Chapter 5

John leaned over the railing on a balcony in the control tower and glanced at the inactive Stargate. Any second now those chevrons would start to light up, signaling the imminent arrival of the primary source of Rodney McKay's sour mood.

As though he could hear his thoughts, the scientist stated, more to himself than to John, "I still say it's not O'Neill."

"Come on, Rodney," John replied. "Give it up. The man himself is on his way here right now."

"That doesn't prove anything."

John gave him a withering look. "Really? So why do you think he's coming all the way to Atlantis, then?"

"How should I know?" Rodney whined. "Look, she hasn't even told us she's pregnant."

John felt as though he were explaining the situation to a twelve year old - which, in some ways, he supposed he was. "Well, she's not going to tell us before she tells him."

At that, Rodney completed deflated. "It's just...she wouldn't do that," he said after a minute.

"Which part, exactly?" John queried. Surely, his friend wasn't that thick.

But Rodney just ignored the question. "She deserves better."

"Oh, someone like you, I assume."

"Yes, precisely!" Completely oblivious to the eye-roll John gave him, he decided to press his argument. "Besides, the timing doesn't match up. If she's pregnant with his kid then why didn't the system register the additional life form until after she returned from M5V-801?"

John sighed. "We've discussed this, Rodney. The system picked up the baby when Dr. Keller scanned her to treat her broken leg."

"That's only a theory," the scientist said petulantly, crossing his arms in front of him.

John was saved from further argument, however, because the 'gate began to light up at just that moment. He and Rodney watched as Sam walked awkwardly down the steps from the control room to stand before the giant portal. She shifted on her cast a little and adjusted her uniform.

By the time the last chevron engaged, Teyla and Jennifer had joined John and Rodney on the balcony to watch the much anticipated arrival of "the man from Washington," as Jennifer had taken to calling him.

"She looks nervous," Jennifer said.

"I imagine she is," replied Teyla.

The event horizon settled into a familiar blue puddle, and a few seconds later the impressive figure of General Jack O'Neill, in full dress blues, emerged.

Jennifer let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding when you said he was handsome," she said to Teyla.

"Oh, please," Rodney interjected. "It's the uniform. I'm sure if I put on that costume, you'd be fawning all over me too."

John looked at him, slightly aghast, but Jennifer just stared straight ahead and smiled. Meanwhile, Sam saluted Jack with a sharp, "Sir!" that the four of them could just barely hear from their position on the upper deck.

"Carter," he drawled, giving her a lazy salute accompanied by a half grin in return. "How's the leg?"

Instantly, she dropped the formality and even from their position on the balcony the group could see that she was beaming at him. "Better, thanks." They began to walk away from the gate.

"We have soooo won this bet," Jennifer whispered to Teyla. She immediately got shushed for her trouble, though, as Jack had started talking again.

"So, Carter," he said as he walked with her up the steps. "I've come all the way across not one but two galaxies and have just spent the last 24 hours in the sole company of Dr. Lee, which is not an experience I relish repeating." He stopped and cocked his head at her. "You wanna tell me now what it is you couldn't tell me over the comm?" He may have been complaining, but there was an unmistakable twinkle in his eyes.

Sam, however, was now visibly nervous. She clasped her hands together and bit her lip. "Um, why don't we go into my office?"

Jack extended his arm in a lead-the-way-type gesture, then followed her up the remaining stairs into the glass enclosed space.

"Okay," John began, "so how do we watch what happens without being completely obvious?"

"Just turn and face us, like we're talking in a group," Jennifer suggested.

But once they were positioned for conversation, John and Teyla were left standing with their backs to Sam's office, giving Jennifer and Rodney the best view.

"I can't see," John complained.

"Nor can I," added Teyla, but by then Jennifer was already glancing over her shoulder at the goings-on in Sam's office.

"What's happening?" John asked.

Jennifer was all too happy to provide a play-by-play. "Colonel Carter is talking, and the General-"

"Is just standing there looking like a jackass," Rodney interrupted.

Jennifer continued narrating. "Colonel Carter has stopped talking."

John found himself inexplicably anxious. "What's the General doing?"

"He's just staring at her."

"He's not saying anything?" Teyla asked, and her own concern was reflected in her tone.

Jennifer responded, clearly equally worried: "No, he actually looks a little...stunned."

"Stunned?" John queried. "That doesn't sound good."

"No, it's n- Oh!" Jennifer began, before stopping abruptly and turning a deep shade of crimson. "Oh my."

"Oh no," Rodney said at exactly the same time.

"What?" Teyla and John demanded in unison.

But before Jennifer and Rodney could supply an answer, they turned around to see what was happening for themselves.

