Summary: Sam goes missing during a mission and the consequences of her experience will change her life forever (and someone else's too).

Warnings: None yet.

Pairings: J/S (what can I say, I'm a Jack/Sam shipper, but I do write others too)

Season: Seven-ish Spoilers: Wee bit here and there from the whole series.

A/N: Oz Lovi dodges the flying veggies as she cautiously peeks out at the audience. I know, I know, it's been a REALLY long time since this got updated. I am sorry I left everybody hanging there. I'm back to typing again so hopefully updates will come more frequently with this and other stories I'm working on. Thanks for the encouragement to keep posting. On with the story, enjoy. (Pardon the rhyme :o))

Take The Long Way Home by Oz Lovi

Last Time: Sam watched the look on his face change as she felt the baby kick again. He smiled and closed his eyes as the baby kicked a couple more times. She was happy to see how calm getting to feel baby seemed to make him, especially given how unusually quiet and shell shocked they'd both been after hearing that he was the baby's father. Though it was through no fault of their own, she felt slightly guilty and she had a feeling he did too.

Jacob glanced at George. With a light nod his friend turned to the others. As he closely eyed his daughter and Jack he heard George dismiss the others quietly.

Chapter Four

"I think we should continue this later, and give the Colonel and Major a chance to talk alone. Dismissed." As he stood to leave, the General stepped toward them, noting that they had put some distance between them once he'd dismissed the group. "Colonel, Major, if either of you would like to talk my door is open. I know you need a chance to discuss this situation. If you'd like some privacy, without the security cameras, you can use my office. And feel free to close the door."

They both felt a little stunned, but grateful. "Thank you, Sir."

Jacob noticed the husky sound in Jack's voice. The man was doing his best to keep his emotions bottled up until he had some time alone. As they took the General's offer and walked toward his office, Jacob gave his daughter a quick smile before George shut the door for them.

Leaning back against the edge of the desk, Jack avoided looking at Sam's face. For her part she was also dodging his eyes.

Very quietly Sam said, "Guess I got my wish." When she saw his head snap up and he stared into her eyes with a surprised look, she realized he'd heard her. "I'm sorry, Sir." She gave him an apologetic and guilty look.

He was trying to figure out if she meant what he thought. "What wish?" When she hesitated Jack eyed her closely. "Sam, what wish?"

That grabbed her attention. She'd not wanted to elaborate, but part of her also wanted to tell him. "I….I had wished that you could be the baby's father," she replied quietly. To her surprise and relief he smiled lightly.

"Me too." She was stunned, but also pleased he realized when her eyes widened then she gave him a dazzling smile. "Now what?"

"That's a good question. This is as much about you now as me." Pausing a moment she cautiously asked, "Do you want to be there when the baby is born?"

His eyes lit up and he gave her a full smile. "Yes."

She was almost positive he would but it was really nice to hear it from him. "Good, because I was going to ask you to be my coach before Janet dropped her little bombshell," she confessed.

They shared a quick smile before Jack spoke up again. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know, Sir. And unfortunately we don't have very long before I deliver to figure this out."

"This is kind of…." he paused, looking for the best way to put it.

Sam got what he was trying to say. "A touchy subject for us." When he nodded, she continued. "This has something to do with what we didn't let leave the room, Sir?"

"Yeah. Kalan's meddling kind of brings out of the room again."

"We don't have to discuss…."

He interrupted her, "I want to. If you don't want to though, we can let it go," he added quickly.

It was unusual to see him act so nervous, but this subject definitely did. Admittedly, it made her a little nervous too, but now was as good a time as any to talk about it. "Should we talk here, or somewhere else?"

"If Doc will let you off the base we could go somewhere else."

Their plans were interrupted by the klaxons and the announcement of an unscheduled offworld activation. The office door opened and Jacob poked his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think you better get down to the control room, Jack." Seeing Jack and Sam glance at each other then head for the stairs, he followed them. "George gave permission for a Goa'uld to come through. I missed most of the specifics, but it sounds like Kalan may have told someone about what he did."

When they reached the bottom of the steps the Stargate was already active and they decided to join the General and Teal'c in the 'gate room. "What's up, General?"

"Colonel, you might not like this." Just as he was about to explain, someone stepped through the Stargate onto the ramp and walked their way.

Jack clenched his fists at his sides. "Ba'al."

Sam saw his reaction and had to admit she was a little disturbed to have the Goa'uld, who had tortured him so badly, in the SGC.

"Ah, O'Neill. What a pleasure to see you again." Ba'al smirked as he saw the glare he received.

"Dare I as what you want? Or should we just shove you back through, Bocce?"

"Now, Colonel, is that any way to treat a visitor? Especially one with a mutual friend. I believe you know a Mr. Kalan."

Sam cringed inwardly when he looked her way.

"It would seem there will be a new addition to your team soon." Ba'al noted she held her head high, even as she took a step closer to the Colonel. Walking closer to them he saw the man clench his fists again. Acting as if he were going to touch her protruding belly, he grinned when the Colonel stepped between them.

Jack didn't say a word as he stepped in front of her, he didn't have to. The moment Ba'al leaned toward her the SFs trained their weapons on him in case he tried to hurt her. He got the message and stepped away with a maniacal grin.

"Perhaps, if you did not plan to have a child yet as Mr. Kalan believes and don't want it, I could take it for you. I'm sure it would make an excellent lo'tar someday, perhaps even a host. If it is a girl with features as lovely as her mother, she would indeed make an excellent queen."

"Shut your mouth, now."

Seeing that everyone seemed to be regarding him with disgust, he pushed to see how far he could go. You could certainly come with me, Major, to be a queen's host and raise the child to by my new host."

Jack moved too quickly for anyone to stop him, not even Ba'al who had been watching him closely for his reactions. His fist connected with Ba'al's nose in a satisfying crunch. The next thing he knew, Ba'al had a ribbon device pointed at Sam. "What the…."

Ba'al grabbed her ad made a move for the Stargate.

Jack tried to pull her away from him. "You keep away from my girls." He couldn't get a good hold on her. He saw the smirk in Ba'al's eyes at the same time he saw the fear in Sam's.

"Your girls." Ba'al sneered with satisfaction.

Grabbing for her outstretched hand, Jack tried in vain to get to her. "Stay away from my family you son of a …." Ba'al laughed and pulled her through the Stargate which shut off before Jack could even run toward it. "No, Sam!"

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Okay, this was a really evil place to leave it, but I promise I will resolve this little scene in the very beginning of the next chapter. Which is already hand written and awaiting typing. Please don't hurt me too bad. :o) Also I hope you enjoyed it enough to review. Thanks.