fic- "His Woman" (Stargate SGA/SG-1, Sam/Ronon, NC-17, Complete) Part 4 of 4
Title: His Woman
Author: CJ aka WritinginCT
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis/SG-1
Pairing: Sam Carter/Ronon Dex
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Non-consensual invasive medical exam, brief mentions of the off screen sexual abuse of a child
Categories: Het, Drama, Alien Abduction, Stranded, Romance
Disclaimer: I don't own the recognizable characters I'm just inspired by them.
Status: Complete 11/3/2010 24,758 words.
Note: Set somewhere prior to the "Midway" episode in SGA season 4. This fic involves members of both SG-1 and SGA, and though it is predominantly a Sam/Ronon pairing, the unresolved emotional feelings between Sam and Jack are hit upon.
Summary: They were stranded together against their will, but as they carved a life out of the wilderness, she became his woman because she wanted to...
Part 1 here Part 2 here Part 3 here
---------------
Sam was dragging all of their bedding outside to air. It had been a long winter and the warm spring sun felt good.
Ronon and Syrut were turning over the garden soil, preparing it for planting. Egin was with them amusing himself by trying to catch earthworms as they did.
Tissa came out of the cabin with Mel in one arm and another blanket to air in the other.
---
The young woman no longer bore any resemblance to the skinny, abused girl that she had been last summer. She had gained some healthy weight and her eyes had lost that numb, haunted look.
Geena had never awoken, her body just giving up, and they buried her in a clearing out in the forest.
It took a long time for Tissa to trust that no one would hurt her, and giving credit where credit was due, it was Syrut that helped her heal the most. His kind and gentle nature and quick laugh got through to her in ways that Sam and Ronon just couldn't.
Sam did have many heart to heart girl talks with Tissa. The first when Tissa had become hysterical at the onset of her first menstrual period a month after Ronon had found them. It had taken Sam the better part of a day to calm her down and get her to talk. Apparently in the village, girls were given to men as mates once they had their first period. Tissa had been promised to the oldest man in the village, a man named Kreb. From her description, Sam was pretty sure that Kreb was the man that tried to claim her when she and Ronon first arrived. Kreb had already been touching and satisfying himself on Tissa for three years even without penetration. So when Tissa got her period, she was terrified that Sam and Ronon were going to send her to Kreb. Sam promised her that was never going to happen and then very matter-of-factly explained what exactly her period was and how to care for herself.
Ronon's quiet way also got through to Tissa. For the longest time she wouldn't even make eye contact with the big man, but as time when by and she saw how patient he was with Syrut, even when Syrut did something wrong, and she watched Ronon playing with Egin or holding Mel and his playful, loving nature with them, she relaxed a little around him. She was fascinated watching him work with leather and deer skin. She would peek around the corner of the cabin to watch him work, not seeing the silly smirk on his face because he knew she was watching. Slowly, but surely, her courage grew and she inched closer to see better. Eventually she made it all the way to sit by his side and listen as he patiently explained what he was doing, and it quickly became evident that with a little more practice, she would easily become the best leather tailor out of all them, she just had a knack.
She missed her mother, but didn't miss anything else about their old life in the harsh village.
---
Sam and Tissa were spreading out the bedding. Sam looked over to where the guys were tilling and smiled, a hot and sweaty and shirtless Ronon standing out in the sunshine was a thing to behold, and she wondered if they could sneak away for a few minutes of alone time later on, privacy in the cabin, even with curtains, was sorely lacking these days and it would be nice to make love without worrying about the noise.
Ronon paused in his digging and leaned on the sapling handle of the wood and stone hoe. He looked towards Sam and could see the look on her face as she stared at him. It was a look he knew well, and he licked his bottom lip and threw her back a wicked grin. It had been a long winter cooped up in the cabin and his woman was feeling frisky.
