Thanks again to everyone who reads my story. And to those who review, follow or favorite. I really appreciate it.
This chapter isn't very long. Sometimes it's hard to find the right place to make a break, and this was one of those. I hope you enjoy.
108
Sam wakes queasy, but not nearly as sick as the previous two days. Daylight is streaming through the window and the other side of the bed is empty. She turns to look at the clock and the queasiness increases slightly.
"These may help," Jack says from the doorway. He holds a pack of saltine crackers in his hand. "Don't get up." He walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, opens the package and hands her three crackers. "Eat 'em before you move. Keep them beside the bed. It's an 'old wives' remedy, but it works for lots of women."
She nibbles on the crackers slowly, and her stomach begins to settle. "I took the pill Janet prescribed last night."
"Good. That probably prevented the worst of it." He strokes his fingers across her cheek. "How do you feel now?"
"A little better, I think. But I need to go to the bathroom."
"Sit up slowly, then. And come back and lie down if you feel sick."
She makes it to the bathroom and back into bed. "I don't feel great, but nothing like before. Why are you up so early?"
"It's not early, sweetheart. It's nearly nine-thirty. You were dead to the world when I got up at eight."
"That means I slept for nearly eleven hours," she says. "How am I ever going to get my work done if I need this much sleep?"
"You'll just have to cut back on the work. And you won't be going through the Gate, after all, so you'll have more time in the lab."
"True. Okay... I'm going to try and get up now."
"Just tell me if I need to get out of the way."
"Funny," she says with a grin. She levers herself up slowly to a sitting position, and leans back against the head of the bed. "So far, so good."
Ten minutes later, she is out of bed and in the shower. The warm water helps, and by the time she gets out, the queasiness is gone. She dresses and comes out into the kitchen. Jack is not there and she looks around for him, finally spotting him out on the deck, leaning on the rail and looking out toward the backyard.
There is coffee, but she passes it up, and instead puts two pieces of bread in the toaster and heats water to make tea. Maybe the secret is like that of preventing seasickness, she thinks—keep something mild in your stomach, but don't overeat.
The toast pops up and she butters it, and spreads on some strawberry jam she finds in the fridge. Jack is still standing in the same spot, his head down now. She frowns; his posture looks like something is bothering him. She takes the toast and her tea and walks out to stand beside him.
Jack straightens when he realizes she is there. He leans down and kisses her softly, and tries to refuse the toast she offers him. "You should eat it yourself."
"I can make more. Get it while it's hot." She takes a bite of her piece and watches him, as his attention reverts to the backyard. "What are you thinking about?" she asks after they have both finished the toast.
"Us," he says. "The future."
"Oh... that's supposed to make you smile, not frown." She tries to keep her tone light.
He doesn't respond to that, just takes the cup from her hand and sets it on the rail, then wraps his arms around her and holds her close.
After several moments, she begins to squirm. "Jack, you're scaring me a little here."
"Sorry," he whispers into her hair. He kisses her forehead, and then her cheek and finally her lips.
"Tell me," she says.
"I was thinking about those things we put off until today," he admits. "Those things that need to be said. Wondering just where to start."
She drew a breath. "Okay. Well, why don't we start with your meeting with General Hammond."
They return to the kitchen and he pours himself more coffee. While she gets herself a bowl of cereal and eats it, he carefully goes over his conversation with the general. "We need to go and see him and tell him we've decided to raise the Bean together," he finishes. "Only maybe we shouldn't call him Bean," he adds when she grins.
"So it's 'him' now."
He waves a hand. "I figure I'll just switch back and forth depending on my mood. I hate calling our baby it."
"Me, too," she agrees with a smile.
"So we need a plan to give Hammond," Jack says at length.
"I still say it should be me who resigns."
"But you're the one who's been cleared with no questions asked. That's probably because they consider you essential to the program. They might not like it if you quit."
She frowns. A little pucker appears between her eyebrows and he smiles inwardly; it means she's thinking hard. "Yeah...," she says finally. "They may try to come back on you somehow." The pucker deepens. "We have to get them to offer us a solution. Hammond must have something in mind. What did he say to you exactly?"
"He said we'd have to look at the options that are available."
"So there must be some options. I think we should hear what they are before we offer our own."
"Okay. When?"
She shrugged. "The sooner the better, I guess. Call and see if he can talk to us today."
109
They arrive at General Hammond's office at 1400, and he invites them in and closes the door.
"Sir, thanks for seeing us," Carter begins.
"How are you both feeling?" the general asks. "I hear you spent some time in the infirmary?"
