Secrets and Shadows: Under Siege

Part One

When Teal'c first woke up and discovered himself dependant on tretonin instead of his primta, he had expected to lose many of the skills which he had possessed as a Jaffa. And, indeed, the tretonin, while providing him with perfect health and significant healing ability, had made him more human than Jaffa - a weakness he still occasionally regretted.

However, it had also provided insight into how the Jaffa had changed through the years since their departure from Earth.

O'Neill had been most put out to discover that the strength and speed of the Jaffa people, while increased by the primta, was still significantly greater than that of any ordinary human being. Teal'c had accustomed himself to the inferiority of strength and speed of reaction, no longer what it had been as a Jaffa with a primta. Nevertheless, there were other skills and abilities that had not waned with the assumption of tretonin. Among them was the ability to see and hear farther than humans.

The voices in the corridor outside were not loud; they did not need to be. Teal'c could hear them more than clearly from his position just inside the door of the empty laboratory. But where their words might have been muffled to others, they were quite audible to Teal'c.

"...and she said that the guy was yelling at the Major about how he wasn't going to let her go and have this child without him!"

"Really?"

The voices were young and slightly hushed, barely audible over the clump of their booted feet. "Oh yes," said the first woman, dramatically.

"Are you sure it was Major Carter?"

"He called her 'Sam,'" averred the first woman. "And she's seen the pictures from that last set of war games against the NORAD base. The one where SG-1 captured the last NORAD group and stuck whipped cream horns on them after tying them up?"

The second woman giggled, "Yeah, I remember that. I didn't think they could get away with that..."

"Well, SG-1 gets away with a lot more than most other people on this base..."

"They've earned it though."

"Oh, I'm not arguing that! It would just be nice to, you know, have someone else get a bit of the limelight once in a while."

"Well, the Major's off the outgoing roster. Scuttlebutt has it she's already handed in her resignation for when the kid is born. Single motherhood and all."

The voices had grown closer as the conversation progressed. Teal'c wondered if they would enter into the laboratory, just as he had, but they passed on by.

"Doesn't sound like it if her guy can persuade her back."

"I'm a bit surprised she dated him in the first place. I mean, the Major could have her pick of guys, and didn't he screw up the stakeout at Dr. Jackson's place last year?"

"Who cares? He's cute."

"There's more to a man than his looks."

"There is?"

"Ha-ha," said the woman without any real humour. "I dunno, I always figured that Colonel O'Neill and the Major had something going..."

"Heard of the regs?"

"Sure. And know of more cases where they were quietly bent without anyone being hurt than the ones that give the Air Force bad PR. Besides," the second woman added, "When you're working with these people day in, day out for seven years, if you don't get close to them then I think there's something wrong with you."

"Well, apparently the Major's ex complained about always coming second to her team. It seems that Dr. Jackson accompanied her to the park and the guy didn't like it..."

The voices faded, the sounds becoming indistinct, even to Teal'c, as the women turned into the distant corridor.

He regarded the room around him, frowning a little after the conversation he'd overheard, but filing his concerns in the back of his mind as he concentrated on the reason he had come here to begin with.

Major Carter had charged him to bring up some of the test results of items upon which she had been working. Teal'c was more than happy to perform this service for her, and had come down with specific instructions on what was required from Dr. Sefton's office. And so he had been witness to but fragment of base gossip centred around Major Carter and her pregnancy.

As Teal'c looked around Dr. Sefton's office, he considered whether he should remain and wait for the Doctor to return or whether he should return to Major Carter and inform her that Dr. Sefton was not presently available.

Just as he had decided he would return to Major Carter's office, the door was pushed open, and Dr. Sefton herself entered. Her short hair was clipped neatly back and she was flipping through the charts on a board and making notations, even as she entered her room. She did not notice Teal'c.

"Dr. Sefton," Teal'c spoke softly, hoping not to alarm the good doctor. He was aware that many people considered him intimidating, not least because he often did not make his presence clearly known.

She raised her head and blinked at him and her expression lightened. "Oh! Mister Teal'c! You've come for Major Carter's test results." Her words were swift, tumbling from her mouth with all the enthusiasm Teal'c recognised in someone whose life study lay in academic pursuits. As the Doctor shuffled through papers and "I have calibrated the Altonian machine to an Earth day and tested it in the same methods as were used for the Verizan machine. The results are unexpected; a difference..."

"Such explanations are better left to those who understand them, Dr. Sefton," Teal'c said, although not without kindness. He had experience in dealing with the enthusiasms of his own team-mates.

"Oh, of course..." The Doctor held up a file. "Here are the reports for the Major... I trust that she is well?" Hazel eyes looked anxiously at Teal'c.

