Author's Note: Thank you for all your kind words. Here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it. This story is getting close to the end. I don't really have anything ready yet but I hope to soon. I have two stories done and I am just waiting to get them back from the betas. Read at the end to find out what they are.
Just to give you a heads up. I have company coming this weekend and I won't be able to post until at least Sunday if not Monday. So if there is nothing I haven't forgotten you. I just can't get near the computer. If you leave a review I'm more likely to try to find the time....
Sam walked into the infirmary to report for her quarterly exam about two months into her new assignment. Now that she wasn't traveling through the gate, she spent a lot less time in the infirmary and she missed seeing Janet. Since her reassignment and marriage they hadn't had much time to get together and Sam made a mental note to make sure to spend some time with Janet.
She submitted to the usual tests and was about to leave when Janet came over to her. She pulled Sam over to one of the beds as she closed the curtain around them. Janet's voice was soft as she asked, "Sam, have you and Jack been trying to get pregnant?"
Sam's head shot up, "What? No, we haven't even talked about it. Why?" She laid down on the bed as Janet motioned for her to do so.
"Because your pregnancy test came back positive. If you haven't kept track, I need to see how far along you are. Lift your shirt up so I can do an ultrasound." Janet said with a smile.
Pulling up her shirt, she examined her stomach where there was a slight bump, "I was on birth control. I had that shot..." she slapped herself in the head, "I never got the next one. I had an appointment to get it and then we got called to DC. Then there were the kids and I forgot all about it." her hand skimmed over the bump, "Pregnant?!" Sam took a deep breath and blew it out, "Can you call Jack so that I can tell him?
Smiling Janet said, "Actually I already did. Janet stopped, "Call him, not tell him." she looked at her watch, "He should be here-"
Janet was cut off as Jack shouted, "Samantha O'Neill where are you?" his voice was full of worry.
Sitting up, she grabbed her friend's arm, "Janet, what did you tell him? He sounds very worried." then she said a little louder, "Jack, we're in here."
Unrepentant Janet said, "I just said that you needed him in the infirmary right away." she motioned for Sam to lie down again, "Lift your shirt now that daddy's here and we'll take a look at baby."
Breathing hard as though he had run all the way from his office, Jack demanded, "What is wrong with Sam?" as he entered the curtained area dropping into a chair beside her bed. The worry on his face was obvious as he looked from one woman to the other.
Reaching out to him with her hand, Sam said, "Jack I'm fine. It's just-"
Janet had put the jelly on Sam's tummy and was sweeping the ultrasound wand over the area. Soon they could hear the thump of the baby's heart. "There you go, Jack. That is what is wrong with Sam." Janet said as she turned the monitor for the two of them to see the baby on the screen.
For a full minute Jack just stared at the fuzzy shape on the monitor. "A baby?" he looked at Sam, "Did you know about this?" he asked as he brought her finger to his lips.
Shaking her head, Sam said, "No, not until Janet told me a few moments before you got here. I hadn't even thought about it. Everything has been crazy in the last few months."
Janet could tell that they needed a few moments alone. She took Jack's free hand and put it on the wand, "Keep this right there. I'll be back in a minute." and then she slipped out leaving them with only the sound of the baby's heartbeat.
Jack watched the child move on the screen for a while and then turned back to Sam, "A baby? We're really having a baby?" bending over, he kissed her on the lips lingering for a while to enjoy the moment. "I never expected this, but now that we're here, I can't think of anything better. Sam, I love you and I love our baby."
Tears filled Sam's eyes, "Jack-" she broke off trying to gain control of her emotions, "I'm so happy."
"Knock, knock," came Janet's voice as she returned through the curtain. Jack sat back down in his chair and waited to hear what Janet had to say. She set the maternity chart down on the table and began to fill it out by asking them questions.
As soon as it was filled out, the happy parents were on their way home to tell the other two kids the great news.
They waited until after dinner to tell Charlie and Morgan, that way Cassie had gone home and it was just their family. Once the table was cleared off, Jack and Sam took the two kids into the living room and they all sat down on the couch together.
