Chapter Ten.

"Not hungry Sam?" Daniel asked. He'd noticed that Sam was only picking at her lunch and hadn't even touched her blue Jell-O.

"Not really." Sam replied, using her fork to move the ravioli around her plate.

It was Monday afternoon and the three friends were sitting in the commissary having their lunch and trying not to dwell on the fact that tonight they would either be going home or be stuck here forever.

Daniel thought it was no wonder Sam had lost her appetite.

Sam's back ache was becoming increasingly worse and she reached a hand behind herself to rub at it.

"Sore back?" Daniel's mothering hadn't abated.

"I'm fine." She said, but then noticing the sceptical looks she was receiving… "Back's aching a little." She admitted, "But I'd say that's a fairly normal thing."

"Indeed ColonelCarter. Drey'ac often complained of lower back pain whilst she carried Ry'ac." Teal'c told her.

Sam smiled at him. Teal'c so rarely spoke of his deceased wife, she felt privileged whenever he shared any small part of his former life.

"Well there you go then, thanks Teal'c." He simply smiled slightly and inclined his head.

Sam reached for her Jell-O which, unusually for her, she'd left for last. She tried a spoonful but she couldn't even stomach that. What was wrong with her! She shoved it away, the others had long finished their meals.

"You guys ready to go? I've had enough of sitting here." The truth was the commissary chairs were obviously not designed for pregnant women and became very uncomfortable after a while.

"Sure but to do what? Jack won't let me near my office, err the other Daniel's office."

"I know he's ordered me to stay away from my, her, lab too." Sam replied rather despondently.

"Perhaps we should attend the gymnasium." Teal'c offered, "light exercise is highly beneficial ColonelCarter."

"Yeah I've heard that too Sam."

Teal'c and Daniel had spent the entire morning hovering over her again.

Teal'c had brought her ice-cream and pickles because he'd heard that human women often craved this when pregnant. Sam had to make a quick exit to the locker rooms where she proceeded to laugh so hard she swore she nearly wet herself.

Daniel had brought her every vitamin tablet on earth. There were iron supplements, folate, vitamin C, everything he'd read on the internet was needed for a pregnant woman. Ten bottles sat in front of her. He wore such enthusiasm on his handsome face and Sam was so touched that he'd gone to all the trouble of researching on the 'net for her that she just didn't have the heart to tell him that Janet had already provided all the supplements she needed in only two handy tablets.

Sam took a cleansing breath, "Sounds fine to me guys, I could use a walk anyway."

On the way to the gym Sam needed to make a stop in the locker rooms – again. She told Daniel and Teal'c to keep going, but they refused, insisting on waiting for her.

Sam had finished and was about to raise herself up when she felt a gush, and she knew exactly what it was. No, no, nonono, not know, not yet. She cleaned herself up, putting a wad of toilet paper into her underwear and headed for the door.

When Sam opened the locker room door she found Daniel and Teal'c, standing in the hall waiting for her. They looked up and smiled, well Daniel smiled, Teal'c's lips turned upward slightly which for him was the equivalent.

"Um guys, sorry but I'm going to have to go to the infirmary."

"Sam?"

"Are you unwell ColonelCarter?" Teal'c noticed her ashen complexion.

"Well," Sam looked down at the floor trying to retain her composure. The truth was she was absolutely terrified. "I…I think my water just broke."

"What!?" Daniel's eyes widened and he put a hand on Sam's left arm.

"Uh," Sam gasped her right hand flying to the underside of her belly as her first contraction hit her. Daniel still had his hand on her and she grabbed at his forearm to steady herself.

"I thought, well shouldn't you have gone into labour before your water broke?" Daniel said as he stepped closer to his friend using his other arm to support her under her shoulder as she bent over in pain.

"I don't know Daniel." She ground out, "I'm not even supposed to be doing this."

She breathed heavily as the contraction subsided and she straightened.

"ColonelCarter are you able to continue to the infirmary?" Teal'c asked, his concern evident in his voice.

"Yes, let's go." She replied.

The two airmen in the elevator straightened as soon as they saw Sam enter with Teal'c and Daniel. "Ma'am." They said in unison.

"As you were airmen." She replied, flicking her fingers at them absently as she made her way to the back of the elevator, leaning against the wall.

