You know, of course, that I deserve brownie points for posting two chapters in one evening? This is to thank my lovely reviewers.

Daniel walked in the room to find Jack trying to read a book. He stopped in surprise. He knew Jack wasn't stupid, had seen the wide array of books on his shelves at his house, but he was pretty sure he'd never actually seen the man reading a book.

"What are you doing?" he asked sharply.

Jack lifted his eyes from the page and stared for a moment at the younger man. He then pointedly looked down at his book and back up. "Uh – reading?"

"I know – I mean – what are you reading and why?"

"A book and I'm bored."

"Oh." Daniel frowned again, feeling as if the world was somehow out of kilter.

Jack sighed and put the book on his night table. It's not as if he was actually getting anything out of the damn thing anyway. He'd asked the nurse for something to keep him occupied while he waited for word from his two teammates and Sg3. Instead of a TV she'd brought in a bunch of books. He didn't mind really, except for the fact that it would spoil his dumb Colonel image.

He sighed again and finally asked the question that had been burning in his throat. "So? Did you find – anything?"

Daniel grimaced, which wasn't a good sign. Jack suddenly wondered where the others were and realized, with a sinking stomach, that Daniel must have been sent in as the messenger. "It's bad news, isn't it?" he asked his friend.

"Well – kind of – sort of", Daniel waffled. "I mean – the containers with your – uh -"

"DNA?" Jack said, his voice heavy with irony.

"Yeah, that. Well, they were destroyed."

"All of them?"

"Yes, according to Traenda."

"And that is?"

"One of the aliens who held you captive."

"Oh. I hope Teal'c strangled him!"

"He almost did but Reynolds discouraged it. Said there'd be too much paper work."

Jack snorted. "So – what's the bad news? I mean, if they got all my – DNA", he stopped. "Sam?"

"Yeah – that's part of it – sort of."

"Daniel, will you stop with the 'sort of's' and just tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Sorry", he grimaced again. "They did collect eggs from Sam – I really can't believe I'm even saying that", he muttered. "Their plan was to use your – uh – stuff and impregnate slave women to make hosts."

"How nice", Jack said sarcastically. "And the eggs?"

"Well, you know Nirrti. She had this thing about creating Hok'tar – perfect human hosts."

"I know what Hok'tar are. So – she, or her servants, decided to use Sam's uh – eggs?"

"Yeah, but I'm afraid that's not all."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Well, they actually got around to fertilizing them."

"Fert – you mean her eggs?" Jack shook his head. Daniel was right – it was really weird to be talking about this.

"Yes."

Jack was silent and Daniel could see his mental wheels spinning. "They fertilized her eggs. Can I ask – should I ask what they used."

Daniel bit his lip, his expression telling the full story.

"Shit!" O'Neill swore. "You're telling me that they used my – to fertilize her – God damn it! Teal'c should have strangled them – all of them!" He turned restlessly until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He really wanted to get up and start breaking things, preferably the neck of every Goa'uld in existence. "So what does that mean?" he finally asked.

"Well, according to Traenda they fertilized six eggs and so there are now six embryos."

Jack got a really strange feeling in his gut at Daniel's words. Talking about sperm and eggs and embryos kept things in the realm of science and sick alien experiments. But if he really thought about it – if he let it into his mind in any real way – he knew he'd be thinking about the fact that there were six potential children out there – his and Carter's.

"Jack?" Daniel's voice interrupted his thoughts and he focused on his friend.

"So – did you – get them?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Uh no. That's kind of the problem."

Jack scowled at him. "The problem? What kind of problem? Why didn't you just bring them back?" Of course that now left the issue of what the hell to do with them. God – this is something he never would have imagined in a million years.

"We couldn't."

"You couldn't? Why not?"

"They're uh – gone. One of the aliens escaped with them before we got there. I guess he thought he was doing Nirrti's will."

"He escaped!" Jack whispered. He peered at Daniel in shock. "With the embryos?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"And what's he going to do with them?" But of course he didn't really have to ask. He knew.

"He's going to find someone - six women I guess, probably slaves, and implant them. He plans to help create Hok'tars for his goddess."

"Colonel! What are you doing Sir?" Janet looked at the man who was attempting to stand and get dressed. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Out of here", he answered shortly. Daniel was standing against the wall, looking helpless and worried.

