Work Text:
God, she hated Mondays.
And for no specific reason other than the fact that they dictated that there were still four other work days left in the week. Sam released a heavy sigh as she readjusted the laptop bag on her shoulder and continued to her lab.
She had felt a little nauseated after their last trip through the Stargate and Janet, being the doctor to look her over, had said that SG1's resident science expert was grounded for a week.
"Grounded?" she'd rasped, her hands gripping the side of the bed. "You make it sound like I'm a teenager again, Janet!" Sam didn't remember what it was that Janet had said in response to that because she had passed out.
Sam closed her eyes. Damn 'Gate.
Entering her lab, she turned on the lights, ready for another long and tedious day of research. She loved research she always had but she craved the thrill and excitement of being out in the field. She wanted to be in the middle of the thick of things, not sitting here in her lab while her team was out there in the midst of all that was going on.
She flicked on the lights and was slightly overwhelmed by the hordes of flowers, baskets, and teddy bears that flooded the room.
"Something tells me, you've got a lot of support behind you there, Major."
Shocked by the nearness of his voice, Sam turned to look Jack in the eye. She narrowed them in suspicion. "And you expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with this?"
Jack frowned thoughtfully, surveying the mound of gifts on her table. Slowly, methodically, he picked up each of the tags and read them. Occasionally he would point at one and then let it fall for her consideration later.
"Ah." He commented, reaching over the pile and withdrawing a small little bear with tiny hearts sewn into it's feet and big black ceramic eyes staring soulfully at her. He thrust it to her, with the tag outstretched. He shook his head. "I had nothing to do with this, Carter," he said tenderly. "This is from me, however."
Tentatively, feeling her emotions begin to grab a hold of her again, she took the soft bear from him. Her fingers loved the softness of the plush and after staring at him for a few seconds, bent her eyes to the tag.
There before her in his distinct handwriting was something that she'd never expected from him. Quietly, making sure that even if someone had been nearby they wouldn't have been able to overhear, she read: "Although, we may not be able to make it official for a while, I know that we're both firmly planted where we stand. In case you ever have any doubts…
The Irish Marriage Blessing (slightly modified)
May God be with us and bless us.
May we see our children's children.
May we be poor in misfortune and rich in blessings.
May we know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
I'll be here for you in every and any way you need.
Always,
Jack"
Her hand shook as she finished reading it. Her voice had given out a few moments before and she felt the hot tears cascade down her cheeks.
His hand came around her and she felt him cover her shaking one with his own strong and sturdy ones. "We'll need to take that off now, Sam. That's why I wanted to show it to you here and now, no one else can see it."
He removed the tag and handed it to her. "Keep it somewhere safe, okay."
Still shaking from the emotional discovery, Sam was tempted to tuck it into her bra and keep it to her heart. She knew that Jack would get a kick out of it, but felt safer knowing that she should keep it under lock and key.
She clutched at the tag and felt a black hole open in the pit of her stomach as she refused to hug him.
"So," he started, hoping to divert her energy from tears to smiles, "I get to stay over tonight." He grinned playfully.
Sam huff out a breath half-way between a sob and a chuckle and rewarded Jack's attempt to lighten her mood with a watery smile. In truth, she hadn't thought that the team would be doing what they had done in the last few days since they had heard her news. Janet had stayed with her for a couple of days (along with Cassie – who had been ecstatic about the news) and then Daniel and Teal'c had crashed her solitude with movies and books. She'd been overwhelmed by their concern and touched by their care.
What she wouldn't give for a quiet night alone.
But a quiet night with Jack would work just fine too, she thought with a smile.
"Why is it that I get you for hockey night?" she managed to get out, wiping her face with a tissue from her desk.
"Oh, come on, Carter." He glanced over his shoulder, then moved closer before continuing, "You don't think I can cater to you and watch hockey do you?"
Her look said it all. He would become completely absorbed with the game and she would be left alone. Well, she had wanted to be left alone, and there was always after the game…
"Carter, everyone else is feeding you the 'pregnancy diet'. You're not telling me you're not craving a nice, big pizza with all of your favorite toppings…"
Her eyes and ears seemed to almost visibly perk up at that. "Pepperoni?"
Jack smiled, "As long as you don't mind living with me after it."
