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Casey sighed. She left the grocery cart near the restroom door, took her purse, and went in. She had to pee. Again. She patted her tummy, a little rounder now than it had been. She was still slender, although her breasts were feeling a bit heavier, and her areolas and nipples were a darker rose color. Daniel loved the changes in her body. She wasn’t so sure that she did, although she was thrilled to be pregnant. She pulled her overalls back on, made sure everything was adjusted properly, and went out to finish her grocery shopping.

She was standing in front of the meat counter, trying to decide what to have for dinner, her hand moving absently over her belly.

"Well, Casey, look at you," a familiar voice said.

Casey turned and saw Emma and her daughter Caroline coming toward her. "Emma! I didn’t know you were back from Denver," she said, giving the diminutive elderly woman a hug.

"Got back this morning. Had to come to the store or starve to death," Emma said with her customary grin. "You’re looking wonderful. I see that tummy is growing!"

"Yeah, it is," Casey smiled.

"How is that Stud Muffin of yours?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of embarrassment and amusement.

Casey couldn’t help but giggle. "He’s great. Still walking ten feet off the ground," she replied.

"Oh, honey, they all do that. They always seem to think that they’re the first and only ones to ever impregnate a woman," Emma laughed. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel great. I’m still adjusting to only working three days a week, but otherwise I’m fine."

"Well, you just take it easy. Believe me, you need to rest now. Once that baby gets here, there won’t be much time for resting," Emma advised.

"I have been. I even take naps now," she said with a smile.

"Well, I’m not going to keep you, honey. You tell Daniel I said hello."

"I will Emma. And welcome home," Casey said. "Nice to see you again Caroline."

"You too, Casey," the older woman said with a smile.

"Thanks, honey. Talk to you later." Emma patted her arm and turned away.

The two women made their way toward the front of the store. Casey sighed and turned back to the meat counter. She still had to decide on dinner. She looked at the sausage, decided on a pasta casserole that Daniel was fond of, so picked up a package of the meat, and went in search of the other ingredients she’d need. Then, she thought, more weary than she'd every admit, when she got home, she was definitely taking a nap

A  A  A  A  A  A

She was asleep on the sofa when he came in. Daniel watched her for a moment, his heart swelling with love to the point he thought it would burst. He knelt down beside her, pushed soft blonde silk away from her face, let his fingers trail over her cheek. He let his other hand settle on that slight swell, grinned when he felt the baby move. He laid his head against her.

Casey opened her eyes, looked down to find her hand wrapped in Daniel’s, his head on her belly. She smiled. "Hey, handsome," she said softly.

"Hey, gorgeous." He leaned up and kissed her lips. "How are you today?"

"Fine," she replied. "I saw Emma at the store this afternoon, she said to tell you hello."

"When did she get home?"

"This morning."

He nodded. "Do you feel like going out tonight? Sam suggested we all go out for pizza."

Casey sat up. "I would love to go out! Daniel, I swear, I’m going to go stir crazy! I think I’m going to start going back to the base everyday." She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to object. "I won’t over do, and we have a perfectly good bed in our quarters that I can take a nap on."

Daniel frowned. "Babe, the whole point of putting you on a three day work schedule was so you could relax at home."

"I can relax there just as well," she argued.

"We’ll see," he said "For now let’s just go have some pizza."

She smiled. She’d get her way, she almost always did. She let him help her up, then went to put on one of the new dresses she had bought. It wasn’t a maternity dress, but it did have princess bodice, which left the skirt loose around her tummy. The soft roundness of her belly was evident when she walked back into the living room a few minutes later.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Jack and Sam were already sitting in a large booth when they went into Mario’s; and Teal'c arrived just minutes after they did, Carlotta Sanchez by his side.

Carlotta looked over at Casey as she slid into the booth next to Sam. "You’re glowing, my dear. You are such a beautiful mother-to-be."

Casey blushed. "Thanks."

