NOTE: Sorry for the delay - life and computer troubles got in the way! I hope this chapter makes up for it...I had a great time writing this one! I'd like to thank you for all the review for Chapter 25 - over 20 of them for one chapter! Believe me, I appreciate each and every one! I'd also like to thank whoever nominated IT'S GREAT TO BE EIGHT for an SJ fanfic award. What a complete surprise and a total honor for me! You are all the greatest! Now on with the story. Oh, and sorry, JJ is not up for adoption:)
Chapter 26 – Papa
Sam sat on the edge of the infirmary bed and winced slightly as she felt the tug of the stitches against her head. It had been two days since she'd gotten the stitches and she was more than ready to have them taken out. They were itchy, uncomfortable, and in her humble opinion, very unsightly. Unfortunately for Sam, Janet had told her in no uncertain terms that the stitches had to remain for at least 5 more days. The good doctor had agreed, however, to loosen up the end that was bothering Sam the most, which is why she was currently under the administration of her friend and doctor.
JJ sat on Daniel's lap, desperately trying to grab at his glasses. Sam couldn't resist a chuckle as Daniel engaged in various body contortions in order to avoid the little boy's chubby fingers. He looked over at Sam when he heard her chuckle and threw her a look of exasperation.
"You know, I really wish someone would teach this kid not to grab at my glasses. It's getting to be a bit annoying."
Janet turned to look at him, not an ounce of sympathy on her face. "Have you tried distracting him with a toy? Try giving him that doll he likes so much."
Daniel turned JJ around on his lap so that he was facing Sam and reached into the bag by his side. He grabbed Bart and dangled him in front of JJ's eyes. He couldn't help but grin when JJ grabbed the doll and let out an exuberant greeting of "BA!" once he had the doll in his hands.
"You could have mentioned that a bit sooner," Daniel grumbled good-naturedly.
"It was more entertaining this way, plus you gave me a way to keep Sam's mind off her stitches for a while," Janet admitted with a grin.
Sam gave an unladylike snort at that comment, then hopped off the bed. "Are we done here? I told Jack, I mean the Colonel," she quickly corrected herself, "That we'd meet him and Teal'c in my lab when we were done."
She saw the quick exchange of glances between Janet and Daniel at her slip, but chose to ignore it. "What are the two of them doing?" Daniel asked curiously. They had all been put on down-time, so he was fairly certain that the General hadn't given them any tasks to take care of.
Sam came over to Daniel and took JJ from him, kissing the baby on the cheek before answering. "They went to spar in the gym. It seems as if the Colonel felt a need for some more rigorous exercise, after sitting with JJ all yesterday afternoon." Sam smiled at the memory of Jack playing with JJ on the floor of their suite. That and JJ's first steps would always hold a special place in her heart.
Daniel stood up as well and picked up the diaper bag that had been lying at his feet. Apparently, he was going to be delegated the task of watching JJ and carrying his necessities around today. They both said good-bye to Janet, JJ giving his own small wave, before they headed on their way to Sam's lab. Though she had been told her only job was to watch JJ for the next few days, Sam wanted to check a few things in her lab. And although she loved the baby dearly and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him, she felt couldn't neglect some of the projects she had going.
One of those was trying to figure out the item that SG-8 had brought back from P7X-659. It was a small, metallic container that had etchings on the side. Etchings that she wanted Daniel to take a look at; hence her request for him to accompany her to her lab. As an added bonus, she had someone to carry JJ's diaper bag for her while she carried the little boy.
-
They had been in her lab a mere 20 minutes when Jack and Teal'c came wandering in, both of them still damp from the showers they had taken after their sparring match. Sam was leaning against the large table in her lab, one eye on Daniel and the other on JJ in the corner. She had left the blanket and a few of his toys here the last time she was working, and JJ was happily playing in the corner of the room.
"Hey campers, what did you do with the baby?" Jack asked as he entered the room, not seeing JJ over in the corner.
"He's over there, Sir," Sam answered, indicating the corner where JJ was playing contentedly.
"Ah. So I see." He walked over to the baby and scrunched down in front of him, his knees creaking in protest. "Hey little man, whatcha doing over here all by yourself? Did mommy put you in the corner because you played with her toys?"
