Sam leaned against the kitchen counter sipping a beer. The wonderful smell of potato soup filled the room, and a small clink of dishes sounded as Cassie pulled out spoons and bowls and set the table. Finally, the timer rang and Sam traded her beer for an oven mitt, retrieving the delicious smelling garlic bread. A few minutes later, all three girls were seated at the table.

Cassie had noticed that Sam seemed to feel bad, but had let her be so far. Finally settled in for dinner, she decided she wanted to know what was wrong. "Sam, are you feeling ok today?"

Sam dipped her spoon back into her bowl. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just had a big day, you know?"

Cassie nodded. She knew what Sam meant by 'big day'.

"Cassie, Sam and I had a meeting with Ms. Hightower this afternoon."

Cassie wrinkled her forehead. She couldn't think of anything she'd be in trouble for. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," said Sam quickly. "You're not in trouble, Ms. Hightower just didn't understand something that you were saying."

"What did I say?"

"That was the question of the day." Sam said into her soup bowl.

"She was just confused. She said you talk about having two moms, and she thought that Sam and I were a couple."

Cassie looked confused now. "So…. why did she call you in? I don't understand."

Sam turned to Cassie. "A lot of people here think that two women or two men shouldn't be together, and don't think they should have families."

Cassie looked horrified. "That's ridiculous!" Thinking for a moment, she added with worry, "They aren't going to take me away are they?" She put her spoon down and slid back in her chair.

Janet leaned toward her and caught her eye. "No, baby. No one is ever going to take you away from us."

Sam joined in. "If anyone tried to take you away, you know they'd have to deal with the whole SGC. And nobody is stupid enough to mess with all of us."

Cassie liked that idea. "But, people here don't like that, I mean, two women or two men?" Sam shook her head and Janet pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Well then who takes care of all the kids like me? What happens to them if they don't go to the... eademalías?" she didn't have a word in English for the couples that often took in and raised the orphans of her world. "What do you call them here?"

"Well, the usual term is 'gay'. But to answer your question, it is very hard for a gay couple to adopt a child here. A lot of kids go to foster homes, some get adopted, and some live in big group homes. We know that discrimination isn't right, and lots of people are trying to change it so that more kids can have a loving home." Janet snagged a piece of garlic bread and bit into it aggressively.

"But you got to keep me anyway?" Cassie was confused, but impressed.

Sam nearly spewed her soup, and Janet stopped chewing and looked from Sam to Cassie and back.

After a little work with a napkin, Sam was ready to answer. "Well, baby, your mom and I aren't gay. We are best friends and we both love you very much. We also happen to both be female."

"And Cassie, you need to understand, we don't mind at all that you call us your moms. As a matter of fact, we love it." She looked to Sam, their earlier conversation still very fresh. "We want you to call us whatever is right in your heart. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. We're just our own, different little family. Ok?"

"Wait, you aren't gay?"

Sam and Janet just looked at each other. Both were searching for some sort of explanation, a difference to give the girl so that she could understand. The realization seemed to come to them at the same time - nothing they would say would make sense. From their daughter's perspective, they fit the description, almost perfectly. They'd even been sleeping in the same bed more often than not - if Sam wasn't offworld - since Cassie's adoption.

After Janet got a grip on herself, she turned to Cassie. "Honey, I don't know how we can explain it to you, but no, Sam and I aren't gay. But really, that doesn't matter. If you tell people you have two moms, they will never believe that we're not gay. So, I think we're agreed here - " she looked to Sam for approval and got it, "if people think we're gay, that will have to be ok. Because we are both your mothers."

"Ok… so, Ms Hightower called you in because she thinks you're gay and people don't want to know about it?" Cassie was still looking for clarity.

"Well, sort of." Sam answered. "The military has a problem with gay people, and she was concerned that they would discharge us if it got back to the Air Force." Cassie opened her mouth, but Sam held up her hand. "Everyone at the base knows your story, and they would know what you meant if you said 'my moms'. They aren't going to kick us out, ok? Don't worry."

Cassie sat speechless for a minute. "Are you really sure?"

"Yes baby, we're really sure." Janet answered.

"Ok then." Cassie went back to her dinner, and after a few moments, both of her mothers did too.