Chapter Seventeen.

Jack's head rested on the palm of his hand, his elbow on the desk as he sat in his chair, his other hand occupied by the red phone. "Yes Mr President, they're coming in for the debriefing now sir." He lifted his head looking out of his office into the briefing room to see Daniel and Teal'c taking their seats at the briefing table. "Yes sir…I will thankyou sir." He replaced the receiver with a sigh when the president hung up and ran both hands through his hair, leaning back in the chair. He scrubbed at his face to relieve some of the fatigue; it was late in the night now after all, and rose to meet with his friends.

"Where's Carter?" Jack asked as he entered the briefing room.

"She's probably just still checking her lab Jack." Daniel assured him. Teal'c and Daniel had left her in the ready room; she wanted some time alone to think.

Jack checked his watch, there was another three minutes until the briefing was actually supposed to start so technically she wasn't late, but it wasn't like Sam to come in at the last minute and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with her. He strolled over to the table that held the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. In the 'gate room earlier he had noticed her reluctance to meet his eyes and when she did she seemed…sad?

His back was turned toward the staircase as he took a drink of his coffee but he knew she was there even before he heard her recognisable step on the landing. He felt that familiar and oh so sweet tingle down his spine whenever she was within a few feet of him. The sensation growing more powerful the closer she came. He tried not to acknowledge it and pointedly refused to even think about it as he turned.

She saw him by the coffee table sipping from his cup while he still held the coffee pot in his other hand. "Carter?" He sing-songed as he moved to his chair at the head of the table, placing the pot on the table next to Teal'c, and Sam suddenly mourned his voice speaking her given name, yet at the same time, she'd always liked the way he said 'Carter' in that sexy gruff voice of his. It was familiar and she'd kind of missed it.

"So the doc tells me you are in fact you…you know…my Carter." He winced as his words registered. "Err, what I mean is…" He stammered, but stopped when he saw the spark light her eye and a small smile blossom into Carter smirk number two – the 'I said something stupid and/or embarrassing and she thinks it's funny' smirk - which she tried to hide, unsuccessfully, by ducking her head in that way she always did. Man he loved when she did that! It was insubordinate and disrespectful to an officer of superior rank, which is why she always tried to hide it, and he loved it! Which of course is why he said so many stupid things – he had a feeling she knew, but he wasn't about to ask.

His comment made her heart skip a beat. She should not be so insanely pleased at someone claiming she belonged to them, but it was General O'Neill and she did belong to him, she always had and maybe he didn't know. She saw him wince as the implication of his words set-in and she felt that warm feeling in her stomach and couldn't help nearly laughing at her CO.

"Well let's get this show over with shall we." Jack said. "So," He continued, taking his seat and leaning forward with his arms resting on the table, "Were you really on some other bizarre Earth?"

"A parallel reality, yes sir." Sam confirmed. She waited until he was seated before she followed suit.

She lowered herself into the chair and without realising brought her hand up above her abdomen. Her hand travelled through air before landing on her stomach. She blinked and lowered her head as her eyes stared at her hand now lying protectively over her very flat belly. She pulled her hand away abruptly and her eyes shot up meeting the General's intense gaze. Oh God! He'd been watching her and he knew exactly what she'd done.

Jack watched as she raised her hand; watched as it moved settling gently, almost soothingly on her belly; watched as her eyebrows knitted together slightly and her blue eyes blinked in momentary confusion; watched as she drew a short, sharp breath and jerked her hand away.

Their eyes locked.

"It wasn't really that bizarre Jack." Daniel said.

Sam swallowed and blinked as the moment was broken. Shifting her eyes to Daniel, she clasped her hands together on top of the table and willed herself to maintain her composure.

Not Bizarre?! Carter just…she just… Crap! He saw the panic in her eyes, but behind the panic there was something else…grief? What the hell happened in that world? Or was carrying his child for just a few days that horrible for her? He felt his stomach clench at the thought.

"Not that bizarre?" He eyeballed Daniel, "That's not exactly what I heard Daniel." He noticed Sam shift nervously but kept his eyes on Daniel, "So what happened then?" He asked, waving his hand at them, his eyes finally leaving Daniel to pin each of them in turn, before resting casually on Sam.

