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"Okay, one more time, and this time, all the way down," Casey said. The groans from the two SG teams standing on the mats filled the room. She turned the stereo back on, did as much of the routine with the teams as she could, watched carefully as they bent to touch the floor. She smiled and nodded. "Much better," she said, turning the music off.

Tiesha Taylor grinned at her. "Yeah, just wait until you’re doing this again. Then I’ll bet you’ll go easier on us."

Casey laughed. "Think so? Okay, let’s call it a day."

Teal'c was standing near the free weights, watching her, a frown on his face.

"What’s wrong, T?" she asked, walking toward him.

"I do not think it is necessary for you to participate in the routines at this time," he replied.

"Three times a week, Teal'c. This is Wednesday, and this is the second time this week. Doctor Williams says that by staying in shape labor and birth should be easier for me. I’m all for easy labor and delivery." She shuddered slightly as she thought about some of the stories she had read about long and difficult births.

"I would prefer that you choose routines that are not so stressful," Teal'c replied.

She couldn’t help it. She giggled and leaned up to kiss the giant Jaffa on the cheek. "You’re sweet. But I’m fine. Although I am hungry. Do you have any of those snack bars left?"

A smile flittered over the dark features of the man beside her. "I believe you ate them all yesterday."

She sighed. "Well, then I guess I’ll take a shower and go down to the commissary. I wonder if Andrew has any waffles left from breakfast. Maybe I can talk him into a couple, with some peanut butter and olives on them."

Teal'c shuddered at the combination she described. "I believe the waffles and peanut butter are acceptable. However, Daniel Jackson has told me that you are not to have pickles or olives."

Casey sighed again. "I guess this means you’re going to go with me?"

"It does."

She nodded. "I’ll meet you here as soon as I finish my shower."

A  A  A  A  A  A

Forty-five minutes later she stood at the counter, talking to the head cook. He did indeed have waffles left over, and warmed two of them up. He put a generous amount of peanut butter and strawberry jam on each one. He added an apple and a banana, and a small bowl of raisins to the tray, then handed it to her.

She was still eating when Daniel came in. She was busy pushing the raisins into the banana, didn’t notice him until his hands slid onto her shoulders. She jumped, dropped the fruit onto the tray.

"Sorry, babe," he grinned.

"You are not," she replied. She picked the banana up and took a bite. She knew that bananas were one of his favorites. "Want some?"

He looked at it, the black of the raisins making it look as if it were diseased. "No thanks," he replied. "I’ll be right back." He made his way over to the coffee maker, filled a cup and brought it back. "So, Teal'c, is she behaving herself?"

"She is, Daniel Jackson," the Jaffa said.

He looked over at his wife, who scrunched her nose up at him. He laughed.

"The baby in her womb is lower today than it was yesterday," Teal'c continued.

Daniel looked over at her. "Stand up, babe," he said softly. He reached out and caressed the basketball-sized curve of her belly as she good-naturedly complied. "I think you’re right," he said.

Casey shrugged, sat back down. "I’m eight months along. The baby is supposed to start dropping. It just means that she’s getting ready to be born."

"It’s still too early," Daniel insisted. "You’re not due until the 9^th of May."

"Hey, don’t tell me, tell your daughter," Casey replied.

Daniel grinned. He got down on his knees in front of Casey and put his head against her tummy. "Emily, you just stay there until the 9^th of May. Be Daddy’s good girl and don’t come out too soon."

Casey started laughing. "She’ll come when she’s ready, my love."

"If she’s anything like her mother, she’ll come early to spite me," Daniel replied. His smile, and his eyes, told her that he was teasing.

They looked up when Jack and Sam came into the room. Sam waved, went to the counter and came back with a large bowl of vanilla ice cream and a bowl of cucumber slices. She dipped the cucumbers into the creamy white dessert, then began to eat.

"And you all thought my cravings were weird," Casey giggled.

Sam only grinned. "The best part is, he’s the one getting sick."

Daniel and Teal'c grinned.

Jack was doing his best not to watch his wife eat. "Only because I have to watch you eat such disgusting things," he replied.

"Your ultrasound appointment is in about ten days, isn’t it?" Casey asked her best friend.

The blonde colonel nodded, popped an ice cream covered cucumber slice into her mouth. "I can hardly wait."

"You’ll cry, I guarantee it," Casey told her.

Jack turned to Daniel. "Ready to leave in thirty?"

Daniel nodded. "Yep. But this is the last mission I go on until after Emily arrives. I’m not going to take the chance of getting stranded somewhere and missing my daughter’s arrival."

