Author's Notes

-I apologize for the criminal amount of time that has passed since the update of the last chapter – I got grounded from the computer for 3 weeks. I hope this has not depleted your faith in my writing or your liking for this story (if you do like the writing / story)

- Finally I have decided to reveal the sex of the baby, I was going to wait until it was born but I figured Sam and Jack were getting fed up of calling their child an "it"

- For those who are still with me here, I would like to request a vote: for my English coursework I am planning to enter either Addiction or a chapter of this story, If you review I would like to ask you (pretty please with a cherry on top) which chapter you think would be most suitable for coursework material? If you are interested I will tell you what one I use once I have decided…there again some of you out there might not want my life story in the author's notes, lol

- I also apologize for the lack of a preview with last chapter, I was hurried when updating it, this chapter will have a nice long (ish) preview as my sorry and I added something else down the bottom as well.

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Chapter 17 – Maternal Instinct

'The gel might be a little cold,' the shiver that Sam felt as Janet applied the gel to her stomach was not only due to the chill of the gel, it was more to do with the fact she was about to see her baby for the first time, she realized that she was not only excited but she was also fretting for the wellbeing of her child, they had been enduring a cycle of seemingly endless torture for months, anything could have happened to the baby in that time, after all Nirrti had not needed it in good shape initially and a sarcophagus could have repaired any post-natal implications, Jack gently slipped his hand into Sam's, her grip tightened, his touch was reassuring.

It was strange to think back to when they had met, how their feelings had grown, On reflection in those times she had thought of her CO as a safe bet, she set her sights on the man she knew she loved but she also knew was unattainable, she didn't want to get hurt. Now she was taking her chances, it was like someone had pushed her onto a busy road where so many things could go wrong but it was worth what was on the other side. Her sapphires lay upon the smile she felt proud for summoning, it was a true smile, a smile that had not graced his handsome face for many years, it reached his eyes, it cleansed his spirit

'Is it healthy?' Jack's finger twitched as he saw a little heart beat occur suddenly on the screen, this image was soon followed by that of a small human form

'From what I can see,' Janet looked from face to face and then to the hands that were linked in beautiful hope, this scene was favorable to many she had witnessed and played part in, these two characters, her friends had been in situations when she didn't think they would make it through, she had seen them dying…now she saw them smiling, happy and finally together 'she is very healthy, I wouldn't recommend a sarcophagus for continual use obviously but anything she suffered while you were in Nirrti's presence and anything that was wrong with her initially will have been cured,'

'She?' tears came to Sam's eyes as her baby took one more step to becoming a person in mind and body; it was a she, their little girl, Jack crouched beside her to whisper in her ear

'You gave us a baby girl Sam… Thank you,'

Janet busied herself printing the ultrasound while the couple shared a sweet moment, as if testing them once more fate intervened to wipe the smile from Janet's face

'Sam,' she spun around to address her friend, clutching the ultrasound and focusing on the more distinct features of the human form 'How far along did you say you were?'

There was a pause while memories flashed through Sam's mind and she counted each month on her fingers

'Nearly 5 months now I think...' Sam recounted as Janet realized there was more news she would have to break to her colleagues

'Well, err; you know Nirrti is always jumping the queue to take her turn on the genetic manipulation devices…' Jack and Sam's faces dropped faster than a stone on Jupiter 'Looking at the current development of the baby it appears that she has somehow accelerated the pregnancy,'

'She did what!' Jack's temper flared, for Janet the saying "don't shoot the messenger" jumped to mind. Sam avoided an argument by pressing on with the conversation

'When am I due then?' her face fell to her hands, not quite sure she actually wanted to know the answer

'At this rate of growth and if she isn't premature or overdue I say in about…a month, month and a half maybe,'

'I should have shot her when I had the chance,' Jack mumbled starting to pace at Sam's bedside, Sam had to prevent herself from hyperventilating before responding to Janet's estimate

'So I am going to start showing a lot more soon?' One of many big decisions was looming depending on the answer to this question

'Well with some women they hardly show during pregnancy, which might be the case for you, but since your abdomen has already swelled slightly I'm guessing your pregnancy will start getting noticeable very soon,'

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Janet requested Sam stay in the Infirmary overnight for observation, due to the most recent shock she had agreed. She and Jack had talked for a long while before she insisted he get some sleep, it had been quite a battle but Jack had reluctantly left saying he would get Daniel to come and watch her while he grabbed probably much fewer than forty winks. One hand rested on her stomach – an action that was quite a comfort to her now – as she drifted into unsettled kind of sleep.

Images swam about her awareness, none of them forming completely into dreams of any kind until a disturbing scene began to play out in her mind

'It's okay Sam just breathe,' Janet practiced breathing exercises which she prompted Sam to echo 'Now push!'

