A/N: Welcome readers to my new story, I will give you here quick description of story.

This story will be AU, to make things more clear, everything that happened in Stargate is as it happened in serial to end of season 8, just before season 9. Whole story will turn different way, which means there will be no ORI and Vala, sorry Daniel/Vala fans, I simply don't like her character and that pairing. Since this will be an AU I plan make some characters OC, just to let you know beforehand.

Very big thanks to my very good friend and co-writer WeskerCZ, who helps me with correcting me (Wesker: I try :D) and especially for giving me support to write this story.

Warning!: before you start reading, I am not a born English speaker, and I have dysorthography, so I am sorry for my mistakes, which I try to minimalize with corrector and I have my friend Wesker who is correcting (Wesker: And editing :P) my story, so you don't have to suffer while reading this story. Now just sit and hopefully enjoy.

Disclaimer: Stargate and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. In case I missed someone in disclaimer, just let me know and I will correct it.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 1

Year 2005

It was evening, under Cheyenne Mountain Stargate command was humming with usual activity. SG teams going in and out through the Stargate, personnel doing their daily duties.

General Jack O'neill was looking at the activity through the observatory window, trying to forget his stacks of papers waiting for him in his office, and silently hoping, that anything interesting would happen to get him off doing paperwork.

'Well, maybe not anything, considering that alien seed turned into plant disaster from plane P6J-908.' Jack though. "But few days off back at his lake, and fishing would be nice..." said Jack to himself.

"General, team of marines is ready to go to planet P2A-347" O'neill looked at Walter with questioning look. "They are escorting scientific team to look for useful minerals and materials, sir."

"I knew it was something like that…" muttered general. 'Did IOA really have to intervene into his job? They probably wanted him to go crazy from the paper work they make him do.'

"Tell them they can go" He said to Walter as he went back to look at the Stargate. "Where are the days I could go to other planets?" Just as he was about to get lost in memories, Walter called him "Sir, IOA just called, some kind of problem with one of your last reports. It seems, that there are few reports that you forgot to send them." 'Yeah, they would be his death one day.'

Colonel Samantha Carter was working in her lab, just finishing her latest project. Quickly finishing the report about her findings, and sending them to Research department. Looking at her watch she sees, that it's getting late. "I should probably get going, if I don't want to be here too late, considering I have mission tomorrow." She said while thinking, that it wouldn't be a bad idea to check, if someone from the old gang had time to go to a Steak bar. With that in mind she stood up from the chair and vent looking for her teammates.

She quickly found out, that Jack had "work", Teal'c was already somewhere in the city, so her last hope was Daniel. 'I hope that at least he has some time' she thought, and went in the direction of his office, in hopes of finding some time with her best friend.

Samantha was engrossed in her thoughts, when she was suddenly woken up from them as she heard Daniel's voice speaking with someone in his office.

"I have completely translated everything, with additional translations I thought would be useful to have with you." said Daniel. "Thank you for your work, I think with that we will have everything ready for that mission." said another voice. Sam came through the open doors, and saw Daniel speaking to Colonel Reynolds from SG3. "All we need now are some remaining preparations, you can sta-" Both occupants looked at doors, when she came into his office, effectively ending their conversation. "Sam, do you need something?" asked Daniel, before she could say anything. "Sorry, I hope I am not interrupting something?" replied she said sheepishly. "No, no! Dr. Jackson helped me prepare some translations for my next mission. Thank you again for your work Dr. Jackson. Now, if you excuse me I have to give this to my teammates." replied Reynolds and with that he left.

"So Sam, can I help you with something?" asked Daniel after moment of silence. "No, Daniel, I was just wondering if you had now some free time. I was planning to go to O'Marleys bar for some Steaks." Samantha said. "Well, I was just about to finish some translations…" replied Daniel while looking around office at the scattered papers around his table. She looked little disappointed, so he quickly said "But considering I have just finished extra work for SG3 and seeing the time, I will leave it for next day." He said while checking his watches. Seeing her brightened, he quickly added "Since you came with it I am looking forward to some nice sappy steak." She just smiled glad that at least Daniel could come. "Let's just change and go for some real meat" with steaks in mind, they left Daniel's office.

Few Hours later, after consuming some sappy steaks the duo enjoyed their food and now are playing Billiard, respectively Sam was, to others she was just banking on few poor souls who dared to play with her for money, while talking with Daniel.