All four could only stare as they watched General Jack O'Neill give Colonel Samantha Carter a searing kiss, one that quickly moved from passionate to borderline scandalous as she threaded her fingers through his silver hair and he bent her slightly backwards over her desk.

Rodney began sputtering. "This is...this is completely inappropriate! Don't they know everyone can see them?"

"I don't think they care," John offered.

Jennifer snorted. "I know I wouldn't."

"Nor I," added Teyla.

Jack and Sam were still kissing when the windows in her office started to cloud and then became completely opaque.

"I think she's getting the hang of the ATA gene," John said.

Rodney only had one reply to that pronouncement: "Aw, nuts."

oOoOoOo

Three days later...

Sam had just placed the last of her framed photos in a box when she looked up to find a small group gathering in her office to say goodbye. She smiled at the people who had become not only her co-workers but her friends over the past several months. While she was thrilled to be returning to the SGC so she and Jack could raise their child on Earth, there was a small part of her heart that would always remain in Atlantis.

"I'm really going to miss you guys."

"We will miss you as well, Colonel," Teyla replied.

John grunted. "Yeah, and especially after Woolsey gets here."

Sam grinned. "You'll be okay. I'm certain of it." She closed the box and decided that it was far past time to address the elephant in the room. "So," she began, "I imagine you all must be wondering about General O'Neill and me."

"Nah," John responded immediately.

"It's really none of our business," Jennifer added.

"Yes, actually," Rodney said at the same time.

Sam ducked her head, but when she looked up there was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before. "We're married. We've been married for about a year now, in fact."

"But...but I thought that sort of thing wasn't allowed..." Rodney stuttered.

"Well, Jack has never really been one to play by the rules. He told the President that he was planning to retire so that we could be together, but the President felt he couldn't afford to lose him, so he made an exception." Sam shrugged. "The only catch was that we couldn't tell anyone."

"Which made things 'complicated'," Jennifer supplied.

"Yes," Sam acknowledged. "And then I got pregnant, which has really thrown a wrench in the works. As you know, that was quite unexpected."

"Yeah, you might have scared us a little with the whole intruder thing." John waved his hands around airily. "Ghosts in the infirmary, lights exploding in their sockets..."

Sam let out a small laugh. "Yes, I am sorry about that. I scared myself, too. But it never occurred to me that I could interact with the City without the ATA gene. And I certainly never thought I was pregnant. With all I've been through..." She paused and placed a hand over her abdomen. "It's nothing short of a miracle."

"We're really happy for you, Colonel," Jennifer said earnestly.

"We are," agreed John. He cast a disapproving glare in the direction of one moping scientist. "Even Rodney."

At the sound of his name, Rodney's head popped up. "What?" John elbowed him in the ribs. "Oh, yes. Yes, I am."

On that note, Jack practically bounded into Sam's office but stopped short when he saw the team gathered around his wife. "Ah. Sorry to interrupt." He greeted each of them in turn. "Dr. Keller, Sheppard, Teyla, good to see you again." He gave a curt nod in Rodney's general direction. "McCade."

"General," responded John instantly.

"It's McKa-" Rodney began through gritted teeth, but Jack cut him off mid-sentence.

"Ready to go, Sam?" He picked up her box of belongings.

She nodded and gave each member of her team a hug, including Rodney, who finally smiled when she put her arms around his neck.

"Dial us up!" Jack shouted to Chuck, and he and Sam made their way out of her office and down the stairs as the technician punched in the coordinates for the Midway Station. Just as the final chevron locked and the 'gate sprang to life, Sam looked back toward her team one last time.

"Congratulations!" Rodney called after them from the balcony just outside her office. "And don't worry about us. We'll be fine. Yep. Just fine." And without warning, he grabbed Jennifer around the waist, pulled her to him, and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Everyone was momentarily stunned, including Jennifer, until much to the group's even greater surprise, she turned and gave him a quick kiss in return, this time on the lips.

Sam grinned at Rodney's dumbstruck expression. "I believe you will." And with that, Jack and Sam, along with Atlantis' infamous intruder, disappeared into the event horizon.

"Well," Jennifer said, as though nothing had happened. "I think you gentlemen owe us some dessert."

"Yes, I believe that is correct," agreed Teyla.

"So we do," replied John.

The three of them began making their way toward the commissary, with John stopping only long enough to call out to the still speechless scientist, who remained rooted to the spot with a glazed look on his face.

"Come on, Rodney," John shouted over his shoulder.

But it was several minutes before he moved. "Wait for me!"

The End

A/N - Thanks so much to all who have read, reviewed, followed and/or favorited! I hope you had as much fun reading this little piece of fluff as I had writing it and will forgive me for including an Atlantis tag in the SG-1 category. ;)