Raven's Nest, Douglas, Illinois, star date 12106.14

Both knew the other was awake, but neither wanted to move should it break the moment. Jack was spooned around Grace, holding her tight to him. He did not want to let her go, and she did not want him to. It was nearly dawn, and the chickens out in the garden were already starting to rustle, but Jack could not let her go yet.

Jack did not need empathic powers to know what was going on in Grace's head. He had felt them before. They were in a small cabin in the woods. He had concluded that he wanted to wake up next to her for the rest of his life. Their child was conceived that night. He did not realize what he was saying goodbye to when he kissed her goodbye that morning for his short tour of duty. He came home to his world turned upside down. In two weeks, he was married to his sweetheart, they were expecting their first child, and now he was leaving for his first long-term assignment. Thankfully, Grace would be back with him in 2 weeks; that was the only thing keeping his sanity. He squeezed her tighter for a moment.

"Jack…" Grace said somewhat sleepily.

"Yes." He spoke into her hair.

"What time do you have to be at the muster point?"

Jack sighed, "I have to be there by 0800, but the ship is picking me up at 0730."

"As much as I don't want to let go, you need to start getting ready." Grace turned over to face him.

Jack leaned his forehead against Grace's. "I know, but I can't understand why this morning is so much harder than those in the past." He kissed her nose then sat up in bed.

Carefully levering herself up in the bed, Grace smiled slightly, "Because you are not just leaving me behind, but this time you are leaving your family." She kissed him and stood up, and made her way to her makeshift wardrobe to get ready for the day.

Jack sighed and rolled out of bed himself. "For the past eight years or so, I've been going on study tours and short assignments; this is harder."

"As I said, this time, you are leaving your family behind," Grace smirked. Jack looked at her, confused.

"Or did you forget?" Grace pulled the baggy shirt she was wearing taught against her body.

Then it hit him what Grace was trying to say. In the past few weeks, her baby bump was now very noticeable. Although she had been wearing baggy clothing when working on the house or hanging out with the family that her being pregnant was never that obvious.

"For a moment, I have been enjoying spending this extra time with my wife, that I forgot that she is also the mother of my child." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her so his hands were over her belly.

"You know we will be fine, right," Grace said over her shoulder to Jack.

"I know. It is the only reason I'm not utterly terrified leaving you behind." He kissed her behind her ear and then went to his wardrobe. Grace began pulling out some adjusted jeans and a particular top that Crissy had gotten her. "I know you will take care of yourself, and therefore our child. Between Chrissy, Lynn, and your mom, you won't be able to sneeze without them wanting to scan you."

"Don't I know it." Grace chuckled and began looking for something in the wardrobe.

Jack tossed his deployment bag onto the unmade bed and got into uniform.

"Jack…" Grace asked as she pulled her head out of the wardrobe.

"Yes, sweetheart." Jack was slipping his uniform boots on.

"I left my shoes downstairs by the steps. Could you get them for me?"

"Sure," He got up and kissed her and headed down the stairs,

Once he was going down the stairs, Grace went over and hid Mr. Kit-Kit in Jack's rucksack. "Protect Jack until I get there, Kit Kit." She blew a kiss and sat down on the bed to wait for Jack.

It was not long before Jack returned with slip-on shoes. "I hope this works."

"They will be fine." Grace took them and slipped them on her feet.

Jack zipped up his bag and slipped it over his shoulder. "There is something I need to do before we head outside."

"Which is?" Grace asked curiously.

"This." Jack pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket and removed a small necklace. He placed it around Grace's neck. Grace smiled when she saw it in the mirror. "I remember you eyeing Lynn's the other day. It has your and I's birthstone, with a simple silver star in the middle. When our child is born, we can put their birthstone in the star."

"I love it," Grace said tearily.

"Hey… Hey," Jack wiped her tears aside, "No crying. You will be seeing me in two weeks. Just two weeks, we have been apart longer than that."

"I just feel like I got you back, and now you are leaving again." Grace sniffed into his chest.

"Hey, you can't get rid of me." Jack tried to cheer her up, even though the same thoughts were bothering him too. "I couldn't get you to leave me alone when I was 9, and for some reason, you fell in love with me and said yes when I asked you to marry me. So you are not getting rid of me that easily."

"I just…" Grace buried her face in his chest.

He held her for a few minutes before he coaxed her to hold his hand and let him lead her down the stairs into the sitting room. They sat on the old musty love seat for an hour until Jack heard the chirp from his communicator.

Jack stood and pulled Grace to her feet. "Ryerson."

"We will be at your coordinates in 5 minutes. Please be prepared to transport."

"Understood. Ryerson, out."

"Gracie, I have to go," he squeezed her hand.

"I know." She said sadly.

"Two weeks. Just two weeks, beautiful," Jack tried to get Grace to smile.

She just reached up and kissed him fiercely. They did not come up for air until Jack's communicator beeped a one-minute warning. They did not say anything as Jack stepped away and out the front door into the front garden.

Grace could see him through the window. He waved to her, and he disappeared in the transporter beam. Grace took one breath before sitting down on the floor and sobbing