Transitions (12/12)
Title: Transitions (12/12)
Summary: Sequel to " Changes"Jack and Sam's relationship grows, going through it's ups and downs with a little help from their SGC family. SamJack, DanielJanet.
Timeframe: Takes place approximately one year after "Changes".
Characters/Pairing: Established SamJack, established DanielJanet, Team, Cassie
Genre: Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Family, Romance
Rating: T
Chapter Twelve: Complete
"Jack, you're hogging the covers," Sam moaned in a sleepy mumble, tugging futilely at the blankets in an attempt to block out the sunlight that was streaming through the windows. Refusing to open her eyes and admit that it was morning, Sam gave the blankets one hard yank, rolling to try and pull them with her. She smiled with satisfaction as they gave way, and Jack just happened to come with them. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he snuggled into her back, kissing the warm, bare skin between her shoulder blades.
"I think we gotta get up," Jack mumbled against her skin, unconvincingly.
Sam laughed softly. "Says who?" She pulled his arm tighter around her waist. The bed dipped suddenly, and the two of them became very aware of the large German Shepherd as she stepped on them, making her way to the head of the bed and nosing at their faces.
"Dorothy says," Jack answered with a chuckle, rolling away from Sam, and playfully shoving the dog off them as Sam turned over as well. "Okay, we get it, girl. You want out."
"I swear, she's worse than a little kid sometimes." Sam sat up, enjoying the brief view of her fiancé’s naked backside as he climbed out of bed and pulled on his shorts. Heaving a sigh of defeat, she followed him out of bed, reaching for her robe. "I'll go make the coffee."
-
"We should pick a date," Jack said suddenly, catching Sam off-guard as she was sipping her hot coffee.
She set her mug down, tilting her head and blinking with momentary confusion. "What?"
"For the wedding." Jack shrugged, a slow grin spreading across his face and lighting up his eyes. His gaze shifted to the nearly-empty mug that he was sliding back and forth between his hands on the table. "Danny mentioned somethin' about it yesterday, and I just thought . . . You know, that we should." He shrugged again as his gaze slowly returned to her face.
She smiled, nodding. "Okay. Got a date in mind?" Sam had been thinking about the wedding a lot, recently, but hadn't wanted to overwhelm Jack, knowing that he was still recovering after his surgery, no matter how many times he insisted that he was just fine.
"What about July?" he suggested. "The summer's always nice for a wedding."
"Yeah," she agreed, tracing circles on the table with her index finger. "I bet it'll be really beautiful up in Minnesota that time of year, too."
Jack cocked his head, his brows knitting together slowly as he pieced together what she was suggesting. Then a pleased, but surprised look came across his face. "You want us to get married at the cabin?"
She smiled, reaching across the table to take his hand. "I think a nice small wedding at the cabin would be just perfect."
Grinning crookedly, he nodded, an excited spark in his dark eyes that told Sam everything she needed to know.
They were going to get married. She almost didn't believe it, but it was true. Sam couldn't have been happier, and she knew that Jack felt the same.
-
Today was the day. No, not the Big Day; today was the day Jack was finally going to meet Sam's brother, and he was nervous as hell. Mark had flown in from San Diego to meet him, though his wife and two kids remained at home. They couldn't join him this time, but Mark had assured Sam that they would be flying in for the wedding. Since Jacob was Earth-bound for the time being, he'd volunteered to pick his son up from the airport, and was currently on his way there.
Jack paced back and forth in the kitchen with his hands shoved into the pockets of his khakis. Sam had told him to relax, that her brother would like him, and she didn't care if he didn't, but Jack still wasn't so sure about the whole thing. It actually meant a lot to him that her family approved. He didn't know why, it just did. Jacob approved, and although he'd never let the man know, Jack had been very pleased with the elder Carter's acceptance.
As he stopped his pacing to stand in front of the sink and stare out the window into the backyard, Jack jerked back with confusion when Dorothy pawed at his leg, and then started whining loudly. After the last incident, he knew it was better to trust the dog's instincts, and began to get down on the floor. "Sam?" He called out, unsure what was going to happen, and wanting her there.
Dorothy sprawled across his legs, still whining.
Jack laid back, feeling an odd, yet disconcertingly familiar sensation that caused every nerve to tingle.
-
Sam had just gotten dressed when she heard Jack call out her name. Before she even left the room, a barking Dorothy bounded through the door, eager to get her attention. She was anxious and on high alert as she followed the dog out of the bedroom. "Okay; I'm coming, I'm coming. Jack?"
She'd just rounded the corner into the kitchen when she found Jack seizing on the floor. His bare toes curled as the spasms hit, his entire body tensing while muscles contracted and relaxed. Jack's head was tossed back in silent agony, his jaw clenched tight like a steel trap, fingers gripping and releasing awkwardly at his sides. It was painful to watch. The veins in his neck bulged with the strain, and his eyes had rolled back in his head.
