A/N: A lot of "short ones" in this chapter, but I think it is significantly better than my last chapter. And thanks. Also, the riding may seem a little weird, but it's based on TV and how we do it at our equestrian school. Great place.

I threw in a little flashback for the reviewers on "Changing Priorities". There will be another one in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I cannot claim to own anything you may recognize from the Stargate franchise.

Chapter three of Changing Circumstances – dedicated to my best friend, Amanda, for whom the babysitter is named (also happening to honor Amanda Tapping).

Dr. Cindy Laurel is the first doctor she makes an appointment with. While Janet wouldn't mind doing the blood tests, Sam wants to be sure before she informs her friend. Plus, there is the small downside of Jack being deployed off-world and she doesn't want pity, never took it well. So, therefore, Cindy Laurel, M.D.

At first glance, she is the direct opposite of Janet, her dark hair scooped away in a bun, tall frame hidden by the medical coat and regular exercise. She has obviously never been in the military – and Sam doesn't know why she needs to note that down – and enters the room at the clinic with a steadiness and oversight that Sam immediately admires. She does not look like a woman easily shaken. She is perhaps thirty-forty years old, wearing slacks and an appropriate blouse the color of crimson. A bold color choice, but it suits her green eyes and warm skin tone. She smiles, showing two rows of white teeth.

"And..," she looks down in her medical chart, "...Sam, what can I do for you?"

"Just a simple blood test." Sam tries to be as calm about it, but really, her heart is beating fast, her mind excited about the result. It is not like how she felt with Ellie; now she knows the signs of pregnancy on her own body, but has to remind herself that Dr. Laurel is a capable, competent, certified doctor.

"Anything particular we're looking for?" Laurel asks as she meets Sam's eyes, worriedly. She sits down at the table, sitting across from Sam.

"Heightened estrogen levels," she simply beams. At the startled look on Laurel's face, she explains: "I might be pregnant."

Laurel puts her cup of coffee down quietly. "Yeah, I know. I'm just surprised at your choice of words.. and your honesty. Did you take a home test?"

"Just one. It could be a false positive, so I wanted to be sure," Sam says trying to be casual. There is no casualness in this situation. She tries to keep herself from blushing, feeling like a teenager who forget the pill.

Laurel nods sympathetically. "Right, I'll do the blood tests and call you once I have the results, but if you don't mind me asking, why are you not seeing your own physician?"

Identifying it as mere curiosity and not general worry, Sam answers honestly. "She's a friend of mine. I didn't want to excite her about it if it turned out to be.. not."

Laurel, who has risen from her chair and gone to the cabinets for the equipment, says: "Oh.. don't stop on my part."

Sam has never felt squeamish about needles (that the Air Force and SG-1 taught her), so she continues the monologue like she does when she is nervous. She does make a grimace when the needle goes in. "She adores my daughter, so.. she'd love for me to have another one." Sam grins forcefully. "But the father – if I am pregnant – is deployed for another two months."

"Oh," Laurel says interestedly as she is done. "So, this won't be your first pregnancy? How old is your daughter?"

"She turned eight this year," Sam says, rubbing the sore spot, pressing down the cotton pad.

"Lovely age," the doctor comments. "Mine's ten and thirteen. Boys," she adds both fondly and sheepishly.

"My nephew's ten. And yeah, according to my brother, Ellie is at a good stage."

Laurel cringes playfully. "She adventurous yet?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. I'm picking her up from riding lessons this afternoon. I swear to god, I still can't get used to seeing her climb that big animal."

The doctor laughs, but resumes a serious expression. "It's something else when they're your own, right?"

Sam agrees; it is something else when they're your own. Laurel peels off the latex gloves and shakes her hand. "I'll call you. You want to come in or should I just call with the news?"

"Just call me. I don't want to busy your schedule, doctor."

Laurel smiles disapprovingly. "You can call me Cindy. Most of my patients do, and I don't see a reason not to, even if you are just using me as a test drive."