JJ looked up at Jack and grinned, greeting him with the familiar call of "Dada!"
From across the lab, Sam called out, "Don't you listen to him JJ. We both know that daddy is the only one who gets in trouble for playing with things in this lab that he's not supposed to."
Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a surprised look. They hadn't become used to Jack and Sam referring to each other in this manner. Daniel just shrugged his shoulders and focused back on the object in his hands.
Jack picked up JJ and stood, grunting once again as his knees made a strange noise. He came back over to the table and stood JJ up on it, making sure he wasn't near any of the implements that littered its surface. He kept his hands firmly around the little boy's waist. "At least I know how to play and not work all the time, Carter. Which, by the way, is something you're not supposed to be doing right now." He indicating the box that Daniel was still examining. "What is that thing anyway?"
"That's what we're trying to find out, Sir. The box contains writing that I thought Daniel might be able to translate before I send it on to the scientists upstairs," Sam answered.
"Have you made any progress, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.
Daniel frowned. "The writing appears to be an obscure Egyptian dialect that was only in use for a few hundred years before it died out. I'll need to take it to my lab where I have some books I can reference." He looked over at Sam. "Can I keep it for a while? I can work on it today and get it back to you tomorrow."
Sam nodded. "That will be fine. They're not in any hurry as it's not emitting any electrical impulses of any kind. I'll inform Felger and his team that I'll get it to them sometime tomorrow."
"Felger? You'd better make doubly sure that it's not dangerous," Jack stated. "He doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to scientific research."
"Indeed," Teal'c nodded seriously.
Before Sam could respond, the alarms announcing an off-world activation were sounded, along with the announcement that this was an unauthorized activation. Startled by the loud noise, JJ began to cry and twisted his body around to bury his head in Jack's chest.
Sam automatically made her way to the door, intent on getting to the gate room and seeing if she was needed. Jack put his hand out and stopped her as she came abreast of him. He handed the crying baby to her and said, "Carter, you stay here with JJ. Teal'c and I will check things out in the gate room."
Sam willingly took the baby, but still frowned at Jack. She was used to going down when there was an off-world activation. They never knew if there was going to be a gate malfunction or energy surge of some type. "But Sir…"
"No buts, Major," he told her firmly. "Your job is to watch JJ. I want you to stay here. Besides, he's scared to death of this noise and needs you right now." Softening his tone, he said, "I call down and let you know what's happening. If we need you, you can leave JJ with Danny and come down, OK?"
Realizing this was the best thing for all involved, Sam replied, "Yes, sir." Jack looked into her eyes to make sure she wouldn't try and follow him. When he correctly read her acceptance of the situation, he gave JJ a reassuring pat on the back and followed Teal'c out the door and down to the gate room. Unauthorized activations were rarely a good thing. He hoped this one was not in that particular category. He was soon to find out.
-
General Hammond was already down in the gate room, greeting their arrival, when Jack and Teal'c appeared. As he saw who had arrived, Jack muttered to Teal'c, "Well, this could be interesting."
"Indeed," came the short reply.
Seeing that the General and their guest were heading up to the briefing room, Jack and Teal'c made their way to that room as well and waited for them to appear.
From the stairs, he could hear a voice say, "George, would you just tell me what's going on? Whenever you steer me to the briefing room before answering my questions about Sam, I know something's wrong."
"And I told you Jacob, nothing is so much wrong, as…unusual," General Hammond tried to explain. When he came into the room, he spotted Jack and Teal'c waiting for them. "Ah, Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c, I'm glad you came by. Jacob's here," he needlessly added. He raised his eyebrows and implored Jack not to say anything about their situation quite yet.
Jack got the message and came forward to shake Jacob's hand, "Hey Jacob, how are you? What brings you to our neck of the woods this time?"
"Jack, Teal'c," he nodded at them. "It's good to see you. I came to see Sam and ask George to lend her to me for a while. For some reason, that seems to be a problem that my friend, here, is not willing to go into just yet. Do you know anything about what's going on, Jack?"
