Everything To Those Who Wait 1
by Freedom24
URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asf/freedom24/everyt01.php
Summary: After escaping captivity, SG-1 has no memories of what they went through. Daniel becomes concerned about Jack's health, while Jack makes a startling discovery
It had taken them 12 hours to reach the gate. The rebels had managed to keep them out of the path of any patrols but the journey had been stressful. The entire team were already fatigued before the journey began but they needed to get home.
There were huge gaps in Jacks memory. None of them were sure of the length of their captivity or what, if anything had happened to them during it. Although the twinges and pains Jack was suffering with at the moment gave him a pretty good idea.
"Jack," Daniel's rough, quite voice asked, "you okay? You seem a little stiff. Are you injured badly?" Daniel looked at him anxiously.
"Nah just tired Danny. Been a long day," Jack gave him a weak grin. Daniel just nodded and continued walking.
Jack was concerned for his team mates if he was right about himself, had they also been ... hurt? He wanted to know but now was not the time. There would be plenty of that when they got back to the SGC.
* * *
"Sir, it's a transmission from the Alpha site," the technician told General Hammond without looking up from his monitor.
"Put it on screen."
"Yes, Sir," came the prompt reply.
"Colonel Reilly, report." The Alpha site's regular check in wasn't due for another few hours and unscheduled reports made the general nervous.
"We have some people here, Sir who'd really appreciate coming home right about now," Hammond raised his eye brows at the grinning Colonel.
"Hey general, sorry we broke curfew. Can we come home now?" he just managed to put the correct amount of whine into it. Hammond smiled as the unexpected face appeared on screen.
"Colonel O'Neill, good to see you. Are the rest of your team with you?"
"All present and correct Sir, a little battered around the edges but still in one piece." To anyone who didn't know him like George did, O'Neill seemed okay but Hammond detected a slight edge to his voice.
"Open the iris," came the firm command.
* * *
The event horizon rippled and the general watched his premier team emerge one by one. They all looked exhaust and dirty. They obviously hadn't hung around long at the Alpha site. They weren't in their uniforms but were wearing outfits resembling hospital scrubs. They were also minus weapons and packs.
"Good to have you back SG-1", he gave them all a fond smile.
"Good to be back, Sir. Um, how long have we been gone exactly?" Jack queried. The whole team looked anxiously towards their commanding officer.
"Two weeks. We sent in teams to negotiate but they wouldn't even confirm who had you." The team nodded slowly. "Well get yourselves down to the infirmary and we'll de..."
"Er, sir," Jack quickly interrupted. "Could we debrief first. It won't take long." He looked to his team. "There's not a lot to tell."
The general expression showed his surprise. "If that's what you'd prefer?" It was more of a question than a statement. His gaze moved from Jack to the others. They were all staring at Jack. Jack stared back.
"Um, Jack's correct General. I don't actually remember much." Daniel said finally turning away from Jack.
Hammond nodded and turned, SG-1 followed tiredly behind.
Once seated around the briefing room table the team told the general what they knew, which wasn't a lot.
The team had gated to a seemingly friendly world inhabited by humanoid beings. They were obviously a great deal more advanced than Earth and Carter was positively bugged eyed when looking at their technology.
They'd been invited to stay by the local officials and all had gone well for the first couple of days. Then after turning in for the night the next they knew they had awoken in cells. They were not sure at first if it was a prison or a hospital.
They had been placed in separate rooms but had been able to communicate briefly when they woke up. That was the last think they remembered up to their rescue. They had no idea of how long they were kept like this. The next thing they knew there were gunshots and explosions all around the facility.
They were rounded up and practically dragged out side to freedom. There were other humanoid prisoners who seemed to be in much the same condition as SG-1 drugged, fatigued and in pain.
Their rescuers were rebels fighting against the government. They had been rescued from a research facility. The rebel's told them that the scientists that ran the place conducted experiments on the inmates.
"Basically we're talking Dr. Mengele stuff here sir." Jack stated. The three human team mates looked very uncomfortable at this thought.
They knew they'd been experimented on. But they had no idea what experiments had been carried out. The briefing came to an end with their story of arriving at the gate without a GDO and their journey to Alpha.
"Okay, SG-1. I think that will be all for now. Get yourselves down to the infirmary ASAP and..." he paused, "we'll take it from there."
