"Hold still," Sam chuckled as Grace mindlessly wiggled her toes with a small giggle.

"It tickles!" She protested as Sam tried once again to paint the five-year-old's toenails.

Sam couldn't help but chuckle as Grace tried to stay still. "Sorry. But that's the price for beauty..."

The door opened, and Jack walked in the door. "Where are my girls?" He asked with a booming voice.

"Up here on the couch," Sam called as Grace turned to see her father walk up the stiars.

"And what are you doing?"

"Painting our nails," Sam said without looking up. She'd finally gotten Grace distracted enough to stay still.

"Painting your nails?" Jack asked, feigning surprise. "You'd think I lived with females..."

"You do live with females, Daddy." Grace laughed as he sat down beside her.

"D'oh."

Sam smiled as she finally put the lid back on the nail polish. "Done, kiddo. Just be careful so that they dry smoothly."

"Okay, Mom." She said, pulling her legs from where they had lain across the couch to rest on Sam's lap gently.

Jack leaned over Grace so that he could kiss his wife. "Hey," he smiled.

"Hey," she said with a smile of her own.

"How you doin'?"

"Pretty well." She said with a faint smile. "How was your day?"

"Oh...frustrating. As usual."

"Sorry to hear it." She said, running a hand over the edge of the couch so that she could touch his arm affectionately.

"So...did you get your nails painted too?"

She smiled as she showed him her fingernails. "Yep."

He smiled at bright red nail polish which accented his wife's fingernails. "A bit bright, don't you think?"

"Grace chose it from the stuff I got from Vala a while ago. They both seem to think that I should be bolder."

He grinned as he tousled his daughter's hair. "Oh?"

"Daddy!" She cried. "My hair!"

Sam tried to refrain from smiling widely at the exclamation.

"What?"

"It took us an hour to do her hair like that," Sam said with a wry smile.

"An hour? For a braid?" He asked, skeptically.

"I'm a little rusty at French braids, okay?" She defended. "At least...on other people."

Jack chuckled as Grace looked up at her parents. "Can we watch a movie?"

"Fine with me," he said, looking over at his wife.

"Sounds good to me too." Sam admitted.

Grace grinned as she walked over to the cabinet which held the DVD collection, and Sam took the opportunity to cuddle up to her husband, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

Jack smiled as he looked over at his wife. "Awfully clingy, don't you think?" He teased, gently.

"I'm just glad you're home," she admitted with a tender smile as he wrapped his arm around her.

He kissed the top of her head, tenderly. "I'm glad to be home too. It's a jungle out there, I'm telling you."

Sam chuckled softly as Grace returned with a movie in hand. "Can we watch "Beauty and the Beast"?"

"Sure thing," Jack said, nodding.

Sam smiled softly. Grace had fallen in love with the Disney movie the moment she'd seen the first scene with Belle and her nose in a book. And Sam could see Grace growing up to be a great deal like the fictional character.

"Do we have any plans for dinner?" Jack asked, suddenly.

"Hungry?" Sam asked with a small smile as she looked up at him.

"Well...yeah..." He admitted.

Sam chuckled. "I have some soup stewing in the crockpot."

"Ah. The crockpot." Jack said with a small smile.

"Didn't feel much like cooking this morning," she admitted with a small smile. "So I got some pre-cut veggies at the store after I dropped Grace off at school, some broth, and some pasta, and pretended."

"But even when you pretend to know what you're doing, you manage to be more brilliant than most of us could hope to be in our entire lifetimes," he said with an affectionate chuckle.

"Oh, hush," she laughed. "You're flattering me."

"Is it working?" He asked with a wink.

She chuckled. "Maybe..."

"Hey, did you ever call and make that appointment?" He asked, softly, as the movie started.

"Yeah. Next Tuesday. Eleven A.M. Can you make it?" She asked, looking over at him.

"I'll always make it," he said, looking over at her. "That's not the thing to worry about."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm not making you do any of this alone."

