Authors Notes

Just to clarify, I don't think Sam's reaction to being pregnant would be so

extreme, you will have to excuse it as ooc for the sake of the storyline

Sorry I haven't updated so quickly with this chapter I have been getting help with the story structure and my dad likes internet poker so I haven't had the opportunity to get online.

You will also have to excuse the lack of Teal'c in a lot of the story so far, he is really difficult to fit in because he doesn't have a leading role in Sam's life other than being a friend and team member – Jack is obviously in love with her, Janet is her close friend and Daniel is like a brother. The story has been very central to Sam and not Jack so Teal'c hasn't been around – you might have noticed me sending him off to Tulac for a while. I have tried to fit him in this chapter though.

Chapter 7: One Month

'I swear it is unnatural to be sick this often,' Sam groaned, sitting in the infirmary for what felt like the hundredth time, Janet smiling as she checked Sam over and listened mutely to the endless ranting 'There is no point eating! In an hour it all comes back up again! Plus, what sadistic...' She paused trying to think of a suitable term for who she was trying to describe but giving up after none seemed quite vicious enough '- gave it the term "Morning sickness"? It lasts all damn day! It is hard enough to hide that I am pregnant but if I hurl all over the briefing table then it's going to be just a little hint!'

'I'm sorry Sam but there isn't much that I can do to help you there,' Frasier admitted, stepping away and allowing Sam to lower herself from the bed to the floor

'I could just get rid of it,' Sam added quietly, Janet looked up at her sharply

'As your doctor I can tell you that it is an option… but as your friend I don't think you should…' Sam rolled her eyes as she could sense another dissuasion coming 'look, all of us who are close to you and Jack can see you like each other a lot more then you let on, I don't think it was wrong that you broke the rules for one night but I do think it's wrong if you destroy what you have created-'

'Ah,' Sam realized 'You have been talking to Jack haven't you?' Janet looked sheepish for a moment

'Yes, I have, but these are my views - Whatever you do fate is going to come back around and kick you in the ass for it. You slept together, you have received the consequences for it, if you get rid of the baby there will be a upshot for that too, and it could be a lot worse than what you are experiencing now' Sam frowned, for a woman of science there were a lot of serendipitous points slipping into her speech

'But I don't want a baby Janet, I could escape this and keep what me and Jack have intact so one day maybe if we can sort things out we could have another shot, I could get the baby aborted and then just tell Jack it was a miscarriage.'

'Oh and that isn't going to make you feel guilty,' Janet's sarcasm wasn't doing much to improve Sam's mood 'Sam, I just said that there will be penalty for that, first of all; lying to Jack will make you feel guilty as hell and then upset him greatly when you finally do tell him which could make "what you do have" fall apart. Then even if he does forgive you, you might not ever have the opportunity to have children again…things happen,' There was a moment while the two women stood lost in thought and different possibilities, Sam's voice was the one which broke the silence

'Why is this so hard? I tried to stay away from Jack for so many reasons that no one seems to understand. I never said I wanted to deny love, just put it on hiatus but now I have this thing growing inside of me which can only thrust us closer. Because so many things are telling me to give in I just can't help it but I don't want to, I don't want either of us to get hurt,'

'Jack might already have told you this but being in love means taking risks and unfortunately sometimes it means getting hurt, but in the long run, denying that love can leave you in even more pain,' Janet's brow creased and for a moment Sam could swear she spotted a tear, wiping under her eye fiercely Frasier looked back up at her friend 'Anyway, being a mom has a lot more involved than diapers, pacifiers and a screaming baby, there are things that you can look forward to with each milestone, I obviously haven't been Cassandra's mom from the beginning but even through the tears and tantrums I have enjoyed her company - being able to hug her when she is sad and know that she gains comfort from me, checking in on her every night before I go to bed, sometimes I even enjoy the arguments. She is 16 now and God can she argue! But even once she has stormed out to meet her boyfriend despite what I tell her to do she will always come to me later and say sorry, we always make up,' Sam knew Cassandra would slip into the conversation at some point, for a moment she wondered what the 16 year old would think about her having a baby, would she be shocked… happy… dejected? Would she agree with Jack and Janet? – That was most likely a yes.