"Alright, Cindy. I look forward to receiving your call," Sam says.

x STARGATE SG-1 x

Three days later, Cindy calls. She catches Sam, who has managed to forget, off-guard and in the middle of a session of doing the dishes after a meal for Ellie's playdate with a girl named Michelle. She picks up the phone after promptly wiping her fingers with a nearby dishtowel.

"Yeah?" she says and quickly adds, thinking it is Michelle's anxious father. "It's Sam."

"Sam, it's Cindy Laurel," the doctor's voice sounds. Sam doesn't have to skim her brain to immediately recognize the name. The face of the kind doctor materializes in her mind. She smiles, but it is a smile, Cindy cannot see, and one half-tainted by a growing desire to know.

"Cindy."

"Hi, Sam. I called because I have your results from the blood test. You sure you want the news via the phone? I could always..," she trails off.

"I'm sure," Sam confirms, glancing out the window where she can see Michelle and Ellie playing rapidly in the backyard. Who said boys had the most energy?

"You suspected you were pregnant. According to your blood test, you are. Congratulations, Samantha," Cindy tells her.

Sam sucks in a breath. It is one thing to consider this theoretically, like with her work, but in practice? Subconsciously, her hand caresses her stomach. To think that another child is there now is.. joyful. Having forgotten about Cindy and the phone, she returns to the conversation. "Thanks," she says, barely containing a beaming smile.

"Of course I understand if you wish to take this to your friend who's a doctor, but if you wish, I can easily add you as a patient."

Sam pauses. It is a nice offer, and she likes the gentle but firm doctor who is obviously experienced. And she isn't in the Air Force, which makes seeing Janet unnecessary, but ultimately, her answer becomes: "Can I call you back?"

x STARGATE SG-1 x

"Mandy, are you sure you have everything down?" Sam asks almost anxiously.

The teenager nod assuringly. "Yes, miss Carter. I must keep my eyes on Ellie at all times. I understood."

Sam takes a moment to look at the teen. She was recommended by the Carsons who live down the street, and seems both competent and responsible. She is fifteen years old and it is a Saturday afternoon. What can go wrong? Still, Sam can't help but be nervous. She thought it was silly to call Mark and Julie, and she called to ask if any of the parents of Ellie's closest friends were available to squeeze in an extra kid for the afternoon, but in the end, it came down to Mandy. Flat-chested, brown-haired, plain Mandy. She is sweet, brought some homework if it got late, but seemed completely entranced by Ellie who thrives in the attention.

"Alright, then," Sam says, straightening her back as she fumbles her car keys. The green polo shirt from the college with the silver insignia makes her feel serious. She can't depend upon Andy and Alyson every time she needs someone to look after Ellie, even if they don't mind.

So she leaves, bracing herself to bring the news. Hours later, she walks down the corridors of the SGC, having checked with Bill Lee if she is needed on any projects. She has been getting more involved, more briefed since she revealed Ellie's existence and returned from Ba'al's clutches. Pakhet and their teamwork made him suffer a severe blow to his prominent position. She still remembers the fateful day where she got all the memories of Pakhet; even the memories she hadn't been able to access as a hostess.

The agony and overwhelming were unbelievable, much like being thrown into cold water confused and alone. These things – thoughts, imprints and memories – overtook her physical body and she watched briefly as she saw the ceiling come before her eyes. Everything shook out of order, without comprehensible understanding. Images flashed before her inner eye, memories of places and people she had never met and never been.

She grabbed out and nearly collapsed into Lantash's arms, her body suddenly impossible to control. Was Pakhet taking over? If yes, why did she force her to watch consciously? She experienced pain, love, hurt, hatred, bitterness, attraction, repulsion ... - everything. She felt and understood everything. It was mind-blowing and shattering all the same. She cried out but whether or not it was heard by anyone else was beyond her comprehension. She lost feeling of her body, wondering if Pakhet did something she didn't want Sam to know.