"Colonel, you can't. You're not well enough."

"Doesn't matter", he answered, buttoning his shirt. "Does Carter know?" he asked Daniel.

"No, not yet. She wasn't on base. Hammond sent for her and she should be here shortly."

"What's going on?" Janet was looking between the two men, seeming to realize that something had happened. She still didn't like the fact that the Colonel was planning to leave, but knew better than to try to stop him – not when he had that expression on his face. General Hammond was the only one who could deal with the Colonel when he was in this mood.

"Uh –" Daniel looked at Jack and when he received a short nod he continued. "It looks like the aliens took Jack's – uh"

"They used my sperm to fertilize Carter's eggs", O'Neill interrupted tersely. "They created six embryos and escaped off the planet to go and implant them in various women."

"Oh my God", Janet held her hand up to her mouth. "What – "?

"I don't know Doc", Jack answered, suddenly sounding tired. "All I know is we have to find them. There's no way in hell any kid of mine is going to be host to some god-damned Goa'uld!"

"No, of course not." Janet stood, looking stunned. "And Sam doesn't know yet?" she asked Daniel.

He shook his head. "And I don't really want to be the one to tell her." He glanced at Jack who nodded.

"I'll tell her", he said. He got a strange look on his face. "Since it looks like we might be parents together."

"Sir, it's still early. There's lots of time to find them and -"

"And what Doc? What do we do if – when – we find them?" He turned anguished eyes on her and she winced.

God – this had to be horrible for the man. She suddenly thought of the son he'd lost and knew this must be bringing up all sorts of thoughts and feelings. On top of that was the whole – thing – between the two officers; the thing known but never mentioned. She rubbed her hands through her hair. "If there's anything I can do Sir -", she let the rest of the sentence hang.

He nodded. "Thanks – but for now there's really nothing, except to be there for Carter. Later – I don't know."

She gave him a gentle look. "Later – I'll be there for both of you Sir."

He smiled gratefully at her and then motioned to Daniel. "Help me out of here Daniel. We've got to go see the General."

Janet watched as the Colonel limped away, leaning heavily on the arm of his friend. "Oh Colonel", she said softly. "You don't deserve this!"

Sam knew something was wrong as soon as she got the phone call from Walter that the General wanted to see her. She'd hoped that Daniel and the others would return and say everything was fine and that they could forget the whole incident. Realistically though, she'd known it couldn't be that simple. Of course something had to go wrong. It always did whenever it involved the Colonel and her.

She gave Pete a light kiss goodbye and shut her ears to his loud complaining. He hated the fact that she had to jump when called and go to work. Of course he didn't say anything when it was him who was called in for an emergency. For the first time she felt a small bit of resentment towards the man she was going to marry. She wondered if he truly had any idea of what she did and how important it was.

"I told you, I don't know Pete. The Sergeant didn't tell me anything – he just said the General needed to see me right away."

"We're not about to be attacked by aliens or anything, are we?" he asked, a frown on his face.

"I'm sure we're not", she almost groaned, "although it is a possibility." That was mean she knew, as soon as she saw him blanch. She just got so tired of his constant quips about her work. "I expect it's simply that something's not working right and they want me to check it over."

"Why does it have to be you? I mean, you go on missions for weeks at a time, do experiments on the stuff you bring back plus they have you doing repair work. You need a raise babe – or a new job."

"I only help out occasionally and I love my job – you know that. Now, I really do have to go. If I'm not back you can help yourself to anything in my fridge."

"There's nothing in your fridge", he complained. "You've been gone for weeks."

She sighed and leaned over and kissed him. "Then order in. I'll see you when I can." As she walked to her car it suddenly dawned on her that maybe it wasn't such a smart idea to be marrying someone who didn't really understand what she did. "But who else could I marry", she said to herself as she pulled out of her driveway.

When she got to the SGC it was to find a message waiting for her that Colonel O'Neill wanted to see her in his office. She frowned at that. He never wanted to see her in his office. In fact, she couldn't really remember the last time she'd been down there. Before she met Pete he would come by her office to chat or more often than not to simply bug her because he was bored. After she started dating the visits had stopped. She'd tried to tell herself she didn't mind, didn't miss him – but she'd known even then that she was lying.

