Title: "Life's Purpose"

Author: Jackie W.

Email: jackiesficaol.com

Summary: Just say it Jack.



They had a nice time at the park. Walking there tired Sam out enough that she was ready to just sit so they found a spot near an open field where there was a baseball game being played and watched the kids. Jack had a great time explaining the game to Maggie who occasionally opened her eyes and gazed up at him for a moment before dozing back off again. Definitely a daddy's girl, Sam decided with a sigh. Looking at Jack gaze back at the infant in adoration Sam could see that her role as the disciplinarian was clearly mapped out.

They made their way slowly home and after feeding Maggie again both mom and daughter were ready for a nap. Jack used the time to go do some grocery shopping so he could make the ladies of the house a nice dinner. When he returned he and Cassie had a chance to talk some more.

"So, Sam's not under your command, you two have a daughter together and you're madly in love with each other. What are you waiting for?" the teen teased.

"I'm not waiting for anything. I'm here, aren't I?" Jack pointed out.

"So everything is settled? Are you getting married, living together, what?" Cassie inquired.

"We haven't gotten that far, Cass," Jack replied.

"Only because I bet you haven't brought it up. And Sam won't. She's taking her lead from you, because she's operating on no sleep and hormonal swings. She's going to second guess everything unless you say the words," she advised.

"The words?" Jack asked.

"You know which ones I mean," Cassandra shook her head in defeat.

He did, and he knew he wanted to say them. But he still hadn't adjusted to the fact that it was allowed. Nor was he totally confident that she reciprocated the feelings. When he'd last seen her she had been happily making a life for herself outside of the mountain. One that didn't include him.

"What ever happened to Pete?" he asked casually.

Cassie rolled her eyes at him. "Took about five minutes for Sam to get rid of him. If you noticed, he wasn't even on the list of 'cons' we made up. He stopped by once about three months ago. Sam really should have told him about the baby. The look on his face was priceless. Once she assured him that it wasn't his he vamoosed pretty quickly. Of course the bad news was he called up his buddy Mark and Sam got another surprise visitor two days later. Luckily Teal'c was here. I'm not totally sure Sam convinced her brother that Teal'c wasn't the father," she told him with a grin.

"Sorry I missed that," Jack said shaking his head.

"Well once he sees Maggie and meets you he'll figure it out," she told him.

"Why do you say that?" Jack asked.

"Come on Jack. Maggie is pure O'Neill. I'm betting if you pulled out Charlie's baby pictures they would look identical," she suggested.

Jack nodded. He'd noticed. "She's got more delicate features, but yeah, she looks just like him." Then another thought crossed his mind. "Does Jacob know?"

Cassie shook her head. "Nobody has seen or heard from the Tok'Ra since before you went away. Sam's worried, but she won't let it show," she told him.

"She's been through a lot in the last year," he replied.

"Yeah, but it was worth it. Have you watched the video? The look on her face when they put Maggie in her arms says it all," Cassie smiled remembering the joy that Sam had radiated.

They heard Sam's bedroom door open and they broke off their private conversation to greet her.

"Hey, I didn't expect you to still be here," she commented in surprise.

"I'm making dinner for three beautiful ladies," Jack quipped.

"Oh! That's sounds nice," she replied looking between the two of them. They looked pretty innocent so she figured they hadn't been up to anything too disturbing. "I'm going to sneak a shower in before Maggie wakes up. Are we positive we are sticking with Maggie?" she asked hopefully.

"Yep. Just look at it this way, it could have been much worse" Jack assured her. She raised her eyebrow to ask how. "I could have decided she looked like a Marge," he told her shoving her in the direction of the bathroom.



Once Maggie was awake and fed Jack presented Sam with a small package that he said was from their daughter. While he sat with the baby in his arms he watched as Sam opened the jewelry box to find two intertwined hearts on a slender silver chain. One heart was set in Sam's birthstones, emeralds, the other in Margaret's, diamonds. Sam couldn't help the tears that welled up.

"Thank you, it's beautiful," she whispered.

Then Cassie pulled out a smaller box and handed it to her. "This is from me," she said looking kind of embarrassed.

Inside was a third heart in Cassie's birthstone, peridot. It was made to fit onto the opposite side of Sam's heart from Maggie's. Now the tears were flowing freely.

"This is so perfect," she snuffled, wiping away the tears. "Except for the darn hormones," she complained with a chuckle. "I swear I cried at a fabric softener commercial the other day."

"It's allowed," Jack commented sympathetically. "Maggie has zoned out. Let's put dinner on while we have the peace and quiet."

Over dinner they chatted about things Jack had missed during his year off. Cassie described her first year at college, and Sam filled him in on a few developments at the SGC. After they finished eating Cassie headed off to a movie with a friend leaving Sam and Jack alone. As they were clearing the dishes Jack decided to bring up all of the stuff in his garage.

"So don't you think it's time to set up the nursery Carter?" he asked, amused. "I can't believe you are superstitious."

"Yes, it is time. I'm sorry we left it so long but it got kind of crazy. Daniel and Teal'c were beaming back and forth between Thor's ship and here while you were recovering. And I wasn't superstitious," she replied.

"Then why not set up the nursery before Maggie was born?" he asked.

"At first I was just waiting to make sure everything was ok. I kept putting off buying everything, and people started to tease me. Daniel knew how scared I was that something was going to go wrong so he made up the story that I was superstitious for Cassie," Sam explained. "I didn't want her to know why I was so worried," she said. "Jack, the naquada in my blood is why I couldn't have children. It's poisonous to a fetus and causes a miscarriage. Cassie will have the same problems. Janet had decided to wait until she was twenty or twenty-one to tell her she would never be able to carry a baby to term. Then Thor came along and offered a solution. I didn't want to worry her until we knew if it would work. The good news is now we know how to get around it. She'll need to use in vetro fertilization like I did, but she can have kids," she told him.