Quickly kneeling behind him, Sam gently held his head as she waited for the tremors to pass, unable to do anything else. Her eyes watered as she forced herself to keep track of the length of the episode, as per Janet's request. Every time Sam was witness to one of Jack's seizures, her heart ached painfully for him as she willed his torment to be over. She knew he wasn't really aware of what was going on when it happened, but Jack was always more deeply effected afterwards.
While Dorothy laid across Jack's legs, Sam kept track of the length of his seizure, counting off around ninety seconds on her watch before it finally ended, and he became very still. She gently brushed her hand through his hair, shifting so that his head was in her lap as she waited for him to come around.
After a few minutes, Jack was semi-conscious. He groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open, and Sam soothingly continued to run her hand through his hair, trying to coax him into a more alert state. "Jack?"
Seeing that her master was coming around, Dorothy stood up and moved over by his head, staring at him with concern, her tail swishing back and forth sedately.
"Hrm?" Jack slowly brought a hand up to rub at his forehead, blinking up at Sam with glazed eyes.
Sam smiled tightly down at him. "Jack, I know you're probably tired and confused right now, but do you think you could get up to go lie down in the bedroom?"
Nodding sluggishly after a moment, Jack tried to help her get him into a sitting position. Sam still knelt behind him, supporting him so he didn't fall back against the hard floor.
It took a few tries to get him to his feet, and Jack staggered with her all the way to the bedroom, but Sam finally got him on the bed. Dorothy hopped up after him, laying down and pressing against her master's side. "Better?"
"Mrm." Jack's head tilted listlessly, his eyes closing with a groan.
"Sore?" Sam asked knowingly with a concerned frown. The violent way in which his muscles contracted during his seizures was bound to make his entire body hurt.
He heaved a sigh, but didn't speak. Sam suspected that he knew his words would be slurred, and it was useless to waste energy forcing himself to talk. Jack rolled onto his side with obvious effort, curling into a ball and falling into a deep sleep.
After scribbling some notes down in Jack’s little orange medical journal that was by the bed, Sam brushed her hand through his hair one last time. She pulled the blankets over him and left the room, certain that Dorothy would keep watch.
-
Sam was in the kitchen, trying to decide what to do for dinner later when she heard the front door open. Stopping what she was doing, she quickly went to the front hall as her father and brother entered the house. "Dad, Mark." She hugged each of them in turn, holding onto her brother extra tight. It had been quite a while since she'd seen him in person.
"Sam, I've missed you. I don't get to chat on the phone with you nearly enough. How have you been?" Her brother asked with a big smile as he held her shoulders and leaned back to get a look at her.
Sam caught her father's grin out of the corner of her eye. She knew how grateful he was to get them all together. "I've been good, Mark," she told him honestly. "How about you, Sue, and the kids?"
"Oh, we're all just fine. Sue recently got a promotion at work, and the kids are excited for their upcoming summer vacation." Her brother smiled with pride. She knew he loved talking about his family. Sam hadn't seen the kids in far too long, and was looking forward to them visiting for the wedding.
Jacob closed the door behind them and set Mark's suitcase down out of the way. "Where's Jack?" He asked, looking around.
"Yes, dear sister," Mark teased, "Where is this guy of yours? I haven't heard too much about him."
Sam smiled tightly, not responding for a moment, then looking up into her father's concerned grey-blue eyes when he lightly grasped her arm. "Ah, he's resting right now."
Mark looked a little confused, while her father just regarded her seriously, sensing something had happened. "What's wrong?" Jacob asked her lowly, leaning close in case she didn't want her brother to hear.
"He had a seizure just a little while ago," Sam explained, her voice a soft whisper.
Her father nodded with solemn, sympathetic understanding, while her brother had overheard, a surprised look on his face. "Sam, shouldn't you call 9-1-1 or something?"
Sam shook her head soberly. "No, Mark. It's . . . Jack has a medical condition. He's on medication, but it still happens from time to time."
It didn't escape her notice that her brother looked a little uncomfortable. "Um, is there anything we can do?"
"No." Sam's gaze flickered between her brother and her father, and she smiled thinly. "Jack just gets tired and a little confused after. He'll rest for a while and be alright."
"Mark, why don't you take your things into the guest room," Jacob interjected. He pointed down the hallway. "Down the hall, first door on the left." When Mark nodded and walked away, Jacob drew closer to Sam, sensing her disquiet. "Are you okay?"
Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just . . . It's hard to watch, you know?" She grimaced, her eyes downcast.
Jacob nodded with understanding. He remembered Jack's first seizure a little more than a year ago, and Sam's distress afterwards. Jacob rubbed his hand along her arm, then pulled her into his warm, sturdy embrace.
Leaning her head on her father's shoulder, Sam was thankful for his presence. She turned her head to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you could come, Dad. And thanks for bringing Mark. This really means a lot to me. And to Jack."
He leaned back and smiled at her, crows feet crinkling the corners of his eyes. "I know it does, Sammy."
Bracing herself with a deep breath, Sam saw Mark emerging from the guest room, and headed for the kitchen. She figured now was as good a time as any for her to tell her brother a little about the man she was going to marry without embarrassing Jack by doing it in front of him.