She was so grateful when Teal'c and Daniel closed in around her shielding her from view. She had to make it to the infirmary before…

"Ugh." She couldn't help the slight groan that escaped her when another more powerful contraction hit.

Daniel and Teal'c turned to her immediately, but Sam couldn't keep on her feet from the intense pain. Teal'c took her right arm as Daniel grabbed for her left, slowing her fall as she dropped to her knees. They followed her down, squatting by her side. As another wave of pain hit her she closed her eyes and grabbed hold of Teal'c's knee, it was the closest thing to her at the time.

"It's ok Sam, just try to breathe ok." Daniel said.

Sam shot him a glare.

"That's what they say isn't it?" Daniel justified himself, looking to Teal'c for support.

Teal'c was way too smart to touch that one and just placed his free hand over Sam's currently attached to his knee.

"Sirs?" One of the airmen said timidly.

Daniel turned around to see that the elevator doors had opened on the infirmary level. Twisting on one knee he addressed the airmen.

"Tell Dr Frasier that Colonel Carter has gone into labour and bring back a wheelchair." He ordered.

"Yes sir." The airmen said but Sam stopped them in their tracks.

Her contraction had subsided and Teal'c was helping her up. "The wheelchair won't be necessary."

"Yes Ma'am." They said together and then ran full pelt toward the infirmary.

Sam groaned again, but not in pain this time. The whole damn base was going to know about this in less than five minutes from now.

"Sam?"

"Its ok Daniel, lets go." Sam said.

She couldn't believe this was happening. This was not supposed to happen. They were supposed to go back through the 'gate to their own reality tonight. She was not supposed to be pregnant and she sure as hell was not supposed to be giving birth.

As they approached the infirmary Janet came bursting out of the door.

"Sam! The airman said you were in labour."

"My water broke ten minutes ago in the bathroom and I had my first contraction a couple of minutes after." Sam informed her doctor, her long lost friend. If there was anyone in the world Sam wanted to be her doctor at this moment it was Janet.

"She had another one, a worse one in the elevator." Daniel put in.

"How far apart are they Sam?" Janet asked.

"Umm, sorry Janet I haven't really been timing them." Sam said looking at Daniel who shrugged at Janet.

"Is this significant information Dr Frasier?" Teal'c asked.

He hadn't been with his wife when she had given birth to Ry'ac. He had been sent to battle by Apophis. Besides which among the Jaffa, birthing was women's business, men knew nothing and were very rarely involved. He however intended to help one of his dearest friends through the ordeal she was suffering any way he could.

"It's ok Teal'c, it just gives us an idea of how far Sam is in her labour, how far away the baby is." Janet explained patiently. Upon hearing of Sam's pregnancy, their Teal'c took an amazing interest in the whole thing wanting to know everything he deemed was important to helping Sam; she guessed this Teal'c was the same.

"Then I shall endeavour to keep watch over the time." He said seriously.

Janet smiled at him as she led them all into the isolation room.

"Janet, why the Iso room?" Sam asked, eying the window into the observation room warily. There was no one there. There better not be either she thought.

"You wanted somewhere more private than the infirmary and I needed to have easy access to the necessary equipment."

"Necessary equipment?" Sam's face drained of all colour.

"Only in case of an emergency Sam, but I'm sure we won't need any of it. Now tell me how strong the…" She didn't get to finish as Sam was struck by another contraction.

Her knees buckled again. She clung hard to the side of the bed as she knelt on the floor her breathing ragged. Daniel and Teal'c rushed to her side and knelt on either side of her. Daniel's hand on her shoulder, Teal'c's on her back. Their reassuring presence helped. She steadied her breathing the way she would to manage the pain of an injury.

"Well that answers that question then." Janet said.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, looking up at the doctor.

"Well she has to be pretty far along if it's difficult to stay on her feet." Janet advised.

"But she only went into labour ten minutes ago!" Daniel said in astonishment.

"I know Daniel but her water broke first. Sam was probably going through the early stages of labour for hours and didn't even realise it."

"She did say her back was aching a little." Daniel told Janet.

"Hey I'm right here you know!" Sam snapped as the pain released her. She leant heavily against the bed and used it to help herself up.

"Sorry Sam." Daniel mumbled.

"This attack of pain occurred approximately five minutes after the previous one and continued for a duration of two minutes Dr Frasier." Teal'c informed Janet.

God, this giant of a man was really just so sweet, Janet thought.

