Changing Lives 45/55 (Sam/Janet femslash) Stargate SG-1
Anna re-entered the living room, 'phone in hand. She smiled. "That was Iz," she told Cassie. "She's so excited. Apparently they've signed. The house is theirs! Or it will be in about five weeks' time. They're moving out here. Permanently!"
Cassie grinned. "That's great, Annie," she said. "I'm so happy they're moving here. I love having you here, all the time, but I was worried that you'd start to miss your family."
"Well you don't have to worry about that any more," Anna said, taking her in her arms. "For what it's worth, however much I missed them, I'd still have stayed here. I don't think I could bear to be away from you. But now," she smiled widely, "I've got the best of both worlds!"
"So have they got a date?" Cassie wanted to know.
"They're moving in 23rd June," Anna told her. "Oh shit," she suddenly realized, and grinned.
"What?" Cassie asked. "What's wrong?"
"It's not important," Anna told her. "It's no big deal. S'just that almost as soon as they get here, they'll be flying back to London, for the wedding."
"Of course!" Cassie said. "Well, they could always move in later maybe?"
"I don't think that's gonna happen," Anna couldn't keep the smile off her face. "You should have heard Iz, she's so excited. She can't understand why they can't come out now, if all the papers have been signed. She's not going to wait one more minute than she needs to."
"She's okay then?" Cassie asked. "She's just finished at her job, hasn't she? How did that go for her?"
Anna looked uncharacteristically downcast. "She says she's okay, but Mum told me it was really hard on her. She loved all the residents, and she hated to think of them being split up and moved to other homes. But Mum has taken her round to visit her favorites, and they've all settled really well. So she's okay about it. But it was tough for her."
"She's so sweet to care," Cassie said. "She's got a real soft heart, hasn't she?"
Anna nodded. "She definitely has. I'm so happy she's going to be nearby. Just an hour away, that's fantastic."
"And we'll visit all the time," Cassie promised. "If they'll have us!"
"Izzie's already chosen 'our' room," Anna smiled. "So looks like we'll have to go often."
= = =
"Eleven weeks of this, you say?" Janet's voice sounded weak and miserable, as Sam held her as she hung over the toilet. "And then it stops?"
Sam pressed a damp washcloth to her forehead. "I don't know, baby," she said in a soft voice. "In the other timeline, it was eleven weeks. Well, ten weeks and four days to be exact," she amended. "But not everything's exactly the same this time, is it Jan? I hope it won't be too much longer, sweetie, I really do."
Janet sat back on her heels. "Me too," she said, exhausted. "This is getting real old real fast. Still," she attempted a smile. "Just five weeks to go. I hope."
"Maybe less?" Sam tenderly brushed a lock of hair from Janet's face. "I hope less." She looked anguished at what Janet was suffering.
Janet took her hand. "I'm okay, honey," she reassured her. "Really I am. Most of the time, I feel fine. It's just at..." she looked at her watch, "quarter to four in the morning when I'm not at my best. I'm so sorry, Sam, I hate putting you through this."
"You're not putting me through anything, Jan," Sam kissed her gently on the top of her head. "I just wish I could do something to make you feel better."
"Just having you there makes me feel better," Janet told her. "Though God knows, I'll be surprised if you ever want to go near me again. I'm hardly at my most glamorous right now."
"You're beautiful," Sam said softly. "You always are. C'mon, let's get you back to bed. You're exhausted baby."
Janet nodded. "Okay," her voice was strained. "Love you."
"Love you too, hon," Sam said. "Always."
Sam settled Janet back into the bed, and climbed in next to her, pulling her gently into her arms. "Sleep now," she said tenderly.
In truth, Sam was beginning to worry about her lover. She had hoped that Janet wouldn't suffer as badly with morning sickness as she had in the other timeline. She was very disappointed to realize that, if anything, Janet was even worse this time around. She was eight weeks into the pregnancy, and wasn't gaining weight; if anything she was losing it. She was also getting depressed, though she tried her hardest to cover that up. Sam resolved to do what she could to help her.
At just before 7am, Sam slid out from underneath Janet. She shrugged on her robe, and headed downstairs. When Cassie and Anna stumbled downstairs ten minutes later, she was just finishing her telephone call. "Thank you Sir," she was saying. "I will Sir. We'll see you on Monday. Thank you again." She hung up the telephone.
Cassie went up to her. "Are you okay, Sam?" she assumed from Sam's words meant that she would not be going back to work until Monday, and it was only Thursday. "Is Mom alright?"