-
After chatting with Mark and father for awhile, telling her brother what she could about how she and Jack got to know each other, and making up some story about her year-long absence without revealing any classified information, Sam got up to go check on Jack.
Dorothy's ears perked up as Sam walked in. Jack was still curled up on his side, and the German Shepherd's head rested on his hip as the amber eyes watched Sam enter the room. She smiled at the dog as she made her way in. "Hey, girl, how's he doin'?" Sam whispered. Dorothy was so fiercely protective of him, Sam was sometimes sure that Dorothy thought Jack was one of her pups.
Jack's eyes opened, and he was blinking at her blearily. "Hi," he said hoarsely.
Sam sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching over Jack to pat Dorothy on the head before her hand slid down to take his. She slowly stroked her thumb over his knuckles. "Feel like getting up? Dad and Mark are in the kitchen."
He sighed, and she quickly caught the brief flash of uncertainty in his eyes.
"If you're not up to company right now, at least come out and say hello, then you can come back in here and rest if you want." Sam tried to reassure him, knowing too well that he was probably still feeling a bit off. She stood up, ready to help Jack if he needed it. “I know these aren’t exactly the circumstances where you wanted to meet my brother.”
With a resigned nod, Jack pushed the blankets off himself and languidly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he did so. He stood with a grunt, swaying slightly and cursing under his breath.
Sam grabbed his arm, and Dorothy quickly hopped off the bed to stand at her master's other side. Leaning sideways, Sam kissed his cheek. "Okay?"
"Yeah." Jack straightened out his sleep-rumpled clothes.
Before they got moving, she reached up to try and smooth down the wayward bits of Jack's hair that were sticking out all over the place. Finally giving up, and smiling when he cocked an eyebrow at her, Sam shrugged and gingerly walked with him to the door, her arm hooked around his.
Her father and brother were talking quietly at the table when Sam and Jack stepped into the kitchen, Dorothy trailing behind. The two men stood up, and she smiled at them, trying to hide her concern when Jack stepped away from her, obviously wanting to hide his weakness from her brother.
"Mark; heard a lot about you." Jack outstretched his hand, his voice low and more controlled than Sam expected it to be. "I’m Jack," he introduced himself.
Smiling, Mark shook his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you." Her brother gave away nothing that he knew anything at all about Jack's condition, and Sam was grateful for that.
"Likewise." Nodding back at Mark, Jack said hello to Jacob and took a seat while Dorothy made the rounds, greeting their guests before loyally taking her spot at Jack's side.
They sat around the table for a while, speaking amiably, but the whole time, Jack was very subdued. Sam was aware that he still wasn't feeling quite up to par, but appreciated his efforts with her brother, allowing Mark to get to know him a little bit. She got up to get Jack a glass of water, and when she came back to the table, noticed that her brother was staring at the horseshoe scar still visible on the side of her fiancé’s head. Sitting back down, she subtly kicked her brother's foot under the table, and he shifted focus quickly, having probably not realized what he'd been doing.
Mark cleared his throat. "So, Jack . . . Sam tells me you consult sometimes at the mountain base or something to do with training?" he asked unsurely.
Jack shared a sidelong glance with her father, a crooked smirk on his face, disappearing quickly. "Yeah, something like that. I used to be a field commander."
"Before going into . . . Deep Space Radar . . . telemetry?" Mark blinked, looking a little confused.
Shrugging, Jack grinned, looking more lively than he had since he'd woken up. He had a sly, 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' smirk. "Yeah, well, after my accident, I hadta do somethin' right?" His dark brown eyes flickered to Sam, then back to her brother. "Besides, it's where I met your sister."
"Oh." Mark nodded distantly, not really knowing what to say.
"Don't dwell on it; it'll only give you a headache," Jack warned candidly.
Sam shared a look with her father and quickly changed the subject. "So, Mark, you're all going to make it to the wedding in July, right?"
He smiled. "Of course, Sam. We wouldn't miss it."
Glancing at Jack, she reached for his hand beneath the table and gave it a squeeze. She turned back to her brother, still holding Jack's hand. "I'll make arrangements for you guys to get a flight to Minnesota."
"Minnesota?" Mark looked at her oddly.
"Yeah. Jack has a cabin there. It's where we want to have the wedding." She smiled. Just thinking about their few months-away wedding sent excited shivers through her. "It's really beautiful there. The kids will love it."
Mark smiled back at her, and Sam could see that he was glad that she'd finally found someone she could be happy with. That meant a lot to her. "Well then, I look forward to it."
-
Jack couldn't believe that they were a month away from the wedding. He was happy and nervous, especially considering that he hadn't suffered any debilitating headaches or nauseas episodes since his last surgery. He was on his way to see Janet for his routine med check, and if everything was well, she'd promised to try and persuade General Hammond to allow him to be more involved in training sessions with recruits and experienced SG teams alike.
