In the end they came to the conclusion that there must be a layer of molten Naquadah over the gate, like their iris. They just have to shoot with a particle accelerator and heat it up to melt the layer. Problem was, first Sam had to build one. She was devastated when she told Hammond it would take quite some time. But it would be faster than the Tollan's solution, they could reach Edora with one of their space ships within a year. That was far too long for Sam's liking. What if he would give up on them? No, she was determined to get him home as soon as possible.

One month into the research Sam had spent all her time at the mountain, not once has she left. Her friends became worried, because they didn't even see her in the commissary. They took turns in bringing her food and water, and decaffeinated coffee after 1900. She had to sleep at some point, otherwise it would be a matter of time before she collapses.

Tonight it was Janet's turn to look after Sam. She stopped in the doorway to take a closer look at her best friend. Sam looked definitely thinner and a bit pale, dark circles under her eyes, whether from the lack of sleep or exhaustion.

"Hey!" Janet greeted her softly, trying not to startle her.

"Hi."

"Working through the night again?" She asked, concerned. But Sam only responded with a quick nod.

"Sam, you should get some rest. You're of no use if you collapse and I have to keep you in the infirmary. You have to take better care of yourself, you're awfully thin and pale."

Sam knew that Janet was right. She had lost weight, that she knew herself. Probably because she felt nauseous all the time and had to throw up as soon as someone placed a warm meal under her nose. Her body responded to the stress in its own way. Of course she wouldn't tell Janet, she was the base CMO after all and would have her restrained to the next bed in a blink of an eye.

And then Janet saw the truth in Sam's eyes.

"You miss him." More a statement than a question.

"Yeah!" Sam wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that, Janet was military too and knew about the regs.

"Is this a problem?"

"No."

This time it was the petite doctor who only responded with a nod. She patted Sam on her arm to show her support. And when she turned around a last time her friend was already nose deep in a book, trying to solve the problem to finally build that particle accelerator.

A week later Hammond ordered her off base at least for one night. She solved the problem and knew what to do to build the machine. That was when Hammond took the chance to get her to go home. The next day they would start to gather the items they needed and start working on that accelerator.

Sam stopped at the gas station to get a few things as it was late and all the grocery stores were closed. She knew after one and a half months in that mountain there wouldn't be any food that was even the slightest edible, and so she strolled through the aisle trying to sort out what she wanted to eat before collapsing on her bed. Nothing was appealing to her so she settled for a prepared salad and a chocolate bar. She found out this was one of the few things she could actually keep inside and not empty her stomach instantly.

When she stepped into the next aisle on her way to the checkout she passed the shelf with the tampons and stopped dead in her tracks. Not able to move she was staring at the products, counting back in her head when was the last time she had used one. Definitely not since she made it back from Edora. She hadn't left the mountain and hadn't been bothered by her period while she was away with her Dad. In fact she finished her period just before they went on the mission to rescue her father, that was now about two months ago. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach that it isn't just stress related she hasn't had that time of the month. She had lost weight due to stress, that's what she thought, maybe her body reacted to the weight loss by skipping one or two periods. But what if her body reacted because of something else? What if she had lost weight and was constantly nauseous because her body is changing? Feeling a wave of nausea welling up, Sam just took a pack of home pregnancy tests and rushed to the check out.

She tried to ignore the look from the boy who sat behind the checkout and eyed her purchases. She paid quickly and drove home.

Sure that she couldn't keep anything down, she neglected the salad, grabbed the test and went straight to her bathroom.

Ten minutes later she was staring at that little piece of plastic in her hand, the two lines confirmed her suspicion. How the hell was this possible? She's on birth control, all female personnel are. To be sure she took the second test as well but the result was the same: pregnant.

She couldn't tell anyone, for more than one reason. They would insist that she should take it easier, not working through the night again and that would definitely delay the rescue. No one can know that it was Jack's child, it would end in a court martial, either with or without Jack. She was his only hope of rescue and she would do everything to make this work.

Nearly two months pregnant she wouldn't have much time to decide what to do. It could be her only chance at motherhood and she'd love to be a mom, especially to Jack's kids. But it would have been only fair to let the Colonel have a say in this decision, given everything that happened with Charlie. Maybe he'd never want to be a father again or not with her being the mother. She made the decision that she would ask him if she'd get him home in time, before it was too late to do anything against it. If he isn't home by the end of her third month she would keep the baby for sure.

Exhausted she went to bed and fell into a restless sleep.

She was back at work first thing in the morning, way before the other scientists joined her. At least she had tried to eat a bit for breakfast, knowing that she had to take better care of her body from now on.

A few days later, after a night of work, her morning sickness hadn't gotten better and she was throwing up in the ladies room. Not noticing that Janet had entered and was waiting for her to come out she stepped towards the sink and splashed water into her face.

"How long has this been going on, Sam?" Janet accusingly asked.

Sam twitched and turned around to face her friend.

"Janet! It's not what you're thinking…" Sam tried to explain without revealing the real reason.

"I think that you, again, pulled an all-nighter, drank too much coffee and ate too little!"

"You're not completely wrong. At least not with the all-nighter, I have to get him home Janet. And I have to do it before I'm not allowed anymore."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Am I talking to Doc. Fraiser or to Janet right now? Because I might need my friend more than I need a doctor."

"You're scaring me."

"Can we discuss this somewhere more private, please?"

"We can go to my office. Come on."

In her office Janet sat next to Sam instead of behind her desk. Knowing like this she would be able to have the talk as friends.

"Spill it, Sam. I'm running out of patience."

