted him to ... absolutely, positively, then he'd do it ... but I don't want him to do something he's not comfortable with. I can ... con him into it, or plead with, and he'd give in, but ... I just don't want to. I want him to want to share it with me as much as I want to share it with him, but ... I guess that's just me."
"Daniel!"
"Oh, they're here ... Okay. Take care."
Daniel clicked off his cell phone and put it away.
"Kayla?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, she's doing great! So, tell me what's new at the SGC."
====
"Kayla! Come on in. Danny's not here. He's ..."
"Don't 'hi' me, Jack O'Neill!" Kayla barged into the country-style home she had been to on many occasions.
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack corrected lightly, not understanding Kayla's unusual entrance.
"Right now I don't think you deserve the name, Colonel O'Neill."
"General," he corrected again.
"You don't deserve that title either. Right now, you're not even the Colonel I first met, and you're far from the honor of a General."
"Ouch! Okay ... what did I do?"
"I can't believe you're being so selfish and unfeeling."
"Kayla, calm down. You're pregnant."
Jack put his hands to her shoulders, but she pushed them off.
"Nice of you to notice, but don't touch me."
"Where have I heard that before?"
"From your husband most likely, and frankly, I'm on his side!"
"Side? Kayla, Danny and I are just fine."
"Really? And you know this how? Because he's not arguing and yelling like ... like a grizzly bear?"
"Okay, slow down, and let's start over. Here," Jack motioned to the sofa, "sit down."
Kayla reluctantly went and sat down, only because her back was sore.
"Better?"
"Yes, thank you. Now, was that so hard?"
"Huh?" Jack asked, totally clueless.
"Calming me down. Reducing my stress level. Making me feel relaxed. Helping me to breathe."
"Oh, now I see where this is coming from."
"No, Jack, excuse me, but you don't. I know that in the grand scheme of things, I haven't known you and Daniel very long, but one of the first things I learned about you two is that you like the truth, correct?"
"Definitely. I think," Jack added, still not sure why Kayla was so upset.
"Jack, I'm going to be honest, and so help me, if you tell Daniel this, I'll never forgive you."
Jack nodded and motioned with a wave of his right hand for her to continue.
"Look, I think Lamaze is great. It has a purpose, and it works really well for a lot of people. In fact, Jack, I've coached it ... overseas. I already know it, from all sides. And even if I didn't, you know how I am, or you should by now. I'm strong and independent, and I like to do things on my own. I'd learn whatever I need to do and focus my own mind. It's unique, but that's who I am. However, early on when this came up in Sylvia's office, I saw Daniel's eyes light up when she mentioned Lamaze. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to."
The young woman shifted a bit.
"Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"
"I'm fine. Just gets uncomfortable sometimes. Okay, the point is ... after reviewing all the options, I came back to Lamaze, not because it's my choice necessarily, but Jack, this isn't my baby. It's Daniel's ... and yours, and I knew this is what he wanted. Did you?"
"No. I ... we didn't talk about it."
"Because you didn't want to?"
"Because I figured it was your choice, as the birth mother."
"Okay, I'll accept that. Still, when Sam asked me what choice I'd made, I knew it was the right one from Daniel's reaction. He was so sweet, Jack ... nervous as a cat, and wanting to do so much. He's excited, Jack. And he loves you. Do you understand that? That he loves you so much that when you two do things separately, it ... it hurts him? I'm having YOUR baby. What a gift, a joy, that is for both of you, and Daniel ... Jack, he wants to share every single thing about this experience with you, and what I don't understand is why you apparently don't feel the same way."
"That's crap ... excuse me, I mean ..."
"Stop. I've been around. Crap is mild, Jack."
Jack nodded and explained, "I just ... It's not my first baby."
"And that's an excuse. He wants you to be with him, to experience everything. For Pete's sake, he is so into every aspect of this pregnancy."
"He's just ... overeager."
"No. Jack ... haven't you asked him why this is so important?" Kayla saw Jack flinch. "Oh, Jack. Why not?"
"I'm not good with words. Danny ... he brings out the words in me. He brings out anything good in me."
"He loves you. Jack, he wants you two to go through this together as much as possible, because he knows that down the road, your child might have a question about their birth, about what it felt like, and he wants to be able to answer."
"But our child will have you."
"Yes, as a friend ... a good friend, I hope, but Jack, I'm not this baby's mother. That job, good and bad, falls to you and your husband; and when the time comes that your baby asks you what labor was like, I may be in India or Russia or Shrangri-La. What are you going to do then ... say 'hold that thought for a few months'?"
"Daniel's going to help. He'll know."
"Yes, he will ... and what are you going to say when your child turns to you and asks why you didn't help like his daddy did?"
Jack closed his eyes. He was running out of excuses and words.
"Jack, Daniel wants you with him. More than that, he needs you there, by his side, helping, loving, participating. The man you say you love is aching for you to want to be a part of this. It's why he hasn't argued. He doesn't want to force you into this, but you're hurting him, Jack. He doesn't understand this stance of yours, and neither do I. He thought you wanted to be a part of the entire process, just like he does."
"It's breathing, Kayla. You know how to breathe," Jack said weakly, not facing the surrogate mother.
"I'll tell you something, Jack O'Neill. You're going to regret this. Daniel's not going to push it, but he'll remember it, and he'll always wonder why. He's told me a bit about his past, how alone he used to feel, how he never knew what it was like to be happy and have a family, how he lived so many years alone, being independent, afraid to trust and care because whenever he did, he got the door slammed shut in his face. Well, Jack, you're slamming that door again, but I guess that's your business."
Kayla struggled to get up, refusing Jack's help.
"I have to go. I missed a workshop to come here for this."
"Kayla."
"No, I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to butt in, but I'm not in a mood to hear more of your rationalizations. My back hurts; I'm as big as a truck; I'm tired all the time; and I can't stand to look Daniel in the eye knowing how sad he is that you aren't helping with this. I'll see you later ... General."
Kayla walked out of the house, leaving Jack to the silence, and more "Blooping" of the fish.
"Oh, shut up!," Jack yelled at their fish. "I have my reasons. Yes, I know. He hurts. Well, so do I. Geez, anytime he hurts, I do, too, but ... I can't ... I just can't .. okay? SO SHUT UP!"
====
"Hey, Love."
"Hey."
Daniel leaned in for a kiss. Jack had been running some errands all day, having left at 10 a.m. It was now 4:30 p.m., and the two were engaged in some heavy "I've missed you" kissing in the entrance way of their home, when all of a sudden ...
WAH WAH WAHWAHWAH WAH WAH WAH WAHWAHWAH ...
"Danny, what the heck is that?"
"Oh gawd, it's the baby!"
Daniel scurried away from Jack, running into the living room. Jack hurried after him, "Baby? What baby? Kayla ... I mean, it's too soon ... Danny, I was only gone for a few hours!"
"Jack, calm down," Daniel said, turning, holding a baby in his arms.
"Shh, it's okay, baby."
"Danny ... what ... what is that?"
"It's our baby ... one of them anyway. Junior is still asleep."
"Junior?"
"I didn't want to name them without you," Daniel said, smiling as he rocked the baby in his arms
Jack walked towards Daniel, stared at the baby, and then at the second baby still in a small cradle.
"Daniel, I'm going to call Janet. Everything will be okay."
He turned and headed for the phone. Daniel rolled his eyes.
Someone has to love him. I guess it's me. "Jack, they aren't real."
Jack let out a big breath as he turned, relieved Daniel was still acquainted with reality.
"Well, I'm glad you know that, but what are you doing with ... fake babies?"
"We're going to practice."
WAH WAHWAHWAH WAHWAHWAHWAH WAH ...
"Oops, there goes yours. Better pick him up."
"Daniel, I am NOT going to ... pick up that ... that ..."
"Your son, Jack, and you will ... now!"
Jack saw the look. If he didn't want to sleep alone tonight, he was going to have to play along with his lover.
It's the stress.
"I heard that!"
Jack groaned as he stood, unmoving.
"Sometimes, Daniel, this telepathic thing isn't so good." Daniel walked away with his baby without saying a thing. "I didn't mean that, Danny. Come on ... you know I didn't."
"Sometimes I don't know what you mean," Daniel spoke as he bounced the baby slightly.
Jack winced at the comment. Things were a bit dicey at the moment, and comments like that cut him to the bone.
WAH WAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAH WAHWAH WAHWAHWAH WAHWAH
"Jack!"
"Okay, okay!" Jack picked up the second baby. "Danny, I feel ridiculous!"
"We have to practice, Jack."
"BUT, DANNY, I'VE ALREADY DONE THIS!"
"Stop shouting," Daniel said forcefully, adding, "But you haven't had to do it with two babies, and since we're having two babies just a year apart, and not even that if we're lucky, we both need to be prepared."
"Danny, the basics are the basics. I know how to calm a baby and take care of ... it," Jack bounced the crying baby, annoyed by its fake whine.
WAH WAH WAH
"If you know how to do it, Jack, then STOP your baby from crying."
"Oh for crying out loud ... this is nuts! I know how to do this, Daniel! It hasn't exactly changed, you know!"
"But JACK, they've improved baby care techniques a lot."
"Danny, they've IMPROVED how you give a bottle to one end, and remove the stinky diapers from the other? They've done this ... exactly HOW?"
"That's what the BOOKS are for."
"You're not making any sense, Angel."
"I don't have to ... we're pregnant!"
"Oh give me patience," Jack said looking up to the ceiling. "Sara wasn't this bad, AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY HAVING THE BABY!"
Daniel glared in frustration, perturbed beyond belief. His tone was harsh as he informed his husband that, "MY baby and I will be upstairs. Please don't disturb us until you have YOUR baby under control!"
Jack shook his head. Tossing the fake baby onto the couch, he sank into his chair. Hearing another WAH, Jack said, "Oh shut up. I am so sleeping alone tonight ... and I had ... plans .. and it DIDN'T include some fake baby toy."
====
It had been a long few days, but Jack had slowly gotten with the program, taking care of his assigned baby as required. It was either that or go without his preferred blanket of choice at night.
It was evening, and Daniel had left to go to the first Lamaze class. It was a bit of an early start for the pregnancy, but Kayla had other plans that would conflict with doing the class at a later time, so they'd decided to begin now. Besides, she was already so big no one would know she wasn't in her seventh or eighth month.
Jack had planned to watch a game on TV. True to Daniel's word, since their big discussion, the younger man hadn't badgered or argued about it with Jack. He'd let it go, and their life had continued on, as happy ever ... except Daniel had a little sad spot on his heart, and Jack had one on his, too.
