** you are the only thing that makes sense // just ignore all this present tense **
In one reality, she's Colonel Samantha Carter. In another, she's Dr. Samantha Carter. In some, she's still a Major, while in others, she's been promoted to General.
In this one, the one she finds herself in at the end of the world, she's Colonel Samantha O'Neill.
She blinks three times, hard, and tries to make that make sense in her mind. Even after that third take, it still doesn't sound quite right to her.
It doesn't sound wrong either.
She finds her identity out when the wormhole disengages behind her, boots clamoring on the metal ramp, and a familiar voice booms through the gate room.
"All teams to the embarkation room! Colonel Samantha O'Neill, drop your weapon!"
Or embarkation room, apparently.
She follows his order, like she always has, and sets her zat down. Metal clanks against metal.
He's there, staring at her from above with a barrier of glass failing to hide the thousands of emotions that sweep over his face. She stares back, ignoring the dozens of soldiers aiming their weapons at her.
She's recognized as a threat. It's standard military procedure. She wonders what gave it away. Was it the hair this time? Because something tells her the lack of ring on her finger would have gone unnoticed.
He ceases his scrutiny of her from above and snaps into action, bolting from his seat and descending down the stairs. Blast doors slide open and he strides in with ease that tells her, even in this reality, age hasn't stopped him from doing his job and doing it well.
"Sir..." she murmurs, and he flinches at that, pausing several feet away from her to re-begin his scrutiny of what she can only assume, judging by her surname, are familiar features.
Samantha O'Neill.
It still doesn't sound right.
"Carter."
She tries to read his face, but the dizziness, malnutrition, and pure exhaustion of her former life are hindering her ability to even stand before him. How the hell is she supposed to try and understand why there seems to be pain on his face at the sight of her?
"Sir, I... the Ori. They destroyed everything."
He sets his jaw as he undoubtedly processes that.
"Carter," is all he says. His brows narrow and for a moment she wonders if he's going to cry.
She's a genius. Despite the world ending just seconds before she stepped into a new one, it doesn't take her long to figure out why he's looking at her like that.
"I'm dead," she breathes.
He doesn't nod, doesn't respond, and she doesn't expect him to. She's dead to him. And the irony of it all is, he's dead to her too.
Her entire reality is.
She thinks she knows what Dr. Samantha Carter felt like seven years ago when she and Kowalski fled from their universe to hers.
He finally orders his men to lower their weapons.
She notices he doesn't have any stars on his uniform.
Time moves like slow fluid around her as she's escorted out of the room and to the infirmary, where she'll sit in a level three lock down until Dr. Lam has cleared her with all the routine tests. The whole time, he'll be above her room, silently scrutinizing the features of a dead loved one once more.
Samantha O'Neill.