Abydos
Milky Way Galaxy
December 8, 1999

Jack poked the campfire and watched as little sparks went flying. It was late and Kasuf had insisted that SG-1 and -2 stay the night so they could enjoy the celebrations. Teal'c and Coburn's team had already retreated to their tents for the evening, like most Abydonians. But Kasuf and Skaara were still there, standing just a few feet away. Daniel was sitting across the fire with Sha're between his legs, resting against his body. His arms wrapped around his wife and she cradled her son in her arms, the boy they'd retrieved from Kheb.

It was reassuring to see both Sha're and Skaara being accepted by their people – and father – after what they went through. Skaara wasn't the carefree boy he'd been anymore, he'd returned as a young man shouldering a heavy burden. Jack knew Skaara had seen too much evil to ever lose the darkness that still haunted him. But the Abydonians seemed to respect him even more for defeating his demon and it looked like he was still considered Kasuf's successor. Jack knew Sha're had experienced far more difficulty with dealing what she went through and being back among her people – she'd been pushing Daniel away, too. But after SG-1 reunited her with her son she'd shown the first genuine smile since Cimmeria and she and Daniel had been inseparable.

If anyone had told Jack that he'd save Skaara and Sha're from the Goa'uld and reunite her with her son after that second mission to Abydos, he'd have told them they were nuts. Optimistic, but nuts. The galaxy was a big place and the Goa'uld were inherently evil, yet somehow he and his team had managed the unthinkable.

Now, watching Daniel and Sha're with Shifu, he felt an ache inside. A longing. It was ridiculous but he almost felt envious for what his friend had. But if Daniel could be a father to Apophis' son, then why couldn't he do the same for Klorel's daughter? Of course, he and Sam hadn't been married or really even together at the time of her abduction and he wasn't quite sure what they were now – friends, maybe – but he knew he cared about her. A lot more than he was supposed to, considering the circumstances. He might even call it love. And Ife had managed to conquer her own little corner of his heart, right next to Sam's. The girl's parentage didn't matter to him…

"You are still awake, O'Neill," Teal'c said, after sitting down next to him

"Anyone ever tell you you're very astute, T?"

The Jaffa smirked, "Indeed."

"Thought you'd retired for the night with SG-2."

"I merely assisted Major Coburn and his men with their sleeping arrangements."

Jack nodded in understanding, knowing from experience that the Abydonian tents weren't easy to set up for those who'd never seen them before, like Coburn. "Daniel and Sha're look happy."

Teal'c followed his line of sight and observed their teammate and his wife. "Perhaps Sha're of Abydos had given up hope of laying eyes on her child again."

"She almost hadn't," he said, looking at his friend, "if it weren't for you."

"It was Captain Carter who discovered the address of Kheb."

Sam's willingness to help locate the mythical place had surprised Jack considering how little she spoke of her time off-world. She didn't seem interested in Sha're or Skaara in the slightest either, even though the three of them shared similar experiences. But perhaps she had identified with Sha're as a mother and former host who'd been forced to have a Goa'uld's child. "Yeah, if she hadn't learned of Osiris hiding from Seth on a planet in the Lok'na core from Herit's memories then Catherine wouldn't have been able to narrow down the address to Kheb."

Teal'c turned to him, eyebrow raised. "It appears Captain Carter has better access to Herit's memories than either Skaara or Sha're do from their Goa'uld."

"Yeah, on occasion." Jack knew she'd learned to search Herit's memories through the kelno'reem Bra'tac taught her, but he didn't think it was wise to tell the SGC and the brass that she could, theoretically, tap into all that Goa'uld knowledge whenever she wanted. "But if you hadn't asked Oma Desala if it was possible to remove the boy's knowledge of the Goa'uld then Sha're wouldn't have been given the chance to make that decision."

"No child should suffer the evilness of the Goa'uld or be taken from its mother."

He thought back to their time on Kheb earlier that day, when Oma explained the dangers for Shifu – and by extension, Sha're – if it became known that he was harsesis and how difficult it would be for him to cope with the knowledge of all Goa'uld. Teal'c was right and he'd been the only one to think to ask Oma to remove it, rather than let the glowy alien take off with the boy to keep him safe. Jack had been the one to insist on going to Abydos to get Sha're so she could make the decision about her son's fate. "Sha're made the right decision."

"Indeed."

"Daniel promised Sha're that he'd support her no matter which decision she made."

Understanding dawned on the Jaffa's face. "He cannot fulfill his promise to raise the child as his own if he remains on SG-1."

He nodded slowly, "Yeah. He hasn't said anything yet, but I don't think spending a day or two a week on Abydos is gonna be enough in the long run."

"We shall cross that bridge when we come to it, O'Neill."

