Chapter 2: Sir, This Is…

Captain Elliot

We're all packed and ready to go. We're saying goodbye to the natives and preparing to go home. We haven't the slightest idea what to do and neither have Doc Frasier or Colonel O'Neill. We both know that without a doubt that our careers are over. There are already too many people up high that want us gone as it is. We're both known as the Carter and O'Neill Jrs. We've already stepped on too many toes and we're headed in the same direction as Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. And the timing is just right. We came to this planet on one of our early missions together. It would have made perfect sense for Hailey to give birth here and ask them to watch the baby until she could come back for it and even when everyone knows that's not the case it's a remote possibility in their eyes. It would have been easy for her to hide it being as small as she is. What are the odds of our daughter being almost a year old when we came here a year ago? They'll say she didn't want to miss her…our daughter's first birthday, since she suggested coming back here in the first place. They'll say she only brought her back, because the people couldn't keep her anymore or she felt guilty for leaving her. But the blame will ultimately fall to me. They'll say I led her, coaxed her, bribed her into my bed, got her pregnant and made her give it away (mind the 'it'). I don't think so, but it will all come back to evidence, our daughter being it…that. Our daughter exists and evidence, Angela, doesn't lie, not yet anyway. Then the poking and prodding will start. This is unacceptable when it comes to my Pinky.

I never thought I'd love someone that much. But that's how much I love Hailey and Pinky. I love Hailey for giving me Pinky and for being my 2IC. She's great. I do care about her…a lot more the I'm supposed to. Famous words. I would rather die than lose Hailey or Pinky.

Colonel O'Neill is dialing Earth, he's putting in the IDC code, we wait the required 72 seconds. Before he walks into the event horizon, he turns to us.

"Good luck, god speed, and it's a girl!" With that he turns and enters the wormhole. Janet or Doc gives us an encouraging look and a reassuring smile before going through. We're the only ones left, just the three of us. Me, Pinky, and Hailey. We look to each other for a second. Hailey and I stand Pinky on her unstable legs and take each of her hands. We stop right at the rippling surface.

"This is it." You nod.

"This is it." We look down to see Pinky kick her foot into the blue, and giggle. She makes the both of us smile. We know what we're giving up, but more so we know what we're getting. We step through as something new, a family.

We step through still holding hands. The General looks down to Pinky and then back up to us for an explanation, any explanation. I speak,

"General Hammond, sir, there's someone you should meet. Sir, this is Angela Paige, our daughter."

"I'm sorry Captain, I thought you just told me that this young lady was your and Lt. Hailey's daughter."

"I did, sir. And she is… Our daughter, that is. Sir." He couldn’t look less happy. He turns to the Colonel and the Doc.

"Did this have anything to do with the fact that you two left without backup?" They nod.

"Yes, sir." He turns back to us.

"I will deal with this situation accordingly. After the four…five of you have a complete physical and are cleared by Dr. Warner."

The rest of SG-1 are off to the side looking on in astonishment.

As we walk past I hear Carter make a comment.

" I can't believe they would do this. They should have known better. They had so much potential and they just throw it all away on something that probably won't last anyway. " This stops Hailey and in turn me and Pinky in our tracks. She turns and let's go Pinky's hand. She walks over to Major Carter and gets way in her face.

"You know what your problem is Major? You have no faith in anything you can't plan. Science this, science that. Get a life and a sense of reality, would you?" She begins to mock her. < Hailey as Carter: "I can't believe they would do this. They should have known better. They had so much potential and they just throw it all away on something that probably won't last anyway. Blah, bla, blah,blah, blaaaa.> No wonder you and the Colonel aren't together. You can't explain , categorize, or fix him, so you don't want him. You wanna talk about potential. You don't have any. You don't deserve the Colonel, nor do you have the potential to deserve someone with a heart like his."

"Lt.," she starts. "You are out of line."

"Oh, please what are you gonna do? Court martial me? Get in line. You think I didn't know from the moment I saw my daughter that my career was over, from the moment I held her, named her? I knew Major, but I also knew that she had to be the most important thing in my life from then on. My career be damned. And she is. Here's a bit of science for you Major. She's our daughter biologically and we're going to raise her." I put my two cents in.

"Hailey +Elliot + Angela Paige= Potential for family." With that you retake your position and we're on our way.

The rumor mill moves fast. By three hours later there was scarcely a person who didn't know about Pinky and Hailey's rant at Carter. I bet this did nothing, but encourage the Sam/Jack rumors. If we had just done it, then those two had to have done it years ago. Unfortunately, they had though only one knew. If anyone found Shane, hell would break out in the SGC halls.

We just went an got our physicals. There were serious arguments regarding Hailey and my staying with Angela during her first physical. They wanted us to go and we refused. They tried to order us and we still refused. We stayed. We are Carter and O' Neill Jr. after all.

We're in the briefing room with SG-1 plus Doc and General Hammond, and a guest, Jacob Carter/Selmak. So far, we're only being debriefed, but that will only last for so long seeing as me and Hailey didn't actually do much.

Oh, crapola. It's our turn.

Next Part

Last Part