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Dr. Montigue had made arrangements so that all three of the women would receive their ultra-sounds on the same day. He walked into the waiting room and grinned. The Jacksons and O’Neills had been through this before. They were excited, but weren’t nearly as nervous as President MacLeod and his wife seemed to be. He decided to call them in first. He whispered to the nurse, then hurried back to the examining room where the machine waited.

Thirty minutes later, they emerged, their eyes full of happy tears, wide smiles on their faces. Duncan’s grin couldn’t have gotten any wider. The O’Neill’s were next, and after the same amount of time, emerged with wide, happy smiles.

Daniel watched as the nurse covered his wife’s belly, which was just now starting to show a hint of roundness, with the warm gooey jelly. He waited for the device to locate her heartbeat. It was just a bit fast, she was excited, he knew. He watched as the doctor moved the narrow monitor over her body, searching. There it was! Fast and strong and one of the most beautiful sounds that had ever filled his ears.

Casey closed her eyes, just listening to the sweet sound. "He’s okay, he’s really okay," she whispered.

He lowered his forehead to hers. "Yep, the baby is just fine," he whispered in reply.

Dr. Montigue smiled. "That’s a very healthy heartbeat. I’ll schedule you for another ultrasound at six months, then we’ll be able to tell you whether or not you have a boy or a girl there."

"It’s a boy," Casey said firmly. She looked up at Daniel. "Carly already checked," she said in way of explanation.

He smiled at her. He had been sure the Emily was a girl. With this baby, there wasn’t that absolute certainty. While he would be thrilled with either, as long as the baby was healthy, he secretly hoped for a son. A boy with whom he could do all the things he had never been able to do with his father.

"It’s a boy," she repeated, holding his hand to her cheek. "I’m giving you a son," she promised.

He cupped his hand around her cheek. "As long as it’s healthy, I don’t care which it is," he replied.

"It’s a boy," she said yet again, with such conviction that all those in the room tended to agree with her.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Emily’s birthday arrived with amazing speed. Casey had invited several of the other Immortal children, born to Gamma within the past two years. The yard was full of shouting, laughing toddlers, and their parents. Balloons and streamers added color, set the festive mood.

Daniel was sitting on the deck with Jack, Duncan, Aaron and Teal'c, who had returned to Gamma solely to celebrate this birthday. "I’m so happy right now it scares me shitless," he admitted.

"I hear that," Jack agreed.

"Why is it that we can accept the pain, and the bad times, but when things are going good, we just can’t seem to handle it?" Duncan asked.

"Experience?" Daniel replied, watching his wife and daughter. "How many times have we all been happy, only to have that happiness yanked away from us?"

Duncan nodded. "Too damned many."

Casey had been helping Emily with her balloon. She suddenly stood straight up, her hands going instantly to her tummy.

Daniel was on his feet and to her side within seconds. "Babe?" He felt panicked. He was afraid that something was going to happen, something that would steal this incredible happiness from him.

She turned to face him, her eyes sparkling, her smile full of sunshine. She didn’t say a word. She took his hand and pressed it against her body.

He felt it, that tiny flutter of life. He grinned. He turned to look at his friends, who had followed him to Casey’s side, fear etched on their own faces. "The baby is moving," he announced.

Jack grinned. "Felt ours move last night," he said.

Duncan looked over at Tessa. "We haven’t felt it, yet," he said.

"You will," Daniel assured him. "It’s…it’s unbelievable." He put his arm around Casey and pulled her close, his hand still on that slight swell of belly, pressed his lips to her temple. "Totally unbelievable," he whispered. His heart was still pounding in his chest. He was still not fully convinced that this happiness he felt could last.

Three Beings hovered nearby. "The Chosen has suffered greatly in his life," said the First.

"From such a young age. He has come to expect the worst," replied the Third.

"Why does he find it so difficult to accept the good that has come to him?" asked the Second.

"He has already stated the reason. Whenever he found happiness, it was taken from him. He would have been delighted to have a child with the wife who was given to him. If he had known that Sha’re was carrying his child when she was taken from him, it is very likely that he would have sacrificed himself to the Goa’uld in an attempt to save her," the First said.

"Which is why it was important that she not be allowed to know that she was with child," added the Second. "It was not pleasant to cloud her mind on that issue, but it was necessary."

"It has always brought me much grief that she should be taken from him in such a manner. There were…kinder…ways to free him for his Destiny," said the First.

"To have lost her to illness or accident would have been much…quicker; less…painful for him," the Second agreed. "We had even arranged such an accident to occur. Before Apophis came through the Chappa’ai. We did not expect him to move as soon as he did."

"A mistake in calculations that will never be repeated," the First said firmly. "It took far too long to correct that mistake. Causing The Chosen much grief."

"Not to mention a Child who could possibly defeat the Tau’ri," the Third added.

"The Child is with the Others, and is being taught well. He will not move against the Tau’ri. He will not leave the Others. His life would be forfeit if he did, and he is aware of this. Even The Chosen would not hesitate to strike the Harcesis down if he threatened His Chosen, or his children," said the First.

"Will The Chosen’s son be the one to battle the Harcesis?" asked the Second.

"Only if the Harcesis chooses to leave the Others," the First replied. "I do not believe that will ever happen. He is far too aware of the realities of his fate should he choose to do so."

The three Beings watched as Daniel and Casey stood, arm in arm, watching their daughter play.

"Come, there is other work to be done. His Chosen and her child are safe now," the First said. A soft fluttering breeze marked their exit.

Casey glanced around her. Why did she feel like she was being watched? A soft breeze touched her cheek. Again the incident was filed in the back of her mind.

A  A  A  A  A  A

As he had promised, the next day Daniel helped her turn the guest bedroom into the new nursery. They had decided to just put the full bed in Emily’s room. Jack and Duncan came over to help paint, and Tessa helped her make the curtains while Sam kept Emily and Evvie entertained.

The tot watched, wide-eyed as the crib was moved from her bedroom into the other room, and the ‘big bed’ moved into her room. Daniel picked her up and carried her into her bedroom where Casey was putting the brand new Princess bedding on the mattress.

"You’re a big girl, Emmie, and you deserve to have a big girl’s room," Daniel said softly. "See, you have new shelves for your books, and a big bed just for you."

"I’m big girl," she said, nodding her head.

"That’s right, Emmie," Casey said. "I found big girl sheets for you! See, they have a Princess on them." She pulled the comforter into place, it was covered with ribbons and bows in soft pink and lavender and yellow. She arranged the pillows, and sat down. She had worried that Emily would be upset about the changes, so Daniel suggested that they start having their ‘snuggle time’ on her new bed. "We can have ‘snuggle time’ right here on your new big girl bed!"

Daniel let her down onto the bed. She bounced once or twice, then grinned up at him. "You like your new bed, Princess?"

"I wike it, Daddee! See, Mommee dots big girl pillow fow me!"

"I see that."

Duncan and Tessa poked their heads into the room.

"Oh, Emily, what a lovely room," Tessa said, smiling.

"Big ‘url room!" Emily said, bouncing and laughing on the bed.

"That’s because you’re such a big girl now," Tessa replied.

Casey relaxed. Emily was adjusting to the changes well. Daniel smiled and ran his hand over her hair, cupped her cheek. She kissed his palm, smiled up at him.

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