When Sam arrived home, Jack was in the backyard playing with Jake. With a ball, of course. She decided to change first and then join them. When she passed through Jake's bedroom she stopped. He already had his own room with his big-kid bed. Even if sometimes he still liked to sleep with them. Especially with Sam on the weekends. Unconsciously, Sam put her hand in her still flat belly.
As soon as Lisa confirmed her pregnancy, Sam's brain immediately started to overwork with the added worry of how the new baby was going affect her firstborn. Sam had a special bond with her first child and she immediately started to wonder if it was going to be the same the second time around. She loved Jake so much that she feared that she wouldn't be able to love her second child the same.
"This will be way worse than Jake's", she mumbled to herself.
Flashes of her terrible mood swings and her several discussions with Jack passed through her mind and Sam sat on the bed, breathing faster than normal.
"Jesus, I don't want that again", she said out loud covering her face with both hands.
"What don't you want again?", Jack asked from the doorway with a concerned expression.
Sam looked at him. Quickly cleaning her eyes from the tears that had started to run.
"Why are you crying, honey?! What happened?!", he asked taking two large steps and kneeling in front of her. Taking both of her hands into his.
"Nothing. It's just my brain in overdrive", she said trying to smile and failing spectacularly.
"Samantha", Jack warned.
"I'm scared, Jack", she admitted. "I don't want to have those fights with you again. I don't want to lose control of my emotions again. It felt like crap and I don't want to go through that all over again", she admitted putting her head in his shoulder.
"I know, honey. But you also know that a lot of that could have been prevented if you hadn't shut me down in the first place, Sam. You have to talk to me, let me help you, honey", he said, caressing her hair.
"Oh God! I really hate being pregnant…", she said with a moan of pure despair.
Jack smiled but didn't let her see it. "I know that. But look at the final product. We've a beautiful, healthy son. That will probably win gold at the Olympics when he runs the 100m sprints" he said. This time laughing.
"He sure likes to run", she said with her head still on his shoulder.
Jack gently put one hand in her neck and moved her head, looking at her.
"You already know how this works. What it does to your body and how it messes with your emotions. So outsmarted it, General. Don't shut me from this. Let me help you through all the process. Don't fight me, Sam. I'll always try to make things better for you, honey. You know that", he said kissing her nose.
"I know, Jack. But it's like something inside me forces my body to shut down and build walls around like a shield. I swear I don't do it on purpose", she said caressing his cheek.
"I know you don't. Let's try to take this one with a more relaxed approach. And accept help since we're in the Springs. We've Daniel and Vala here. And Teal'c comes here sometimes. And I'm sure we won't be able to keep Cameron away from you once he finds out you're pregnant again. Not to mention Cassie", he said with a smile.
"Sweet Jesus", Sam said closing her eyes again.
"They're our friends, honey. They care about us. They can help us", he said trying to convince her that help might be necessary and was welcomed.
"I suppose so…" she finally relented.
He put his forehead against hers.
"I'm here, Sam. When you feel happy, when you feel down, I'm here. Just let me know and I'll help you however I can", he said in a low voice.
She looked at his very handsome chocolate eyes.
"Well, you better since you're the one that knock me up", she said with a twist of a smile.
Jack smiled too and moved his body over hers, making her lay on the mattress.
"Yes I did. Damn proud of it, actually. But I remember you were a very happy and willing participant in it too", he said starting to kiss her neck.
Sam started to giggle.
"See? This is what make my current state an actual situation…", she said between giggles and kisses.
Jack stopped kissing her and looked at her with a smile.
"Don't call my baby a 'situation'. Call her Mini-Carter if you want", he said starting to kiss her again.
Sam rolled on the bed with him, straddling him.
"I will definitely won't call her Mini-Carter!", she said raising an eyebrow.
Jack put both hands on her waist.
"So we're going to wait until the poor child is born to name her, like Jake?" he asked.
Sam shook her head.
"Actually no. But we still don't know if it's a girl, Jack", she said caressing his chest.
"I'm sure it is a girl", he said smiling.
"Are you now?", she asked also smiling.
"Oh yeah. Like her mother", he said starting to move his hands to her stomach.