At the clinic where the classes were taking place, Daniel and Kayla met the other couples. There were only six others for this session, making a total of seven.
"Let's begin," the instructor said, quieting everyone.
"Whoa! Wait! Am I in the right place?" Jack burst into the room, out of breath, having run from the truck to the large room where the couples were.
"Jack!"
Daniel shot up from his seated position, a huge grin on his face. Jack smiled, treasuring the happiness he had just given his soulmate.
"What? You were going to start without me? Now that wouldn't be very nice would it?"
"No, it wouldn't," Daniel said softly.
"Jack Jackson-O'Neill, Ma'am," Jack introduced himself to the instructor, "I'm with him," Jack explained, nodding towards Daniel.
Some of the couples looked at each other in surprise, not sure what to make of the comment.
"But aren't you with her?" the instructor asked Daniel.
"We both are."
"You both are?" two of the husbands asked at the same time.
"Yeah, we are. She's a surrogate, and Daniel and I are married, and if any of you have a problem with that, let's get it out of the way now."
There were a lot of looks, but after a minute, there were nothing but smiles, so Jack and Daniel took their spots next to Kayla, and the class began.
Daniel looked at his husband.
I love you, Jack. You don't have to do this if you don't want to.
Jack smiled as he looked into Daniel's beautiful blue eyes.
Yes, I do, because you see, I love you, too, and we're having a baby. I belong here.
Yes, you do.
====
Back at home, Jack had barely entered the house when he found himself plastered up against the wall.
"I love you so freakin' much, Jack Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel said in between deep, wet kisses. "Gawd, I love you," he repeated after another kiss.
Within minutes, the two were engaged in the wildest, most passionate session of lovemaking they'd had in a month. Afterwards, they held on tight to each other, their bodies settling from the trembling and convulsions of their climaxes.
Jack held Daniel in his arms, gently fingering through his hair, hair that was a bit longer than it had been for a long time.
"Gonna let it grow, Love?"
"I don't know ... maybe."
"I kinda miss that beautiful shag."
"I miss you playing with it all the time. You do a pretty good job with it short, but still ..."
"More to do with all that mess."
A few minutes passed as the two continued to caress each other, speaking words of love and talk of their future.
"It was Charlie."
"Charlie?"
"Our son. I felt ... guilty. I know ... not logical, but when can you ever accuse me of being logical?"
"Jack, what are you talking about?" Daniel asked, shifting his body up so he could look into his husband's eyes.
"Sara wanted me to do Lamaze, and I didn't want to. It scared the living daylights out of me, but I agreed. Then ... missions kept popping up, and I never made the classes. Her father had to be her coach. When Charlie was born, I was there, as an onlooker, watching her dad ... support her ... watching him bring our son into the world."
Daniel leaned up and gently kissed Jack, his hand going to Jack's cheek.
"I didn't know. I mean, I knew you were there with her."
"I was a body in a room, and I always felt bad about that, for her and for me, and ... geez, Danny, I think I resented Sara's dad for being there where I should have been."
"I'm sorry, Jack."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. As usual, I'm the jerk."
"No, you just should have told me."
"I didn't want to admit it. Danny, in a crazy, mixed up, totally out of whack sort of way, I felt like if I did this for our kids, that it was a betrayal to Sara and Charlie. Is that insane or what?"
"It's human, but you're not betraying them. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know it now."
"What made you change your mind?"
"I turned on the game, and it was pre-empted. When I got up, I turned and saw Charlie staring at me, looking at me like I was a fool."
"The photo on the mantle?"
"Yeah. I swear, I could hear him say, 'Dad, this is my brother or sister, and why aren't you there?' It was a simple question that I had no answer to, so ... I put my butt in gear and high-tailed it to the clinic."
"I'm glad you did."
"Me, too. I'm sorry, Danny. I do want to experience everything with you. I love this baby. I just ... my mind got distracted. It won't happen again. I love you, Angel."
"I love you, too."
====
"Jack! JACK! JACK ... GET UP, AND GET DOWN HERE ... NOW!"
Daniel was going through the day's mail. Jack had gone upstairs to take a nap, having been up all night with his fake baby who had finally quieted.
"Danny, what's wrong?" Jack bounded down the stairs, worried.
"It's ... it's here," Daniel said softly, holding a document in his hand.
"What? Danny, talk to me."
"We're legal ... I mean ... the Jackson-O'Neills! Us!"
Jack let out a whiff of air as Daniel handed him the papers from the court. There was one for Daniel and one for Jack. Though they'd been using their hyphenated names since Jack's retirement from the Air Force, they were now legally Jonathan Jackson-O'Neill and Daniel Jackson-O'Neill.
Jack smiled, looking at the paper as some kind of sacred item.
"Legal. Finally." Jack reached over with his right hand to caress Daniel's cheek. "Geez, I love you, Doctor Jackson-O'Neill."
"And I love you, so freakin' much, General Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel practically laughed with emotion.
The two joined together, their arms holding on tightly.
"It's real. Gawd, I didn't think they'd ever put it through."
Daniel couldn't get close enough to Jack. They'd waited so long for this simple change in their lives.
"Yeah, Mark had to push it, but he did good."
"He's a good lawyer."
"The best."
"Angel, could we ... please ... just tonight ... turn off the babies and ..."
"... and you know?"
"Yeah ... and you know."
"I think we've had all the practice we need, Jack. We have love, and in the end, like you've said before, that's all we really do need. I'll return the dolls to Sylvia tomorrow."
"Let's go to bed, Angel."
"And tomorrow, we need to go buy new stationary, too."
"And monogrammed towels."
"Personalized shirts," Daniel added.
"And address labels."
"Driver's licenses. We have to go change our driver licenses!"
"Change the deed and all the legal stuff."
As they entered their bedroom, they stood staring into each other's eyes. They leaned their foreheads together. It was a sign of their oneness, a unity that was unlike any other. This was a milestone in their lives, one they had fought for, and they would never forget it. They couldn't help but grin at each other, happiness radiating from both men.
"And we have to change the names on the bills," Jack said.
"Hmm ... and new monogrammed handkerchiefs for my fly boy."
"And we can't forget the doormat."
"We don't have a doormat."
"We should ... great big huge honkin' letters ... The Jackson-O'Neills!"
"Gawd ... it's a dream."
"No, Angel ... it's our life ... ours ... finally."
Daniel nodded, and the two fell gently onto the bed where they made tender, caring love, their nation of two never more united than at this moment!
====
"No, Daniel! Absolutely not. Not a chance in Netu am I going to wear that thing."
"Yes, Jack, you are!"
"Danny, I'm a father ... not a mother."
"No, Love ... we're everything. To our children, we are going to be their entire world. We have to make sure that our roles as dads include as much as we can of ... of what it is to be a mom, too."
"Danny," Jack approached, his hands taking Daniel's and holding them securely, "I love you. I am so impressed with how concerned you are with our knowing as much as we can. I know, too, that you are empathizing with Kayla, and yes, I know, she's having a hard time with the backaches and all of that, but Danny, we're not married to her. We're married to each other ... and there's no way in ..."
Daniel's eyes were piercing through Jack's, and Jack knew he didn't have a chance of talking his lover out of his latest crazy scheme.
"Danny, please."
"We need to understand what it feels like for her ... so we know, Jack ... and someday, it might help us with our kids."
"Help us? How?"
"Because Jack, our daughter won't have a mother who has given birth to ask these questions to. I know we can't be everything ... but wouldn't it be nice to know that we did all we could to help. Maybe we can tell her that while it wasn't exactly the same, that we wore these for a while, and so we can truly have some idea, limited as it might be, to really understand what Kayla's going through."
"Oh, Danny," Jack sighed. He couldn't deny those blue eyes any longer. "How ... long do we have to wear these ... these contraptions?"
Daniel lit up, getting Jack's and putting it on.
"Just ... I don't know ... today since we don't have anything on the calendar, and we'll see how it goes."
"I can't believe ... ouch ... careful ..."
"Sorry, Babe!"
"I can't believe I'm letting you do this to me."
Daniel was beaming as he fastened the Empathy Belly onto his husband. Then, he put his own on.
"If I were in a better mood, Daniel, I'd be laughing like a hyena."
"Want to look in the mirror?"
"NO! For crying out loud, no! Geez! I'm hungry. I want food. I am allowed to eat, aren't I?"
Daniel laughed, leaning their bellies together for a kiss, which wasn't easy.
"Of course, you can and should do everything per normal, but you can't take it off, Jack ... not for anything!"
"Sweet," Jack turned and headed downstairs, muttering, leaving Daniel staring in the mirror at his "belly."
====
"What the ... hey, what was that?"
Jack looked down at the belly.
"I don't know ... they are synchronized. What happened?"
"I think it ... geez, Danny, it kicked me! That hurt!"
"Well, our baby kicks Kayla all the time."
"Hey ... stop that," Jack said to the "belly" sternly as Daniel laughed.
Jack tried to ignore the kicking and go back to reading the paper when he glanced up and saw Daniel scrunching his nose as if in discomfort.
"What's wrong?"
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"So ... go!"
"Yeah, but ... this feels strange. Be right back."
Daniel finagled himself to get up out of the armchair, mumbling something indistinctive.
"What was that, Love?"
"You don't want to know," Daniel said as he headed for the stairs.
"Oh no!"
Daniel turned and looked, "What?"
"I have to go!"
"Go where?"
"I have to go ... NOW!"
"Go where?"
"To the bathroom!"
"I'm first."
"Not if I get there first!"
Jack got up as quickly as he could, desperately trying to beat Daniel upstairs.
"But ... Danny ... I really ..."
"SO DO I ..."
"But ... it can't wait ..."
The two pulled and grabbed, fighting each other to get to the bathroom first, until both fell down, losing complete control.
"OH GAWD!" Daniel roared in laughter.
Jack was in hysterics, too.
"Danny, you have some of the most ridiculous ideas in the world, and sometimes ... gawd, I love you, but you get us into the craziest messes."
"I'm sorry, Jack," Daniel choked out between his laughs.
"Don't change, Daniel ... don't ever change. I love you ... so friggin' much."
Both of their abdomens were bouncing up and down from their laughter, their breathing rapid from the energy. Then, as they lay on the floor near the bathroom, both looked at each other, their smiles still strong on their faces.
"This was pretty silly, wasn't it?"
"No, Danny, it wasn't. As usual, you were right. Geez, what Sara must have gone through."
"And what Kayla is going through now."
"Blessed be to pregnant mothers everywhere. I swear ... we've only had these things on for a few hours, and I'm exhausted. How do they do it?"