Much to his surprise, Sam hurtled around the corner ahead, snagging his arm as he was about to stride into the infirmary. He laughed at her urgency and apparent eagerness, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion. "Hey, what is it?"
"I need to tell you something," she said with a bright smile, her blue eyes shimmering with happiness.
Pausing in his stride, Jack jerked a thumb toward the infirmary, absently wondering if her excitement was due to her having some scientific breakthrough. "I was just about to see the doc."
Sam looked into his eyes, then turned her attention to the open infirmary doors. Janet was inside, standing near an exam bed and looking at them, a suspiciously knowing gleam in her eyes. Sam let go of his arm, took a breath, and smiled with a nod. "It's okay. This can wait until we get home."
"Okay." Jack's brows twitched faintly in confusion, but he nodded.
"Good luck in there." Sam leaned into him, standing on her toes slightly to give him a quick kiss, her hand sliding up and down his arm.
Jack grinned crookedly, slightly wary. He nodded, stepping away from her. "Thanks. I'll see you in a little while."
Sam watched him disappear into the infirmary. She caught Janet's eye briefly, and got a reassuring nod from her friend before smiling back and striding on down the hall, her heart still hammering away in her chest.
-
It was difficult for Sam to contain her emotions without giving anything away as she drove home from the base. Jack looked slightly anxious and pensive in the passenger seat, staring out the window. She knew what was on his mind. He was worried about the results from his latest tests with Janet, results which would determine his future in the Stargate Program. Jack would either be able to further his involvement in the program, or not.
Sam reached across the seat to take Jack's hand that rested on his thigh. She gave his strong digits a squeeze as he glanced away from the window with the contact. He smiled wanly at her before returning his attention to the passing scenery outside the car.
"I'm sure everything is fine," she assured him warmly, confident that Janet would clear him for more duties. He had come so far in the past few years; she had faith.
"Yeah, I guess." He nodded hesitantly, gripping her hand in return. Jack was often bothered by his limitations, and tried not to get his hopes up too high whenever Janet mentioned he was making progress, just because he didn't feel it. After his last surgery, however, improvements with Jack's health became obvious, and it seemed like the first time in a while where he could really hope for more.
-
Sam pulled into the driveway, and restraining her eagerness as she got out of the car, walked with Jack to the front door. They could both hear Dorothy barking excitedly before the key had even turned in the lock.
Quickly shifting sideways as she stepped into the door, Sam narrowly avoided being bowled over by the playful German Shepherd. She ruffled Dorothy's fur as the dog pounced on Jack, and smiled at the big grin that lit up his face at their furry family member's greeting.
"Happy to see us, huh?" Jack asked Dorothy, crouching down to give her a well-deserved rub down as she rolled on her back, exposing her belly.
Deciding she couldn't contain herself any longer, Sam touched Jack's shoulder, sure that her news would get his mind off of what troubled him. "Hey Jack, how do you think Dorothy is with kids?"
"Kids? She's good with Cassie," Jack responded absently, still rubbing the dog's belly as her tail thumped loudly against the floor.
"I know that, but what about . . . little kids?" Sam eased into the surprise, sucking her lower lip between her teeth.
Confused, Jack stopped petting Dorothy and climbed to his feet, looking at Sam oddly. "Little kids?" He repeated, having no idea what she was getting at.
"Yeah," Sam drawled, taking a step closer. She slowly wound her arms around his waist. "Really little, like . . . babies."
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Babies?" He felt a knot in his throat, suddenly wondering if she was talking about what he thought she was talking about. Jack slid his arms around Sam's waist in return. His gaze flickered down to her stomach between them. "Are you talking about-"
"I'm pregnant, Jack." Sam's bright blue eyes were wet and glossy all of a sudden, a nervous smile on her face.
His eyes went impossibly wide, and a huge grin tugged at his lips. "Pregnant?" he nearly shouted, laughing happily. "Jeeze, Sam!" Jack crushed her to him then, hugging her fiercely before planting his lips against hers with a heartfelt kiss. "A baby!"
Sam laughed, her anxiety quickly ebbing away as he held her. She nodded into the side of his neck. "Yeah. We're gonna have a baby."
Jack leaned back, staring in awe at his soon-to-be wife. God, he loved this woman. They were going to have a baby! He had a helluva lot more to look forward to than simply earning more privileges on base. With Sam, his faithful dog Dorothy, and a little one on the way, he realized that he was finally, truly getting his life back. For the first time in a long while, Jack actually felt complete.
-The End-
End Note: I know I didn’t get into all the stuff I could have, and wanted to (like involving more Daniel, Teal’c, Janet, Cassie, and Jacob, addressing stuff about Charlie, etc.) but my muse just refused to take me there.
The ending isn’t exactly what I had in mind, and as sad as I am to let this one go - ‘cause hey, I’ve worked on this and Changes for more than four years total - I think I’m pretty happy with where I’ve ended it.
Also, I’ll probably be doing a few more additions to the Bits and Pieces series, which covers some stuff before Changes, and between Changes and Transitions.