"Your parents say hello, and Erin wanted me to tell you that she and your father plan on visiting soon, probably the middle of next month," the lovely Spanish woman said.

"Tell them I said hello, and to let me know when they’re arriving," Casey replied. She jerked suddenly, then grinned.

"Case?" Jack asked, a frown on his face.

Daniel grinned, put his hand against her. "She’s really active today, isn’t she?"

"He is doing the rumba, I think," Casey said. She looked at Jack. "Give me your hand, Uncle Jack."

The older man complied eagerly. He grinned as he felt the movement beneath his callused palm.

"Aunt Sam, you want to feel too?" Casey asked.

Sam grinned and nodded. Her eyes went wide when she felt the tiny flutters beneath her fingers. "That is so amazing," she whispered.

Teal'c didn’t wait for an invitation, he slid out of the booth where he had been sitting, came to where Casey sat beside Daniel, and put his large black hand against her as soon as Sam had moved hers. He smiled. "The child is strong. Surely a son," he said. He let the baby move under his hand a moment longer, then slid back into the booth beside Carlotta.

Casey giggled. "That’s what I keep telling him," she said, nodding at Daniel.

Daniel shook his head, lowered it so that he was speaking directly to her belly. "Don’t listen to them, Princess."

Carlotta laughed. "I can tell you whether it is a son or a daughter."

"Really?" Casey asked.

The woman nodded. "I need a piece of string, and something to weight it with."

Case began to dig in her purse. She pulled out a traveler’s sewing kit. "Will thread work?" The others at the table began to laugh.

"What all do you have in that thing?" Jack asked.

"Oh, this and that," was the casual reply.

Carlotta took a length of thread, and tied one of the simple gold rings she wore to the end. She made Teal'c move once again, then stood in front of the table where she could easily reach Casey. "Sit back and relax," she instructed Casey.

The young blonde woman obeyed. Carlotta held the thread above her stomach. She waited until it was hanging from her hand, but not moving.

"Spirits of Life, tell us now, is this child a son, or a daughter?" Carlotta said softly. They all waited, Casey was holding her breath. Slowly, the ring began to spin on the thread. "Ah, then it is a daughter," she laughed quietly.

Daniel hooted with delight. "See, told you so!" He pulled Casey toward him and kissed her.

Casey’s eyes were wide, and she looked down at her belly. "So, you’re a girl, huh? Couldn’t have been a boy so Mommy could win the pool?" The others at the table laughed. Carlotta sat back down beside Teal'c.

A waitress approached the table, a smile on her face. "What can I get for this happy group tonight?"

Sam looked around the table. "Personal pizzas, or just get a couple of big ones?"

The discussion began. It was quickly decided that two large pizzas would be ordered, both with the works. Two pitchers of beer were ordered as well.

Casey looked up at the waitress. "Is there any way I can get a side of olives and some pineapple, just little bowls of them? And I want a Miller Genuine Draft…"

"She’ll take a glass of milk," Daniel interrupted. "Hold the olives. She can have the pineapple," he said.

She crossed her arms over her breasts. "I’ll give in on the beer, I forgot. But I still want the olives."

"Nope. Doc says you need to watch your salt intake," Daniel replied.

The waitress grinned. "Milk and a bowl of pineapple coming up."

"You’re annoying," Casey huffed.

Daniel rubbed his hand over the back of her shoulders. "I know, babe," he said softly.

"I really, really, really wanted those olives," she continued.

"I know."

Sam and Jack exchanged looks with Teal'c and Carlotta, all of them smiling.

Casey huffed a sigh. "Okay, if I give up the olives, can I have ice cream with chocolate syrup and nuts later?"

Daniel’s arm was around her now, his thumb tracing lazy circles against her cheek. "We’ll stop at Dairy Queen on the way home," he promised.

Sam giggled. "This is just way too much fun to watch," she said.

He couldn’t help but smile. "Well, it can get interesting at home. You wouldn’t believe where she hides jars of olives."