"So, did you see Cassandra recently?" asked Daniel, he was curious, it was some time since he last saw her. "No, she called recently, but since she started to study on UCLA and with our free time, you know how it's hard to stay in contact." Sam replied, while sending another ball to the hole, making her adversary sweat, when he saw her precision. "What do you plan on your upcoming days off?" Daniel asked curiously. "Well I want to look at my bike, maybe take her for ride. Well, that if I don't find any new interesting project in work. What about you? I hope you won't spend another days off just doing your work." replied Samantha. "Well, like you are one to talk." he smiled at her, "But, no. I actually plan to visit few places." replied Daniel. Now that got her attention, 'did he just mentioned something non work related? She knew him, he was workaholic like her. It was one of many things, she always liked on him and why they made fun of them, since they were able to solve things, before their teammates could catch up to them.' she smiled inwardly. "Where exactly are you are going?" she asked curiously. "I found something in those translations that catched my eye, so I'll be visiting few libraries, looking for references." she inwardly sighed. 'Of course he is going out just for more work related matters... I should've know him better by now…' "And there is my former college from archaeology, that I want to see again." he continued 'Now that was rare for him to see one of his former colleagues. Not that she was surprised by it, when she considered his last lecture, that cost him career.' It made her sad, she was from time to time attending various Astrophysics conferences, with support from military, but Daniel? He haven't attended to such things since he was considered a laughing stock of archaeological community. It was really shame he couldn't present any of his new findings, which would have shocked the world, especially since his opinions on age of the humanity was proven, with the findings of the Ancients, which were their ancestors... 'Putting thoughts aside, right now is time to collect cash, and get going, they had mission next day after all.'

"Daniel, we should get going, you know we have mission tomorrow." "Yeah, it's probably time to go, before you strip all customers from their money." Daniel replied with smile. She just made innocent smile, as they made their way to pay.

Once outside, they were greeted with cool night air. She looked at Daniel, who seemed troubled. "Are you ok?" He looked at her for a moment, unsure. "We can sit over there, so you could tell me what troubles you." He just sighed knowing, she would not let him off so easily.

They sat down on a bench "Daniel you know you can tell me everything, do you?" he hesitated for few seconds before he just nodded. "There are some things that troubles me. It seems, that even if we defeated Goa'ulds, we have seen that the galaxy is little troubled with the Lucian alliance, few weak Goa'ulds trying to maintain their collapsing rule, and with free Jaffas, their power is weakening as we speak. Asgards are still recovering from the Replicator war, and considering their genetics problems…." she thought about his words. "You are right, but there is nothing we can do about it. You can't change the galaxy alone, you just can help with what you can and hope that it would be enough to bring change for better galaxy." He looked at her with his decisive look "But what if there is way Sam? Maybe we have other options, that we just don't see now." as he spoke, he was looking at her with his bright blue eyes. "We destroyed System lords...but what it led to? There is chaos out there, and we are partly responsible for that! Peoples across the galaxy are dying as we speak! I can't just accept that there is nothing we could do to stop it."

She saw his inner struggle, she could understand him, she saw the same problems just as he, and to be honest with herself, she wasn't happy with them, but she just accepted them as they were, and hoped that it will get better. "You can't save everybody Daniel, I know that you have that feeling that you always need to save everybody." she paused to take her breath and continued her merciless assault "Do you know, how many times we came to losing you?" he flinched at that. "You even died once Daniel! I don't want to go through that again, I am not going to lose you again! Just try to be more careful next time you decide to save another planet, please, I don't think I have enough time to go to all of your funerals." she finished her emotional output with a small joke to lighten up the tense atmosphere. "No promises Sam" he shook his head with little smile. He didn't know that she felt like that. 'I know her for years, I probably should.' he thought.

"Sam...Thank you." he smiled at her. She grinned in return "Just don't go dying on me anytime soon!" She gave him light nudge on the shoulder. "Thank you Sam for hearing me out I needed to get that out of my head I guess". "Hey, what are best friends here for? Don't think for a moment Mr. Jackson, that you can escape me, you know I know how to get you to talk." they were now freely grinning at each other. They sat near each other for some time enjoying the pleasant silence.

Daniel stood up with a sigh "I guess it's time to get going so we get some sleep. I don't know how about you, but I certainly don't want to get scolded by Jack for coming late to briefing." She also stood up "You are right. Good night, Daniel." she hugged him, and with that, she started walking toward the parking slot to find her car. "Good night, Sam" replied Daniel, still silently standing in the night watching the sky full of stars.

"There is no other way…" he said to himself, before following in Sam example.

AN: That's it for now, this is little intro to my new story.

This is my first story I have published so I expect from everyone to be completely honest with me and say anything that's on your mind. I am trying to improve myself in writing and storytelling, and I believe that harsh criticism is the way.

I am not going to tell anything specific regarding the future of this story, not even my friend will know, what I will be sending him for correction, before posting it here.

I have some things in mind: some action, some boring talking, some character development and the usual stuff for a story. I have a way which I want to take this story through, but how it will end up is in the stars right now.

I have originally came up with 3 completely different ideas for this story, and decided to put first two ideas on hold, maybe I will write them, maybe not, since nothing is sure in this world.

Thank you everybody who decided to read this chapter to the end, and especially to those, who decided to leave review.

(Wesker: You should really consider help with translating with a native English speaker. True, sometimes I think I'm even better than some considering the stories I read and those (for me) stupid mistakes but still... That being said, SHOUTOUT TO YOU GUYS: If anyone wants to help with correcting grammar mistakes, please tell us! We want to make this story as best as possible and to achieve that, we need to have it completely mistake free. Once again thank you for your time and until next time, PEACE.)