Sam lifted her head, all business again, though her stomach was turning somersaults. "When we exited on the other side of the 'gate after embarking on our mission to P3X 292 we found ourselves back in the 'gate room. After some initial confusion I was able to determine that we were in fact in an alternate reality. The General O'Neill of that world ordered me to find out how and why and find a way back if possible. Sir, I'm assuming that because our plan worked, the Sam Carter who was here also came to the same conclusions?"

"Black hole thingy? Yeah, and we figured that we'd go for your scheduled return time. Good call T buddy." Jack said with a smirk for Teal'c.

"Am I to understand O'Neill that it was my alternate self who suggested this time?" Teal'c asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep."

Teal'c inclined his head with a small smile.

"Teal'c's the one who suggested it back in the other universe too." Daniel threw in with a smile.

"Ah, great minds hey Teal'c." Jack said before returning his gaze to Carter, "So then what?" He didn't miss the quick flick of her eyes to her clasped hands.

"Then we waited for Monday night sir. We travelled first to the Alpha site, before embarking to the planet. I hooked up my laptop to the DHD in order to time the dialling sequence exactly."

"And…" Jack prompted with another wave of his hand, she wasn't telling him something, and it couldn't have been about the pregnancy 'cause she would have to know that he knew, he mentally groaned, hoping that damn head ache wasn't gonna make a come-back. It must be something else she was hiding. Carter never was good at lying to him, though she didn't seem to have that problem with anyone else he'd witnessed her lie to. He wondered if it was just because he was her CO or…

"And the alternates must have travelled at precisely the same time and we made it back sir." Sam concluded, her eyes drifting back to her hands on the briefing table.

Jack sat back in his chair, allowing his hands to fall into his lap. He let his gaze wander over his former team mates. Christ! They all looked…guilty…well Teal'c didn't, but Carter's eyes were fixed firmly on her hands and she was biting her lip slightly. Daniel had developed a sudden fascination for the wood grain on the table top and was studying it with great interest as his finger ran across the polish.

Jack decided to let it go; they obviously didn't want to talk about it and truth be known either did he because he just knew it would have something to do with the fact he and Carter were married…again. "Well if that's it then I guess we're done."

Silence met him.

Well there was something that had been weighing on his own mind, now that his team was back he could discuss it with them. "I have some bizarre news though." He said.

That got there attention. All three returned their eyes to him and, though she tried to hide it Jack could see the relief in Carter's eyes.

"What news?" Daniel prompted.

"Had a lengthy chat with Hammond the other day. Seems he wants to retire and apparently, though God knows why, he wants me to take over for him."

Daniel's eyes widened in shock, Sam's eyebrows furrowed and Teal'c's eyebrow disappeared into his hairline.

"As head of home-world security?" Sam asked.

"In Washington?!" Daniel added.

"Yes Daniel. You could at least try not to look that shocked!" Jack grumbled.

Oh God! It was happening, she was losing him all over again. He was going to Washington, he was leaving her behind. She couldn't speak.

"What was your answer O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Told him I'd have to think about it." Jack answered. Carter hadn't said anything yet and if he were honest with himself he would admit that that fact upset him not a little bit; but he wasn't being honest with himself which meant he wasn't admitting that what he really wanted was for her to beg him to stay, with tears…yeah tears would be good. Nope not admitting that at all.

Instead she dropped her clasped hands into her lap and Jack couldn't see the way her knuckles whitened as she wrung her hands together.

"Have you decided?" Daniel asked.

"No Daniel," He drawled slowly as though speaking to an idiot, "I wanted to find out what you guys thought first." He'd done it before, when he was considering his promotion to Brig. General. In fact he'd always gone over things with his team – getting their opinions – before making his final decisions. But really the only opinion that mattered to him at this point was Carter's. God! He could still remember how her lips felt against his. Get a grip Jack, for-cryin'-out-loud! Then she spoke.

"I assume…" He voice cracked, damnit!

Jack heard the crack in her voice, so similar to the one he'd heard when her alternate had spoken of her baby – a few minutes after that kiss.

Sam cleared her throat before starting again, "I assume there would be a promotion to go with the position sir?" She asked. No-one could have known how sick she suddenly felt.

Jack nodded, "A second star."

"You're not seriously thinking about taking the job Jack?" Daniel asked.

"It's an incredible career opportunity Daniel." And it was, so how could she tell him to stay, to give that up and stay here…with her. She couldn't. He deserved to be there with the top brass, he deserved the promotion. "Working out of the pentagon, with the President's ear and a promotion to Major General, he'd be mad not to accept." She turned to the General, "Sir at 49, you'd be one of the youngest Major Generals in history."

