AN: Sorry this has taken so long. RL has been making it hard to stay motivated. But here is the long awaited next chapter.

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Chapter 6-A Time to Be Born

One month passed with the new SG-1 settling into their new routines. They each hit some rough spots as they learned to work together. Cam learned more than he cared about ancient artifacts and alien cultures from Dr. Jackson's incessant need to 'educate' him. Cam also learned that asking a Jaffa to spar was a bad idea…in so many ways. In turn, Teal'c learned to respect the newest member of SG-1 and that while Cam was not O'Neill, he was a formidable warrior and a valuable team mate.

Cam knew this mainly because Teal'c cornered him one day and told him straight out. It was more than a bit disconcerting. But when he watched Teal'c walk away, Cam felt like he was finally getting the hang of being a part of SG-1. He still didn't feel like a leader, but he no longer felt like an outsider.

Dr. Jackson was a harder nut to crack. Cam knew that Jackson was brilliant and observant, but in his own way was almost harder to read than Teal'c. But while he couldn't read what Jackson thought of him, he could easily read what he didn't think of him. Cam was Air Force and a pilot, but that didn't make him interchangeable with the previous two military members of the team.

Cam was not Jack O'Neill. He knew it and Jackson had made it perfectly clear how far from the mark he fell on that one. While Cam may aspire to eventually attain an O'Neill level of leadership. He didn't have that kind of self-confidence yet and he knew it. But it was hard not to feel disappointed when he was compared to one of his greatest heroes and found wanting. At least he had General O'Neill's faith in him to help him work towards that lofty goal. And on the harder days, he clung to that faith to help him get by.

Likewise, he was so not Sam Carter. Aside from the obvious physical differences, Cam had never taken to the science side of flying like Sam. He had been in awe of Sam's intellect since the Academy. He was used to the comparison and to falling short of her brilliance. But the look in Jackson's eye hurt the most. Almost like Jackson expected Cam to be as smart and educated as Sam and was both surprised and disappointed when Cam proved that wasn't.

So, while Cam was sure the team was beginning to mesh, his teammates were still missing their other parts. Cam had faith that they would eventually be just as effective as the original SG-1. But he also still had the feeling that they needed Sam and he continued to try and convince her to come back to the SGC…in any capacity. The few times Cam had been able to actually reach Sam on the phone, she had repeated her refusal to return to the SGC. Not just to SG-1, but to the SGC as a whole, and nothing he said could sway her.

And then the universe decided to throw them a couple of curve balls.

A scant two hours after the Atlantis expedition made brief contact via a data burst, Vala MalDoran arrived at the SGC. 24-hours later, the Daedalus had left for the Pegasus Galaxy, Daniel and Vala were in the infirmary recovering from their contact with the ancient communication device, and Earth had two new galactic threats.

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Sam was tired and cranky and her back ached something fierce, yet she found herself wandering the halls of the SGC unable to rest and practically bouncing with energy. She had been forcibly recalled to the SGC when the Atlantis expedition had finally made contact with Earth. When she explained that she couldn't fly due to her advanced pregnancy, General Landry had the Daedalus beam her from Nevada. Never mind that with the Daedalus' departure, she was now stuck in Colorado without her doctor or a quick way home.

And now that the dust had settled from frantic preparations for the Daedalus' departure and Daniel and Vala were safely back in their own bodies, she was more than ready to go home to her own bed and sleep for a week. At 36 weeks, her pregnancy had reached that stage where she was constantly eating, peeing, or rubbing aching muscles and restful sleep was nothing more than a fond memory. And the last 48 hours had added a constantly cramping back and a throbbing headache.

Returning to the SGC, in conjunction with the stress of not one but two galactic emergencies, had drained what few resources she had. Yet, in spite of her fatigue, she was strangely restless. Driven with a sudden need to do…something. What she didn't know.

Sam hadn't been prepared to face the SGC again after all these months; To walk these halls and remember all the times she had wandered them with her team at her side. She certainly hadn't planned on returning while so obviously pregnant. She hated staring down one confused person after another. A few faces she recognized from her time here before her transfer. Those were the ones that showed shocked surprise. Others were new and showed more confusion than shock, but they were still surprised to see a heavily pregnant woman wandering the halls without an escort.

