See Chapter one for disclaimers and notes
EPILOGUE
It's not all wine and roses. It takes over three months to heal the rift between Sam and Cassandra. And even then, it's slow going. Sam because she's changed, and Cassie, because she knows that Sam has thought the painful things that were said to her.
Jack, Daniel and Jonas wisely stay out of it, only providing shoulders for both women to lean on (no tears, from Sam. She never seems to have them anymore), and the occasional beer.
The science department makes several breakthroughs under the double leadership of Drs. Sam Carter and Svetlana Markhov. General O'Neill continues to pretend he has no clue what they're talking about, although he sometimes talks in his sleep, so Sam knows better.
On the memorial of Teal'c's death at the hands of a woman she is not, Sam stands in front of a crowd and remembers her friend.
There isn't a dry eye in the house by the time she's done.
Daniel dies only once, but quickly comes back. Jack bans him from off-world travel until Sam has delivered her kid. That way, he'll have one person at his back to watch his ass. For her part, Sam is thrilled to learn that she'll be allowed to go off-world again (the Pentagon relented, with persuasion). Even if, at five months, she's already tired of being pregnant.
The return of Jacob Carter is met with fanfare, and careful relief. The Tok'ra have finally realized that they're stuck in their own ideologies. A rocky start to a new alliance, but it might help.
And while he isn't happy with her choice of men, Sam's dad does wish her the best of luck. And makes her promise not to name his grandbaby anything Tok'raish.
Elliot Martin Carter is born exactly nine months from the moment he was conceived (although Eggar isn't around to confirm this). He's a bouncing nine pounds, blue eyes, and light blonde hair. His three fathers dote on him, and his mother. Although only one of them sleeps with her.
By the time he is two months, his mother is glad there's someone else in the house. Through late-night feedings, early morning meetings, and boring late-afternoon briefings, she has come to realize that she knows both the best and worst there is to know about Jack O'Neill. And she doesn't want to give him back.
Five months after the birth of her child, Sam is cleared to begin going through the gate again. SG-1's team designation has lain dormant since she returned. It is now re-used. And Sam, Daniel and Jonas along with three other scientists in the Air Force comprise it.
They don't get into trouble.
She misses it.
Elliot says his first word the morning after the night Jack tells her he loves her. He thought she was asleep.
It's a good life. It's not the same as she had before, but she isn't sure that life would have been any better.
Besides, she's content.
And sometimes, late at night, she wonders if she is truly home. But then he'll do something to piss her off.
-finis-