Any thoughts of a stolen few minutes together quickly vanished however, when both Sam and Ronon's heads whipped up as a familiar whine echoed through the air and a puddlejumper uncloaked over the trees a moment later.
It landed in the open meadow and the rear hatch opened.
---------------
John hovered the jumper over the mud hut village and grimaced. "Somehow I can't picture Sam and Ronon living like that."
Jack's voice from the other seat replied, "No. Let's go check out those other life signs."
"Roger that."
---
John's smile was instant when they approached the other coordinates. Ronon was impossible to miss standing there in the middle of what looked like a large garden patch.
Jack took in the neatly laid out homestead and solid little cabin and could see Carter in all of it. The woman herself was standing next to it and Jack let out a deep breath; it felt like the first time he had done that in nearly five years.
Daniel and Rodney crowded around Jack and John so they could see as well, almost not believing what they were seeing.
It was Rodney that asked, "Where'd they get all those kids?"
John laughed and said as he landed the jumper, "I have no idea. I say we go ask them."
---------------
Ronon was cautious as the jumper door opened, putting himself between the jumper and his family. That only lasted as long as it took for all four men crowd each other out of the jumper. Seeing the familiar uniforms and faces instantly relaxed the big man.
Egin ran to his father and clung to his leg just as the rest of his family gathered around him. They all just stood there staring at each other.
Finally it was Jack that broke the ice. It was the slightest of gestures but Jack opened his arms just a bit and Sam stepped over and let herself be wrapped in a tight hug. She didn't make a sound, but Ronon could see the way her shoulders were hunching and he knew that she was crying.
Jack's hands were gently rubbing Sam's back and he whispered to Sam, "We never stopped looking."
Sam sniffed hard and tried to compose herself, her face still hidden from everyone else. "I never doubted that for a second."
Sheppard and Ronon were grinning at each other. "Sheppard."
"Ronon."
Soon bear hugs all around were dispensed and everyone seemed to be talking at once. When they shared the news that the Wraith were gone everyone just looked at Ronon for a moment, knowing what that meant to the Satedan. He was deep in thought for a moment, his feelings indiscernible on his face, when he all of a sudden threw back his head and raised up his arms in victory and let out a joyous war whoop that echoed throughout the valley.
Egin alternated between hugging Ronon and Sam's legs, peeking out at the visitors. Jack caught him looking and crouched down to the toddler's level. "Hi."
Sam gently ruffled Egin's hair and looked down, meeting Jack's eyes. "This is our son, Egin."
Even without the confirmation, Jack had known in an instant that the sandy haired boy was theirs. He looked just like Sam, but instead of crystalline blue, his large eyes were dark brown like Ronon's, like his father's.
Syrut was bursting with energy and announced, "I am Syrut."
Ronon grinned and teased, "He's the shy one."
Rodney looked in disbelief at Ronon and asked John, "Did he just make a joke?"
"Missed you, too, McKay," Ronon replied.
Daniel stepped over to Syrut and extended his hand, not wanting the young man to feel slighted. "Hello, Syrut. I'm Daniel."
Syrut's smile was instant. "Sam told me stories about you."
"Oh no," Daniel replied, "Guess I'll have to tell you some stories about her to get even."
Syrut nodded wildly, "Yes, please."
Everyone shared a chuckle and Ronon put his arm around Tissa and pulled her out of her hiding spot in back of Sam. Mel was in her arms, observing all the loud strangers with disapproval.
Ronon took Mel from Tissa. She reached over and took a hold of her father's beard in her little fist like some sort of security blanket. Ronon winced playfully and that made the baby laugh. He looked towards Sheppard and said, "This is our daughter, Melena." He put a gentle hand on the top of Tissa's head and said, "And this is Tissa."
Sam looked over at Ronon with a surge of pride and love and possessiveness. Jack and Sheppard caught it and shared one of their own.
It was Rodney that stated obvious as he stared between Sam and Ronon and gestured, "So you two..."
