Part 7: Centripetal force
One week later…
Jack stared out the windows at the alien world below and ignored the squabbling going on behind him. Daniel and Teal'c were losing a game of 'Go Fish' to JJ.
Jack grinned in fatherly pride. Not that the kid's brains came from his half of the equation, but still, he had a right to be the proud papa in spite of it, didn't he?
Jacob's ship was in orbit around P6X-772, which contained one nation on the mainland, Kyrus. Technologically speaking, Kyrus was about as advanced as the United States was in the 1930s and 40s. Houses had central heating, plumbing, and appliances. The cities had trains for travel, organized schools, and respectable hospitals.
It was a free and stable society, advanced enough for Jack and his family to live a relatively comfortable life compared to the more primitive farming communities that inhabited most planets they had visited. But Kyrus had not advanced enough to understand the use of Ancient technology and therefore, have any interest in a couple of kids who expressed something called an "ATA gene" and other unknown abilities.
Sam was getting Lily settled in her nap and then along with Jack and Jacob, planned to ring down and talk to the leaders of the nation. Hopefully, they would be willing to welcome the O'Neill family as part of their society.
Jack didn't really remember this particular world– they all seemed like a blur after all this time. But Daniel insisted it was one were Jack was less irritable than normal so everyone had gotten along pretty well. The Kyrusians themselves were a friendly, intelligent, and caring people. Daniel felt that the O'Neill children would have no problems fitting in and growing up here.
Later at the meet and greet, it all went smoother than even Sam imagined it would. The leader SG-1 had previously met, Ger'daf, was now the former leader having retired from politics years before. He warmly welcomed Sam, Jack, and Jacob and introduced his daughter, Verssa, as the newly elected leader of his people.
Verssa remembered SG-1's visit many years ago, and also how they had instructed her father to keep the Stargate buried despite their scientists' recent uncovering of it, and interest in studying it. Since that day, the people of Kyrus had lived in peace and had prospered. They were more than happy to return the favor and offer Sam and Jack a place to live on their planet.
Verssa, as a young leader, was particularly eager for guidance. She requested they both sit on her panel of experts. Sam also offered to work at Kyrus' main research facility, and help in any way that she could. An agreement was reached rather quickly and within a day, the O'Neill's were arranging their new home.
A few weeks into their new life, Sam woke suddenly in the middle of the night. Something was terribly wrong and tears formed at the corners of her eyes more from that knowledge than from the pain.
Sam rolled on her side. Grasping her middle, she touched Jack's shoulder.
"Jack, wake up," she gasped, barely getting breath behind her words.
He turned, automatically taking her in his arms. "Carter," he murmured the endearment in his sleep.
"No, you have to wake up." She choked back tears. "Something is wrong. I need a doctor."
Three hours later, Jack sat in a waiting room cursing the lack of technological advancement. They should have gone to a planet that had the best doctors ever known to mankind. Jacob should have stayed longer, or even Daniel and Teal'c might have been able to contact… something.
Jack was at a loss. He felt utterly helpless and he hated that. Baby Lilly was restless in Jack's arms. She could sense her father's turmoil and because of it, nothing could be done to soothe her back to sleep. Not until things were right with both her parents.
JJ sat in the chair next to his father, his eyes wide and blinking despite the late hour. Once or twice, he quietly moaned for his mommy. But otherwise, he sat clinging to his daddy's arm in this foreign place.
Finally, a doctor came out. He informed Jack that Sam had lost the baby but she was stable and doing well, and that Sam was asking for him. The doctor at first protested Jack bringing the kids back as well. But one stern look from Jack O'Neill and the doctor surrendered. Jack knew she needed her family right now, more than anything.
As soon as Sam saw her husband, tears welled in her eyes.
"Hey, none of that," he said softly.
She reached for her two children and Jack placed Lilly on one side and then helped JJ climb up the other side of the bed. The boy cuddled up next to his mother. Then Jack leaned over and placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips.
She whispered, "I'm so sorry, Jack."
"Don't," he warned, "don't even start thinking that way. This was not your fault."
"The doctors…" She gathered herself, "they say there was no way I should be able to have children. They were amazed I had two already."
"See," he said, while putting a hand on JJ's back, which was now rising and falling as he rested. "We're twice blessed with miracles."
Sam squeezed her eyes shut. There would be no more, and the moment this began earlier tonight, Sam knew without a doubt Jack would take it all in stride. If he were disappointed he'd never show it to her. He would count his blessings and be happy with what he had, not wanting to tempt fate by asking for too much. He already had more than he believed he deserved. She loved Jack more in this moment than she had in all the years she'd known him.
Jack would demand the same from Sam. Not that he wouldn't give her the time to grieve the little life they would never know. But he was going to comfort the hurt while keeping her focused on what mattered, they had two healthy children that by all sane medical judgment shouldn't exist.
"Jack," Sam said softly, "I figured the last part of it out."
He wasn't surprised to hear that even on the pain medication and whatever else they were pumping into her, his wife would still be thinking clearly. Probably on brilliant levels that most people don't get to even when clear-headed.
"What?" Jack prompted.
"Remember how Olive and Jerry said they were supposedly unable to have children back on Earth? But they had twins while living in Weston Heights. Now this news about me…"
"What are you trying to say?"
Sam said, "There was something on that planet that helped all of us. Something that reversed infertility. I only lost the baby after we left."
It stopped Jack's heart for a moment. If he and Sam discovered that possibility a few weeks ago, would they have left? Would they continue to put JJ and Lilly's life in danger in order to keep their fragile younger sibling alive?
Jack didn't know what they would've chosen. But he know one thing for certain, he was grateful they hadn't figure this out until now. He wasn't sure what he would've done if he were forced to choose, and weigh the importance of each of his children's lives against one another.
"We'll never know that for sure, Sam." It was as much to reassure himself, as it was for her. "But we're safe now and I'm going to make sure we stay safe. All of us."