With their hands linked, Sam and Jack looked at each other and then Jack said, "We have good news. We're going to have a baby."
Morgan jumped up and squealed, hugging Sam and then Jack and then back to Sam again. "A baby? Can we name her Jo or Meg or Dorothy?" she asked as she jumped up and down on the spot clapping her hands.
Everyone laughed and Charlie got to his feet, "Mom and Dad, I'm happy for you. When's the baby due?" he asked. His voice was happy, but there was an underlying sadness to his words.
"Early March. Janet didn't do a full ultrasound. She said that I had to come back tomorrow. She would do it when the shock had worn off." Sam said with a laugh.
She studied him, something was wrong, "Is something wrong?" she was worried about him, the last few weeks he'd been withdrawn and not the same Charlie. She had hoped that he was still talking to Cassie, but she wasn't sure if he was. Something was wrong and Sam had no idea how to fix it.
Charlie just shrugged and shook his head, "No, I've just been tired lately, the coach was working us hard the last few weeks. Now that we have won state, it's just over." he turned slowly and headed out of the room.
He took a few steps and then he paused, "I'm very happy for the two of you. I have some homework to do. Mind if I head up to my room?"
Sam looked at Jack but he just shrugged. She knew now that something was wrong, but he didn't want to talk to them and she wouldn't force him to talk. "Sure but remember lights out at 2130."
Charlie almost smiled, "'Night mom, dad and you too squirt." he grabbed Morgan and hugged her tight, "See you all tomorrow."
Charlie almost made it all the way to his room before the tears began to flow. Ever since baseball season had ended he had been feeling lost. He tried to fill the void by spending more time with Cassie, but that was painful it its own way. His memories of Cas were becoming fuzzy and he was beginning to think of Cas and Cassie as the same people, but they weren't and they never would be.
At school, the fuss over the baseball team winning the state championship had died down and had been replaced with talk about the end of the school year and the prom. Charlie knew that he should ask Cassie, but he still wasn't sure how he felt about her. All the talk about dances was another reminder of home and the dance he and Cas had attended together.
On the other hand, there was no one else he wanted to share the night with. She was his best friend here and the only person who understood him. The dance was only two weeks away, he had to decide what he was going to do soon.
Now there was a new baby O'Neill on the way. Morgan hadn't known, but when O'Neill had sent them through the mirror Carter had been six months pregnant. They'd been here about three months now and that would mean that if she was still alive, they might have another sibling.
He looked around the room. It was so very similar to his room in his other house. The posters were different, but it felt the same. Charlie knew that he could make a life here, but it would never truly be home. The longer he stayed, the more he realized that this was true.
Laying down on the bed, he pulled out the picture of him and Cas. Those were his last moments as a child in his universe. Now, she was more likely dead and he was living a dead boy's life.
Dropping the picture, he rolled his face into the pillow and let the tears flow.
Sam watched Charlie go, confused. What had she said? The look on Charlie's face was full of horror. Worried, she squeezed Jack's hand, "I'm going to talk to him. I've been worried about him lately."
Jack held her hand for as long as possible, "Alright. I'll put Morgan to bed then. See you later."
Sam moved down the hall to Charlie's room, she could hear muffled sobs coming from behind the door. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door, "Charlie?" and pushed it open.
The sounds immediately stopped as she stepped into the room. "What's wrong? If there's anything I can do?" she reached out and touched his shoulder, but he shook it off.
"I don't want to talk about it now. Can you leave me alone?" was Charlie's only answer.
"Okay," Sam's voice was full of hurt as she turned to leave, but she hesitated at the door. How much easier would her relationship have been with her father if he had just stopped and really listened when she had said those same words. Should she push him a little bit harder to talk to her?
Turning, she looked at Charlie and she knew what the right choice was. You didn't help anyone by leaving them alone when they were in pain. "Charlie is this about the baby? Talk to me. I think you need to talk to someone, even if you really don't want to. I'm here to listen." Still standing in the doorway, she waited for him to speak.
