Chapter 58

Sam's POV

I reach out where my husband should be and touch empty bedding. It takes a few seconds to orientate myself as I push myself up on to all fours. "Jack?" For the first time in eight days, I've woken up alone.

I stretch lazily, checking my watch. 05-10 hours. There's no point of staying in bed, if he's not here with me to share it. A few minutes later, I climb out into the predawn greyness. Jack is talking to Ferretti about something, while Daniel snores, curled up beside the fire.

Jack throws me a grin and I walk over to join them. "Morning Sam."

"Morning Jack. Major."

"Major." Responds Ferretti with a smirk.

"How long did he last?"

"He fell asleep 'bout an hour ago." Drawls Ferretti. "Snores like he's gonna wake the dead."

"Oh we know. Trust me. We know." I reply as Jack passes me a mug of coffee. I smile my gratitude and take my first sip of the elixir. A soft moan escapes my lips and Jack glares at me, making me giggle.

"Alright Ferretti. Go get some sleep. Set your alarm for 12-hundred hours."

"Aye sir." He executes a snappy salute before glancing at me. "Uhh, permission to retrieve my sleeping bag?"

"Granted. Hop to it Major." He nods and goes in to our tent to grab the sleeping bag, that I folded up ready for him, before retreating to his tent for some much needed sleep.

Jack draws me in for a brief kiss.

"Is this appropriate behaviour for two officers on watch sir?" I tease.

He watches me warily and I grin, bringing him back to deepen the kiss.

"As you were so quick to point out last night Jack. We have an excuse. We're on our honeymoon."

"Mmm, I love the way your mind works Carter." He mumbles into my neck.

"We won't always be able to get away with this Jack. We have been rather… unprofessional this mission."

"Mmmmph." Comes the reply from somewhere near my collar bone. "Sam. We've been married for eight days. If they're gonna insist on calling us back to go on a mission to-"

"To meet our future daughter."

"-To Yammer land, where, besides the occasional drink, everything is pretty much harmless, on our honeymoon, then they're gonna have to deal with it. I promise I'll be a good CO when we're officially back, but for now, please, lets be as unprofessional as we can get without loosing our heads."

"Deal."

"Besides, there's no way Ferretti is gonna be able to put our… slight preoccupation in a report without incriminating himself. And he wouldn't anyway. He's a good guy. Like he said yesterday. He's been waiting for us to get married for five years."

"And the prank?"

"He's done his time. That's the end of it. He'll spread the word on base that we're sticking to the regs off-world. He can honestly say, if asked, that he didn't interrupt any… conjugal proceedings last night. And we were both clothed. Besides I know of a few bets that he doesn't want Hammond finding out about. Your promotions and commendations will no longer go via me as your CO. That's good enough for the President and Hammond."

"And when I can't go off-world?"

"Well, that'll be something we'll talk to the Doc about when you go for that check up in a couple of weeks. In my admittedly limited experience, every pregnancy is unique. We'll just have to take it a day at a time."

"I'm going to miss it."

He sighs and drops his head.

"Jack. I'm not saying I'm not happy about her. I'm not saying I'll defy orders and go out there when I'm eight months pregnant. I'm just stating that I might get a little… grumpy when I can't go off-world with you and the guys. Forewarned is forearmed, right?"

"You'll have more time to play with your doohickeys in the lab."

"Yes. I will."

"And I'm sure you could join us if we were to… say visit Ry'ac or somethin'?"

"Maybe."

"And you and the Doc'll be… going through everything together. You can moan about your men-folk to each other."

"There is that."

"And you could write that book on Wormhole physics that you started last year?"

"Jack?"

"Yeah Sam?"

"Are you going to make room for 'us' time in there anywhere?"

"Sure. High priority." He quips.

I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Sam. In the past two years, I've had to come and drag you out of your lab at least twice a week. I don't see it changing too much just 'cause we're married, even when you are six months pregnant. 'Course at seven months, I might have to put my foot down." He waggles his eyebrows at me and I laugh softly.

"So we'll make it work for us?"

"See, you're the brains in the family. I'm the plucky comic relief. Teal'c's the brawn. And Danny… well… he's the snorer."

I giggle again and watch the sun come up in the arms of my husband.

"It's not gonna be easy Sam, but we can do it, okay?" he whispers in my ear.

"Okay Jack."