On her arrival at the SGC, Sam had her one and only meeting with her former teammates. After a short and surprised greeting, the conference room had filled with uncomfortable silence. Her Academy year mate, Cameron Mitchell, now a fellow Lieutenant Colonel, had been the first to recover from his surprise. But he didn't question her or her reasons for not returning to SG-1, especially since her pregnancy was the obvious answer. Teal'c looked surprised and pained, but congratulated her all the same. But Daniel had looked more than surprised. He looked betrayed, and he failed to supply more than a pained smile before the briefing started.

She should have found him later and cleared the air. But she had to supervise the team prepping the nukes for the Atlantis mission, and about a million other things that the ship needed done before it departed for the Pegasus galaxy. The ship should have had a proper shakedown cruise, but Sam hoped that with Hermiod along, if anything did go wrong, the Asgard engineer could easily fix it.

The briefing ended when SG-1 were called away to find out more about the tablet brought by Vala MalDoran. And further events conspired to keep her from her former teammates.

Sam had also heard through the grapevine that General O'Neill had arrived to supervise the departure, but she had yet to see him. She hoped to avoid him if possible. While he had been nothing but polite and professional in their last meeting, she didn't want to push her luck. She didn't think she could stand to see hatred in his eyes while her hormones were out of control.

She really needed to talk to Daniel and Teal'c to explain why she couldn't be on SG-1 anymore. Now was even the perfect time. Daniel was confined to the infirmary and Teal'c should be free. But her restless mood was holding her back. She was feeling incredibly selfish and the ache in her back was beginning to drive her nuts. So she avoided the infirmary and made her careful, ponderous way to the locker room and its wonderful whirlpool hot tub.

"Sam!" she heard behind her.

She winced and sighed before turning to face Cameron Mitchell. She gave him a weak smile, "Cam."

"I'm glad I caught you," he said with a big grin. "I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry I've been such a pest these last few weeks. If I'd known you were…"

"Smuggling beach balls under my uniform?" she asked with a hint of a grin.

Cam gave a short laugh, "Yeah. That."

"Don't worry about it, Cam," she replied. "You didn't know and I haven't held it against you."

"I know. It's just that the guys were kind of hoping…" Cam trailed off. "Never mind. It doesn't matter now anyway." He shrugged and then turned a charming smile at her, "Motherhood looks good on you."

Her smile fell away. "Thanks," she replied without feeling.

Cam's smile faded, "I'm sorry. I stuck my foot in it again, didn't I?"

She snorted in disagreement. "Not your fault." She took a deep breath as her backache suddenly throbbed to life. "I'm not keeping her," she stated softly, needing to tell someone. Cam was merely the safest of people available.

"What? Why?" Cam replied in shock.

She opened her mouth to explain and in that moment, it was all too much for her. The stress from the last day caught up with her, her headache spiked, her back cramped, her vision tunneled, and she fainted in his arms.

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Daniel was dozing when Sam was brought into the infirmary. In his initial panic for her health, he had completely forgotten that he was upset with her. Since Daniel had started trying to contact Sam, he had run the gambit of reasons that she would ignore his calls and emails. He had gone from 'trying to forget the Incident,' to 'getting lost in her work in Nevada'. He had even toyed with her punishing herself for her role in the Incident, but he had never guessed that she would have moved on with her life. That maybe she transferred to start fresh and not to run away from the past.

But his time in the infirmary had given plenty of time to absorb the news of Sam's pregnancy and come to peace with it. He liked the idea of Sam as a mother. Now that he had made peace with it, he thought she would make a great mother. He was even somewhat happy for her. But he was still upset that she had refused to return his calls or replied to his emails, even if it was to tell him that she had moved on with her life.

"I'm fine, really," Sam said to no avail as the medical staff checked her vitals and hooked her up to all sorts of monitors. The denial alone was enough for Daniel to be sure that Sam was, in fact, fine.

"But you passed out," LtCol Mitchell insisted. Daniel suppressed a chuckle. Apparently, Mitchell didn't know her nearly as well as he thought he did.

"No," Sam replied slowly, as if she was speaking to a small child. "I didn't. I fainted, that's all." Daniel could see her gesture to her swollen stomach, "Hello, I'm pregnant. It does funny things to the blood pressure, you know."

