November 2009

Vala laid her head against the cold porcelain of the toilet, she had taken up waking up before Daniel to empty her stomach. It had been six weeks, her body felt the same way it did when she was pregnant with Lukas. The hardness in her lower abdomen was round, and her pants were tighter than normal.

"Vala?" Daniel said softly from the doorway to their en-suite bathroom. Looking at his partner, he moved, grabbing a cloth from the sink. "Honey, you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine Daniel," Vala lied with a sigh, as she leaned backwards against the wall.

Placing the cool cloth to her forehead, Daniel sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "How long have you known?"

"I, I," Vala said softly, before taking a breath. "I've suspected for a while," she replied.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"I didn't want to until I knew for sure," Vala replied. "Lukas is so young as is…"

"He is," Daniel agreed as he took Vala into his arms, she went willingly and took a breath.

"Dr. Pierce says I'm about eight weeks," Vala explained. "Which means the baby will be due at the end of May."

Sitting a moment in silence, Daniel rubbed circles on Vala's arms, as he took in the news. She was right, Lukas wasn't even a year old, he was already a handful, which made him wonder, could they take care of two babies?

They hadn't really discussed having a second baby, it wasn't like he wasn't happy, he was ecstatic at the idea of having another child. But ultimately it was Vala's choice, as the primary caregiver of Lukas, and the baby…

"I don't know if I can do it Daniel."

"Take care of a second baby?" Daniel asked softly as Vala nodded her head. "You don't have to."

"I can't," she mumbled. "Daniel, this baby wont make our problems better."

"No, but we can try harder," Daniel offered. "I meant what I said at my parents, I love you two, and bringing a third means I will love him or her just as much."

Vala nodded her head, as the cries of Lukas rang through their ears. Sighing she pulled herself to stand, holding her hand out for Daniel. "Okay," she said. "We can do this right?"

"Right," Daniel said as the two walked hand in hand out of the bathroom. "We beat the odds all the time Vala, surprise even ourselves."

"I know."

Leaning his head, Daniel kissed her lips quickly. "Never forget I love you."

"Cameron?" Penny asked looking at the man, who was currently staring at his phone.

"Yeah Babycakes?" he asked absently, not looking up from his cellphone. Sighing she sat down on the couch and looked at him.

"I don't think Colonel Carter and Miss Mal Doran like me," she said. "I'm not sad at all, but…"

"Nonesense Penny, they're just protective of who they let in," Cameron replied. "Really, as soon as we can get you clearance, you'll understand them better, and they'll learn to let you in more."

Penny stared at Cameron and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I just feel like an outsider with your group of friends."

"Penny," Cameron said putting his phone on the coffee table. "I didn't know you felt that way, we've all been through a lot together, and we just get things about each other. Look I'll talk to Sam and Vala."

"Cameron, don't do that," Penny said holding up her hand.

"How about this then," Cameron said looking at Penny. "We throw a dinner party, invite Jackson, Vala, the O'Neills, and then a few of your friends."

"Oh that sounds like fun, on the roof of the building would be best, we can get some of those string lanterns," Penny smiled. "Oh, but what about Teal'c?"

"You have a single friend right?" Cameron grinned as Penny leaned back into the couch and laughed. "What, I'm serious?"

"Cameron, I'm not allowed to be on my feet," Sam explained from her spot on Jack's Lazy-Boy.

"What if we do thanksgiving? That way you can stay in the livingroom, on my recliner?" Cameron asked with a smile. "Please, it would mean the world to Penny."

"Really? I had a feeling she wasn't a fan of us," Sam confessed as she let Cameron take a place on the bed beside her.

"You tell her I told you this, she'll kill me, but she thinks you and Vala don't like her, so if you'd say yes," Cameron started as Sam quickly cut him off.

"We don't hate her," she explained. "And Cameron, I really can't get up, the baby's health is at risk. However," she paused. "How do you feel about throwing a dinner party here? That way I'm not putting the baby here in danger, do you think she'll go for that?"

"I think so," Cameron smiled. "Thanks Sam, really, she means the world to me."