"I don't know. I guess they're stronger than we are," Daniel answered as he reached out and took hold of Jack's hand.
"Where'd you get these things anyway?"
"Sylvia."
"A female!"
"I was talking about wishing I could understand better what Kayla was experiencing. We can hear the words, Jack, but that doesn't mean we have a clue what is it like to carry a child."
"Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"Yeah, about a minute ago."
"Way too long."
"Even if we're both still lying here on the floor, afraid to move!"
"Shower!" Jack winked.
"Oh ... gawd, you have great ideas." Jack started to move but Daniel stopped him. "Jack ... thank you."
"For what?"
"Letting me talk you into all this crazy stuff. I know you've already been here. I just want us ... to be ... I don't know."
"Danny, it's okay. It's normal. You're scared. Heck, so am I ... but we're gonna be okay ... in fact, we're gonna be great! You wait and see." Jack smiled, chuckling as he added, "And I have to admit that with Charlie, I never wore one of these things."
"I love you, Jack."
Jack kissed his lover and then pulled him up for their shower. They took off the empathy bellies and tossed them onto the beds.
"Bet Kayla wishes she could do that."
"No bet!" Jack said, leading Daniel to the bathroom for a one on one connection of their real bellies ... and other body parts.
Daniel reached out with his hand and felt nothing but a sheet. He swore in Abydonian as he got up, putting on a robe and once again went in search of his husband. He found him like he had once before, a couple of years ago, sitting in the middle of the backyard on a lawn chair, staring at the house. That was the time when Jack had decided to build Daniel his den. The young man smiled at the precious gift. It had affected him deeply, and Jack had done an extraordinary job of creating the perfect environment for Daniel to not only work in, but to relax in as well.
Daniel walked outside and knelt in front of Jack, reaching up to take his lover's hands. He kissed them and looked up to Jack's smiling eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
"We need to finalize the remodeling, Danny. Time is flying by, and we haven't figured it out yet."
Daniel turned around, and sat on the grass, once again grateful he had worn pajamas to bed that night. Jack's hands massaged his shoulders as both stared at their house. Bijou and Katie, having seen Daniel, came out of their doghouse to sit with the couple.
"Oh, I get it. I'm not worthy of your getting up. What am I? Chopped liver?" Jack asked in mock anger. Bijou yawned as she stretched down next to Daniel. "Sweet," Jack laughed, "They just adore me."
"Jack!"
"I know ... just giving them a hard time." Katie picked that moment to brush against Jack's hand. "You rang, Katie?" Jack leaned down.
She planted four solid licks against Jack's face before settling back down on the ground on the other side of Daniel.
"See, Jack, they love you."
"Mutts! I love them, too."
"I think they know that. What has you stymied about the house?"
"You're going to think I'm crazy."
"That's okay. I was the crazy one yesterday."
"True."
"Ouch!" Jack reacted to the slap on his shin, courtesy of his husband.
"I guess I shouldn't have agreed with you."
"Love you, Jack."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"The Beatles are here?"
"Daniel, you've been hanging around me too much!"
"No such thing, Love."
"Now that is true," Jack sighed, leaning forward to kiss Daniel on the head.
"About the house ..."
"Slight problem."
"I'm listening."
"We planned on extending out this way, not adding a bottom structure, just the columns, but bringing the second story out, adding a nursery and one room, and moving the roof deck."
"And the second bathroom. That's a must!"
"Definitely. Don't remind me!" Jack laughed as did Daniel.
"There's plenty of room, Babe. I don't see the problem."
"The columns. Danny, can you envision where the columns would need to be?"
"I'm not an architect, but I would imagine ... over there, and there, and ... oh ..."
"Oh."
Jack and Daniel looked down at Katie, their precious baby beagle. Both sighed.
"At the time we created her play yard, Danny, we weren't thinking about having kids or needing more space."
"That's her special place, Jack."
"I know. It's hers, and she knows it."
"How can we take that away from her?"
"That's why I'm sitting out here at ... what time is it anyway?"
"I have no idea. I just woke up ... alone ... again ... Jack, for the record, I do NOT like waking up alone. STOP IT!"
"I don't want to disturb you."
"Wake me freakin' up next time. I don't like waking up and finding that you're gone. It ... scares me. You know that, Jack!"
"Okay ... I'm sorry," Jack apologized, continuing to rub his husband's shoulders in a massaging action. The two sat for a long time, studying their problem. "We don't have a choice, Danny. In the future, we can build a room over the garage or something, but we need the nursery by us. If we don't want to move ..."
"And we don't," Daniel said emphatically.
"...then we don't have a choice."
"Gawd. I feel like a heel."
"We'll build her a new play yard ... a ... a bigger one, over there."
"She won't like it."
"Why not?"
"It's too hot over there. You know Katie doesn't like to dig in the sunshine too much. The tree kept it shady over here."
"We'll ... just have to explain to her ... and hope she understands."
"I feel like a heel ... I'm going back to bed," Daniel said, kissing Bijou and Katie, and then walking into the house slowly.
"You're not the only one, Angel," Jack said, picking up Katie and holding her to his chest.
"I'm sorry, girl. We goofed. I'll think of something ... I hope."
====
Daniel walked into the house, car keys in hand. He had just returned from a lunch with Sam, catching up on SGC gossip. He had noticed some vehicles in front of the house, and upon entering, he heard noise coming from the backyard. Cautiously, he made his way to the back of the house.
He saw Jack, Lou Ferretti, Jeff Cornell, and a couple of men he didn't know.
"Jack? What's going on?"
"Hey, Doc!"
"Hi, Daniel!"
"Lou. Jeff. Jack?"
"Be right back. Make sure you get that in there where I indicated," Jack directed to a man in a green uniform.
"No problem, General."
Jack went to Daniel and gave him a welcome home kiss and steered him to the patio deck.
"I bought us some trees."
"You bought us trees?"
"Yeah, for Katie. Look, she doesn't like the sun. If we planted a couple of new trees, it would take too long. So ... I got us a couple of ready made trees. Instant shade!"
Daniel just stared at Jack.
"Danny, we don't have a choice, so all we can do is try and make it the best we can. We get the trees in. We build a bigger play yard for her, get some new toys, and give her the time to get used to it, and then we hope she doesn't hate us."
"She has a lot of toys and bones buried already."
"We'll go on a dig. A family outing -- all of us."
"You're going to dig with Katie?"
"Why not? You do!"
"She'll like that."
"It's the least I can do! We'll do it in a couple of weeks, before the construction crew starts. In the meantime, we'll ... spend more time over there, make it feel secure, like home."
"I love you, Jack."
"But will she when we're done?"
"She loves you now, and she'll love you then."
"I hope so. If I could have thought of any other way ..."
"I know. This will work. I know it will."
"Lou and Jeff are helping to move things around. Come and say a better hello."
"Okay."
Jack and Daniel walked towards their guests, holding hands as they did so. They had survived another month, and still, it was only just beginning!
====On to Chapter Seven...
-- Chapter Six: Mid-Term Madness!
====
Jack closed up the box of old clothes to be given away to Goodwill and carried it downstairs. On the way down he remembered one more old shirt he didn't want, so instead of taking the box to the porch, he turned to sit it on the sofa, stumbling over a pile of magazines in the process.
"DANNNNNNNNNIELLLLLLLLL!" Jack screamed, falling onto the couch and letting loose with a slew of curse words.
"Jack?"
Daniel ran into the living room from the study where he had been on the phone.
"Oh for crying out loud ... baby magazines?"
Jack tossed the current issue of Parenting to his left side as he tried to settle himself.
"Are you all right?"
"Danny, why are all these magazines here?"
"I ... just brought them in from the car."
"And you left them on the floor?"
"I was going to read them, but then I remembered I needed to call Megan. She needed some advice about a translation."
Jack nodded, his hands gripping the top of the sofa back tightly.
"Don't you think you overdid it a little?"
Daniel looked at the pile of publications and shrugged. Jack shook his head and moved to straighten out the pile and put it on the coffee table, but first he moved the large box of clothing to the end of the sofa.
Daniel knelt down to help pick up the scattered items. He had to admit he might have gone overboard, having purchased at least thirty-five different baby, parent, and children magazines.
Jack started laughing looking at some of the titles.
"Daniel, I love you, but you have to admit ... look at this ... Child's Life. It's fiction for nine to eleven-year-olds! And this one ... Jack and Jill, specializing in self-confidence for seven to ten-year-olds! Danny, our baby isn't even born yet!"
"But ... but we have to be prepared. We need to know what's out there ... and they aren't all for older kids."
"Babe, even this one ... a standard ... ole Humpty Dumpty doesn't kick in until they are at least four-years-old."
"I got Disney," Daniel said defensively, knowing how much Jack loved all the Disney cartoon characters.
"Oh yeah?"
Jack searched, coming up with Disney Princess, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, and Disney Adventures.
After looking through all of them, Jack laughed some more.
"Love Disney, but Angel, Pooh is the first one we can make use of ... in about two years!"
Daniel sighed, feeling a bit like an idiot.
"I just ... we should learn as much as we can, that's all I'm saying."
"Now this is more like it," Jack said, thumbing through the latest issue of American Baby. "At least it's about babies. Oh look, 'Fashions for the Trendy Two-Month-Old'."
Jack laughed at the over-exuberance of his lover, but actually, it just made him love Daniel even more for caring so much.
"You're making that up."
"Yes, I am ... it does have fashion in it, but looks like it has some good stuff on health and medicine, too. Might be a keeper."
"Here's one called Parents. We're parents, Jack," Daniel said hopefully.
"Look it over. See if we're included."
Suddenly, Daniel threw the magazine towards the door.
"Not about us?"
"Women, eighteen to thirty-four, on how to run a family."
"Try this one, Angel ... Parenting. Sara used to read this."
Jack handed the magazine to Daniel who finally smiled.
"It's for babies and young kids with age-specific child development guides. Oh, and it focuses a lot on discipline and diet and other health issues."
"A keeper," Jack said.
"Fit Pregnancy?" Jack chuckled, his eyes sparkling.
"Well, I thought maybe Kayla would like it. It has stuff about breathing and exercises and post-natal ... women-type stuff."
Daniel shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed. At the time, he was sure buying all of the publications had been the right thing to do, but now, he wasn't so sure.
I only want us to be prepared. I'm ... new at this.
"Women-type stuff?" Jack teased.
Daniel glared, his embarrassment turning into aggravation at Jack's teasing.
"I was just trying to help," the archaeologist said a tad defensively.
