24
Two months passed, Jack and Teal'c sent 5 people through to Atlantis in the first month, and 6 more in the second, all combat vets he had picked from the active service men in the first round of testing. Almost all the tested AGs were willing to try at least a 3 month stint over in the Pegasus Galaxy, the few who wouldn't had young families and were quite useful in helping pick apart the remnants of Tartarus. Anubis had left several nasty surprises behind buried in the useful things he had scavenged from other planets, and Jack had already had to write one letter to a family. He hated that part of his job, no one he knew didn't hate it… but it would have been harder if he had been telling his family.
Luke had been sentenced to 3 years, and much to his JAGs disgust he was sent to Leavenworth top security wing, the SGC was really THAT secret they didn't dare put him in the normal population of a prison, he had already spilt the beans to the lawyer and Jack wouldn't have put it past him to speak out while incarcerated.
Christine had tried to get every single family member to plead Lukes case to Jack, but even she was disgusted when shown the security footage, Jack had received a letter from Grace that told of a visit from Lukes oldest children, who were grateful that he was no longer around. He felt kind of vindicated when he realised he may be saving the younger ones from the life he and his siblings had led.
The Brits had come through in fine form, the three he originally tested were in the first group through to Jon, and of the 63 that turned up in the genetic scan, 40 were of a more than usable level 3… a proportion that sent the statisticians crazy. Of the 40 all 40 were willing to go wherever needed.
Russia had only produced 20 AGs so far, but all were willing to travel, China had not volunteered anyone, and wouldn't say if they had any AGs in their military, they refused point blank to allow access to the genetic records.
France was working through slowly, but had already found 10 AGs of usable level, 6 of whom were willing to go through.
Jennifer Hailey asked for and received a transfer to Pegasus with the first batch of AGs, neither Jack nor Hank had wanted to lose the woman from the SGC, as they both saw her as a possible stand in for Sam, but Sam was on her side and persuaded both Generals to allow the young woman to travel to Pegasus for a tour of duty.
OoΩoO
"We're going to be LATE!" he shouted from the bottom of the stairs, he heard noises coming from the general direction of their bedroom. They had only moved in the week before, the 'new' house was one of the closest to the base, it was on a large plot of land, with security fencing all around it, it covered the requirements of secrecy, access and was plenty big enough for several children.
Sam had been against even looking for a new house when Jack had first broached the subject, but when he had taken her to see it as they headed home the day she was discharged, she loved it.
It had a pool, and a hot tub at the back… neighbours were far enough away that they would not be bothered if they once more got issued a security detail. It even had a small 'guest house' with a bedroom, bathroom and small kitchen/dining/living room.
Teal'c had moved in two days after the O'Neills.
"SAM!" he yelled again, she appeared at the top of the stairs, his breath caught in his throat. At 26 weeks, she was blooming! He honestly believed she had never looked more beautiful than she did right at that minute. She walked slowly down the stairs, her eyes glued to his the whole way, and he held out his hand as she came in reach.
As she took his hand and completed her journey down the stairs he kissed the ring finger as he had almost every day since his move back to the Springs. His hands caressed the bump, that turned and shifted at his touch. He smiled at her, he loved feeling her flesh move with the child within, it made everything seem real, and immediate.
"I thought we were going to be late" she said, smiling up at him. He shook his head and the nodded, she giggled softly at his obvious confusion.
"Come on, Carolyn will be wondering if something is wrong" he said as he opened the door. The only thing he regretted about the dismissal of the security detail was the fact that the car was cold when they got in, he would have to start running the engine and warming it up before they set out, the winter was closing in and it could get VERY cold in Colorado Springs in the winter, and even colder three quarters of the way up the mountain.
He hit the remote as they approached the gate and only slowed slightly as he passed, Teal'c had already left for work at his usual 0600, Jack had told his staff he was going to be late in as he was escorting Sam on her regular check up.
The mood was light as the couple signed through the various points of security, Jack nodded to the members of his staff that were travelling in the elevator to their level, Jack and Sam went into the second elevator and Jack nodded politely to Bill Lee, he was still overwhelmed by the support of the scientists with the incident a couple of months before, and he took the time to at least acknowledge their existence now, even if he didn't speak to them much.
Carolyn had the scan set up and by the time hey reached the infirmary Sam was complaining that if they didn't get it over with she was going to have an accident, Jack grinned, glad that it wasn't him trying to hold a bladder full as well as a baby who couldn't keep still in such a confined space.
The screen showed the shadow that was their child, at first Jack couldn't see anything, but Carolyn manoeuvred the wand until they could clearly see the baby sucking his thumb, she had told them some time ago that she was almost positive it was a boy, and had explained to Jack how they could be wrong, the cord and swollen genitals making a female look like a male, Jack had blushed as the woman tried to focus in on the relevant part and told her he would take her word for it, the women had shared a smile, that he ignored.