She managed a grateful smile. "Thanks."

He pulled his arm from around her and gently patted her knee as he prepared to stand. "I'd do anything for you, and you know it."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess I do."

"I'm going to the kitchen. Anyone want anything?" He asked, looking at Grace and at Sam equally.

Sam shook her head. "No thanks."

"Can I have some juice?" Grace asked without looking up at her father.

He nodded. "One juice coming up for the little princess." He looked over at his wife. "Sure I can't get anything for you?"

"Juice actually sounds good to me too." Sam admitted. "And maybe an apple."

"Juice and an apple for the lady of the house," Jack winked.

"Ooh, and some cheese."

Jack chuckled. "Looks like someone's found her appetite again."

Sam blushed lightly. "It just...sounded..."

"Just teasing you, hon." He smiled. "Cheese, apple, and juice."

"And crackers."

"And crackers." He added.

"To go with the cheese." She explained.

"Anything else for your pre-dinner feast?" He teased.

"No, that's it," Sam said somewhat sheepishly.

He chuckled softly before he turned back into the kitchen.

He returned a few moments later, offering the juice to his daughter and juice and a plate of snacks to his wife. "You know, you're cute when you have cravings," he whispered in her ear.

She giggled softly. "Well, you know, you did offer to help out with all of this," she returned with a chuckle.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and placed the other hand on her flat stomach. "Yeah, I did, didn't I?"

She smiled as she looked down at his hand. She rested her cheek on his shoulder as they watched the movie with their daughter, and looked forward to the future when they'd bring a little piece of themselves into the world.

-

The doorbell rang as the O'Neill family sat down to dinner, and Sam looked over at her husband in surprise. "Are you expecting anyone?"

He shook his head. "Not that I know of."

Sam looked over at Grace. "Were you expecting anyone?"

She shook her head. "I haven't had one of my dreams."

Doc bounded down the stairs, barking as a knock came from the door.

"I'll go get it, then," Jack said, standing.

Sam nodded as Grace followed him down to the door.

She heard the door open in excitement. "Cassandra!" Her husband cried.

Sam grinned as she walked toward the stairs in time to see Jack embrace the young woman.

"Hi, Jack." She said, hugging him tightly. She pulled away before looking down at Grace. "Well, you look familiar."

Grace grinned as Doc bounced at Cassie's feet. "Hi, Cassie."

"Come on up," Sam invited from where she stood at the top of the stairs. "I think we've got enough soup for you."

"Yeah...she only made enough to serve a whole army," Jack quipped as he closed the door.

Cassie laughed. "Well, if anyone would know, it would be you."

He chuckled as he, Grace and Doc followed her up the stairs.

"Hey, Sam," Cassie murmured, hugging Sam gently.

"Hi there, stranger," Sam said with a small chuckle. "How's life in the big city of Baltimore?"

"A little tamer than the big city of Las Vegas," Cassie laughed softly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Sam said, nodding, as she set another place at the table for Cassie. She caught her husband's eye, and they shared a secret smile. "Really good, in fact."

Cassie's eyes darted between the two adults, instantly aware that something was happening. "So...ever get over that stomach flu?"

"Uh...yeah..." Sam said, nodding. "It's history."

"Good. You were worrying me there at the cabin."

Sam shrugged softly. "Nothing to worry about."

Cassie studied her for a few moments as Sam reached for Grace's hand and Cassie's hand. Cassie looked at her stangely.

"We're about to say "grace"," Jack whispered as he took her other hand.

"Oh. Right..."

"Not my name, Grace." Grace said, wisely. "It's a prayer. To thank God for our food."

Sam smiled softly. "Exactly right."

She looked up at her husband. "Uh...Grace, why don't you say it," he said, taking the hint from his wife that he should take the leadership here as the head of the table.

"Okay, Daddy." She said, bowing her head. "Thank you, God, for the food. Thank you for Doc, and Cassie, and thank you that we're a family. Amen."

