Changing Lives 51/55 (Sam/Janet femslash) Stargate SG-1
"Well that's the last of the boxes, I think," Sam looked worn out after emptying the truck and bringing in all Cassie and Anna's belongings to their apartment. She had refused to let Janet lift anything heavier than a bag of kitchen utensils, so she and Anna were busy unpacking in the kitchen, while Cassie unloaded boxes in the bedroom and living room.
"You okay sweetie?" Janet looked up from her position by the coffee machine.
"I'm great," Sam told her, "and I'll be even better once you've poured," she gestured toward the machine.
"Yeah, Mom," Cassie teased as she joined her parents, "I think we'll be needing four coffees altogether!"
"Well then it's a good thing Annie and I have been working in the most important room of the apartment then!" Janet smiled. "We've found coffee, milk and mugs. I've also found this," she pointed to a bag containing chopsticks and a pizza cutter. "Does this mean you two will be living on take-out from now on?"
Cassie laughed. "No Mom," she chanted, sounding like the impatient 15-year-old she had been not so long ago. "Annie's doing real well with cooking now, after your lessons."
"They don't have to stop, you know," Janet smiled, "just because you two have moved out. We're only just down the road. Any time you need to know anything, Annie, you know where we are."
Anna smiled back. "I think you two are gonna be kind of busy from now on," she gestured at Janet's swollen belly. "You won't have time for that."
Janet put her arms round her daughter-in-law, and kissed her on the cheek. "We'll always have time for you two," her voice was serious. "Always. Anyway," she grinned, "Sam'll be happy to babysit while we cook, won't you Sam?"
"Yup," Sam smiled happily. "I sure will. Especially if it means we get to see more of Annie and Cassie."
"We'll be there all the time Sam," Cassie said. "Especially after my little brother, or sister, is born. You'll soon wish we had moved further away!"
"Never," Sam said. "The more we see of you, the happier we will be."
Janet handed round the mugs of coffee. "Drink," she instructed. "And then Sam and I will get back home. Leave you two to settle in."
= = =
"Be happy," Sam was surprised to find her voice cracking as she hugged Cassie and Anna tightly to her. "Remember we're close by if you need anything."
"Thanks Sam," Cassie said. "And Mom. For everything."
As Cassie and Anna waved goodbye, Anna reached for Cassie's hand and held it tightly. "Annie?" Cassie said. "Are you okay sweetheart?" she saw tears had gathered in her wife's eyes.
"Yeah," Anna sniffed. "Sorry, I'm just being dumb. It's just... I'm going to miss them. They've been so good to us. I was really happy living with them, you know? Everything has been so wonderful."
"I know," Cassie agreed. "But we'll see them all the time. And the baby."
"Yeah," Anna said. "We will, won't we?"
Cassie kissed her softly. "Everything's gonna be great Annie," she said.
"It already is," Anna said.
= = =
"You coming to lunch, honey?" Sam stuck her head round Janet's office door a few weeks later. "You look all in."
Janet sat back in her chair and stretched, feeling the vertebrae in her back popping satisfactorily. "Yeah," she said tiredly. "It's been a busy morning. And it all means endless paperwork too," she sounded almost tearful.
"Jan?" Sam said gently, approaching her lover. She kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I think it's time."
"Time?" Janet asked.
"For you to start your maternity leave. You're exhausted baby. You need to relax, take it easy for a while. The baby'll be here in under five weeks. You need to take care of herself."
"Okay, hon," Janet said in a quiet voice. She looked up at the startled look on Sam's face. "What?" she asked with a smile. "You expected me to argue?"
Sam grinned. "I thought you might," she admitted. "I'm so pleased you agree."
"Tomorrow's Friday," Janet said. "I'll stop work after that. Gives me a day and a half to make sure everything's in order. I'll hand over to Dr Lam tomorrow. Okay sweetie?"
"That's great," Sam said. "We'll have a nice quiet weekend. I'm gonna talk to the general too," she continued, "ask him to keep me on Earth until after the baby's here. I couldn't bear to be away when he arrives," she caressed Janet's large bump. "Or she," she grinned, seeing Janet about to protest. "C'mon," she pulled Janet carefully to her feet. "There's mac'n cheese on the menu today."
= = =
"I'm gonna miss this place," Janet said, as she looked round the infirmary the following evening. "I don't know when, or even if, I'll be back. What happens if I don't want to leave the baby?" she looked up anxiously at Sam.