"I feel much better, sir," Sam assures him.
"And I'm fine, sir," Jack says.
"Good. Good." Hammond sits forward in his chair. "I assume you're here to discuss the situation we find ourselves in?"
"Yes, sir." Carter takes the lead, mildly amused at the general's choice of pronouns. "Colonel O'Neill and I have discussed it, and we definitely want to raise our baby together. We plan to get married as soon as we can work that out."
General Hammond cannot resist a smile. "Well, congratulations on both counts, Major, Colonel. Personally, I'm very happy for you."
"Thank you, sir." Sam is vastly relieved that the general seems to be on their side.
"Yes, thank you, sir," Jack echoes. "We hope to work out a solution that satisfies the Air Force requirements, sir. When we spoke yesterday, you mentioned possible options?"
"Yes, I did," Hammond says. "The President and I, along with General Stewart, General Greer, Admiral Fontaine, and General Wisdon, have talked about this at length."
"Yes, sir?" Carter hopes she doesn't not sound too nervous.
"The best suggestion we came up with was from General Stewart. His idea is that one of you can be temporarily transferred out of this command. That would give you an opportunity to get married. And then—hopefully, you would be transferred back."
"Hopefully, sir?" Jack asks.
"Well, there's always the possibility of your return being held up or even blocked. And while I think it would eventually go through, because the President and General Stewart would push it, the delay might be as much as six months or more."
Jack and Sam exchanged glances. "Where would we be transferred to, sir?"
"Colonel, you would be transferred to the 96th Fighter Wing at Peterson under General Mike Braddock. You know Braddock, I believe. We might have trouble getting him to let you go when the time came. Major Carter, your transfer would be to Groom Lake, to the R&D Department at Area 51. General Houghton has had a perpetual request in for you for the past four years."
"Yes, sir. I know Mike Braddock pretty well. He's a stubborn sonofagun, but Peterson sounds pretty good," Jack says, looking over at Sam as he speaks. "And I expect Carter is more essential to the SGC than I am."
"I wouldn't say that, Jack." Hammond grins. "But Houghton would be a tough adversary."
"What about SG1, sir?" Sam asks.
"Teal'c and Dr. Jackson would be attached to other teams, with their approval, of course," Hammond says. "Probably not together, though, unless we do some re-shuffling. We'd have to work that out."
"If I went to Area 51 would SG1 stay together, sir?" Sam asks.
Hammond nods. "Yes. It would need a fourth. Another Air Force or Marine person."
Jack and Sam exchange glances again. "I think we need to talk to Teal'c and Daniel before we decide, General," Sam says. "May I ask, were there any other possible options discussed?"
"Well, none of them seemed that good to me, Major. Were you thinking of something?"
Because she knows Hammond is in their corner, she says, "We thought that I might resign and apply for a civilian post here at the SGC."
Hammond gives a doubtful frown. "I wouldn't recommend that, Major. Certain people would take the opportunity to make sure you were denied that post."
"I see, sir."
"May we discuss this and get back to you, sir?" Jack asks quickly.
"Yes, of course. Will tomorrow be enough time for you to decide?"
"I think so, sir. Thank you."
Jack stands up and Sam follows suit.
110
Jack calls Daniel and Teal'c to his house later that afternoon, and orders pizza.
"So, if I transfer to Peterson, SG1 would be disbanded for at least a few months," Jack says after he and Sam are finished recounting their conversation with Hammond. "If Carter goes to Area 51 the rest of us will still be together."
"But it sounds like the chances are Houghton won't let her go again without a fight," Daniel says.
"True."
"And if she gets stuck there, Groom Lake is 850 miles away," Daniel continues.
"Also true," Jack adds.
"While Peterson Air Force Base is only half an hour."
"That's right," Jack agrees.
"Then it's a no-brainer," Daniel says.
"Excuse me, DanielJackson?" Teal'c raises an eyebrow.
Daniel smiles. "An obvious choice, Teal'c."
"Then why did you not say so, Daniel?" Teal'c asks.
"English-speakers are addicted to slang," Daniel chuckles.
"I see." Teal'c turns to look at Jack and Sam, sitting side by side on the couch in Jack's living room. "We can certainly endure a few months with other teams in order to insure your best interests, MajorCarter, O'Neill."
"Thank you, Teal'c," Sam says, a lump in her throat.
"Yeah—what he said," Daniel adds with a grin. "Not a problem. We'll survive."
"Then I'll tell General Hammond I'll take the transfer to Peterson," Jack says. He smiles down into Sam's face. "And we'll get married around Thanksgiving."