CHAPTER 54 – REVELATIONS

Carson didn't have to run many tests before he had solved Gina's little dilemma. It became quickly obvious that the mess food could not be held responsible for her stomach pains and when Carson sat beside her on the bed with a serious face, Gina had a sinking feeling. She was, however, not prepared for the news that he gave her.

"Pregnant? Carson... are you sure? I mean, it's not as though we haven't... you know...but... pregnant? Funny how some things just don't cross your mind. So busy thinking of other seemingly more important things – the bigger picture? I guess this really is the big picture!"

"How do you feel about it lass? Having this sprung on you on top of everything else you've learned in the last month. This is life changing news, to say the least and brings all sorts of thoughts to mind. A mother of the past and a father of the future... what does that make the child?" Carson laid a hand gently on her stomach, now calm as the painkiller still held the cramps at bay. Carson had assured her that cramps were not a more ominous sign that she was losing the baby. Sometimes early pregnancy brought severe symtons,and he had run through several tests and was happy that the baby was fit and well. The mother was worn out and needed rest, but all things considered, her health was good.

"What does that make the child, Carson? I'd say it makes the child the reason you were brought here – to this time line. Because of your lineage and the fact that you do not carry the ancient gene, it was determined necessary to bond yourself to a man who carried a strong version of the gene. It would have been researched until it was deemed that Colonel Sheppard was the best candidate. And the ancients did the rest."

The voice came from the doorway and startled, Gina looked sharply at the woman who had spoken. Colonel Samantha Carter. Smiling at her now, even though she had imparted knowledge that effectively told Gina her whole meeting with John had been set from the very beginning, had been orchestrated and played out perfectly to ensure the lineage of her child was as it should be.

"I'm sorry Gina – I could have found a more subtle way to impart that knowledge, but where the ancients are concerned? Let's just say that subtlety is not something they do well. I take it John doesn't know yet?"

Gina was silent for a moment, not sure how she felt about the news she had just heard. Definitely she felt manipulated and wondered briefly if their feelings for one another were genuine, or had that been forced. She knew one thing. She did not know if she could trust any of her feelings from here on in – she would never know whether they were in fact hers to feel, or at the request of a higher power,

She pushed out of the bed, feeling woozy at the painkiller that still clouded her system, and wobbled slightly as she went to move away from the bed.

"Easy does is Gina – you need to lie back down. That was a strong medication I gave you and you can't be wandering around with that in your system."

"I need to get out of here Carson. I need to think about things. Sam? He doesn't know yet and I'd appreciate it if you could keep this news to yourself for now. I will tell him when I have had time to process it all myself. At the moment? I want to be happy for this news..." She touched her stomach gently as she said this. "But I feel a little betrayed and I need to come to terms with that before I can share this with anyone else. Please respect that, and make sure that John doesn't hear this before I am ready to tell him."

"Gina. Let me go with you. I need to talk to you – there are some things I want to say, and perhaps after you've heard them, you'll feel differently about what's going on. I won't say anything to John, you have my word. But don't leave it too long. He's an astute man, and he'll pick it up on his own before long." Sam moved into the middle of the infirmary and gripped Gina's arm to steady her, giving Carson a look, letting him know that she would take care of the younger girl.

The walked out to one of the piers and the fresh air was like a balm to the nausea that had been rolling through Gina. She breathed deeply and watched as Sam smiled. "You've got a little more colour in your cheeks now Gina. I'm sure Carson's already told you this, but you've got to take care of yourself from here on in. Two of you now, and that little one? He or she will be relying on you to make sure it all works out ok."

"I thought you weren't coming until next week?" Gina continued to breathe deeply. It seemed to help with the nausea.

"I needed to talk to you – had a feeling that things were spiralling out of control a little bit here. You know I'm going to take over as base commander?"

Gina shook her head.

"Elizabeth needs to stand down for personal reasons, and for the same reasons, I needed to be here with you. I also want to continue working on Rodney's project. I know that John is against this project and has managed to convince himself that it is a waste of time – worthless research. That's not like him – he's generally more open to different theories and if it's got the word gadget in it's name, he's the first one playing with it. He knows that something's going to come through that will cause us problems – he senses that and like the proverbial ostrich – figures that if he denies all knowledge of it's existence, then it can't be real. You and I both know that it can have very real implications in this dimension, if something comes through from another."

Gina had been silent up until now. "You're talking about a security risk, aren't you Sam?"

"I am Gina. And for now, we have to treat that security risk as though it is the enemy. I want to find where any or all of the rifts are, and seal them up. For good. I understand – as I know you do, that they are meant to stay sealed. Rodney had other ideas – he would have chosen to sensationalise them, and make them accessible. He couldn't be allowed to proceed with that notion. You and I Gina. We need to seal them."

Gina nodded, watching as a jumper flew over the water toward them, coming in low from the mainland. John and Ronon with Teyla. She remembered that they had gone there looking for the little girl who had helped to get her back to Atlantis. She turned sharply to Sam now.

"There's a little girl on the mainland that has been appearing to me. I think she is from another dimension, one similar to ours. I think she is my daughter in that dimension, but I died and now she crosses between the two dimensions, looking for her mother. John, Teyla and Ronon have gone to the mainland to find her. We have to help her Sam – we can't just send her back to a dimension where she is obviously alone and frightened."

"That certainly complicates things Gina, and we'll have to deal with that when or if they find her. For now, I want you to take care of yourself and your baby, and I hope you find a time to tell John that he is going to be a father. I think he will be a natural!"

"Sam...?"

Gina had started walking back into the city, and now paused.

"What it it Gina?"

"Why did you and I miss out on the ancient gene? Your grandmother is an ascended being as is my father – yet neither of us have the gene. Why? Everything else seems to be by design."

Sam gently pulled on her arm to propel her forward. "I think we were meant for certain people. Two genes together are two strong – two positives make a negative? You were meant for John and I was meant for Jack. Both of those men have the strongest ancient genes found yet in modern day humans. Tested ones, anyone. That would be my theory."

They entered the city and headed towards the control room and Gina caught sight of John and his team coming down from the jumper bay. John held a little girl in his arms and Gina's breath hitched. The little girl from the mainland. From another dimension. Her daughter.

John's eyes held hers across the room and the little girl turned her head to see what he was looking at and her eyes widened when she saw Gina. Struggling to get down from John's arms she called out urgently.

"Mummy...!" and as soon as he put her down she ran towards Gina, throwing her arms around her legs. John followed a little more slowly, waiting until she had hoisted the little girl into her own arms. He ran a hand over first Gina's hair,then the little girl, then touched his forehead to hers briefly.

"Meet Carlie. Our daughter. Kinda. Ahhh crap..."