"I can tell," Sam smiled. "Now as I don't get to leave this bed, which means I don't get the good gossip," she said flashing the mega-watt smile.

"I'm under orders not to tell you about whats happening on the base, General O'Neill says he has the base under control, just like last time," Cameron explained with a straight face. "Seriously, the base is fine, busy as usual. General O'Neill is a great commander."

"He always has been," Sam smiled, feeling a smidge jealous that the SGC was going on without her. After the brief stint on the Hammond and she was offered the intrim position as base commander, Sam felt like she made it all the way, accomplished all her dreams.

"Sam, you are missed at base, Dr. Lee is trying to convince General O'Neill to video conference with you on a closed circuit feed, so you could help," Cameron explained giving Sam a nudge.

"He didn't tell me that," Sam said with a gruff.

"Maybe he wants it to be a surprise?" he said quickly, realizing he said something he shouldn't have. "I have to get back to the base though, I have a briefing in an hour. Take care."

"Thanks Cam, you too," Sam smiled as she watched him stand and wave at the doorframe. Leaning back into her bed, Sam sighed. She was bored, not in the past 20 years has she had this much time off. She had been officially lying in bed for close to three months, and was 5 months pregnant. Her belly popped a few days ago, she just popped into a round ball, or as Jack said, the watermelon she was hiding under her shirt. Every day Jack went back to the base, taking her position, her command, while she laid in bed. Everyday he came home, it was the time she used to be on her feet, to make dinner for the two, and they would lay on the couch and watch TV together, he'd fill her in on the day.

Sometimes she'd get visitors, Vala would bring Lukas over, but lately, even they were once a week. Teal'c would come, and he would massage her back, and feet, and they'd sit in silence. Daniel would come over, and they would lay in bed, watching the history channel, or Discovery. But that was rare too now. Cameron came over sporadically, usually on his lunch, as his days off he was spending with Penny.

She had to admit, there was something going on with Daniel and Vala, she wasn't sure, but she had a feeling. Something about the two when they came to visit, it was all about Lukas, and nothing else, and usually she was the one who would listen to their problems.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the sound of wailing entering the house. Dash who was lying on the end of the bed perked up and jumped off the bed, running down the hall. Lukas, and judging by the time of day, it was Vala. Her suspicions became clear when Vala walked into the bedroom, Lukas on her hip, screaming.

"I'm just putting him down in the spareroom," Vala announced dropping the diaper bag, grabbing the bottle from its side. "Be right back." Dash who followed sniffed around the diaper bag before trotting to follow Vala.

Sam smiled softly, knowing that soon that was going to be her, a frazzled mother. Sam repositioned herself on the bed, putting her laptop aside as Vala walked back into the room, the wailing continued in the background.

"We just needed to get out of the house," Vala said sitting down. "How are you feeling?"

"Fat," she replied. "Bored, restless."

Vala smiled slightly and grabbed the remote from the end table. "Let's watch TV."

"What's going on with you?" Sam asked looking at her friend, as Vala looked at her, almost in shock.

"Nothing."

"That's what Daniel says, and I know you two are hiding something. I thought your problems were getting better?" Sam pushed, taking the remote from Vala's hand and muting.

"They are, there are different problems," Vala sighed. "We're pregnant."

"What?" Sam asked very excitedly as she leaned in to hug Vala. "I'm so happy. You're happy right?"

"We're dealing with it," Vala replied with a smile. "The second unplanned baby, this time we have a baby to think about."

"Oh Vala, I didn't think about Lukas," Sam sighed, as she gently touched her own stomach.

"Daniel and I are considering options," she said quietly. "The doctor says if I want an abortion, I need to decide soon, as I'll be hitting the three month mark soon. But I don't know if that's right."

"Never feel pressured to keep the baby," Sam said softly holding her friend's hand.

"I don't think I could give the baby up for adoption, Lukas would have pictures of the pregnancy, and would hate me for giving up his brother or sister," she went on as Sam nodded. "It's harder than with Lukas."

"Whatever choice you make Vala," Sam replied softly. "Hey do you hear that?"