Jack scooted off the sofa and sat next to Daniel. He took his lover's right hand and gently caressed it, and then he leaned forward for a passionate kiss.
"Geez, I love you." Jack understood. He'd been there once, not quite to this extreme, but everything Daniel was doing these days was in keeping with the caring, loving, and nurturing person the young man was. Jack smiled and kissed him again. Then he spoke gently, "You're trying so hard, but you don't have to, Danny. You're a natural."
Daniel looked down, still feeling a little silly and insecure over his overindulgence into childcare publications, most of which wouldn't apply to their children for a few years at least.
"Hey." Jack smiled, putting his arm around Daniel's shoulder and pulling him close. "I love you, even more for this. Love you, Angel."
Jack placed a kiss on Daniel's temple before going back to their unexpected project.
"Let's see what else is here," Daniel suggested, giving Jack a covert glance, and then losing himself in his silent thoughts. I love you so much, Jack, especially for times like this, when I get a little crazy ... because no matter how crazy I get, you still love me.
Jack looked up and saw Daniel looking at him. He smiled and the two kissed again.
They spent the next half hour reviewing the magazines, and finally selected several to subscribe to for a while.
"We'll, uh, keep the rest of these in mind for the future," Jack promised his lover.
"I'm sorry I got carried away."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"You are, too!"
"Am not!"
"Are, too!"
"No way!"
"Way!"
"Love you!"
"You, too!"
Daniel smiled as the magazines were forgotten in lieu of a wonderful thirty-minute make-out session, interrupted only by a phone call from Sylvia's office reminding them of their appointment for the next day.
====
"It's a beautiful plane, Neil. Of course, I don't really know much about ... planes."
"Trust me, Daniel, this baby is a gem. A classic 1960 Meyers 200A in tip-top shape. You'll love flying her."
"I, uh, don't fly."
"You don't?"
"No, my ... my husband does."
"Husband?" Daniel nodded. "He ... was in the Air Force. Loves to fly and misses it."
Daniel moved to walk around the plane. Telling people openly about Jack was still new and a bit scary. There was always that one awkward moment, and after that, people either disappeared, became very formal, or understood. He hoped Neil was in the last category.
"Husband, eh? Air Force? Now there must be a story there."
"Long one."
"Well, if he's a pilot of the soul, he'll love this plane. Now, some fly boys care only about speed, silly tricks you can do in the sky, better fire power, but if you just love the fly, this plane will take you to new heights. She's sleek and fast, and put together with love and care. They were all handmade, the Meyer's planes."
"I didn't know that."
"Your husband will, if he's a genuine affectionado of the magic of flying."
"He is."
"I've kept great records, and I'm willing to let you take her for a spin."
"How about ... two spins?"
"Two?"
"Well, I'd like to surprise Jack, have everything worked out. Let him fly her not knowing she's ... ours, and then I'd to let him take her on a test flight. He's the pilot, Neil. I don't know anything about it."
"Okay. Two flights. Would you like me to help you with a flight plan for the first one?"
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you."
"Let's go inside."
Daniel was thankful that Neil was part of the understanding group, especially because he had a feeling about the red aircraft. It had called out to him. He couldn't understand it and wasn't sure what it meant, but in the end, he remembered that so much of his life with Jack was the result of luck and some unknown forces that seemed to pull them from Point A to Point B.
He's going to love it! I hope.
====
"Another good check-up, Syl?" Jack asked hopefully.
"Jack, Daniel, sit down."
Hesitantly, the two sat on the chairs in Sylvia's office. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Sylvia went to open it, and smiled.
"Come on in, Kayla."
Jack and Daniel stood, hugging the mother of their unborn baby. They chatted lightheartedly for a couple of minutes, and then Sylvia got their attention with a loud whistle.
"Sorry, but I can't get a word in here."
"Sorry," Jack laughed, turning to give the doctor his full attention.
"Okay, listen ... Jack and Daniel, for the last several weeks, the two of you have been insistent that you didn't want to know anything about this baby other than that everything is normal."
"That's right, and we don't," Jack spoke assuredly.
"Okay, I understand what you're saying, and the reasons, but guys, there really is something you need to know."
"No!" both Jack and Daniel spoke in unison.
"Unless there's something wrong," Daniel added meekly.
Sylvia just shook her head at the expectant father. Daniel was always worried, and she was trying her best to keep him reassured whenever she could.
"Is the baby healthy?" Daniel asked.
"Yes."
"I mean ... everything's there ... where it's supposed to be ... you aren't trying to tell us the baby's healthy, but not ..."
"Daniel, your baby is just fine. No problems. I promise. If something comes up, I will tell you," Sylvia said as firmly as she could.
"Is there any risk or concern with Kayla?" Jack asked again, looking to the young woman for anything she might be hiding.
"No, but ... guys, this is something a father might want to know."
"Then ... NO NO NO!" Jack insisted, pushing his chair back and standing up.
He moved behind the chair, and leaned forward, his hands holding on to the chair back.
Kayla laughed softly.
"You two are wonderful ... just wonderful."
"We just want it all to be ... whatever it's supposed to be, without all the science and techno stuff ... if we can avoid it," Daniel explained.
"Fellas, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't try to explain this one more time. You see, it's just that ..."
Sylvia's words were cut off by a sudden, loud hum. Jack was prancing around the office, his fingers in his ears, humming the Air Force theme song, finally starting to sing it, "Up we go, into the wild blue yonder" ... only he wasn't using his good voice.
Daniel cringed ... and laughed, standing to get his lover under control.
"Stop, Jack," he said, removing Jack's hands from his ears.
"Okay, I give ... but don't say I didn't warn you," Sylvia scolded lightheartedly.
"We won't," Jack assured, a big grin on his face.
"Well, Kayla is fine. No problems with ... anyone."
Kayla listened as Sylvia reported anything relevant about the baby's condition. She noticed how Jack's hand held Daniel's securely, his thumb gently rubbing Daniel's as they listened; how, as Sylvia spoke about how the baby had grown since the last sonogram, Daniel glanced at Jack and smiled, seemingly just enjoying the expression on his lover's face; and how when they were done, Jack and Daniel exchanged a look where their eyes seemed to be talking -- no words were spoken, but the young woman could swear her friends were engaged in a very loving conversation from their hearts!
The more Kayla got to know Jack and Daniel, the more she realized she had made the correct choice in deciding to have their babies. For the first time in her life, she sensed there was something truly greater than adventure and chasing dreams. She wasn't yet sure what that was, but whatever that strange thing was, she knew Jack and Daniel had it!
====
"I wonder why he wants to meet with us again," Daniel pondered as he buttoned his green and white striped shirt.
"How about because his clinic messed up?"
"Jack, we agreed. We're just happy we're having a baby."
"Daniel, the point is, it never should have happened. You know, most couples would have already filed the law suit."
Jack zipped up his pants and reached for his black shirt that he had placed on the bed earlier.
"I don't want to sue, Jack. Maybe that makes me an idiot, but doing something like that would take a lot of time and energy, and to be honest, I'd rather devote all that to my family."
"I'm not arguing, Danny, but does that mean we just let them off the hook?"
Daniel pulled his gray jacket from the closet and slipped it on, and then he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Jack, years from now, I don't want to tell any of our children that they weren't wanted or loved, or that I even had a second thought about bringing them into this world simply because it's not my sperm that helped to bring them here. I don't want to tell them that any amount of money played a part in their birth."
"So we let them off the hook?"
"What do you want to do?"
Jack put on his own gray jacket and sat next to his husband. He took a deep breath as he thought.
"We don't need the money, do we?"
"No."
"We could settle for a nice amount and stick it in a trust fund for the baby," Jack suggested.
"And what do we tell our other children? Besides, I don't know how to explain it, but I don't want any part of our family tied into money like that. But, if you think it's the right thing to do ... I mean, it's not just me."
"We could split it among all our kids."
"Okay, Jack. We should go."
Daniel stood and headed for the door.
"Whoa there, Dannyboy!"
Daniel turned, folding his arms in front of him. Jack approached his husband, physically unfolding Daniel's crossed arms.
"Jack, what are you doing?"
"No defensive postures. No self-hugs. You don't want us to take any money?"
"But you do, Jack, so we will."
"Daniel, I'm not trying to punish anyone, but we were lucky ... because we can afford to have another baby, and because we're just so dang happy to be having one in the first place. What if it had been someone else, or, even worse, if it hadn't been our sperm? What if that nurse had grabbed some stranger's?"
"Okay," Daniel said softly.
Jack sighed. He wasn't trying to be greedy, but there was an important principle at play here. They were lucky, yes, but it could just as easily have been yet one more nightmare to endure. Just as he had been reprimanded over the years for actions, in spite of good intentions that had caused those actions, he felt the clinic needed to do something to right the wrong.
"It's not the money, Daniel. You know me better than that. Think of something else."
"What do you mean?"
"You're the negotiator, the genius with the solutions. Find me an 'or' ... just like in the old days." Jack smiled warmly and kissed his husband. "Give me an alternative."
"Right," Daniel responded as turned back towards the hallway and walked down the stairs, Jack following a few seconds later.
====
"Doctor Jackson-O'Neill. General Jackson-O'Neill. Thank you for coming," Doctor Joel Sumneers greeted his guests with a smile and motioned to the empty chairs in the private dining area of a local restaurant. "Please, sit down."
"Please, just call me, uh, Daniel ... and this is Jack."
"I thought Sylvia was going to be here?" Jack asked.
"She's going to try, but she had an emergency about an hour ago."
Jack nodded, but said nothing as the waitress approached to take their lunch order.
"Doctor Sumneers, I've been wondering about the nurse who ..." Daniel paused, not wanting to place blame.
"Janeel?" the clinic owner asked.
"Yes. What did she decide?"
"I think we've finally convinced her to stay. She's an excellent nurse with a promising future."
"I'm glad. Sylvia really sang her praises."
"I know apologies don't go anywhere near far enough in this kind of a situation," the doctor spoke sincerely, "and that potentially, this could have been much worse. I wanted to let you know some of the things we've come up with to prevent it from ever happening again."
"I'd like to hear about that," Jack spoke, the intimidating General extremely evident in his voice.
For the next half hour, as they lunched on salads, soups, and their entrees, Sumneers outlined the changes the clinic was introducing. Among them were a new labeling system that included a special procedure for samples where there were multiple donors with same or similar names, a triple check procedure to verify the sample being used prior to insemination, an arrangement with a nearby nursing agency where they could easily and quickly get staffing help when needed, and the creation of a new staffing position which had as its primary function the overseeing of procedures and reviewing staffing needs on an hourly basis.
