A/N: It's a snow day here! We have about 3" and it's still falling, so I'm settling in next to the fireplace to work on a Valentine's Day story. In the meantime, here's another chapter of Offspring.

TW: Nightmare/Flashback

Chapter 24

She'd worked herself past the point of exhaustion. That's what Jack thought as he watched Sam knead the dough for her campfire biscuits. She hadn't stopped. Not once since asking him to show her the stream and small pond outside. Oh, she'd paused for five minutes when he'd practically ordered her to eat lunch but had resumed examining and cataloging every item at their disposal. Then she'd washed their clothes in the stream. Then she'd set about marking the perimeter of the time dilation field. He'd tried to help, but she waved him away every time.

Understanding her need for space, Jack busied himself with collecting more firewood. He also gathered some materials for a rudimentary bow and arrows and set up perimeter alarms. He trusted the Nox, but didn't want to be caught empty-handed on the off-chance someone did find them. He'd stayed out of Sam's way as long as possible, stayed away until the sun was slowly setting behind the trees and dusk descended over everything.

He remembered from Sara's pregnancy that he needed to tread lightly. Sam's recent trauma on top of everything only made it even more paramount for him to be cautious. He knew they'd been thrust into this situation against her will, but her borderline frantic need to stay busy and away from him was concerning. Maybe she did blame him after all? He still blamed himself, so it wouldn't surprise him. They'd never really talked about what happened.

"Carter, you really don't have to do that," he told her, coming to stand beside her as she pounded the dough more fiercely than was necessary.

"We need something to eat besides nuts, berries, and twigs, sir," she replied in an exasperated tone.

"Can we drop the 'sir'?" His tone was harsher than he'd intended. Her use of the honorific was almost obsessive anyway but hearing it while knowing she carried his child grated on his nerves.

"If that's what you want," she said in a clipped tone.

"Carter, talk to me," he implored. They couldn't keep this up. It was only the first day. There was no way they could dance around each other for the next eight months. They needed to clear the air.

"I am talking to you," she replied shortly.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," he countered.

"Sir–Jack, I'm really tired," Sam said with a sigh. "I agree we need to talk, but not tonight. Okay?"

Jack let out a deep breath through his nose. For what seemed like the millionth time today, he shoved his gut instinct aside and nodded. "Alright," he forced a smile, "but let me finish this. You need to rest. Please," he added when she started to protest.

He breathed a sigh of relief as she relinquished the dough and washed her hands before quietly moving to the bed. He finished preparing the biscuits, setting them aside to be baked in the morning, all the while keeping an eye on Sam. He kept his distance until she had crawled into bed and fallen asleep almost instantly.

Blowing out the lanterns illuminating the room, he peeled off his clothes down to his boxers and t-shirt then slipped into bed beside her. Instantly, she curled into his side, murmuring something in her sleep as she cuddled against his chest.

At least you still trust me when you're asleep, he thought sadly, wrapping her in his arms and letting sleep claim him.

Sam was anchored to the medical table, her eyes locked onto a pair of brown ones that looked at her with remorse. Clear revulsion at what had been done to her etched his features. Embarrassment flooded her body.

"I want to thank you, Colonel Carter," Cholti's voice was like a whip to her senses. "If it wasn't for you, we would have never had access to the Alteran gene."

Sam screamed inside. It was her fault. Her fault they were here. Her fault they'd hurt Jack. They'd practically raped him right in front of her.

Guilt surged through her. A level of self-loathing she'd never experienced filled her.

"There's one more thing I need you to do for me," Cholti's voice was sadistic as he ran the backs of his fingers down Sam's cheek. "Britony," he ordered the woman who had wielded the medical instruments, "you may proceed."

Sam felt something sharp prick her arm. Her vision dimmed and heat exploded within her as a powerful orgasm ripped through her, bowing her back with its painful intensity. Fighting against the release, she moaned as her muscles contracted against her will.

"Human orgasms increase the odds of conception," she heard a disembodied voice say as everything blurred into murmurs and shadows.