"What you've witnessed just now wasn't because of exhaustion, it was because my body is changing. I'm pregnant, Janet."

"You're what? I wasn't aware you were seeing someone. How long do you know?" Janet didn't know which question she wanted to ask first.

"I'm not seeing anyone. And I just found out a few days ago."

"But you haven't left the mountain for over a month. God, how far along are you. Who's the father, Sam?"

"I'm about two months along. I don't know why the contraceptives didn't work. It was only once and shortly after Netu."

"Netu? You were on vacation with your Dad. When did you have time for a one night stand?"

"I can't tell you more, but it was before I left with my father. And I need to keep this a secret, otherwise I won't be able to get the Colonel home in time."

"In time? In time for what?" And then it hit her. "Oh my god. You aren't saying what I think you're saying, are you? Do you work on getting the baby's father home?"

Sam blushed and bowed her head.

"Holy crap."

"Jan, please promise me, no word to anyone! I need to get him home."

"So you want to keep the baby?"

"If I am the only one to decide this, I would. I'm trying to get him home before it's too late to make a decision. I would like to hear his opinion. I know it would be a shock and we didn't plan on this but he has a right to discuss this with me. Even if it's to get his okay to raise the child alone. But this won't happen when I can't work on it. So please let me do my work my way. I have already started eating regularly and healthier."

"Okay! I'll have an eye on you as well. But if we don't have him home before your second trimester I'll have to tell Hammond. I can keep this secret for now."

"Thank you!" Sam responded, visibly relieved.

"It's still very early and my stuff won't be here for another hour, let's go and have a look at the little one. I won't record it, but I would feel better if I had checked you out. I'll also get a full blood work to see if there's something left from your contraceptives. If not there must have been something in the drink they gave you on that planet. That was the only strange thing you reported."

"Okay."

They went to where the ultrasound machine was and Janet closed the curtain around the bed.

"Lay down, lower your pants and pull up your shirt a little bit. Here we go."

She poured the gel on Sam's abdomen and searched for where she would find the baby.

"Hello little one!"

Sam's eyes immediately filled with tears. That moment she was sure no matter what Jack would decide, she would keep that baby and raise it with all her love.

"Everything looks fine. You don't need to worry."

"Wow, I didn't expect to get this emotional. Thank you, Janet, for doing this for me."

"You're welcome. But as soon as I find something isn't like it should be I have the right to interfere. Deal?"

"Deal!"

Sam was about to get up before Janet held her back. Reaching towards the ultrasound machine to get the printed photos of Sam's baby. She sensed that Sam needed a hug and embraced her.

"And when this whole mess is sorted out I'll get all the juicy details, is that clear? You finally sleep with the Colonel and as your friend I have the right to know how that came to be. Take care. I will see you for lunch later today, no contradiction."

"You have, and I promise I will tell you. Come and get me and I'll join you for lunch."

Worried Janet sat down when Sam had left the infirmary. Had she done the right thing or was she risking the life of her friend and her baby?

Sam didn't make it in time before the second trimester started but early in her fourth month they finished building the device and Teal'c volunteered to try to get to the surface soon enough. She found herself in Hammonds office before that.

"Sam, I'm sure you know why you're here." He started.

"I assume doctor Fraiser told you about my condition, General."

She wanted to discuss this on a professional level, so he could do this.

"That's right Major. First of all let me say congratulations."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You do realize that as soon as Teal'c is safe on the other side Dr. Jackson will accompany the Edorans back to their planet, right?"

"Sir, this is a mission for SG1 and not only a part of the team. We're going to get our team leader home."

Hammond inhaled before he answered her in a fatherly way.

"I can't do this, Sam. I can't let you go."

"Sir!" So close to rescuing Jack, Sam was worried she wouldn't be able to go herself.

"I'm going to be punished if the air force finds out that I let a pregnant woman continue on a front line team."

"Then we don't give them a reason to find out. Just this one last mission. I'll report to the infirmary as soon as we're home."

"You are putting me in a precarious situation, Sam."

"No one but Janet knows, uncle George. Please, I need to do this."

"I can't shake my suspicion that there's more to it than you tell me." And when Sam didn't answer he knew the paternity of her child.

"That one last mission and afterwards you'll report to the infirmary immediately. You'll be removed from the front line until further notice. From then on it's your decision when you tell your team. But it won't be long until it becomes obvious."

"I know." She sighed. "Thank you so much. I promise you won't regret your decision."

"Go and get him home, Major."

Next to Daniel Sam stepped through the gate and for the first time in weeks she breathed fresh air. Not suffering from morning sickness anymore, but she had a strange feeling in her gut. Something was wrong and reality hit her hard when she saw the look on the Colonel's face. He didn't think he would be rescued. He gave up hope. It didn't even take three months for him to start a new life. How could he not know that they would do everything to get him home. It nearly broke her heart when he just stepped away from her while she was explaining to him what they had done to get to him and he just went to Laira and asked her to accompany him home. That was the moment Sam knew he had slept with another woman, there would be no other reason to ask her to come with him. She knew Jack O'Neill and his behavior. A little relieved that Laira said no but with a heavy heart she stepped silently through the gate beside the Colonel.

And while Sam reports immediately to the infirmary Jack gets summoned to the General's office. He had to give a brief report and was asked by Hammond to go undercover to infiltrate the Trust and search for the mole to regain their allies' confidence.

In the infirmary Sam collapsed in front of Janet due to stress, she instantly got hooked up to an IV.

There she still was when the rest of SG1 went on the mission to Tollana and the Colonel stole the device.