I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this story as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. :) -naz
-
Back to Chapter One
Summary: Sequel to " Changes"Jack and Sam's relationship grows, going through it's ups and downs with a little help from their SGC family. SamJack, DanielJanet.
Timeframe: Takes place approximately one year after "Changes".
Characters/Pairing: Established SamJack, established DanielJanet, Team, Cassie
Genre: Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Family, Romance
Rating: T
Chapter Twelve: Complete
"Jack, you're hogging the covers," Sam moaned in a sleepy mumble, tugging futilely at the blankets in an attempt to block out the sunlight that was streaming through the windows. Refusing to open her eyes and admit that it was morning, Sam gave the blankets one hard yank, rolling to try and pull them with her. She smiled with satisfaction as they gave way, and Jack just happened to come with them. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he snuggled into her back, kissing the warm, bare skin between her shoulder blades.
"I think we gotta get up," Jack mumbled against her skin, unconvincingly.
Sam laughed softly. "Says who?" She pulled his arm tighter around her waist. The bed dipped suddenly, and the two of them became very aware of the large German Shepherd as she stepped on them, making her way to the head of the bed and nosing at their faces.
"Dorothy says," Jack answered with a chuckle, rolling away from Sam, and playfully shoving the dog off them as Sam turned over as well. "Okay, we get it, girl. You want out."
"I swear, she's worse than a little kid sometimes." Sam sat up, enjoying the brief view of her fiancé’s naked backside as he climbed out of bed and pulled on his shorts. Heaving a sigh of defeat, she followed him out of bed, reaching for her robe. "I'll go make the coffee."
-
"We should pick a date," Jack said suddenly, catching Sam off-guard as she was sipping her hot coffee.
She set her mug down, tilting her head and blinking with momentary confusion. "What?"
"For the wedding." Jack shrugged, a slow grin spreading across his face and lighting up his eyes. His gaze shifted to the nearly-empty mug that he was sliding back and forth between his hands on the table. "Danny mentioned somethin' about it yesterday, and I just thought . . . You know, that we should." He shrugged again as his gaze slowly returned to her face.
She smiled, nodding. "Okay. Got a date in mind?" Sam had been thinking about the wedding a lot, recently, but hadn't wanted to overwhelm Jack, knowing that he was still recovering after his surgery, no matter how many times he insisted that he was just fine.
"What about July?" he suggested. "The summer's always nice for a wedding."
"Yeah," she agreed, tracing circles on the table with her index finger. "I bet it'll be really beautiful up in Minnesota that time of year, too."
Jack cocked his head, his brows knitting together slowly as he pieced together what she was suggesting. Then a pleased, but surprised look came across his face. "You want us to get married at the cabin?"
She smiled, reaching across the table to take his hand. "I think a nice small wedding at the cabin would be just perfect."
Grinning crookedly, he nodded, an excited spark in his dark eyes that told Sam everything she needed to know.
They were going to get married. She almost didn't believe it, but it was true. Sam couldn't have been happier, and she knew that Jack felt the same.
-
Today was the day. No, not the Big Day; today was the day Jack was finally going to meet Sam's brother, and he was nervous as hell. Mark had flown in from San Diego to meet him, though his wife and two kids remained at home. They couldn't join him this time, but Mark had assured Sam that they would be flying in for the wedding. Since Jacob was Earth-bound for the time being, he'd volunteered to pick his son up from the airport, and was currently on his way there.
Jack paced back and forth in the kitchen with his hands shoved into the pockets of his khakis. Sam had told him to relax, that her brother would like him, and she didn't care if he didn't, but Jack still wasn't so sure about the whole thing. It actually meant a lot to him that her family approved. He didn't know why, it just did. Jacob approved, and although he'd never let the man know, Jack had been very pleased with the elder Carter's acceptance.
As he stopped his pacing to stand in front of the sink and stare out the window into the backyard, Jack jerked back with confusion when Dorothy pawed at his leg, and then started whining loudly. After the last incident, he knew it was better to trust the dog's instincts, and began to get down on the floor. "Sam?" He called out, unsure what was going to happen, and wanting her there.
Dorothy sprawled across his legs, still whining.
Jack laid back, feeling an odd, yet disconcertingly familiar sensation that caused every nerve to tingle.
-
Sam had just gotten dressed when she heard Jack call out her name. Before she even left the room, a barking Dorothy bounded through the door, eager to get her attention. She was anxious and on high alert as she followed the dog out of the bedroom. "Okay; I'm coming, I'm coming. Jack?"
She'd just rounded the corner into the kitchen when she found Jack seizing on the floor. His bare toes curled as the spasms hit, his entire body tensing while muscles contracted and relaxed. Jack's head was tossed back in silent agony, his jaw clenched tight like a steel trap, fingers gripping and releasing awkwardly at his sides. It was painful to watch. The veins in his neck bulged with the strain, and his eyes had rolled back in his head.