John and Jack each let out a little snort of laughter as Sam and Ronon gave Rodney matching raised eyebrows.
Daniel cleared his throat and asked, "So... do we get a tour?"
---
Syrut gleefully led the group to the cabin, talking all the way. Sam noticed that Daniel wasn't meeting quite her eyes and she didn't know why.
As the rest of them headed for the cabin Sam tugged on his sleeve and said, "Hang back a second?"
He did and when the rest were out of earshot she asked, "Please look at me, Daniel." When he finally did, she could see that the lines around his eyes had deepened. "Daniel, please tell me what's bothering you. Is it the idea that Ronon and I..."
Daniel quickly interrupted, "No. It's not that. It's just... I'm sorry, Sam. It's my fault it took so long to find you. It took me almost a year to decipher their language."
"Daniel," Sam chided.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm officially calling a moratorium on those words, Daniel. The only blame lies with the people that took us in the first place. The only blame, do you hear me?"
"None of us ever gave up hope. Jack and John especially."
Sam chuckled, "Those two are more alike than they realize."
Daniel finally smiled as he kept looking towards the cabin. He noted Ronon smiling and laughing and looking relaxed, it was the complete opposite of how he remembered the man. Daniel turned to Sam with a little smirk, "So you and Ronon?"
Sam blushed, "That sort of snuck up on me. But we're good together."
Daniel teased and nudged her with his shoulder, "I can see that. And I'm glad for you. For you both."
They started walking towards the rest of the group when Sam put her hand on Daniel's arm, bringing him to a stop. "Daniel, there's something I need to tell you before you hear it accidentally."
Daniel's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
"We do a lot of things the Satedan way. And they have some traditions about naming their children. Egin is named after his grandfathers. And Mel is named after two women that are important to Ronon and I."
Daniel nodded, nothing unusual about the concept. He asked, "So who is Melena to Ronon? And what is the other half of her name?" Daniel expected her to answer to be "Janet" or "Catherine".
"Melena was Ronon's first love, she... died on Sateda, and Mel's full name is Melena Sha're Dex."
Daniel swallowed hard and asked, "Sha're?"
"Without her you wouldn't have stayed on Abydos. And if you hadn't stayed on Abydos you would never have found the cartouche room which opened up the universe to us. I've seen and done the most amazing things stepping through the gate and it's all because of Sha're, and I'm honored to name my daughter after her."
Daniel didn't know what to say, he just enveloped Sam in a bone-crushing hug.
---
Jack was quiet as he looked around at the the tidy little homestead. The more he took in, the more he could see that it wasn't just a shelter from the elements, it was a home, something lived in, loved in.
Jack looked over at Ronon. He didn't know the man at all save what others had told him, but Jack could see how he was with Tissa and Syrut, and especially with his own toddlers. He was a good father, a good provider, one that kept his family safe and loved them and wasn't afraid to show that. He certainly wasn't the type of man Jack could have ever pictured Sam building a family with, but yet there they were.
When Sam and Daniel rejoined the group and Sam went to stand next to Ronon and his arm automatically went around her shoulder, Jack noticed something about Sam. It was as if she had somehow found a missing piece of herself out here in the wilderness with Ronon. He had to admit to himself that stung a little, a part of him still clinging to the idea that at some point they might have been able to let those feelings out that they had long ago left in that observation room with the za'tarc testing machine, but that opportunity was now gone, and Jack had to swallow down the lump in his throat that that realization brought.
---
Daniel said quietly, "We've got two ships in orbit. We've got the go-ahead to stop at every planet where abductees where dropped off and see if any of them want to be returned to their home worlds."
Sam nodded. "Good."
Jack's eyes met Ronon's and asked, "So I guess we'll start with you two, do you want to go back to Atlantis?" He didn't say home, because he was standing in the middle of their home and he knew it.