Dr. Lam was gently checking over Sam's stomach when the contraction hit…and it hurt…a lot. Daniel had seen Sam in all levels of pain. Apparently, this one was somewhere between knife stab and gun shot. The only blessing was that it eventually stopped, leaving Sam gasping for air.

"I think it might be more than that, Colonel," Dr. Lam said with a soft smile.

"Shit," Sam swore softly, after the pain had past.

"I'll get the isolation room setup. Do you need me to call anyone? The father?" the doctor asked as she gave Sam a comforting pat on the arm.

Daniel could just see Sam's face as she paled. "Yes. My doctor. She…" he watched as Sam swallowed painfully. "She has the legal documents."

Dr. Lam blinked slowly, "For custody?"

"Yes," Sam agreed in a pained whisper. Daniel frowned; she was giving up custody of the baby?

The doctor nodded. "And the father?" Daniel leaned closer.

Sam turned away with a pained face, "My doctor will contact him." Daniel suppressed a disappointed sigh.

Again the doctor nodded. "Alright. I'll be back when it's time to move you. For now, try to rest."

The doctor gave her one more reassuring pat before heading to the nursing station to give out her orders.

Daniel watched Sam as she gently rubbed her belly with sadness.

"Sam?" he asked gently. He was more curious than angry at her now. Sam obviously had a story to tell. And it looked like a painfully, sad one. The least he could do was give her the opportunity to tell it or not tell it. Daniel didn't think he wanted to push her on this one.

"Yes, Daniel," she replied, still focused on her unborn child.

Daniel took in a deep breath. "I've missed you, Sam."

Sam turned tear filled eyes to him, "Oh, Daniel. I wish…God!" She quickly wiped away the tears. "Stupid hormones…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I've missed you, too."

Daniel clamored out of his bed to her side. He gently took her hand and gave her a gentle smile. "I was wondering why you wanted to stay in Nevada. I assume that this…" he gestured to her stomach, "…has something to do with it."

Sam wiped away another tear and a snort, "Yes, but not really…not at first." She sighed, "I left because I just…I needed to be somewhere else. This…this was a complete surprise. I didn't…"

She gasped and put a hand to her belly. Daniel held her hand as she rode out the pain of another contraction, whispering soothing words until it passed.

"Sorry," she sighed after she caught her breath.

Daniel chuckled, "Don't worry about it. It comes with this whole 'having a baby' thing you have going."

He was gratified to see that he had managed to coax a small smile out of her.

"So…" he continued. "Since you're stuck in the infirmary for a while…and I'm stuck here until…" he frowned, "…you know. Carolyn never did tell me when I would be allowed to leave."

Sam snorted at his antics. "Did you ask?"

"I don't know. I was distracted…which reminds me, have you met Vala yet?"

"Um…No. Can't say that I have?" Sam replied easily.

"Really? Well, let me just say that meeting her the second time was even more exciting than the first," Daniel replied with a slight frown.

"Second time?" Sam echoed with a hint of her old mischief. "And when, pray tell, was the first?"

"Ah…well," Daniel stammered as he blushed furiously. "It's a long story…and complicated. Very complicated."

Sam grinned. "And you say it was even better the second time around?" she teased.

Daniel snorted, "Yeah."

"Sounds like one hell of a story," Sam replied.

"So does yours," he replied more seriously.

Sam lost her grin. "Yeah," she agreed.

"Care to share?" he asked carefully.

"Not really," she replied, turning away from him.

Daniel nodded. Definitely too painful, "Well then, let me tell you all about the first time I met Vala MalDoran…"

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Jack was meeting with Hank when the doctor called to say that Colonel Carter was in labor in the isolation room 3. Hank barely had time to relay the news before Jack was out the door and racing for the infirmary. He didn't remember the trip. He only remembered stopping abruptly outside the doors of the isolation room at the sound of Sam screaming in pain. Heart pounding in his chest, he couldn't force himself take those last few steps.

"O'Neill," Teal'c greeted him casually.

"T," Jack replied while staring at the door in front of him.

"Lieutenant Kaplin informed me of the impending arrival of Colonel Carter's child," Teal'c announced calmly.

"Yeah," Jack grunted still staring at the door.

Eventually, Jack turned away from the door and slid down the wall next to Teal'c. If he couldn't go in, the least he could do would to remain close by.