In the darkness that got supplied by memories of times passed, Sam cried out for her companion. She screamed and sobbed but only loneliness accompanied her. She felt a man yell for her – Alaric? Lantash? – but when Pakhet did not response, when no voice or feeling was met, she felt herself crumble with weakness.

Sensations blended together, imprints, feelings. She saw herself – or was it Pakhet? A host long dead? – stand before Ba'al, declaring her loyalty. As the heights changed – and the hosts – she felt grief, mourning or victory at each death. She felt fear and terror, immortalized victory and cruelty, thousands of years of memories that drove her insane, each memory too intense for her human brain.

Mad with sensations, her physical body reacting to them, she fell into a wonderfully numb sleep as her brain overloaded in response.

Alone.

Sam blinks to shake off the memory. While it is four years ago, it still haunts her. That moment of ultimate loneliness without a guide like Pakhet. She had actually grown used to the symbiote. When Pakhet had killed herself, Sam had been left confused and more lonely than ever. Lost, raw with grief, shouting in despair whenever somebody tried to understand. In the end, only Lantash remained at her bed with her permission. She struggled to understand and interpret the memories but without significance and context or leitmotif, the loss only deepened. And Lantash was the only one who understood the tearing of such bond.

By now she has accepted the symbiote's choice. Blinded by loss, she couldn't see reason in her companion's selfishness, but now she can easily determine that Pakhet's sacrifice gifted Sam with the ability to function, to be allowed back into society and not be whisked away at some underground, top-secret facility never to see Ellie again. It took a long time to understand and accept that. To have all Pakhet's memory in her didn't lessen the blow. Even today medication is a factor. Which is why she is here.

She drops by the infirmary after checking the scientist teams' progress. She is happy that she doesn't have to answer to Brian Malcolms anymore. He doesn't work in the SGC anymore, but whether he transferred to Area 51, quitted or was sent to Atlantis is beyond Sam's knowledge. And that says a lot. Then again, she doesn't spend much time in the SGC, mostly sending her work from Area 51 to Stargate Command.

A stray thought hits her: what now, with the baby being Jack's? She can't ask him to move to California with her and she certainly can't expect him to not be a part of her or his life. Does she think too much of him to think that he does want to be a part of the child's life? She doesn't know. But the way he looks at Ellie, the patience he has, makes her think that he'll want it. There are many things to be reconsidered when Jack comes back from the delta site.

She catches sight of Janet nearly instantly. The petite and fierce brunette is always a welcoming sight. Protective of all patients, considered a Napoleonic power monger by Jack, Janet Fraiser is a woman Sam is proud to call 'friend'. She was one of the first to rewelcome Sam and vigorously demand an apology from all members of SG-1 who had, whether intentional or not, ignored her and given her the cold shoulder for the better part of four years. She had ignored all attempts on Sam's part to explain that Sam had initiated the isolation, but wouldn't hear any of it. She is the better reason that they'd be able to celebrate Ellie's fourth birthday together; it was sort of an SG-1 reunion.

"Sam," the medical doctor says, smiling widely even as she is interrupted by her filing of charts and prescriptions. Her hair, nearly the same color as Ellie's, is collected in a bun, leaving strands of hair to have loosened on their own accords. She looks exhausted but also willing to help; that's Janet in a nutshell. "I didn't know you were here today. Isn't it late?"

"I could be saying the same to you," Sam replies, gesturing to the wall clock. She references to Cassie, Janet's teenage daughter. The doctor catches on quickly.

"Oh, I wish I had that distraction. No, Cassie is staying with some friends. Had I known..."

"It's fine, Janet. I was stopping by to actually see you," Sam reveals warmly, biting her lip. She is pretty sure that Janet will be happy for her. While she isn't showing yet, she must be nearly two months along; pregnant by the time Jack left. A check-up with Cindy Laurel sufficed that.

"Really?" Janet smiles. "You're not feeling ill, are you..?"