Quickly kneeling behind him, Sam gently held his head as she waited for the tremors to pass, unable to do anything else. Her eyes watered as she forced herself to keep track of the length of the episode, as per Janet's request. Every time Sam was witness to one of Jack's seizures, her heart ached painfully for him as she willed his torment to be over. She knew he wasn't really aware of what was going on when it happened, but Jack was always more deeply effected afterwards.
While Dorothy laid across Jack's legs, Sam kept track of the length of his seizure, counting off around ninety seconds on her watch before it finally ended, and he became very still. She gently brushed her hand through his hair, shifting so that his head was in her lap as she waited for him to come around.
After a few minutes, Jack was semi-conscious. He groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open, and Sam soothingly continued to run her hand through his hair, trying to coax him into a more alert state. "Jack?"
Seeing that her master was coming around, Dorothy stood up and moved over by his head, staring at him with concern, her tail swishing back and forth sedately.
"Hrm?" Jack slowly brought a hand up to rub at his forehead, blinking up at Sam with glazed eyes.
Sam smiled tightly down at him. "Jack, I know you're probably tired and confused right now, but do you think you could get up to go lie down in the bedroom?"
Nodding sluggishly after a moment, Jack tried to help her get him into a sitting position. Sam still knelt behind him, supporting him so he didn't fall back against the hard floor.
It took a few tries to get him to his feet, and Jack staggered with her all the way to the bedroom, but Sam finally got him on the bed. Dorothy hopped up after him, laying down and pressing against her master's side. "Better?"
"Mrm." Jack's head tilted listlessly, his eyes closing with a groan.
"Sore?" Sam asked knowingly with a concerned frown. The violent way in which his muscles contracted during his seizures was bound to make his entire body hurt.
He heaved a sigh, but didn't speak. Sam suspected that he knew his words would be slurred, and it was useless to waste energy forcing himself to talk. Jack rolled onto his side with obvious effort, curling into a ball and falling into a deep sleep.
After scribbling some notes down in Jack’s little orange medical journal that was by the bed, Sam brushed her hand through his hair one last time. She pulled the blankets over him and left the room, certain that Dorothy would keep watch.
-
Sam was in the kitchen, trying to decide what to do for dinner later when she heard the front door open. Stopping what she was doing, she quickly went to the front hall as her father and brother entered the house. "Dad, Mark." She hugged each of them in turn, holding onto her brother extra tight. It had been quite a while since she'd seen him in person.
"Sam, I've missed you. I don't get to chat on the phone with you nearly enough. How have you been?" Her brother asked with a big smile as he held her shoulders and leaned back to get a look at her.
Sam caught her father's grin out of the corner of her eye. She knew how grateful he was to get them all together. "I've been good, Mark," she told him honestly. "How about you, Sue, and the kids?"
"Oh, we're all just fine. Sue recently got a promotion at work, and the kids are excited for their upcoming summer vacation." Her brother smiled with pride. She knew he loved talking about his family. Sam hadn't seen the kids in far too long, and was looking forward to them visiting for the wedding.
Jacob closed the door behind them and set Mark's suitcase down out of the way. "Where's Jack?" He asked, looking around.
"Yes, dear sister," Mark teased, "Where is this guy of yours? I haven't heard too much about him."
Sam smiled tightly, not responding for a moment, then looking up into her father's concerned grey-blue eyes when he lightly grasped her arm. "Ah, he's resting right now."
Mark looked a little confused, while her father just regarded her seriously, sensing something had happened. "What's wrong?" Jacob asked her lowly, leaning close in case she didn't want her brother to hear.
"He had a seizure just a little while ago," Sam explained, her voice a soft whisper.
Her father nodded with solemn, sympathetic understanding, while her brother had overheard, a surprised look on his face. "Sam, shouldn't you call 9-1-1 or something?"
Sam shook her head soberly. "No, Mark. It's . . . Jack has a medical condition. He's on medication, but it still happens from time to time."
It didn't escape her notice that her brother looked a little uncomfortable. "Um, is there anything we can do?"
"No." Sam's gaze flickered between her brother and her father, and she smiled thinly. "Jack just gets tired and a little confused after. He'll rest for a while and be alright."
"Mark, why don't you take your things into the guest room," Jacob interjected. He pointed down the hallway. "Down the hall, first door on the left." When Mark nodded and walked away, Jacob drew closer to Sam, sensing her disquiet. "Are you okay?"
Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just . . . It's hard to watch, you know?" She grimaced, her eyes downcast.
Jacob nodded with understanding. He remembered Jack's first seizure a little more than a year ago, and Sam's distress afterwards. Jacob rubbed his hand along her arm, then pulled her into his warm, sturdy embrace.
Leaning her head on her father's shoulder, Sam was thankful for his presence. She turned her head to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you could come, Dad. And thanks for bringing Mark. This really means a lot to me. And to Jack."
He leaned back and smiled at her, crows feet crinkling the corners of his eyes. "I know it does, Sammy."
Bracing herself with a deep breath, Sam saw Mark emerging from the guest room, and headed for the kitchen. She figured now was as good a time as any for her to tell her brother a little about the man she was going to marry without embarrassing Jack by doing it in front of him.
