They walked down the hall toward Daniel's office. "What happened in the briefing room?" Jack asked.

"I passed out."

"No. Before that. You looked at me after General Hammond said you'd be taken off the mission rotation."

She tensed. "Oh, that."

"What?"

"I guess when he said something about maternity leave, it hit me…"

Jack looked at her. "What?"

"The reality of this. That I'm going to have a baby." She smiled quickly at her omission. "We're going to have a baby."

They stopped as she said that. And the news sunk deeply into Jack's mind as well. Without warning, images of Charlie's lifeless body flooded his mind. "Whoa."

"Hey! I was looking for you two!" Daniel said, walking toward them.

They turned and Sam forced a smile while Jack groaned. "You have the absolute worst timing ever, Danny."

"What?" The archaeologist asked innocently.

"Never mind." Sam said. "What do you need?"

"Well, as I told Jack this morning, I found some things in my translations that I thought would interest you."

They followed him into his office. "Like what?"

"Well, it seems that this device was used in ceremonies. Primarily fertility rituals."

"Why am I not surprised?" She muttered.

Jack chuckled.

"It was also used as a part of the, uh, bonding ritual." He supplied.

"So?"

"By all their rites and rituals, you were bonded."

"And that means?" Jack asked, starting to get a little frustrated.

"Married." Sam said, looking Daniel in the eyes.

Daniel nodded as Jack whirled around. "What?"

She just flashed him a smile that communicated her uncertainty with the situation.

"Basically, the place we were standing in together was the place where the crowd would gather. Then the two who were to be bonded would enter the room that you two entered- the female first, followed by the male."

Sam placed her elbows on the desk, and propped her head against the palm of her hand.

"Okay, that's freaky." Jack supplied.

"Here's the part I really thought you should know about though…"

"There's more?" Sam asked.

Daniel paused as he looked into his notes.

"What is it, Daniel?" She snapped after the pause seemed to last for hours.

She caught both men by surprise, and she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Jack placed his arm around her, and Daniel observed that he didn't even blink about it. Neither had he bothered with a simple 'c'mere.'

"Well, the device apparently has a fail-safe mechanism."

Sam looked up with indiscernible emotions in her countenance. "Daniel, I may not be entirely upset about this pregnancy, but…most 'surprise' pregnancies are results of failures. I would categorize this as one of them."

Jack stifled a laugh though he could see that Daniel was losing patience with them.

"Well, first of all…it's a machine, not a human being, so I guess you set it off just like any other 'couple' would have. Second of all, the fail-safe was in place only to prevent forced bondings."

"Arranged marriages?" She asked.

"Basically. The device would not be activated if there wasn't already an emotional bond between the two people. If there was, the device would complete its function and the union would become legal."

Jack just stared at Daniel, but 'Scientist Sam; was intrigued. "Then that means that it was a civilization on a similar technological level with the Tollans."

Jack turned to her. "That's all you can say? He just says that we really are the ones who got ourselves into this mess and all you can say is that they're on a similar level of technology as the Tollans were?"

"Jack! This device assessed our emotions and did what we couldn't bring ourselves to do. Doesn't that change a few things?"

Her cell phone rang and she held up one finger as she answered it. "Carter."

Jack was still unsure of how to feel. Since his realization that he was indeed going to be a father again, he had become unsettled. Now, he felt tricked. The combination was deadly.

"Mark, I'm seeing someone."

His ears picked up at that. Hopefully (He was still very confused), she meant him. But it was always possible that she meant someone else. Suddenly, he wasn't sure that he was doing what was best for either one of them. Not that he even knew what he was doing.

"Yes, I remember Pete…he's a nice guy, but I told you already…I know…Dad's fine. He'll be at my place for a day or two in the next couple of weeks…"

Her lips pursed. "No, Mark. I'm not planning on leaving Jack anytime soon. He's the father of my baby!" She hung up the phone angrily. Then she sighed.

"Sam?" Daniel asked.

"Sorry, guys. Where were we?"

"Uh, you and Jack were going to go and talk about a few things."

Jack threw Daniel a look of irritation and Daniel met it with a steely gaze of determination. Sam noticed the exchange and walked calmly out of the room.

"So, are you going to go after her?"

"After I'm finished with you."

"Jack, this isn't something I should get involved in."

"You're already involved."

"No, I merely gave you both all of the information that you needed so that you two could understand what happened and go from there to figure out what's going to happen in the future."

"Did you tell us everything?"

Daniel swallowed. "Not exactly…"

"Okay, spill."

"The device was also supposed to help couples get used to the presence of their new spouse. Basically the feelings of the individuals are heightened for a time. That, in addition to Sam's pregnancy, contributes to her…interesting change in personality. Well, actually…in layman's terms, you're both supposed to get more…physically affectionate and possessive of each other."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Gradually…I think."

"You think?"

"Look, do you want to translate the text or go and try to patch things up with your wife?" Daniel's eyes widened when he realized his slip. "Sam…I meant Sam. Go patch things up with Sam."

"Yeah, yeah." Jack said, walking out the door.

"Jack."

He turned. "What?"

"Actively try to communicate with her. That means listening AND talking."

"Daniel, do you know what it's like to find out that your second-in-command is pregnant. Then, that she's pregnant with YOUR child. And then, hear that fraternization regulations have FINALLY been suspended for yourself and said second-in-command. At that point, one of your team members tells you that you're actually MARRIED to her, and to top it all off- it's all YOUR fault!"

"Jack, that's the point." Daniel said, wearily. "I don't know how you feel."

"Okay..."

"The point is SHE does. And she's just as confused as you are, if not more."

"So, that's it?"

"Jack, I'm not a marriage counselor."

"Danny." Jack growled.

Daniel shook his head in frustration. "Can't you see? It's already started!"

"What, Daniel!" Jack asked, also frustrated.

"Jack, for all intents and purposes, you and Sam are in a serious relationship…I can't be your…advisor. This is between you two. I'm not getting involved."

"But you're the diplomat!"

"Not this time." Daniel said, giving Jack a look that made him realize that the team dynamic had most definitely changed.

He took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Jack…"

"Yeah?"

"She really does love you. She just needs to know that you feel the same way."

Jack turned and left, only giving a half-hearted shrug as acknowledgement of Daniel's statement.