Sam quickly whiskers the worried expression away. "No, no, not at all. I'm here for something else."

"Alright," she says, placing her body against her small desk in her office. It is nearby the infirmary's beds and cots, so she can work on her paperwork without risking patients who need 24/7 care and medical watch. She looks suspicious, but Sam tries to phrase her request as un-cryptically as possible.

"I need you to take me off the suppressants." Janet's brows knit in confusion at the odd request.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Sam, seeing as we tried easing you off it two years ago. Not to belittle you, but I don't think your mind is ready to deal with thousands of years of memory yet. You'll need to be on medical leave to adjust..."

"I handled loads of memories when I hosted Pakhet," Sam points out. But that is not the point. "However, that's not why I want you to take me off the medication." God no, she remembers the brutal migraines and toll the memories had on her. She couldn't focus after three weeks with a clear, unmedicated mind. And it did annoy her that her mind held usable information. However, the costs were far greater than the results.

"Why then?" Janet sounds a little irritable, which Sam attests to long hours. She leans to one side to see four beds occupied by morphine-dosed SG personnel.

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh." Seconds pass and the expression on her friend's face changes. "Oh! Congratulations, Sam!"

The hug is mandatory. They wouldn't be them without it. "I can see why you'd wish to go off the suppressants, then, but I have to ask you, are you sure?"

"Yes." She nods affirmative.

"And you've seen a doctor about this?" Janet looks like she can barely contain a smile and be professional.

"Yeah, nothing big, it's just.." She pauses. "I'm nearly two months along, so I want to know if the suppressants could be harmful to.."

"Well, if you do think that it's worth it – I mean, last time the migraines were getting worse, and your focus, awfully testy, Sam –...," Janet reminds her, concerned like any friend would. She is still flustered with the idea of pregnancy.

"Pain relieving medicine is alright, no? And I could go on a medical leave like you said, if things go awry. I wasn't that hormonal last time."

Janet's shoulders fall. "I keep forgetting you've been around the block." She squeals girlishly. "I can't grasp that Ellie's getting a sibling! And this time I get to be there!"

Sam smiles. Janet gets serious. "However, your last pregnancy wasn't completely.. normal."

"Carrying a harcesis child without a symbiote to suppress. Yeah, I see why."
"Then, have you considered that Pakhet's memories may act as the presence of a symbiote, terminating the child like in Sha're's case?"

Sam is aware, but hasn't considered it. Even for a harcesis child, Ellie's case is unique. Sam, a former hostess to Jolinar – who had nothing to do with Pakhet, although Jolinar's imprints are not nearly as strong in essence as Pakhet's – a Tok'ra. And the Tok'ra certainly don't believe in reproduction that way. But then again, how often does a normal person fall in love with a host and his symbiote? Unrecorded. Lantash and Martouf, also Tok'ra, which is why Ellie's intentions and genetic memory are thankfully benevolent and not tainted by selfish Goa'uld omniscience. Even though the circumstances were unique, her pregnancy was mostly normal. Anything that could've happened to a human woman on Earth whilst pregnant happened. Oh, and Jolinar's memories resurfaced. This pregnancy? Genetically normal. Well, once you don't factor in the fact that Jack is genetically altered by little grey men to be uncloneable, he has the Ancient gene few possess, and she has protein markers from her experiences as a host to multiple Goa'ulds (which is incorrect, given that Jolinar was technically Tok'ra and Sam considers Pakhet to be until her dying moments). Count in the many strange, off-world exposes and Sam's previous pregnancy.

Really just not something Sam considered. Which makes it rare.

"No, but I'm more afraid for what the suppressants will do. One thing is exposing the child to the remnants of Pakhet – which shouldn't happen, seeing as we're not linked telepathically – another is medically disturbing the fetus," Sam replies somewhat sarcastically.

"You're right. We'll try, but do I need to remind you of your past attempts to go clean?"

Sam nods, remembering. "But think about how the fetus would react to experimental drugs. And, it took me a while to adjust to it."