Pain made Sam cry out as she felt something slither from her and Nirrti appeared at the foot of her bed, she instantly panicked

'Janet!' She cried, reaching out for the help of her friend, Nirrti's presence did not gain Sam's expected reaction though and her horror was heightened as Nirrti reached forward and lifted a squealing symbiote from between her legs

'Jack! Help me!' Sam begged as Jack also made an appearance in the darkened room

'Oh look Sam,' He responded casually 'it has your eyes,'

'Jack please!' Sam was verging hysteria now as one more familiar face made his appearance 'Daniel! Daniel you have to help me, this isn't right! It's wrong, all wrong! I want my baby! I want my daughter!' a panic attack was starting to overwhelm her as she screamed out for normalcy, for escape, the response from Daniel sent her anxiety and terror spiking - his eyes flashed, he was a Goa'ould

'No, no, no,' tears streaked Sam's face as she was suffocating in what felt like such a small space now, familiar faces surrounded her but they did not smile with warmth, they mocked her, they laughed at her, poor helpless Sam, she could not save her baby and she could not save herself, Daniel snatched the symbiote from Nirrti and advanced towards her as the other occupants of the room began a chorus of her name

'Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam,'

'Sam! Sam!' Sam's hand clenched on soft material as she woke to the sound of Daniel's voice, the experience was strange, a blur of sobs, flailing and tears, She grabbed at Daniel, pulling him towards her, he embraced her tightly

'It's okay Sam, It's okay, you're safe now,' he shushed her, rocking back and forth, she cried hugging him trying to forget about the nightmare, keep telling herself it wasn't real and never would be.

They sat for a long time, it had never occurred to her just how tall and strong Daniel was and overall how lucky she was, she was in a team with three other men who all cared about her, they looked after her, hugged her when she cried, did everything in their power to save her when others considered her lost. She felt close to Daniel like he was a brother, yet he was a total contrast to Mark, Mark had always kept to himself, even more so after their mom had died, she had always been alone after what had happened to mom, Mark was anti-social and her dad buried himself in work, now it was like Daniel was making up for that, he was there when her true family wasn't. Little Girl Sam was gone, the Sam that cried herself to sleep every night, the Sam who sat in the corner of her dark room illuminated only by a single lamp as she read through her books on quantum physics - that Sam was long behind her, now she was Soldier Sam, SG Sam, part of a complicated relationship Sam, She was about to be a mom and she wasn't going to make the mistakes her dad had made.

'Have you got a name for your little girl yet?' Daniel's whisper broke the silence, Sam pulled away to look upon a kind smile from her friend, this gaze was broken though as her focus fell to her stomach, she pulled her shirt up slightly to show how it had swollen from her usual slim figure

'It's strange,' she commented placing a hand at each side of her abdomen, framing her bellybutton 'I couldn't have imagined this ever happening, I found Jack irritating when I met him…but even as I began to like him…to love him, I knew that our military positions, the very nature of our job wouldn't allow for any kind of serious relationship. After all this has happened, the night when…all this started, it's just a blur. I don't know If I want to be with Jack, but our little girl means more to both of us than anything…maybe, maybe one day it can work out…it's just nice to know I'm not alone,'

'Sam,' Daniel pushed his glasses further up his nose 'You will never be alone, Jack is always by your side, every time you fall unconscious he is there when you wake, Janet will fight to keep you with us at all costs and…and it's not like me and Teal'c are gonna turn on you anytime soon.'

There were smiles before several moments of silent reflection which were shattered when Sam jumped suddenly

'What is it? Are you okay,' Sam pondered Daniel's fret for a moment before realization washed over her

'She kicked,' Sam's eyes lit up and before Daniel had a chance to ask she had snatched his hand and placed it softly on her stomach, Daniel was taken aback but the feeling soon receded as he also felt the soft vibration through flesh.

He could not deny it was nice to share a moment with Sam but he could also not help but feel out of place -

'I'll go get Jack,' Daniel resolved, standing and making his way to the door of the infirmary only casting a quick look behind him to see the little sister he never had with a smile that none but she deserved.

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I just needed that brother/sister Sam and Daniel bit in there! The dream was a bit of random-ness that I thought of about a month ago…strangely it actually came to me in a dream (it wasn't actually my dream though, more about a dream of my planning a dream – if you get me) lol

Next Chapter: Jack has some tough calls to make but when it comes to the fight he refuses to back down. Sam is taken aback by the decision on his part that has always haunted both of them when thinking they could be together. Sam also has a challenge as she must face General Hammond…how will he respond when he finds out that not only did Sam and Jack break the regs but they have pulled off a secret pregnancy under his nose?

Baby Counter: Two and a half chapters until baby O'Neill/Carter makes her way into the world!