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 A Promise Kept

Jessie smoothed the silk chiffon over her rounded belly. The empire waist of the light spring green gown allowed the material to drape over her growing figure, while the square neckline was cut modestly enough to cover her fuller bosom. A teardrop crystal lay just at the top of her cleavage, the multiple facets reflecting the light as she moved. Her hair was pulled into a loose chignon at the base of her neck, a few loose tendrils curling against the sides of her face. She was thankful Calandra had chosen to get married in the evening, when it was definitely cooler outside. The recent weather had been typical of a Colorado summer, and while Jessie’s pregnancy had been fairly uneventful, she did find she was unusually sensitive to the heat.

"Jessie, would you help me with this hook in the back? I can’t get it fastened."

Jessie turned away from the full-length mirror. "Oh, Callie. It’s beautiful!"

While Callie had asked Jessie her opinion on a few wedding dresses, this was the first time Jessie had seen her in the one she had chosen. The warm ivory silk was the perfect shade for her, contrasting beautifully with her pale skin. Strapless with a mock empire waist, the fabric over the bust was ruched with tiny vertical pleats. Modified princess seams created an A-line silhouette. The fabric was gathered slightly along the left side of the bodice and upper waist, creating a fan of pleats draping diagonally to the right hip. Another seam there reversed the cascade, causing the pleats to drape vertically as it flared into the full-length skirt of the gown. The seams were hidden by champagne lace appliques, the design reminiscent of vining flowers, the spray woven into the lines of the draped silk. A trip to the spa and salon had been Jessie’s wedding present for Callie, and the stylist had done a wonderful job giving her subtle auburn highlights, playing up the richness of her natural brown hair. The sides had been pulled back into a very loose French braid that extended just down the back of her head. From there, a waterfall of loose curls cascaded down her back. Callie had turned and pulled her hair to the side, revealing the elusive hook at the top of her dress. It took Jessie a couple of tries, but she finally got it hooked.

"Calandra? They just delivered your bouquet and the flowers for your hair." The wedding coordinator for Elegant Beginnings came into the room, carefully carrying a white box tied with a champagne satin ribbon. Callie and Jessie gathered around the table as the woman opened the box, revealing a bouquet of ivory roses, white nicotiana and maidenhair fern, accented with sage and sprigs of lavender. The florist had also created miniature floral blossoms out of the same ivory silk as Callie’s gown to be threaded through her hair in lieu of a veil.

As Callie sat down, Jessie picked up the hair adornments and began affixing them along the French braid with the accompanying bobby pins, and the wedding coordinator left the room to attend to the last minute details.

"Jessie?"

Sliding one of the pins in place, Jessie glanced up in the mirror, reflecting Callie's gaze back at her. She watched as her one-time nemesis seemed to struggle a moment for words.

"I...I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for everything that happened. I was in a bad place, but that is no excuse for the things I tried to do. And the fact you kept coming to visit me even after you were discharged from Forest Ridge...supported Dr. Bailey's decision to release me for outpatient treatment...hell, agreeing to be my matron of honor at my wedding?" She looked down at her hands. "I don't know what I can do to make it up to you."

Jessie continued pinning the last of the flowers into Callie's hair. "There's nothing to make up to me, Callie. The fact that you've gotten better, you've stuck with your therapy and become functional again is everything I ever wanted for you. Besides, you helped me when I was in a bad place, made me rethink my decision to leave Cam." Jessie smiled as she ran her hand over the growing baby within her belly. "I think we can call it even." Picking up the bouquet, she handed it to the bride. "I hear there's an anxious bridegroom somewhere outside—let's go get you married to Adam."

Cam sat on the blankets in front of the fireplace, his arms wrapped around his Wife as she leaned back against him. "So, did you ever think you’d be sitting here like this?" The baby cooed softly in Jessie’s arms, happily nuzzling away at her breast.

"Honestly? No. I had hoped one day I might get married, raise a family, but the more immersed I became with my job, the less likely a family seemed. Especially with the Stargate program." The gentle weight of Jessie leaning against him, his arms wrapped around her and their son, still seemed so surreal. But it was real…as real as the chill that hung in the winter air, as real as the warmth emanating from the crackling fire in the fireplace. He reached out and caressed the downy hair covering his son’s head and the infant opened his eyes, seeming to focus on his father with an intensity that belied his age, eyes that were a mirror image of Cam’s. The little imp smiled at him before latching back on and enjoying his evening meal, causing both Jessie and Cam to laugh.

"I believe that was an ‘I love you Daddy, but I’m not done’ grin," Jessie said as she giggled. She marveled at the tiny fingers grasping her pinky, before bending down and placing a kiss on the back of their son’s hand.

Cam chuckled as he pressed his lips to her temple. "Are you happy?"

The twinkle in her eye and the gentle smile that curved her lips spoke volumes. "I’m happy."

"And you’re okay with staying on base…no more going off-world?"

It was Jessie’s turn to press her lips softly to his, reassuring him. "I’m positive. It’s what I want. I’m more than happy staying at the SGC and working with the artifacts brought back, as well as being an adviser dealing with cultural and diplomacy issues. I’m not going to sugarcoat it nor lie to myself—every mission carries the possibility of not coming home. I don’t want this little guy growing up without at least one of his parents by his side. And I’m not going to ask you to give up your career, what you love to do. You’d never be happy behind some desk, whereas I’m fine with the desk, as long as it has something old and dusty on it for me to decipher." She kissed him again before repeating, "It’s what I want."

The sound of his parents’ voices along with a full tummy had lulled the baby to sleep. Jessie dabbed the milk from his little chin before handing him to Cam, who took him to the nursery and placed him in his crib. Cam grinned at the mobile hanging over his son’s bed, the only child on Earth to have an authentic Nahanian dream-catcher handcrafted by the old Shaman himself, the raven’s feathers and wolf fangs silent sentries keeping watch over the baby’s slumber. Cam looked down on him in wonder, this tiny being sleeping so soundly at the moment. My son. Cameron Jack Mitchell.

Returning to the living room, he found Jessie adjusting her top, the swell of her breasts much more pronounced now that she was nursing Cameron. She had regained the weight she had lost during her captivity, her pregnancy helping with that. Much of the "baby weight" was gone, but now there was a softness to her curves, her gaunt appearance a thing of the past. She literally radiated a peaceful contentment that was unmistakable. Settling down next to his wife, he took her in his arms, catching a hint of the subtle gardenia fragrance that had become a part of her ever since their visit to Herboren. Every once in a while acquaintances had asked what perfume she was wearing, or what shampoo she used, thinking the fragrance came from that. Only a select few knew that scent was now uniquely her own, and the story behind it. Once again he gave thanks for the gifts and blessings they had received, and most of all, for a promise kept. Kissing her softly, he knew all that he held dear was right there in that house. He was startled out of his reverie by the soft sweep of her tongue against his lips.

"Since the baby’s asleep, would daddy like a little personal attention?" Nimble fingers began to slowly unbutton his flannel shirt, teasing the skin beneath as she did so.

Cam gave her a rakish grin. "Oh, yes ma’am," he replied as he laid his wife down on the comforters spread out on the floor, "but only if I get to return the favor."

Promises…favors…Karma…and finally coming home. ‘Yep’, Cam thought, ‘it’s all good.’

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