Janet nods approvingly, then gets a devilishly mischievous smile on her face. "So... how're you gonna tell Jack?"

Sam chokes on air. "Who said Jack was the –." Then halting herself upon realizing how obvious it sounds. Who else could it be? She is not the sleeping around type.

Her best friend looks at her with a lazy 'do I really need to justify that?' expression. "Sam. Trips cross states twice or thrice a month? I hear from Cassie how often you go to the cabin, and how you act around each other. Cassie's a teen, she's not stupid. And I personally happen to sanction this relationship of yours." She smiles wickedly like she has plans, but Sam knows it is all teasing.

The blonde looks down in her lap and fumbles with her fingers. "I haven't told him yet. You know, with the delta site and all."

Janet sighs empathically. "I see. Aren't you allowed to send post and emails through? I mean, there are weekly check-ups.."

"I know. It's just, I mean how do you tell a guy that in a letter? 'How is the weather? Ellie is doing fine, she adores that pony she mentioned at the weekend, by the way, I'm pregnant again, it's yours'?" Sam bites sarcastically and tearfully. Frustratedly.

"Oh, Sam," Janet says in a tone that she must practice when her teenage daughter comes home after a messy breakup. Sam admires that, the ability to function in situations like these. She has never seen Janet lose it. Damn those hormones. Janet hugs her. "But I might not use the 'again' part," she jokes and Sam smiles through snot.

She chuckles forcefully, then sighs. "No, I can wait. I don't want to force him or anything. I mean, I can't even begin to list the cons of this idea..!"

"Sam." Janet's voice is stern but goes soft instantly. "It won't matter. Because he loves you."

She feels her friend's hand tuck a hair behind her ear. God, she has missed talking to Janet, be it for fun, for real or for casualness. "And he loves Ellie, and when he gets back, it'll all fall into the right pieces of the puzzle."

Sensing too much seriousness, Sam jokes and sends Janet a strange look. "When did you get so wise?"

"I got a teenage daughter, I have to keep up the beat, what's your excuse?" Janet asks rhetorically and once again Sam wonders why she doesn't stop by more often. Then she remembers that she doesn't live in Colorado Springs, or in Jack's cabin as Ellie suggested the time they were there when she was five.

x STARGATE SG-1 x

Weeks pass, turn into a month, and Sam contemplates long before she tells Ellie, who takes it surprisingly well, immediately beaming at the news of a little brother or sister. She rants lovingly on about her friends' smaller siblings and how Lisa had David, and how she was almost David's smaller sibling, but not really, and before she knows it, she has fallen asleep in the middle of an energetic effort to tell Sam of all the wonderful things there are to come. Coincidentally, Ellie falls asleep on the couch, leaned protectively against Sam's not-quite-showing stomach while Sam rubs her back tenderly, listening to Ellie's enthusiasm.

Her eyes get watery when she thinks of her daughter's gleeful reaction. She'd come up with at least a dozen ways that had resulted in a mad, destructive Ellie upon hearing the news that she'd be forced to share her existence with another child. She has even researched sites the web for advice in informing the firstborn of another child. Upon hearing the replies, she had closed the window and tried to shake the feeling and worst case scenarios out of her head. But Ellie, mature, delightful, angelic Ellie had taken it all with sisterly pride.

She has gotten off her suppressive medication, keeping it down to an absolute minimum before getting clean. She doesn't want any seizures to harm her unborn child. So far mild headaches and vivid dream-memories are all symptoms of withdrawal.

She still keeps active; well, not halting her non-work schedules. One day she finds herself driving to pick up Ellie from the riding lessons she is receiving. Like with everything else, she seems to be intuitive when it comes to something that is already in her memory. Lantash was – is – a great rider, so it shouldn't surprise Sam to see her daughter sit elegantly on the silver-coated pony. She walks quietly to the fence of the outdoors horse arena (although it feels more like waddling) and joins the other anxious and eager parents. There are both men and woman with the same worried expression on their faces, half-hidden in a bad attempt to stoically appear supportive and subconsciously competing with the other parents about whose child is the best.

