It was a hectic evening at the Fraiser household. To celebrate Kelly's coming through the surgery okay and Janet's return back to health SG-1 and General Hammond had been invited over for the evening to have a celebration. Daniel and Cass were cooking while Janet had disappeared upstairs to get ready.
The doorbell rang.
"You okay with that Cass." Daniel asked the young woman who was currently chopping up vegetables.
"Fine. You go let the guy's in." Cassandra told him.
Daniel wiped his hands on the apron he was wearing and made his way to the door. Opening it he saw Sam and Jack standing together having arrived in one car.
"You guys came together?" Daniel asked peering out of the door.
"Uh yeah." Jack replied. "If the General asks Sam's car's in the shop okay?"
"Oh...kay." Daniel replied.
"He's not here yet, is he?" Sam asked.
"Not yet...why?" Daniel asked.
Sam turned to Jack and tenderly kissed him on the lips.
"Wait you guys are...and the General doesn't know...and now I do? Oh I could be in so much trouble."
"Daniel look. We want to be together okay..Please don't jeopardise that. Daniel we're going to tell him. We just want to see where this heads first. Promise you won't say anything...not until we know if we want this to be a permanent thing..."
"Guys of course I won't. It's great to see you so happy. Besides I always though you'd make a great couple, we all did." He told them shutting the door behind them and taking their jackets.
A crash came from the kitchen.
"I'm okay." Came a shout followed by a giggle.
"You cooking Cass?" Sam shouted.
"Yeah me and Daniel. I'm making a bit of a mess actually." She told them as she walked out of the kitchen covered in flour.
"That we can see." Jack commented walking up to the young woman and giving her a hug, Cassandra then running to Sam and hugging her.
The doorbell rang again.
"I'll get it." Cass told them as she walked to the door to greet General Hammond and Teal'c.
"So where's Janet?" Sam asked Daniel.
"I'm not sure actually..." he told them, his face worried. "Last thing she said was she had to go to the bathroom, she's been in there about half an hour."
"Want me to go check on her?" Sam asked.
"Please. She hasn't been well and we can't get her to see another Doctor."
"I'll see what I can do." Sam told Daniel, heading upstairs.
"Pass me an apron Danny boy, I'm gonna show you guys how to cook." Sam could hear Jack saying as she made her way upstairs.
"Jack O'Neill cook? I can't wait to see this." General Hammond commented as he followed the group into the kitchen.
Major Samantha Carter stood outside the bathroom and knocked on the door.
"Hey Janet it's me Sam. You fallen in or something? Daniel says you've been up here for a while."
"I'm fine Sam. I'll be down in a few minutes." Janet replied nervously.
"Daniel's worried about you sweetie, we all are. We know you haven't been feeling well for a while, is it something to do with the surgery?" Sam asked putting her ear against the door to hear the answer.
"I don't think so Sam." Janet replied, and Sam could tell she was crying.
"Honey what's up? You know this is causing a bit of a scene. Your fiancé down there is undoubtedly gonna rush up here if he hears me shouting at you through the door."
Janet opened the door, Sam nearly falling into the bathroom as she had been leaning against it. Sam quickly locked the door after her and stood there looking at Janet and crossing her arms.
"So you gonna tell me why you're up here crying while Daniel is worried as hell downstairs?" Sam asked quietly.
Janet sat down on the toilet seat and put her head in her hands.
Sam walked over to her friend and put a hand on her back.
"Honey what's the matter?" Sam asked worried. She then spotted an unopened box in a pharmacy bag on the floor. "Ah." She commented as Janet put her head up.
"I've been so stupid."
"How have you been stupid?" Sam asked leaning back against the wall.
"For not realizing. Damn it Sam I'm almost eight weeks late how could I not have figured it out before now. I mean how good a start is that gonna be for the baby... I didn't even realize I was carrying it."
For a minute Sam sat open mouthed.
"Janet you have had a lot to deal with, with the surgery, then Daniel moving in and the wedding to sort out."
"At first I put it down to the trauma after surgery, I mean it's not unusual for a womans cycle to change after trauma like that. Then I put it down to stress and then I was so caught up in Daniel's moving in here that I barely had time to think about anything else." Janet told her best friend.
"What made you finally realise you might be...you know..."
