Chapter 3

"We didn't know they had been taken until it was too late," Daniel said solemnly as he, Jack, and Teal'c continued to debrief General Hammond on what had transpired on P2X-014. "We discovered they were planning to keep Sam and Jack, but were returning us to Earth. We escaped our armed escort to the gate and snuck back into the city. Once inside the medical facility, we found–" he squeezed his eyes shut at the memory as his voice trailed off.

"We found Colonel Carter and O'Neill strapped to large medical tables," Teal'c took over the explanation, his voice emotionless as he recounted the events. "Colonel Carter had already been forced to undergo the procedure."

Hammond watched as Jack visibly winced at the words. When he looked up, his eyes were more haunted than George had ever seen them.

"I don't think they expected us to escape," Jack shook his head. "Thought we were too primitive," he scoffed. "There were only a handful of guards and Teal'c managed to deal with them before extracting Carter and me."

"Sam insisted we dial at least two other planets before gating home," Daniel picked back up, his voice still monotone. "She wanted—," he swallowed when his voice cracked. "She wanted to cover our trail because she thinks the Kisqua will come after us."

"They will figure out our home address eventually, but unless they are familiar with gate technology, it will take some time. But I, too, believe they will come," Teal'c let that dark possibility dangle in the air.

Hammond nodded, despite the turmoil rolling through him. They'd made an enemy. A powerful enemy. And as the events that had transpired became more clear, he knew his people were lucky to have escaped.

"Do you have any idea why this was done to you and Colonel Carter?" Hammond asked Jack, shifting thought tracks.

"The scientist kept referring to Sam as having a 'sacred womb,'" Jack fidgeted nervously, refusing to look at anyone, his eyes glued to the table. "But I have no idea what it meant and I was a little too preoccupied trying to stop them to ask." His voice had taken on a defensive tone. Running his hand over his face, Jack added. "Carter might have a better idea."

"I think it's safe to assume it has something to do with your ATA gene," Daniel told him. "That was the whole reason for you to join us off-world."

"Be that as it may," Hammond said, stopping Jack before he could reply, "I'm going to order the address for P2X-014 locked out of the dialing computer."

"Excuse me," a nurse knocked on the door, tentatively poking her head into the conference room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sirs, but Colonel Carter is requesting to see General O'Neill."

"Go, Jack. Dr. Jackson and Teal'c can finish filling in the details," Hammond said to him, but Jack was already on his feet and out the door.

Jack paused outside the infirmary and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Instead of walking into the open consultation room as he'd often done, he knocked a quick two raps on the door before stepping inside. He quickly assessed the situation, finding Sam sitting fully dressed in a chair next to an examination table while Dr. Brightman wrote in a chart.

"General O'Neill," Dr. Brightman acknowledged him, her tone tense. She looked at Sam and once she received her nod, she stood up and walked towards the door. "I'll give you some privacy. I'll be back as soon as I have your lab results," she added, then closed the door and left them alone.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room as the two Senior officers avoided each other's eyes. Jack cleared his throat a few times before he finally looked directly at Sam.

"Carter I'm sor—" Jack started to apologize immediately.

"Don't," Sam snapped sharply and stood up. "Don't you dare apologize, sir," her chin quivered slightly, telling him everything he needed to know. She was scared and hurt and desperately trying to hide it from him. "They assaulted both of us."

Jack sighed. She wasn't wrong, but what he'd watched her go through was so much worse than what they'd done to him. And while he appreciated what she was trying to do, he blamed himself, nonetheless. Of course, arguing that point would only make her feel worse and he refused to do that to her, so instead he said, "Yes, they did."

"I made the mistake of trusting them," Sam told him stiffly. "It was my error in judgment and I take–"

"Don't," Jack growled and took a step forward, cursing inwardly as Sam involuntarily backed away from him. Steadying his voice, he tried again. "If I can't take the blame, then neither can you. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," she said softly, her eyes downcast. She knew he was right; neither of them were to blame. But it still felt like she'd done something wrong. She should have fought harder. She should have asked more questions. She shouldn't have requested his presence on the planet, knowing he'd come.

They stood facing each other as an awkward silence filled the air.

"What can I do, Sam?" Jack asked quietly, unable to stand the tension any longer. She'd requested he come to the infirmary and he could only think of one reason why.

"Dr. Brightman started discussing options with me," she responded carefully, "about the next steps."

Jack swallowed hard. "Whatever you decide to do, I'll support it," he told her, keeping his face a mask of indifference. It might destroy him, but he would support whatever decision she made.

"The morning after pill isn't an option due to my physiology," Sam began to explain, "and Dr. Brightman is recommending I undergo a D , which is essentially an abortion if I've conceived. If I haven't it's just a way to clean everything out," she twisted her hands together.

"I see," Jack said without emotion. "And what do you want to do?"

"I don't think I can do it."

Jack's eyes searched hers as her words rolled around in his head. I don't think I can do it. Was she saying she couldn't have an abortion or that she couldn't chance being pregnant? If there even was a pregnancy, he reminded himself. It was too early to know if she'd conceived. Doing anything now would simply be a precaution and nothing else, he tried to tell himself. His heart thundered in his chest as he waited for clarification.

As Sam opened her mouth, Dr. Brightman knocked and opened the door without waiting for a reply. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have your lab results," she frowned. "We need to go over them before you make any decisions."

"Okay," Sam nodded and shot Jack a quick glance.

Jack bit back a curse at the interruption. He wanted nothing more than to order the doctor away and demand Sam tell him her decision, but he refrained. This wasn't about him and what he needed, it was about Sam.

"Your system is flooded with hormones," Dr. Brightman told her plainly. "When the Kisqua performed the procedure, they must have also administered something to boost your production of certain hormones. Quite frankly," she shook her head helplessly, "I've never seen LH or FSH levels this high. It's like you are manufacturing them at a constantly increasing rate. And all of the others, estrogen, progesterone, well," she shifted uncomfortably, "I'm not an obstetrician, but it's like your entire body was forced into an ongoing state ripe for pregnancy."

Jack squeezed his eyes shut at the image the doctor painted. Carter hadn't just been violated, her entire body had been primed to carry his offspring. For the millionth time he was filled with immense guilt because it was his Alteran genes that had been the precursor to all of this. He felt sick.

"Would terminating the potential pregnancy help in any way?" Jack asked, catching Sam's sharp look at his question. She looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't say anything as she waited for the doctor's response.

"No, sir," Dr. Brightman shook her head and Jack didn't know if he was upset or relieved. "If anything," the doctor continued, "I'm advising against it at this point. I'm more worried about what will happen if she doesn't become pregnant and her hormones perpetually stay at these levels or continue to rise. I've never seen anything like this," she said again unhelpfully.

"So what do you recommend?" Sam asked, her own expression remaining guarded.

"We allow things to progress normally," she answered. "Or rather as normally as possible. I'm hoping that once implantation occurs and a placenta begins to develop, your hormones will readjust. At that point, I believe you'll be able to make a decision about whether to keep or terminate the pregnancy. Until then, I'll closely monitor you for any potential problems."