She snorted and shook her head in exasperation. Biting her tongue, she looked up to him. "No, I don't mind. I don't mind at all."
Jack's grin morphed into a tender smile. "Good." His eyes darted down to her belly and he cocked his head to the side. "So… you know that you're starting to show, hey?"
Sam smiled and clutched Jack's bear to her heart as she laughed. "You wait for another couple of month's, mister. Then I'll really be showing."
They fell into a silence and tentatively his hand reached out to touch her stomach, his fingers light and ticklish through the cotton of her shirt. She stood silently, relishing his awe and pleasure at the sight of their child beginning to show itself. Her hand began to drift to join his, caught in the moment, until there was a tentative knock on her doorjamb.
So many years in the black ops was the only thing that saved Jack from jumping away from her and looking guilty. Instead, with uneasy calm his eyes darted to hers before drifting to the lieutenant standing at the door.
"Lieutenant Vidro," Sam said with considerable ease. "What can I do for you?"
He looked a little shy, but stepped forward anyway and extended a card to her. "It's from SG 18, ma'am. Congratulations."
Sam blinked and then took the extended card and graced the nervous man with a smile. "Thank you, lieutenant. Extend that to your team too, please?"
"Of course, ma'am." He tipped his head to Jack. "Colonel." And then he turned and left.
Sam breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "That was a little close."
Jack's hand moved up and squeezed her shoulder. "I'll see you tonight. We'll do pizza, soda, the game, a nice backrub, maybe a bubble bath. You need to stay relaxed, Carter. Stress free!"
"What's on the agenda for the team today, Sir?"
He grinned, "Ignoring doctor's orders, Carter?"
"Not ignoring, Sir, just asking a question."
"Nothing much, Carter, Daniel is helping out with translations, Teal'c is helping the rebel Jaffa get set up at the Alpha Site, and I'll be doing paperwork. Care to make a lunch date with your CO?"
Smiling casually, slipping the note in her desk draw, she responded. "How about 1300? After I get finished with my check up with the Obstetrician and Janet?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see what I can get done on those backlogged reports so that we can get out early."
Sam smiled and watched him leave, her fingers tightening impulsively on the bear that she still held in her hands. Looking at the pile of gifts that clogged her lab table and the envelope and bear she still held in her hands, Sam couldn't help but begin to think that she could learn to appreciate Monday's.
(( ))
"Janet?"
"Over here, Sam." Her voice came from behind a curtain and Sam waited until her voice came again. "Come back here, Sam."
Sam stepped behind and looked up to see her OBGyn standing with Janet. The woman smiled at her and gestured to the bed. "Sam, it's great to see you again."
"Good to see you too, Doctor Clark. What do we have on the agenda for today?" She felt like she was experiencing deja view. She'd asked Jack an almost identical question.
"Well, first we'll give you a general physical. Confirm how far along you are, check on the baby's heart-rate, do a few blood tests on you to make sure your levels are where they should be. Check on your health. Then there are a few questions about the father that I'd like to try and have answered if it's possible."
Sam gulped slightly, she knew eventually they would bring that up. "I'll answer what I can."
"Well, I guess that's about as good as we can ask for. Are you all set to begin?"
Sam nodded and they handed her the hospital-styled gown that she needed to wear. "We'll be right outside when you're ready, Sam." Janet smiled and tapped her gently on the hand before turning and following Doctor Clark out of the enclosed area.
"Alright, well I can start with the questions then, if you don't mind."
Sam shook her head. "No, not at all."
"Uhm… the father," she said, looking down on her notepad. "Does he have any hereditary anomalies? MS, diabetes?"
"No." That was easy.
"Good. Has he developed any sicknesses over the years that may be a hazard to you? HIV, AIDS… things like that?"
Sam's heart leapt. "Uh, no. No, I'm pretty sure he hasn't."
Dr. Clark smiled. "I know this is a little awkward, but it is for the good of the baby. I need to know if I should expect anything to develop during the pregnancy."
"I know." Sam nodded and tried to relax against the bed.
"So, no diseases, no genetic anomalies… that's a good start."
Sam hid her smile. This baby was conceived under the notion that Jack had to pass on his genetic anomalies. Hopefully, it would work.
Sam tried to stay as still as possible as the doctor gave her a full examination. Janet was great, standing by and chatting with her through the whole thing, but Sam found that she was missing the fact that Jack couldn't be there. Not that he would want to be there for this, this part he would be more than willing to do without.