Sam and Ronon had had that discussion many times, daydreaming out loud to each other about what they wanted to do if they were ever found. Sam knew that the idea of a safe home of their own for their children was important to Ronon, but he also wanted Sam to be happy and be able to do the work she loved so much. They had solved that dilemma by deciding that they would go back to Atlantis, but that they were going to live on the mainland with the four children and Sam could commute into the city to work as needed.
Ronon didn't flinch under Jack's intense gaze, he had nothing to be ashamed of, and said, "Yeah, we wanna go back."
Jack nodded and replied, "I'll have the ship beam down some packing crates for you."
---
Egin, much to Rodney's horror, was fascinated by him and followed him everywhere much to everyone else's amusement. Mel though, had found a new friend in Daniel. The four visitors were babysitting the two toddlers while Sam and Ronon spoke with Tissa and Syrut in the cabin.
Both teenagers were excited, but terrified for different reasons and Sam and Ronon did their best to reassure them that they wouldn't be separated from each other or from them. Tissa was sitting on the bench at the table next to Ronon, pressed as close to his side as she could get. Ronon put his arm around her and gave the frightened child a little squeeze and said, "Nobody's gonna take you away from us. I promise."
Sam nodded and added, "Tissa, all four of those guys outside will protect you like we do, and there's a whole bunch more people on Atlantis that will too. No one is going to hurt you again, not ever."
Tissa sniffed and nodded but didn't move away from Ronon's one-armed hug.
Syrut wasn't sitting, he was nervously wandering the cabin, they could see him working himself up.
"Syrut," Sam said gently, "please tell us what you're thinking."
"They're going to make me go back to my planet."
Sam stood up and stopped Syrut in his pacing. With her hands on his shoulders she said, "Syrut, you're old enough to decide that for yourself. But don't you want to see your mother and father again? Your friends?"
"Yes, but I don't want to stay there."
Ronon reached over and wrapped his big hand around Syrut's wrist. "Nobody's gonna make you stay if you don't want to."
"Promise?" Syrut asked in a worried voice.
"I promise," Ronon said with a little nod.
---
The packing crates had been beamed down while they were talking inside the cabin. Ronon, John, and Syrut brought them into the cabin and began packing. Sam found Rodney and Daniel sitting under a shade tree, Mel sound asleep on Daniel's shoulder. She didn't see Egin or Jack and Daniel grinned and pointed towards the lake.
Egin was happily showing Jack the turtles sunning themselves on a rock when Sam approached. He looked up at her and she could see that his eyes were a little sad.
Egin continued exploring the shore and Jack warned, "Stay out of the water."
Sam chuckled. "He's been swimming in that lake since he was only a few months old. He's a good swimmer. No worries."
They watched Egin intently investigating something in the water's edge for a couple of minutes when Jack's quiet voice said, "They're beautiful kids, Carter."
"Sam," was her reply.
Jack got her meaning and repeated, "They're beautiful kids, Sam."
"Thanks. They were a gift that I'm still not quite sure I earned."
Jack turned to face her, his face serious as was his tone as he said, "More than earned, Sam, more than earned."
A plunk of a rock hitting the water brought their attention back to Egin who had chucked a stone into the lake.
Sam was still watching her son as she said softly to Jack, "I'm sorry."
"Do you love him?" Jack asked with his eyes fixed firmly out on the lake.
"Yes," came Sam's simple reply without hesitation.
"And he loves you?"
"Yeah, he does," Sam replied.
"He's seems like an alright guy, Sheppard raves about him."
Sam chuckled, "Ronon is a good man, Jack."
Jack turned his head slightly, a sad little grin on his face. "He'd have to be for you to fall in love with him."
---
Rodney migrated into the cabin. He plunked down on the bench and looked around and said, "I still can't believe you managed to build this with just the little tools they gave you."
"Took a while," Ronon replied as he put a pile of clothing into a crate.
"And you and Sam?" Rodney asked abruptly.
"McKay," John said in exasperation.
Ronon actually chuckled. "That took a while, too."