Sam smiles, but realizes she, too, is holding back apparent worry. She turns her attention away from the parents, some leaning against the fence, others a bit more retreated and occupied with chewing nails and following their kid without blinking, crossing arms and impatiently pacing, to the arena. It is a pen-turned arena with white fence and dust rising as the ponies and horses trot in fellow movement. It takes her a while to identify her daughter amongst the children riders but once her eyes fall upon the girl with the honeydew-colored breeches and the helmet hiding most of her lovely hair, she can't ever imagine not recognizing her instantly.

Maybe she is biased, but the straight back and calm hands are not common in the arena. Two other kids are doing similarly, but most of the ponies and their riders are bumping lousily up and down, resulting in irregular tucks in the reins and riders similar to a bag of potatoes. She comments nothing of this, though, knowing how protective some parents are, denying any mistakes on their kid's part.

The instructor – a red-haired woman standing tall and shouting soft instructions to the line of equipages (a word Ellie taught her, apparently meaning rider and horse) – nods and corrects the riders, soon calling some into the centre of the arena before instructing the first group to slowly gallop. Sam watches breathtakingly as Ellie does as told and the pony-horse (isn't it a little tall to be a pony? It's certainly taller than most of the ponies, a small voice in her head says) listens, leaping into a calm gallop without racing. Of course neither of these things assures her and Sam keeps her breath held all three minutes of the galloping. When the instructor asks them to stop and exchange the places of group two, it goes somewhat smoothly.

The calmness and agility that seems to radiate off Ellie when she is in the saddle makes Sam think she was born there. Of course, having centuries of experience in her mind to adjust the gait and techniques immediately does help. Which makes her a little proud, seeing the semi-dismayed expressions of the parents of the kids yet to gallop. Accomplished rider. Even as she has putted her horse to a complete stop in the centre with six of the other ponies, Ellie looks intuitive.

Four older girls join the arena, sans horses, to help the smaller children – mostly girls – to gallop. Panting, they run beside the horses, at times grabbing the reins when a horse becomes too stubborn, but mostly it must be to assure nervous riders and their parents of its safety.

Once the session is over and the children's respective parents have joined their kids (who are the lest worried of the two), Sam goes to see Ellie but is stopped midway by a woman she doesn't immediately recognize. The red-haired instructor.

"Hi. You're Ellie's mom, am I right?" she asks smilingly. She obviously enjoys her job, and Sam can spot drops of sweat running down her temples. She has freckles and even though her hair has been tamed into a ponytail – pardon the pun – she looks charming. She is wiping her hands in her breeches – what else to wear in a place like this, in the middle of the whirlwind? – and has a pottle of water attached to a belt loop.

"Yeah," Sam confirms, not offering her hand to shake since the instructor makes to move to do it. She must've looked startled, because the woman grins.

"I'm Jenny."

"Sam."

Jenny nods like someone who is used to doing it when situational awkwardness rise. "Anyway, I just wanted to meet the mom of my star student. She is really gifted. A sweet girl, too."

Sam smiles. It is the same mantra she hears regularly from teachers of Ellie, but it is nice and good to hear from a more or less professional rider.

"I didn't want to move her to another group because she has friends here," Jenny says, gesturing to where Ellie and a girl from the group are laughing while grooming their ponies. "But I have another group on Tuesdays if she's interested. And if you are available to drive, of course," Jenny quickly adds. "I haven't mentioned it to her, you know how kids get all excited. And she doesn't have to switch groups. But, as I said, she's got talent."

Sam hesitates. "I'll think about it," she says, echoing her words to Cindy Laurel. "And talk to her about it."

"Great. Then I'll leave you to join your daughter over by Smokey."

What did you think? I realized it's awfully similar, but I promise that action will happen in the next chapters.