Author's Chapter Notes: For the new year: a new chapter. I know it's short, but it explains 'The Sheppard Curse' a bit better.
Part 21: The first 48 hours
Jack looked in awe at the two small bundles in the infirmary cribs. He still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Elizabeth and tell her about the decision regarding the 16 MIA’s. How was he to tell her now… right after the birth of these two rascals… He had held her hand throughout the birth; she had even called him John at one point due to confusion from the pain. She meant a lot to him and for a moment he wondered why he wanted to tell her personally. Then he realized he needed her to support him with his own loss. She had lost the love of her life, just as he had lost his. Neither would be the same again and they needed each other now more than ever before. Somehow in the last half year, she had become an important part of his life. He had walked her to the altar for crying out loud and she really was like a daughter to him. The two small bundles in front of him almost felt like grand children. Smiling, he remembered the talk he had with Sam on their way back to the SGC from John and Elizabeth’s wedding. They both wanted children and now he felt like a grandfather… The irony didn’t get lost on him.
“General. I was surprised to see you enter my infirmary.”
“Dr. Beckett.” Jack smiled and shook the Scotsman’s hand. “It’s my impeccable timing.”
“You were there for her when John couldn’t be. Thank you for that.”
“Sure thing. How is she doing anyway?”
“Oh, she’s just fine. It’s these two I’m worried about.” Carson said as he walked over to the cribs.
“Why?” Jack asked, sounding worried.
“She never told you?”
“Told me what?” Jack was getting impatient and it was obvious from his tone.
“Ok, let’s start from the beginning.” And Carson told him everything Elizabeth had told him about the Sheppard curse. Jack’s mouth opened wide and he seemed lost for words.
“My God… she must be worried sick.”
Carson nodded. “Aye, the first 48 hours are crucial. If they make it through that, they’re safe. I think I know what causes it, but I haven’t found a cure... I don’t even know if there is a cure...”
“What’s the cause?” Jack asked.
“The ATA-gene.” Carson sighed.
“Wait… You mean… this could happen to anyone carrying the ATA-gene?” Jack’s head reeled. “But my son wasn’t a twin birth.”
Carson was surprised to hear the general had a son, but he didn’t show it. “Then you were lucky.”
“And what does the ATA-gene have to do with it?”
“The ATA gene causes the chance of a twin-pregnancy to grow exponentially. Apparently it wants to choose because at one point the “weaker” of the two will die and the “stronger” one will survive, thus increasing its odds at survival and ultimately, propagation.”
“And it has nothing to do with the fact that one of the two parents doesn’t have the gene?” He was thinking about Sam and how she didn’t have the gene. As far as he knew Sarah didn’t have the gene either, but apparently they had just been lucky. What would happen if he and Sam tried to have children?
“Actually, it sort of worsens the situation. When both parents have the gene, it will have enough of itself to distribute, but when only one parent has the gene the chance of one or both of the children dying increases.”
Jack felt his knees weaken and he supported himself against the closest wall.
“But these two are doing fine, right? I mean… look at them… they must be doing fine.” He knew Elizabeth didn’t have the gene either and that worried him.
Carson sighed again. “Like I said, the first 48 hours are crucial. They can seem perfectly fine one moment and be dead the next. We hooked them up on everything we could find and we’re monitoring all their functions. If something happens, we’ll be able to intervene immediately.”
Jack nodded. He felt numb and broken. He didn’t want one of his grandchildren dying…
TBC
Jack looked in awe at the two small bundles in the infirmary cribs. He still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Elizabeth and tell her about the decision regarding the 16 MIA’s. How was he to tell her now… right after the birth of these two rascals… He had held her hand throughout the birth; she had even called him John at one point due to confusion from the pain. She meant a lot to him and for a moment he wondered why he wanted to tell her personally. Then he realized he needed her to support him with his own loss. She had lost the love of her life, just as he had lost his. Neither would be the same again and they needed each other now more than ever before. Somehow in the last half year, she had become an important part of his life. He had walked her to the altar for crying out loud and she really was like a daughter to him. The two small bundles in front of him almost felt like grand children. Smiling, he remembered the talk he had with Sam on their way back to the SGC from John and Elizabeth’s wedding. They both wanted children and now he felt like a grandfather… The irony didn’t get lost on him.
“General. I was surprised to see you enter my infirmary.”
“Dr. Beckett.” Jack smiled and shook the Scotsman’s hand. “It’s my impeccable timing.”
“You were there for her when John couldn’t be. Thank you for that.”
“Sure thing. How is she doing anyway?”
“Oh, she’s just fine. It’s these two I’m worried about.” Carson said as he walked over to the cribs.
“Why?” Jack asked, sounding worried.
“She never told you?”
“Told me what?” Jack was getting impatient and it was obvious from his tone.
“Ok, let’s start from the beginning.” And Carson told him everything Elizabeth had told him about the Sheppard curse. Jack’s mouth opened wide and he seemed lost for words.
“My God… she must be worried sick.”
Carson nodded. “Aye, the first 48 hours are crucial. If they make it through that, they’re safe. I think I know what causes it, but I haven’t found a cure... I don’t even know if there is a cure...”
“What’s the cause?” Jack asked.
“The ATA-gene.” Carson sighed.
“Wait… You mean… this could happen to anyone carrying the ATA-gene?” Jack’s head reeled. “But my son wasn’t a twin birth.”
Carson was surprised to hear the general had a son, but he didn’t show it. “Then you were lucky.”
“And what does the ATA-gene have to do with it?”
“The ATA gene causes the chance of a twin-pregnancy to grow exponentially. Apparently it wants to choose because at one point the “weaker” of the two will die and the “stronger” one will survive, thus increasing its odds at survival and ultimately, propagation.”
“And it has nothing to do with the fact that one of the two parents doesn’t have the gene?” He was thinking about Sam and how she didn’t have the gene. As far as he knew Sarah didn’t have the gene either, but apparently they had just been lucky. What would happen if he and Sam tried to have children?
“Actually, it sort of worsens the situation. When both parents have the gene, it will have enough of itself to distribute, but when only one parent has the gene the chance of one or both of the children dying increases.”
Jack felt his knees weaken and he supported himself against the closest wall.
“But these two are doing fine, right? I mean… look at them… they must be doing fine.” He knew Elizabeth didn’t have the gene either and that worried him.
Carson sighed again. “Like I said, the first 48 hours are crucial. They can seem perfectly fine one moment and be dead the next. We hooked them up on everything we could find and we’re monitoring all their functions. If something happens, we’ll be able to intervene immediately.”
Jack nodded. He felt numb and broken. He didn’t want one of his grandchildren dying…
TBC
Chapter End Notes: Thank you for reading and don't forget to review! The next chapter is going to be a short one too, so the update shouldn't take that long... if my muse doesn't abandon me again :-/