He sighed and knocked his head against the wall. "She shouldn't be in there alone," he said, trying to work up his courage.

"She is not. The medical staff is in attendance," Teal'c replied easily.

Jack gave an annoyed grimace. "I don't mean that. I…I mean, she should have someone to hold her hand…ya know?"

Teal'c looked confused for a moment, "Perhaps Vala MalDoran would be willing to do this?"

"Who? What?...Teal'c, she doesn't even know Ms. MalDoran. Why would she want her in there?"

"I do not understand," Teal'c replied sounding even more confused. "Do not the women of your world assist each other in child birth?"

Now it was Jack's turn to look confused. Huh? "Uh…no, well, yeah, but…" He sighed tiredly. "Usually the husband or child's father helps… though sometimes it's her family, mother, sister… you know…just not…strangers."

"I see," Teal'c replied, but not sounding convinced. "Should not the child's father be contacted to fulfill his appointed role?"

Jack just shook his head, "It's not that simple…" He froze as another curse-filled scream cut through the closed door. He thumped his head against the wall again and again repeating the mantra of coward. It wasn't simple. But he could at least ask her if she wanted him in there with him. He could. He should. But he remained frozen in place.

The silence was almost oppressive in the hallway after the cursing faded away. Teal'c was a quiet well of calm, but Jack would have welcomed Daniel's endless prattling if it would distract him from his cowardice. He should be in there. It was his kid. But he couldn't force himself to stand. He lost all track of time as he argued with himself, pausing only when he could hear Sam cry out.

Eventually, one of the nurses came out of the room and noticed them in the hallway. She smiled encouragingly to them and turned saying something to another nurse inside before she hurried off on some unknown errand. After a few moments, Dr. Lam came out to see them.

"General, Teal'c, is there something I can help you with?" she asked patiently, her attention still keyed towards the isolation room.

Jack pulled himself upright and felt a bit foolish, "Uh, yeah… does Carter want someone to…um, you know… hold her hand?"

The doctor cocked her head with just the right amount of scorn and disapproval to make him feel two inches tall. "No. She insisted on doing this alone and has refused all pain medications. She asked me have her OB/GYN forward all the custody paperwork."

Jack blanched. He had hoped that she would have changed her mind by now; Hoped that after months of caring for their growing child that she would actually want to be its mother. Apparently not.

"I do not understand," Teal'c stated.

Jack remained silent, but Dr. Lam was all too happy to enlighten him, "Colonel Carter has decided to give her child away. She has the legal documentation to turn over custody of the child at birth. I assume it is to the father or an adoptive couple."

It took Jack two attempts to speak. "Do you have the paperwork yet?"

Dr. Lam frowned, "No. I was going to ask my father to work on it while I dealt with the delivery. The colonel is progressing faster than I anticipated."

Jack nodded grimly, "I'll tell him for you. I know her Doctor's name and phone number."

Dr. Lam gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you. I'd appreciate that…without the usual drugs…" A new scream cut the air. "…this is going to take all my attention. I need to go."

"Sure. Thanks, Doc."

She gave him an absent wave over her shoulder as she hurried back into the isolation room.

Jack turned and started down the hallway only to be stopped by Teal'c quietly calling his name.

"O'Neill."

He turned, "Yeah, Teal'c."

"She is strong. She will prevail."

Jack almost grinned, "It's a baby, Teal'c. Not a battle. But…thanks."

"You are most welcome, O'Neill."

Jack just shook his head, before he headed up to talk to Hank. He needed to get the paperwork sorted without the base grapevine kicking in. The last thing Sam needed right now was the base gossip destroying her hard won reputation.

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A long, painful six hours later, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Per Sam's request, the nurse took the baby away unnamed soon after she was born.

The newest addition to Earth was warmly welcomed by her father, General Jack O'Neill who immediately told her how wonderful and strong her mother was. When he was told that Sam had refused to name the little girl, he simply nodded and filled in his daughter's name on the birth certificate.

He explained to his hours old daughter how she was named after her grandmothers, Grace Carter and Colleen O'Neill; two of the strongest women he knew of…after her mother, of course.

Grace Colleen took in everything and eventually fell asleep to the soothing sound of her father's heartbeat, feeling every bit as safe and secure as she had before she left her mother.

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TBC

AN: I have no idea when I'll post the next one, but I will finish this story. I swear!