The team nodded and left. George looked worriedly after his team. He had a very bad feeling in his gut about this.
* * *
The team each made their way to a bed and a nurse pulled the screens around each one. The preliminary tests were begun and Jack fidgeted anxiously waiting for Janet to arrive. He had requested that he have a word with her first before she began her examinations.
"Hello, Colonel," the doctor smiled pleasantly at him, "good to finally have you all back. I have to say you had us worried there for a while."
"Yeah well, er, don't get too happy yet." He said shifting uneasily.
Janet frowned. True the Colonel never liked this part of the post mission protocol but there was something about his demeanour that made her uneasy. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me before we begin the exam, sir?"
Jack's voice lowered to almost a whisper. "Yeah," he coughed then sighed. "Doc is there somewhere a little more private we can discuss this?"
"Um, yes of course sir. We can go into one of the Iso rooms." He nodded and he rose to follow the small doctor.
Once inside, door firmly closed, Jack sat on the bed. "Well sir?" Janet could see the Colonel was debating how to phrase his next words.
He stared at the floor, and then looked up. His face a blank mask. "Doc when you do the exams, especially mine, you need to be really, really thorough." He continued to stare at her willing her to get his meaning.
The doctor mouth pursed and frowned. "Can you give me any specifics?"
Jack let out a huge sigh. "Let's just say it's a little uncomfortable sitting down right now and I'm not really to keen on what the reason might be and leave it at that 'til you're done."
Janet's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean you think you..." she wasn't sure how to phase the next part of her question.
"What I know is, I have no memories of the last two weeks. I haven't got a damn clue what was done to me or my team doc." Janet's eyes darted to the door and then returned to O'Neill's.
"Okay, sir, I know this will be difficult for you but you did the right thing. I'll check you out first and conduct the other exams myself." O'Neill nodded. "I need to get a few things including a ra..." she trailed off.
"It's okay Janet." Jack said quietly. "Get the kit, but for now this stays between us. Right?"
"Of course sir until I've examined you, we really don't know anything." Turning on her heels she left quickly but Jack knew with a sinking feeling he was right.
* * *
With a snapping of latex Janet removed her gloves and moved to the chart she was using.
She looked sadly towards the slumped back. "You were right Sir. There is evidence of sexual intercourse. Although the evidence is quite obvious, who ever did this to you took great care to prepare you well in order to minimise any damage."
Janet took a deep breath. Telling someone this kind of news was never easy. But telling someone like the Colonel...nothing could ever really prepare you. "From what I can tell I would say it wasn't an isolated incident and that the last..."
"You can say it Doc, rape." He said it with an emotionless voice but his shoulders remained slumped and he hadn't turned around. "Not like I haven't been here before." He glanced over his shoulder then. "I'm sure you've read my med file from cover to cover." She nodded and he turned back again.
"I would say the last...rape took place no more than 24 to 36 hours ago. I was able to, well; I have found some DNA evidence. I'll run the necessary tests immediately, sir."
"Thanks Doc. Now the team. I'd rather they didn't know about me just yet. See what their results are and if," he shuddered, "they come up positive too, then we take it from there." She nodded in agreement.
"Sir, um, well the, er, general, um..." this was the part she was really dreading, the old man really did need to know this but didn't know how it would it affect her patient.
"It's okay Doc. Maybe," he looked at her hesitatingly, "we could tell him together?"
She smiled gently at the big, bad, colonel who was trying to be so brave but was looking at her with pleading eyes. "I think that would be the best solution sir. Now if you'd like to get cleaned up and changed I'll give you a call when I'm done."
The colonel agreed and with his head held high he left to try and scrub away the disastrous mission.
* * *
The meeting with General Hammond was both embarrassing and painful for Jack. The report on the team showed many and various experiments had been conducted.
Carter had had her appendix removed, what seemed to be a biopsy on her liver and they'd taken a great interest in her ovaries. Daniel had a biopsy on his right kidney. Teal'c had had his pouch investigated but everyone's wounds were healing well. Janet had found some kind of ointment around the wounds and speculated that it aided the wounds rapid healing.
All three had blisters, burns and frost bite. None were severe and those too were healing well. Much to Jack's relief not one of his team mates showed any sign of sexual assault. Jack had a couple of incisions on his abdomen but no other injures except a few bruises obviously gained during the assaults.
