After a quick stop in Jack's office to grab both bags of treats from the bottom of the desk drawer – and to feed a few of them to Jaffer to keep his end of the bargain – Daniel and the black lab went back to the elevators, the lab still on his leash since Daniel wasn't all that positive Jaffer would go where he wanted him to go without it. Jack never needed a leash, but Daniel preferred to have it, since Jaffer was now his responsibility, and he would never allow anything to happen to the lab while Jack had trusted him to his care.

"How did you manage to steal Jaffer from Colonel O'Neill?" One of the Marines at the first checkpoint asked, looking amused to see Daniel with the dog. Especially since it was well known on base that Daniel had a ton of allergies and Jaffer was one of them – although not the worst.

"Just lucky, I guess," Daniel said, passing through the checkpoint and waving to them. He was running late, now, and while Sally was very forgiving, he didn't want to press his luck.

He and Jaffer went through the rest of the security stops with everyone asking almost the exact same question – or variations of it – but they finally made it to Daniel's car. The archeologist opened the back door in obvious invitation, and Jaffer hopped up easily into the back seat – making the car look positively tiny.

"I'll roll the window down for you in a minute," Daniel promised, making sure Jaffer's head and tail were both clear of the door before he slammed it closed. Then he got into the front seat and started the car, reaching for his cell phone and the window controls at the same time.

Sally answered on the second ring, just as Jaffer was sticking his head out of the now open window.

"Hello?"

"Hi. It's me."

"You're not coming?"

"Of course I'm coming…" Daniel told her, smiling even though there was no one to see it but Jaffer, who wasn't paying attention. "I'm just behind."

"But that's so unlike you…"

He smiled at the sarcasm in her voice. At least she wasn't mad. He started the car and pulled out of the parking space.

"I'm on my way right now, but we can't go to the restaurant for lunch. Something's come up."

"We're not having lunch?"

"No, we can have lunch, just not at the restaurant."

"Why not?"

"I'll explain when I get there." He looked over his shoulder and saw that Jaffer was sniffing the seatbelt that was hanging down on the rear passenger side. A bored dog is a dangerous dog when it comes to a car – Jack had told him that more than once – so Daniel tossed Jaffer a treat from the bag on the passenger seat. The lab abandoned the seatbelt and started munching the treat.

"Do you want me to make lunch?" Sally asked.

"Or we can go to my place, and I'll do it."

He wasn't a terrible cook.

"I'll make it." She decided. "You're on your way?"

"Yes. I'll be there in ten or fifteen minutes."

"I'll be here."

She hung up, and Daniel closed his phone, and looked over his shoulder at the black lab, who was now watching the bag of treats that was sitting next to Daniel – probably hoping one would magically jump out and try to escape.

"Well… she's not angry. That's good." He handed back another treat to Jaffer and headed for the main gate. "That's all you get, so eat it slowly."

Jaffer gobbled it immediately and watched Daniel intently, waiting for another. Yeah, yeah, it was all he was going to get. He knew better. He had the whole sad eyes thing down so well that no one could resist him. He just had to turn on the charm, that was all.

As Daniel left the gate, waved through by a Marine who wondered what the heck Jackson was doing with Colonel O'Neill's dog, the archeologist sighed and handed back yet another treat.

"Doesn't Jack feed you?"

OOOOOOOOO

"You want to stop for something to eat?"

Sam shook her head.

"We don't have time."

"We could make time, if you're hungry. The doctor would understand, I bet."

She smiled and rested her hand lightly on his thigh.

"I'm fine, Jack. We can eat later."

He nodded and they drove the rest of the way to the doctor's office in companionable silence, his hand on hers, holding it against his thigh.

Sam's primary doctor was – by necessity and convenience – Janet Fraiser. But since Janet wasn't an obstetrician, she'd referred her friend to Mari Sawyer, who was a long time friend of hers. Sam and Sawyer had gotten along well right from the start, with Maria assuring Sam that even though her last pregnancy had ended badly, they were going to do everything they had to to make sure that this one was perfect – right up to the delivery and beyond. Sam was reassured by Sawyer's competent demeanor and actions, and even Jack was fairly good around the doctor, although he wasn't fond of hospitals or doctors or any of that – Janet Fraiser and Monica Ray (Jaffer's vet) being the only exceptions.

They arrived at the office a few minutes early, and were ushered into a private waiting room where they signed in and were told Marie would be right with them. Sure enough, it was less than fifteen minutes before she came through the door, carrying a clipboard with a file on it, and smiling warmly at both of them.

"Sam, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Maria," Sam told her, taking her hand with a smile.

"Jack?"

O'Neill shrugged.

"Great."

"How's the baby? Any movements?"

"All the time," Sam told her, smiling again, but now for a different reason. "He's been pretty active lately."

"She's been pretty active, lately," Jack corrected.

Maria smiled. She'd heard all about their differences of opinion on the sex of their baby, and it was amusing to her. Of course, she'd seen it all before, but she loved the way the two of them bantered about it – neither giving in, but neither hurting the other's feelings, either.

"We'll see if we can settle that argument for good," she told them, sitting down next to Sam. "But before the ultrasound, let's discuss a few other things, first – just to check your progress."

Sam nodded.

Maria turned to Jack.

"You might want to wait out in the other waiting room, Jack…"

"Why?"

"The questions are rather… pointed."

Jack shrugged.

"I'll stick around."

Maria nodded, and looked at Sam, then down at her clipboard.

"Any swelling of your ankles?"

"No."

That wasn't so bad, Jack decided.

"Backaches?"

"Just a few. Nothing too serious."

See? How bad was that?

"Have you had any discomfort or cramping during intercourse?"

Jack blushed, and stood up suddenly.

"You know… on second thought, I think I'll wait outside."

Both women smiled, and as the door closed behind him, Maria touched Sam's elbow with a grin.

"That one always gets them."