"Ah," he looked to the General who gave him a small shake of his head. "Let's just say we have a little problem of our own that needs your daughter's attention right now."
Sighing at the cryptic message, Jacob sat down and began to drum his fingers on the table. "If I don't get some answers soon, I'm going to get more than a little upset." As a sudden thought struck him, he turned to glare at Jack. "You didn't turn her into a kid again, did you?"
"Turn her into a kid? No – and that was not my doing, I might add. But you do like kids, don't you Jacob?" Jack asked with an innocent expression. He was seeing a way he could have a little fun here and wasn't about to pass that up!
"Do I like kids? What kind of question is that? George, you would mind telling what the hell is going on?" Jacob was quickly losing his patience and the level of his voice was a good indication of that. He would soon need Selmac's help to calm down if he didn't get some answers.
General Hammond looked over to Teal'c. "Teal'c, would you inform Major Carter that her presence is requested in the briefing room. And tell her to bring that little project along as well, would you?" After Teal'c left to call Sam, he then turned to Jacob. "It's difficult to explain Jacob. Believe me, when Sam tried to explain it to me, I wasn't sure what to think. She had to actually show me what she was talking about."
"Oh yes, this is definitely one of those cases where seeing is believing," Jack added with a smirk.
Jacob sat back and glared at the two men. Fine, if they didn't want to give him any answers, he would wait for his daughter. She was always straight with him and he didn't expect anything less from her this time.
-
As she climbed the stairs, JJ held firmly in her arms, she continued her conversation with Daniel, who was right behind her. "No Daniel, Teal'c didn't tell me who came through. Just that my presence was needed and I should bring along my little discovery. I'm assuming he wasn't referring to you and a certain nurse," she added with a smile as she walked into the room. Daniel's reply to that comment (she really had been hanging around Jack too much) was cut off by a loud voice calling out.
"Sam! Finally, I can get some answers."
Sam had been turned sideways talking to Daniel so Jacob didn't see what she was carrying. When she turned around and cried out, "Dad! What are you doing here?" his mouth dropped open.
His gaze shot from Sam to the little boy she was carrying, back to Jack who had a stupid grin on his face, to General Hammond, who looked a little too amused for Jacob's peace of mind. Jacob stepped closer to Sam, his gaze now riveted to the baby's face. There was something awfully familiar about that face and those eyes, he thought briefly, before turning to Sam. "Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on around here? No one else seems inclined to explain things. But first," he added as she opened her mouth, "I'd like to know who this little fellow is and what you are doing carrying him around a highly secure facility."
Sam's felt a surge of panic. How was she going to explain this without her father jumping to conclusions? She couldn't just introduce JJ like she had to the others…he'd have a conniption fit! Plus, she really didn't want to make Selmac save her father from a heart attack right now. Her gaze flew to Jack, imploring him for help. His grin just widened in response to her silent plea; he wasn't going to be any help! In fact, if she knew Jack, and she did, he was going to milk this situation for all it was worth.
"Um, maybe you should sit down Dad," Sam told him gently.
"I've been sitting long enough, Samantha. I want some answers. Now," he told her sternly.
Sam winced at the use of her full name. He meant business. Taking a deep breath, Sam began with some introductions. "Dad, this is JJ. He came to us…uhm, unexpectedly."
Jacob cut her off. "Unexpectedly? Who is he, Sam? What's his full name?" His gaze was riveted on the little boy who looked back at him with equal interest. Something in his little mind told him that he knew this bald man in front of him; he just couldn't quite grasp how.
Jack stepped around the General and stood by Sam's side. If she wasn't going to say his full name, Jack was sure going to! "Jacob, I would like you to meet someone who has become very special to us. This is Jonathon Jacob Carter….O'Neill." His dramatic pause added just the desired effect as Jacob's face paled and he looked between the two of them with disbelief written across it. Jack smiled at his discomfort but stepped a bit closer to Sam. He wasn't a fool, after all!
It was at this point, in the total silence that engulfed the room, that little JJ's brain clicked in. A grin spread across his face and he reached out his hands to Jacob, stating a clean and purposeful "Papa!" across to the older man.
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More explanations for dear old dadin the next chapter. Should be interesting!