"So where do we go from here Doctor," the general said glancing between his 2IC and his CMO.
"General, I think first of all Colonel O'Neill should see..." she was abruptly cut off.
"Not a chance in hell! Counselling was no god damn help before and I endured 4 months in that hell hole and can remember every damn minute! How in god's name will it help now when I don't remember a damn thing?" He turned angry eyes towards his doctor.
"Sir..."
"Look doc I won't lie and say I'm fine. I'm not but I am coping. I'm not about too fall apart or go on the rampage. Maybe it would be different if I could actually remember it but I don't." he turned towards his commanding officer. "Sir, I don't think it will help but I will agree to see someone at a later date if it seems I'm cracking up. All I ask is that you give me some time."
The general and doctor exchanged glances. Jack was right she had read his complete medical file. His experiences in Iraq had been horrific. It had been a long hard road to recovery for the then Major but he had emerged on the other side as strong as ever. She nodded her agreement. "Okay colonel but if I feel that you're not coping then you go to counselling, no arguments."
"Agreed. Thanks." He gave her a slight smile.
"What else doctor?"
"I'm having tests run on the DNA."
"Is that necessary it's not like this can come to trial?" the general queried.
"I'm not sure I want to know," Jack said looking at his shoes. The others turned to him. "Well the options aren't great. I was either assaulted by a non human alien not a pleasant image," he said pointing to his head, "or..."
"Or what colonel?" asked a puzzled George.
"Or it was one of my team mates. Either way I don't know if I wanna know," he shrugged. "Sir, we don't know what we were pumped with or what we were forced to do if it was Daniel or T, well that means they were raped too 'cause neither one would ever hurt me voluntarily. They'd only eat themselves up with guilt. Neither one of them deserves that general."
He really didn't want to think about it. If it was one the aliens it could cause some serious problems. Diseases, they hadn't used protection; differences in physiology, how would his body react but if it was Daniel or Teal'c that would bring up a whole other bunch of shit. God his head hurt.
"I think Jack we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Yes, sir. One other thing sir I'd rather SG-1 didn't know about this. I don't believe there would be a problem with my command but I don't think I could stand all the fussing and empathy and then there'd be Carter and Teal'c's reactions as well," he said with a genuine smile.
"Yes, I understand. It's your decision if you decide to tell them," the general smiled back.
* * *
"Jack, are you sure you're alright?" asked Daniel for at least the one hundredth time.
Jack leisurely continued to drink his beer. "Daniel," he drawled, drawing on every ounce of patience he had. "I'm fine."
Daniels eyebrows nearly touched the ceiling. "Fine," he asked incredulously.
Jack sighed loudly, "Okay I'm not fine. I'm extremely pissed that once again I've had my memory erased by fucking aliens but it could be much worse. At least we're not dead." He took a sip of his drink. Daniel noticed Jack was still on his first beer. The same one he'd had for the last hour. Something was wrong but how could he get Jack to cough it up.
Jack placed his half empty bottle on the table as he stood. "You finished?" he motioned to the pizza box on the table.
"Yeah, sure, um have you finished? You've only had one slice?" Usually Jack had woofed down his first slice by the time the box hit the table. The pizza had been sitting there for over half an hour.
"I'm done," Jack said shrugging. "I'll bulk up later." With that he grabbed the box and headed to the kitchen. After a couple of minutes Daniel followed. Jack was leaning against one of the cabinets.
Daniel's eyebrows hit his hairline. "Milk?"
Jack shrugged and shuffled his feet. "So, a guy can't have a glass of milk now with out an inquisition?"
"I've got nothing against milk. I enjoy a glass of milk myself especially when accompanied by cookies but..." he gave Jack a small smile, "I have never seen you drink milk before, particularly, when there's a far from empty beer bottle sitting on the table."
"Yeah well I like milk and just 'cause I don't drink it in public..." he paused at the snort coming from Daniels direction and he was sure he heard a muffled 'wuss', which he manfully ignored.
"Jack, are you sure there's nothing going on? You know you can talk to me don't you?"
The sympathetic tone was too much for Jack. "Jesus Daniel give it a rest will you. You went through the same thing as me if not more I wasn't injured, so quit it will yeah." He looked at Daniel's still concerned face. "I need the bathroom," and with that he booked.
