6
Carolyn tried to get him to eat but he just had no appetite at all. Daniel tried to distract him with babble about Atlantis. Dixon tried to get him interested in the children and names, Wells joining in with the merits of biblical over traditional family names.
He was about to start screaming when he felt the solid presence of Teal'c at his shoulder "I am certain that Colonel Carter will be fine" trust the big Jaffa to bring her up, and strangely it was exactly what he needed to hear! He relaxed slightly and took a deep breath, he nodded his head, of course she was going to be fine, she had Thor and Heimdall looking after her!
He got up and paced about the room, every so often he picked something up from the trolleys scattered about, baby powder, creams, a strip thermometer, and he would play with them until he realised what he was doing, at which point he would replace them, put his hands back in his pockets and the whole thing would start again. The nurses watched him from the corner of their eyes every time he approached a baby, but he never picked one up.
He stood over the girls most, looking into those beautiful blue eyes that they all shared, seeing the woman he loved reflected in them. Sams children, he thought, they had never discussed children, hell he didn't even know how HE felt about having kids, he was over 50 for cryin' out loud! Sam was approaching 40. Though both his parents had been old when they had him, his grandparents were not even 20 when THEY started a family, and he knew which ones were better at it! It wasn't the ones with experience in life!
Then there was Charlie, was he fit to be a parent after allowing that to happen to his son? And EIGHT! It was frightening enough to contemplate babies one at a time, but eight!
Thor appeared in a beam of light, no one jumped at all this time Jack noted, strange how quick you can get used to something like that.
"O'Neill," his small friend called, he squatted down in front of him so he would not have to look up
"Here buddy, tell me you have good news about Sam" he was almost breathless, he filled his lungs deliberately.
"We have identified the substance that is having an effect on Colonel Carter and have found a way to neutralise it, we are confidant that she will recover," He let it out explosively "We hope to return her to you within the day" His heart beat painfully in his chest and he almost felt faint with relief.
"Thank you!" he said with feeling and stood up. He beamed about the room at everyone "She's going to be OK" he said, as if they had not been able to hear Thor. SG13 spoke their congratulations, Hank hook his hand, Daniel pulled him into a hug and so did Teal'c!! The nurses smiled back at him, the two doctors were missing at that moment, having gone to check on some results of tests on the children.
Carolyn came back into the room wheeling a UV array, and set it up over one of the cots, "Jaundice again?" Jack asked her she nodded
"Male baby 1 seems to develop it every time we stop the UV treatment for more than a couple of hours. Male baby 2 has only had that first bout and the treatment seems to have cured him in record time 3 and 4 have shown no sign, and none of the girls have either"
"We have to start thinking of names" Daniel said "otherwise Sam will come up with a binary code to extrapolate which is whom" he grinned at Jack and Teal'c reminding them of a discussion about planet names years and years ago.
"I am not doing anything until Sam gets here" Jack said firmly
"I disagree General" Carolyn told him "You are going to go and have something to eat, you have not had anything since your returned, and we do not know if you were fed while you were missing" she glared at him "it is lunch time now, why don't all SG13 and you" she waved her hand at Teal'c and Daniel "go to the commissary and eat something while the babies are asleep"
Jack opened his mouth to object and she put a finger to her lips telling him to be quiet "I will be within my rights to order you to eat. I will not have you passing out from low blood sugar and I AM willing to knock you out and connect you to an IV" she threatened.
Jack looked at her astonished "You remember who gave you this job?" he asked
"Yes" she replied "bet you are glad you did now, now LEAVE!" she pointed at the door and all the active SGC members filed out, leaving Jack and Teal'c still in the room with her. He opened his mouth to argue when Teal'c stopped him
"Colonel Carter will not be pleased if she is returned and you are strapped to a bed O'Neill" he said. Jack thought about it and nodded his head, he knew better than to argue with Teal'c.
They left and headed for the stairs as it was only one flight, Jack tried to use stairs nowadays as he was not in the field staying fit. His legendary bad knees had been healed by Kanan, and it was the only positive benefit he could see from the whole affair. As they descended the level to the commissary, they talked of the problems of the new Jaffa nation, but nothing too deep, Jack knew that Teal'c knew that he was not concentrating, and was grateful to his usually stoic friend for his support.
As they got within sight of the doors, they could hear SG3 ribbing '13 about their new job, phrases like 'not good for anything more dangerous' floated into the corridor, Jack burst in, at last he could take his anger out on someone!
"TEN HUT" he shouted and all but one person jumped to their feet, that being Daniel of course.
Reynolds was the main focus of Jacks gaze "Do we have a problem, marines?" he asked
"Sir! No Sir!" was the reply, the rest of the people relaxed a bit as they realised that Jack was not interested in them, he waved at the room
"At ease" he said, but as SG3 started to sit down "Not you lot!" he snapped and they straightened up again.
"I would like to know why you think guarding my children is a job that I would give to just anyone" Jack said to the group
"Sir, we meant no disrespect!" Reynolds said looking about 2 inches above Jacks right shoulder
"I always liked you, Reynolds, for a jar head you seemed to be almost human" Jack looked at the rest of SG3 "that does not necessarily include your team though" his gaze locked on each one in turn, until he felt his message had been delivered personally, and not just as an order from above. "I can always ask Hank to put you on babysitting scientists on long term missions"
"Sir, yes sir!" the chorus came
"I don't want to hear another word about the duty I have assigned SG13. And if even a rumour reached my ears that you have been shooting your mouths off again you will each be scrubbing toilets with toothbrushes every time you are on world, am I understood marines?"
"Sir! Yes SIR!" came the reply.
"Dismissed" he said and turned his back on them. Daniel had already filled him a tray of food and placed it on SG1s usual table, and the only sound in the room as he sat down was SG3 leaving.
"As you were kids" he said waving his arm in the air and grabbing a tuna sandwich. He noticed the paediatrician in the corner with one of the nurses, and gave him a nod, and then Walter came through the door with a clipboard.
"Walter! Good to see you" there was no saluting there, even though Harriman was only a noncom
"Sir, good to see you too, congratulations on the children, and this is a list of forms you need to sign" he put it on the edge of the table, carefully avoiding invading the space Sam usually used. "This, is a summary from your office of things they need you to look at" another piece of paper, "this is the requisition form for the boots and BDU set you are wearing, this is…"
"Walter I am eating my lunch"
"Yes sir, but if you leave here I will not be able to get you to sign anything" Jack gave him a wry glance and conceded he was probably right
"Sort em" he said and within a minute the papers were in two piles, one stacked so that he could sign the bottom of each page, the other things he would take with him when he went back to the nursery to read.
Walter tidied up the pile and slipped it back onto the board and headed for the door
"Walter…" Jack said
"In her old quarters sir" The answer came
"and…"
"Not yet sir"
"Let…"
"Soon as we know sir"
"Walter…"
"Yes sir, don't mention it" and he walked out
Daniel and Teal'c just ignored the whole thing, the doctor looked puzzled to hell and SG13 were laughing, Hank walked in and swept his gaze around the room
"Walter been reading minds again has he?" he asked, Jack nodded and started eating a slice of chocolate cake, someone must have warned the cook he was on base, this was his favourite dessert!