The cool metal of a stethoscope against her stomach brought her back to the here and now. "Well, everything seems to be going just great. I would estimate you to be about estimate you to be at about thirteen to fifteen weeks. Now, Doctor Fraiser tells me you were able to pinpoint it closer to the thirteen week mark, correct?"
"Yes."
"Alright, well, it's a little early yet, but given the unusual circumstance surrounding this pregnancy I would like to do a sonogram. Preferably as soon as we can get one. Do you think you can make yourself available sometime today?"
Sam's eyes went slightly downcast. "Um, can we make it towards the end of the day, if it has to be today? I wouldn't want to have to interrupt an experiment mid-way through." She wouldn't meet Janet's eyes. She knew that if Janet saw her eyes, then Janet would know that one of her main reasons for putting the test off till the end of the day was that Jack could stop by.
"I don't see a problem with that. You aren't exerting yourself with work, are you?"
"Of course not. And my team… and Janet have been fantastic about it." She smiled happily at Janet and then turned back to Dr. Clark.
"That's excellent." She looked down at her pad and nodded. "Say… sixteen hundred?"
Sam closed her eyes and thought. Even if Jack wasn't done his reports, there was no way he couldn't just drop one and stop by with the excuse of driving her home. Besides, Janet would want her to quit early after her little fainting spell last Friday.
"Sounds good." Sam nodded.
"Alright. You can get dressed and I'll see you then."
Sighing with relief, Sam felt infinitely better with her clothes back on. She tucked her shirt in and moved out through the doors, glancing at her watch.
12:54.
Just enough time to meet Jack.
Several people smiled in her direction as she entered the busy cafeteria, looking around for her CO. She couldn't stop her flush of appreciation for their attention and smiled back at them, cocking her head in thanks. Turning one last time, she noted Jack sitting against the wall, with his feet propped up on one of the spare chairs around him.
She grabbed a nice balanced meal and her usual Jell-o and headed over to join him. "Mind if I take a seat, Sir?"
Jack looked up from his plate. "Course not, Carter, have a seat."
She took her seat and started in on her meal, wondering how to broach the topic with him. "What time did you want to head out of here tonight, Sir?"
He cocked an eyebrow at her, "Knowing you, Carter, you've got loads of experiments and calibrations of one such or another planned. So what time is good for you?"
Giving him a small smile she leaned over, "How about sixteen hundred? You could meet me in the infirmary, I have another exam I have to have done later." When she saw him look up she quietly added, "I was hoping maybe you could pop your head in."
The look that graced his face could be described as nothing less than pride. "What sort of test are they going to do? I wouldn't want Janet kicking me out cause it was too personal or anything."
Blushing slightly, remembering the exam from earlier Sam smiled. "They want to do the first sonogram."
His eyes sparkled and Sam smiled at his hidden enthusiasm. "All it is, is a little gel on the stomach and… voila."
A small smile etched his lips and he glanced down at his food. "Isn't it a little early for it?"
"Dr. Clark just wants to check me out. You know, make sure and everything. It's not like I have normal cells floating about my bloodstream." She took a bite of her salad and crunched as she observed Jack. His fork was making idle patterns in his mashed potatoes and he was deep in thought.
Then he sighed happily. "I can do sixteen hundred."
Sam smiled, pleased. She had known that he would want to make it, and to organize it in such a way to allow him too, was the least she could do. He was missing out on so much, not being able to act like the father that he wanted to be. She intended to give him as much to do with this child as she possibly could without making it look suspicious.
"Good."
(( ))
15:57.
She really had to stop looking at her watch. Regardless, it wasn't as if they would begin at exactly sixteen hundred… and Jack certainly wouldn't be 'popping his head in' on time either. Like that wouldn't look weird.
15:58.
She wondered if she should head down to the infirmary a little late. She had told them she wanted to finish her experiment maybe she could stall things a little longer that way.
Looking at her watch again, she decided that starting to close up her lab one minute before the examination was supposed to begin would be long enough.
She powered down the equipment that had been running, shut down her computer, placed a few disks and files into her bag to take home and turned off the lights. Closing the door as she left she took a deep breath and headed toward the infirmary.