"I'm okay, Cass," Sam tried to sound reassuring. "Your Mom, too. Or she will be. She had another bad night, Cassie," she told her. "She has to get some rest. I just called the general, asked him to give Janet the day off. He was great, he told me he doesn't want to see either of us until next week. And he's insisting that until your Mom feels better, she's only going to do half days. Me too, says Janet needs me. He's a good man, Cass," Sam was furious to realize that her eyes were filling with tears. She hadn't realized how relieved she would be at the chance to take some of the pressure off Janet.
"Yeah, he is," Cassie agreed. "That's real understanding of him."
"He told me Sarah suffered badly with Charlie. His son," Sam reminded Cassie. "He knows what it's like. Says he wants to do all he can to help. Janet'll be pissed though," she realized. "She'll hate that I went behind her back to talk to him. But she needs help, Cass," Sam tried to keep her voice steady. "She can't go on like this."
"What does her doctor say?" Cassie asked.
"There's not a lot that can be done, apparently," Sam said. "Though Frankie Michaels is coming over later, see if there's anything at all that'll help. Janet'll be pissed at that too," she grimaced. "She's gonna give me hell."
"She may not," Cassie said gently, "she'll know why you did it."
"Yeah, maybe," Sam was not convinced. "You two have a good day, huh?" she waved at Anna who had just entered the living room clutching her coffee, "we'll see you later."
"You too, Sam," Cassie said. "Tell Mom we love her."
"I will," Sam said, heading for the stairs.
Janet was still sleeping when Sam slid back into the bed, awaking briefly as she felt her lover return. Janet sat up slightly, peering blearily at the clock. "Is it time to get up?" she asked, her voice rough with sleep.
"No, hon," Sam kissed her softly. "We're not going in today. Go back to sleep, I'll explain later."
"You called him, didn't you?" to Sam's relief there was humor in Janet's voice.
"Yeah," she said. "Janet, I know you're pissed, but..."
Janet reached out and grasped Sam's hand. "It's okay, baby," she said. "I'm glad you did. I'm exhausted. Tell me what he said later, huh?" she failed to stifle a yawn.
"Sleep, Jan," Sam said softly. "It's all gonna be okay."
Janet was already asleep.
= = =
"Well, you're thinner than you should be, Janet," Dr Michaels' words were no surprise to either Sam or Janet. "But you already know that. Look, why don't you try eating your main meal at midday? Then have maybe just soup in the evening. And I want you to start drinking one or two protein shakes, one in the morning, and one in the evening, before your meal. As you know, the shakes are absorbed quickly. Once you manage to get a bit more nourishment in you, you'll start to feel better, I'm sure."
"Thanks, Frankie," Sam said. "Is there anything else we can do?"
"Nothing you're not already doing," she said. "Get more rest, but the shorter days'll help with that. Ginger to settle the stomach. I want to see you again in three days, see how things are going, okay?"
"Yes, doctor," Janet said drily, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She laughed. "Sorry, doctors really are the worst patients. You've been a great help, Frankie, truly. I hadn't thought of eating at lunch, that might make all the difference."
"Call me if you need me, huh?" Francine Michaels said. "Any time. I mean that."
Sam hugged her warmly. "Thanks," she said, "we really appreciate your visit."
= = =
"I brought soup!" Vala announced, her voice laden with humor. She arrived, unannounced, at Sam and Janet's house, late that Saturday morning.
"Soup?" Sam grinned. "I didn't know you could cook!" and she looked at the large box in Vala's arms, that was full of plastic boxes all containing soup.
"There are many things you don't know about me, Samantha," Vala grinned wickedly. "One of those is that I'm one hell of a cook. And when Jack told Daniel that Janet was supposed to eat lightly in the evenings, 'ideally soup', I got to work." She handed over the box to Sam. "Here, you carry this," she winked, "I'm pregnant, remember," and she proudly exhibited her no-longer-flat stomach, deliberately pushing it out as far as possible.
"Oh my God," Sam gasped, "you're really showing now! Come into the kitchen and have some tea, Janet's having a nap in the living room, she'll be awake soon I'm sure."
"How is she?" Vala looked at Sam penetratingly, noticing the slightly tense look on her face.
"She's okay," Sam said. "But it's hard on her. It's getting her down now, I can tell. I just wish it would stop, and that she could start enjoying the pregnancy. Like you clearly are!" she smiled.
"I'm loving every minute of it now," Vala smiled shyly. "It was tough to start with. I was feeling awful, and I couldn't get Adria out of my mind. But I'm feeling good now, and Daniel has been amazing. You'd think he was the first man to have ever fathered a child!"
"That's so great," Sam said softly, "can I?" and she reached out to touch Vala's belly.