"If it is a girl, I actually already have thought of a name. Many years ago", she said with a contemplative expression.
Jack looked surprise.
"Really? Pray tell", he asked curious.
"Grace", Sam said looking at him.
"Grace", he repeated. "I like it. A lot. Where did the name came from?", he asked curious.
Sam lowered herself to his chest and rested her head near his neck.
"Remember when I was aboard the Prometheus? I told you about the hallucinations. One of them was a little girl. That looked like a remarkable combination of you and me if we had ever had a baby girl. It was most disturbing at the time", she said.
Jack was caressing her back.
"Oh so you already hallucinate of having babies with me at that time? That's extremely hot, General Carter!", he said with a big smile.
She punched him in the ribs.
"Ouch", Jack complained. "But I still like the name", he said.
"You do?", she asked looking at him.
"Yeah. So we already passed a major milestone. Name's chosen", he said.
"As long it's a girl. If it's another boy, I don't have any idea", Sam admitted.
"It's a girl", Jack said with conviction.
"Would you like it to be a girl?", she asked curious.
"Yes, very much", he admitted. The possibility of having a daughter was a secret dream of Jack. Especially if she looked like her mother. He would be a very, very happy man.
"And if it is a boy?", Sam asked slowly.
"Then we've got two gold medals for sure", he said very seriously.
Sam started to laugh so much she got hiccups. That Jack cured with a breath taking kiss. And the baby's name discussion ended just one day after they confirmed that Sam was pregnant. Which was a major improvement regarding what had happened with Jake's name and all the drama involved.
Sam was moderately optimistic as the pregnancy went along. Contrary to what had happened with Jake, her morning sickness were very mild and she could deal with them just eating saltine crackers. Her breasts although tender and heavier weren't also a big deal because she already had both her nursing bras while she was pregnant with Jake but also her pregnancy sleep bras. And that made her life much easier. What was not helping were her constant back pains. She already talked with Lisa about that and got a full explanation about it.
"Well General, it's quite simple. Relaxin, one of the hormones produced by your ovaries and placenta, has multiple tasks. These include relaxing the ligaments in the pelvis and softening and widening the cervix. With looser ligaments all around, you may experience more back pain. I'm sorry but it comes with the package. I can give you some pain relief meds", she offered.
"They don't help me much because of the naquadah in my blood", Sam said with a sad face.
"I know you didn't take any anesthesia in your labor", Lisa said.
"There was no point. Because of the naquadah in my blood, I'm resistant to anesthesia. And the painkillers take too much time to have any effect on me. But I'll accept the offer. Any pain relief is better than none", she said.
When she got home she told Jack about her talk with Lisa and he immediately offered her a massage. That she accepted. And so began a little ritual between the two. Every time Sam arrived from the Mountain complaining of back pain, Jack would give her a very nice and long massage. That sometimes evolved to something more intimate. But she no longer was afraid of letting him know when she was in pain and was willing to let him help her. Which he gladly did.
Also her mood swings were dealt in a different way. Oh she still had them and they were testy. She had tried her best to delay the announcement of her pregnancy at SGC like she had in the Pentagon. She had already informed her superior officers but she wanted more time in the Mountain before letting everyone know that the commanding officer of SGC was pregnant. That lasted exactly until her 10 week. When she had a major outburst in her office with her 2IC because some requisitions forms about boots.
Colonel Mark Harriman looked at his boss like she had lost her mind. And Sam had no other choice but tell him that she was pregnant. After apologizing for the outburst. After that she just decided to make a public announcement and get over with it. To her surprise the base had become ecstatic with the news. She received congratulations wherever she went. She had to ask Harriman to quietly tell everyone to stop that otherwise she wouldn't survive the embarrassment. He smiled and told her to relax. That he would take care of it. And he must have. Because the congratulations soon stopped. Although now everyone smiled a lot when she passed. So she just got used to it.
She had marked an ultrasound with Lisa to find out the baby's sex. She was on her 12th week now and Jack was as nervous as she was. With his retirement he had maintained his high level clearance so he could enter and leave the Mountain without escort whenever he wanted. He still did some consulting for the President of the United States after all. Sam was already in her office when he entered with Jake in his arms. Dressed in mini BDUs. Jake also had a high level clearance, signed by the President himself. Sam wouldn't have it other way.