"You can say the word you know Sam. I'm not gonna burst into tears or anything because I can't deal with the fact that I'm going to be a mother soon. I do want this you know...I just...I'm not answering your question here am I?" Janet asked her friend knowing she probably wasn't being very comprehensible at that moment.
Sam shook her had and sat down on the floor.
"Except for the fact that I started to get nauseous in the mornings, was feeling tired a lot more than I used to and was getting backache...it was something Kelly said today. She saw me sick and one of the first things she said was that she had seen this three times before with her mom...when she had Max, Charlotte and Katie."
"You have to do the test Janet. You've got to know for sure." Sam told her friend.
"I know...Sam I've been sitting up here for the last half hour trying to get up the courage to do this. It's just so scary."
"I know it is. But surely not knowing is worse than finding out. I mean there's a chance you may not be. It could be down to stress why you are so late."
Janet shook her head.
"Sam something is happening inside me. Don't ask me how I know it but I do. I can feel this tiny life growing in here..." she told her friend putting a hand over the red sweatshirt she was wearing on the area of her stomach. "I can feel it every day. I'm carrying a child Daniel and I created, something so beautiful that just to wake up and sense it makes me happy. Without even doing that test I know...I just I need to do it to prove to myself I'm not imagining this." Janet tried to explain.
Since she had guessed what was happening inside of her body she had been all over the place. At first she was tearful, then she had moved on to feeling afraid, but after that and ever since all she had felt was complete. She had always wanted children and had always been a maternal person however she had not expected to fall pregnant at a time where she had just recovered from an infection which had nearly cost her her life, nor at a time so soon in a relationship. Yes Daniel had proposed and she had said yes however they weren't getting married straight away. What she was afraid about was that while she wanted her unborn baby so much he would not, and that she would lose the man she loved.
"Then do it sweetie." Sam told her, her having to see her friend so upset breaking her heart.
"But Sam, Daniel and I are just over three months into a relationship. He' hardly going to want a responsibility like this is he. What if he leaves?" Janet asked tearfully. So much for the whole not crying part.
"I can't see that happening. Janet Daniel wants to marry you, he's living in a house with you and Cassandra who he obviously thinks the world of. He loved those kids in the alternate universe...honey I don't think Daniels wanting to be here with you even needs questioning." Sam told her friend.
Janet wiped her eyes.
"You want to have this baby?" Sam asked her.
Janet nodded.
"Sam I could never get rid of this baby. I already love it too much. Whether I've known it or not it's been a part of my life for at least the last two months...it's hard to explain you know. And I guess if Daniel doesn't want to be a part of this, then no matter how much I love him, I'm going to have to let him go."
Sam walked over to Janet and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Do the test okay...please. Then we can worry about the consequences afterwards."
There was a knock on the bathroom door.
"Hey, is everything okay in here?" came Daniels worried voice.
Sam walked over to the door.
"Sam no..." Janet whispered shaking her head.
Sam opened the door.
"It's all yours Daniel." She replied giving Janet a sympathetic smile and then leaving the pair to discuss the future.
Janet immediately hid the test, which she still hadn't done behind her back as Daniel locked the door behind him. Slowly he walked over to her and knelt in front of her.
"Sweetheart you want to tell me what's the matter?" Daniel asked her seeing her flushed face.
"Daniel I..." she started though unable to find the words.
Daniel tenderly put a hand on her stomach.
"Sweetheart do you think you're pregnant? Is that what's been the matter?" he asked her.
For a minute she sat there shocked. Janet then nodded and looked at the floor, then pulling the test out from behind her back.
"I've been trying to work up enough courage to do it...to know for sure...but Daniel I am sure... I can't explain it and I'm so scared." She told him crying.
"Why are you scared?" he asked her taking her into his arms.
"This relationship is so new and here I am probably two months pregnant...you can't want that Daniel...I mean if you want to leave...I'm having this child Daniel, I couldn't not, but I know this is probably too much responsibility too soon and..."
Daniel put a finger over her lips.
"Listen to me..." he told her putting a finger under her chin and tilting her face up to face him. "I am not going anywhere. Sweetheart I would never leave you. Seeing you laying in that hospital bed so fragile...I knew I loved you for a long time but that just proved how much. I would never want to be apart from you, and if you are pregnant I can't think of anything more beautiful. I love you, I love Cass and I know I love this child." He replied squeezing her hand as it moved on top of his.
