He Didn't Have to Be

Spoilers: None

Season: Alternate Universe

Character/s: Sam Carter, Jack O'Neill and original character

Pairing: Sam/Jack

Author's Note: This story is based on He Didn't Have to Be by Brad Paisley. Heard this song and thought it would fit into this series and keep some of my readers happy as it is a Sam and Jack meeting for the first time…kinda. Hope you all enjoy.

I'm standing in the hospital waiting for the nurses to bring my brand new baby girl into the nursery and I think back to my own childhood…

I was brought up by my mom Sam. I don't know what happened to my 'real' dad, all I knew was that my mom loved me, and that was enough. Life was hard for her, being a single mom. She would go out on dates with men and they would go great, I mean – why shouldn't they? My mom was gorgeous, intelligent, funny, compassionate and giving. In a word, she was perfect, except for one thing – me. When men found out about me they would run a mile. It upset my mom and she often wondered if she'd ever find someone who could accept and love her son, because there was no way she was going to be with anyone who couldn't.

I was five years old when mom met the man I would call dad. They met at the grocery store and when he asked if he could see her again she told him about me straight away. Over the years she had found that this was the best way to find out if men were genuine or not. He just gave her a big grin and said that he loved kids. He took my mom to the movies on their first date and I went along with them.

Things continued great with them. He was always round at the house, he took us out on day trips and never made me feel unwanted. Even when they went out alone they would always bring me something back to let me know they had been thinking of me. Sometimes it was a toy, or a postcard, or a doggy bag of my favourite food.

A few months into their relationship, I was lying in bed and I overheard him pop the question. I closed my eyes, held my breath and prayed that she'd say yes. Somebody must have been on my side because she did and suddenly everything changed. There was no longer something missing in our lives, we were now a family. We continued to be a family and a couple of years later along came my sister, a short time after that my baby brother joined us.

I met the woman who is now my wife three years ago and we had a perfect marriage, but we decoded we wanted something more. We wanted a baby. I stand now, surrounded by family and friends, watching as my daughter is brought into the room. Suddenly nothing is missing in our life – we're now a family. I look over at the mam standing next to me – my dad. I think back to all the things he did for me and I hope I can be half the dad that he didn't have to be.

Nope, Jack O'Neill didn't have to take on a single mom with a 5 year old, he didn't have to love me like his own, he didn't have to be there for every major event in my life – my soccer games, my graduations, my wedding, and the birth of my daughter. He didn't have to adopt me and he didn't have to let me call him dad.

As I stand here I hope that I can be half the dad to my daughter that Jack didn't have to be to me.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated.