I don't own Stargate SG-1 and it's characters:

They are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions.

I'm just borrowing their characters for a while to play; I am not making any money from this;

it's just to freeshare with my ff friends.

Minor Spoilers for New Order I and New Order II

Chapter One: Discovery

...

Sam Carter closed her front door and leaned back against it with a sigh. She felt bone-tired. Had for a while, actually, but only now acknowledged that fact, with the current crisis over and hopefully a lull before the next one!

This one had been bad, and she shuddered to think of the consequences if it hadn't worked out for them. But 'Thank God' it HAD worked out, and so she could finally relax for a while, knowing that all was right with her world. Well, at least as right as it could be, knowing that her father was off God-knows-where, and the closest female friend she had ever had, and probably WOULD ever have, was gone forever. She felt a slow tear track down her face at that particular memory, the pain almost robbing her of her senses. Then, just as suddenly, felt joy engulf her with the knowledge that at least ALL of her other close friends… her family were safe and home again.

If she had permanently lost the Colonel as well, she didn't think she could have coped! The Colonel, or rather The General she corrected herself, was back to being his usual sarcastic, demanding and childlike self, and she wouldn't have him any other way! The knowledge that O'Neill was back with the SGC was definitely the best analgesic for any pain she felt. A little voice whispered that Pete should be her main source of comfort, but she swiped that thought ruthlessly away. Pete was personal; the SGC was professional and the biggest part of her life. The two things were totally separate!

Now though, she needed some sleep. Proper sleep, not the artificial sleep conjured for her mind by Fifth in a fantasy-world, she thought with another small shudder! God, she definitely needed sleep, her moods were swinging up and down like a yoyo! Which, of course, brought to mind a certain silver-haired Col… General, and she found she was smiling again…

...

She was walking from the house in which she had awoken before, and found herself being greeted by the same gentle dog, and she suddenly realized she was back in Fifth's fantasy. The stables loomed before her, but suddenly beyond them she caught the shimmer of light on water, and she looked up to see not Pete, but Jack O'Neill sporting a cheeky grin and looking more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. What was Fifth up to now? But NO, she'd escaped from Fifth, hadn't she?

"Sam, are you OK?" She looked at his puzzled face, the deep brown eyes shining with concern, and then swung around as she heard bells ringing from the house. She felt his hand on her arm and heard his voice in her ear, "Sam …" But it was fading away, everything was going dark, and…

Suddenly she shot up and found herself in her own bed, in her own house, feeling disorientated by the fading dream.

'WHOA… Where did that come from?' Then she realized that the bells were still ringing, or to be more precise the phone by her bed was ringing. Glancing at the clock she discovered she had only been asleep for half an hour.

"Damn, this had better be good," she muttered to herself as she reached for the phone. "Sam Carter."

"Sam! At last! I've been trying to get you for ages!"

"Cassie, what's wrong? I'm sorry I've been away."

"Oh!... And… Did you find anything?" Sam heard the uncertainty and pain in the younger woman's voice and rushed to reassure her.

"We brought the Colonel home, and he's perfectly fine."

"Oh God, I'm SO glad!" The relief was palpable down the phone, but the reaction was subdued, not Cassie's usual exuberant self at all. At one time she would have squealed with glee, but that was before… before she lost her mother… for the second time.

"He's at home, you should ring him… but NOT tonight!... It's too late."

"It's only 9 o'clock!"

"Well it was a fairly exhausting trip… and we're really tired, Honey."

"Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?"

"It's fine, Honey. I'm always glad to hear from you. Now what can I help you with?"

"It's just… When I was going through Mom's things…." Her voice trailed off and the uncertainty was back there again, making Sam feel guilty.

"I'm sorry, Cass. I should have been there to help you with that."

"No! It's OK. I knew you must have been busy with something important or you would have been, and with Jack missing…" her voice trailed away again.

"I know, and yes I WOULD have been there with you if I could… So, what's wrong?"

"It's just…" she paused again, and Sam cried out for her, hearing the deep pain in her voice.

"Cassie", she said gently. "Just tell me. It can't be that bad."

"It's not bad at all, not really, just that I always thought Mom shared everything of her life, except her work, of course."

"And? Cass?"