"You mean that...you're not just saying it..."
"I would never lie to you. Sweetheart you know how much I love you." He told her.
"Daniel I love you too." She replied hugging him and breaking down.
Daniel kissed her on the forehead.
"Now you do this test okay. I'm right here." He told her comfortingly.
Janet took a deep breath and saw Daniel doing the same. He turned round to face the wall to give her some dignity.
Just a minute later all they had to do was wait.
"How long till we know?" Daniel asked turning round.
"Three minutes." Janet replied blowing a loose strand of hair out of her eye.
Daniel walked over to her, pulled her up, sat down and then pulled her onto his lap. Setting the test on the sink he then wrapped his arms around her and rocked her, kissing her cheek.
"Whatever the result we're doing this together. I promise you." He whispered.
"Daniel I think we both know what the result will be...it's as if I can sense this baby. It's so weird...like I know she's in there."
"She?" Daniel asked smiling.
Janet shrugged.
"A daughter would be pretty amazing." He told her smiling.
"If it is positive...you're really happy about this? I understand if you're not Daniel. It is pretty soon in the relationship and..."
"Janet I've never been happier. I can't imagine anything more beautiful than your carrying our child. You're going to be a great mother sweetheart." He told her kissing her again.
"I was sure you would run. I was so sure this would scare you away." She told him tearfully
"Sweetheart nothing could ever scare me away, especially not our child. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives and I know that means kids...and I love that." He told her truthfully.
Janets watch beeped.
"You ready?" he asked her, seeing the nervous look on her face.
Janet, her face flushed, nodded.
"You look first." She told him.
"You sure?" he replied.
"Please?" she pleaded quietly.
Daniel took a deep breath, then reached for the test. As he looked at it, a grin appeared on his face from ear to ear.
Janet looked at him nervously, then seeing the joy in his eyes started to smile too.
"Congratulation's mom, we're going to have a baby." He told her.
Janet smiled.
"I could feel it. It's so weird." She told him, shocked but happy.
"But great right?" he asked hoping she wasn't feeling pressured into something she wasn't ready for.
Janet put a hand on her abdomen gently, Daniel placing his on top.
"Yeah." She replied truthfully. "I love you Daniel."
"I love you too, and thank you."
"For what?" Janet asked him looking into his eyes which were clearly filled with joy and smiling.
"For loving me...for carrying our baby. This is so incredible." He told her smiling.
"Yeah it is. I just can't believe I didn't realise for so long. What with Kelly and everything... everything just seems to have happened at once you know. But I'm so happy it has." She told him.
"Me too. A baby huh...I can't believe I'm gonna be a father."
"Believe it Daddy, I've been having the morning sickness to prove it." Janet teased.
"You're telling me." He replied.
"Sorry I didn't talk to you sooner. I really didn't think you were ready for this..."
"Janet of course I am...and it's okay. We know now and we're gonna get through this together. Just think in seven months or so we're gonna have a baby in the house. I wonder what Cass is gonna say."
"I think she guessed." Janet replied. "I doubt she's gonna be too shocked. I get the feeling she's going to enjoy being a big sister."
"I do too. We've been blessed. You know that? Our counterparts said that a lot in their universe. We may not have yet what they have there but I really think it's true here too. We've found each other. We have great friends, a lovely teenager and a baby on the way. After everything that's happened lately...I don't think I've ever been happier than I am with you."
"Me either." She replied snuggling in to him and yawning.
"Think we should go break the news to the masses?" Daniel asked kissing her on the top of her head.
"I have a better idea."
Janet took Daniels hand and led him into the bedroom. Laying down on the bed she beckoned for him to join her.
Daniel lay down beside her and held her close.
"Let's just enjoy this ourselves for a little while." She told him smiling.
Daniel kissed her on the nose and then forehead as she closed her eyes.
"You really are happy?" she asked him opening her eyes slightly.
Daniel cupped her cheek in his hand then leaned over to kiss her. He put a hand on her stomach and pulled her close.
"I have never been happier." He replied honestly. "Are you sure you are? I don't want you to go through with this pregnancy if you're unhappy.
Janet put her hand on top of his and looked down at her still flat stomach, then smiled.
"This is our baby." She told him. "How could I be unhappy?" she told him kissing him too.