"I'm excited about this new position."
"Don't you already have someone who does that, some sort of office manager?"
"Yes, but the responsibilities aren't as focused as this new job is. The office supervisor has an abundance of duties that don't necessarily tie in with the medical staff. The new position will be one of our nurses. His or her main duty is to not only point out any flaws in our current medical protocol, but when we get those unexpected calls, they will have the authority to immediately call in assistance, without approval from me or any other staff member, including the office supervisor."
"So it's an administrative position."
"No, not at all. In fact, I've asked Janeel if she'd be interested."
"Okay, so what if Janeel or whomever you hire is involved in a procedure or whatever," Daniel asked, "and that's when the crisis hits?"
"She'll always have a backup, and that person will have the same authority. They'll be responsible only to me and no one else. It's actually a chance for someone to look at what we do and point out what works and what doesn't, and having it be one of our regular nurses will enable that. Who else to better know if we need to change things?"
"Sounds good," Jack said.
"General. Doctor. I don't expect this to be enough for you. As I said from the beginning, I take full responsibility for what happens at my clinic. We could call in the lawyers and have them discuss some kind of settlement. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised not to have been served already."
Jack and Daniel exchanged a look and then Jack spoke up, "Look, Doctor Sumneers, the money isn't the point, but ..."
"No, it's not," Daniel interrupted. "Jack, I think I have your 'or'. Doctor, would you excuse us for a minute?"
Sumneers nodded, and Jack and Daniel stood and walked to the corner of the room.
"Okay, I'm listening."
"Jack, we've both agreed that it's not about money, not for us, and Doctor Sumneers is doing everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen again, right?"
"I guess so, but how do we really know? Daniel, we may have had our share of bumps and bruises over the years, but what do we know about this and what Sumneers is doing?"
"Okay, let's do this. Let's check it out with Janet and Sylvia. Sylvia probably already knows, but we can ask Janet what she thinks about the new changes and the staff position."
"And then what?"
"Jack, what good does it do to bring in lawyers who are going to get some ridiculous fee to get us money we don't want or need ... and," Daniel paused, organizing his thoughts, "maybe more importantly, why drain someone like Sumneers of financing that could be put to better use?"
"Daniel, where are you going with this?"
"Instead of putting it in a trust for our baby, let's do something in honor of our baby, something that is already a positive thing."
"Daniel, the point?"
"A scholarship. The Baby Jackson-O'Neill Scholarship, specifically designed to educate and maintain the clinic staffing. Jack, we make them pay for 'x' number of scholarships per year for 'x' number of years, AND they employ them when they graduate, if a position is open, and the graduate is interested. We don't have to figure out the details, Babe; that's what the accountants and lawyers are for."
Jack chuckled at the idea. Leave it to Daniel to once again come up with a solution that benefits others.
"The Baby Jackson-O'Neill Scholarship, eh?"
"They won't forget, Jack, and we'll be doing some good and not just cashing in on a mistake."
Jack glanced over at Sumneers and observed him. They'd researched the man and the clinic thoroughly before deciding to use the facilities, and Jack had to admit the clinic owner hadn't shirked responsibility or reacted in haste. What's more, in their conversations since the mistake had been discovered, the doctor had never been anything less than forthright. As he observed the doctor, Jack was impressed that Sumneers didn't seem overly nervous or anxious, and seemed prepared to do whatever was necessary to move forward in good faith.
"Okay. Let's tell him we may have a proposal, but we need to finalize it. We'll go see Janet and get back to him in a few days."
"Jack, are you really okay with this? I mean, do you want the money? It could be ... a lot?"
"It could set our kid up for life, and maybe not this baby, but all our brood." Daniel listened, a sadness taking him over. "But, like you've said, we don't really need it, and even if we did, we both grew up earning our way, and I'm not sure that's not the best way to go. It would be a legacy for our child. No, Danny, I don't want the money. I have everything I want right here," Jack said as he tapped his husband on the chest.
"I love you, Jack."
"Backatcha, Babe," Jack spoke with a lustful grin. "Let's go!"
"Backatcha? Geez, Jack, has the romance burned out or what?"
Jack laughed, pinched Daniel on his butt as they walked and whispered a suggestion for what they should do when they got home. By the time the two reached the table, Daniel was ready for action, and couldn't wait to get home with his spouse for Jack to carry through with his suggestions!
====
"You bought them all?" Sam asked and then took a bite of her salad as the friends lunched at O'Malley's.
"I didn't have time to look at them at the bookstore, so I just picked up one of everything. Gawd, Jack thought I was crazy."
"He's been a father before, that's the only reason he's calmer than you are, Daniel," Kayla said with a smile.
"He's not so calm. He's just better at hiding it," Daniel commented before swallowing a spoonful of his soup.
"Where is he anyway?" Kayla asked, adding, "You know it's funny, but I'm not used to seeing one of you without the other."
Daniel smiled as he answered, "We like it that way. Gawd, you'd think we'd get tired of each other, but we don't. Um, sorry. He, uh, is over at Lou Ferretti's working on the Monstermobile or ... whatever it is those two do when they're together."
"Oh, I've heard Jack mention that. Are the Ferretti's neighbors?"
"No, Lou's military. He and Jack served together for a long time."
"Kayla, have you decided yet what method you want to use for the birth?" Sam asked, knowing the young woman had been studying several different options.
"I think natural childbirth is the way to go."
"Lamaze?"
"Yes, definitely!"
"Oh that's great. Are you and the General going to be the coaches, Daniel?" Sam asked ?" Daniel dropped his spoon, causing it to splash into the soup, vegetables flying all over Daniel's tie and his placemat.
Sam and Kayla chuckled as Daniel tried to clean up the mess, but finally he tossed in the towel, or the napkin, to be more precise. He shrugged, "Gawd, I'm nervous."
"Daniel, you've delivered babies before. Relax," Sam said.
"Yeah, but they weren't MINE!"
"You'll be just fine," Kayla spoke reassuringly. "The classes only last a few weeks, and you won't be alone. There will be several other couples there for support."
"Oth...oth...other couples?"
"That's not a problem, is it?" Kayla asked.
"No ... no, of course not. Gawd, I'm nervous."
Sam and Kayla laughed again as Daniel sank further down in his chair.
====
"Daniel, no ... N - O ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Why not, Jack?"
"Because ... I don't know ... just no!"
"Lamaze is helpful for everyone. Kayla needs us."
"NO!" Jack put the newspaper in front of his face as he sipped a cup of coffee.
"Do you even want to see our baby brought into this world?"
"Of course, I do," Jack answered, laying the paper down. "I want to be right there."
"Then why the objection to the classes?"
"Danny, Kayla is going to be doing the hard work. There's not much we can do, you know!"
"Yes, there is. We can help her, Jack ... do something constructive instead of just standing there ... gaping!"
"I do NOT gape! You are the gape-ee, usually standing there looking like a guppy or something."
"I do not look like a guppy, and stop trying to distract me."
"Usually works," Jack said off-handedly.
"Well, not this time, Colonel."
"General."
"Sorry. Old habits. General."
"Besides, I'm retired."
"Sometimes I wonder why."
"Oh, Danny, stop it."
"I don't understand the problem here, Jack. We can be there to help her breathe, stay calm, focus, and ... I don't know ... Obviously, I haven't been to the classes yet, so I don't know what there is to do, but whatever it is, we can do it ... help her ... breathe."
"She knows how to breathe."
"Jack, as you are well aware, the dumb act doesn't work anymore, not that it ever did."
"Daniel, do you really want to walk into a class with a dozen other couples for a month and ... breathe?"
"Yes, I do!"
"Give me strength," Jack requested of the ceiling.
"Fine, Jack. Don't do it, but I am!"
Daniel turned and walked outside to play with Bijou and Katie, leaving Jack to stew in the living room. The other man grunted in frustration and then his eyes focused on the fish tank.
Staring at the fish, Jack said, "I am not giving in! No, I'm not! I am NOT!"
Jack could have sworn he heard "Bloop! Bloop! Oh yes you blooping are" coming from one of the fish that seemed to be staring at him.
"Watch it, fish, or you'll find yourself down the toilet!"
"Bloop!"
Jack grunted in response.
"Where'd he go anyway? Daniel?"
Jack walked outside and sat on the patio deck steps, watching Daniel with Katie in her play yard.
"Danny, are you going to be mad at me because I don't want to do this?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sleeping out here tonight?"
"No."
Jack nodded, not convinced. He stood nervously for a moment, and finally said, "I'm gonna go inside and ... watch the fish."
"Okay."
====
Later that night, Jack and Daniel prepared for bed. Jack got in first, wearing only pajama bottoms, silently thinking about luring his lover back into their nation of two.
The chest will get you, My Sweet.
However, when Daniel lay down, it was on his left side, away from Jack.
Jack watched as Daniel settled in, and listened as he said, "Good night, Jack."
"Hey! Where's my blanket?"
"I'm not a blanket."
"Right, and I'm not a pillow either."
"No, you're not," Daniel agreed.
"Oh for crying out loud, will you get over here where you belong? Danny, I love you and ... I'm cold!"
Daniel sighed and turned, moving to his usual position, his head against Jack's chest. Jack smiled as he put his arms around his husband.
"Thank you, Angel."
"You're welcome."
Hmmm ... still cold, dang it!
====
Daniel thumbed through the latest issue of Pregnancy Magazine as he chatted with Kayla on the telephone.
"I think it'll be an awesome experience, Kayla ... I know I can't really do much, but ... It's nice of you to say that ... No, I've tried, he just doesn't want to, and I don't know why. Maybe it's just because of Charlie. He's done this before ... What? ... No, I don't think they did Lamaze. He was gone, out of the country until just before his son was born ... I know, Kayla, but I don't want to talk him into everything. I'd feel like I'd be forcing him, and that wouldn't be right ... Yeah, I know ... I'll be there, though. I'm really excited about it! ... laughter ... Well, don't be surprised if I pass out ... Okay, maybe passing out is an exaggeration, and yes, Sam was right. I have delivered a couple of babies, but this is different, Kayla. This baby is the first one that is actually mine! ... smiles ... Thanks, but you don't need to talk to him. I'm being overly sentimental about the whole thing. I just want to share it all with him. It's all new to me, and, uh, I forget this is old hat to him. ... oh, okay. Good luck with the publisher ... Good night!"
Daniel hung up the phone as he continued to read an article that had caught his eye during the conversation.
====
"How's the great American novel?" Jack asked, sitting down on the small sofa in Kayla's apartment.
