The gentle shaking brought her to consciousness slowly. "Sam..." Her husband intoned softly. "Sam, honey, it's time to wake up. I've got to get to work and Grace needs to go to school."

She forced her eyes open. "What time is it?" She croaked. She must have fallen asleep when she'd been sitting with Grace. Her neck and back were so stiff and sore...

"Just a little before eight." He said, looking at his watch.

"What?" She asked, instantly pulling away from the headboard so that she was sitting of her own accord. Suddenly, blood rushed to her head and she blinked multiple times to alleviate her dizziness. She closed her eyes and touched a finger to her temple. "Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked after a moment.

"Honestly?" He asked raising an eyebrow as he steadied her with the strength of his arms. "Because it looked like you could use the sleep-in. What time did you get to sleep

"Dunno."

"You okay?" He asked, studying her.

"Dizzy..." She murmured as she closed her eyes and rested the back of her head against the headboard for a moment. "And a little nauseous."

"You want me to stay home today?" He offered, kindly.

She shook her head carefully. "It'll pass. I'm sure."

"You went to bed pretty early last night." He reminded her. "And you slept in too. Sounds like you might have the flu."

She shook her head. "Just had it a few weeks ago at the cabin."

"Doesn't matter...it can come around more than once."

"I don't feel feverish, Jack. I'll just have a glass of water and some yogurt and toast, and I'll be up and running."

"You're sure..."

She nodded as she slowly got out of bed. She looked at him, dressed in his uniform. "Go, Jack. I'll be fine. You don't want to be late..."

"You and I have different definitions of the word "want", my dear." He teased as he leaned in and kissed her softly.

Sam chuckled as they walked out of the bedroom together and into the kitchen. She turned green as she smelled the scrambled eggs that her daughter was eating.

"Sam?" Jack asked, catching her as her knees buckled beneath her for a moment.

She turned to him, only to cover her mouth with both hands as she stumbled weakly to the bathroom.

She was on her second round of heaving when she felt his gentle hands pull the hair back from her face. When he finished, he offered her a cold washcloth so that she could wipe her face.

"You gonna be okay while I take Grace to school?" He asked, softly. "I'll be back in just a few minutes."

She nodded, weakly.

"Here, let's get you to bed," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist as he led her from the bathroom to the bedroom where he helped her into bed.

She slipped beneath the covers, resting her head on the pillow, tiredly.

"Get some rest, okay?"

She nodded with her eyes closed as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be right back," he promised.

-

The sound of rustling plastic woke Sam suddenly, and she looked over to find the source of the sound. Her husband was kneeling beside her bed as he pulled a few bottles of ginger ale from a plastic bag and placed them beside the saltine crackers he'd already pulled out.

"Jack," she murmured.

He looked up at her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." He whispered. "Go back to sleep."

"Grace get off to school okay?"

"Yeah." He assured. "And she wants you to start feeling better soon."

Sam smiled softly as she sat up and rested her back against the headboard. She felt her long hair slipping down over her ears, and she quickly pulled the elastic from her hair before she wound it around the ponytail again more tightly as Jack stood and sat beside her on the bed.

"You feeling a little better?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Good to hear." He said, soberly.

She noticed the clock on the wall. It was nine-fifteen. Forty-five minutes after Jack was supposed to have reported to work.

"You didn't have to stay home, Jack," she said, looking over at him. "I'm feeling better. I promise. And I'll be good and stay in bed until I have to get Grace from school."

"Would I really be the man you married if I didn't take every opportunity given to me to miss a meeting or two?" He asked with a wry grin.

She smiled appreciatively. "Which meetings did I help you get out of?"

"Oh, just...one with the IOA...one with Senator Marks from California...um...a few reports which needed to be read...a few which needed to be written..."

"You can write the reports from our computer, can't you?"

"And...she ruins the mood..." He teased as he hung his head in mock-shame.

"Sorry, Jack," she chuckled.

"Next time, don't say things like that. Then, when I say I didn't realize I could do that...I won't be lying." He winked.