Just then the phone rang. "Jack, phone!" Daniel called.
"Just let the machine get it." Jack bellowed back. After hearing the beep, Daniel heard Janet Frasier's voice. His head came up as he looked at the machine.
"Hi Colonel, I have those DNA results back. If you want to now the answer, well, when you're ready drop by my office and well if you want to talk you know where I am, goodbye Colonel." Daniel's brow was furrowed. What the hell was going on?
"So Daniel..." Jack said reappearing quietly behind him. Daniel tried not to jump.
"It was Janet." Daniel said in accusing tone.
"Yeah, probably just wanting to grace me with her wonderful bedside manner." He said dripping sarcasm.
"She's got some DNA results for you," he carefully watched Jack's face for his reaction. Daniel had to admit Jack was good. Very good in fact, hardly a flicker crossed the older man's face.
"Okay," and with that he turned quickly and headed back to the couch.
Daniel huffed, "are you going to tell me now?"
"No," Jack never took his eyes from the screen. "Nothing to tell." He shrugged his shoulders.
The younger man knew there was no point trying to get his friend to talk when he didn't want too. He'd just have to gradually wear him down. Jack would spill eventually.
* * *
Daniel's first stop the next morning was the infirmary. He knew he'd get less information out of Janet than out of Jack but that didn't mean he couldn't go fishing.
Janet sat at her laptop tapping away oblivious to her visitor at the door. She looked up when she heard the soft knock. She started when she saw a concerned looking Daniel there. He was not the member of SG-1 she had been expecting today. Keeping her tone neutral she waved a hand in his direction. "Hello Daniel something I can help you with?"
Daniel glanced furtively around then stepped into the office, firmly closing the door behind him. He sat opposite Janet, hands clasped tightly in his lap. Janet had an uneasy feeling.
"Daniel is something wrong?" she said leaning forward a little.
"It's about Jack." Uh oh, it was never a good thing when Daniel was worried about Jack. It usually meant there was something seriously wrong with him.
"If there was, well, if Jack was ill or something would you tell us?" Janet sat back and clasped her hands together in thought Daniel was nothing if not perceptive. "I mean compared to the rest of us Jack seemed to come out of that whole fiasco fairly unscathed." He raised his eyebrows to Janet. "At least from what we were told." He paused, waiting for a response. When he got none, he continued. "Did they do something to Jack we weren't told about?"
"I'm not sure what you want me to say Daniel. I couldn't tell you if anything happened even if I wanted too. Ever heard of a little thing called patient/doctor confidentiality. Look if you're that worried you need to talk to the colonel."
"So there is something I need to talk to him about?" he looked anxious.
"Daniel..." she said patiently.
"Look, if you can't tell me, get Jack to talk to you. He's not well. I've seen a lot of him over the last couple of weeks. He's lost weight; he looks pale and gets tired quickly. He's not eating and..." he paused for effect.
"I haven't seen him finish a beer the entire time Janet! You know Jack and beer! Last night in an hour he drank half a bottle that he didn't finish. He ate one slice of pizza. One slice of Mega Meat! I practically have to wrestle him normally to even get near the box! And ..." he shuddered, "he was drinking milk Janet." His voice had risen considerably.
If Janet wasn't as concerned as she was about what Daniel was telling her she would have laughed at the milk crack. But Daniel was deadly serious. It didn't sound good and now with the results back it was just another pressure Jack could well do without.
"Okay Daniel, I'll talk to the colonel about your concerns and check him out myself. Alright?" she smiled reassuringly at her friend.
"Thanks Janet, I just hope I'm over reacting," he smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Janet just hoped he was over reacting too.
A couple of hours later a whistling Jack O'Neill strolled into the infirmary. He could see the doc, talking to Siler. As usual he was being bandaged up. "How ya doin' there Sparky?"
Siler straightened up quickly. He grimaced and said, "Fine, sir."
Jack nodded. Janet asked the nurse to continue and indicated for the colonel to follow her. She closed the door and they both sat facing each other. Neither said anything for a few minutes. The doctor spent her time studying the man before her. Daniel was right the colonel looked terrible.
Eventually Jack began to squirm under the scrutiny. "So doc..."
"How are you Colonel?" she asked calmly waiting for his reaction.