Rodney shook his head and turned to John, "I'm never going to get used to him telling jokes."
Syrut chimed in, "Ronon tells jokes all the time. He makes Sam laugh."
Ronon shrugged and dumped more stuff in a crate.
Rodney asked, "So you and Sam wasn't because of...," he trailed off and gestured vaguely in the air.
"Rodney!," John hissed.
"Sheppard, it's alright. All of you are probably thinking that," Ronon said.
"Still, there are better ways to ask," John said and frowned at Rodney.
Ronon shrugged again. "It wasn't because of the people that took us." He focused on Rodney and continued, "It didn't happen right away. We were here almost two years before..."
Rodney nodded, getting the drift. "You're different. Happy, even."
John looked at Ronon realizing what Rodney said was true. They might not have asked to be abducted and dumped off on this frontier planet, but they had made the best of it. They made a home and a family and had a good life. Ronon was happy and John hoped that continued once they went back to Atlantis.
---
They had released the goats from the pen, and the packing crates had all been beamed up to the awaiting ship.
Everyone was heading for the jumper, but Ronon was no where to be found. Sam handed Mel to Tissa and said she would go find him.
She found him in the cabin, sitting on the edge of their bed. His expression was thoughtful and sad. She went and stood in front of him and he pressed his cheek to her stomach and wrapped his arms around her back. Her hands gently rubbed his shoulders and neck.
"This was a good home," Sam said quietly.
Ronon sat back and pulled Sam down onto his lap. "Yeah."
"What's bothering you? Do you not want to go back?"
"It's just... things are gonna change."
"Not if we don't let them."
"Sure about that?"
"Positive," Sam said with a grin and kissed him lightly.
He squeezed her tight and they sat there for a few quiet minutes, finishing their stay on the planet how they began it, just the two of them.
Or so Ronon thought.
They stood to go and Ronon paused in the doorway and said, "Made a lot of memories here."
Sam chuckled and said lightly, "Made three babies here."
It took a heartbeat for that to sink in to Ronon's head and he slowly turned to Sam who was standing there with an impish grin.
She teased, "Did I actually sneak one past you this time?"
---
The jumper was full and John had insisted that Syrut ride shot-gun and the young man was asking all the questions he could think of, all the while his eyes wide with wonder.
They flew over to the mud-hut village and landed the jumper in a nearby field. Rodney offered to stay in the jumper with Tissa, Syrut and the babies, while the rest went to offer a way home to those in the village.
At the strangers' approach, all the women and children went scurrying into the huts and the men formed ranks behind the same ugly, scarred man with yellowed teeth that had first greeted Sam and Ronon when they arrived on the planet.
Daniel took the lead. "We come in peace. We've been looking for our friends," he gestured to Sam and Ronon, "for a long time and finally found them and you. We know you were taken from your home worlds and we would like to offer to bring you home."
The leader spat out, "You're not welcome here."
Daniel ignored him and spoke to the crowd, "Any person- man, woman, or child that wants to come with us is welcome. If we can't find your home world, we will find you a safe place to live in peace with everything you need to live comfortably.."
The leader looked at Ronon, "I remember you. Thought you died out in the forest."
Ronon's eyebrow quirked up, "Sorry to disappoint you."
Jack noticed a particular set to Sam's jaw, the disgust practically rolling off of her in waves.
She pushed to the foreground and without hesitation, took Daniel's sidearm out of its holster. She stepped in front of the leader and addressed the village, more specifically the women cowering in the huts. "You don't have to be afraid. We won't let them hurt you or try to stop you if you want to leave. You and your children will be safe, I promise."
The leader raised his hand to strike her, and even as Ronon was moving to kill him, Sam had raised the Beretta and aimed it at his forehead. She had flint in her voice as she said low and deadly, "You're not going to hurt anyone else. Not ever."
The leader fixed his eyes on Ronon standing just behind Sam's shoulder and said, "You let your woman act like this?"
