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Really pleased you've all been enjoying it.

So, onto the final chapter...hope it's everything you wanted.

Fluffy coming right up!

Harbinger of Sorrow...Herald of Joy.

By Lingren.

Previously:

Hammond grinned back, from his position by the door, before he left the room. "My pleasure Jack," he countered.

Chapter 10

As soon as the General left, the door opened again, admitting a nurse with his breakfast on a tray. He wasn't so sure he felt like eating now, and only picked at the meal, managing a few sips of coffee and a bite or two of the toast. His mind was on other things. He lay back, wearily, pushing the tray and the table away, yawning. He tried desperately to stay awake, to savour the idea of Sam and himself together at last, but he was so very tired now. He closed his heavy eyelids thinking of all the things they could do now. Sam filled his every thought, and only moments later he was asleep, worn out with the excitement and it's effects over him, and the effort of talking.

Sam entered his room after a while, and smiled at the sight of his sleeping figure. She pushed the table, with the barely touched meal on it, over to the next bed and moved the chair back, taking her place beside the bed once more, gently holding his hand and waiting for him to wake up again.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Janet and her nurses smiled brightly to each other as they passed the bed where Jack sat, swinging his legs over the side, waiting patiently for his ride home. They were getting their infirmary back after it's sole occupant had driven them to distraction over the last few days. Their relief was palpable and the atmosphere in the ward became one of almost celebration as the time drew nearer for him to leave them. Janet stepped up to him, happy that he was fit enough to go home again. He looked into her smiling face and sighed.

"Ya know...you don't have to make it so obvious," he grumbled.

"Colonel?"

"It's that big silly grin. I've seen all your staff wearing it today, just because I'm outta here."

She laughed. They couldn't keep anything from him.

"Now I wonder why that is Colonel? Maybe it's that constant When can I get out of here? whine that gets to my staff. Or perhaps it's the constant battle to keep you in your bed to rest, when instead we find you trying to escape. Or there again, is it the problem of getting you to take your medication that just drives my nurses crazy? Next time I'm going to borrow some handcuffs from the armoury," she tried to sound gruff, putting on her best obey my orders or else there's a big needle waiting with your name on it voice. She'd tried to be cross with him, although she couldn't help but think over the last few days, at how many times they'd nearly lost him; and what the repercussions would be if she'd failed to stabilise him again. She knew he was the best officer she ever served with, and that the SGC wouldn't be the same without him.

"Doc?" he asked, snapping his fingers at her to rouse her from her thoughts. "You okay? You kinda went all quiet on me."

She snapped out of the worst case scenario playing inside her head, and smiled at him again.

"Sorry. Just thinking."

"Yeah. Been doing that a lot lately too."

Sam entered the room, and he looked up and smiled at her, sliding off the bed ready to go.

"Hi. Ready Jack?" she asked.

It felt good to be called by his name instead of that constant Sir or Colonel.

"Yep." What was even better, he could now call her Sam, and they were both on a week's break. She was off mainly to watch over him while he recuperated.

He collected his things and began to follow her from the room, when he stopped and turned back towards Janet. He wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to start. Janet sensed his awkwardness and waited patiently for him to speak.

"Doc...I...I just want to say thanks. I know things will all work out differently now, but thanks for being there for Jackie. Without your...care...maybe it would...well anyway...who knows?" he sighed. "It's gonna be okay now. But thanks anyway."

"Anytime Colonel. You just take care of Sam and that baby."

He grinned back, turning once more to follow Sam who had walked a little way ahead and stopped, waiting for him to join her.

"I will Doc. No problem."

They rode the elevator in a tense silence. It had been difficult to talk in the infirmary about things they knew were now going to take place. Now that they had the freedom to pursue their dreams, it sucked all the thrill of forbidden togetherness from them, like the summer sun when it dried the puddles after the rain, it was like all their emotions had been drained. Sam had yet to show him the letter from Jackie, she had been waiting for the right moment.