"Of course you can," Vala smiled, taking Sam's hand and pressing it to her. "I hope it's a boy, for Daniel's sake. Though I don't really mind."
Sam laughed. "That's funny, Daniel said he wants a girl, and he wants her to be just like you. He really loves you Vala."
"Yeah, he does, doesn't he?" Vala's face filled with wonder. Her voice cracked slightly. "I never thought I could be this happy. And you and Janet will be, just as soon as she starts to feel better."
"Oh I'm real happy already," Sam said with feeling. "We always knew this part would be difficult. At least Janet's healthy, and she'll be feeling good soon. I just wish it didn't get her down so much."
"Want me to talk to her?" Vala asked. "I can tell her how great she'll feel soon."
"Would you?" Sam asked. "I just want to do everything I can to help, but sometimes I think I'm starting to irritate Janet."
"Of course I will," Vala agreed. "And I'm sure that's not the case. Janet loves you. She told me how amazing you're being with her. You don't have to worry." She wrinkled her nose at the mug Sam placed in front of her. "No coffee?" she whined.
"No," Sam said firmly. "Coffee's not good for you, you should know that. Fruit tea. You'll get used to it."
"No she won't," Janet's voice came from the doorway. She smiled at Vala. "It's no substitute for coffee, whatever you say, Sam." She went over to Vala, and hugged her warmly. "Hey, Vala," she smiled. "What brings you by?"
"Soup!" Sam said. "Vala's been cooking!"
"My, you are a dark horse," Janet said. "Thank you so much. You're looking great Vala," she told her.
"I feel great, too," Vala agreed.
"I'm gonna take the dogs out," Sam said, wanting to give Vala and Janet some time together. "I'll be back in half an hour. Will you still be here when I get back, Vala?"
"Yes she will," Janet said firmly. "You'll stay for lunch, won't you Vala? Don't worry, Sam's not cooking!"
"In that case, definitely yes," Vala said.
"You take care, honey?" Sam pulled Janet into her arms, and kissed her softly. "Need anything while I'm out?"
"Tomatoes and onions," Janet said, "if you're going near the store."
"We'll make a point of it, won't we Toby?" Sam smiled at the larger of the dogs. She rattled both leashes and, as she expected, Albie bounded in from the living room.
= = =
"Sam wants you to talk to me, doesn't she?" Janet came straight to the point.
Vala grinned. "Yes," she admitted. She took Janet's hand. "She's just worried about you Janet. She thinks you're depressed."
"I'm okay," Janet reassured her. "Really I am. The nausea has been a little better the last few days. I just hate that I'm relying so much on Sam. She's too sweet to say anything, but she must hate me being like this."
"She wants to help you all she can, Janet," Vala reminded her. "You're in this together, remember?"
Janet shook her head. "It's not fair on her, though. She's having to take time away from the mountain, just because she doesn't want me to have to cope on my own. She loves her work, I hate to think of what she's missing out on. And she's getting nothing back from me. I mean," she blushed furiously at this, "I haven't wanted to make love for weeks. She says it doesn't matter, but I know it does. Sam has always had very... healthy... appetites."
Vala looked her straight in the eye. "Listen to me, Janet Fraiser," she said in a firm voice. "That's bullshit, and you know it. Sam loves you. You love Sam. Don't tell me you think your love isn't strong enough to last a few weeks without sex?"
Janet looked miserable. "We've never gone this long before," she whispered. "And the way I'm feeling, God only knows when I'll want to again."
"I hope you don't think you're any different to any other couple expecting a baby," Vala said. "Poor Daniel, I wouldn't let him anywhere near me for the first few weeks. I was also incredibly irritable, he couldn't do right for doing wrong. But he coped, and he didn't put any pressure on me. And I'm here to tell you," she winked, "that your... appetite... will return. And if it's anything like mine, it'll return with a vengeance! Poor Daniel doesn't know what's hit him in the last few weeks. He's exhausted. I'll bet he's home right now, asleep. He needs to catch up where he can. God knows I'm not letting him sleep much at night!"
Janet laughed out loud. "So I'm overreacting, huh?"
Vala nodded. She hugged her friend warmly. "It's understandable Janet, your hormones are all out of whack, you know that better than anyone. Share your fears with Sam, you'll both feel much better."
"Okay," Janet said in a soft voice. "I will. I swear."
= = =
"Vala told me I was being crazy," Janet admitted to Sam later that evening. "She said that she was sure you wanted to be with me, rather than at work."
Sam took her in her arms. "Of course I want to be with you. And I only mean with you. No more than that. Not until you are ready. Even if you're never ready, there's nowhere I'd rather be than at your side. I don't need sex, Janet," she knew what Janet was thinking. "But I do want to be by your side. I want to hold you. I want to feel you in my arms at night. I want you to sleep in my embrace. That's more important than anything."