Sam didn't hesitate, and the leader was on the ground a moment later clutching his head where Sam had pistol-whipped him.
Ronon crouched down near him and pulled the man up by his tunic and growled out, "I don't let her do anything, she's free to as she wants. And she's my woman because she wants to be."
A more timid man came forward from the back of the crowd and asked calmly, "You would really return us home?"
Sam nodded, "Yes. Anyone that wants to go."
A woman came out of the hut with an infant in one arm and holding the hand of a small dirty little boy. She quickly crossed to Sam and hit her knees in front of Sam. "Please, please take us with you."
Sam crouched and helped the woman to her feet. "Of course we will. Don't be afraid."
Slowly but surely, the huts emptied out as more women came forward, some with children, some without. A few of the men also wanted to go, but a good portion of them stayed behind the leader.
Sam gave Daniel back his sidearm and he and John were leading the group back towards the jumper to arrange to to have them beamed up to the ship.
The leader was back on his feet and looked towards the jumper. Tissa was standing outside it greeting some of the approaching women that she knew.
The leader demanded, "That girl is mine. She was promised to me."
Sam asked coldly, "You're Kreb?"
"That's my name. And once that girl bleeds she will be my new mate. She's young and will breed well" His hand went to the knife at his belt.
Before Sam or Ronon could react, Jack's voice piped up with a phrase Sam had heard come from him many times throughout the years, "Oh, there's not a chance in hell."
An instant later there was a Ka-bar sticking out of Kreb's chest as he slowly sank to the ground.
Ronon and Sam turned to face Jack. His emotions were shuttered and he just shrugged slightly.
Ronon pulled the Ka-bar from Kreb's chest and wiped it off on the dead man's tunic. He stepped over to Jack and flipped it over to hand it to Jack handle first. Their eyes met and held for moment before Ronon grinned and clapped Jack on the solider.
Sam looked at the rest of the men assembled and said, "Last chance."
Two more headed towards the jumper.
Sam, Ronon, and Jack did the same. Sam and Ronon were very surprised when the normally shy Tissa flew to Jack and wrapped her arms around him; she had seen him kill Kreb.
Soon enough all the abductees were beamed up and John piloted the jumper up out of the atmosphere and and safely into the waiting ship.
---------------
They had been back almost seven months and were were still living on Atlantis. Ronon was building them a home near a small lake on the mainland, but he was going slow and taking his time to build it exactly the way he wanted it. The way Sam wanted it. Her only requests were indoor plumbing and a bedroom of their own with a lockable door.
They had settled back into the population of Atlantis with very little effort, but a ton of fanfare, everyone on the city glad to see them safely returned. There was a lot of talk and speculation about Sam and Ronon and the possibility of their pairing being forced by their abductors but it didn't take very long for those around them to see the strength of the bond between them and the genuine love and affection they shared.
The debriefs were long and arduous, but Jack defended them both when the IOA tried prying into things they had no business prying into. Sam officially resigned from the Air Force but did sign on as a civilian scientist for Atlantis with the understanding that her family came first.
With the Wraith extinct, Ronon had no more wars to fight and though he still had a place with Sheppard's team any time he wanted to go on a mission, Ronon spent most of his time as he had back on the planet, building a home for his family and spending time with his children.
---
The visit to Syrut's home world had been heartbreaking. From the complete destruction it was clear that the world had been been one of the last culled before the demise of the Wraith.
Syrut was very withdrawn after that, and Sam enlisted the help of her fellow scientists in keeping the young man occupied. Syrut, for all his limited intellect, turned out to be a very efficient assistant for the science teams. He never touched things he wasn't supposed to, and always, almost obsessively, followed instructions to the letter.
He worked hard and learned as much as he was able, and had gotten to the point where there were occasionally small repairs that he was allowed to make on his own. His self-esteem soared and the cheerful young man he was came back out.