"That good. She's been through enough in her life without taking that away from her too," Jack commented. "But how did the Doc know what the Naquada would do to an unborn child? She had no reference point."

Sam took a deep breath. It was now or never. "She wasn't 100% sure at first. She consulted Dr. Peterson the OBGYN we use. They were concerned enough that they warned me off trying to have children. Then several years ago I got pregnant, and at four weeks I miscarried. They autopsied the fetus. The Naquada had kept any major organs from forming."

Jack was stunned. Sam had been pregnant? Who the hell had been the father? He thought back. She's said several years ago. Martouf? Sam could see the confusion and hurt flit across his features, even though he was fighting to keep a controlled mask in place. She placed a hand on his arm. Somehow she needed a physical connection when she told him the next part.

"It was yours, Jack. The result of our nights together as Jonah and Thera," she whispered.

She could feel the jolt that passed through him at the news. Then he closed his eyes and hid body went totally stiff. Jack was doing everything in his power to keep the grief at the thought of having lost another child from overwhelming him. Sam's hand falling from his arm and a soft snuffle finally caused his eyes to open and he noticed that she looked even worse than he did. Pale and in tears, she was staring at her feet.

"I'm so sorry," she managed to utter through the tears.

He wanted to comfort her but one thought kept him rooted to the spot. "How could you have kept this from me? I had a right to know," he accused softly.

"I couldn't tell you. Do you remember those weeks after we came back? We were barely speaking and we were afraid to even be in the same room alone with each other. It was so hard trying to go back to being 'Colonel' and 'Major'. By the time I discovered I was pregnant I was already losing the baby. How could I come to you and tell you without throwing myself in your arms and breaking down? And then where would we have been?" Sam inquired moving over to the window to stare out at gathering darkness.

Jack had to admit she was right. They had been a mess for months after that mission. It had taken all his willpower to keep from walking into Hammond's office and retiring on the spot. If he had been aware of what she was going through there was no way he would have been able to keep it professional. So instead she had taken on the burden of grieving alone. Then, three years later, she had faced the possibility of going through it all again to have Maggie. Was there anything this woman wasn't strong enough to handle?

Suddenly he found himself behind her, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her back against him as he turned her slightly so he could see her face.

"You're right. And you have nothing to be sorry for, Sam. It wasn't your fault. I'm the one that's sorry that you had to go through everything alone. Both then and now with Maggie. I wish I could have been there for you," he apologized.

Sam stared into his eyes feeling more than a bit confused. The feel of his arms around her was absolute heaven, but was he just comforting her or did this mean more? Jack settled the question by leaning down and capturing her lips in a gentle kiss that quickly escalated. Just as she was turning to be fully in his embrace an unhappy wail from their daughter brought them both to their senses.

Jack groaned. "It's all coming back to me now. The sleepless nights, constant feedings and incredibly bad timing they have all adds up to no loving for Mom and Dad," he complained.

Sam was both terribly disappointed and a bit relieved to have the excuse to regain her equilibrium. She walked over to pick Maggie up from the bassinet and willed her heart to stop jumping out of her chest. Unsure how to act she resorted to O'Neill sarcasm.

"Diapers or bottle?" she quipped.

"Like you have to ask. I'll fix a bottle," Jack told her.

Sam took Maggie off to change her and returned to find the bottle all ready. She curled up in the big armchair and let the hungry baby eat. Jack watched and a smile hovered at the sight. Feeling his eyes on her she looked up. The look of pure adoration was back. Was it her imagination or was it aimed at her this time?

"What?" she asked.

"I wish I had a camera," he admitted.

Sam blushed. "It's on my dresser," she offered.

He retrieved it and snapped a couple of pictures hoping one of them accurately captured the scene. It was one he wanted to remember. While she was occupied he figured he would go back to the subject they had been discussing over dishes.

"So, the nursery, I have two weeks off. We should spend the time getting it set up," he suggested.

"You're not going fishing?" she teased, although the thought behind the question was serious.

"Nah. The weather is too iffy this time of year and Maggie's too young to be hauling up there anyway. We'll wait until July or August and try to get a week then when we can enjoy the weather," he told her.

"We?" she asked breathless at the speed things were happening.

Jack looked at her in amusement and slight disbelief. Cassie was right. Even after the kiss they had just shared Sam was still unsure of where they stood. He was going to have to say the words.

"We," he confirmed. He stood up and walked over to where she sat ignoring the sound his knees made as he crouched in front of her. "You and I and our daughter. I love you Sam, Both of you. Please come fishing with me," he asked.

She couldn't help but think of all the other times he had asked and she had forced herself to refuse. This time her answer was accompanied by a huge smile.

"We'd love to!"



He spent the night. Although it was too soon both physically for Sam and emotionally for their new relationship to have sex, they spent the few hours of rest they got in between feedings wrapped in each other's arms. It was the best sleep Sam had gotten in over a year. When she returned to bed in the wee hours after resettling the baby Jack was laying awake waiting for her.

"I have a question," he said as she snuggled back into his arms. "Is Thor the only one that can perform this magical procedure he used?"

"No. The technique didn't require any specialized equipment so he gave detailed records on the procedure to the medical staff at the SGC," Sam told him. "Why?"

"I just wanted to know if we would need to call on him again when we are ready to give Maggie a brother or sister," he explained.

The End!