"Actually, it's coming along nicely. It's interesting because it's not at all what I thought it was going to be."
"How so?" Daniel asked, leaning back into Jack's embrace.
The pair were enjoying a visit at Kayla's, just chatting about life and current events. They had made a point of meeting at least once a week to talk, either at Kayla's or the Jackson-O'Neill residence. They'd spent hours discussing the world and themselves. It was a growing relationship, each of the three learning to care more about the other as time progressed.
"Well, I always had a dream about writing some great big adventure. I wanted it to be grand ... wild ... exotic. My travels have always been a part of that, or so I thought, but when I finally sat down to write, what's emerged hasn't been grand or wild or exotic at all. In fact, it's been very simple, but ... simple is oftentimes the grandest story of them all."
"I hope we get to see it," Jack spoke earnestly.
"You will ... when the time is right, and when you do, I hope you'll like it."
"Oh, I'm sure we both will," Daniel responded.
"It has a long way to go, that's for sure, and I'm still trying to hook the publisher I want."
"I thought you had that settled?"
"Not quite, Jack. I actually have two interested, but both want me to make changes I'm not willing to make. I'm working hard to try and get one of them to believe in the concept, that it's ... appeal will be broader than they think."
"How about giving us a glimpse?" Jack asked.
"No, not yet."
They chatted some more about the publishers and other things Kayla was doing in her daily life, and then Jack and Daniel told her about their recent trip to Laramie, Wyoming in Jo.
"Jo?"
"J-O, for Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel explained.
"Which is actually a nickname for The Flying High."
"Oh, you named the plane ... twice?"
The lovers laughed.
"I guess it's a little silly," Daniel admitted.
"No, it's not," Jack insisted. "Anyway, we're talking her to New Mexico tomorrow, and if she passes muster, she's ours."
"She already is, Jack, and you know it."
A short while later, Jack and Daniel got up and put on their jackets to go home. They had spent the last few minutes discussing the healthy and frequently kicking "baby."
Kayla chuckled after Daniel spoke, "That baby has a big kick!"
"Guys, are you sure you don't want to ..."
"Kayla," Jack barked with a smile, "We'll throw away your manuscript and notes if you speak one word about our baby."
"Baby?" she tried to tease.
"YES!" both said in force, with laughter, but still quite serious.
She shook her head and closed the door behind them.
"You two are in for a very big surprise!"
====
While waiting for Sam and Teal'c to meet him for lunch, Daniel took the opportunity to call Kayla on his cell phone. He had promised to give her the name of a book he thought would be helpful in her research for her novel, at least, he thought it was the subject of her novel, but he wasn't really sure.
After giving her the source information, they continued chatting.
"I was surprised you two were so ... close," she said about their visit the night before.
"Why?"
"Well, you were angry at Jack about the Lamaze, right?"
"No, not angry, just disappointed. Jack and I ... well, we're different. We always have been. I'm more curious than he is, and like I said before, he's already been a dad. I'm driving him crazy with stuff as it is. I don't have a right to force him."
"But you wish he'd do it?"
"Gawd, yes. I feel like an idiot. I mean," Daniel paused, wondering when he and Kayla had bonded so completely.
"Come on, Daniel. No holding out. It's not good for your baby to know Daddy is stressed."
Daniel laughed his response -- "I'm not stressed."
"Aren't you?"
"I just wish he understood how important it is to me that we do everything we can to be the best we can, and that means ... helping with the birth in some small way. I want him there, participating. I want him ... with me, not just ... standing there like a statue. Oh, ignore me."
"I don't want to ignore you, and neither should Jack."
"He's not, and if I told him I wanted him to ... absolutely, positively, then he'd do it ... but I don't want him to do something he's not comfortable with. I can ... con him into it, or plead with, and he'd give in, but ... I just don't want to. I want him to want to share it with me as much as I want to share it with him, but ... I guess that's just me."
"Daniel!"
"Oh, they're here ... Okay. Take care."
Daniel clicked off his cell phone and put it away.
"Kayla?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, she's doing great! So, tell me what's new at the SGC."
====
"Kayla! Come on in. Danny's not here. He's ..."
"Don't 'hi' me, Jack O'Neill!" Kayla barged into the country-style home she had been to on many occasions.
"Jackson-O'Neill," Jack corrected lightly, not understanding Kayla's unusual entrance.
"Right now I don't think you deserve the name, Colonel O'Neill."
"General," he corrected again.
"You don't deserve that title either. Right now, you're not even the Colonel I first met, and you're far from the honor of a General."
"Ouch! Okay ... what did I do?"
"I can't believe you're being so selfish and unfeeling."
"Kayla, calm down. You're pregnant."
Jack put his hands to her shoulders, but she pushed them off.
"Nice of you to notice, but don't touch me."
"Where have I heard that before?"
"From your husband most likely, and frankly, I'm on his side!"
"Side? Kayla, Danny and I are just fine."
"Really? And you know this how? Because he's not arguing and yelling like ... like a grizzly bear?"
"Okay, slow down, and let's start over. Here," Jack motioned to the sofa, "sit down."
Kayla reluctantly went and sat down, only because her back was sore.
"Better?"
"Yes, thank you. Now, was that so hard?"
"Huh?" Jack asked, totally clueless.
"Calming me down. Reducing my stress level. Making me feel relaxed. Helping me to breathe."
"Oh, now I see where this is coming from."
"No, Jack, excuse me, but you don't. I know that in the grand scheme of things, I haven't known you and Daniel very long, but one of the first things I learned about you two is that you like the truth, correct?"
"Definitely. I think," Jack added, still not sure why Kayla was so upset.
"Jack, I'm going to be honest, and so help me, if you tell Daniel this, I'll never forgive you."
Jack nodded and motioned with a wave of his right hand for her to continue.
"Look, I think Lamaze is great. It has a purpose, and it works really well for a lot of people. In fact, Jack, I've coached it ... overseas. I already know it, from all sides. And even if I didn't, you know how I am, or you should by now. I'm strong and independent, and I like to do things on my own. I'd learn whatever I need to do and focus my own mind. It's unique, but that's who I am. However, early on when this came up in Sylvia's office, I saw Daniel's eyes light up when she mentioned Lamaze. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to."
The young woman shifted a bit.
"Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"
"I'm fine. Just gets uncomfortable sometimes. Okay, the point is ... after reviewing all the options, I came back to Lamaze, not because it's my choice necessarily, but Jack, this isn't my baby. It's Daniel's ... and yours, and I knew this is what he wanted. Did you?"
"No. I ... we didn't talk about it."
"Because you didn't want to?"
"Because I figured it was your choice, as the birth mother."
"Okay, I'll accept that. Still, when Sam asked me what choice I'd made, I knew it was the right one from Daniel's reaction. He was so sweet, Jack ... nervous as a cat, and wanting to do so much. He's excited, Jack. And he loves you. Do you understand that? That he loves you so much that when you two do things separately, it ... it hurts him? I'm having YOUR baby. What a gift, a joy, that is for both of you, and Daniel ... Jack, he wants to share every single thing about this experience with you, and what I don't understand is why you apparently don't feel the same way."
"That's crap ... excuse me, I mean ..."
"Stop. I've been around. Crap is mild, Jack."
Jack nodded and explained, "I just ... It's not my first baby."
"And that's an excuse. He wants you to be with him, to experience everything. For Pete's sake, he is so into every aspect of this pregnancy."
"He's just ... overeager."
"No. Jack ... haven't you asked him why this is so important?" Kayla saw Jack flinch. "Oh, Jack. Why not?"
"I'm not good with words. Danny ... he brings out the words in me. He brings out anything good in me."
"He loves you. Jack, he wants you two to go through this together as much as possible, because he knows that down the road, your child might have a question about their birth, about what it felt like, and he wants to be able to answer."
"But our child will have you."
"Yes, as a friend ... a good friend, I hope, but Jack, I'm not this baby's mother. That job, good and bad, falls to you and your husband; and when the time comes that your baby asks you what labor was like, I may be in India or Russia or Shrangri-La. What are you going to do then ... say 'hold that thought for a few months'?"
"Daniel's going to help. He'll know."
"Yes, he will ... and what are you going to say when your child turns to you and asks why you didn't help like his daddy did?"
Jack closed his eyes. He was running out of excuses and words.
"Jack, Daniel wants you with him. More than that, he needs you there, by his side, helping, loving, participating. The man you say you love is aching for you to want to be a part of this. It's why he hasn't argued. He doesn't want to force you into this, but you're hurting him, Jack. He doesn't understand this stance of yours, and neither do I. He thought you wanted to be a part of the entire process, just like he does."
"It's breathing, Kayla. You know how to breathe," Jack said weakly, not facing the surrogate mother.
"I'll tell you something, Jack O'Neill. You're going to regret this. Daniel's not going to push it, but he'll remember it, and he'll always wonder why. He's told me a bit about his past, how alone he used to feel, how he never knew what it was like to be happy and have a family, how he lived so many years alone, being independent, afraid to trust and care because whenever he did, he got the door slammed shut in his face. Well, Jack, you're slamming that door again, but I guess that's your business."
Kayla struggled to get up, refusing Jack's help.
"I have to go. I missed a workshop to come here for this."
"Kayla."
"No, I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to butt in, but I'm not in a mood to hear more of your rationalizations. My back hurts; I'm as big as a truck; I'm tired all the time; and I can't stand to look Daniel in the eye knowing how sad he is that you aren't helping with this. I'll see you later ... General."
Kayla walked out of the house, leaving Jack to the silence, and more "Blooping" of the fish.
"Oh, shut up!," Jack yelled at their fish. "I have my reasons. Yes, I know. He hurts. Well, so do I. Geez, anytime he hurts, I do, too, but ... I can't ... I just can't .. okay? SO SHUT UP!"
====
"Hey, Love."
"Hey."
Daniel leaned in for a kiss. Jack had been running some errands all day, having left at 10 a.m. It was now 4:30 p.m., and the two were engaged in some heavy "I've missed you" kissing in the entrance way of their home, when all of a sudden ...
WAH WAH WAHWAHWAH WAH WAH WAH WAHWAHWAH ...
"Danny, what the heck is that?"
"Oh gawd, it's the baby!"
Daniel scurried away from Jack, running into the living room. Jack hurried after him, "Baby? What baby? Kayla ... I mean, it's too soon ... Danny, I was only gone for a few hours!"
"Jack, calm down," Daniel said, turning, holding a baby in his arms.
"Shh, it's okay, baby."
"Danny ... what ... what is that?"
"It's our baby ... one of them anyway. Junior is still asleep."