-
After chatting with Mark and father for awhile, telling her brother what she could about how she and Jack got to know each other, and making up some story about her year-long absence without revealing any classified information, Sam got up to go check on Jack.
Dorothy's ears perked up as Sam walked in. Jack was still curled up on his side, and the German Shepherd's head rested on his hip as the amber eyes watched Sam enter the room. She smiled at the dog as she made her way in. "Hey, girl, how's he doin'?" Sam whispered. Dorothy was so fiercely protective of him, Sam was sometimes sure that Dorothy thought Jack was one of her pups.
Jack's eyes opened, and he was blinking at her blearily. "Hi," he said hoarsely.
Sam sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching over Jack to pat Dorothy on the head before her hand slid down to take his. She slowly stroked her thumb over his knuckles. "Feel like getting up? Dad and Mark are in the kitchen."
He sighed, and she quickly caught the brief flash of uncertainty in his eyes.
"If you're not up to company right now, at least come out and say hello, then you can come back in here and rest if you want." Sam tried to reassure him, knowing too well that he was probably still feeling a bit off. She stood up, ready to help Jack if he needed it. “I know these aren’t exactly the circumstances where you wanted to meet my brother.”
With a resigned nod, Jack pushed the blankets off himself and languidly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he did so. He stood with a grunt, swaying slightly and cursing under his breath.
Sam grabbed his arm, and Dorothy quickly hopped off the bed to stand at her master's other side. Leaning sideways, Sam kissed his cheek. "Okay?"
"Yeah." Jack straightened out his sleep-rumpled clothes.
Before they got moving, she reached up to try and smooth down the wayward bits of Jack's hair that were sticking out all over the place. Finally giving up, and smiling when he cocked an eyebrow at her, Sam shrugged and gingerly walked with him to the door, her arm hooked around his.
Her father and brother were talking quietly at the table when Sam and Jack stepped into the kitchen, Dorothy trailing behind. The two men stood up, and she smiled at them, trying to hide her concern when Jack stepped away from her, obviously wanting to hide his weakness from her brother.
"Mark; heard a lot about you." Jack outstretched his hand, his voice low and more controlled than Sam expected it to be. "I’m Jack," he introduced himself.
Smiling, Mark shook his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you." Her brother gave away nothing that he knew anything at all about Jack's condition, and Sam was grateful for that.
"Likewise." Nodding back at Mark, Jack said hello to Jacob and took a seat while Dorothy made the rounds, greeting their guests before loyally taking her spot at Jack's side.
They sat around the table for a while, speaking amiably, but the whole time, Jack was very subdued. Sam was aware that he still wasn't feeling quite up to par, but appreciated his efforts with her brother, allowing Mark to get to know him a little bit. She got up to get Jack a glass of water, and when she came back to the table, noticed that her brother was staring at the horseshoe scar still visible on the side of her fiancé’s head. Sitting back down, she subtly kicked her brother's foot under the table, and he shifted focus quickly, having probably not realized what he'd been doing.
Mark cleared his throat. "So, Jack . . . Sam tells me you consult sometimes at the mountain base or something to do with training?" he asked unsurely.
Jack shared a sidelong glance with her father, a crooked smirk on his face, disappearing quickly. "Yeah, something like that. I used to be a field commander."
"Before going into . . . Deep Space Radar . . . telemetry?" Mark blinked, looking a little confused.
Shrugging, Jack grinned, looking more lively than he had since he'd woken up. He had a sly, 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' smirk. "Yeah, well, after my accident, I hadta do somethin' right?" His dark brown eyes flickered to Sam, then back to her brother. "Besides, it's where I met your sister."
"Oh." Mark nodded distantly, not really knowing what to say.
"Don't dwell on it; it'll only give you a headache," Jack warned candidly.
Sam shared a look with her father and quickly changed the subject. "So, Mark, you're all going to make it to the wedding in July, right?"
He smiled. "Of course, Sam. We wouldn't miss it."
Glancing at Jack, she reached for his hand beneath the table and gave it a squeeze. She turned back to her brother, still holding Jack's hand. "I'll make arrangements for you guys to get a flight to Minnesota."
"Minnesota?" Mark looked at her oddly.
"Yeah. Jack has a cabin there. It's where we want to have the wedding." She smiled. Just thinking about their few months-away wedding sent excited shivers through her. "It's really beautiful there. The kids will love it."
Mark smiled back at her, and Sam could see that he was glad that she'd finally found someone she could be happy with. That meant a lot to her. "Well then, I look forward to it."
-
Jack couldn't believe that they were a month away from the wedding. He was happy and nervous, especially considering that he hadn't suffered any debilitating headaches or nauseas episodes since his last surgery. He was on his way to see Janet for his routine med check, and if everything was well, she'd promised to try and persuade General Hammond to allow him to be more involved in training sessions with recruits and experienced SG teams alike.
