Wrapping his arms around his wife a bit more tightly, John nodded when she said she just needed him. "You have me, hon," he told her. "Always. I'm not going anywhere."
He stayed with her while Carson checked on her again and while they sat waiting. He let out a chuckle when she commented about having a talk with Alex about coming early. "I guess she really wants to be here with us and the others," he remarked. "She's coming into quite an extended family."
She really was. Ronon, Jennifer and Callie. Sam and Carson. Teyla. Rodney and whatever he was currently building with Laura. John was continually surprised by how close they all were, how different this was from any assignment he'd had before. In all actuality, it had stopped being an assignment a long time ago and had become his life. His home.
Somewhere along the way, even though they hadn't really realized, the expedition had become a colony.
When Carson came back in and said that Alex was ready to come, John took a deep breath. This was it. He followed Carson's instructions, shifting to sit behind her more so he could support her as he wrapped his arms around her. He looked into her eyes and returned her smile.
"I love you too," he told her before she pushed. As she did, he kept talking to her, reassuring her, cheering her on.
"That's it, Fred. Almost there. Here's the head. Just a little more. And...one more push...well, hello there, Alex." A cry sounded throughout the room. Carson looked up at them with a grin and held a little baby girl up for them to see. "Meet your daughter. Again!"
John felt tears in his eyes as his vision blurred a little. A father. He was a father. "She's beautiful."