"She is well," he affirmed.

"Good! That's very good. Of course, thirty-seven is quite old to have your first child... I understand she's going to bring it up alone?"

Teal'c hesitated slightly before answering. He was not sure if this information was his right to divulge. However it was common knowledge that Major Carter was quitting the Air Force to be a full time mother to her child, which suggested that she would have no partner to support her at such a time.

"That is my understanding."

The Doctor nodded. It seemed she noted Teal'c's reluctance to answer, because she smiled briskly, "Tell the Major that if there is any assistance I can give her at this time - advice or practical help - then she is most welcome to ask." At Teal'c's arched brow, she looked a little sheepish, "I have a little one of my own. She's a handful and a half, but beautiful. Luckily, my husband is great with her - really adores kids, so I get the option to work." She waved a hand to encompass the SGC complex above and below her small office. "I can't imagine Major Carter wanting to leave here - there's so many exciting things happening..." She smiled tightly. "Well, I won't keep you any longer." One hand indicated the file Teal'c now carried. "If Major Carter has questions about those results, she can call me."

Teal'c inclined his head at the scientist, "Thank you, Dr. Sefton."

As he walked back to catch the elevators back to the level of Samantha Carter's office, Teal'c considered the two conversations.

On one hand, it appeared that Samantha's pregnancy was a matter of hot discussion on the base. Teal'c was not unaware of the speculation regarding the father of the child. While it was known that Samantha had dated Detective Shanahan for some time, it was also questioned whether one of her team-mates might not have fathered her child. Even officers were only human, it was said. Surely there was the possibility that, in a moment of relief after the heat of battle, lines had been crossed in the need to reaffirm life?

Such speculation was minimal, dismissed by the senior officers as swiftly as it rose. However, it seemed that other speculations were being eagerly pursued by the base personnel - as shown by the women whom Teal'c had overheard. Certainly, it appeared that Detective Shanahan's response to the news had not been as subdued as Samantha had hoped.

In this much, at least, Teal'c could see decided similarities between Samantha and the Detective. Both selected a course of action and clung to it with all the tenacity of a Goa'uld to the spine of its host.

Samantha had clung to her relationship with the Detective until she could no longer ignore the difficulties inherent in it. Her recovery from its end had not been easy; and yet, since then, nothing had become easier.

It appeared that the Detective was going to do the same regarding Samantha and her child. It went further than his avowal of determination in the park on Sunday; since then, he had been sending Samantha cards and flowers nearly every day, attempting to woo her.

Daniel Jackson had been the one to report this back to O'Neill and Teal'c on Wednesday. His assumption of the right to divulge such information was concerning Teal'c not a little. While O'Neill displayed as little emotion as his self-control would permit, Daniel Jackson was taking a distinctly proprietal interest in Samantha's pregnancy and state of mind.

As he departed the elevators and strode down the hall towards Samantha's lab, Teal'c considered that there would come a point at which his pregnant team-mate would snap at Daniel Jackson. Like a rubber band stretched beyond endurance, she would reject his concern, quite possibly choosing to flee in the direction opposite to that which Daniel wished; away from her team-mates and friends.

There was little to be done about the matter. Daniel Jackson's concern only stung O'Neill to distance himself from it even more, which made Daniel all the more solicitous. Teal'c had already given his measured suggestion to Daniel Jackson, although he knew better than to attempt such with O'Neill.

Neither man would listen, both staunchly convinced of the rightness of their own views and actions.

So Teal'c chose to stand between them, ignoring their behaviours, and choosing to make his assistance available to Samantha at such times as she required it. Much like Dr. Sefton, he made his offer in good faith and must hope that Samantha Carter took it as such.

The faint sound of voices in Samantha Carter's office gave him pause.

He stopped just short of the door, not wishing to intrude as she spoke with careful patience to someone. "...told you it was unreasonable."

The response came, distantly tinny, the voice emitting from the speaker of a phone. "Unreasonable to want to see my son or daughter grow up?"

"Unreasonable to want us to be one big happy family," Samantha Carter said. Teal'c noted the tiredness in her voice. Had he been required to describe her at this moment, he would have chosen to see her as sitting at her desk, her elbows firmly planted, one hand on her forehead as her other held her cellphone to her ear.

"But we were happy once..."

"Pete, I've already said that the reasons we broke up are still there. They're not changed by this child..."

"They are! You won't be working all the time and there won't be any secrets between us..."

"That's not the reason we split."

"No, the reason we split was because you were spending all your spare time..."

"I had no spare time!"

"But you had enough spare time to have dinner with them!"

"That was on Sunday, Pete. It had nothing to do with you..."

"Doesn't it?"

"Is that why you've been sending me the flowers?" Samantha asked tiredly. "Don't. I don't want flowers..."

