"Colonel, before we watch your DVD's I need to tell you something..."
Life on Hold part 3
"Sure Carter, what's the problem?" He asked, concern written all over his face.
"I just wanted to let you know before Hammond says anything, I'm being taken off active duty." She looked down at her hands.
"Why? Is it something to do with you being ill?"
"Something like that. I...before I say anything you have to promise me you won't go off at the deep end, because this is hard for me and I'm scared."
Jack clasped his hand around hers for support.
"I won't say anything until you've finished." He promised.
"Well, no one, that is to say Janet and I don't know how his happened because I haven't...what I mean is that I'm...I'm pregnant." She looked up in time to see the rush of emotions flash across his face as he tried to keep them under control.
"Who's is it?" He finally asked.
"I don't know, we think it might have happened on our last mission."
"So it could be mine, Daniel's or Teal'c's?"
Sam had never looked at it that way before. If it were one of theirs she would feel a lot better knowing that it wasn't going to be hunted down its entire life for experimentation.
"It could be, or it could be an alien. None of us can remember so we can't rule anything out." Sam was starting to get tearful again.
"Sam," He pulled her into his chest so that he could comfort her. "This must be really hard for you. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"Sorry if I did this to you, sorry if it was any of us. But just think, you have a little baby growing inside of you, someone to love and care for and be an excellent mother to, someone who will love you back and always be there for you-even if you have the odd arguments." He smiled. "You'll be a great mum Sam, we'll be here to help if and when you need it."
"I've heard lots of those today."
"What? 'I'll be there if you need me'?"
"That and 'I'm just a phone call away'." She smiled. "I'm scared though Jack, what if it's an alien and the NID will be after it, what if I'm a bad mum, what if..."
"Too many 'what if's Sam. You'll be fine, the baby will be fine. Trust me when I say this-Teal'c and I have both been through this I can assure you- what you are feeling is called first time mother syndrome, it affects your reasoning and reasonable thinking."
Sam smiled, still leaning into him, her head on his shoulder. That is where she stayed the whole night-asleep on his shoulder while he watched the Simpsons and stroked her hair.
Sam woke up the next morning with a blanket covering her and the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen. She got up quickly before the smell of aftershave made her throw up, it was coming from her couch where Jack had been sitting the night before.
Jack smiled as she walked into the kitchen wrapped in the blanket, her hair sticking out at odd angles.
"Sleep well?" He grinned.
"For the first time in a week and a half." She sat down on the kitchen stool. "Oh, and before you come near me again please change the aftershave."
"That makes you feel sick?"
Sam nodded tiredly.
"Okay, well food's done so help yourself. Just remember you are eating for two so actually eat this time." He smiled before heading to the shower for a wash.
When Jack came back down Sam had eaten most of the food leaving very little for him.
"Hungry were we?"
"Least I can keep it down now." She said stretching.
"So what injections was the Doc on about yesterday?" He sat down next to her and started to finish off the bacon and eggs.
"She thinks that the reason I'm throwing up so much is because the baby is having a reaction to the naquada in my blood. She said it should right its self in the next couple of weeks but for now I have to have something to help."
"So what are we doing today?"
"We?"
"Yeah, I phoned Hammond while you were still asleep to tell him what happened, why I would be late and he told me to make sure you were alright and to stay with you as long as necessary just to be on the safe side."
"Well I could do with the company." Se gave him a small smile.
"Good, because you can't get rid of me that easily. Oh and Janet left a message to remind you to take it easy."
"Besides you love kids right?"
"There's that, also I have to train you in putting up with your co-workers and friends talking to your stomach as if it had a mind of its own."
"Well at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if it did."
Jack laughed.
"How about shopping, window shopping and long coffee, make that orange juice breaks. How are you going to live without coffee?"
"I'll survive, maybe the way to wean Daniel off coffee is to get him pregnant."
"I'm sure medical science has advanced enough to try it." Jack shuddered. "I have the mental image of Daniel in a dress with a huge belly."
"I'm going to need new clothes." Sam smiled.
Jack smiled. "Not for a while. Talking of...when are you going to tell Daniel and Teal'c?"
Sam sighed.
"I don't know, it'll be weird. Especially since it could be one of them, they're like my family."
"And I'm not?"
Sam blushed; she hadn't meant it like that.
"I...you're different, you're my CO and..."
"Daniel and Teal'c are more like brothers but I am always that possibility for more?" He asked clearing the plates away.
"I uh, what I mean is..."
"Don't worry about it Sam, go get dressed while I wash this mess up."