"I'll keep that in mind."

He rested his hand on her thigh gently as he looked more soberly into her eyes. "Hey, how are you really doing?"

"I'm tired." She admitted. "Which is odd because...I've been sleeping for hours."

"You're sick. You're allowed."

"I'm still a little dizzy, but not feeling as nauseous..."

"That's good." He said, cautiously optimistic.

"I think so." She said with a small smile. She took a moment to look at him. He seemed tired and worn. "Hey..."

"Hm?" He asked, looking over at her instantly.

"You okay?"

"Fine," he said, nodding.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Just hate seeing you sick." He admitted.

"Ah." She said, nodding. "Well, I'm much better now that I'm not fighting it and just staying in bed."

"You look a little better." He agreed. "Still a little pale, but better-rested."

"Exactly how I feel."

"Well, I'm going to change out of these restricting dress blues, and then, I'll be back in to see what you want to do."

"Movie is always welcome," she smiled. "And if you're gonna stick around, I'll even let you choose..."

"Ooh. Don't tempt me." He laughed as he unbuttoned his jacket. "Might have to stay home everyday if that's the way it works."

She chuckled softly to herself as she watched him undress. She'd married a rather handsome man. That much was certain.

"Hey...you lookin' at me?" Jack teased as he looked over at her, dressed in a white t-shirt and his navy blue slacks.

She grinned. "Better believe it."

"Ah." He said with a grin. "Well, then...carry on."

Sam laughed softly from where she sat on the bed as he finished dressing in his Air Force tee and jeans.

"So...what movie are you going to subject me to?" She asked as he sat beside her on the bed.

"Hm...well...I was thinking about that one alien movie you love so much..." He winked.

"Jack!"

"Okay, okay..." He laughed. "I wasn't thinking about that one."

"Yes, you were." She said with a playful smile. "But only because you wanted to make fun of my reaction."

"True." He admitted.

She shook her head. "You're obnoxious."

"But I'm oh, so handsome!" He grinned.

She smiled softly as she curled up next to him. "Um-hm..."

"Hey, if you're gonna do that, at least wait until I put the movie in," Jack teased, gently.

"Uh-uh...this is comfortable," she laughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes with her cheek against his chest.

"Okay." He shrugged as he put his arms around her. "I can deal with a little mid-morning cuddle..."

"Good..." She murmured as her eyes slipped closed again.

"Going to sleep on me again?"

"Didn't sleep well last night in Grace's bed," she admitted.

"Yeah...didn't have your favorite teddy bear is more like it," he grumbled, playfully.

She chuckled softly. "Yes. I just want you for your body."

"It's hard to be this good-looking," he said with a mock sigh. "But someone has to do it."

She giggled.

"No giggling, Carter." He said with a mockingly stern voice, bringing back memories of being trapped with her in Antarctica.

"Oh...still having trouble with your sidearm?" She retorted softly.

He bit back a guffaw.

She managed a tired smile as she closed her eyes again.

"Hey, Sam?" Jack asked after a few moments.

"Hm?"

"You don't think you might be..." He began slowly.

"Be what? Sick? Oh, I'm pretty sure about that one..."

"Yeah, but maybe this is just a...symptom..." He prodded, gently. "I mean, Sara..."

Sam's eyes flew open suddenly. "You think I'm pregnant." She interrupted.

He shrugged. "It IS a possibility. Isn't it?"

She was silent as she thought carefully. She pulled away from him, almost looking heavenward as she counted on her fingers. "I-I think you might be right..."

"That it's a possibility or...?" Jack asked, studying her closely.

"Well, since I left the George Hammond I haven't gotten any of the normal birth control shots I get...and I haven't been on there in a while...and I was so caught up with getting Grace that wasn't even thinking...and..."

"And..." He prodded gently.

She looked over at him as she swallowed. "I might be pregnant..."

"Should I call your doctor?" He asked, looking over at her.

"That, uh...might be a little premature. We should...uh...get a test...or something..."