Jack started, "er, I'm doing okay thanks doc." He was squirming again under the unflinching gaze.
"You don't look okay, in fact Colonel you look like crap." Jack's eyes widened. "And I'm not the only one. Daniel was in..." Jack huffed what sounded suspiciously like 'dirty rotten geek', "this morning. He say's you're fatigued, not eating and what he finds most worrisome is you're...drinking milk in public." She raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, very funny doc, ha, ha, ha, SOOO not laughin' here." Jack sulked.
"He's right though sir you don't look well. Tell me what's going on. And I won't take any of your bullshit." She told him bluntly.
The man before her opened his mouth, seemed to think better of it and shut it again. He seemed to realise she was serious and bullshit was not an option. "Don't read anything in to this; I'm not depressed or suffering PTSD either." She just nodded for him to continue.
"I haven't had much of an appetite. Just the thought of food makes me nauseous. Even beer for cryin' out loud! I mean I love food but beer! It's so unfair." He said with all the pout of a five year old. "I've been getting tired pretty quickly too. I think maybe I'm getting an ulcer."
"Alright, we'll run some tests. After every thing you've been through lately you're probably just a little run down." She tried to reassure him.
"Talking of tests doc..." he pulled a face. He wanted to get this over with.
"So you want to know then?" she had to be sure. This was potentially devastating news. She'd been shocked when she'd seen the results.
All he did was nod. "Sir, there was only one DNA present. It belongs to..." she had to take a deep breath.
"It's Daniel's, isn't it?" Janet looked shocked. Jack just shrugged.
"Sir..."
"He can never know Janet, ever." He stated calmly.
"H... y... w..." Janet stuttered at a loss for words.
"I don't know how I knew, your face maybe, gut instinct, the care that he took. Who knows, it doesn't matter. He is never to find out. That clear." He stated firmly. "I will NOT have him put through that." His jaw was set.
"Yes, sir. Do you, um, want to talk about it?"
"Oh, yeah, sure doc, talking about getting fucked by my best friend is right up there with getting my lung removed without anaesthetic. Now don't you have some tests to run?" She knew he had to be desperate not to talk if he wanted to take the tests.
* * *
"Alright, Colonel. I'd just like to do an ultra sound and then we'll be done." She smiled at the older man. For once he hadn't bitched and moaned the entire time, which was actually wigging Janet out.
Jack flinched as she squirted the gel on to Jack's stomach. Janet spent several minutes rolling the gizmo around his stomach but Jack couldn't see the screen from his position. He noticed the doc seemed to be concentrating a lot on one particular spot.
"Problem Doc?" he tried not to sound anxious but it wasn't easy. Janet looked puzzled then thoughtful. She then started the whole process again. "Janet?" he said quietly. There was definitely something wrong but she wasn't talking.
"Er, um..." Janet said in deep concentration. She looked up as if she'd suddenly heard him. "Sorry sir. I think that's enough for now." She handed him some tissues and quickly ejected the tape from the machine. Jack watched her put a code on the tape instead of his name.
"Doc," Janet continued writing on her chart. "Janet," this time he tapped on the chart. "What did you see? And don't give me any crap. I've known you to long." He said wagging his finger at her.
"Okay, I need to show this to someone and do a couple more tests. Until then I can't tell you any thing. Ah, ah, ah..." she wagged her finger back. "I can't tell you what I don't know. There is a possible anomaly there but I need to get a more advanced ultra sound. And before you start bitching I can get it here by tomorrow. Until then I'm not willing to speculate."
Jack was not convinced. The doc had, had great difficulty looking him in the eye by the end of her little speech. "Possible anomaly? Not willing to SPECULATE? What a crock of shit, you're damn well speculating all the time. And WHY didn't you put my name on that tape?" Jack's temper was gradually rising.
Geez, he never missed a thing. "Look we should get the answers tomorrow, sir and not before. Now go home, relax. Make sure you drink lots of fluid even if you're not eating a lot you need to keep hydrated. I'll call you about what time to come in and get plenty of sleep." She tried out a smiled trying to fill it with confidence she wasn't feeling. This was bad, very bad if she was right. She didn't pray very often but she was praying now that she was wrong.
* * *
"So there's no doubt," the general said. He was in shock. He had asked this question twice already, only to be given the exact same response.