"Goddammit," Jack's voice penetrated Sam's consciousness. Sounds of scuffling and shouts surrounded her. "Stay with me, Sam," she heard Jack's voice. Recognized his touch as her arms were suddenly free. "Stay with me."

Sam's eyes snapped open, her body throbbing from what felt like a release. She hadn't just orgasmed in her sleep…had she? The thought sickened her as memories she'd buried deep came rushing to the surface. That hadn't just been a nightmare, she squeezed her eyes shut. That had been a memory. They'd really–

Bile rose in her throat. She jumped out of the bed then ran from the hut and threw up on a small grouping of bushes.

"Carter?" Jack's sleep-filled, concerned voice called to her from the doorway.

"I'm alright," she forced herself to say. "Just a little nausea," she lied. "Go back to bed."

Instead, Jack appeared a few moments later carrying a small cup of water and her toothbrush. "Want to talk about it?" He asked, not even pretending to buy her 'little nausea' excuse.

"Not really," she swished the water around her mouth and spit it out.

"Try anyway," he said, his tone letting her know it wasn't a request.

"I can't," she bit her lip, unwilling to tell him about the dream.

"You can't keep going like this," Jack sighed. "You need to let out whatever you're holding in. I know I'm the last person you want to talk to, but I'm all you've got. So, please just tell me." Even if it destroys me , he silently added.

Sam sucked in a breath through her teeth. He was right. She knew he was.

"After," she licked her lips anxiously. "After they," she forced herself to say the words, "violated me," she squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to see his expression. "They gave me something. Drugged me."

"I know," Jack said softly, "I remember."

"I didn't want to," her eyes snapped open, locking onto his, begging him to understand. "I fought."

"You did," Jack confirmed, the memory of being helpless to save her a second time assaulting him.

"They hurt me," her voice quivered. "And they hurt you," Sam looked down as guilt filled her.

"Not as much as they hurt you," Jack countered, unwilling to go down that road.

"I'm so sorry," she told him. "I know you might never be able to forgive me–"

"For what?" Jack jerked back at her words. "Sam, it wasn't your fault."

"Maybe not all of it, but this," she gestured around them, "this is all my fault. I didn't even consider what you wanted and then I trapped you."

"Wait, is that really what you think?" Jack asked incredulously. "That you somehow trapped me?" Of all the scenarios he'd run through about why she was withdrawing from him; this was not one he'd considered.

"I made the choice to have this baby, knowing you would never walk away from your child," she added softly.

"Of course, I wouldn't walk away," he shook his head, dumbfounded.

"Exactly," her voice quivered. "But even knowing how you feel, I won't change my mind. I want this child, Jack. I want it because it's a piece of me and a piece of you. And if that's all you can give me, that's enough. I won't ever ask for more."

"For the love of—Sam," Jack crossed to her in two strides, grasping her upper arms. "Listen to me," he demanded, "I want our child. I want her so much it hurts." He waited for her to look at him. "Never, never doubt that."

At her skeptical look, he panicked. "'I'm glad it was you.' You said that to me. But you have to know that I'm glad it was me, too. Do you hear me? I'm glad it was me," he let out a harsh breath. "I'm a selfish bastard, Sam," his voice took on a hard edge. "I'm looking forward to seeing my child grow inside you. I hate the way it happened, but I'm not sorry it did. And if you hate me for that—"

"I could never hate you," she said fiercely, even as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Then accept that I'm exactly where I want to be," his hands moved from her arms to cradle her face.

Sam shook with emotion as Jack's words washed over her. She felt a single tear fall onto her cheek, the thumb he used to wipe it away grounding her as she released her deepest fear. The walls she'd been building between them cracked ever so slightly as overwhelming exhaustion descended. She was so tired of being guilty and afraid.

"There's a lot we still have to figure out," he pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin, "but this isn't one of them."

His words, like a promise, soothed her soul. Giving herself permission, she let go of the guilt.