Jack stretched his legs and looked over to where Skaara and Kasuf were still talking. From his position, he couldn't see Kasuf's face but Skaara was facing him, albeit at a slight angle. He hadn't really spoken to Skaara since finding out about Ife…

"You appear troubled, O'Neill," Teal'c said in a low voice.

He turned to his friend and ran a hand through his hair. "Just… thinking."

Teal'c had a knowing look on his face, "About the wellbeing of Skaara of Abydos or his relation to Ife Carter?"

"Skaara seems to be doing well, although it'll take longer than three months for him to deal with what Klorel and Apophis put him through."

"Then it is Captain Carter's daughter you are pondering."

He sighed, trying to decide whether Ife and Sam were topics he felt comfortable discussing. Then again, this was Teal'c… "I can't help but wonder if he knows."

The Jaffa glanced in Skaara's direction, "That Captain Carter was with child or that she gave birth to Ife Carter?"

"Either, both."

"During Triad, Skaara of Abydos claimed to have witnessed most, if not everything, Klorel did and experienced while controlling him. If Klorel was aware of the child he fathered, then so would Skaara."

"And if Herit knew, which she presumably would the moment it happened like Sha're did, then she would have told Klorel," Jack added.

Teal'c quirked an eyebrow at the remark. "Unless Herit was affected similarly by the child growing within as Amaunet."

They still didn't know if it had been Amaunet who'd felt protective of Shifu – perhaps fearing what Heru'ur would do to him – or if Sha're's feelings affected Amaunet's actions. "And that's why she fled the ship?"

"Perhaps."

"That's assuming Ife is harsesis," Jack said slowly. He had no idea what to think or if Sam was even aware of what a harsesis was. Had he or Daniel referred to Sha're's baby as such to Sam? "And that they knew."

"How could Ife Carter not be harsesis if she is the offspring of two Goa'uld, O'Neill?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I suppose it explains why Sam never mentioned Ife until we came to take her back to Earth."

"A possible explanation indeed," Teal'c said. "How much has Captain Carter shared with you?"

The few times Jack had tried to broach the subject of Ife's parentage or Skaara and Klorel, Sam had shot him down by changing the subject or ignoring his questions. Could helping to find Kheb and thereby Sha're son have been Sam's way of letting them know she was ready to talk about the possibility of Ife being harsesis? He didn't think she was that kind of person – she seemed more direct. Then again, how well did he truly know her? Not well enough, yet. Pushing her also wasn't something Jack was comfortable with but perhaps it was time he did. "Not a hell of a lot, T. I don't even know if Skaara knows and I've been avoiding him all day just in case he'd ask."

"The paternity of Ife Carter weighs heavily on your mind."

"Yeah, I guess it does."

Teal'c got to his feet and looked down at him. "It is not your place to divulge such information, even when it concerns a friend."

Jack knew he was right. It was difficult to keep it from Skaara and he'd kept his distance all day, to prevent having to lie to him. "I know, T. Guess it's time to talk to Sam when I get home tomorrow."

O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, CO
December 9, 1999

Sam smiled down at her sleeping daughter and placed the children's book on the nightstand, before getting off the bed. They'd only been a few pages in when Ife nodded off which wasn't too surprising considering the girl had tired herself out in the snow with Jack after dinner.

Leaning down, Sam pressed a kiss to Ife's hair and tucked her in properly. She headed for the door and cast a last glance at the bed from the door opening. Then, she flicked off the light, bathing the bedroom in darkness, how Ife was used to sleeping, and closed the door.

Jack was sitting in his easy chair and channel surfing when Sam came into the living room. "She asleep?"

"Yeah," she said, taking a seat on the sofa and pulling a blanket over her legs. "It only took a few pages."

His dark eyes found hers, a small smile on his face. "Did she like the book?"

Ife had missed Jack while he was away on his mission to Kheb but he'd more than made up for it when he returned home that evening with a book for her. He'd simply shrugged when Sam asked him about it, but she knew he'd had to have gone into town to buy it before going home. A while back, he'd told her that after an overnight mission, he preferred going straight home after the debrief, so for him to have made the effort… "Yes, she loved it. Thank you."

"It was nothing."

She watched his profile as he turned back to the television. Just like earlier that day, he shrugged it off like it didn't mean anything, but it did. To her, and to Ife. "Jack…" She waited until she had his attention, "It means a lot."

There was a warmth to the look in his eyes when he replied, "You're welcome."

"Ife, she's never…" Sam sighed and looked down at her hands, before trying again, "Children's books are not very common off-world, if you'd believe it. And I've never done this before… I mean, I never even babysit when I was a teenager, so all the fairytales and children's stories are not something I'm familiar with. My mother used to read them to Mark and me at bedtime but I don't recall the specifics. What I'm trying to say, is that I've pretty much been making up bedtime stories for Ife. She's never had a book before."