"Hello, General Carter! Just arrived baring gifts", he said with a smile.
Jake put his arms up front, reaching for his mother.
Sam took him and gave him a big kiss.
"Hi, baby boy", she said nuzzling him.
"Mama, work", he said with his airplane in one hand.
"Yes, mommy is working", she said.
"At what time is your exam?", asked Jack.
He was wearing black jeans and t-shirt and looking sexy as hell, Sam noticed. Or her hormones noticed. She couldn't really tell at this point. But she didn't mind having him naked on her desk. Say, right now!
"In twenty minutes", she said looking at the watch in the hall and trying to shut down the images of her husband. Naked in her desk.
"So you want to go or…?", he asked not sure what she wanted to do. She had a strange look in her eyes but he couldn't tell what it was about.
She put Jake on her hip and gave him another kiss.
"We can go. Lisa is already there", she said.
He let her pass. She looked so good in her dress blues. And although her belly was still not showing for Jack it was a great turn on. Knowing she was carrying his child. His second child. He was smiling like an idiot as they walked through the corridors. And he didn't give a shit. She was his. Jake was theirs. And in no time there would be another Carter-O'Neill running around. Yeah, he had every right to smile.
They finally arrived at the infirmary. That carried such bad memories to both of them. But now was a place where they would find out the sex of their baby. So good memories ahead. Jack hadn't met yet the current CMO so Sam made the introductions.
"Doctor Lisa Bloom, our CMO. My husband, Lieutenant General Jack O'Neill", she said.
Jack shook the hand of the tall doctor. "She always forgets to mention the retired part. I'm retired, you know", he said with a smile.
Lisa also smiled. She had heard a lot about the silver fox General O'Neill. The man was indeed quite handsome. Her boss had definitely very good taste in men.
"It's a pleasure, General. And who is this little cutie?", she asked looking at Jake.
Sam put him in one of the empty beds.
"My firstborn, Jake", she said proudly.
Jake smiled immediately when he heard his name. He was a charmer like his dad.
"Hello Jake", Lisa said.
"Hi", Jake said. He wasn't shy with strangers. That he also got from his father, not Sam.
Lisa then turned her attentions to Sam.
"So, General, ready for your exam?", she asked.
"Sure", she said.
Lisa pointed to the corner of the infirmary where a machine was placed. She asked a nurse to close the doors and tell everyone she was busy for the next 30 minutes.
"Okay so maybe General O'Neill you can take your son while we do the test", she said.
Jack grabbed Jake and told him to be quiet. Sam gave him a smile and lie down on an exam table, exposing her abdomen. Lisa applied a gel to her abdomen.
"As you already know it helps with the transmission of sound waves", she said.
Then she picked an ultrasound wand and started to move it across Sam's abdomen to create an image of the fetus. They all looked at the screen. Lisa was searching for specific anatomical markers to determine the baby's sex as she pointed out and explained the markers to Sam and Jack.
She then took measurements of the baby's head, abdomen, and femur to confirm the gestational age and overall health of the fetus. She also monitored the heartbeat and movement of the fetus.
"It has a strong heartbeat", she said.
Both Sam and Jack were looking at the screen, holding hands.
"So, do you want to know the baby's sex?", Lisa asked looking at them.
"Sure", Jack said.
"Yes", Sam confirmed.
"Well, I hope you have another room because it's a girl. Congratulations", Lisa said.
Jack smiled till his ears. "Told you!", he said kissing Sam in the mouth.
Sam blushed beet red but returned the kiss. When Jack lifted his head she noticed that Lisa was trying very hard not to laugh.
Coughing to disguise, Lisa asked if they wanted images of the fetus as a keepsake. They both said 'yes' at the same time.
That night, after Jake was already asleep in his room, Jack decided to show his wife just how happy he was about becoming a father of a daughter.
"You know that although we didn't plan to have another baby, this is a dream come true", he said as he started to get into bed.
Sam was already in bed, reading a book about chaos theory. This time she had decided to read books besides pregnancy and babies. She read enough of those with Jake. In fact, she had read almost the equivalent to a whole school library. She looked at him through her reading glasses.