"No doubt what so ever, sir. I had the lab results checked by three different technicians and the two scans checked by three other doctors," at the general's wide eyes she added hastily, "the patient was anonymous of course."
"Anonymous," he nodded absently. The poor general, Janet thought this was way beyond anything either of them had encountered before. "How do we proceed?"
"Well I think I should be the one to tell the colonel. I also think it's best to do it away from the base. At this stage if anyone should hear... well...let's just say I don't think that would help anyone."
"Agreed, that does sound like a sensible idea. Do you think I should be there?" he asked uncertainly.
"That's kind of you sir but I think just me to begin with. I'm his doctor and I know he's your friend but you are also his commanding officer. Maybe if you kept yourself available and he could talk to you if he wanted. He may need a male shoulder to lean on. He's made his wishes clear so I don't think he'll be talking about this to Daniel." She shrugged. Not in a million now, she thought.
The general took in her expression. "I know I said there was no need for me to know the results of the DNA tests before Doctor but DO I need to know?" She knew what he was asking.
"I'm not sure you need to know but I thing I need to tell you." She sighed and took a deep breath. "Dr. Jackson."
The only response the general gave was to nod. "After Jack's told, what happens next?"
"Well that will be up to the colonel. If he decides to proceed..."
"Proceed?" the general voice had risen slightly.
"Yes sir that is a possibility, considering his history and the way he feels about... well you know sir." The colonel's decision was by no means a forgone conclusion.
"Yes I see what you mean. If his decision is well..." the general seemed a little lost. He waved his hands in front of him. "What the HELL do we do if he wants to carry on?"
"We won't know 'til he's had time to make a decision sir."
All the old man could do was hold his shaking head in his hands. Janet thought she heard a muttered 'never had this trouble in...' then a faint "dismissed." She rose, took a deep calming breath and hoped she'd STILL be breathing in a few hours after giving a certain pissy colonel some pretty devastating news.
* * *
"Okay Janet a jokes a joke and it's not April first. I checked," he enunciated. "Plus I've been pretty much worried OUT of my MIND the last few days so I don't really appreciate..."
Janet cut him off before he could really get in to his stride. "It's no joke sir. You are..." she really couldn't believe she was saying this to the 6'2", grey haired, forty seven year old, male before her but she was. "You're pregnant sir. Best we can tell about four weeks." That time frame also fit in with SG-1s imprisonment.
"But..." he sagged on to his sofa. "Howww?" he choked out.
"I don't actually know. From what we can see some how they created an artificial womb. We know they were technologically way more advanced than we are. How or why they did it, I don't have the answers for you sir. I'm sorry." She truly was.
The man sitting before her, her friend had already been through so much pain. He didn't deserve this, it wasn't fair. She wanted to weep for him but her training kicked in. He wouldn't want that from her. He needed her to be strong.
"What the hell am I going to do?" he said softly as his head dropped to his hands. Jack began to shake and Janet rushed to his side and began to rub his back gently.
"What ever you feel is the best thing for you. You know what ever you decide your friends we'll be here for you. I will be here for you and we take it one step at a time,"
"Oh god!" he groaned and turned to bury his head in the small woman's neck. She continued to rub in small circles offering what ever comfort she could. She heard muttering into her shoulder but couldn't hear it clearly. She pulled back slightly. Jack looked at her with pleading eyes. He said just one word but she knew what he meant.
"I don't know Jack. I'd said there's a high probability that the foetus' DNA is a partial match to Daniel but without invasive tests I don't know." She was extremely frustrated by the whole mess. "I have a few hypotheses but no facts."
"Other than the fact I'm knocked up!" Now he was beginning to sound like the old colonel. She found this more encouraging. She nodded. "What do you think doc?"
"As I said they're no more than ideas. But going on the other things they did to you I'd say that Daniel, urm, contributed to the conception, donating sperm." She was finding it hard to keep up the professional tone but she had too. "Now I would say the most likely scenarios are; they planted one of Sam's eggs directly into you and you're a kind of surrogate. We know they were interested in her ovaries; they could also have used Sam's egg and removed her DNA and implanted yours or possibly a combination of yours and Sam's DNA along with Daniel's." She'd tried to keep it as simple as possible, the colonel hated science and long words.