"Well," Jack said softly, "I guess now we know what Santa will be bringing her for Christmas."

She chuckled softly and gave him a grateful smile, holding his gaze. When he broke off and returned his attention to the TV, she grabbed his bottle of Guinness off the coffee table and took a swig. She was still weaning Ife and was careful about drinking alcohol because of it, but she'd made a habit of sneaking a few sips from his beer since that night on his roof.

A comfortable silence descended upon the room with the television as background noise. Sam settled more comfortably on the sofa and closed her eyes, allowing herself to fully relax.

She'd been worried about Jack while he was off-world, searching for Sha're's son, because she knew there was a good chance that Amaunet or someone else had set a trap for anyone looking for the harsesis. Catherine had called last night to let Sam know that SG-1 had succeeded and would be returning the next day, but she'd remained tense until he was actually home.

Jack broke the silence by clearing his throat, "Sam?"

"Yeah?"

He muted the television and shifted in his chair until he faced her fully. "Do you know what a harsesis is?"

Sam's heart skipped a beat and she had to make an effort not to look shocked, hating herself just a little for deceiving him – for Ife's sake. "The offspring of two Goa'uld hosts with all the knowledge of the Goa'uld," she answered softly.

"You knew?"

"I told you before, I've learned a lot about the Goa'uld and Jaffa through Herit's memories," she said, looking away from the hurt expression on his face.

Jack grabbed his beer and took a swig. "You knew and you didn't say anything," he said, phrasing it as a statement rather than a question.

Sam shrugged and chanced a glance in his direction. He seemed mostly confused, so it probably wasn't about Ife. "You mean Sha're's son?"

Something flashed in his eyes, but he nodded. "Yeah. You knew we were looking for him and even helped narrow down the location of Kheb, but why didn't you say something?"

"I figured you knew what you were doing."

"You figured we…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "What does that even mean?"

Sam winced at her own excuse and tried again, "Well, I assumed the SGC knew about the harsesis because of your search and as a Jaffa, Teal'c would know about the possibility."

Jack frowned and fiddled with his empty beer bottle. "Possibility? It's not a guarantee?"

"Not the way I understand it."

"… which is?"

She made a vague gesture with her hand, trying to find a way to phrase it. "I guess you could say it's a choice the Goa'uld make. Creating a harsesis is forbidden by the System Lords and they'll be tracked down and killed, which is why Amaunet was hidden away during her pregnancy."

"What kind of a choice?"

"Well, the Goa'uld controls everything in the host's body," she explained. "That includes a woman's menstrual cycle and the production of semen. Through hormone production."

Jack made a face and shifted in his seat, appearing uncomfortable. "So, what you're saying is that both Goa'uld have to alter their host's, um, reproductive system for it to happen?"

Sam nodded in agreement. "From what little I know about Queens is that they can choose the genetic information they pass onto their offspring and I guess it's possible that a regular Goa'uld can do this as well."

"Why?"

"Because Goa'uld like Apophis father many offspring with their human slaves for example. I don't know if he's fathered a child with another host before Amaunet, though. But if he did, then he could still choose whether to pass on his Goa'uld genes or simply the host's DNA."

"And with just the host's DNA the child would be a normal human, not harsesis?"

Sam wasn't sure if that was the case but she felt it made sense, considering the few things she had learned about Goa'uld reproduction from Herit. "Yes."

He blew out a breath and leaned back, before shooting her a concerned look. "I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable-"

"It's fine," she said, interrupting him. "When Catherine called last night to tell me you were staying on Abydos, she mentioned you'd found the boy and that he was fine."

"Yeah." Jack scrubbed a hand over his face, looking a little worse for wear. "There was this glowy alien on Kheb… Daniel said she was an ascended being or something, with powers like Mother Nature. Anyway, she had been taking care of the boy and warned us against taking him because of the knowledge he possessed."

"So he really is harsesis?"

"Was, I guess. After she explained about the boy, Daniel was inclined to let her safeguard him to make sure the knowledge and evilness of the Goa'uld wouldn't take over. But then Teal'c asked if the knowledge could be removed."

Sam gasped, more than a little in awe of the alien's powers. "Just like that?"

Jack shrugged, "Well, I felt it wasn't our decision to make, so we went to Abydos to get Sha're and she was the one who told the alien to remove the knowledge. He's just a normal toddler now. She named him Shifu."

"It means light."

"Oh. I guess that's a fitting name, then."

She returned his small smile, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Jack placed his beer bottle on the table with a loud thump and turned to her with a concerned look on his face. "Sam… I know you'd rather not talk about it and I don't want to push you, but I don't think we can avoid it for much longer."

"What?"

"You were right about Teal'c; he told us about the harsesis boy about six months ago."

