A/N: This story is a long time coming piece – thanks to HanaCZ who gave me inspiration and helped me out A LOT. Thank you my dear friend! Actually we started this three years ago! Would you believe it?

As usually, reviews are most appreciated. And if you have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions, let us know! You might come up with something we actually missed. Thanks!

Timeline: Set after The Zero Hour – Jack wears just a t-shirt and light jacket there and in Affinity it is clearly summer already… so let's say this story is happening sometimes in April, okay? :o)

Spoilers: Up to Zero Hour – but Janet Fraiser is alive here. Why? Because we love her and we wanted to have her here! Hope you won't have a problem with that ;o)

There should be one chapter per week – or more chapters if there is time for writing. We will see how it goes.

Snow White
by Isobel and HanaCZ

Jack was the last one to go through the event horizon. He felt a bit blinded by the bright white color and the sun on the other side. Immediately he put his glasses on to protect his eyes. He noticed that his three team-mates were looking at him with smiles on their faces. He was grinning too. It felt perfect to be out there again!

The Gate closed behind him. Strange sense of melancholy made its way into his heart for a moment. It's been too long, way too long.

When he took a deep breath to enjoy the thrill of being off-world after such a long time, chill crept deep into his bones. Damn! He had forgotten that the temperatures were more than just few degrees below what he would always cold 'freezing' – hence their uniforms, gloves, all the thermo-things in their packs and oh – he couldn't forget about their lovely hats. He hated those… but well – in this cold weather he was actually grateful for having it.

He used to hate sandy planets but after few certain missions he just couldn't help it – he started to hate the snowy cold ones more. On the other hand – some memories coming along with snow and cold were worth remembering a lifetime.

"Jack?" Daniel called so he turned his attention to him.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?" Oh he was just teasing him, they knew.

"Peachy, Daniel, just peachy. You know how I love freezing off-world with the snow all around us…" he tried to complain. But he couldn't! Carter smirked and Daniel chuckled. Jack was grinning himself. He didn't dare to look at Teal'c. The guy was certainly standing there with his eyebrow high on his forehead and small smile on his face.

"Okay Carter, lead the way, will ya?" He asked her.

"Gladly, Sir." Her bright blue eyes were shining on him. Oh so she was happy too! Now that made him smile rather smugly.

Sam pointed the way and so the four of them started to walk. They had snow-shoes on their feet. It meant no running but also no falling deep into the snow with every step. Only Teal'c had some problems with using them. Sam had high hopes that they wouldn't need them the whole way but they couldn't be sure. He told her that he would try them but most likely walk without them. She couldn't blame him – he really wasn't used to them.

At first Jack was walking behind them, watching them, listening to them. Daniel and Carter were talking about something, occasionally laughing and glancing back – oh they tried to be subtle but they really couldn't hide it – he thought it was cute. He was also very moved. It really looked like they missed him! It lasted for about an hour. Teal'c was walking next to them, watching over them. But Jack could tell that his jaffa friend seemed to be very calm. His guess? Even he was happy that they were out there together again.

"You can't keep up, Jack?" Daniel yelled after him with a smirk noticeable in his voice.

"Naaah, just waiting for you to step into some hidden hole…" Jack answered and heard Carter giggle. But he couldn't help himself, he took the few steps and joined his team. In few minutes they were walking next to each other, all four of them, not minding the cold or the snow. It felt like the old times, the old good times. It felt right.

"So, Carter, how much time do we have?"

"About nine more hours, Sir."

"Enough time to walk to the temple, check it out and head back."

"Or stay there hidden over the night and go back tomorrow…" Daniel tried but Jack just glared at him.

"I know I know we should make it back if we can…"

"Unless you wanna get caught in the snowstorm, Danny…" Jack told him and heard him wince.

"Nope, actually I think we should really make it back today." Daniel answered.

They knew all about the weather on this planet. And it was not something to look forward to. As Teal'c had pointed out at the briefing – it was worse than planet Hoth. Once again Jack had to laugh – introducing his friend to the Star Wars movies was the craziest idea ever!

Few days ago – well it was Wednesday now so – yep, on Friday last week Carter had come to his office with one of the biggest smiles she could come up with. He knew she was up to something.

She told him that maybe they had found a way how to dial some of the addresses that couldn't have been dialed earlier because of some glitch. And she had some of those that he had put into their computer the first time he was dealing with his mind being compromised by the Ancient depository.