"Then you stay home," Sam said. "Whatever you're happiest with, then that's what we'll do. There's no hurry to make any decisions, Jan, we'll just wait and see how we feel once the baby's here."
"And what about you, Sam?" Janet asked her. "What happens if you get hurt offworld, and I'm not here to put you back together. What happens then?"
"Shh," Sam said gently, "it's all gonna be fine, baby. Warner, or Lam, or Michaels will be here. Anyway," she grinned, "I had a long talk with General O'Neill this morning. He's come up with a plan that should mean I don't get hurt offworld. Not for at least a year, anyway. It seems the President is giving greater priority to the Stargate program, and has budgeted for a huge cash injection. He knows that a lot of the technology we're using is dated now, and has agreed that we should upgrade all our systems. And Jack has asked me to head up the upgrade. It's gonna be huge Jan," Sam's eyes shone. "We're gonna completely rebuild the dialing computer, replace the capacitors that power the 'gate, totally replace the security and comms systems. We're even getting to design new MALPs, with built-in GDOs and everything."
"Wow," Janet said. "I wonder how Jack managed to persuade him?"
Sam smiled. "I think we've saved their asses enough times now, he's finally realizing that the program is vital to defend Earth. Isn't it great, Jan? It means that for the next year, I'll be Earth-based, most of the time anyway. I may have to make the occasional jump, but nothing dangerous, just to and from the Alpha and Beta sites and stuff like that. I'm gonna be a full-time geek!"
"That's great news," Janet looked relieved. "I hated the idea of you coming back after a mission, and me not being here to patch you up when you need it."
"Well it's not gonna happen now, baby," Sam kissed her gently. "C'mon, let's get you home. Warner's taking over, you've got everything prepared and organized. Time for you to take it easy, sweetie."
= = =
The next morning, Janet woke first, and looked over at her sleeping lover. Sam looked so peaceful and content, a small smile curling at the edge of her mouth even in her sleep. Unable to resist, Janet leaned over and kissed her softly.
"Hey," Sam said, her voice still sleepy.
"Hey beautiful," Janet replied, brushing a strand of hair behind Sam's ear.
"You okay?" Sam asked her.
"Oh yeah," Janet smiled. "I'm great. I'll be glad when I no longer look like a whale, but I'm great."
Sam leaned up on her elbow. She reached out and tenderly ran her hand down Janet's soft cheek. "You look beautiful," she said, her voice serious.
Janet snorted.
"I'm serious," Sam said. "You look amazing. And hot. And you're carrying our baby. In here," she ran her hand over Janet's belly, "is a person. A whole person. Who I can't wait to meet. I've got to tell you Jan, you've never looked better."
Janet blushed. "Oh come on," she said, still sounding doubtful. "I'm the size of a house."
"That's crap and you know it," Sam said firmly. "You are so hot right now, with your hair mussed and your fabulous boobs." Her voice became husky. "I don't think I've ever wanted you more than I do right now," she kissed her, gently at first and becoming more passionate. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She started to unbutton Janet's nightshirt. "And I'm gonna show you just how much I love you."
Janet swallowed. "Okay," she squeaked as Sam's hand found its target.
= = =
"God," Janet said breathlessly, over an hour later. "That just never gets old, does it?" she grinned wickedly at her blonde lover.
"You're not kidding," Sam grinned back at her. "God," she suddenly realized. "I'm really going to miss having you on the base every day. I know we didn't see that much of each other during the day, but I'm going to miss being able to head to the infirmary to check in. I'm even going to miss you coming to my lab to nag me to take a break."
"I'm still gonna be nagging," Janet said firmly. "Just from now on it'll be by 'phone. And don't forget honey," she kissed Sam softly, "I've got my spies at the base. They're all on my side you know, Daniel, Teal'c, Jack. Even Siler. They'll rat you out if you overdo it. You'll have no place to hide."
Sam groaned. "Well one thing's for sure," she said, "I won't be working late into the night. I'll be straight home to you as early as I can. And don't forget, the slightest twinge, you call me. You swear?"
"I swear Sam," Janet laughed. "I'm not having this baby without you. I couldn't bear it if you weren't there. I just couldn't."
"Well you won't have to Jan, nothing in this world, or any other world, could keep me from you. Undomesticated equines, as Teal'c would say, couldn't keep me away," Sam replied.
"That's settled then," Janet smiled.
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "It is."