"But I don't wanna." Sam smiled at the familiar whiney voice that came from the infirmary.
"John! Any more whining and I will subject you to giant needles. I really don't think anyone will mind." Janet's commanding voice came quickly fallowed by skin meeting skin.
"Janet! That hurt! How could you hit me?" John whines were pathetic and more common then Jack's.
"Because you pissed me off, and you whined. If I told you once, I've told you a hundred times that whining will be punished by physical violence." Janet replied coolly. "And you also screwed around with Sam and Jack's life. That merits some kind of retribution."
"But he already made us clean his office, file the papers, detail his truck, and paint the new house. If I never see a paintbrush again, it will be too soon." John looked up to see Sam walk in, "Hello Carter."
She grimaced as she felt the babies kick, they was really strong, "Hello John. Jack keeping you busy?"
He pouted, looking like he was 7 instead of 17, "Yes. Even Spacemonkey got in on the punishing Cassie, Hailey, and me bit. We were just trying to make life more interesting for you. It was either that or calling Ba'al or Adria, and neither of those would have been funny. This was, and it had a 98 chance of getting you guys together, or at least to see how much you mean to each other."
Sam smiled slightly, "So, having fun at school?"
John glared at her, "You think you're being funny, don't you?"
"Ouch. Point taken. That bad?" Sam sat down on the bed in front of him.
Janet smiled as she saw them talking from her office, they'd have to come to terms that John was Jack, and was in love with Sam. Maybe we can get a miniSam for John. I think he'd like that.
John noticed the petite doctor's disappearance, "Carter, school sucked the first time around for me. How would you like to go through it all?"
"Again? I don't know, sounds like an experience that would be interesting. You going to the Academy after graduation? I think that you'd get up the ranks faster then anyone before you." Sam tried to sound like she wasn't nervous about being with her fiancé's clone.
"Maybe. I was actually contemplating going to MIT or Harvard. Something different for a change." John said, lying back.
"That would be nice. What degree?" Sam looked for Janet, getting really anxious.
"Astrophysics." Came the simple answer.
Sam felt her eyes snap to John's, "What? But..but you can't stand my technobabble, why-?"
John smirked, "Six years of hearing your incorrigible rambling actually made me understand many of the Gate's functions. Maybe I'll go to Area 51. The SGC doesn't need a smart-ass scientist, but I'd have to admit that it would be fun to work with you again."
Sam smiled weakly, "Ya. Jack would have a heart attack when he got that memo."
John's smirk faded a bit at the reminder that she wasn't his, "He's lucky."
"For what?"
"Getting you. If I wasn't 17, hell, if I wasn't a clone, I'd do the same thing he did." John sighed, confused and agitated.
Sam tried to find a way to calm him, "John," she waited until he looked at her, "I was thinking that it would only be fair if we got the Asguard to -."
John stopped her, "No, Carter. I couldn't, I won't, ask that of you, or anyone. Even your clone. I'll just deal with whatever Fate decided I would get."
Sam shrugged, "The offer is on the table. Daniel, Teal'c, and even Jack agree. All is left is you. One way or another, I'm going to make it up to you."
"There's nothing to make up for. I understand that why you guys have been distant. You've had an enemy to fight, a galaxy to save. I get that. Don't worry about me, I'm resilient. I bounce back." John said flippantly, trying to hide his urge to just say yes to Sam.
Sam smiled, "I don't doubt that." She got up to leave to infirmary, "By the way, you are invited to our wedding."
John nodded, "I got the invitation in the mail. I have to decline. My social calendar is full for that week."
Sam just smiled, "I don't doubt that. Just remember my offer. It's not much, but I'm trying."
John smiled at his ex-2IC, "Carter!"
She turned around in the doorway, "Yes?"
"What is it?" He motioned at her extended belly.
"Twins. A girl and a boy. We mean to name the boy John." Sam set a hand tenderly on her 6-month belly.
"Good for you. I'm happy for you." John said as she walked out. She said that her offer wasn't much, but she was wrong. It meant so very much that she was up to being cloned. Up for the discomfort that came every time that she saw her clone. John thought about running after her and accepting the offer, but he knew Janet would skin him alive. He'd wait for the wedding, it was only 3 months off.
Okay. So the innocence isn't over, but it's close. Just some loose ends to tie up. Janet and Daniel are in the next chapter. BTW, Janet is 5 months pregnant in this chappie. The next will be 4 months in the past. Have fun and don't kill yourselves.
- A.R.