"I love you, Sam," Janet whispered as she snuggled up to her. "Hold me tight, please, baby. Never let me go."
"I never will, Jan," Sam promised. "Never."
= = =
"It's a beautiful house, Izzie," Cassie held her nearly-sister-in-law's hand as, four weeks later, she showed her excitedly over their new house. It was just over an hour north of Sam and Janet's house, and was on the shore of a secluded lake. "I don't think it could be better. C'mon on, show me, which is your room?"
"This one," Izzie said with a wide smile, "over here." And she dragged her across the corridor into a large, airy room with huge double windows that opened up onto a secluded deck by the lake side. "It's next to Mum's office. She's got a deck too, she's planning to sit on it while she writes her books."
"Well it's certainly peaceful," Cassie said. "Annie!" she called, "c'm'here, don't you think Izzie's room is amazing?"
"It's wonderful," Anna said, smiling. "I think you're all going to be really happy here. And we're going to visit, all the time. Oh Izzie," she swept her sister up in a tight hug. "I can't believe you're all really here. It's so exciting."
That night, Anna's father Roy took them all out for a celebratory meal, steadfastly refusing to let Cassie or Anna pay.
= = =
"It must be amazing," Cassie said later that night, relaxing in Anna's arms in their bedroom back at Sam and Janet's house. "Living somewhere like that. All that space."
"Yeah," Anna said. "They're going to love it. Dad's going to take up fishing seriously, I can tell."
"He'll have to get Uncle Jack over," Cassie suggested. "Though if there actually are any fish in that lake, I think he might die of fright!"
Anna laughed, and kissed her deeply.
"Annie?" Cassie asked.
"Yes, sweetheart?" Anna asked. "What is it?"
"Do you ever wish we had our own place?" Cassie was scared to ask the question. She knew there was no way, financially, that they would ever be able to afford anywhere, not while she was still studying.
Anna looked deep into her eyes. "Honestly?" she replied. "Sometimes, sure. But I love living with Sam and Janet. I love them Cass, I really do. They've been so kind to me. And they're sweet, and funny. And they give us lots of space, and time to ourselves. They're incredibly considerate. One day, Cassie, when we're both working. Then we'll get our own apartment. And I'll bet even then we'll spend half our time over at Sam and Janet's, or Mum and Dad's. I'm happy, sweetheart, really I am. We're very lucky. And in six weeks' time, you're going to be my wife. I'm happier than I have any right to be," she brushed away a tear. "You've made my life complete."
= = =
Janet sat up, breathing carefully. She looked over at the clock; 5am.
"Jan?" Sam was immediately awake. "Later than usual, huh?" she asked ruefully. "Bathroom?"
Janet looked at her. "No," her voice was tentative. "I think I'm okay Sam. I feel a little queasy, but it's not bad. I think it's going to be okay tonight."
Sam put an arm round her shoulders and pulled her gently to her. "That's great, baby. Maybe it's a breakthrough?"
Janet looked at her, hope in her eyes. "Maybe," she didn't sound convinced.
"Think you can sleep again?" Sam asked tenderly.
"I think maybe," Janet said. "Will you hold me?"
So Sam wrapped her long arms round her, and they snuggled together.
= = =
"You're looking great, Mom," Cassie said to her mother at breakfast the next Saturday.
Janet grinned. "I'm feeling great," she said. "Finally!" her tone was rueful. "I haven't thrown up for four days now. I think," she knocked on the table, "knock on wood, I think the worst is over."
"That's great!" Cassie kissed her warmly on the cheek. "I'll bet you're relieved. I'll bet Sam is too," she said.
"Sam's been wonderful," Janet said affectionately. "She's not a natural nursemaid, but she's been with me every step of the way. I love her so much," she said.
"And I love you too," Sam said as she came into the kitchen, catching the tail end of the conversation. She kissed her softly.
"Hey Cass," she said. "I thought you and Anna were spending the weekend with Izzie by the lake?"
"We are," Cassie said. "We're leaving in half an hour. Annie's parents have had to go back to England, just to sign some papers. They're real pissed about it. They're gonna be even more pissed, flying there and back in just three days. That's if they can catch a flight back."
"You should tell them not to worry about that," Janet pointed out. "If they don't get back, Izzie can always come stay with us. I know she won't want to leave that beautiful house, but it would only be for a few days."
"Thanks Mom," Cassie replied. "That's a great idea. I'll tell Annie to 'phone them, see if they don't want to stay a bit longer. All that flying's not much fun."