Wandering back into her memories she recalled when she had been willing to give up her life to accompany Cassandra, she remembered the outrage she had felt when Cassey had been found alone on her planet and then when it was confirmed that she had a bomb laced into her chest; they had gone down to a military bomb shelter but Sam couldn't tear herself away from the heartbroken little girl who was about to die alone in a concrete cell, away from the beautiful flowers and trees, away from her family, and so far away from home.

She had been furious when the Goa'ould had used an innocent girl as a Trojan horse, condemned her to death, but here she was now callously wishing for the death of a child who had not yet begun to live, a child who was her own flesh and blood.

Just because it was so small and un-human-shaped she wanted to kill it in the time it needed sanctuary inside of her, it thought it would be safe and loved while instead it's protector was uncaring and the death toll loomed. Something clicked in her mind, she couldn't kill it, the parasite which she had sworn against now became a child, she tried to keep thinking - it was just a parasite but maternal thoughts plagued her mentality, it was her parasite, her progeny, her legacy.

Janet had to contain a smile as she noticed comprehension dawn on Sam's face; a couple of days back, Jack had asked her to help persuade Sam to keep the baby because despite everything he had said she was still dubious. Janet knew that everything else was not working, Sam was one of the most strong minded people she knew and was not easily influenced but using her soft spot for Cassandra had worked and now Sam saw things from a different perspective

'Are you okay Carter?' Jack barked, entering the room with Daniel and Teal'c close behind

'Yes sir, just feeling a little queasy so I asked Janet to check me out,' Sam replied cheerily, Janet's eyebrows raised, she had to give them credit – they pulled of the "we're just friends" act so well they could have won an academy award

'You really have been spending too much time in here, I think you ought to rent a bed' Daniel joked, unfortunately not even inspiring a titter from the occupants of the infirmary, his face fell slightly but he continued on to re-integrate Teal'c into the group 'I filled Teal'c in about what has been happening here while he was in Tulac,'

'I'm okay now, just a bad takeout I think,' Sam assured, confident that Daniel and Teal'c were convinced

'I am glad you are feeling well Major Carter, maybe I can discuss the events at Tulac with you later…?'

Oh, I don't think that's necessary, we have already spent a nice couple of hours talking about it with detailed description of the firing and the blood and…such…Sam might just want to just read the report,' Daniel interjected before Teal'c could start his account, Sam gave Daniel a grateful smile; she wasn't particularly raring to listen to a saga about dying Jaffa and how Teal'c had, by some miracle, scraped out of trouble, it was bound to be the old cliché.

'We were wondering if you wanted to come to the commissary with us to get something to eat and I'm sure we can find something to talk about,' Daniel requested, crossing his fingers that Teal'c wouldn't be his only company, as great as Teal'c was, they didn't have that much common ground when it came to conversation. Sam's instant reaction was to play a face of regret

'Sorry guys, I can't, I have some other stuff I need to do tonight' Daniel's face fell for a brief moment, presumably he had wished for some company that knew what he was talking about

'Never mind, Jack is engaged as well, I guess it's just you and me hey Teal'c?' He gave Teal'c an enthusiastic slap on the back which he was afraid – for a moment – that the Jaffa would return, fortunately he just received the usual cocked eyebrow.

There was some light conversation before Daniel and Teal'c left. Finally getting the hint that Jack wanted to be alone with Sam, Dr Frasier also disappeared from the infirmary

'Are you actually doing anything tonight?' Jack smirked, having noticed the relief on Sam's face when Daniel had accepted her excuse

'No, I just didn't fancy trying to concentrate while Teal'c and Daniel told me their respective stories and snap at me when they realize my mind is somewhere else,' she replied amusedly

'Well would you like to come out for dinner with me tonight?' Jack asked laughing when she replied with a schoolgirl-like grin

'I would very much like that; I have to go home to get changed first though,'

'Of course, I'll drive you home, go and get changed myself and then pick you up again at…' Jack observed his watch for a moment, the hands read Six Thirty '7:30,'

'Okay then,' she accepted 'It's a date!'

Okay I am sorry, that was a bit more foundations, I needed her to realize she wanted the baby so I had to ramble for a bit, the chapter originally was going to be them out at dinner but if I added that this chapter would be massive and get quite tedious most likely! I will let you process this first!

Next Chapter – Candlelight dinner, proposals (sorry not the first one that jumps to your mind) and thoughts about the future