"Junior?"
"I didn't want to name them without you," Daniel said, smiling as he rocked the baby in his arms
Jack walked towards Daniel, stared at the baby, and then at the second baby still in a small cradle.
"Daniel, I'm going to call Janet. Everything will be okay."
He turned and headed for the phone. Daniel rolled his eyes.
Someone has to love him. I guess it's me. "Jack, they aren't real."
Jack let out a big breath as he turned, relieved Daniel was still acquainted with reality.
"Well, I'm glad you know that, but what are you doing with ... fake babies?"
"We're going to practice."
WAH WAHWAHWAH WAHWAHWAHWAH WAH ...
"Oops, there goes yours. Better pick him up."
"Daniel, I am NOT going to ... pick up that ... that ..."
"Your son, Jack, and you will ... now!"
Jack saw the look. If he didn't want to sleep alone tonight, he was going to have to play along with his lover.
It's the stress.
"I heard that!"
Jack groaned as he stood, unmoving.
"Sometimes, Daniel, this telepathic thing isn't so good." Daniel walked away with his baby without saying a thing. "I didn't mean that, Danny. Come on ... you know I didn't."
"Sometimes I don't know what you mean," Daniel spoke as he bounced the baby slightly.
Jack winced at the comment. Things were a bit dicey at the moment, and comments like that cut him to the bone.
WAH WAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAH WAHWAH WAHWAHWAH WAHWAH
"Jack!"
"Okay, okay!" Jack picked up the second baby. "Danny, I feel ridiculous!"
"We have to practice, Jack."
"BUT, DANNY, I'VE ALREADY DONE THIS!"
"Stop shouting," Daniel said forcefully, adding, "But you haven't had to do it with two babies, and since we're having two babies just a year apart, and not even that if we're lucky, we both need to be prepared."
"Danny, the basics are the basics. I know how to calm a baby and take care of ... it," Jack bounced the crying baby, annoyed by its fake whine.
WAH WAH WAH
"If you know how to do it, Jack, then STOP your baby from crying."
"Oh for crying out loud ... this is nuts! I know how to do this, Daniel! It hasn't exactly changed, you know!"
"But JACK, they've improved baby care techniques a lot."
"Danny, they've IMPROVED how you give a bottle to one end, and remove the stinky diapers from the other? They've done this ... exactly HOW?"
"That's what the BOOKS are for."
"You're not making any sense, Angel."
"I don't have to ... we're pregnant!"
"Oh give me patience," Jack said looking up to the ceiling. "Sara wasn't this bad, AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY HAVING THE BABY!"
Daniel glared in frustration, perturbed beyond belief. His tone was harsh as he informed his husband that, "MY baby and I will be upstairs. Please don't disturb us until you have YOUR baby under control!"
Jack shook his head. Tossing the fake baby onto the couch, he sank into his chair. Hearing another WAH, Jack said, "Oh shut up. I am so sleeping alone tonight ... and I had ... plans .. and it DIDN'T include some fake baby toy."
====
It had been a long few days, but Jack had slowly gotten with the program, taking care of his assigned baby as required. It was either that or go without his preferred blanket of choice at night.
It was evening, and Daniel had left to go to the first Lamaze class. It was a bit of an early start for the pregnancy, but Kayla had other plans that would conflict with doing the class at a later time, so they'd decided to begin now. Besides, she was already so big no one would know she wasn't in her seventh or eighth month.
Jack had planned to watch a game on TV. True to Daniel's word, since their big discussion, the younger man hadn't badgered or argued about it with Jack. He'd let it go, and their life had continued on, as happy ever ... except Daniel had a little sad spot on his heart, and Jack had one on his, too.
At the clinic where the classes were taking place, Daniel and Kayla met the other couples. There were only six others for this session, making a total of seven.
"Let's begin," the instructor said, quieting everyone.
"Whoa! Wait! Am I in the right place?" Jack burst into the room, out of breath, having run from the truck to the large room where the couples were.
"Jack!"
Daniel shot up from his seated position, a huge grin on his face. Jack smiled, treasuring the happiness he had just given his soulmate.
"What? You were going to start without me? Now that wouldn't be very nice would it?"
"No, it wouldn't," Daniel said softly.
"Jack Jackson-O'Neill, Ma'am," Jack introduced himself to the instructor, "I'm with him," Jack explained, nodding towards Daniel.
Some of the couples looked at each other in surprise, not sure what to make of the comment.
"But aren't you with her?" the instructor asked Daniel.
"We both are."
"You both are?" two of the husbands asked at the same time.
"Yeah, we are. She's a surrogate, and Daniel and I are married, and if any of you have a problem with that, let's get it out of the way now."
There were a lot of looks, but after a minute, there were nothing but smiles, so Jack and Daniel took their spots next to Kayla, and the class began.
Daniel looked at his husband.
I love you, Jack. You don't have to do this if you don't want to.
Jack smiled as he looked into Daniel's beautiful blue eyes.
Yes, I do, because you see, I love you, too, and we're having a baby. I belong here.
Yes, you do.
====
Back at home, Jack had barely entered the house when he found himself plastered up against the wall.
"I love you so freakin' much, Jack Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel said in between deep, wet kisses. "Gawd, I love you," he repeated after another kiss.
Within minutes, the two were engaged in the wildest, most passionate session of lovemaking they'd had in a month. Afterwards, they held on tight to each other, their bodies settling from the trembling and convulsions of their climaxes.
Jack held Daniel in his arms, gently fingering through his hair, hair that was a bit longer than it had been for a long time.
"Gonna let it grow, Love?"
"I don't know ... maybe."
"I kinda miss that beautiful shag."
"I miss you playing with it all the time. You do a pretty good job with it short, but still ..."
"More to do with all that mess."
A few minutes passed as the two continued to caress each other, speaking words of love and talk of their future.
"It was Charlie."
"Charlie?"
"Our son. I felt ... guilty. I know ... not logical, but when can you ever accuse me of being logical?"
"Jack, what are you talking about?" Daniel asked, shifting his body up so he could look into his husband's eyes.
"Sara wanted me to do Lamaze, and I didn't want to. It scared the living daylights out of me, but I agreed. Then ... missions kept popping up, and I never made the classes. Her father had to be her coach. When Charlie was born, I was there, as an onlooker, watching her dad ... support her ... watching him bring our son into the world."
Daniel leaned up and gently kissed Jack, his hand going to Jack's cheek.
"I didn't know. I mean, I knew you were there with her."
"I was a body in a room, and I always felt bad about that, for her and for me, and ... geez, Danny, I think I resented Sara's dad for being there where I should have been."
"I'm sorry, Jack."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. As usual, I'm the jerk."
"No, you just should have told me."
"I didn't want to admit it. Danny, in a crazy, mixed up, totally out of whack sort of way, I felt like if I did this for our kids, that it was a betrayal to Sara and Charlie. Is that insane or what?"
"It's human, but you're not betraying them. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know it now."
"What made you change your mind?"
"I turned on the game, and it was pre-empted. When I got up, I turned and saw Charlie staring at me, looking at me like I was a fool."
"The photo on the mantle?"
"Yeah. I swear, I could hear him say, 'Dad, this is my brother or sister, and why aren't you there?' It was a simple question that I had no answer to, so ... I put my butt in gear and high-tailed it to the clinic."
"I'm glad you did."
"Me, too. I'm sorry, Danny. I do want to experience everything with you. I love this baby. I just ... my mind got distracted. It won't happen again. I love you, Angel."
"I love you, too."
====
"Jack! JACK! JACK ... GET UP, AND GET DOWN HERE ... NOW!"
Daniel was going through the day's mail. Jack had gone upstairs to take a nap, having been up all night with his fake baby who had finally quieted.
"Danny, what's wrong?" Jack bounded down the stairs, worried.
"It's ... it's here," Daniel said softly, holding a document in his hand.
"What? Danny, talk to me."
"We're legal ... I mean ... the Jackson-O'Neills! Us!"
Jack let out a whiff of air as Daniel handed him the papers from the court. There was one for Daniel and one for Jack. Though they'd been using their hyphenated names since Jack's retirement from the Air Force, they were now legally Jonathan Jackson-O'Neill and Daniel Jackson-O'Neill.
Jack smiled, looking at the paper as some kind of sacred item.
"Legal. Finally." Jack reached over with his right hand to caress Daniel's cheek. "Geez, I love you, Doctor Jackson-O'Neill."
"And I love you, so freakin' much, General Jackson-O'Neill," Daniel practically laughed with emotion.
The two joined together, their arms holding on tightly.
"It's real. Gawd, I didn't think they'd ever put it through."
Daniel couldn't get close enough to Jack. They'd waited so long for this simple change in their lives.
"Yeah, Mark had to push it, but he did good."
"He's a good lawyer."
"The best."
"Angel, could we ... please ... just tonight ... turn off the babies and ..."
"... and you know?"
"Yeah ... and you know."
"I think we've had all the practice we need, Jack. We have love, and in the end, like you've said before, that's all we really do need. I'll return the dolls to Sylvia tomorrow."
"Let's go to bed, Angel."
"And tomorrow, we need to go buy new stationary, too."
"And monogrammed towels."
"Personalized shirts," Daniel added.
"And address labels."
"Driver's licenses. We have to go change our driver licenses!"
"Change the deed and all the legal stuff."
As they entered their bedroom, they stood staring into each other's eyes. They leaned their foreheads together. It was a sign of their oneness, a unity that was unlike any other. This was a milestone in their lives, one they had fought for, and they would never forget it. They couldn't help but grin at each other, happiness radiating from both men.
"And we have to change the names on the bills," Jack said.
"Hmm ... and new monogrammed handkerchiefs for my fly boy."
"And we can't forget the doormat."
"We don't have a doormat."
"We should ... great big huge honkin' letters ... The Jackson-O'Neills!"
"Gawd ... it's a dream."
"No, Angel ... it's our life ... ours ... finally."
Daniel nodded, and the two fell gently onto the bed where they made tender, caring love, their nation of two never more united than at this moment!
====
"No, Daniel! Absolutely not. Not a chance in Netu am I going to wear that thing."
"Yes, Jack, you are!"
"Danny, I'm a father ... not a mother."
"No, Love ... we're everything. To our children, we are going to be their entire world. We have to make sure that our roles as dads include as much as we can of ... of what it is to be a mom, too."
"Danny," Jack approached, his hands taking Daniel's and holding them securely, "I love you. I am so impressed with how concerned you are with our knowing as much as we can. I know, too, that you are empathizing with Kayla, and yes, I know, she's having a hard time with the backaches and all of that, but Danny, we're not married to her. We're married to each other ... and there's no way in ..."