Suddenly Carolyn stopped smiling, she pressed on Sams stomach, causing a hiss from his wife as she tried to control her bladder with the added pressure of the machine. The doctor pressed a couple of buttons, and then a couple more, she moved the wand and pressed yet more buttons.
Sam grabbed Jacks hand, he could tell by the look on her face that she was scared by the physicians actions.
"Carolyn?" Sam asked "What's wrong?"
The woman looked at both parents and sighed. "There's a fluid build-up… it could be nothing but… the machine has all your scans stored in it's memory and I've looked at the last couple and it looks as if it has been building for some time, it's just that now it's notable, actually its pronounced now. I'd like a second opinion on this" Jack couldn't feel his fingers, Sams grip had cut off all blood supply to them. He nodded numbly, again when things seemed to be going well, something came along and kicked him… he just wished whoever it was that ordered his life would punish HIM and not the ones he loved.
He watched as Carolyn walked into her office and started talking on the phone, she was back in a couple of minutes.
"I've spoken with Dr. Gibbs at the Academy hospital, I was hoping I could just upload the results to him, but he wants to see you down there straight away." She said, cleaning the jelly from Sams stomach with a paper towel. "Go use the toilet and then call in the commissary and get something to drink, he wants you there within the hour" Sam lifted off the bed and slowly made her way to the small bathroom at the end of the infirmary.
"How serious is it?" Jack asked
"Not as serious as it probably sounds" she said trying to reassure him, he gave her a bleak look "It could be hydrocephalus, fluid on the brain" she said in a low voice. Jack went pale, he had known a child with that when he was growing up, the child hadn't lived very long and was mentally retarded.
"It's nothing like as serious as it once was General" the woman said "once we know what is wrong we can put a shunt into the brain to drain the fluid away, it no longer leads to brain damage and death as it used to… there's no reason to suppose that even if it IS hydrocephalus that it is sever, like I said the fluid was hardly noticeable last scan." He nodded and stepped back, effectively ending the discussion as Sam exited the bathroom.
They got a couple of bottles of water for Sam to top up her bladder, and made their way to the surface, Jack had no idea what to say to her… but if there was any way his healing ability could help he would drain every last bit of energy he had healing the child!
He was grateful when the young SF who was stood by the door stepped forward and gave a sharp salute and 'offered' to chauffer them to the hospital, he knew Carolyn had contacted her father and recommended that he not drive… he was happy to be able to sit in the back and comfort Sam as they travelled to the far side of the city to the Academy grounds.
Dr. Gibbs was waiting for them when they arrived, he led them into a small room and Sam lay once more on the bed, he scanned her and took measurements. And smiled at them both.
Jack felt relieved at the doctor's smile, but he was soon to be worried again.
"General O'Neill, Colonel… there is a fluid build-up, and though it is hard to say exactly what is wrong at this stage I would recommend a amniocentesis, so we know what to expect when the child is born, we can do the test here, or up at the base, I know Dr Lam is quite capable of doing the test"
"But what about the danger of the test itself" Jack asked
"To be honest, sir, we would usually recommend the test anyway for a woman of your wifes age having her first child, the risks of pregnancy causing harm to the mother, and more the mothers age causing genetic defects in the foetus would have caused me to suggest the test a lot earlier than this if she had been my patient. I don't know why Dr Lam hasn't already done one."
"She hasn't because I told her not to" Sam said, her voice showing the anger she felt at the way the doctor talked over her and not to her. "There's no way in hell I would abort the child so a test wasn't needed"
"Well it is now" he said "If the test comes back positive for hydrocephalus we will need to get the child into corrective surgery as soon as possible after birth, to minimise the risk of brain damage due to fluid pressure" Jack once more lost feeling in his fingers as her grip tightened.
They shared a long look, he read her fears and her reluctance to have the doctor with them do the test.
"We'll have Dr Lam conduct the test" Jack said, Sam smiled at him.
"Are you sure?" the Doctor questioned
"You said she could do it!" Jack snapped
"Well, yes, but" he drew in a breath "Dr Lam told me she was a personal friend, there ARE risks to the procedure, if something should go wrong…"
Jack understood completely, he had already threatened Carolyn once over the well being of his wife and child, would he hold it against her if she did something that caused a miscarriage? The answer was no, he wouldn't… he knew exactly where the blame lay, and it wasn't Carolyn, or Sam.
"Dr Lam will do the test" Jack said firmly. He helped Sam off the table and they walked out of the room.
OoΩoO
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