"Come here." He told her pulling her close. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He told her, then noticing she had fallen asleep.
Daniel tenderly pulled the blanket over her and lay there watching her sleep. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed in the past few months, and he also couldn't believe how blissfully happy he was. The beautiful woman who lay in front of him, who he had loved for years was now going to marry him and was carrying his child inside of her. She looked so radiant, so peaceful as she slept, her hair falling softly around her face and her hand gently placed on her stomach. She looked like an angel, and to him she was. She was the angel who had shown him true happiness again and who had given him unconditional love without ever asking anything in return. He loved her more than words could ever explain, and he loved Cass and this baby. He had realized only that day what may be happening inside the woman he loved, the same as she had but the moment the thought crossed his mind that she may be pregnant his heart felt like it would burst. All he wanted to do was protect her, and he knew he would, and Cassandra and the baby for the rest of his life because they were his world...nothing else mattered to him. For the first time in his life he truly felt complete, and he knew that he would never, ever leave the beautiful woman laying beside him. He didn't think he ever could.
Daniel heard a knock at the door and saw Cass standing in the doorway. She looked at her mother and then at Daniel before walking over to the bed and sitting down on it.
"Is everything okay? You've been up here for a while and I haven't seen mom since this afternoon."
"Everything's fine sweetie."
"Is mom okay? She wasn't sick again, was she?" the teenager asked worried.
"Your mom's great Cass." Daniel replied stroking Janet's face.
"Then what's the matter? Daniel tell me. Come on she's my mother." She then asked.
Daniel looked down at Janet who was beginning to stir.
"Daniel please?" Cassandra pleaded.
Janet sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Cassandra honey are you okay?" she asked the worried teenager.
"I'm fine...just came up to tell you dinner's ready and to see if you were okay. Mom I'm worried about you okay." Cassandra told her mother.
"Honey I know you are...but you don't need to be. I'm fine, everything's perfectly normal." Janet told her.
"Mom throwing up every day isn't normal, being tired all the time isn't normal...you need to see a doctor."
"Yeah you're right I do sweetheart but it's not because there's anything wrong."
"Mom you're just confusing me even more...please will you just tell me what's the matter with you? You obviously know." Cassandra told her.
Janet looked up at Daniel and smiled. He then put a hand on her still flat stomach, Janet putting hers on top of his and grinning back.
"Cass sweetheart there's something we have to tell you..." Daniel started.
Cassandra looked at Daniel, then Janet and the blissful look on their faces. She then saw their hands. Shifting over on the bed she put a hand on top of theirs.
"Oh my god." She squealed. "Are you...mom are you pregnant?" she asked.
Janet nodded smiling.
Cassandra screamed happily then hugged Janet tightly.
"Congratulations guys. This is so cool. I'm gonna be a sister." She commented. She then hugged Daniel.
"So that's why you've been feeling ill...I take it you're the father." She commented grinning at Daniel.
"I would certainly hope so." He replied putting an arm around Janet.
"You're gonna be great. You both are. And everything okay?"
Janet nodded.
"I'm going to arrange a scan as soon as I get to work tomorrow." She reassured the teenager.
"Wow, I mean a baby... what does it feel like. I know it can't kick yet or anything but you know what I mean." Cassandra asked settling on the bed next to her mother.
"It feels...I don't know. It's like I can sense this baby living inside me without it even having to kick to show it's there. It feels amazing Cass, and all the more amazing because it was made by me and the man I love."
"You really love this baby don't you." Cass asked.
"We both do." Janet replied smiling at Daniel.
"You know what? Me too." Cassandra told them. "Ever since I lost my family on Hanka I never thought I'd have a new one I'd love. But since living here with you, and having Daniel around and now this baby about to come into our lives...you can't replace them but I really do love you just as much." Cassandra told them.
"Aww sweetheart." Janet stated her eyes filling with tears.
Cassandra hugged her mother who then pulled Daniel into a big hug with them.
"We really are a family aren't we." Janet commented proudly.
"Yeah we are." Daniel replied looking at the two beautiful women in his lives.
"That can't be a bad thing." Cassandra commented.
"No sweetheart it can't. I love you both very much." Janet told them.
"We love you too." Daniel and Cass chorused as the three collapsed onto the bed in a fit of giggles, knowing from that moment on that they would be a family who loved each other for the rest of their lives.
Fini.