"Amen," Sam breathed softly. She looked up and squeezed her daughter's hand with shining eyes. "That was beautiful, Grace."

Cassie studied her carefully. It looked like Sam was on the verge of tears. Happy ones, but...still. This was unusual for Sam.

Sam coughed slightly as she reached for the soup ladle. "Here, Grace," she said, serving her daughter a healthy portion of the soup.

"Thanks, Mommy."

Sam turned the ladle to Cassie. "Cass?"

"Uh, after you. Please." She said, shaking her head.

"You're the guest," Sam chided, gently.

"If you insist." Cassie said, taking her serving.

Sam looked up at her husband. "Soup?"

"Please." He said, offering her his bowl. She filled it nearly to the brim before finally serving herself a modest helping.

"Are you still feeling under the weather?" Cassie asked, looking over Sam.

"Actually, I forgot that dinner was so close to being finished and had a late snack that I probably shouldn't have," Sam said, sheepishly.

Cassie's eyebrow raised. Sam wasn't much of a snacker.

"What?" She asked, noticing the young woman's skepticism.

"You just...didn't used to snack much."

"Well, you didn't see me on the base," Sam laughed.

"That's true." Jack said with a wink. "I remember one time where she couldn't put the cookies down."

Sam looked over at him. "I think you and Daniel were right there along with me!"

"Well...that's true..."

"And we did try to go out for steak too."

"Try?" Jack asked with a chuckle. "I think we managed, hon. Or don't you remember the horrified look on the waitress's face when we ordered three steaks each."

"Four for Daniel, actually."

"Right..." She said, nodding.

They were suddenly aware of the blank stares they were getting from both Cassandra and Grace.

"Suffice it to say, I am quite the snacker when I choose to be," Sam coughed before she returned to her soup.

"Right." Cassie said, still feeling like something was up.

They ate in silence for a few moments before Cassie looked over at Sam. "So, have you been reassigned yet?"

Sam inhaled as she shook her head. "No. They're looking for a position either at Andrews or the Pentagon, but so far...there's just nothing..."

"I'm sure something will turn up."

"Well, I do have connections with the Pentagon," Sam winked as she looked over at her husband.

He laughed softly. "Which you've vowed never, EVER to abuse."

She smiled. "Yes, but I've still got half of Washington looking out for me because I'm your wife."

"It's true." He shrugged with a grin.

"I'm done!" Grace announced a few moments later. "Can I go read in my room before bed?"

Sam looked over at her husband, who looked back at their daughter. "Yeah. Go ahead."

"Thanks!" She cried, rushing into the bedroom.

"Okay, Sam, what's really going on?" Cassie asked, looking back at Sam as soon as Grace was out of earshot.

"Excuse me?"

"First of all, I lived with you for like...six months...you're not a snacker. Secondly, you and Jack have been giving each other goofy grins on and off for the past several minutes, and you were very careful about your wording when I asked about the stomach flu."

"I do not have the stomach flu." Sam said, honestly.

"Yes, but you also didn't say that you were feeling better." Cassie said, sharply. She looked at Jack and then she looked at Sam. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were dealing with morning sickness..."

Sam looked over at her husband with a deadpanned expression. They communicated nonverbally with one another before Sam looked back at Cassie. "That's because...I am." She said, cryptically.

A grin spread on Cassie's face. "Really? That's great! Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"Because we didn't really want to jinx it. And we haven't told Grace yet." She admitted. "You know, in case something happens, we don't...we don't want her to have to..."

"Sam, you're in perfect health. What could happen?"

Sam shrugged. "I just...we wanted to kind of keep it between us for a little while."

"Admirable. But you can't hide it for long," Cassie admitted. "Especially with the goofy grins you keep exchanging..."

Sam chuckled softly. "Just a few more weeks, I think. Then, we'll be safe."

"I'll keep my mouth shut," Cassie said, theatrically.