"Really, two minutes?" Sam said disbelievingly, it felt like longer. Teal'c merely inclined his head.

"Thankyou Teal'c," Janet said, she turned back to Sam, speaking gently, "You're close honey but you've still quite a way to go yet."

"Ok Janet so what now?" Sam asked, "I don't suppose there's any way we can stop the labour?"

"No Sam," Janet said sympathetically as Daniel helped Sam sit on the bed, "I'm sorry this is it."

"Right" Sam's voice was quiet as she lowered her head to study the floor, she didn't want the others to see the hurt in her eyes.

She shouldn't have bothered; Teal'c and Daniel knew how upsetting this must for her.

"It'll be ok Sam." Daniel knew they were just empty words to Sam at the moment, but he had to say something.

Sam glanced up at him and gave him a small smile, grateful for his effort.

"I didn't really get a chance to go to any classes or anything Janet so, like I said, what now?"

"It's really just a waiting game Sam, albeit a painful one. With your physiology any drugs I could administer at safe enough levels for the baby would have absolutely no effect on you, but there are birth pain management techniques we can try until the time comes to push."

As if on cue a nurse came in carrying a bean-bag, placing it at the head of the bed.

"A bean-bag?" Daniel voiced SG-1's confusion.

"Yes, Sam when you have a contraction you might find it easier to lean forward and rest your body on it." Janet said.

Sam just looked dubiously at the bean-bag resting next to her.

"Also Sam it's important you stay hydrated and go to the bathroom as often as you can to keep the swelling of your bladder to a minimum otherwise we'll have to insert a catheter to stop the bladder hindering the birth."

"Janet!" Sam cried out. This was real. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't do this, she wasn't ready, people usually had a full nine months to get used to the idea of giving birth and they knew stuff, she didn't know the first thing about it. Daniel, having delivered a couple of babies himself, knew more than she did.

Teal'c and Daniel mistook her outcry for embarrassment.

"Sam maybe we should…" Daniel started pointing both his hands toward the door.

"Perhaps you would be more comfortable without our presence Colonel Carter." Teal'c said.

But before either man could continue Sam moved. She wasn't embarrassed. A part of her thought that maybe she should be but she wasn't. These men were her brothers, her family, no, closer than that. Any embarrassment she may have ordinarily felt paled in comparison to her sudden terror and she needed her family, SG-1, with her.

She gripped onto Teal'c's large arm as if her life depended on it, her fingers digging into the firm muscles. "Don't go!" She breathed almost desperately. She fought to control her emotions and steady her voice. "Please. Guys please don't go."

They had never seen nor heard her so obviously frightened. She took on battalions of enemy aliens, stared death in the eye on practically a weekly basis and never flinched.

Teal'c reached over with his free hand and gently pried her fingers off his arm, understanding dawning on him. He engulfed her smaller hand in both of his. "Do not fear Colonel Carter, we will not leave you."

"Yeah Sam, we're not going anywhere, unless you want us to of course, ok?"

Sam nodded.

Janet felt awful for this Sam. She knew it had to be difficult and rather frightening to her. "You'll like this part Sam," She continued with a smile, "Apart from the bean bag, walking slowly can help, hot showers and the best thing, lots of back rubs."

Sam smiled at that. "Well you can't say no to a back rub."

She squirmed on the bed, sitting was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

Janet noticed, "You'll probably find that sitting up won't be very good for you Sam. You should either walk, lean forward on your knees or lie down on your side, but stay off your back."

"Ok, um, I think I'll walk for a while."

Teal'c used the hand he still held to help Sam to her feet before releasing her. Sam lightly touched his chest in thanks before beginning to pace the room.

She'd taken only a few steps when…

Jack O'Neill was in his office. He'd missed lunch with SG-1, he'd had a meeting and with all the damn paperwork, he'd opted to eat at his desk.

He swiped at the crumbs on the paper he'd just finished looking over before signing it. Placing that one in the 'out' box he reached over to pull yet another manila folder from his burgeoning 'in' tray when his phone rang.

"O'Neill." He answered. "What!?"

Jack O'Neill slammed the phone down as he leapt from his chair and out of his office.

A/N: Ohoh! Sorry if i upset a few people with this turn of events. Anyway let me know what you think, Jack hugs to all (or Sam hugs if you prefer) -I'll take Jack...mmm.