[Stargate: Drabble] "Risk Assessment" [Sam/Jack, PG]
Title: Risk Assessment
Author: Ami Ven
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill
Genre: het.
Prompt: 100_tales #081 ‘risk’
Rating: PG
Word Count: 650
Setting: technically, part of my future!verse but can be read alone.
Summary: Sam is pregnant and worried.
Note(s): warning: discussion of pregnancy risks- but nothing bad happens in this story.
Risk Assessment
The first thing Sam did after Vala stepped back to let her into the apartment was pull the other woman into a tight hug, and Vala immediately started to worry.
It wasn’t that Sam had never hugged her before, but she usually found the years of military training hard to overcome and usually wasn’t the one to initiate that sort of thing. Vala hugged her back, then eased them carefully apart, hands on her friend’s shoulders.
“Samantha?” she said. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” said Sam, automatically. “No. I mean… I don’t know.”
“Ah,” said Vala. “Then you’d better come and have a cup of hot chocolate.”
Sam didn’t say anything as the brunette puttered around the kitchen, making the drinks- there was only the powdered kind, sadly, but Vala made it with hot milk and that made it better- and slid a steaming mug across the table to her.
“Is it about the baby?” Vala asked, softly.
Sam put a hand against her middle, which was only just starting to round slightly. “When I talked to Dr. Lam today, she said that they were going to have a specialist brought in and read into the Stargate Program, because my pregnancy is going to be high risk.”
She wrapped both hands around the mug, but didn’t drink any. “And that’s an understatement, isn’t it? ‘Risk’? I can’t even remember everything that’s happened to me since the first time I went through the ‘gate. I’ve been shot, stabbed, blown-up, duplicated, taken over by alien entities… I’ve died, Vala. What does all of that do to the human body? And even despite all of that, any pregnancy would still be a risk, for a woman my age.”
“But you’re healthy, Sam,” said Vala. She rested her hand over the other woman’s wrist. “Healthier than most women much younger than you. And, despite the fantastically terrible things that have happened to you, you do at least know that this baby is entirely-”
Vala broke off abruptly, but she knew they had both heard the word ‘human’ even if she hadn’t said it aloud.
Sam’s face fell. “Oh, Vala, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think- I’m sure you don’t need me bringing up- I shouldn’t even have-”
“Don’t you dare, Samantha,” said Vala, sharply, “I could never have gotten through… through everything that happened with Adria, without you. So it’s only fair that you let me help you with this, now.”
Sam managed a small smile, weak but genuine. “Is that right?”
“Oh, absolutely.” The brunette smiled back. “Everything will be fine, Sam.”
“I know, I know. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years, without any of the resources that I’m going to have, but I… I hear the word ‘risk’ and I can’t help thinking about Charlie.”
“Jack’s son,” Vala breathed. “Sam…”
“When I talk to Jack,” she said. “He’s thrilled about the baby. More than thrilled. He’s… he’s already started the paperwork to retire and stay home full-time.”
“Well, that’s wonderful,” said Vala, then frowned. “Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Yes,” said Sam. “God, yes. Jack is going to be an amazing father. But if something happens, if one of those risks turns out to be… I can’t do that to him, Vala. Not again.”
The brunette took her friend’s hand again. “Samantha,” she said, calmly. “Other than that bit about the specialist coming, what exactly did Carolyn tell you?”
Sam bit her lip. “What about doctor/patient confidentiality?” she stalled.
“Samantha…”
“That I’m healthy. That the baby is healthy. That everything is fine,” she admitted. “And I’m sure she’s right. But when Charlie died… I almost lost Jack before I ever knew him. I can’t help worrying.”
“I know,” said Vala. “But do you feel a little better now that you’ve actually said it all out loud?”
“I do, actually,” said Sam, sounding a little surprised. “Thanks, Vala.”
“Any time.”
THE END
Current Mood:
calm
Author: Ami Ven
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill
Genre: het.
Prompt: 100_tales #081 ‘risk’
Rating: PG
Word Count: 650
Setting: technically, part of my future!verse but can be read alone.
Summary: Sam is pregnant and worried.
Note(s): warning: discussion of pregnancy risks- but nothing bad happens in this story.
Risk Assessment
The first thing Sam did after Vala stepped back to let her into the apartment was pull the other woman into a tight hug, and Vala immediately started to worry.
It wasn’t that Sam had never hugged her before, but she usually found the years of military training hard to overcome and usually wasn’t the one to initiate that sort of thing. Vala hugged her back, then eased them carefully apart, hands on her friend’s shoulders.
“Samantha?” she said. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” said Sam, automatically. “No. I mean… I don’t know.”
“Ah,” said Vala. “Then you’d better come and have a cup of hot chocolate.”
Sam didn’t say anything as the brunette puttered around the kitchen, making the drinks- there was only the powdered kind, sadly, but Vala made it with hot milk and that made it better- and slid a steaming mug across the table to her.
“Is it about the baby?” Vala asked, softly.
Sam put a hand against her middle, which was only just starting to round slightly. “When I talked to Dr. Lam today, she said that they were going to have a specialist brought in and read into the Stargate Program, because my pregnancy is going to be high risk.”
She wrapped both hands around the mug, but didn’t drink any. “And that’s an understatement, isn’t it? ‘Risk’? I can’t even remember everything that’s happened to me since the first time I went through the ‘gate. I’ve been shot, stabbed, blown-up, duplicated, taken over by alien entities… I’ve died, Vala. What does all of that do to the human body? And even despite all of that, any pregnancy would still be a risk, for a woman my age.”
“But you’re healthy, Sam,” said Vala. She rested her hand over the other woman’s wrist. “Healthier than most women much younger than you. And, despite the fantastically terrible things that have happened to you, you do at least know that this baby is entirely-”
Vala broke off abruptly, but she knew they had both heard the word ‘human’ even if she hadn’t said it aloud.
Sam’s face fell. “Oh, Vala, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think- I’m sure you don’t need me bringing up- I shouldn’t even have-”
“Don’t you dare, Samantha,” said Vala, sharply, “I could never have gotten through… through everything that happened with Adria, without you. So it’s only fair that you let me help you with this, now.”
Sam managed a small smile, weak but genuine. “Is that right?”
“Oh, absolutely.” The brunette smiled back. “Everything will be fine, Sam.”
“I know, I know. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years, without any of the resources that I’m going to have, but I… I hear the word ‘risk’ and I can’t help thinking about Charlie.”
“Jack’s son,” Vala breathed. “Sam…”
“When I talk to Jack,” she said. “He’s thrilled about the baby. More than thrilled. He’s… he’s already started the paperwork to retire and stay home full-time.”
“Well, that’s wonderful,” said Vala, then frowned. “Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Yes,” said Sam. “God, yes. Jack is going to be an amazing father. But if something happens, if one of those risks turns out to be… I can’t do that to him, Vala. Not again.”
The brunette took her friend’s hand again. “Samantha,” she said, calmly. “Other than that bit about the specialist coming, what exactly did Carolyn tell you?”
Sam bit her lip. “What about doctor/patient confidentiality?” she stalled.
“Samantha…”
“That I’m healthy. That the baby is healthy. That everything is fine,” she admitted. “And I’m sure she’s right. But when Charlie died… I almost lost Jack before I ever knew him. I can’t help worrying.”
“I know,” said Vala. “But do you feel a little better now that you’ve actually said it all out loud?”
“I do, actually,” said Sam, sounding a little surprised. “Thanks, Vala.”
“Any time.”
THE END
Current Mood:
calm