= = =
"Have a good time!" Janet stood at the door, waving as Cassie and Anna drove off.
Ten minutes later, Sam returned, with both dogs straining at their leashes and both, Janet was amused to see, covered in mud.
"Sorry baby," Sam didn't sound penitent in the slightest. "I just couldn't stop them!"
Janet mock-scowled. "You mean they unclipped their own leashes?" she demanded, but Sam could see the twinkle of amusement in her eye.
"They're real smart dogs, Jan," Sam winked, as she got out the hosepipe to clean them off.
"They take after you then, honey," Janet's tone was playful. "So would you say they're worn out?"
"Oh God yes," Sam laughed. "They'll sleep for hours."
"That's good," Janet's voice became sultry. "I don't want any disturbances."
"Jan?" Sam's heart skipped a beat.
"Meet me upstairs," Janet winked. "Once you're done."
= = =
"Well," Janet was slightly breathless as she spoke, several hours later, still wrapped tight in Sam's arms. "One thing I'll say for Vala. When she's right, she's right!"
"So it seems," Sam agreed with a smile. "And you were worth waiting for baby. That," she looked bashful, "that was incredible."
"You're the one that is incredible, hon," Janet said.
= = =
"It's less than two weeks until the wedding," Sam said. "Can you believe it?" she ran her hand over Janet's distended belly. "And Baby Fraiser's really showing now!"
Janet took Sam's hand. "Baby Carter," she said in a quiet voice. "I want this baby to have your name. Is that okay, baby?"
Sam was choked with emotion. "Of course that's okay," she said after a minute. "That's more than okay."
"So we tell them about the wedding present tonight, after dinner?" Janet's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yeah, I guess so," Sam said.
= = =
"Come sit," Janet commanded Cassie and Anna, patting the couch next to her. "Sam and I have something for you."
Cassie and Anna did as they were told, unable to guess at the reason for Janet's command.
"You give it to them," Sam said, looking shy.
"It's from both of us," Janet said, as she felt in her pocket for the small gift-wrapped box. "With all our love to both of you." She handed over the box.
"You open it Cass," Anna said quietly.
With slightly shaking hands, Cassie unwrapped the box, and opened it. Nestled inside was a key. A door key. She looked up at Janet. "I don't understand?" she said to Janet.
"Sam'll explain," Janet said cryptically.
"You remember when we found you on Hanka, Cass?" Sam asked.
Cassie nodded. She would never forget that day.
"Well Janet and I weren't together then. Not properly, that is," she said.
"Not even slightly," Janet interjected, her voice thick with humor. "Because you were a wuss, remember?"
Sam grinned. "That's totally true," she agreed. "For months I'd been watching this hot doctor in the infirmary. But I never had the courage to ask her out. Not until you came into our lives, Cass. You were just the excuse I needed to spend more time with Janet. And then it just... happened."
Cassie smiled. "And thank God it did!" she declared.
"Anyways," Sam said. "Back then, I had my own apartment. You remember it, right? You came to stay with me a couple of times."
"Yeah," Cassie said, remembering back. "I really liked it. It was very... you. I was sorry when you sold it."
"I didn't sell it," Sam told her. "Janet and I talked about it then. We decided to keep it on. It was paid off years ago, so we just rented it out."
"Why did you keep it?" Cassie wanted to know.
"Because we knew one day you'd need a place of your own. We want to give it to you, Cassie. No," she put her hands in the air as both Cassie and Anna started to protest. "We won't argue. It's there, it's yours. And there's a good sum in the bank, what we made on the rent, to cover bills etc., it should be plenty until you've finished your studies. Then it's over to you, kiddo. Kiddos," she amended, winking broadly at Anna.
Cassie was dumbfounded. "We can't take this," Anna said. "It's too much."
"Too late," Sam took an envelope out of her purse. "It's in your names. Jointly. Don't misunderstand," she pleaded, "we love having you here, we really do. You can stay here for ever if you want. You can rent the place out. But we thought perhaps you'd like to start your married life in your own place."
Cassie flung herself into Sam's arms, weeping tears of joy. "Oh Sam, that's amazing," she said, and then turned to embrace her mother. "Mom, I can't believe it."
Soon all four women were hugging and weeping.
"We'll really miss you," Anna said, through her tears.
"It's only three clicks from here," Janet told her. "You won't have far to come. And you'll always have a room here."
"So?" Sam said. "I'm taking a ride over to Cassie and Anna's new home. Who's gonna come?"
They all clamored to get in the car. Just as they were about to drive off, Cassie got out of the car. "Wait," she said, returning moments later with Toby and Albie. "Well," she grinned, "this is something the whole family has to see!"