Casey giggled. "Hey, I managed to finish a jar before you caught me with the second one."

"Where does she hide them?" Carlotta asked. She was settled against Teal'c’s side, his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Daniel laughed. "In the tank on the toilet. Water keeps them cold." The group burst into laughter. "I know she has to go more often, but five times in fifteen minutes made me suspicious. So I waited a minute, opened the door, and caught her with her fingers in the jar, munching away." He looked at his wife and grinned.

She leaned against him. "I can’t help it, they taste so damned good. The weird thing is, I never really liked olives before."

"Have any of you seen her eat a banana?" Sam asked, giggling. "She peels it, then presses raisins into it, then dips the whole thing in Jell-O!"

"Just wait," Casey grumbled good-naturedly. "Your cravings will start soon enough." She blinked, then looked at Sam, her eyes wide and full of remorse. "Oh, god Sam, I’m sorry, that just slipped out!"

Jack was already grinning. He looked down at his smiling wife, then at the stunned faces of Daniel and Teal'c. "We found out yesterday. Which is really what tonight is all about."

"I’m so sorry," Casey said again. Her green eyes filled with tears.

Sam leaned over and took her hand. "Oh, sweetie, it’s okay. I was so excited that I had to share the news with my best friend, I never intended for it to be a secret. To be honest, I figured you would have already told Daniel."

Daniel shook his head. "She didn’t say a word to me."

Teal'c had a frown on his face.

"Teal'c, what’s wrong?" Carlotta asked, running her hand up and down his muscular thigh.

"It will be difficult to watch both Samantha Carter and Casey Jackson when they are on base and in separate locations."

Carlotta laughed. "I don’t think you’ll be expected to keep tabs on both of them all the time."

"It is my duty as a friend to them, and to their husbands, to maintain vigilance where their welfare is concerned," Teal'c replied.

Casey leaned over, trying to reach him. Realizing her intent, he slid his arm across the table, and she took his large hand into her own. "I promise to be good, T, really I do."

Teal'c lifted an eyebrow. "Indeed? As you were ‘good’ when you exercised with two separate groups yesterday?" He squeezed her fingers, then withdrew his hand.

Daniel looked down at her. "Casey? Doc said three times a week. Once a day. Keep it up and you’ll be staying home everyday."

She looked up at him, snuggled against him. "I’ll be good. As long as I can go to the base with you everyday."

He smiled, pulled her closer. "We’ll see." He looked over at Jack. "With half of SG-1 off the roster, I take it that Teal'c and I will be temporarily reassigned?"

Jack shook his head. "You’re the 2IC. You’ll take command until Sam is ready to go back to work. I’m moving Braden and Sampson to SG-1 for now."

Daniel sat back, his eyes wide. "Me? I’m a civilian!"

"Daniel, you’ve been on this team since its inception. You know how to get the job done. Teal'c will be there with you when you need advice. You can do this."

Casey looked up at her husband, her pride on her face and in her eyes. "Get used to it, love. You are The Chosen," she said softly.

He frowned at the reference to Lya’s announcement, lost himself in her eyes, let the love shining there bring a smile back to his face.

"Speaking of which, what have you found out about that?" Jack asked.

He shook his head. "I haven’t found anything, Jack. I tried talking to Oma; she says I’ll know when the time arrives. Lya hasn’t answered any of my messages to her, and even Thor is refusing to tell me anything."

Jack frowned. "Well, I guess we’ll do what we’ve always done…cross that bridge when we get to it."

The pizzas arrived, and everyone began to settle down to eat. Daniel pulled the shaker of hot peppers from Casey’s hand, knowing the heartburn she would suffer later if she ate the stuff.

She smiled at him. She loved him so very much, and the concern he showed, the care he gave her, filled her heart. She slid her hand up his thigh, as high as she dare go in public. He glanced at her, smiled when she winked at him. Oh, how she loved him! The baby was moving again. She took his hand and placed it against her, so that he could enjoy the feeling of their child as well.

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