Mysterious Distance

Part 10

Jack sat glaring at the stack of papers in his 'in' box. He was tired of signing stuff. His hand hurt. His signature wasn't even a signature anymore. It was just wavy line. He needed a stamp. Why wouldn't Walter get him a stamp? Better yet, let Walter sign everything. He could probably sign Jack's name better than he could anyway. Jack's internal whining was interrupted by the ring of the red phone. "O'Neill."

"General," Dr. Brightman began. "Colonel Carter has gone into labor."

"Ah, crap. I thought she wasn't do for another week or so."

"She isn't, but the baby's ready and she's coming."

"Okay. I'll have Daniel recalled."

"Yes, sir. I'll tell her."

Jack, his hands stuffed firmly in his pockets, walked in the room that had been become the delivery room. "Carter, how are you doing?"

"How the hell does it look like I'm doing?" Sam grated out.

"In pain," he responded honestly.

"They won't give me any drugs, sir. Make them give me drugs," she pleaded and Jack had to fight back a smile. He had seen Sam withstand torture with more forbearance than this.

"Colonel Carter, I told you already that we have no idea how the pain killers will react with the Naquada in a newborn's blood. Do you want to risk her health?"

"No."

"It'll be over soon, Carter," Jack said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You wanna switch places, sir?" she barked out a laugh. "I'll sign my life away and you have the baby."

"Wish I could." He so didn't want to tell her this next part. "Umm, Carter. I don't how to tell you this, but Daniel is about a day's hike away from the Stargate."

"WHAT!"

"Daniel's about a day away from the Stargate. He's hurrying back as fast as he can."

"That bastard! He just had to go play with his fucking rocks, didn't he?"

"Well, your early, Carter," he said trying to placate her. "He didn't really want to go anyway, but you told him to. Remember?"

"I don't care. He should be here. He put me in this damn situation. I hope he's discovered a sarcophagus because he's gonna need it."

Jack turned to Brightman, "For cryin' out loud, are you sure you can't give her drugs?"

"Not without risking the baby. Now, General, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Okay." He squeezed Sam's shoulder. "I'll let you know when we hear something, Carter."

She grasped his hand, "Sir…Jack, please stay."

"You mean…"

"Please."

"Oy." He sighed. "Yeah, sure." He winced as she gripped his hand harder as an especially strong contraction hit her. "Try not to damage my writing hand. Walter will have a fit if I can't sign anything."

"Let the General go, Colonel. He needs to get scrubbed in," Dr. Brightman pulled Jack out of Sam's grasp. "I promise he'll be back soon."

Dr. Brightman placed the squalling bloody baby in Jack's arms as she finished with Sam. Jack gingerly held the delicate bundle and gazed down at Grace Catherine Carter-Jackson. He swayed slightly and murmured quietly to soothe the little girl as he had done when Charlie had been an infant. Grace soon quieted and opened her eyes to gaze at the man holding her. "Oh, God," he whispered. Grace had Charlie's eyes. While he hadn't been present at his son's birth he knew he had been born with brown eyes just as his father had been. Jack felt a sudden surge of emotion wash over him. He was holding his daughter. "Oh, God," he repeated holding her a little tighter, but still careful not to hurt her.

"Jack, what is it? What's wrong?" Sam called franticly. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. She's okay," Jack carried his daughter over to her mother. "She better than okay. She's just so beautiful, Sam." Jack gently placed Grace in Sam's arms.

"Oh, God, she is," Sam studied her new daughter in awe. "Look, Jack, she's got Dad's eyes."

"Yeah, she does," he muttered turning away. "I'm just gonna get cleaned up. I gotta make sure they haven't lost the Stargate or something."

"Jack, thank you," Sam called after him. "Thank you for being here."

"Yeah, sure, you betcha."

-

TBC