He had made a odd friend in Radek of all people. Radek appreciated Syrut's respectful nature and willingness to follow instructions and they worked well together completing repairs around the city. Radek was also thrilled to have finally found someone that appreciated his love of homing pigeons and the two were trying to browbeat the biologists into letting them have a small coop out on one of the piers.
Syrut was well liked on the city, and was eagerly included in any number of activities that others had going on. Sam and Ronon suspected that once their home was complete on the mainland that Syrut wouldn't be going with them, and Radek had already casually mentioned to Sam that there was a empty set of quarters down the hall from his that would be suitable for Syrut's first apartment.
---
Tissa surprised them most of all. She spent a considerable amount of time with Jack of all people. She trusted him implicitly after seeing him kill Kreb. Jack took her want of attention in stride and willingly gave it to her. Although she was physically a teenager, emotionally she was much younger, and Jack's carefree and gentle manner appealed to her. They were seen often in the mess sneaking a dessert in the middle of the afternoon, and he taught her how to fish and how to play chess and would help her with the schoolwork Sam gave her to do. Sometimes they would find some out of the way balcony and she would sit tucked under Jack's arm as they read a book together. He was good for her and she was good for him, helping ease the hurt that seeing Sam and Ronon together with their children still brought.
One evening about six months after they arrived on the city, Sam washed Mel's face after dinner and turned her towards Ronon and said, "Go see your father." For no apparent reason, Tissa had broken out in tears and ran to her bedroom to sob into her pillow.
Sam and Ronon exchanged a look of absolute confusion and a very pregnant Sam waddled into the bedroom the two girls shared. She sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed Tissa's back. "What's wrong?"
It took a minute, but eventually Tissa sobbed out, "I don't have a father."
Sam swallowed hard and replied, "I know, sweetheart, but you have many, many people that love and care about you."
Tissa's crying storm continued and Sam heard her say through her tears, "I wish Jack was my father."
Sam didn't quite know what to say to that and just stroked Tissa's hair until her crying subsided and she fell asleep.
The next day Sam sought out Jack and told him about Tissa's crying jag. He was surprised to say the least. "She wishes I was her father? What about Ronon?"
Sam just shook her head. "I don't know."
They sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking and trying to sort out the situation. Jack met Sam's eyes and said quietly, "I would."
Sam's eyebrow shot up in confusion. "Would what?"
"Adopt her. That's what you're thinking isn't it?"
"It was one of a bunch of other thoughts in my head," Sam admitted.
"We should talk to one of the psychologists before we get too far ahead of ourselves. It may not be the best thing for her."
Sam grinned knowingly. "Actually, Jack, I'm betting that's it's probably the best thing for the both of you."
After speaking with Tissa and Jack separately and then together, the psychologist agreed with Sam's assessment. And so it was that shortly thereafter, Jack initiated the Earth-side paperwork to formally adopt Tissa and he and Tissa moved into a new two-bedroom set of quarters.
Sam was still Tissa's go-to person for girl stuff, and her schoolwork, but Jack was her world.
Sam had been worried about how Ronon was going to take it, but in the end he had just agreed with Sam that being with Jack was the best thing for her and that was what was important.
---
Daniel stopped by their quarters often. He would sit with Egin and Mel for hours introducing them to new words in any one of a handful of languages, and Sam smiled as she often caught him whispering words in Abydonian to Mel, making sure that more than just a name got passed down from the wife he had loved and lost.
He also ventured out to the partially completed house to spend time with Ronon. Ronon knew that Daniel was one of Sam's oldest friends and that it was important to her that they get along, so he made an effort. Daniel was interested in Sateda and its history, and Ronon found himself sharing bits and pieces of Satedan culture with Daniel as they worked on the house. It was the beginnings of a friendship that neither man expected.
---
Ronon also met another of Sam's oldest friends: Teal'c. The man was held in high esteem by everyone and Ronon had to grudgingly admit that from the stories that Sam had shared with him, that the man most likely earned that high esteem, but the constant comparisons to Teal'c rankled Ronon a bit.