Much to his surprise, Sam hurtled around the corner ahead, snagging his arm as he was about to stride into the infirmary. He laughed at her urgency and apparent eagerness, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion. "Hey, what is it?"
"I need to tell you something," she said with a bright smile, her blue eyes shimmering with happiness.
Pausing in his stride, Jack jerked a thumb toward the infirmary, absently wondering if her excitement was due to her having some scientific breakthrough. "I was just about to see the doc."
Sam looked into his eyes, then turned her attention to the open infirmary doors. Janet was inside, standing near an exam bed and looking at them, a suspiciously knowing gleam in her eyes. Sam let go of his arm, took a breath, and smiled with a nod. "It's okay. This can wait until we get home."
"Okay." Jack's brows twitched faintly in confusion, but he nodded.
"Good luck in there." Sam leaned into him, standing on her toes slightly to give him a quick kiss, her hand sliding up and down his arm.
Jack grinned crookedly, slightly wary. He nodded, stepping away from her. "Thanks. I'll see you in a little while."
Sam watched him disappear into the infirmary. She caught Janet's eye briefly, and got a reassuring nod from her friend before smiling back and striding on down the hall, her heart still hammering away in her chest.
-
It was difficult for Sam to contain her emotions without giving anything away as she drove home from the base. Jack looked slightly anxious and pensive in the passenger seat, staring out the window. She knew what was on his mind. He was worried about the results from his latest tests with Janet, results which would determine his future in the Stargate Program. Jack would either be able to further his involvement in the program, or not.
Sam reached across the seat to take Jack's hand that rested on his thigh. She gave his strong digits a squeeze as he glanced away from the window with the contact. He smiled wanly at her before returning his attention to the passing scenery outside the car.
"I'm sure everything is fine," she assured him warmly, confident that Janet would clear him for more duties. He had come so far in the past few years; she had faith.
"Yeah, I guess." He nodded hesitantly, gripping her hand in return. Jack was often bothered by his limitations, and tried not to get his hopes up too high whenever Janet mentioned he was making progress, just because he didn't feel it. After his last surgery, however, improvements with Jack's health became obvious, and it seemed like the first time in a while where he could really hope for more.
-
Sam pulled into the driveway, and restraining her eagerness as she got out of the car, walked with Jack to the front door. They could both hear Dorothy barking excitedly before the key had even turned in the lock.
Quickly shifting sideways as she stepped into the door, Sam narrowly avoided being bowled over by the playful German Shepherd. She ruffled Dorothy's fur as the dog pounced on Jack, and smiled at the big grin that lit up his face at their furry family member's greeting.
"Happy to see us, huh?" Jack asked Dorothy, crouching down to give her a well-deserved rub down as she rolled on her back, exposing her belly.
Deciding she couldn't contain herself any longer, Sam touched Jack's shoulder, sure that her news would get his mind off of what troubled him. "Hey Jack, how do you think Dorothy is with kids?"
"Kids? She's good with Cassie," Jack responded absently, still rubbing the dog's belly as her tail thumped loudly against the floor.
"I know that, but what about . . . little kids?" Sam eased into the surprise, sucking her lower lip between her teeth.
Confused, Jack stopped petting Dorothy and climbed to his feet, looking at Sam oddly. "Little kids?" He repeated, having no idea what she was getting at.
"Yeah," Sam drawled, taking a step closer. She slowly wound her arms around his waist. "Really little, like . . . babies."
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Babies?" He felt a knot in his throat, suddenly wondering if she was talking about what he thought she was talking about. Jack slid his arms around Sam's waist in return. His gaze flickered down to her stomach between them. "Are you talking about-"
"I'm pregnant, Jack." Sam's bright blue eyes were wet and glossy all of a sudden, a nervous smile on her face.
His eyes went impossibly wide, and a huge grin tugged at his lips. "Pregnant?" he nearly shouted, laughing happily. "Jeeze, Sam!" Jack crushed her to him then, hugging her fiercely before planting his lips against hers with a heartfelt kiss. "A baby!"
Sam laughed, her anxiety quickly ebbing away as he held her. She nodded into the side of his neck. "Yeah. We're gonna have a baby."
Jack leaned back, staring in awe at his soon-to-be wife. God, he loved this woman. They were going to have a baby! He had a helluva lot more to look forward to than simply earning more privileges on base. With Sam, his faithful dog Dorothy, and a little one on the way, he realized that he was finally, truly getting his life back. For the first time in a long while, Jack actually felt complete.
-The End-
End Note: I know I didn’t get into all the stuff I could have, and wanted to (like involving more Daniel, Teal’c, Janet, Cassie, and Jacob, addressing stuff about Charlie, etc.) but my muse just refused to take me there.
The ending isn’t exactly what I had in mind, and as sad as I am to let this one go - ‘cause hey, I’ve worked on this and Changes for more than four years total - I think I’m pretty happy with where I’ve ended it.
Also, I’ll probably be doing a few more additions to the Bits and Pieces series, which covers some stuff before Changes, and between Changes and Transitions.
I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this story as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. :) -naz
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