"So you are saying…?"

"I am saying, Sir, that we might be able to dial the Gate. I need to run some more tests just to be sure but I think it's safe."

"Cool places?"

"I don't know, Sir, you tell me." She said and he could just smirk. She had been working with him for too long.

Oh Jack had no idea what would come from that simple conversation. But of course – Carter – being the genius she is – had found a way how to work around the safety protocols and she practically cheated the Gate so she could dial out some of the addresses.

It was tough to find a gap in the schedule so she could play with the computer and dial out. He had to be sure that nothing bad would happen - one could never be sure. So it happened that she got her shot on Sunday! Well he had to be on the base anyway but still… Sunday, really?

The mentioned Sunday hadn't started well – he had to get up at 4:30. He was getting too old for that. But he knew that he had to get up. He had never missed a single scheduled coming-home of one of his teams. No matter which team – he had promised himself he would always be there. But with the damn time differences between planets it could also mean being on the base at 5:30. On Sunday. Yay!

What he couldn't understand was how Hammond had managed before. He was sure that there was not a time, not even once, when he would be missing while they were getting back home. But actually… if he could remember it correctly they had never had the scheduled coming-home at such crazy morning hours! How was that possible? He would have to ask Walter why. Definitely.

The base had been awfully full of live that morning. So many people walking around, doing their job. It was crazy! They were all supposed to be sleeping. Right? When he reached the control room, dressed in his most favorite most comfortable BDU Walter was already sitting there, cup of coffee in his hand. Damned – Jack knew he had forgotten something. Morning coffee. It was just too early and he was getting old and soft behind the desk – his brain was not working properly yet – otherwise he wouldn't have forgotten about a coffee!

"Hey, Walter…"

"Good morning, Sir."

"Any news?"

"No, Sir. The last one is two days old confirming the time and situation."

"So they should be here any minute…"

"Yes, Sir." Walter confirmed.

Walter knew that the General wanted to be there for every single team. And he also knew that all the teams appreciated that although nobody would say it out loud. It was just one of those many small things making this base special. He had always liked General Hammond and truth to be told, he was a bit worried about Jack O'Neill being the Man then. The beginning was tough but the guy was doing fine. There was still hope for him.

Of course he liked him when he was a leader of SG-1, almost everybody did. He was unusual, a bit crazy, sarcastic and poor Hammond had more than just one headache because of him but still there was something about him… Well, he was one of the good guys – that was what really mattered. He knew that they all could rely on him. They all knew that.

And so the General was doing the only thing he could right now – he was there waiting for his people to get back safely. But anyway, it was strange having him there in the control room instead of seeing him walking down the ramp. But he was getting used to it. He was just worried that General O'Neill still wasn't used to it though.

Soon, right on time, they heard the piercing sound of an incoming wormhole alert. In a minute the Gate opened and the Iris closed. Just the way it was supposed to. They got the signal and so the team came back safely and he had his debriefing. He knew the day would be even more important in the afternoon. He watched the team walking away, chatting with each other. He could even hear them laugh. And he had to wonder – what was happening out there without him being there… He would love to be out there again but to his dismay it would have to be approved by the President. How twisted was that?

He had walked back up to the control room, much calmer when his people were back safely.

"When is the next one coming in?"

"Tomorrow, Sir. But SG-2 is supposed to leave at noon."

"Oh, the planet with pink birds."

"Yes, Sir, that one."

"Thanks." He said and Walter just nodded at him with twinkle in his eyes. Of course the General wouldn't know the name of the planet or the code – but he knew it was the one with pink birds.

"Oh, Walter… how come teams were not getting back at this hour when Hammond was in charge?"

"I think they were, Sir. He was sometimes sleeping on the base instead of going home. Or working through the night. He didn't wish to miss anyone, just like you."

"I don't remember a single time when SG-1 was scheduled to be back at 5 in the morning…" Jack muttered.

Walter had to smile. Jack O'Neill could face any of the System Lords and be less confused than while thinking about something so trivial. It occurred to Walter suddenly that maybe the General really had no idea why SG-1 had always been scheduled in more pleasant hours. Now that was interesting…

"Sir, hi, good morning!" Suddenly somebody said. Jack looked behind him and found Carter standing there, looking too much awake and ready to sit down to the computer and get lost in her work for the next few hours. She just wasn't supposed to be there – not till the afternoon.