When she was about to give up, Charlie spoke, "My Mom, the other one, when the SGC fell, she was six months pregnant. I don't know if she and the baby are alive. Morgan never knew about the baby, they had decided not to tell her. She had already lost so many people, they didn't want to add to that number. They were going to tell her the night the Goa'uld came for us."
As soon as Sam heard those words she crossed the room and sat down beside him on the bed. Charlie's face was still hidden by his pillow. She rubbed small circles on his back hoping it was comforting.
"I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that. We-" she stopped and looked up to find Jack standing in the doorway. He had been on his way to tuck Morgan in when he'd heard what the two of them were talking about. The two adults had a silent conversation with their eyes and Jack nodded.
Nodding in return Sam said, "We, Jack and I, know that we're not your real parents but we want you to be happy. We don't expect you to forget them or what they were to you, but you need to talk to us when you feel this way and let us help you. Don't shut us out." she squeezed his shoulder one last time and got up from the bed.
She had just taken Jack's outstretched hand when Charlie sat up, "I am really happy about your baby. Morgan will love it. You two deserve to be happy. Why don't you go out and celebrate. I'll stay here with Morgan."
Jack and Sam exchanged looks, "Are you sure about this?" Jack asked not sure about this change in mood.
"Yes, I'm fine. I will put Morgan to bed. You two get ready and head out. Do it for me, please," Charlie said as he got off the bed.
He watched them disappear into their bedroom and then crossed over to Morgan's. "Time for bed Pumpkin." he moved to her dresser, pulled out a pair of pajamas and held them out.
"You can't call me that. Only Daddy can call me that, the other one." she stopped, " I miss him and our other Mommy, can we go home someday?"
Charlie sat down on the floor next to Morgan, "I don't know. Bad things happened where we used to live and our home might not be there any more. We're safe here and so we should stay here for a while." He pulled her close.
Morgan nodded her head, "Okay, but when I'm bigger I want to go back and save Mommy and Daddy from the snake men. I know that I could do it."
Charlie buried his face in her hair so that she would not see his tears, "I know you could, Pumpkin, but we have to wait for you to grow up."
"Charlie can you read to me?" Morgan asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "It helps me fall asleep. Mommy usually comes in but she hasn't yet."
Charlie nodded and helped her get into her pajamas. Then the two of them curled up together on the bed with The Wizard of Oz. "Do you want to read Morgan?" Charlie asked.
She shook her head, "No you read. I like the sound of your voice. It reminds me that I'm not alone."
Charlie had read a few pages when Jack and Sam came into Morgan's room to say goodnight before leaving. Sam bent over and kissed Morgan goodnight, "We are going out for a while tonight. We'll be back in a few hours."
Morgan looked at Charlie and worry was plain on her face, "Are you staying with me, Charlie?"
"Yep, I'll be here with you," Charlie sat hugging her tight, "They will be home when you wake up. I promise Morgan."
Jack took Sam's place beside Morgan, "'Night Princess, have sweet dreams."
"I love you daddy." and she gave him a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
A smile crossed his face, "I love you, too." then he took Sam's hand and led her out of the room.
Once they were gone, Charlie started reading again. After a while Morgan rubbed her eyes and sighed, "Charlie, can you tuck me in now. I'm sleepy."
With a smile on his face, Charlie helped her get into bed and covered her with her blankets, "I'll be right across the hall if you get scared alright?"
Settling down into her covers she said, "'Night Charlie. See you in the morning."
He stayed there sitting on Morgan's bed watching her sleep and made a decision.
I hope that is what you were all thinking it was. Let me know any thoughts you have, good or bad.
So here is what we will do, I have two stories finished,which one do you want? One is the Asgard Baby fic-Baby Mine, Ours! and the other is my Jon/Cassie fic-Who Am I, Who Are You?. I will set up a poll and you folks can vote. I will post both of them but you get to pick which one you want first. If you would like to read sample chapters before choosing send me an email and I will send them to you.
I will post the story with the most votes first.