"Well, you were right. It's indeed a girl", she said putting her book in the nightstand.
He slowly took her glasses, playing with them a little in his hand. She looked so sexy with them that sometimes he wished she kept them on. In bed, for instance.
"So Grace…", he said moving the bedsheet lower and exposing her bare legs. She was just wearing her tank top and her shorts. He started kissing her right thigh.
Her hand moved to his hair. Her fingers caressing it as his lips moved through her skin.
"Yes, Grace Carter-O'Neill", she said aloud.
"Can't wait to meet her", he said moving his head to her stomach. And kissing it very softly.
"Me neither. Wish she could be born tomorrow", she said sighing.
Jack laughed.
"Sure, laugh all you want. I'm the one that has to carry her", she said grabbing his t-shirt and starting to pull it.
Jack took the t-shirt out and looked at her. His eyes were pure desire and passion. Not brown anymore. Almost black.
"I'm here, Sam. You're not alone", he said pulling her to him and pinning her to the mattress.
"Well, a little demonstration is always welcomed, General", she said with an evil smile.
Jack groaned.
"I'll give you a demonstration all right", he said kissing her in the mouth. Passionately.
Sam put her hands around his neck pulling him even more to her. Their bodies pressed so tight, her breasts were crushed against his chest, almost hurting her. Then one of her hand moved down and started to palm his cock through his boxers.
Sam breathed between kisses, "So hard...I want this in me..."
Silently, Jack pulled his boxers down to his thighs freeing his cock. Then, he pulled her shorts and panties off as she lifted up her hips a little. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he guided his cock to her entrance and slid right in to her soaked walls.
"Oh God…", she moaned.
Her head fell back in the pillows with a moan as he started thrusting into her. Jack knew just how to move inside her.
He gasped, "Is this demonstration enough for you?"
"Oh God yeah." Sam hugged him, "Fuck me, Jack." She started squeezing her walls voluntarily around his cock as he sped up and hardened his thrusts.
Jack was now moaning, "Sweet Lord Sam..."
He sped up again thrusting faster and harder practically banging her into the mattress.
"Oh fuck me yes." She moaned loudly and gasped, "Just like that".
Sam breathed loudly and held on as he started pounding as fast as he could. She moaned more as she got closer and closer, her walls tightening on their own.
"Oh God...I'm going to come Jack..." She moaned and moaned. Her head falling back as her walls started to contract around him bringing him over at the same moment.
Jack groaned deep in his throat, "I'm coming too Sam...".
They both moaned all the way through getting louder until they both finished. Sam and Jack looked at each other smiling and laughed.
"God I love you", she told him and they kissed passionately.
He finally rolled from her but keeping an arm around her waist. She snuggled next to him, putting her head next to his neck. They were both still breathing fast.
"It was a very enthusiastic demonstration", she said in his ear.
"I'm glad you liked it", he said smiling.
"Very much", she confessed playing with his chest hairs.
"We need to this more often", he said.
"While I can move, you mean", she said with a small smile.
"We did it when you're in the third trimester", he remembered.
"Yes, we did. Hot but not the most comfortable…", she admitted.
Jack lifted his head and looked at his wife.
"Are you telling me you didn't like it? Did I hurt you?", he asked suddenly concerned.
She put a hand in his lips.
"No Jack, of course not. You've never hurt me. And I always love making sex with you. But you have to admit that having a big belly like that isn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Even for sex", she said.
Jack sat on the bed.
"Are you sure, Sam? You can tell me the truth. I don't want us to have sex if it is uncomfortable to you. Ever", he said with a worried face.
She put her head over his chest.
"Jack. There's always some discomfort after my belly starts to get bigger but if passes as soon as we start to make love. And I would go mad if I had to stay away from you all those months. So we're having sex. Yes, we are!", she said with a very determined voice.
He passed his fingers through her hair.
"Okay, no complaints from me. We'll have sex as long as you want to", he said with a smile.
She closed her eyes.
"Good", she said starting to fell asleep.
He lowered himself again in the bed and held her tight. In minutes he was also asleep.