Previous Year's Events -
Jack O'Neill had been correct when he had predicted that he would not last very long in the political jungle that was D.C. Promoted to Major General, he had plowed through the politico scene with as much finesse as a Goa'uld at a Nox tea party. He had given himself 2-4 weeks but he actually lasted longer than that, but not by much. Yet, no one involved could have ever predicted the reason he did not last. All in all events played out much differently than any one would have ever expected.
Their marriage had pretty much been under the radar' unknown by all but the closest of friends and SGC personnel. Jack had no family and Sam was pretty much in the same boat as she wasn't at all close to her brother so inevitably they realized that to all intents and purposes their family was right there at the SGC. With that idea, they decided that the SGC Gate room was the perfect location for their wedding. So, a mere two weeks after his clumsy but endearing proposal, Jack and Sam had the most unique wedding in Earth's history.
Teal'c and Daniel had stood up with Jack while Cassie was Sam's maid of honor. General Hammond had been honored when asked if he would escort Sam down the aisle and had done so proudly. Among the guests were Asgards, Nox, Tok-ra and a large number of Jaffa. Cassie had caught the bouquet, Teal'c the garter, and there was cake - LOTS and LOTS of cake. All in all it had been the most memorable wedding ever witnessed by any of the guests which was appropriate for such a unique couple.
A month after Jack became Home World Director - D.C. politicians still hadn't figured out what had hit them. Pandering was NOT a word in Jack O'Neill's vocabulary. Neither was brown-nosing and obsequiousness. He just did NOT have it in him, just as when he faced down Goa'uld Lords with only his caustic remarks - he did the same in Washington offices.
Jack realized the importance of the job and with his usual O'Neill tenaciousness, doggedly attempted to adjust. Even to the point of having Daniel privately tutor him in negotiation -- the art of give and take' that was needed in the political arena. Jack a man of action always - began thinking that he should have gone out in a blaze of glory somewhere light years away doing what he did best.
The only happy part about the situation was Sam. She has transferred from SGC to head up R&D at Area 51. Even though she worked in Nevada - she in fact was able to live' in D.C., as they were the only humans on Earth to possess an Asgard transport device. Good ole Buddy, Thor had given it to O'Neill at the wedding reception and it was the best present ever in their book. So, every evening she beamed into Jack's apartment and they were together until she had to leave' in the morning.
Slowly but steadily things improved. As was his wont Jack built a network of the most intelligent and capable people around him -- ruthlessly slashing the flotsam and replacing with the best and brightest, all totally committed and completely loyal to their rather atypical boss. His talent to garner loyalty was discussed and wondered at often by other envious Leaders. The world was definitely becoming a much safer place with Jack O'Neill at the helm. Then fate stepped in to change their world; fate in the form of one small, gray alien, Thor.
Word came from Othalla that a meeting was desired with all the Leaders of Tauri including, O'Neill of course. The White House quickly arranged this meeting. Thor immediately brought things to a head with the pronouncement: O'Neill was needed on Othalla. The Fifth race needed to take its place in the United Galactic Council and they wanted O'Neill as the representative of Tauri. A side request was also made -- of a more personal nature for the Asgard -- they needed O'Neill to help with their cloning research as they realized that they had been mistaken in dismissing his value in this area. The solution very likely did exist in O'Neill's genetic makeup.
So, within three chaotic months, the O'Neill's were residents of the planet Othalla. Sam had been ecstatic about the situation - she had been offered a position in the Asgard Institute of Science where she would be able to learn the technology of this very advanced race. Ecstatic until she began feeling nauseous every morning and realized that she was pregnant. Even as she was thrilled at the prospect of having the family she always wanted with the man she had waited nine long years for - she became nervous. You at least want to be in your own galaxy when you are expecting a baby - and here she was - on a world of tiny, gray folk - who hadn't reproduced sexually in thousand upon thousands of years -- 800 thousand light years away from Earth.
The Asgards on the other hand, were enthralled by this event. Never was a human treated so special. Sam began to understand how a Goa'uld must have felt when they were worshipped as "Gods". This was almost the handling she received - and it began to drive her stark raving BONKERS (Jack's terminology).