It still surprised her how openly supportive most of the people she met in the hallways were. She had expected this to be a little harder, for people to be a bit more gossipy about the whole thing. In general, the atmosphere had been pleasant since she'd made the announcement.
Arriving at the infirmary, she placed her jacket and bag on one of the chairs and smiled to the passing nurse.
"Would you like me to tell Doctors Fraiser and Clark that you're here for your exam, Major?"
"Yes, Lieutenant, thank you."
Her feet hung over the bed, and she stuffed her hands under her thighs as she looked around the infirmary.
She could hear the tinny resonance of a cart being pushed her way and looked back to see Dr. Clark pulling the ultrasound into the room with Janet trailing behind, the ever present folder nestled in her crooked arm. Janet smiled as Sam moved to stand right next to her as she waited for Dr. Clark to set up.
"You didn't do too much today, hey Sam?" Janet asked, trying – and failing – to sound only curious.
Sam rolled her eyes, but told her friend how she had spent her afternoon 'sitting, typing and calculating.'
Janet just nodded and then, thinking of her repetitive questions, cast Sam an apologetic smile. Sam accepted it gracefully and settled back on the bed at the gesture from Dr. Clark to get ready.
Some switches turned on and Sam heard the distinct humming of the machine and several lights lining its outside. Dr. Clark fiddled with some of the instruments and then, picking up a tube, turned back to Sam.
"This will probably be a little cool at first. But the procedure itself is fairly simple. We'll put the gel on your stomach, and move the wand around. Other than a slightly slimy feeling and a little bit of pressure, you shouldn't feel a thing."
Sam smiled and nodded. As casually as she could, she tried to get a glance at the main door, wondering when Jack would show up.
"Don't worry, Sam. If the Colonel tries to pop his head in I'll ask him to wait outside." Sam cursed her friend for being so good at reading her.
"You don't have to, Janet. I'm sure my team has seen me in much worse condition than having an ultrasound. Besides, if they weren't busy I would have asked Daniel and Teal'c if they wanted to come too. They might as well all be here to get a peak at their little niece or nephew." She tried to make it casual, as if Jack were just 'one of the guys'. Just another of her teammates that were like family to her. Rather than someone who had become family to her.
Carefully, Doctor Clark rolled up her shirt and rolled down her pants to completely expose her stomach. "Are you all ready to begin, Sam?"
Sam hissed slightly at the chill of the gel, but other than that felt only a little discomfort. She watched in fascination as Doctor Clark proceeded to use the small contraption over her stomach.
Casually, Sam tried to get a glance at her watch, wondering when the man would finally decide to show up.
Janet frowned. "Sam…?"
"Carter?"
Sam held her relieved sigh, knowing that Janet was starting to think things that Sam didn't want her to think, but perked her eyebrows in response, regardless.
"Sir?"
"Uh…" he scratched gently at the privacy curtain. "Can I come back there?"
Sam cast a glance between the doctors and seeing no ill response from either of them, "Sure, sir." The smile and joy she felt at seeing him move into her line of sight was coolly squashed, but she could have sworn that he was feeling the same things.
"You know, Carter, I think you're starting to spend more time in this infirmary than Daniel does. We need to keep an eye on you." He smiled warmly and Sam was so grateful to have him nearby.
Jack carefully moved around to the head of the bed, trying his best not to be in anyone's way. He wound up standing to Sam's right, and she looked over and smiled hesitantly. "I think I have a better reason for being here than Daniel does, Sir."
Janet and Doctor Clark were conferring over a few things. Then Janet looked up. "The heart rate of the baby is good and strong, Sam. Everything is looking very good, and quite normal."
Doctor Clark turned the monitor around so that Sam could see the image. "This is what your baby looks like right now, Sam. This is the head, here are the arms, and over here are the legs. Would you like to know the sex of the baby?"
She could feel Jack leaning forward over her to get a closer look at the monitor.
"Carter, would you look at that …" he said in awed amazement.
For a moment, Sam worried that his eagerness would trigger something in Janet, but after a quick glance, saw only a tender smile on her friends face. Everyone knew that family and children were special to the Colonel, and even Janet couldn't deny that even if this child hadn't been his, he would have fawned over it.
"Sam?" Janet asked gently, "The sex?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jack slightly shake his head; and while Janet and Doctor Clark would think it was in wonder of the monitor was showing, Sam knew better.