They both knew what the future held now, and both were slightly in awe of it's hold over them, and it scared them a little. Things had changed, Sam was carrying Jack's child, something he was thrilled about, yes, but something that had also built a barrier between their relationship. They both knew that it spelled the end of the team. Something neither of them had wanted to happen. Jack felt responsible and guilty for being the one who caused it. It was all his fault she became pregnant. If he hadn't led her astray, if he hadn't persuaded her to cross that line. They'd all made a great team, he'd already lost Daniel, and now he was going to lose another member of it. Things were happening way too fast and he wanted the world to slow down and give him time to adjust to everything and what it meant.

Sam felt guilty too. She knew that she should have kept up with her contraceptives but Janet had said there wasn't much hope for her, so she'd not bothered. After all there hadn't been anyone, no shared intimacy for years, and then there was Jack, but she'd not given it a second thought that they would be able to bear a child. Until Nirrti had come along and changed all that. That's when it happened. After that, they couldn't hold back their emotions any longer, it had been too close for comfort. She had come so close to dying that day, it had changed them for ever, in more ways than one, and the result was now growing inside her.

The truck pulled up outside his house. The silence from the elevator had spilled over into the ride home. Neither knowing what to say, though the atmosphere was charged with mixed emotions. She followed him inside, carrying the groceries they'd bought on the way. Being absent from home for a week or more, had devastating effects on the contents of his fridge and food supplies. Fresh groceries were always needed. Sam automatically stacked the shopping away in the cupboards, while Jack cleared the rotting food from the fridge. Emptying the sour milk down the sink, he realised that they'd just behaved like any normal couple would. Coming home, putting the groceries away, all naturally done and without a thought. They belonged together, and now was the time to prove it.

He threw the empty carton in the trash and stepped up behind Sam, snaking his arms around her waist and gently pulling her backwards towards him. She tensed slightly, as he nestled his lips against her skin, kissing the back of her neck. He felt her draw in a quick breath and shiver, then she relaxed, leaning against his body, dropping her head back against his shoulder. He couldn't see her face, but he knew she was smiling. She stiffened again, trying to pull away from him, but he held her firmly. His hand moved to spread across her still flat stomach, as if to feel the baby inside, eliciting a gasp from her lips.

"Sam...I love you. I'm sorry...I..." words failed him, and he forgot them as she squirmed in his arms. He released her slightly so she could turn to face him, but he held onto her. Sam looked up into his soft sad eyes, seeing only a deep love in them, and then the tears came. His simple words of affection, his apology, against those she was helpless and couldn't hold back the tide of emotions any longer, letting the dam burst.

He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly, whilst the deep sobs wracked her body. They stood there for a long time, with just the noise of her sobs and sniffs breaking through the tense atmosphere that had surrounded them on the way home. When she quietened a little he led her to the sofa, and they sat down, clinging to each other. Finally the tears abated, she sniffed pulling out of his embrace and looked up at him, finding her voice at last.

"Jack. I love you. I'm the one who's sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Sam. This is all my fault."

"Why? Because we both wanted it? I'm the one who..."

He quickly held a finger to her lips, stopping her from saying anything.

"Ack...Sam. No, I've wanted this for a long time, and I sorry it's put an end to your career with the Air Force. If I hadn't insisted...if I hadn't made you cross that line, then none o..."

"It's too late for that Jack. We both knew the consequences. Now we have to face them. I saw you with Jackie. She adored you Jack, I could tell. Don't you want that? She's here now, growing inside me. Isn't it enough? What's done is done. Nothing can change that...and I don't want it to either. It's our destiny. You know we belong together."

"I thought you hated me because I thought you didn't want the baby. When you...wouldn't speak to me, I thought you would get rid of it...her."

"What? I didn't even know I was pregnant then; and I would never have gotten an abortion. She's your child Jack, and mine, made from our love. That means a lot to me. I want this more than anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

!And you still want a broken down old war horse like me?"