Sam bit her lip, wondering if this was leading to where she feared it would. "Okay…"

He looked ill at ease, as if he didn't really want to be there. "When you came back and were placed in quarantine, the question whether Ife was harsesis was raised."

"Ja-"

"Look, Doctor Fraiser told us she had no idea and at the time, we weren't even sure if a harsesis was real, just that the Goa'uld and Jaffa believed them to be. Yesterday, we got confirmation that the offspring of two Goa'uld really does possess all knowledge of the Goa'uld and I can't help but wonder about Ife. We know it's no longer a myth."

Sam noticed his eyes dart in the direction of the hallway leading to the bedroom, where Ife was sleeping. He'd waited all day before asking her… How could she convince him he was wrong without giving too much away? Her heart was pounding in her chest from the intensity in his gaze. "Ife is perfectly normal," she breathed, "She's not harsesis."

Something flashed in his eyes but it was too fleeting for her to identify, his face taking on that blank mask she'd seen on Utcha again. "I get that's what you want to believe, but how could you tell? Christ Sam, you of all people should know the odds. Or at the very least want actual proof to substantiate it."

"I swear, she's human." She'd almost said 'as human as you and I are' but managed to stop herself just in time.

"But you don't know." Jack huffed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm not the only person who's thought of it, Sam. I didn't voice my concerns about Ife in the debriefing because quite frankly I don't trust it to not leave the briefing room after that whole Rogue NID operation, but it's bound to come up again soon."

Sam's mind immediately conjured up images of medical experiments and she swallowed hard, her voice thick when she spoke, "They said Ife and I would be safe."

He raised his brows, "Come on, Sam, you know better than that…"

"They'd have go to through me," she said, "and it would all be for nothing, because there's nothing wrong with Ife."

"I'm not saying there's something wrong with her," he said, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "but different. If she's harsesis-"

"I told you, she's not. She's normal." She kicked off the blanket and got to her feet, pacing the living room angrily.

Jack sighed from where he was watching her in his chair. "You weren't there on Kheb, Sam. What that alien told us… Well, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if all the evil that comes with the Goa'uld knowledge is one of the reasons Ife is so quiet and withdrawn."

Glaring at him, Sam couldn't help but wonder if he'd be so quick to point out Ife's supposed flaws and underdevelopment if he knew she was his. "There is nothing wrong with her, Jack. She just hasn't had a traditional upbringing up until now."

"She's not…" He caught himself and trailed off, scrubbing a hand over his face. "You were host to Herit and Skaara, well, he was host to Klorel. I took him to Cimmeria a couple of months ago to go through Thor's Hammer and afterwards, he told me a little about Klorel and Herit…"

"Oh." She could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, even though she knew there was nothing to be ashamed of – she did what she had to do to survive. It wasn't as if she'd ever denied a sexual relationship between Klorel an Herit and she'd let everyone think Ife was Klorel's anyway, but the thought of how Klorel – Skaara, she reminded herself – would have phrased it to Jack and what exactly he'd shared with him…

"Don't. It's not your fault, Sam. You were both victims of the Goa'uld."

Suddenly, she wondered what else he might have learned about her time as Herit from other sources, like Bra'tac and Moac. Teal'c probably knew everything about the lifestyle of mated Goa'uld, too. "I didn't know about him using Thor's Hammer," she said instead.

"Skaara is back on Abydos now, trying to go back to his old life." Jack frowned, hesitating before he spoke again, "I didn't tell him about Ife, but don't you think maybe you should? I could probably arrange for you to travel to Abydos or Skaara to come to the SGC-"

"No!"

Jack appeared taken aback by her vehement response and simply waited, giving her time.

The thought of meeting him made her sick to her stomach, even though Sam logically knew Skaara was as much a victim of Klorel as she was. But it had been Skaara's hands and mouth on her, his face above her… She swallowed against the bile rising in her throat and bit her lip, looking away to gather her emotions. "I don't want to meet him. As a matter of fact, I'd prefer not to talk about him at all."

"Sam, don't you think he has a right-"

"No," she was quick to say, shaking her head. "He has nothing to do with me and Ife."

The confusion – and perhaps even some disapproval – showed on Jack's face. "But-"

"Ife's not his!" Sam hadn't meant to blurt it out like that and she figured she probably looked as stunned as Jack did at the admission. "Okay?"

"Okay?" He parroted, getting to his feet. "No, it's not 'okay', Sam. You can't just say that because you don't want people to think Ife isn't harsesis-"

"She's not his or a harsesis," she said, brushing past him to leave the room.

Jack, however, grabbed her arm to stop her. "What are you saying, exactly?"

She looked up into his dark eyes, unable to read him. "Have you looked at her, Jack? Does she look anything close to Abydonian?"

"Ife takes after you," he said slowly.

Sam bit her lip and looked away. "Yeah, I guess she does."