He had avoided Teal'c for the most part, vanishing out of their quarters and heading out to the mainland to work on the house. Teal'c was, however, very interested in getting to know him and seeing for himself that he was worthy of Sam's affection and followed him out there.
Teal'c looked around the building site with an assessing eye while Ronon continued working and ignoring him.
Teal'c nodded in approval at what he saw and said to Ronon, "You are building a fine home for your family, Ronon Dex."
Ronon didn't reply or acknowledge Teal'c. "You and Samantha Carter have strong and handsome children, and are soon to have another. You are a most fortunate man, Ronon Dex."
Ronon paused in his work and asked, "You have any?"
Teal'c stepped closer, and without being asked, steadied the beam Ronon was squaring off. He replied proudly, "I have a son, Rya'c. He has grown into a fine man of whom I am very proud."
Ronon nodded and worked quietly for another minute before asking, "Why are you here?"
"Samantha Carter is one of my dearest friends and comrades, and I felt it necessary to get to know the man that has fathered her children and won her affection."
Ronon looked up with an annoyed looked on his face. "So you're here to judge me? See if I'm worthy or something?"
"That is not my intention. I had hoped that we could get to know one another in the hopes that some day you, too, might call me friend."
Teal'c's honest words softened the expression on Ronon's face and he grinned and asked as he lifted his end of the heavy beam, "Help me put these beams in place?"
With a little grin of his own and a nod of his head, Teal'c did just that.
They broke for some food and Teal'c asked plainly, "Did you have a woman on Sateda before its fall?"
"Yeah. Melena."
"Ah. The woman your daughter is named after."
"It's the Satedan way to name daughters after women that are important to you."
"I have observed that you and Samantha Carter do many things in the Satedan way."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ronon said defensively.
"I mean no disrespect to your ways. I am however, curious to know, did men and women marry on Sateda?"
"Only the wealthy."
"I see."
"Do Jaffa marry?"
"Indeed."
"Why are you bringing this up?"
Teal'c met Ronon's eyes and said in his ever plain way, "There are those on Atlantis and back on Earth that believe that the bond between you and Samantha Carter was forced upon you and is not something you choose freely."
Ronon's brow furrowed. "I know. Sam says the best way to deal with it is by ignoring them."
"Indeed. But I would point out that those people use the fact that you have not wed as evidence to support their beliefs."
"That's not my way."
"Understood. But perhaps it is time for you to do something in the Tauri way."
---
Ronon had taken Teal'c advice, not because he, himself, had any particular desire to marry, in his mind Sam was his woman and that was all that mattered, but rather because the idea that others thought he was dishonoring her and their children by not making Sam his wife made him both sad and angry.
They were married on a warm, sunny day in the shaded glen near their nearly completed home on the mainland. Daniel officiated the simple ceremony that was witnessed by a small group of those closest to Sam and Ronon. The party following was fun and full of laughter and love.
Tissa had attended but Jack had not, and though that stung a little, Sam understood, and so did Ronon.
---------------
Two weeks later Ronon's sure hands delivered his third child with the gentle lake sounds coming through the window of their bedroom on the mainland. He looked up to Sam with a grin and said, "It's a boy."
Sam was exhausted but smiled back as Ronon took care of his midwife duties as efficiently as he had with their first two children.
She knew the medical staff on Atlantis were going to be angry that she didn't call them to officiate, but it was important to her and to Ronon that it be just the two of them. She couldn't explain it, but it was what they wanted.
Ronon grinned as their son squalled as he gently cleaned him. "He's louder than Egin was," Ronon teased.
A while later, after everyone was cleaned up and snuggled in fresh blankets, Ronon, as he had with both of his other children, slipped into bed beside his woman and let the baby be lulled to sleep by both of their heartbeats.
---------------
the end.