Chapter Eleven: Talking...about Bread?

"Pete, is it all right if I come over now?"

"Sure, but why? I thought you were needed."

"It's a long story and I'd rather explain it to you face-to-face."

"…Okay…Sam what's going on?"

"…I'll…I'll tell you when I get there, okay?"

That had been twenty minutes ago, and now Sam found she lacked the courage to tell Pete about the kids.

"This is about the kids, isn't it?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," Sam said, "it is." She paused, trying to figure out the best way to say it. "Pete…those kids aren't…from here…"

"They're from another planet?" Pete asked.

"No. They're from another reality," Sam said.

"There are other realities?"

"Yes. And in that reality the General and I were married. Lizzie, Grace, and Patrick are biologically the children of the two of us."

Pete thought this over. "Are you breaking off the wedding?" he asked suddenly.

"No!" Sam said. "I just wanted to let you know who the kids are. And that I want to be in their lives. The General is going to be taking them in, but I want to be in their lives none the less."

"I can deal with that," Pete said.

Sam smiled gratefully at him.

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

"Save me," Daniel said. "Vala's trying to take me out to look for wedding 'pretties' as she's calling them."

"Oh, too bad," Virginia said with a grin. "I have a question for you though."

"What is it?" Daniel asked.

"Are there any Abydonian customs I'm missing because I'm getting kind of tired of just talking with Skaara," Virginia said.

"Well…There are some Abydonian customs relating to courting. Talking is the first step. You talk to gain an understanding of each other. Then when one feels they have learned enough about one another then the male makes a loaf of bread and gives it to the woman…though that's not likely to happen here. Then if she accepts it, she bakes a loaf of bread for him. It symbolizes the passing the role of who cooks for the family. Then it pretty much follows here, though the engagement is much shorter," Daniel said.

"Thanks," Virginia said. "Though how am I going to bake a loaf of bread? I can't even make cookies!"

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

"Vala has taken Daniel out?" Skaara asked.

"Yeah, they're looking for wedding stuff," Virginia said. "She's wants to go all out, but I don't know. We showed her a few bridal magazines and she went all giggly for about twenty minutes."

The two sat in silence for a minute. "I have a question," the two said at once. They smiled.

"You go first," Skaara said.

"Um...I spoke with Daniel about Abydonian customs because I think we're dating--I mean courting. So I spoke with Daniel about it and he explained it to me so I know that stuff now. Is that okay? Because if it's not, that's fine. But see I'm under the impression that we're courting so I'd like to know if we aren't," Virginia said quickly.

Skaara smiled. "Will you marry me?" he asked, holding out a ring box.

"Oh-oh-oh!" Virginia said. "Yes!"

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Grace and Patrick had retreated into themselves since realizing that this wasn't their reality. Lizzie and Caleb--being too young to realize such things--were oblivious to it all. Charlie was more than slightly irritated that the higher powers of the United States Government hadn't managed to come up with a cover story for him yet. Staying inside the mountain all day was getting moderately irksome.

Sam was with them, playing with Lizzie and Caleb. It reminded her of when she had watched Cassie all those years ago. And in some respects, the room looked a fair bit like the one Cassie had been in. Posters and pictures on the wall, toys everywhere, paints, hot dogs--which the kids seemed to have an obsession with. Granted, Sam was in a VIP room this time, but it still brought back wistful memories.

The door opened and none other than Cassie stuck her head in. "Hi Sam."

"Aunt Cassie!" Lizzie squealed, running to her.

Cassie was startled by the sight of the children, but especially Charlie as she had seen pictures of him--albeit younger--at Jack's cabin. "Uh...hi?" she said to the little girl clinging to her knees. "Who?" she mouthed at Sam.

"Long story," Sam said. "Lizzie, let go of her sweetie."

Lizzie let go of the even more confused 19 year old and went to snuggle up to her mother. Cassie came in and closed the door, only to have it opened by a very hyper

Virginia seconds later."Lookie-lookie-lookie-lookie-lookie!" she squealed, holding her left hand out.

"What?" Sam asked.

Cassie squealed, "She's engaged you dolt!"

"What? But Skaara Descended yesterday!" Sam said.

"Yeah, well we've been doing the 'I'm solid he's not' kind of dating. And Daniel explained all of these thingies involving dating on Abydos--including baking bread--and then Skaara just popped out the ring! It's not fair!...I hate Daniel..." Virginia said.

"What is it with engagements right now?" Cassie asked. "Daniel and Vala are getting--"

"No!" Virginia said. " Not talkey here. Later. We splainy later too."

"Wow," Sam said. "You've reverted to how you talked in high school. You really are giddy."

Virginia giggled.

SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1

Daniel grinned as he hung up his phone. "That was mean," Vala said. "You shouldn't have made her think she was going to have to bake something.

"Yeah, she's going to kill me," Daniel said. "But it was worth it." Vala sighed and laced her hand through his. He looked at her. "Vala..."

"Yes darling?"

"Do you want to go ring shopping?" he asked tentatively.

Vala looked up at him. "Really Daniel?"

"Yeah."

Vala squealed and latched onto his arm. "Let's go darling!"