Jack groaned once more as he sank back into the sofa. His head rested against the couch as he scrubbed his hands over his face. Slowly he turned towards her. "So what you're saying is that I am either carrying Carter and Daniel's kid, mine and Danny's kid or one the three of us..." his hands waved in front him. She nodded. "Grrreat, the hits just keep on comin'."
Janet thought how exhausted Jack looked. "Sir, do you want me to leave so you can have some time. I could ask the general to come by. I, um, already apprised him of the situation before I came." Jack wasn't surprised. Janet only ever had her patients' interests at heart.
"No, I'd like you to stay. We've got a lot to decide." He said sadly.
"Sir, let me make this clear." He looked up at her firm voice. "No one and I mean no one is going to do anything you don't want. This is your choice, your decision. Whatever that is, we WILL find a way to work it out. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am." Jack said with a sloppy salute and the first hint of a smile.
* * *
Jack lay in his darkened room, one arm behind his head, the other draped across his stomach as he stared at the moonlit ceiling. Janet and the general had left a short while ago. He had a million thought's running around in his head.
How could he possibly make this kind of decision? Okay Jack, he thought, think this out logically. You do it all the time at work. Practicalities first. Well I'm sure as hell no spring chicken anymore. Could my body take it? Okay he was middle aged now but he was in very good shape and with the exception of his knees in perfect health. So not a major problem but for the fact he hadn't been built to carry a child!
How would he cope with a child? He was alone. He shrugged. That wasn't strictly true. He didn't have to be alone. Fine he didn't have a wife but he had friends. He had Danny. But what the hell was he going to tell him and the team. If the child was genetically related to either Daniel or Carter they had a right to know. They could easily keep the truth of the conception from them but he couldn't in good conscience keep them from their child, especially Daniel.
He'd once confessed to Jack that he didn't think he'd ever have children although he'd love too. He believed he'd lost any chance of that when he'd lost Sha're. If the child was Danny's he had no doubt his friend would be there for him and the child. He'd be thrilled to become a father. In fact despite the difficulties it would create after all it wasn't exactly conventional to have two daddy's it would be a damn sight easier on Jack if it was Daniel's baby than Carter's.
That would open up a whole can of worms he'd much rather leave closed. Surprisingly the thought of bringing up a child with Daniel didn't scare him. He smiled, in a lot of ways Daniel was like Sarah. When it came to raising a kid they'd have a good balance.
The other major obstacles would be his career and hiding the fact that he was pregnant. He loved his job. It had been his life for a long time. But if he had this kid he couldn't in keep going through the gate not with his luck. SG-1 were always being captured, tortured and killed! He couldn't do that to a child not again. At least with Charlie he'd had Sarah. So he'd have to quit at least as a field commander. He didn't like the idea but he would do it for his child.
He realised that actually none of the other stuff compared with the biggest problem of all. Keeping this quite. He wasn't sure about how they were going to do that. He couldn't go and hide at the cabin; he'd have to stay close to Doc Frasier. He couldn't stay holed up in the SGC either. Although he trusted most of the people there, it was still possible that news could leak. He could go off world but the same things could happen there. He was just going around in circles. He was sure that between the three of them they'd be able to come up with something.
Then he smiled. He rolled carefully on to his side rubbing his stomach gently. He realised that really none of it mattered. He couldn't get rid of this child. There was no guarantee that he could carry the child to term but he couldn't and wouldn't voluntarily lose the kid. He'd made up his mind. He was going to be a father again. As he slowly drifted to sleep he dreamt of his child and the happy times he and Danny would share with it.
* * *
Daniel had a far less restful night's sleep. He was seriously concerned about Jack. The older man and Janet for that matter had been avoiding him for the last two days. Ever since he'd gone to see Janet. He'd sat with a couple of the nurses yesterday in the commissary and they'd been more than happy to talk to him. They didn't know much but what they had told him had done nothing to allay his fears. They'd told him Jack and the Doc were being very mysterious and Janet had done a lot of tests on Jack which had been sent off base. That was very unusual. After all the bases pathology lab was one of the best in the country.
Daniel was also sure it had something to do with him. Something that happened on that blasted mission too. He couldn't work out what but Jack wasn't avoiding Sam or Teal'c or acting strange around them. It was only him! God, he hoped Jack was alright. If anything happened to the man, Daniel wasn't sure what he'd do.
* * *