But now – a trip to his office. This sounded serious and suddenly her heart started to beat quickly.

"Sir?" she knocked on the open door and watched as he looked up at her from behind his desk. She winced when she saw how pale and thin he still looked. What was Janet thinking to let him go so soon? By the looks of him he should still be in bed, resting.

"Carter, come in." He smiled at her, although it was a pretty pathetic attempt. At least it didn't look like she was in trouble.

"Sir?"

"Sit down Carter, sit down", he waved to the chair on the other side of his desk. He opened his mouth as if to speak but then frowned. He glanced around and then sighed and pushed himself slowly to his feet.

She couldn't figure out what he was doing until he limped around his desk, pulling his chair behind him. Once he was facing her, without the desk in between, he sat down – his deep sigh showing how weak he still was.

"There, that's better."

"Colonel – what is it. You're kind of – scaring me here."

He rubbed his hand through his hair and looked at her apologetically. "Sorry", he muttered, although he still didn't rush to speak. "Just trying to figure out how to tell you this. Uh – don't worry – I mean it's nothing – well yes, it is bad, but nothing that's going to hurt – well, no, it probably will hurt you – not physically of course – or your career. It's more – an emotional kind of - hurt, I guess."

"Colonel?" she asked, getting more and more worried.

"Sorry – shit! Look, I don't know how to say this to make it sound any better so here goes. The damned f'n aliens – sorry Carter – took my sperm and fertilized your eggs and created a bunch of embryos. One of the evil sons of bitches then escaped with them and plans to implant them in some poor slave women somewhere." He stopped abruptly, seeming to realize that Sam was still trying to take it all in.

"Embryos Sir?"

"Yes – ours – I mean – your DNA/my DNA equals embryos that are on the loose out there."

"On the – loose?" she knew she was half in shock, but his words didn't seem to make sense. "I'm sorry – I-"

"Ah hell – I didn't do that right." He pushed himself up and walked over to the small fridge in the corner – one she hadn't seen before. He opened it and pulled out a bottle of water and returned and handed it to her. "I'm sorry Carter. I just – didn't know any other way to tell you. I know it stinks."

She took a few sips of the water, not because she really needed them, but because it gave her some time to get her equilibrium back. After a few seconds she was able to breathe again – although she really wanted to open her mouth and scream. Why her? Why now? Just as she was finally getting her life in order. How the hell was she going to tell Pete?"

Why did she have to tell him, a little voice said to her? He doesn't need to know – ever. In fact, it's best if he doesn't know. It will just hurt him.

"Carter?" Jack was looking at her with concern and she started, realizing she hadn't responded to him. "Uh – do we have any idea where he could have gone with them?"

"No, not yet", Jack answered, relieved that his steady, smart Carter seemed to be resurfacing. "Hammond had Walter contact the Tokra to see if they know anything. We've also put in a call to the Asgard."

"I see", she paused. "You said embryos. How many?"

"Six", he grimaced. "Daniel's sure that's all of them. The rest of – everything – was destroyed so once we get these back we don't have to worry."

"Get them back? Do you really think we can?"

"Damn right we can – we will! There's no way in hell I'm letting some alien monsters screw around with my – uh – offspring."

She nodded, looking slightly comforted, although a moment later her expression darkened. "Even if we do get them back Sir – what then?"

"I don't know Carter", he said softly. "I guess – we'll have to worry about that when it happens."

She nodded, knowing he was right. As of this moment they couldn't worry about anything but getting the embryos back from the aliens. Like the Colonel, there was no way in hell she was going to allow any children of hers to be used by the Goa'uld.

Suddenly she felt goose bumps on her arms. She couldn't believe she was thinking about her children – children who could actually, one day, be real.

They were seated in the Briefing Room, waiting on Hammond and whoever was in his office with him. Jack knew someone had arrived through the gate while he and Carter were talking but they hadn't been told who it was. Neither Teal'c nor Daniel seemed to know either and they were all waiting to find out. Hopefully it would be someone who could help them.

Just then the door opened and Jack looked up, to see Hammond – followed by a serious looking Jacob Carter and one of his least favorite Tokr'a – Anise/Freya.

Crap!