"What?" Vala asked, as a smile spread over her face. "He's sleeping! He's teething, and has been up since four this morning. Daniel left for the base early, and he hasn't stopped crying since. Sam how am I supposed to take care of a newborn with Lukas?"

"You're a mom Vala, a good mom, I'm sure that no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle both," she said softly. "If I can handle being in bed every day for six months, you can do anything."

"You're right."

"I always am," Sam laughed. "Now tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how excited are you?"

His mind was spinning, had been since this morning. He had an idea, truly he did, Vala was getting up early everyday, and taking a shower, yet her hair was never washed, and she would take a bath at night. He remembered the nights he'd spend with Vala while she was pregnant, in her first trimester, she'd be vomiting every morning. It all made sense the moment he walked into the bathroom.

Were they ready to be parents again? He wasn't even sure if they were good enough parents at the moment to Lukas, they were doing the best they could, of course, but that meant nothing. It meant everything.

Lukas was happy, and healthy. That's all that mattered.

Their problems, a bit better, they weren't fighting as much as normal, and never in front of Lukas. They were better. Having his parents take Lukas while in New York was what they needed, time to themselves, with someone they trusted to take care of their son. They trusted Sam, Jack, Cameron and Teal'c, but it wasn't the same, only Teal'c had raised a child, and he said it was never the same. Cameron always said his giant family was just like raising children, of those younger. But it was their son, and soon, there was going to be two babies.

Two babies.

He never even thought he'd be the father to one, let alone two. He knew Vala, really knew Vala, she'd never give their baby up, she was more frightened over it, and thought about all possibilities, it was the way Vala was. She matured in the years.

He matured, a lot too. Life made it so. He knew that, Vala brightened his life, gave it a bit more spontaneity. Nothing was ever really planned with her, except the big decisions. Just the other day, she had woken him up, Lukas on her hip and proclaimed it as pool day, and that they were going to the waterpark in Denver. He looked at her like she was crazy, but that was Vala, just the morning at the waterpark with a shrieking with joy Lukas was something he'd never change.

Lukas loved the water, even at bath time he would shriek with joy and splash, and it usually ended up as if they had taken a bath with him. He was usually responsible for bath night, which was every night, and came out looking like he was in the bath with him.

Okay, so maybe they were good parents, they always made Lukas came first, they'd put their needs last, everything was Lukas, and soon, everything was Lukas and the new baby.

"Yo Dannyboy," Jack said as he walked into Daniel's office and sat down. "Can you remind me why I agreed to do this?"

"Do what?" Daniel asked putting his pencil down and looking at Jack.

"Taking control of the base again," Jack sighed.

"You know you asked me that at least a dozen times already," Daniel replied rubbing his eyes. "Why don't you go home early, see Sam?"

"Can't, have a meeting at 4," he said picking up the book sitting on Daniel's couch. "Really Danny, romance novel?"

"Vala's," Daniel replied. "Sometimes she reads them to Luke, and he falls asleep."

"So you and Vala gonna have another kid?" Jack asked after a moment of silence, which caused Daniel to shoot his head up like a deer in headlights.

"How did you know we're pregnant?" he asked making sure no one overheard.

"I didn't, that was just a question," Jack said standing up. "Daniel, you and Vala are having another baby?"

"Baby is due at the end of May," he conceded. "Look, we're not really ready to tell anyone yet. It needs to be about Lukas right now, and Vala isn't sure she wants to have another baby."

Jack looked at his friend and watched his eyes. After all these years, he could tell all of Daniel's looks and fears. It happens when you live out of each other's pockets for a decade. He could tell Daniel was worried, scared even.

"I'm sure she wont do what you're thinking," Jack shrugged, as he studied Daniel's face. "Daniel, you're in position where, its not really your decision."

"I know," Daniel sighed.

"Why don't I call Sam, you call Vala, we meet at our place, have lunch?" Jack suggested. "I'm sure both could use the company, besides Sam is bored."

"Sure," Daniel replied. "I could use the break."

"Not like you were getting anything done," Jack said with a knowing smile. Daniel looked down at his work, he was right. He was still on the same line of translation he started coming in this morning. Apparently this baby made him more distracted than he originally thought.