Chapter Six
A startled squeak from the doorway drew their attention away from each other. Daniel, Janet, and Teal'c were weighted down with packages. Behind them, Carter could see a few enlisted men also carrying packages. She glanced at Jack, knowing he had something to do with their purchases. "Sir?" She also figured, with their audience, that a switch back to formality was necessary.
"I sent Daniel to the store for some stuff."
"I think he bought the entire store."
Jack looked at the group, suddenly suspicious. "Daniel, didn't I give you a fairly short list?"
Daniel nodded proudly. "I hope we're not interrupting anything." His words merited a giggle from Janet and a grin from Teal'c. "Anyway, I did get the formula and the car seat and the bottles and the diapers and the onesies."
Jack looked at the giant pile accumulating as everyone dropped their packages. "So what's all this?"
"Well, Janet thought she ought to come with me to make sure I bought the right stuff."
Teal'c smiled as he placed a large bag, overflowing with toddler-sized clothes at Carter's feet. "I thought it best to accompany them. I have personally ensured your child with have clothing beyond her first year of life.
Carter looked at the blue overalls with red trucks on the top of the pile, but she couldn't find the words to tell him they were boy's clothes. He was too proud of himself. She glanced at Janet, who only shrugged. Carter looked back at Teal'c. "Was it necessary to buy them all today?"
Teal'c nodded. "It is a rare occasion when I am offered the use of O'Neill's credit card." Before Jack could freak out, or perhaps to ward off a physical attack, Teal'c snatched the baby out of Jack's arms, cradling her tenderly. "This is indeed a precious child."
Whether it was seeing the dopey grin on Teal'c's face or his obvious enchantment with the baby, Carter felt a wave of pride fill her. She wanted to stand up and shout to the world that it was her baby. She turned toward Jack, wanted to share a moment of parental pride. But Jack's eyes were on the pile of stuff they'd brought in.
"Daniel, how much did this cost?"
Daniel grinned as he opened the box containing the car seat. "It didn't all go on your card, Jack."
Teal'c smiled as he passed the baby to Janet's outstretched hands. "Indeed. We all contributed financially."
Jack closed his eyes and visibly relaxed.
Daniel was pulling pieces out of the car seat box, trying to assemble it without tools or the instructions. "Once your card was maxed out, we didn't have much of a choice."
Carter watched as Jack tensed again. She knew the feeling of having someone else rack up huge debt on her credit cards - Orlin's single-use Stargate in her basement had cost her nearly twenty grand, not counting the electric bill or the repairs to the basement. She patted his back. "At least we won't have to buy baby clothes for a while."
Daniel looked up from the mess he was making. "I had no idea how much fun shopping for babies was. I just couldn't help myself."
Teal'c had been pulling items from one of the other bags. He stopped on one item, intently studying the label on a can of formula with a confused look on his face. He looked at Carter. "I do not understand this item. Do human mothers not feed their children?"
Carter grabbed the can from him. "Human mothers usually give birth to their children, Teal'c."
Teal'c continued to look confused, glancing between the formula and Carter's chest. "Major Carter, you appear physically well equipped to provide adequate nutrition for your offspring."
Janet and Daniel dissolved into a fit of giggles. Carter's face turned several shades of red. Jack became fascinated with his shoes, but Carter could see the blush that had swept across his face. Teal'c stood straight-faced, waiting for an answer.
Carter began studying the label on the formula, deciding to ignore Teal'c until someone else distracted him. She wanted to figure out how to do something relating to her child on her own.
Jack slid off the bed, taking the parts of the car seat away from Daniel. "I'll get this, Danny. Why don't you keep Teal'c from harassing Carter anymore?"
Rather than taking his advice, Daniel took the baby out of Janet's arms and tried to quiet the fussing that had only just started.
Within three minutes, Jack had the seat assembled and was placing his precious cargo in it. The baby immediately settled down, gazing happily at Jack.
Carter was not one to be outdone; her competitive spirit was insisting that she do something of value. She found one of the bottles in the bags, hiding her grin at the adorable bunny with a pacifier on the side, washed it and disinfected it repeatedly, and then proceeded to prepare a bottle. She didn't know how much to feed a three day old baby or even if she could eat in the position she was in, but it made Carter fell better to have something in her hand.
Jack smiled when she approached with the bottle. He was also holding a little pink dress with a little pink bear in a tutu stitched on the side. He held up the little pink hat and matching booties proudly. Under any other circumstances, Carter would have doubled over laughing, just as Janet and the boys ha, but it wasn't other circumstances. He was the father of a perfect, beautiful baby girl and she was the mother of the same perfect, beautiful baby. She could only smile back stupidly, knowing full well that all of their friends were laughing at them.
"Do you want to hold her while you feed her?" He moved to lift the baby, but Carter stopped him.
"She looks so comfortable." Carter sat down next to the car seat, trying to pretend she wasn't nervous about feeding her baby for the first time. Her hand was shaking as she held out the bottle. But the baby seemed to know exactly what to do, latching onto the bottle, closing her eyes and sucking happily. Carter was so proud of herself. She looked up at Jack, beaming at having figured something out for herself. Jack was beaming back at her, looking like the biggest sap in the world as he took the seat on the other side of the carrier. Even the laughter died out from the peanut gallery as everyone watched the scene spellbound.
General Hammond's voice broke the silence. "As heartwarming as this is, this base is no place for a baby. Colonel, Major, you are both officially on leave until we get a chance to figure out what you're going to do."
He looked around, noticing that everyone's attention was directed at the baby and that no one had acknowledged him.
"Don't the rest of you have jobs?" His bark caused a momentary flutter of activity that only lasted until he walked away.
Jack pulled his attention off the baby. "Daniel, assemble your friends and pack this stuff in Carter's car."
Daniel looked uncomfortable as he sighed. "Um, Jack, there's still stuff in your truck."
Jack looked around, wondering what else they'd bought. "Like what?"
"Like the bassinette and the changing table and the dresser and the paint-"
"Paint? You bought paint?"
Daniel shrugged and looked to Teal'c. Teal'c nodded. "I insisted that a shade of paint be purchased that would coordinate with the bedding and the wallpaper border."
Jack turned to Janet, who should have been a bit more in control. She shrugged. "I only pointed out that it was cute, sir. It was their idea to buy it."
Glancing at Carter, who was too charmed by her daughter to notice what was going on, Jack shrugged. "Fine. Put it in my truck. We'll be up as soon as she's done."
"You're going to Sam's place, right?"
Jack's thought process hadn't gotten that far. "Why?"
The group of friends looked among themselves. "Well, there's some stuff being delivered tomorrow and I gave them Sam's address. I just figured-"
"Whatever, Daniel."
The troops disappeared with the bags, leaving Jack with Carter and the baby. The baby finished her bottle quickly, her tiny belly only able to absorb so much. Carter watched in awe as Jack burped her and changed her and dressed her in the dancing bear dress. Carter had never in her life wanted to squeal like she did watching Jack with his baby, her baby, their baby. Instead, she held on to what little military discipline she had left and only looked on with a content smile.
Once the girl was settled, Jack offered Carter the car seat to carry. Carter took it eagerly, hiding how shocked she was to discover how heavy it was. She decided that was a good thing, that it meant the baby would be safe in the car. Jack led the way to his truck and helped Carter secure the carrier in the back. Carter climbed in the back of the cab, insisting that she ride with the baby.
Jack climbed in the front and buckled himself in, grinning at his girls in the rear view mirror. "Ready to go home?"
Carter directed her bright smile at their little bundle of unexpected joy. "Yes, Jack."
Consequences.5