"Carter!"

"Sir." She smiled at him, too much happy for such a godforsaken hour in the morning.

"What the hell are you doing here at this hour?"

"What does it look like, I am doing, Sir?" She teased, happy with her cup of hot coffee and the prospect of whole day spent with the computer on rather calm base.

"To me it looks like you are just going to the mess hall to have some breakfast. And by breakfast I don't mean two more cups of coffee!"

She wanted to argue but he just glared at her and she could just nod. After all those years she knew him well enough – there was no point in resisting. Work would have to wait.

"I'll be back soon." She told Walter and he just smiled and nodded. Some things would never change.

And later she just took her opportunity and with him standing behind her, supporting her, trusting her, she dialed the Gate and managed to establish the wormhole - just one of her five tries worked out - but one was more than enough. She was so damn happy about it! With his permission she sent a MALP through and got their first telemetry. After analyzing it she asked for permission to send another – different – MALP through – one suitable for cold temperatures. And he – curious about what was on that planet – had given her the permission. Who could have known that this planet would really become important?

The most important information coming from the MALP was about certain energy spikes the machine had picked up. Sam could compare them to something they had already encountered. Ancient depository. And after sending the UAV and locating some very old temple they just decided to give this a shot. They were given the GO from the highest places - all of them.

So now they were walking on P6J-014 trying to locate the actual temple. Jack looked around again – and what he saw simply warmed his heart. He had his team. He needed nothing more. Well – planet with moderate climate could be a plus but he couldn't be too demanding now, could he? This would have to do.

"Sir, we are closing in – we should see the temple in about 30 minutes." Carter told him.

"Good, I'm getting hungry…"

"Hungry, Jack?"

"Yeah!"

"Don't tell me you missed the MRE!" Daniel accused him. It made Sam laugh. Oh she missed this so much.

Sam had been working on the dialing issue for some time. She knew that they should try to take advantage of all they could. And this was one of those things worth investing your time in. And besides – she knew that it meant the huge possibility of the General coming along with them. All she had to do was to find something on the other side. And that she did.

It was very difficult to admit it, but she had missed him out there. Nobody would say it out loud but the dynamics of SG-1 wasn't the same – not anymore. Without him the team had to find another way how to work together. Of course there had been times when he couldn't be with them – but at those times they all knew it was temporary. But this time… it was different and affecting them all.

She knew the guys felt the same. At first it was manageable, they were still having meals together and he was still coming to stop by her lab or Daniel's office to bother them and to have a talk or to try to drag them out of the mountain. It felt almost like it used to. But slowly things changed. He had his job to do, and it was important, they all knew, but they drifted apart. She couldn't remember the last time they had beer together.

But maybe it was supposed to be like that. It was not usual to form such a close bond with a senior officer. At every other base… but this was not any other base. This one was special, the teams were special, the people were special and the relationships, friendships and bonds created were special as well. And she had to admit, at least to herself, that without Jack O'Neill travelling through the Gate was not so cool anymore.

Sometimes it wouldn't occur to her, sometimes it was all okay but sometimes, like when he was standing behind her, trusting her to dial out the address that couldn't have been dialed out before, when he was standing so close, letting her mess with the computer and Gate system, trusting her, she felt the ache in her heart.

But it had worked out – they had their data, they had the information they needed – and because there was this huge chance they would find something Ancient on this planet – the General had been granted permission to join them on this mission. Nothing could be better. Now he was arguing with Daniel, both of them enjoying every second of it. She loved it too! Oh yeah, she did.

"Seriously, Jack – this is nothing compared to…"

"Don't you dare to finish that sentence, Daniel." Jack warned him, both grinning – and yet completely engrossed in the argument. As usually.

"So how bad can this get anyway?"

"You weren't listening, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked and Jack had to hide his laughter. He loved the big guy! He didn't give Daniel a chance and answered anyway.

"In the time estimated by Colonel Carter this planet should experience dramatic temperature changes accompanied by snowstorms. That can as well be the reason why we haven't found anything alive on the surface. It is most important for us to go back before it happens." He told him stoically calm as usually.

"Thank you, Teal'c."

"You're welcome, Daniel Jackson."

Jack stole a glance at Carter and caught her grinning at him. She was loving it as much as he was – trying to hide it as well as he was – but who would care now. When they noticed the temple in front of them they all knew what it meant – SG-1 was back!