As soon as Sam had left the room Jack sighed and ran his hands through his short hair. He thought about all the possibilities that lay ahead; the different variations of the child's fathers, the fact that he could be Uncle Jack again now that Cassie had grown out of that, or even daddy Jack. He thought about how he could help Sam; Charlie's old crib was in Sara's house, she wouldn't mind if he borrowed it for a few months, maybe he could actually ask Sam out now with out all the hassles of being under the same chain of command.
He was still thinking about that when Sam walked in wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and looking very sexy if you asked him.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Sure." She smiled then walked out to Jack's car.
There was an awkward silence as Jack drove into town and found a parking space, they agreed on which shop to go to first then walked in silence. It wasn't until they were actually in the shop surrounded by baby clothes and toys that Sam broke that silence.
"There's too much to choose from."
"Just remember, today is for looking, not deciding what we need. You've got another eight and a halfish months to go." He reassured the overwhelmed woman.
After a while the were walking around like a couple, imagining what they would do if it was a boy or if it was a girl, what colours the room should be and thinking of baby names. Then they bumped into Sgt Siler.
"Colonel, Major!" He said picking the things he had dropped up off the floor.
"Siler, what a surprise." Jack said.
"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.
"My sister just had twins, thought I'd help out a bit and get some of the things she needs." He then looked questioningly at his two superior officers, together, in a baby shop. "Uh, what are you two doing here?"
"One of my old friends wife's just had a little girl." Jack said holding up a pink baby hat. "I needed a woman's opinion." He gestured towards Sam.
"Oh I feel so used." She smiled.
"Well have a nice day Sir, Ma'am."
"You too Siler."
As soon as Siler was out of range Sam turned to Jack. "What if it's twins?"
"Calm down, Janet will do ultra sounds and stuff to find out. It's a bit early to worry about that now." He patted her arm then pulled her over to another display. "We have to get these, I love Winnie the Pooh."
"Jack, there are about five different sizes of Pooh here, three of Tigger and this Eyeore's tail is missing." Sam said holding up the stuffed animal.
"No look, it's on a string so it won't go missing."
"I think these are for older children." Sam folded her arms.
"Can I have one, please? Please Sam, I'll be a good boy." He did his best innocent expression.
"Sure, have a Tigger, he's the best." She smiled and walked to the check out.
Life on Hold part 3
"Sure Carter, what's the problem?" He asked, concern written all over his face.
"I just wanted to let you know before Hammond says anything, I'm being taken off active duty." She looked down at her hands.
"Why? Is it something to do with you being ill?"
"Something like that. I...before I say anything you have to promise me you won't go off at the deep end, because this is hard for me and I'm scared."
Jack clasped his hand around hers for support.
"I won't say anything until you've finished." He promised.
"Well, no one, that is to say Janet and I don't know how his happened because I haven't...what I mean is that I'm...I'm pregnant." She looked up in time to see the rush of emotions flash across his face as he tried to keep them under control.
"Who's is it?" He finally asked.
"I don't know, we think it might have happened on our last mission."
"So it could be mine, Daniel's or Teal'c's?"
Sam had never looked at it that way before. If it were one of theirs she would feel a lot better knowing that it wasn't going to be hunted down its entire life for experimentation.
"It could be, or it could be an alien. None of us can remember so we can't rule anything out." Sam was starting to get tearful again.
"Sam," He pulled her into his chest so that he could comfort her. "This must be really hard for you. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"Sorry if I did this to you, sorry if it was any of us. But just think, you have a little baby growing inside of you, someone to love and care for and be an excellent mother to, someone who will love you back and always be there for you-even if you have the odd arguments." He smiled. "You'll be a great mum Sam, we'll be here to help if and when you need it."
"I've heard lots of those today."
"What? 'I'll be there if you need me'?"
"That and 'I'm just a phone call away'." She smiled. "I'm scared though Jack, what if it's an alien and the NID will be after it, what if I'm a bad mum, what if..."
"Too many 'what if's Sam. You'll be fine, the baby will be fine. Trust me when I say this-Teal'c and I have both been through this I can assure you- what you are feeling is called first time mother syndrome, it affects your reasoning and reasonable thinking."
Sam smiled, still leaning into him, her head on his shoulder. That is where she stayed the whole night-asleep on his shoulder while he watched the Simpsons and stroked her hair.
Sam woke up the next morning with a blanket covering her and the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen. She got up quickly before the smell of aftershave made her throw up, it was coming from her couch where Jack had been sitting the night before.