She shook her head. "I think I'll wait."
Both women nodded and Doctor Clark continued to pass the wand over her belly for a few more minutes, silently pointing a few things out to Janet before moving it once more. Finally she sighed.
"Would you like a print out?"
Sam nodded enthusiastically, a smile blossoming on her face. She waited impatiently again, as Doctor Clark printed the image and gently handed it to her.
"There you go."
"Is that it?" Jack asked.
Janet and Doctor Clark both smiled. "Yes, that's all there is to it." Doctor Clark responded, while she was cleaning off the wand.
Janet walked over and took a few paper towels to start cleaning off Sam's stomach.
"Um, I'll wait for you just outside, Carter." Jack said, nudging his head in the direction of the chairs.
Sam smiled, grabbing a paper towel to assist Janet and then fixed her shirt and pants.
Doctor Clark handed her the printout. "Would you like an extra copy or two?"
Sam beamed, "Yes, please." She straightened herself out and took the extra copies. "Thanks, Janet, this was great."
Exiting the area, she grabbed her bag and coat. "I'm all set to go, Sir. Are you ready?"
Jack's face seemed really calm and serious. "Yeah, Carter, I'm ready. Let's go."
They were silent up to the surface, standing fairly close together that the lurching of the elevator car would cause their hands and arms to brush. Sam took comfort in that for the moment.
He helped her into the truck and then moved around to the driver's side and started the machine.
All in silence.
As they were heading down the mountain, Sam reached into her bag and pulled out one of the extra sonograms.
Jack took it from her and smiled down at it as they sat at a red light. Sam watched the tender and thoughtful grin slide into its rightful place on his face and felt a corresponding hum of contentment settle within her heart. As the light turned green, he handed the picture back over to her.
She shook her head.
"Sam, you should keep it. Really."
Sam smiled and pushed it back towards him. "It's yours. I got a few extras after you left. I want you to keep it somewhere safe." Much like the blessing that he had given to her earlier that day. "It's as much yours as it is mine."
His fingers reached over and intertwined with hers. "I really appreciate the fact that you let me be there with you."
She turned in her seat as much as the belt would allow. "Jack, this baby is ours - yours and mine." She moved his hand over to rest on the small swell of her stomach. "We might not be able to admit it to everyone, Jack, but that doesn't make it any less true. I intend to keep you as involved as possible."
Jack took his hand back only when he needed it to make the turn onto her street. They parked in front of her house and Jack took her hand before she could open the truck's door. "I want to stay involved and I want to be a big part of this child's life, and yours."
She leaned over and kissed him gently. "I love you too, Jack. Let's go in and rest for a bit before we order that pizza. Don't you think for one minute that I forgot that you promised me a backrub and a relaxing bath."
"I think you might be fixated, Sam." Jack said, smiling nonetheless.
In truth, he was more than happy to give her the backrub and, maybe if he was lucky, she wouldn't mind sharing that bath.
His smile turned smug as he followed her into the house, her bag slung over his shoulder.
"So," he began when the door had closed behind them, "when Janet asks you what you had for supper tonight, you're going to say…?"
She grinned at him and then recited, "'Colonel O'Neill was very responsible…" Jack snorted and she frowned in reprimand.
"You don't think she'll actually believe that, do you?" He asked, pulling her into her bedroom where he gestured for her to lay down. She quirked an eyebrow at him and took off her shirt before following his suggestion.
"She won't really have a choice, Jack." She said, laying her head on her hands. Her eyes drifted closed and she suddenly felt exhausted, resting on the soft comfort of her bed and feeling Jack settled over her. Jack watched her eyes flutter for a moment and knew that any chance at him sharing the bath with her would have to come after supper and a nap.
It didn't prevent him from granting her, her backrub.
He settled, straddling her thighs and his fingers began their work.
Feeling her muscles relax under his administrations and seeing her resting so comfortably, he left her to rest while he ordered the pizza and got things ready for tonight. Maybe he would surprise her by decorating her living room with all of the balloons, flowers, bears and other baskets that the people from the base had got for her and their child.
He looked at the swell of her stomach, the pleasant smile on her face, and the general feel around her. How could they have even thought the people wouldn't support her? All you had to do was look at her to know how happy she was.
And looking closely, anyone would have seen the same on the face of the father.