"I. Love. You! Jack I can't live without you!"

"Oh God...I love you too Sam," he murmured, drawing her closer and into a long deep kiss, as she melted into his arms.

Now she was sure he wasn't staying with her under any obligation to their unborn child, and now she could show him the letter. She'd had to make sure it was what he really wanted first. They sat there for some time, just entwined in each others arms, it just felt so good to be free of restrictions, and regulations. To be able to embrace without the fear of being caught and the repercussions it would have imposed upon them. Sam closed her eyes savouring every moment.

When She opened her eyes again, it had grown darker and she blinked away the remnants of sleep. When had she dozed off? She found herself with her head in Jack's lap, and her feet curled up on the cushions, her hand resting against his chest, and looked up into his face. Deeply hooded eyes sparkled back in the gloom.

"Hi there sleepyhead."

She nestled into him comfortably, and he brushed his fingers gently through her short hair, grinning down at her.

"Hi yourself," she grinned. "When did I fall asleep?"

"I don't know. I guess we both did. Only been awake myself for a few minutes. Sorry if I woke you."

"It's okay." She sat up with his help and she slid her feet to the floor, recalling their earlier conversation. "I have something to show you."

"You do?"

"Yes...I...Janet told me to wait until you were stronger. She didn't want you getting overexcited."

She withdrew a letter from her pocket and handed it to him, before standing up and flicking on the lamp beside him so he could see to read it.

Jack fingered the envelope, staring down at it and running a hesitant finger over the names across the front. Sam observed him from the chair opposite, watching the emotions running across his features. His smile widened.

"Cool. Jackie...she gave you this?"

"No. I never got to...General Hammond handed it to me, after we got back. I never got the chance to talk to her Jack. I...was...wasn't...exactly feeling friendly towards her before we shipped out. Now though...I know different. I never thought that she would be my...our daughter."

"I couldn't tell you at the time. We had to let things resolve themselves for the most part. I knew you were upset over something, but I didn't understand what it was. I thought you'd discovered you were pregnant and hated me for it."

"And I thought you'd betrayed me...that my...love was in vain and...and that you'd slept with Janet. I was mad with jealousy and well...I felt like death warmed over too. Thank God the worst of the nausea has eased up now. I never realised I felt that because I was pregnant, and that all my hormones were all over the place, heightening my emotions. It wasn't until your warning shout that the penny dropped, and things began falling into place. Sort of," she paused before asking, "Why did she call Janet 'Mother'? What changed?"

"Jackie came back to warn me that I was going to die, but now that's changed."

"So?"

"Because I'm still alive...you won't leave the SGC, and become...ill...and have to give her up. Janet looked after her and became her 'Mother'. I guess this explains it huh?" he said waving the letter at her.

"Not exactly...just read it Jack," she urged.

His hands shook slightly as he took the note from it's envelope; slowly unfolding it, he began to read.

Sam waited with bated breath, unable to sit still. She stood, wandering over to stand in front of the empty fireplace and watched in relief as a wry smile spread over one side of his mouth into that lopsided grin that she always loved; his brown eyes sparkling with amusement. After he'd finished it, he refolded it, tucking it back into it's place.

"I told you we were fated to be together."

He stood up and walked over to her, stretching out his arms, taking her hands in his and pulling at her, enfolding her into his embrace. "We were meant for each other Sam. I always knew we were." He buried his face into her warm neck, kissing the soft flesh and making her giggle as her body tingled in response. "I love you Samantha, only you, and don't you forget it."

"I love you so much Jack," she whispered, surrendering her senses to his touch as he continued kissing her lightly. She moaned with sheer pleasure. "Oooh...I could get used to this."

"Never Sam. Being with you will be like discovering something new every day. What we've got will never grow into a habit. It'll never get old."

"Amen to that Jack," she replied, sighing in bliss.

The End.

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Another one coming soon.