"I think you missed your calling in life," Sam said, shaking her head as she took bowls and silverware from the table to the sink. "You're pure drama queen."

Cassie laughed heartily. "Go read to Grace, I'll do the dishes."

"You're sure?"

"Oh yeah. Just...do it." She said, shooing Sam from the kitchen.

Sam chuckled as she shook her head and knocked gently on Grace's bedroom door. She entered as Grace looked up. "Hi, Mommy."

"Hi, sweetheart." Sam greeted, leaning against the doorframe for a moment. "How's the new book?"

"It's kinda hard," Grace admitted. "There are some big words in it."

"Well, why don't I help you?" Sam asked, moving to sit next to her on the bed.

Grace fell silent, and Sam realized that something was wrong. Something bigger than the words she was nervous about. "What's wrong, Grace?"

"Are you trying to hide something from me?" She asked after a moment.

"What?" Sam asked, confused. "Why would you..."

"Cassie waited until I left, and then you were talking and laughing, and I wasn't there."

"Oh, honey," Sam whispered, hugging the little girl close to her for a moment. "It wasn't you."

"Then what were you talking about?"

Sam inhaled before she looked back at Grace. "Wait for a minute while I get your dad?"

She nodded slowly.

Sam stood and walked out the door. "Jack...she knows there's something going on..."

"You wanna tell her?"

"I think we should. Ironically, I think it would do more for her sense of security to tell her now..."

Jack nodded. "I agree." He looked over at Cassie as he threw the dish towel over to the counter. "Don't worry about drying. I'll do that when I'm done, okay?"

"Okay."

He put his hand at the small of his wife's back. "Let's do this thing, Carter."

She smiled softly as they walked in.

Grace was sitting up on her bed, and they each took positions on either side of her bed.

"Grace, we do have something that we'd like to tell you," Sam began softly.

"Is it bad?" She asked, fearfully.

"We don't think so," Jack said, matter-of-factly. "Actually, we think it's really exciting."

Sam smiled softly as he turned an eye to her. She looked back at Grace. "The other night, you were looking out at the stars. Remember?"

Grace nodded.

"And you made a wish, didn't you?"

She nodded again.

"What did you wish for?"

"I can't tell, Mommy. If you tell, it won't come true." She said, sagely.

"I heard you, Grace," Sam said with a small smile. "And you wished for a little baby brother or a little baby sister, didn't you?"

"I always wish for that," she said, shrugging. If her mother had heard, then she hadn't ACTUALLY told anyone...

"What if I told you that you're going to get your wish soon?" Sam asked with a small smile playing on her lips.

"You're adopting a baby?" Grace asked, eyes wide.

"No." Sam said, shaking her head. She patted her stomach gently. "I have one growing right here."

Grace looked down at her mother's stomach for a moment before she looked up at her mom with a grin. "YES!" She cried, excitedly.

Sam shared a chuckle with her husband as they looked back at Grace.

"That's what we were laughing about with Cassie," Jack told her. "She figured it out before we could tell you."

"Well, she IS going to be a doctor," Grace said, rolling her eyes at her parents.

"Yes, she is." Sam said, nodding.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We don't know yet," Sam admitted.

"I hope it's a boy."

"Really?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, eagerly. "So that Daddy has someone to play ball with when you and I paint each other's nails."

Sam chuckled softly. "You don't think a baby sister would want to play ball with your dad?"

"Well, a baby girl would probably want to paint her nails like us." She said, logically.

"And a boy wouldn't want to do that," Sam finished.

"Yep."

Sam chuckled softly as she leaned in and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you, Grace. You're an odd duck, but I love you."

"Hey, that's why she fits in so well with our odd little family," Jack teased as he followed suit. "Love you, kiddo."

"I love you too, Mommy and Daddy." She said, looking up at them with a small smile. Then, she looked down at Sam's stomach. "I love you too, little brother...or sister..."

Sam smiled softly as she looked down at her belly, and then back down at her daughter as Jack reached over and caught her hand in his.