Mysterious Distance

Part 11

Later that night Jack snuck back down to the infirmary. He hadn't been able to get back to work after Grace had been born, but he was afraid to spend too much time with her. Afraid someone would notice what was glaringly obvious to him, that Grace was his daughter. When he got to Carter's room he was glad to see she was asleep. He set the arrangement of yellow rose down on her nightstand with several other bouquets left by other SGC well wishers. He moved to the Grace's bassinet and sparkling brown eyes met his. "Hey, sweetheart, look what I've got for you," he waved the soft brown bunny above her and she reached for it. He let her grab onto the bunny and the gently lifted her into his arms. He placed a tender kiss to her forehead. Jack sat down in the chair near Carters bed and held his daughter while she chewed on her new bunny's ear. Jack was immensely pleased to be holding his daughter yet at the same time utterly heartbroken because she would never know him as her father. He would be "Uncle Jack", but he was willing to take whatever part in her life he was able to. After a while in his arms she began to get fussy and began to sing softly to her.

"Twinkle twinkle little star…." Sam woke slowly to the sound of the nursery rhyme and for a moment thought she was still trapped on the Prometheus and the last two years had been a strange concussion induced dream. She was immensely relieved for a second then she realized that the voice crooning was not a little girl named Grace. For the first time the coincidence struck her, but she didn't feel like analyzing that now. She opened her eyes to see General O'Neill pacing the room gently rocking and singing to Grace.

"Don't you know any other songs?"

At the sound of her voice he looked startled and then smiled at her, "I thought it was appropriate considering who her parents are." Sam was struck by his soft smile. It was something she had rarely seen. He smiled infrequently and when he did it was usually a smirk or had a sarcastic bitter edge to it. She liked this smile. She watched him as he continued pacing and singing. It was an incongruous image, the hard bitten warrior in olive drab delicately holding a tiny pink bundle. She had almost drifted off to sleep from the sound of his voice as well when the tune abruptly shifted. "Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen and down the mountain side, the summer's gone and all the roses fallen, it's you it's you that must go…"

"Funny, Jack."

She opened her eyes to see her husband supported by Teal'c enter the room. Daniel's leg was splinted and Teal'c helped him hobble to the chair by her bed.

"I thought so," Jack told him with his usual smirk and handed his daughter over to the man who would be known as her father. He stepped back to stand with Teal'c and watched Daniel's expression closely.

"She's beautiful, Sam!" Daniel told his wife as he marveled at the child in his arms. "Look at her eyes!"

"I know. Dad will be pleased she takes after him," Sam said as she slid over to the edge of the bed to look at her daughter once again.

"I hope she'll have more hair than ol' Jake," Jack joked trying to keep up his normal sarcastic façade. Inwardly he was relieved that Daniel also thought the Grace had her grandfather's eyes, though he wouldn't put it past the Daniel to realize his mistake eventually.

"As do I, O'Neill," Teal'c walked to peer down at Grace. "But she is still a most lovely child. I offer you my most heartfelt congratulations," he said to Sam and Daniel.

"You want to hold her, 'Uncle' Teal'c?" Daniel offered.

"Indeed," Teal'c gently took the baby from Daniel. Grace gurgled and seemed to smile at him. "She seems to he a most happy child." He studied her closely, then turned with his eyebrow raised to Jack. He knew with that on look that Teal'c was aware of who Grace's true father was. Jack was also confident that Teal'c would never share his knowledge.

Dr. Brightman came into the room, "Sorry to interrupt, but Dr. Jackson needs to get his leg set."

"Yeah, what happened?" Jack asked glad to have Teal'c's attention turned elsewhere.

"Daniel Jackson tripped over a rock on our return to the Stargate," Teal'c replied because Daniel looked too embarrassed.

"I was in a hurry," Daniel tried to explain though his face was flushed. He turned to Sam, "I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have gone."

"It's okay, Daniel."

"That's not what she said in labor. She was threatening to kill you, Spacemonkey," Jack put in.

"I was not!" Sam protested.

"What was that bit about the sarcophagus, Carter?"

Sam just glared at him.

"Come on, Dr. Jackson," the doctor motioned for two orderlies to help Daniel to his feet and out the room.

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TBC