He smiled, sheepishly. "I got one. Just in case..."

"Oh." She said in faint surprise. "Okay..."

"Hey, it is what it is." He said, wrapping an arm around her. "If you're pregnant, then you're pregnant, and if you're not...we'll deal."

She inhaled softly. "What about Grace? I mean, we've only had her for a few weeks, and..."

"And she'll be fine." Jack said with a faint smile. "If you are pregnant, it will be at least eight months before she actually has to worry about it."

She swallowed slowly.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked, studying her closely. "I mean, with this if you are pregnant?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted softly. "It's all so fast. So sudden. So..."

"Unexpected?"

"Exactly." She admitted.

He reached for the test which he'd left in the plastic bag he'd brought home from the store with him. "Look, take the test, and then we'll talk, okay? I think you're supposed to take this pretty close to first thing in the morning."

She nodded slowly as she took the test from him. "Right..."

"This is a good thing," Jack assured, gently.

She looked somewhat faint as she walked slowly to the bathroom. "Right. It's a good thing..."

-

The minutes passed slowly as Sam bit her fingernail, nervously, as she sat on the bed.

She was now widely awake, though still somewhat queasy from before.

A plastic tube of crackers was thrust gently in her face, and she looked up in surprise.

"If you are pregnant, you should probably at least try a few of these...keep something in your stomach and all that..." Jack said with a small shrug.

"Right." She said, nodding slowly, as she opened the plastic and retrieved one of the saltines. She nibbled at the edge for a minute as her eyes darted back to the egg timer every few seconds.

"You know, they tend to ring when the time's up," Jack murmured as he sat down. 'You don't really have to keep checking to see if it's working."

"I'm just...nervous..." She said, turning back to him.

"I know. And believe it or not, so am I."

"You look so calm," she said, almost in wonder.

"You're freaking out right now," Jack said, wryly. "Can't have us both crazy, now can we?"

She managed a small chuckle as the timer rang. She froze, looking almost sick. "I...I can't look..." She whispered. "It's almost worse than when I got my SATs back...and Mark had to read those to me..."

"And they were probably perfect." He said as he walked over to the bathroom counter.

"Not quite." She said with a sick smile.

He looked at the test and consulted with the directions for a few moments as she inhaled. "What does it say?"

He was silent for a few moments with an expression that was hard to read. "Jack..." She whispered, looking over at him.

He turned back to her with a small smile on his lips. "In eight to nine months, you're going to give birth to a baby, Mrs. O'Neill."

She inhaled sharply as a smile grew on her lips. "Really?"

"If I'm reading this right," he chuckled.

She grabbed the test and the instructions from him, quickly scanning them before her jaw dropped open. Then, she turned and looked over at him with a grin. "We're going to have a baby."

"Yeah." He said, leaning over and kissing her softly. "We are."

She rested her cheek on his shoulder as she stared at the test in absolute shock. "We're going to have a baby..." She repeated. "Our very own baby..."

"And you were worried," he teased as he kissed her cheek, gently.

She looked over at him with a soft smile as he pulled her closer to him in a warm embrace. "Have I told you how much I love you yet today?"

"Have I told you?" She asked, looking back at him with moist eyes.

"I can hardly breathe whenever I look at you, knowing that you're finally my wife," he murmured as he nuzzled his face in her hair.

"I never knew life and love could be this...wonderful..." She returned with a gentle smile.

Jack squeezed her tightly. "You have no idea how happy I am. I mean, you're great with Grace, and I love her pieces, but..."

"I know," she whispered.

"Two kids, and we haven't even been married a year." He said, softly. "Crazy, maybe, but good."

"Yeah," she said with a faint smile. "Good." They sat back on the bed, and she turned back to him. "Why didn't we do this years ago?"

He smiled as he remembered her response to their first fishing trip. "Do you really want me to answer that question?"

"Not really." Sam said with a small chuckle. "Just...not really."

He laughed as he kissed her cheek again. "Oh, my wife. My beautiful, darling, hopelessly hilarious, wife."