Sam took it as long as she was able - the ever constant shadowing, the hourly check-ups, the monitoring of her intake/outtake, the discussions on what vitamins she should take, the questions regarding her sexual activity and whether it was wise (she kept this from Jack as she didn't want the Fifth Race Representative' being brought up on assault charges). Never a moment alone, even when they were alone, they knew they' were out there somehow monitoring their every move. Evidently the lack of privacy was normal for Asgards even as the whole situation was becoming more and more intolerable for the Earth couple.
It did finally all hit the proverbial fan the day her two medical technicians, Kaln and Sveni, decided that she could no longer work, walk or worry and since they felt her attitude was unreasonable toward them --she'd only thrown two handy books at them. (They should've been glad her P90 wasn't within reach.) Their suggestion was to place her in a deep relaxing sleep until the delivery date. This went over like a ton of Naquadah. Jack was given a very unnecessary ultimatum by his wife; unnecessary because he felt exactly as she did - time to head home. The Asgards had flipped (Jack's terminology).
The situation was exacerbated when Sam insisted that they take the Stargate home - not the Asgard Ship, the Hammond as planned by Thor. All out negotiations ensued - Thor was called in to act as mediator. The O'Neil's again had to face the realization of the excessive importance the Asgards were placing on their child. It was getting scary. The Asgards then experienced firsthand the infamous O'Neill stubborn streak' - nothing, nothing was keeping him on Othalla --they were going home and that was that. As always Jack O'Neill had a parting line for his hosts, as exiting through the gate, he yelled,
"Goodbye Emerald City - Kansas here we come."
- Back to Present Day - Cheyenne Mountain Briefing room as briefing continues-
Daniel was spellbound as Sam and Jack took turns conveying what had transpired since they'd been gone, playing tag team' - when one got tired of talking, the other would pick up the story until finally Jack stood up from the table and loudly proclaimed, "There ya have it in a nutshell!"
"One moment Jack." Landry spoke up, "What about Uhh... You know..." and nodded at the wall behind Jack and Sam where five Asgards still stood solemnly.
"What?" Jack turned and jumped slightly at noticing them.
"Sorry guys. I forgot about you again." Jack's unapologetic attitude gave lie to his words and brought a grin to Daniel's face.
All five nodded their heads once as if choreographed.
"I don't know how you can forget about them..." Sam muttered a hard edge in her voice. "They're always there!" She added tersely.
"Practice..." Jack quipped and then with a sigh sat back down. "Here's the deal Hank - they are with us for the duration."
"What duration?"
"Uhh. You know..." Jack's concentration riveted on his fingers beating the table.
"My duration - my pregnancy." Sam explained.
"OHH..." Landry nodded in understanding and then added, "But that's a problem - they can't go out in public."
"Of course not, Hank, we request permission to stay here on base." Jack asked quickly his dark eyes seeking out the blue eyes of his wife. Sam nodded.
Landry sighed, "Permission granted." Abruptly he stood,
"Jack follow me, the President is waiting on a call from you. Dr. Jackson would you escort Col. Carter down to the infirmary and Jack will be there shortly. I'll get Walter to freshen up the VIP suite and figure out where we are going to situate..." and nodded at the watchful gray aliens.
"Sounds like a plan." Jack stood and quickly pulled out his wife's chair and before he could help her up, gray arms had surged forward and grasped each elbow. "Jaackk..."
Jack's amused brown eyes caught Daniels' gaze as he hid his grin from Sam,
"Hey buddies, come on now - let her go."
Silently they stepped back after making sure she was up and watched as she then allowed Daniel to take her arm and head for the infirmary. Jack noticed their exchange of glances and just had to lean in and whisper,
"Sorry fellas but she actually LIKES him." and grinned.
The five gray aliens blinked as one and then turned as if in line formation and left following Sam out of the briefing room leaving Jack and Landry alone.
Jack sighed - "Thor's about the only Asgard with a sense of humor. It's been a long year."
Landry chuckled and then on a more serious note inquired,
"So, are you back temporarily? Or, is this a permanent situation? The President has had nothing but great things to report about your work on the council. You've found your niche, eh Jack?"
Jack shrugged, his face suddenly sober,
"Yeah, well, who'uld a thought my niche' would be in a galaxy, far, far away. Just call me SkyWalker'. As far as the job goes, it's going just fine. Apparently all our allied races think I've got diplomacy coming out my butt and I'm the next best thing to sliced bread. Sam calls me their Occam's razor' guy. When they can't see the forest for the trees, they turn to me. Hell, half the time, I'm still wondering why I'm even there." His attitude and comic look of incredulity had Landry smiling but turned thoughtful as Jack continued,
"Earth's inclusion in the Council has us on the front line as to threats and threat assessments. We've renegotiated treaties and aid plans for less advanced planets. Stakes are so much higher at this level - it's ... daunting." Landry studied his friends' tired face and knew the burden had been heavy for this man.