She thought he should take the job. Jack suddenly felt as though his intestines had left his body and dropped clean to the floor – he resisted the urge to check.

"What about the SGC and SG-1? Are you just going to leave us?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"Daniel, like I said I haven't decided to take the job yet. Besides I'm not on SG-1 anymore Daniel, haven't been for over a year in case ya didn't notice, and you guys'd do just fine without me." He replied.

As he sat back in his seat Jack became aware of an icy stillness filling the room.

Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had frozen at his words; he had no idea what they meant to them. All three of them sat ramrod straight in their seats with their eyes fixed on him.

"What?" Jack said.

"Well Jack, let us know what you decide, I think I'll get going now." Daniel stood and left the room.

"What the hell was that about?" Jack asked moving his gaze back and forth between the remaining two.

Teal'c rose smoothly from his chair and approached Jack who got to his feet when the Jaffa reached him, forcing Sam to stand as well.

"Whatever your decision O'Neill, know that we are brothers. Circumstances can never alter this." He rumbled seriously, before following Daniel down the staircase.

Jack turned toward Carter to see her standing, watching her own fingers tips leaning against the edge of the briefing table.

"Carter, you know I don't remember ending this briefing." He turned his head and shouted toward the stairs, "Dismissed!" He returned his attention to Carter to find her smiling softly at him, he had to repress the sudden urge to run his thumb over her delicate lips – his hands found his pockets again. "What was that about Carter?" He said, removing one hand from his pocket just long enough to wave toward the staircase.

"Sir," She began, her voice gentle. "I think they just want you to understand that…whatever you do, you'll always be one of us."

She held her eyes steadily on his as she spoke in that voice he longed to hear, soft and feminine. Abruptly he understood what she was trying to tell him – SG-1 were a family, and in their eyes that would never change.

"Am I dismissed sir?"

His eyes shot back to hers at her quiet question, her voice was slightly off and it was only then that he noticed the light shade of pink on her nose. Crap! She was upset, really upset – why? "Carter, you ok?"

"Yes sir," She said, ducking her head, "I'm just as little tired sir."

Jack drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, he should've known better than to bother asking her. She would never tell him and damn that shouldn't bother him as much as it did. "Sure Carter, it's been a long day, I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Thankyou sir, goodnight sir." She replied and left without meeting his eyes.

Sam headed directly to her base quarters for the night; she didn't want to go home yet. He was leaving, what other choice could he make? People just didn't turn down this kind of offer. The base, the world around her seemed almost surreal. She, Samantha Carter, had given birth to General O'Neill's baby only five hours ago, it was difficult to fathom that things could just go on as normal and she didn't have the courage to tell him and now he was going to leave.

Jack was seriously confused as he strolled back into his office to finish a few things up before he left as well. What was going on? Did she want him to go or didn't she? And why did she seem so…unhappy.

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She was panting from the heavy exertion, the terrible pain she had felt easing. On some level she could feel Daniel's arms around her, her back pressing into his chest and he was saying something, but she couldn't understand what it was. Her field of vision and all her other senses were filled with something else. She watched as Teal'c handed him their baby; his finger tip caressed her little face and he smiled down at her. He raised his head gazing directly into her own eyes and his smile broadened, the dimples in his cheeks deepening and his teeth showing behind his lips. He moved his hand to gently raise their daughter's tiny hand, waving it from side to side. "Bye Mommy," he said brightly. She felt the hot tears flow over her cheeks. No! Her arm came up reaching toward him and she tried to shout, but no sound would come from her open mouth. He turned away from her, still smiling, and strolled out of the isolation room with their daughter still in his arms. She tried to get up; tried to move, but she couldn't. Noooo!! The door slid shut behind him and she heard it lock into place.

Sam woke with a gasp.

A/N: So sorry about the wait on this one, but RL is so damn time consuming! I didn't do any research on whether or not Jack would actually be one of the youngest Major Generals in history, but considering how long it generally takes to be a full bird Colonel I figured 49 is fairly young for it, though I'm sure not unheard of. Oh and I got Jack's age from the episode 'Brief Candle' in season one where he tells Kynthia (was that her name?) that he's 40. Anyway hope you liked it : )