"You just want me out of your and your child's lives," Detective Shanahan said. Even through the phone and the distance there was no mistaking the bitterness in his voice.

Samantha's voice grew sharp. "If I did I wouldn't have told you I was going to have the baby at all!"

"Then why won't you..."

"Because it didn't work."

"It could."

"We've been through this before."

"No, you've been through this before. You always do this, Sam! You make all the decisions about our relationship and I only get consulted after the fact..."

"That was not the case!"

"What was I supposed to do? Sit and take it quietly while my girlfriend kept secrets from me?"

"It didn't stop you from following me around trying to find out those secrets," Samantha said, and there was a hint of her more caustic tone in her voice.

"I love you! I didn't want anything to come between us..."

"Pete," she said, and now Teal'c heard the struggle to keep her voice even, "We are going nowhere with this conversation. We discussed this the other night, and I'm at work right now. We don't need to discuss this again."

There was silence, before Detective Shanahan snapped, "How surprising that it's about your work again."

"It's not about my work. It never was." Major Carter enunciated her words carefully, as though speaking to a child. "Don't call me here again."

There was a pause, possibly one taken aback, although it could also have been Detective Shanahan preparing his final sally. "Yes, sir. Whatever you say, sir."

Teal'c entered the lab as Major Carter switched off her cellphone. She glanced up at him as he entered, then looked back down at it. "Shouldn't have it on here anyway," she muttered as she shoved it in desk drawer. "It interferes with the electronics."

He placed the report on her desk. "Dr. Sefton sends her regards."

She took the file with a quick smile of gratitude. "Thanks, Teal'c."

Teal'c nodded and paused, trying to think of a way to describe the doctor's offer to her. He could not think of any way to introduce the topic without being stilted. Perhaps later.

"Teal'c?"

He regarded Samantha, sitting slightly hunched at her desk, staring at the report but without actually seeing what was written there. "Samantha?"

Her mouth twisted a little, "You gave up bringing up your son to come here and fight the Goa'uld. Do you...do you ever regret that?"

In situations like these, honesty was the best answer. Samantha wished to know and Teal'c was not averse to telling her. "Every day." He wished he had been there to bring up his son, to watch him grow in word and action, to teach him the way of a warrior and the ways of the universe. But he had served Apophis out of fear, then betrayed the Goa'uld and served his people out of pride and love and hope. He had served alongside SG-1 to see his people free. Even his son's adolescence had been forced to come second to that.

As she considered his words, he added, "I could not both watch my son grow, and fight against the Goa'uld at the same time," he said. "I had to trust to Drey'ac and Bra'tac to bring Rya'c up in the way a father hopes for his son."

"But you had people you trusted bring him up instead."

"That is so."

Samantha's expression was pained, "I don't have people I trust to do that."

He had no answer but a confirmation of what she had said, so he remained silent and watched her struggle.

"I thought that maybe, if he looked after our child, I could continue to work here." She gave a soft little choking laugh. "Have my cake and eat it too, I guess," she murmured sadly. "I'm used to having that around here."

Teal'c considered what to say. "You are valued in the SGC, Samantha."

"And valuable?" Samantha asked, her cynicism clear.

"That also. However, you should be made aware that Dr. Sefton offered her assistance and advice if you have any inquiries or requirements during your pregnancy. She has a daughter of her own and would be happy to help you if you are in need." Teal'c was vaguely aware that the requirements of a child were manifold here on Earth. He had been on Earth long enough to witness the children who possessed every possible kind of toy and comfort available. He was unaware if that was the style of life Samantha wished for her child, although it would be no surprise if it were. This child was most likely the only one she would have.

At that, Samantha's cynical expression turned to surprise. "She...she would?"

"It was her wish that I make that clear to you." From what he understood of Earth culture, such offers were common enough. It simply would have been that Samantha had been in no position requiring such assistance previous to her pregnancy.

"Thank you for passing that message on," Samantha said, gently. "And for getting the report." She surreptitiously rubbed at her breasts, and Teal'c turned his head enough that he need not witness her attempt to alleviate her discomfort.

To hide his own unease with her action, he asked, "Is there anything you require, Samantha Carter?"

She glanced up at him, flushing a little. "I am a bit hungry," she admitted.

He went down to the commissary to get her some items of food, and returned with what she termed, "Enough food to feed an army, Teal'c!"

"The appetite of pregnant women is legendary," Teal'c said, "Even among the Jaffa. However, should you find yourself unable to complete this, I will be more than willing to assist you." It was an offer that she might have expected from Jonas Quinn rather than from Teal'c, in all earnestness and quite seriously.

But it made her laugh, which was what he had wanted.

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