Chapter 7: A Close Call
It took me less than an hour to create an official reason to fly ASAP to Cheyenne Mountain off the cuff. It's August and hot in DC and humid, Colorado not so much which was nice. As soon as I jumped off the plane I was rolling up my sleeves, in the haste I guess I forgot my jacket back in the Oval. George was pacing on the tarmac, I don't blame him I had started pacing when he on the phone. I patted his arm, nodding he led me to the waiting car. The ride back to the SGC was way too long. I started thinking about the benefits of having an Asgard transport device from my office to his, it would be nice. Finally I heard George took a deep breath and I knew he was getting ready to debrief me.
"You haven missed much. She's still in labor; Janet was called in a couple of hours ago. About hour twelve she started having complications and now we're going on sixteen. Janet says she's too gone to have a cesarean section."
I took another look at the man sitting next to me. He had flown in last week for the annual Joint Chiefs meeting and had stopped by afterwards for a catching up session. George had looked good, excited at the closeness of Sam and Janet's due dates, and relieved that each meeting with the JC's kept getting easier. Today George looked tires, haggard, and truly worried.
As they made their way towards the infirmary I noticed the quietness and worried air that hung over everyone. There must be more to it than George said. He led me passed the infirmary to the isolation rooms. Outside of one stood (or paced) Colonel O'Neill, Dr. Jackson, Jacob Carter, Teal'c, Cassie, Brayt'ac, Thor, Lt Hailey, Sgts Siler and Harriman and various other SGC personnel. I'll admit it I was surprised by the number of people but not shocked I had learned very early on that at the SGC no man got left behind, in the field or on base. This group was offering her the only thing they could, their silent constant support. I stuffed my fists into my pants and joined the vigil.
I have no idea how long we were there for before Dr. Janet Jackson waddled out of the isolation room. Everyone looked up tensely. She made her way over the Jack, George and Jacob with the other half of SG1 flocking around her. I took a step back to be polite again almost feeling an intruder here. Janet sighed heavily and tried to wipe the blood off her forearms.
"She's fine, stable now. Though I'm not goint to lie it was close. I've given her a sedative so that should help along with the IV."
She placed a hand on Jack's arm.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't let you in there but with what she was going through you would have only been in the way."
Jack nodded. Taking another deep breath the petite doctor smiled this time before continuing. She met all of the men's eyes.
"On a lighter and much more positive note I would love to inform you all, and congratulate Colonel O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter and Colonel Jonathon O'Neill are now the fortunate parents of a perfectly healthy beautiful son."
I saw the hope build in Jack's eye and after her announcement he covered his upper face with one hand and used the other to lean on Dr. Daniel Jackson. The entire room let out a collective sigh of relief and began offering all the congratulations in the world at once. As Jack nodded I began to severely doubt that he would actually be standing if not for Dr. Jackson on one side and Teal'c on the other. Nodding to Janet the two men carried the new father into the now public isolation room. People started dispersing after the news broke, presumably to find food, drink, and a bed. No doubt thought that with in the next five minutes everyone would know the news. George led me back to his office where he closed the door behind the other two who had joined us. Jacob helped Janet into one of the chairs before selecting to sit on the sill. George moved behind his desk and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniel's and four shot glasses. As he poured into them Jacob sighed loudly. George watched Janet's shaking hand grab the glass.
"Janet. Maybe you shouldn't. For the baby."
She clearly sent him a look that screamed. 'Fuck Off'. Leaning back I swallowing some of the firewater allowing it relive some of my tension, though it was obvious that I was the least suffering person in the room. Jacob looked up suddenly.
"How close was it?"
Janet leaned forward on her hands, elbows resting on George's desk.
"Too close."
Not satisfied Jacob stood up.
"Obviously. But how to close?"
Janet threw herself against the back of the chair.
"Too fucking close. God I was so fucking positive I was going to lose one of them and probably both. I've never seen anything like it. There was too much fucking blood and the nurse had to spend so many minutes working on the poor thing. I really thought it had been a stillbirth. She.. she could see it in my eyes and she just let go. That, that sparkle in her eye just faded and she was killing herself. Just leaving me. And I know the only thing that brought her back was the scream and crying of her son if he hadn't."
She just shook her head, uncried tears burning her throat and eyes.
"And the entire time I was just thinking, thank god that it wasn't me who ended up on the table."
The exhaustion and panic, fear and guilt that had overwhelmed her for the past six hours racked her body in sobs. We all were just shell shocked that for a minute nobody moved. Finally Jacob leaned over and held her like she was his second daughter, George reached to his phone paging isolation room 3, and I downed my shot enjoying the burn I felt as it went down praying that I wouldn't have to go back to Air Force One yet.