"Sorry, it's just that I found some things hidden away in the back of a drawer. New things, I've never seen before… a scarf, some underwear and there was this really beautiful gold bracelet. It's engraved inside… All my love, always. P."

"It was probably something she had from her husband."

"Her husband was called Wayne, and anyway, the box it was in was date stamped… last year's date!"

"Of course he was. Well that is strange. Maybe it was from a patient and Janet was embarrassed about it."

"Mom NEVER took gifts from patients. She emphasized that was the wrong thing to do when I was a volunteer at the hospital."

"I would have thought she would have told me if she was seeing anyone, especially as a gift like that sounds pretty long term."

"Well so would I… and told me as well! I mean, we had the usual mother -daughter squabbles, but I was always telling her she needed someone in her life, and she never said a word. Now I find she did have someone… and she never told me!"

"There must be a reason, Cass. Your mother was one of the most open people I ever knew."

"I KNOW! It's really strange. Anyway, I thought maybe there might be something in her PC, here at home, but I can't get into her profile. I mean, if we could find out who he was, we can… er... talk and things. At the very least we can let him know she's died. I mean, he probably doesn't even KNOW!"

"Well, yes, that's true…" Sam said slowly, even while her mind was racing. "Cass, have there been any unexplained phone calls or messages?"

"Well, no; but I've hardly been here. I mean, at first I was staying with you and then I got settled in school. I'm only here this weekend, because I needed to sort out some things and get the house ready for selling. I left the answering machine off, 'cause the messages were all the same… Sorry she's gone etc…" There was that pain again, and despite her tiredness, Sam knew what she had to do.

"Get some coffee on," she said briskly. "I'll be there in 15."

"But Sam. You were asleep." Despite her protests, Sam could hear the relief in Cassie's voice.

"It's OK, Honey. Catching up with you will be a much better tonic; and anyway I can sleep just as well over there."

"Well, if you're sure, that'd be great. See you soon."

"Soon, yeah! And in the morning we'll have a look at that PC."

...

The next morning, bright and early, Sam and Cassie sat at Janet's desk, studying her computer. The previous night they hadn't talked for long before they had both succumbed to much needed sleep. Cassie didn't look like she'd been getting much either, recently. Sam could feel her relief at having her there, and certainly this morning she looked better, and hopefully had finally had some sleep.

It didn't take long for Sam to get into Janet's personal profile, but upon opening her sent messages, a surprise awaited her.

"Well. I'll be… One thing you can be sure of Cassie, he DOES know about Janet's death!"

"Why? What is it? Do you know who this Paul is?"

"Look at the addy."

"Paul Davis?"

"Yes, he works out of the Pentagon. He's the SGC liaison officer. But I don't know why Janet would keep this secret. There's nothing stopping them from seeing each other. They're the same rank, and they work in different commands."

"Not like you and Jack, you mean?"

"Cassie! There has never been that kind of relationship between us."

"But, there could be, if it wasn't for the regs. Mom said…"

"Cass, I am in a perfectly happy relationship with someone else."

"Oh yes. How is Pete?" She sounded very disparaging.

"Pete's fine. And you really would like him if you got to know him better."

"Sorry Sam, yes he is really nice. It's just I always thought you and Jack…"

"Well that's a no-go and always has been."

"Pity though?" Cassie was watching her closely, and Sam felt a blush creeping up her face.

"Maybe, but all academic now. My future lies with Pete."

"OK. So this Paul? Do you think I could meet him?"

"Depends on why they were keeping it secret. I never even knew they knew each other."

"But you could ask him, quietly?"

"Why is this so important to you, Cassie?"

"I don't know… I guess I just want to know that she was happy. The last couple of years I've been out with my friends and we hadn't spent that much time together. I've been feeling guilty, that I should have been more understanding… more THERE for her, if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do. OK, I'll talk to him and see if he'll see you."

"Thanks, Sam. I love you."

"Me too, Honey. Me too!"

...

AN: A HUGE thank you to Firestar385 for beta reading, Americanizing and generally correcting this work. Any remaining mistakes are mine!

Reviews please, I would love to know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed - I want to improve and the best way is to take on board other people's comments.

I hope you will enjoy the reading journey as much as I am enjoying the writing one.