After the impromptu briefing from the Ancients they had quickly disappeared. Oma however had stayed behind long enough to reach across Teal'c and gently grasp Sam's hand. Then she too disappeared. The room now contained its original occupants and they all took a moment to compose their own thoughts.
"Carter." Hesitantly Sam looked up to Jack and waited. "I ever tell you that you got some balls?"
"Yes Sir."
"Well then, I'm glad I covered that," he shrugged easily as he looked to Daniel and Teal'c. "So … who wants cake?"
Sam shook her head but could not hide her smile before she went back to looking at her hands. After another moment of silence the President, now seated again, cleared his throat. "Colonel, why don't you and your team give us a moment with Sam."
"Yeah, sure thing."
Sam looked to the three SG-1 members quickly before she looked to Mal'tec and Ead'ogar. She did not need to say anything and the two nodded to her before they followed the others out of the room. Silence fell over the room again and Sam went back to looking at her hands. "Samantha." She forced her eyes up and to the President to see him sparing her a soft expression. "I suppose congratulations are in order."
"Thank you Sir," Sam offered with a grimace of a smile before she hurriedly continued. "I had planned to tell you after the briefing –"
The President held up his hand, calling for her to stop. "I have no doubt of that. You have always been upfront with me Sam, and I expect nothing less. So I am asking you, what about your current assignment?"
"The Gate poses no threat to me or the baby Sir. I understand that you'll likely replace me but, I really suggest a transition Sir. It'll be easier in the long run I think. I'm sure that whoever you choose to replace me will get along just fine with the base personnel, but the Jaffa will be another matter of course –"
"Samantha," the President cut her off again. She stopped her babbling to really look at him. "Do you want to continue in this position?"
Sam licked her lips as she looked from the President to the Joint Chief's and back. "You all know I was reluctant to take this position. If it had been an option instead of an order I'm not sure that I would have given up SG-1 for it. But, I truly enjoy my job Sirs. It's not SG-1; and, while I wish I could have either stayed a member of the team longer or returned to the team that's not likely to happen considering my personal relationship with Colonel O'Neill. I would love to continue with my post on Eleftheria, that had been the plan for the foreseeable future; but this was not something I even considered right now. And in all honestly Sir, while I would like to continue I cannot do so if it means spending the majority of my pregnancy away from the father of my baby. I can't do that to him. I also can't return to Eleftheria after maternity leave and leave my child behind. I won't do it Sir, I'm sorry."