Chapter 21

Sam forced herself to relax as she popped another blueberry, or something very similar to a blueberry, into her mouth.

Their Nox hosts were relaxed, friendly in their conversation as they all ate the morning meal around a small fire. Sam was trying to mirror their easy-going demeanor, despite the turmoil rolling through her. But one thought kept running through her head. How could Lya and Anteaus be so calm when the Kisqua posed such an imminent threat?

"You okay?" Jack whispered beside her, causing her to stiffen.

Sam nodded, unwilling to answer him verbally, knowing he'd hear trepidation in her tone, and internally cringing when Jack gave her a disbelieving look. Now that they'd arrived on Gaia, they had reached the end of Plan D or E or whatever godforsaken letter they were on. At this point, they were essentially winging it and she knew neither of them were comfortable with this level of ambiguity.

"We have a way to help you, if you agree," Anteaus said, as if sensing Sam's inner turmoil. "What we propose will allow Samantha to carry her child to term without outside interference."

Jack nodded. "I'll do whatever you ask, go wherever you ask, just as long as I know they're both safe."

Sam stiffened. The suddenly terrifying idea of the Nox ordering Jack away to face the Kisqua alone invaded her brain. Her heart rate jumped and her head started to spin. Since they'd left the SGC, she hadn't allowed herself to consider going through this pregnancy without him by her side. But now…

Lya tilted her head, silently appraising Sam with knowing eyes. Laying a hand on Sam's, the Nox female spoke softly but firmly. "Jack must stay as well. Samantha will need his protection. And his strength."

Sam almost sagged in relief. Stupid pregnancy hormones, she thought sharply, berating herself once again for being so weak.

Anteaus pursed his lips in apparent frustration, but did not contradict Lya. "We would like to place you, both of you, into a form of stasis," he explained with a frown.

"One that will allow you," Lya tilted her head toward Sam, "to grow your child naturally while the outside world stills."

"You mean a time dilation field," Sam realized. It was ingenious and something she should have considered. "It's like what the Replicators did when they were trapped by the Asgard," Sam explained, her voice terse with emotion.

Jack nodded, saying nothing.

"You will experience time normally, be allowed to enjoy the miracle of life growing within, but it will seem as if we," Lya gestured between herself and Anteaus, "are frozen."

Sam looked at Jack and tried to gauge his feelings about being stuck with her inside a bubble. She knew he was a man of action. Perhaps he would prefer to leave her here. Sitting still wasn't exactly his forte and the Nox were literally asking him to do nothing. Granted, mere hours or days would pass in the universe, but to them, it could very well seem like a lifetime.

"This is the only way we can safely bring your child into being without risking your life," Lya gentle reached for Sam's hand again. "Your body is already showing signs of extreme stress that is not healthy for you or your child."

"We'll do it," Jack interjected in a gruff voice, avoiding looking at Sam. He was relieved to finally have a viable plan, but didn't want her to see his guilt over having to trap her with no one but him for months. It was his fault they were in this mess and his ATA gene that was painting a target on both their backs.

Inside, Sam crumbled as she misinterpreted Jack's reaction. He doesn't want this, she thought as her heart broke. She was literally trapping him in the most unfair way imaginable by practically holding his child hostage inside her. Despite his earlier assurances that he supported her decision to keep their child, it was she who had talked him into visiting the Kisqua homeworld in the first place. It was she who had unilaterally made a life-changing decision without asking him; all the while knowing that he would die to protect them because that's exactly the kind of man he was.

"Samantha?" Anteaus looked at her sympathetically. He opened his mouth to say more, but Lya subtly shook her head.

Sam nodded woodenly. It was the safest option. "Excuse me," she pressed her lips together, willing herself not to breakdown in front of everyone. She stood, swaying slightly, and fled back to the small hut she and Jack had previously occupied.

"Must be the pregnancy hormones," Jack automatically covered for her, concern evident on his face. He wanted to go after her but stopped himself, thinking he was the last person she wanted chasing after her.

"Samantha needs your protection," Lya reached across the table and lightly touched his arm.

"She has it," Jack replied, looking the small Nox woman in the eyes.

"There is more than one type of protection," Lya replied, her eyes boring into him. "Samantha needs you. You must make her understand that you need her, too."

"Carter?" Jack called tentatively from the doorway of the hut. Despite Lya's urging, he had decided to give Sam some space while Anteaus explained the basics of the time dilation field.

It seemed simple enough. Jack knew Sam would have understood it much better, but he used the guise of giving her time to build up his own courage to go face her.

"Sam?" He tried again after spotting her sitting on the cot, her back to him.

"Just—give me a minute, sir," she replied, furiously wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Not waiting for an invitation, Jack crossed the small room and stood in front of her. He was prepared to order her into the time dilation field, drag her if necessary, even knowing she might hate him for it.

"I know this time bubble thingy isn't the way you probably envisioned pregnancy," he said with a forced sigh, his words causing Sam's lips to quirk briefly at his description of the time dilation field. "And I know I'm the last person you want to be stuck with for months on end—"

Sam shook her head sharply. "No, I'm glad it's you," she blurted out before she could stop herself. She felt her eyes widen at the admission. "I know it's wrong of me to say," she rushed quickly to explain, "but the idea of doing any of this with another man—"

Jack inhaled deeply as the image of her pregnant with someone else's child tore across his mind. His entire being screamed as he saw Pete beside her. Bile rose in his throat as he remembered her screams and his mind replaced himself with the unlikely alternative.

"Please, Jack," Sam said so softly that he almost didn't hear her whispered words.

So consumed by his own emotional reaction, Jack didn't understand her plea, but he immediately reacted to the desperate need in her voice. "C'mere," he tugged her into a standing position, wrapping her in his warm embrace and willed her to understand what he was afraid to say aloud.

"We are ready for you," Lya said a few moments later from the doorway. "We have replicated a few comforts from your planet so you will be more comfortable," she gestured for them to follow. "Creating life is a joy but very taxing."

"You ready?" Jack asked Sam, trying not to rush her toward the inevitable.

"As I'll ever be," Sam replied, pulling out of his arms and away from him, and avoided making eye contact.

As Jack followed her toward what would be their home for the next several months, he couldn't help but feel like a vast chasm was forming between them.

End of Part I

Post Note:

I just got Part II back from my beta. I'll post chapters as I review and edit them.