With a note of pride in his voice, Jack continued, "Sam's done an amazing job - she's like a sponge absorbing their technology and has already produced some beneficial results. We have some detailed technology plans to pass along to the eggheads here." He stopped, and a bit more grimly he went on,
"Those were the positives. The negative side is there's a deadly, new threat on the horizon and I wanted to apprise the President in person. It's one we haven't seen before and when I say we' I mean the whole Council. I'll need to arrange a meeting as soon as possible."
Pausing again in thought while tiredly raking long fingers through his always-disheveled hair he went on, "Mainly I'm back because Sam needs to be here. Other than the fact that they have total FLIPPED out about our child and Sam's care - we had to get home because she's gonna need Earth skills in the delivery."
"What do you mean?" Landry asked.
"Cesarean section. At least that's the consensus from talking to different OB-GYNS over the burst data transmission device. There's concern over the Naquadah in her system and something about she's kinda built narrow where she shouldn't be... "Jack's hands as normal were waving around trying to illustrate his points, and then added abruptly, "So! We're here."
Landry, being an old friend, was probably one of a very small number who could spot signs of O'Neill's concern. The nervous clinching of his jaw, the pinching the bridge of his nose indicating he was experiencing one of his known headaches.
"Jack, she'll be fine."
"Easy to say from where you sit, huh Hank?"
"Yeah, but I've been in that chair too -- nothing more natural than childbirth." And then added, "And nothing more natural than for you to be worried. Just know that she'll have the finest medical care available." His reassurance seemed to make an impact on Jack whose dark eyes lit up with warmth that few people saw but always remembered. "Thanks Hank."
Hank slapped him on the back, His voice gruff with sudden emotion. "Glad you're back. Life's been dull without you."
Jack smiled and nodded, "Well, Let's not keep our Commander in Chief waiting." and allowed Landry to lead the way to the red phone.
Daniel waited outside the infirmary while Dr. Lam checked out Sam. He was not alone; all five of the Asgards were with him. Trying to be social as always, Daniel introduced himself and attempted conversation. He learned nothing other than their names and duties. Their attitude reminded Daniel of prisoners of war stating only what was required. Curiouser and curiouser' he thought wryly as he suffered their stares. Dr. Lam appeared at the door and motioned, all five Asgards started to move toward the door,
"Sorry but she only wants to see Dr. Jackson." Dr. Lam addressed them, her tone less than conciliatory.
Dr. Jackson shrugged, "Sorry guys. I'm sure she'll come around." And followed Dr. Lam through the door.
"Don't bet on it Daniel. I don't think she wants them anywhere near her."
"You're kidding. Right? How bad can the Asgards be?"
"I'll let Colonel Carter fill you in. She's very stressed. Her blood pressure is much too high for my comfort. I think you're just the person to get her to relax."
"Thanks, Carolyn. You're the best." And gave her elbow a gentle squeeze.
Moving the flimsy curtain aside, Daniel found Sam reclined with one arm thrown over her eyes as if the lights were bothering her.
Clearing his throat, she lowered her arm and smiled at seeing him. "Come sit here." And patted her bed, and watched as he sat on the edge. She held her hands out and he readily gripped them in his and smiled -- his contentment at being there evident in his handsome face.
"I hope I didn't hurt your feelings earlier. I wouldn't do that for anything..."
"DANIEL! Stop it. You couldn't hurt my feelings ... I was teasing you and you know it."
Daniel heaved a relieved sigh, "Well, I know how emotional a time this can be."
And as if on cue, tears welled up in her large blue eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
"What?" Daniel stood up as concern filled his eyes, "Do you need Dr. Lam?"
"It's s'ok... come on..." and patted the bed again, "It's just that I'm sooo glad to be back."
Daniel sat back down and found her hands again, rubbing her cold fingers.
"Was it that bad on Othalla?" he anxiously watched her weary, pale face. He knew from Carolyn that she was dangerously stressed and worried that he was only making the situation worse.
"Not at first, but the last three months have been a living nightmare..."
Was it Jack?" Daniel didn't realize his voice had hardened.