Jack smiled as she walked into the kitchen wrapped in the blanket, her hair sticking out at odd angles.
"Sleep well?" He grinned.
"For the first time in a week and a half." She sat down on the kitchen stool. "Oh, and before you come near me again please change the aftershave."
"That makes you feel sick?"
Sam nodded tiredly.
"Okay, well food's done so help yourself. Just remember you are eating for two so actually eat this time." He smiled before heading to the shower for a wash.
When Jack came back down Sam had eaten most of the food leaving very little for him.
"Hungry were we?"
"Least I can keep it down now." She said stretching.
"So what injections was the Doc on about yesterday?" He sat down next to her and started to finish off the bacon and eggs.
"She thinks that the reason I'm throwing up so much is because the baby is having a reaction to the naquada in my blood. She said it should right its self in the next couple of weeks but for now I have to have something to help."
"So what are we doing today?"
"We?"
"Yeah, I phoned Hammond while you were still asleep to tell him what happened, why I would be late and he told me to make sure you were alright and to stay with you as long as necessary just to be on the safe side."
"Well I could do with the company." Se gave him a small smile.
"Good, because you can't get rid of me that easily. Oh and Janet left a message to remind you to take it easy."
"Besides you love kids right?"
"There's that, also I have to train you in putting up with your co-workers and friends talking to your stomach as if it had a mind of its own."
"Well at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if it did."
Jack laughed.
"How about shopping, window shopping and long coffee, make that orange juice breaks. How are you going to live without coffee?"
"I'll survive, maybe the way to wean Daniel off coffee is to get him pregnant."
"I'm sure medical science has advanced enough to try it." Jack shuddered. "I have the mental image of Daniel in a dress with a huge belly."
"I'm going to need new clothes." Sam smiled.
Jack smiled. "Not for a while. Talking of...when are you going to tell Daniel and Teal'c?"
Sam sighed.
"I don't know, it'll be weird. Especially since it could be one of them, they're like my family."
"And I'm not?"
Sam blushed; she hadn't meant it like that.
"I...you're different, you're my CO and..."
"Daniel and Teal'c are more like brothers but I am always that possibility for more?" He asked clearing the plates away.
"I uh, what I mean is..."
"Don't worry about it Sam, go get dressed while I wash this mess up."
As soon as Sam had left the room Jack sighed and ran his hands through his short hair. He thought about all the possibilities that lay ahead; the different variations of the child's fathers, the fact that he could be Uncle Jack again now that Cassie had grown out of that, or even daddy Jack. He thought about how he could help Sam; Charlie's old crib was in Sara's house, she wouldn't mind if he borrowed it for a few months, maybe he could actually ask Sam out now with out all the hassles of being under the same chain of command.
He was still thinking about that when Sam walked in wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and looking very sexy if you asked him.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Sure." She smiled then walked out to Jack's car.
There was an awkward silence as Jack drove into town and found a parking space, they agreed on which shop to go to first then walked in silence. It wasn't until they were actually in the shop surrounded by baby clothes and toys that Sam broke that silence.
"There's too much to choose from."
"Just remember, today is for looking, not deciding what we need. You've got another eight and a halfish months to go." He reassured the overwhelmed woman.
After a while the were walking around like a couple, imagining what they would do if it was a boy or if it was a girl, what colours the room should be and thinking of baby names. Then they bumped into Sgt Siler.
"Colonel, Major!" He said picking the things he had dropped up off the floor.
"Siler, what a surprise." Jack said.
"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.
"My sister just had twins, thought I'd help out a bit and get some of the things she needs." He then looked questioningly at his two superior officers, together, in a baby shop. "Uh, what are you two doing here?"
"One of my old friends wife's just had a little girl." Jack said holding up a pink baby hat. "I needed a woman's opinion." He gestured towards Sam.
"Oh I feel so used." She smiled.
"Well have a nice day Sir, Ma'am."
"You too Siler."
As soon as Siler was out of range Sam turned to Jack. "What if it's twins?"
"Calm down, Janet will do ultra sounds and stuff to find out. It's a bit early to worry about that now." He patted her arm then pulled her over to another display. "We have to get these, I love Winnie the Pooh."
"Jack, there are about five different sizes of Pooh here, three of Tigger and this Eyeore's tail is missing." Sam said holding up the stuffed animal.
"No look, it's on a string so it won't go missing."
"I think these are for older children." Sam folded her arms.
"Can I have one, please? Please Sam, I'll be a good boy." He did his best innocent expression.
"Sure, have a Tigger, he's the best." She smiled and walked to the check out.