"I know," the general replied. Today’s mission was nothing more than a meet-and-greet. Angus MacLeod had convinced the leaders of three nearby villages that the trade agreements he had reached with the Immortals of Gamma and the Tau’ri of Earth were beneficial. These leaders were anxious to establish contracts of their own. There was ample land available, much of it fertile farm land. They were hoping to make an agreement for farming some of that land, for Gamma. None of the men at the table felt any regret at the turn of their allegiance from Earth to Gamma. Between the constant bickering among the politicians concerning the Stargate program, the bickering between the governments that were aware of the program, the activities of the NID, and the need to protect the innocents, especially those of Earth, the men realized that Gamma could be the only thing standing between Earth and Goa’uld occupation.

Sam and Jack had agreed upon resigning from the Air Force, and they were leaving the SGC at the same time Daniel and Casey were. They would be doing the same job on Gamma as they had been doing here. They just wouldn’t have to deal with political intervention, wouldn’t have to adjust to each new administration, and the stresses that accompanied each change. Nor would any of them have to live with the constant fear of their Immortality being discovered by the likes of the NID.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey blew a kiss to Daniel just before he disappeared through the event horizon. He would be back tomorrow. Probably late, if Angus insisted that Daniel drink with them tonight, she thought, smiling.

She went back to their quarters. Something told her that Emily had no intention of waiting until May to make her appearance. She wanted to finish getting the baby’s layette ready. The baby shower that the women in the mountain had thrown her had guaranteed that the baby would have plenty. She had received dresses and bonnets and lacy ribbon headbands and tiny little shoes. There were even three teddy bears for Emily to play with, when she was old enough.

She held the tiny tee shirts, the booties and socks, the one-piece pajama sleepers, running her fingers over the soft fabric. She had three lightweight blankets, and two lovely flannel ones folded and ready, the others packed away for now. Mandy, the buxom nurse who had been a good friend to all the women of the SGC, had made a beautiful quilt for the baby just before she had been transferred to Andrews. The portable bassinet, with its soft sides and lace covered top was made up, ready to lay her baby in. She rubbed her hands over her belly. "We’re ready, baby, whenever you are. Well, except for the house thing. Your Daddy is up to something. I think it just might have to do with the house thing." Think Christmas, he had told her. Yep, he was up to something. She just wished she could find out what. She'd always had a hard time waiting until Christmas day to open her presents.

She put the things back into the drawer she had designated as Emily’s. Arranged the boxes of disposable diapers nearby. Bottles and formula were beside them. Doctor Williams had already determined that she would probably not be able to nurse. Her breasts were a bit fuller than normal, and she was beginning to leak a bit of milk when she showered, but discussions with Erin led them to believe that her Immortal physiology would have her body back to her pre-natal condition within days, if not hours after Emily was delivered.

She had just sat back down at the table when she felt it. Her tummy hardened, she felt pressure, and a strong cramp. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Emily Rose, don’t you dare start this now," she whispered.

Fifteen minutes later she had another contraction. She turned on the television, tried to concentrate on the spy thriller she had found. An hour later, and she was still having them. Exactly fifteen minutes apart.

She went to the locker room. She was feeling uncomfortable, and thought a warm shower might help. Cathy Masterson was there, SG-8 had just returned from a mission.

She was drying her hair when it happened. She felt something inside, like the popping of a balloon. Water gushed from between her legs, made her thighs wet. "Cathy?" She pulled her soaked panties off, dropped them onto the bench.

The red haired SF poked her head around the corner of the wall of lockers. She saw the puddle of water on the floor beneath Casey. "Good grief, your water broke!" She raced over. "Okay honey, let’s get your sweats on. Don’t worry about undies. Where’s your tee shirt? Okay, here we go…"

Casey let the woman help her, the contractions that were coming now were leaving her breathless.

"Sit here, I’ll be right back," Cathy ordered. A few seconds later Sgt. Deke Anderson came striding in behind her and swept Casey up into his arms.

Within minutes she was in the infirmary.

"Daniel…" Casey said, just before another contraction hit her.

"General O’Neill is already notifying him," Doctor Williams said gently. "Let’s get you hooked up. I’m going to start an IV. When you’re ready for any pain meds, I’ll administer them this way. I’m going to put a monitor on you that will keep track of Emily’s heartbeat. Now, how far apart are the contractions?"

"About ten minutes," Casey answered. She looked up, smiled with relief when Sam ran into the room a few minutes later.

"Daniel is on his way, sweetie," Sam said softly. "He should be here any minute now." She had no more than finished speaking when the klaxons began to wail. She grinned. "I’d say that was him right now."

Casey leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. He was here. Everything was okay. She put her hands on her tummy. Everything was going to be fine.

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