Sam was bewildered by his comment and wiped her tears Hurriedly, "Daniel, No! Jack's been my anchor. He's had it rough too but never once has he been anything but gentle and caring. He's had my six' the whole year." and they shared a grin at their old team terminology.
"What was the problem then?" He was really trying to understand.
"The Asgards - they frighten me Daniel. They know something about our child, something of great consequence. They refuse to share it and I actually understand that. We shouldn't know so we can't adversely affect the future. I know this as a scientist, but as a mother, it's a little harder to deal with. I didn't think they were going to allow us to leave. It was Jack's demanding to... "Sam shivered as if cold and Daniel soothingly rubbed her hand and waited and she finally continued, "Jack got us back here, Daniel by being the pigheaded, stubborn man that we both know and love."
Daniel interrupted with an endearing grin, "Well actually YOU love him, I just kinda sorta like him ... a lot." and was rewarded with another beautiful Carter smile.
Sam's face suddenly suffused with color as she added softly, "I do... love him, Daniel - even more now than a year ago, I don't have any regrets."
Suddenly she felt embarrassed; she had always found it hard to discuss her feelings - she attributed it to losing her mother at a critical age and being raised in a strict, military atmosphere by a father whom she aspired to be like. Yet even as she was embarrassed she was glad that she had a friend such as Daniel.
A kinder soul she had never come across in all the worlds, and all the different races that she had encountered. A good, gentle man with the courage of his convictions and never wavered from them no matter the cost, a friend that both Jack and she treasured and had missed terribly. One of the very few people that she could open up too and knew that this was true of Jack as well.
Daniel sensing that she was uncomfortable squeezed her hands to reassure her and asked a question that was bothering him, "You don't think there was some ulterior motive for the Asgards trying to keep you there?" concern in his voice.
"NO. NO. I don't mean to imply that - they are simply obsessing - and frankly, when an Asgard obsesses - you don't want to be the object of it. Let me tell you!"
Daniel nodded, still full of curiosity about the subject but let it go. Thinking that he would switch the conversation to something more pleasant, he asked, "Is he excited? I mean... about the baby? That must have been quite a surprise. I remember when I heard how surprised I was."
Once again, Sam's eyes welled up and tears spilled down her cheeks. She was squeezing Daniels' hands so hard that he was wincing but didn't complain.
"Daniel, sorry. It's hormones... Damn things - I HATE to cry."
"What's wrong Sam?" He asked tenderly.
"Nothing."
"Come on... It's me. What's wrong?"
Hesitantly, she began, after a year of holding things in; it was hard to let go -- even to Daniel.
"Jack hasn't really talked much about the baby and how he feels about it. I mean, he's NOT unhappy - just fairly ... noncommittal. When he first found out, he was happy that I was happy. This Asgard situation has both of us on the edge. Everything in our lives has changed so much that we are both still trying to figure out how to handle stuff... our relationship, our jobs, and now a family. It's been chaotic... crazy". Sam paused, her gaze inward as she contemplated the past year, and continued,
"We didn't have a clue as to the degree of responsibilities in his appointment; they are huge, Daniel. The decisions they make are mind-boggling. But he's Jack and he's doing what he's always done - shouldering it - plenty of room on that broad back - no complaints, just nightmares that he won't discuss."
She stopped to blow her nose, and then continued, " I know he's dreaming bout Charlie - he says his name... in his sleep... but he's protecting me as he has always protected all of us. I can't get him to let me help him. He doesn't want to trouble me while I'm pregnant. I need you to talk to him, Daniel. You're the only one who can get him open up. He trusts you and you know how rare that is for Jack."
Daniel's sympathetic heart felt like bursting as he leaned over and kissed her wet cheek. "Of course. You rest. You knew who you were marrying when you married him - so you cannot complain. WELLL, I guess you COULD but what good would it do?" He paused and then teasingly went on,
"Don't tell me you thought you could change Jack O'Neill! You DO have a genius IQ don't you?" Finally he got a grin from her as her eyes sleepily closed.
"Night Sam." He whispered softly.
Barely audible, on the brink of sleep, Sam answered, "Night Daniel... I love you, ya know?"
Daniel's heart once again swelled as he smiled, thinking that a Carter on hormones' wasn't such a bad thing for the usually stoic soldier-scientist.
"Love you too" he leaned over kissed her cheek before slipping off the bed and leaving.
End of Part 2 – Change Happens Again