Daniel's eyes were piercing through Jack's, and Jack knew he didn't have a chance of talking his lover out of his latest crazy scheme.
"Danny, please."
"We need to understand what it feels like for her ... so we know, Jack ... and someday, it might help us with our kids."
"Help us? How?"
"Because Jack, our daughter won't have a mother who has given birth to ask these questions to. I know we can't be everything ... but wouldn't it be nice to know that we did all we could to help. Maybe we can tell her that while it wasn't exactly the same, that we wore these for a while, and so we can truly have some idea, limited as it might be, to really understand what Kayla's going through."
"Oh, Danny," Jack sighed. He couldn't deny those blue eyes any longer. "How ... long do we have to wear these ... these contraptions?"
Daniel lit up, getting Jack's and putting it on.
"Just ... I don't know ... today since we don't have anything on the calendar, and we'll see how it goes."
"I can't believe ... ouch ... careful ..."
"Sorry, Babe!"
"I can't believe I'm letting you do this to me."
Daniel was beaming as he fastened the Empathy Belly onto his husband. Then, he put his own on.
"If I were in a better mood, Daniel, I'd be laughing like a hyena."
"Want to look in the mirror?"
"NO! For crying out loud, no! Geez! I'm hungry. I want food. I am allowed to eat, aren't I?"
Daniel laughed, leaning their bellies together for a kiss, which wasn't easy.
"Of course, you can and should do everything per normal, but you can't take it off, Jack ... not for anything!"
"Sweet," Jack turned and headed downstairs, muttering, leaving Daniel staring in the mirror at his "belly."
====
"What the ... hey, what was that?"
Jack looked down at the belly.
"I don't know ... they are synchronized. What happened?"
"I think it ... geez, Danny, it kicked me! That hurt!"
"Well, our baby kicks Kayla all the time."
"Hey ... stop that," Jack said to the "belly" sternly as Daniel laughed.
Jack tried to ignore the kicking and go back to reading the paper when he glanced up and saw Daniel scrunching his nose as if in discomfort.
"What's wrong?"
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"So ... go!"
"Yeah, but ... this feels strange. Be right back."
Daniel finagled himself to get up out of the armchair, mumbling something indistinctive.
"What was that, Love?"
"You don't want to know," Daniel said as he headed for the stairs.
"Oh no!"
Daniel turned and looked, "What?"
"I have to go!"
"Go where?"
"I have to go ... NOW!"
"Go where?"
"To the bathroom!"
"I'm first."
"Not if I get there first!"
Jack got up as quickly as he could, desperately trying to beat Daniel upstairs.
"But ... Danny ... I really ..."
"SO DO I ..."
"But ... it can't wait ..."
The two pulled and grabbed, fighting each other to get to the bathroom first, until both fell down, losing complete control.
"OH GAWD!" Daniel roared in laughter.
Jack was in hysterics, too.
"Danny, you have some of the most ridiculous ideas in the world, and sometimes ... gawd, I love you, but you get us into the craziest messes."
"I'm sorry, Jack," Daniel choked out between his laughs.
"Don't change, Daniel ... don't ever change. I love you ... so friggin' much."
Both of their abdomens were bouncing up and down from their laughter, their breathing rapid from the energy. Then, as they lay on the floor near the bathroom, both looked at each other, their smiles still strong on their faces.
"This was pretty silly, wasn't it?"
"No, Danny, it wasn't. As usual, you were right. Geez, what Sara must have gone through."
"And what Kayla is going through now."
"Blessed be to pregnant mothers everywhere. I swear ... we've only had these things on for a few hours, and I'm exhausted. How do they do it?"
"I don't know. I guess they're stronger than we are," Daniel answered as he reached out and took hold of Jack's hand.
"Where'd you get these things anyway?"
"Sylvia."
"A female!"
"I was talking about wishing I could understand better what Kayla was experiencing. We can hear the words, Jack, but that doesn't mean we have a clue what is it like to carry a child."
"Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"Yeah, about a minute ago."
"Way too long."
"Even if we're both still lying here on the floor, afraid to move!"
"Shower!" Jack winked.
"Oh ... gawd, you have great ideas." Jack started to move but Daniel stopped him. "Jack ... thank you."
"For what?"
"Letting me talk you into all this crazy stuff. I know you've already been here. I just want us ... to be ... I don't know."
"Danny, it's okay. It's normal. You're scared. Heck, so am I ... but we're gonna be okay ... in fact, we're gonna be great! You wait and see." Jack smiled, chuckling as he added, "And I have to admit that with Charlie, I never wore one of these things."
"I love you, Jack."
Jack kissed his lover and then pulled him up for their shower. They took off the empathy bellies and tossed them onto the beds.
"Bet Kayla wishes she could do that."
"No bet!" Jack said, leading Daniel to the bathroom for a one on one connection of their real bellies ... and other body parts.
Daniel reached out with his hand and felt nothing but a sheet. He swore in Abydonian as he got up, putting on a robe and once again went in search of his husband. He found him like he had once before, a couple of years ago, sitting in the middle of the backyard on a lawn chair, staring at the house. That was the time when Jack had decided to build Daniel his den. The young man smiled at the precious gift. It had affected him deeply, and Jack had done an extraordinary job of creating the perfect environment for Daniel to not only work in, but to relax in as well.
Daniel walked outside and knelt in front of Jack, reaching up to take his lover's hands. He kissed them and looked up to Jack's smiling eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
"We need to finalize the remodeling, Danny. Time is flying by, and we haven't figured it out yet."
Daniel turned around, and sat on the grass, once again grateful he had worn pajamas to bed that night. Jack's hands massaged his shoulders as both stared at their house. Bijou and Katie, having seen Daniel, came out of their doghouse to sit with the couple.
"Oh, I get it. I'm not worthy of your getting up. What am I? Chopped liver?" Jack asked in mock anger. Bijou yawned as she stretched down next to Daniel. "Sweet," Jack laughed, "They just adore me."
"Jack!"
"I know ... just giving them a hard time." Katie picked that moment to brush against Jack's hand. "You rang, Katie?" Jack leaned down.
She planted four solid licks against Jack's face before settling back down on the ground on the other side of Daniel.
"See, Jack, they love you."
"Mutts! I love them, too."
"I think they know that. What has you stymied about the house?"
"You're going to think I'm crazy."
"That's okay. I was the crazy one yesterday."
"True."
"Ouch!" Jack reacted to the slap on his shin, courtesy of his husband.
"I guess I shouldn't have agreed with you."
"Love you, Jack."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"The Beatles are here?"
"Daniel, you've been hanging around me too much!"
"No such thing, Love."
"Now that is true," Jack sighed, leaning forward to kiss Daniel on the head.
"About the house ..."
"Slight problem."
"I'm listening."
"We planned on extending out this way, not adding a bottom structure, just the columns, but bringing the second story out, adding a nursery and one room, and moving the roof deck."
"And the second bathroom. That's a must!"
"Definitely. Don't remind me!" Jack laughed as did Daniel.
"There's plenty of room, Babe. I don't see the problem."
"The columns. Danny, can you envision where the columns would need to be?"
"I'm not an architect, but I would imagine ... over there, and there, and ... oh ..."
"Oh."
Jack and Daniel looked down at Katie, their precious baby beagle. Both sighed.
"At the time we created her play yard, Danny, we weren't thinking about having kids or needing more space."
"That's her special place, Jack."
"I know. It's hers, and she knows it."
"How can we take that away from her?"
"That's why I'm sitting out here at ... what time is it anyway?"
"I have no idea. I just woke up ... alone ... again ... Jack, for the record, I do NOT like waking up alone. STOP IT!"
"I don't want to disturb you."
"Wake me freakin' up next time. I don't like waking up and finding that you're gone. It ... scares me. You know that, Jack!"
"Okay ... I'm sorry," Jack apologized, continuing to rub his husband's shoulders in a massaging action. The two sat for a long time, studying their problem. "We don't have a choice, Danny. In the future, we can build a room over the garage or something, but we need the nursery by us. If we don't want to move ..."
"And we don't," Daniel said emphatically.
"...then we don't have a choice."
"Gawd. I feel like a heel."
"We'll build her a new play yard ... a ... a bigger one, over there."
"She won't like it."
"Why not?"
"It's too hot over there. You know Katie doesn't like to dig in the sunshine too much. The tree kept it shady over here."
"We'll ... just have to explain to her ... and hope she understands."
"I feel like a heel ... I'm going back to bed," Daniel said, kissing Bijou and Katie, and then walking into the house slowly.
"You're not the only one, Angel," Jack said, picking up Katie and holding her to his chest.
"I'm sorry, girl. We goofed. I'll think of something ... I hope."
====
Daniel walked into the house, car keys in hand. He had just returned from a lunch with Sam, catching up on SGC gossip. He had noticed some vehicles in front of the house, and upon entering, he heard noise coming from the backyard. Cautiously, he made his way to the back of the house.
He saw Jack, Lou Ferretti, Jeff Cornell, and a couple of men he didn't know.
"Jack? What's going on?"
"Hey, Doc!"
"Hi, Daniel!"
"Lou. Jeff. Jack?"
"Be right back. Make sure you get that in there where I indicated," Jack directed to a man in a green uniform.
"No problem, General."
Jack went to Daniel and gave him a welcome home kiss and steered him to the patio deck.
"I bought us some trees."
"You bought us trees?"
"Yeah, for Katie. Look, she doesn't like the sun. If we planted a couple of new trees, it would take too long. So ... I got us a couple of ready made trees. Instant shade!"
Daniel just stared at Jack.
"Danny, we don't have a choice, so all we can do is try and make it the best we can. We get the trees in. We build a bigger play yard for her, get some new toys, and give her the time to get used to it, and then we hope she doesn't hate us."
"She has a lot of toys and bones buried already."
"We'll go on a dig. A family outing -- all of us."
"You're going to dig with Katie?"
"Why not? You do!"
"She'll like that."
"It's the least I can do! We'll do it in a couple of weeks, before the construction crew starts. In the meantime, we'll ... spend more time over there, make it feel secure, like home."
"I love you, Jack."
"But will she when we're done?"
"She loves you now, and she'll love you then."
"I hope so. If I could have thought of any other way ..."
"I know. This will work. I know it will."
"Lou and Jeff are helping to move things around. Come and say a better hello."
"Okay."
Jack and Daniel walked towards their guests, holding hands as they did so. They had survived another month, and still, it was only just beginning!
====On to Chapter Seven...