A/N: So this is a much shorter chapter than what I usually post, but it's starting to build towards the end. Hey, I did say eventual Jack/Sam. Figured it was time to work on that. :)
As Carter led her father down the hallway out of the briefing room, Jack ran a hand through his grey hair. The reality of this situation was finally starting to hit home with him, and it almost made him want to pull out that signed letter that he had written to George Hammond months ago. An alien bug flew through him, then Carter, somehow knocking her up in the process, and its accelerated growth gave a whole new meaning to growing like a weed.
He let out a loud sigh, catching the attention of his two best friends.
Daniel and Teal'c glanced at each other, then at Jack. "You okay?" the archeologist asked.
"Hmm? Yeah. Just peachy."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Does this situation not distress you, O'Neill?"
Jack's brown eyes met Teal'c's and he stared blankly. "Nope. Not getting it. What do you mean?"
"Colonel Carter is carrying your child while you are unable to-"
"Uh, Teal'c, maybe not the best time for this," Daniel interjected, trying to steer him out of the room and away from Jack before he hit him.
But Jack just nodded in agreement. "Yeah," he softly replied.
Without looking, he knew that Daniel's eyes had widened significantly and Teal'c had taken a reserved step back.
When he tilted his head up, he gave them a sad smile. "The irony is not lost on me at all."
Daniel squinted between his friends. "I'm sorry, I think I'm missing something here."
The general sat down heavily in a chair. "T? Since you've been explaining things so eloquently today?"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain, O'Neill?"
Jack waved a hand and nodded.
"O'Neill and Colonel Carter possess feelings for each other which they are unable to act upon."
As oblivious as Daniel could be, he didn't look completely shocked by the admission. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
"You knew?" Jack exclaimed, standing up.
"I always kind of had a feeling. I just didn't think it would do any good to say anything."
Jack shot him an appreciative glance.
"So. What do we do now?"
Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets. At the moment, he could only think of one solution.
"Cake."
Sam took a seat in front of her dad, cupping her hands around her tea as Jacob added a spoonful of sugar to his coffee. He gave the mug a satisfied smile before taking a sip. "Ah, that hits the spot."
She smiled. "So how are you doing, Dad? Feels like we haven't talked in forever."
"Oh, you know. Been busy saving the galaxy from evil aliens. Same old."
The humor was a cover, a ruse, to distract from the main topic at hand, but she was grateful for it. She was happy to spend any time with her dad. They were closer than they had been before he found out about the Stargate program and the Tok'ra, but they still didn't get to spend nearly enough time together.
"So. Busy week, huh?"
Sam tried not to snort. "That's one way of putting it."
Jacob smiled at her, then sighed. "What happened, kid?"
"We were scouting P5X-482 for a possible alternative to an off-world base in case one of our current ones is ever compromised. General O'Neill gated through for a visit. We were showing him the trinium mines when the 'pollen bug'," she said, using air quotes, "went through us." She tilted her head. "We gated back as soon as we could, and the next morning I had morning sickness."
Jacob shook his head but smiled. "Welcome to the Stargate program."
Sam nodded in agreement.
"How've you been handling it?"
"Not well," she conceded, remembering the multiple outbursts in her lab. "I never thought there was a possibility of having a family, given the nature of my job and being involved in the Stargate program." She glanced down at her belly and sighed. "Now I'm pregnant with the child of a man who-"
Sam stopped short, realizing what words were about to come next, but before she could think of something to replace it with, her dad jerked his head up.
"What?" he encouraged softly.
She hung her head. It was one thing to think it but another thing entirely to say it out loud. Especially to her father. Especially when he understood the rules.
Yeah. This sucked.
"I'm pregnant with the child of the man who I love but can't be in love with." Without looking at her father, she stood. "I need some Jell-O."
Only a few days left...
Stay tuned.
