Orbiting
Samantha placed Grace on her feet and stood to look at the constellations that were so familiar to her and let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, hardly daring to hope that a hot bath and soft bed were in her imminent future.
Jack looked at Samantha as she sat back down and pulled Grace back into her lap, "So", he drawled, "what now?"
"Well I am guessing that since we have suddenly appeared out of nowhere in Earth's orbit someone is going to notice and want to know what we are doing here." Samantha smiled as she spoke.
Jack sat back and thought, not for the first time, that she was definitely the brains of the team. Brains and beauty – how the hell did he get so lucky? He turned to look at his two girls. "Just so you know, no matter what happens to us, I won't have any regrets – you are the best thing that ever happened to me."
Samantha turned to look at the man she loved – the first love of her life if she were honest. "Why Jack O'Neill I believe that was almost a declaration of love." She laughed. It had never bothered her that he had never said the words she knew the way he felt by his actions. Before Jack had a chance to respond she began to tell Grace about the stars in front of her.
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"Sir, NORAD has just informed us that an unidentified craft has just appeared in orbit." Walter Harriman told General Landry while experiencing and all too familiar twist in the gut.
General Hank Landry had read all the mission reports and had been head of the SCG for just under a year and every day he realised there was nothing you could do to prepare for this job – not for the first time he wondered how George Hammond did it everyday for seven years without developing ulcers.
"Prepare to hail the craft Sergeant and put Daedalus on alert." He instructed hoping he was making the right decision.
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Jack and Samantha had been telling Grace about all the wonderful things that would be in her future when they heard a voice as clear as if the person was sitting in the Jumper with them. Samantha tightened her grip on Grace and told her to be very quiet while Daddy talked.
"This is General Hank Landry of the United States Air Force. Please identify yourself."
Jack manipulated the communication device to respond. "This is Colonel Jack O'Neill – two L's – of the United States Air Force – retired – kinda."
Samantha buried her head in Graces shoulder torn between laughing and groaning – as a first contact went she was pretty sure this wasn't going well.
"I have a small problem with that – you see we already have a General O'Neill down here – so let's start this again – who exactly are you?" General Landry asked feeling a headache starting.
"My name is Colonel Jack O'Neill and I am with Dr Samantha Carter and we have just travelled forward 5000 years from Egypt – we can explain what we are doing here but it is going to be a long debrief and we have been living in Ancient Egypt for the last ten months so a shower and a change of clothes would be great right about now."
Samantha felt it was time for her to take over otherwise they could be floating around in space forever. "General, I am switching to the video feed so you can see we are telling the truth. I know you had problems with a replicator in the past I can assure you we are human."
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Hank Landry looked up at the video monitors in the control room and saw for himself that the people he was communicating with were indeed replicas of General O'Neill and Colonel Carter. "Sergeant – contact General O'Neill and let him know what is going on and page Colonel Carter up here." The general leaned forward and pushed the button to communicate with the aircraft. "I'm going to need some time – I'll be in contact again in 30 minutes".
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Sam sat in Dr Lam's office – it may look different but in her mind it would always be Janet's office. Not for the first time she wished she was going to have this conversation with Janet rather than Carolyn. It wasn't that she thought Carolyn was any less of a doctor than Janet had been but Janet had been her friend.
Carolyn walked in with a thick file under her arm and smiled at Sam. "Pretty soon we are going to have to give you your own filing cabinet." She smiled and sat down opposite Sam. "So what can I do for you?"
"Just to check- everything we talk about today is confidential?" Sam asked. She knew her relationship with Jack would become public knowledge soon enough – if truth be told she was surprised it hadn't already, but for now she was happy to keep it to themselves – and Daniel, Cassie and Teal'c.
"Unless we talk about something that has a direct impact on your ability to do your job, then what we say is confidential – yes." Carolyn's curiosity was defiantly raised.
"You've read my medical file?" Sam waited for an affirmative nod. "As you know I have a unique physiology – when the naquadah was first discovered in my blood Janet questioned what the impact of that would be on my ability to have children." Sam looked at the doctor to make sure the she was following. "At the time I felt our medical resources could be better used as it was not a priority for me then – well, I guess what I am asking is - I would know like to now."
Carolyn sat looking at the Colonel momentarily stunned. She took a deep breath. "I've read your file thoroughly and Dr Frasier made very detailed notes in regards to this, and I have to say I agree with her anecdotal findings, – I think it is unlikely that you will ever be able to conceive and even if you do, the chances of carrying the baby to term would be small – you have simply put your body through too much in the last nine years – the human body is not designed to be put under the amount of stress yours has been through." She spoke gently – not wanting to have to give this news but also wanting to be completely honest. She looked up at the Colonel and could have sworn she saw a look of devastation and the sheen of tear,s but before she could be sure Sam had schooled her face.
"Okay – so – no chance then?" Just wanting to be perfectly clear that her dreams were well and truly crushed.
"Sam," Carolyn decided that the use of first names would be more appropriate for this conversation. "I will run some tests and get you some definite answers but I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not give you the answers you want."
Sam felt her hopes lift marginally although she wished she hadn't told Jack about the appointment with Carolyn – she didn't want to have to tell him that it would be unlikely he would ever be a father again until she knew for sure.
Just as Carolyn finished taking what felt like a litre of her blood she was paged to the control room.
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True to his word General Landry contacted the Jumper exactly thirty minutes after their last communication. "We have arranged for you to board our battle cruiser Daedalus – we will assess the situation from there. I am sending co-ordinates now"
Just as he was finishing Colonel Samantha Carter entered the control room and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the faces frozen on the monitors around the room.
"Ah Colonel Carter I would like you to prepare to beam up to the Daedalus as soon as possible to lead the interrogation of two people who have appeared in orbit claiming to be Dr Samantha Carter and Colonel Jack O'Neill."
All thoughts of her meeting with Dr Lam left Sam's head as she absorbed the information just given to her. It was not the first time she had been faced with another 'self' but it always shook her up a little bit – although not as much as it had in the past. Maybe she was getting jaded she thought to herself – or maybe for the first time since being faced with another 'her' she was happy with her own life.
"Yes sir" Sam responded.
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Sam stood in the docking bay, flanked by half a dozen SF's with their weapons drawn waiting for the jumper to finish landing and open. She watched as the rear door slowly opened and Jack, carrying a beautiful little girl and herself, heavily pregnant walked out of the jumper.
"Holy Hannah" Sam said quietly as she took in the family in front of her. She turned to one of the SF's "I think General O'Neill is probably going to want to get up here for this one."
TBC
Next chapter – let's see what Jack thinks about the whole situation.
A/N Sorry if this was all over the place – I hope it wasn't too hard to follow. Thanks so much for the lovely reviews it is so great to know people are reading and enjoying.