Chapter one

The SGC had been in lock-down for the past twenty-four hours now, but that wasn't what was really getting under Col. Jack O'Neill's skin the most. It was true he got bored pretty fast when his team was not on the mission duty roster….which they hadn't been for forty-eight hours now...but the real problem was more than ordinary boredom! You see, normally when Jack was bored, he could go hang out in Carter's lab and irritate the heck out of her, or he could go hang out with Teal'c in the gym, or even visit Daniel's office where he knocked around, quite literally, until the man literally begged him to leave.

No, this time was very different and much worse for Jack, because there was no one to pester. Teal'c was away visiting Ry'ac, and Daniel was in Denver at an archaeology symposium. The lucky bastards probably had no idea what was going on down here!

Oh, did I mention that Carter was not in her lab? Why, you ask? Because Carter…well, actually ithe Carters/i …all four of them….were all in the briefing room with General Hammond.

It had all begun the day before when an unexpected incoming wormhole had surprised SGC personnel. It had been followed by another and another, and each time only one traveler arrived through the gate. But here was the real kicker…all three of the travelers were the same person…well, sort of the same person. That is to say they were all Sam Carter! Somehow, as Jack understood it…which he didn't really…all of these Carters were from parallel universes. And exactly how they'd gotten here to this universe was what they were currently arguing about.

Jack had been sitting in on the discussion for quite a while, and by now he was feeling very uncomfortable. General Hammond, who decided to stretch his legs, tapped Jack on the shoulder and suggested he join him for coffee in the commissary. Jack was grateful, since he hadn't been able to tear himself away from the sound coming from four sets of perfect Carter lips. Hearing four Carters speaking techno-babble at the same time had quadrupled the usual arousing effect on his libido. In fact, when Jack stood up, he realized he could barely walk! Pulling his green shirt down over his groin, he somehow managed to limp alongside his CO.

"It's an old knee injury," Jack lied as they walked side-by-side down the hallway toward the elevator. George Hammond just chuckled Once they arrived upstairs at the commissary, he and Jack got in line at the coffee maker, each getting themselves a cup of the strong-smelling brew. Jack hated the foul tasting sludge that the base cook tried to pass off as coffee, but right now it would give him something to take his mind off his not-so-little problem. He opened two of those little half and half containers and poured them into his cup before joining the General at a table.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I don't see any other alternative but to allow the Carters to work on this problem until a solution can be found. Hopefully they will figure out a way to get back home soon, and we can get back to business as usual around here," George said sensibly, as he sipped his coffee.

"I sure hope so, Sir, because I have to tell you that I'm beginning to go stir crazy, bonkers, wacko! And I really need to get out of here…away from all of those… I just need to get out, Sir!"

"Jack, I know this is hard on you."

"You have no idea, Sir." Jack thought that hard truly didn't describe what his nether regions were experiencing since those women had arrived. I mean come on! One Carter spouting techno-babble was reason for a hard-on, but four of them at the same time was grounds for a climax of epic proportions...followed by what Jack was certain would be a stroke that would either kill him or paralyze him for the rest of his life!

"Oh, I think I do, Jack. I may be old, but I'm not dead or blind. I know how you feel about Major Carter. I was in love once myself, you know." The General smiled and then bowed his head and chuckled. Jack was shocked, but he quickly found his voice.

"Uh...Sir, I assure you there isn't anything improper going on between Carter and me!" Jack sputtered.

"I know that son. That's not what I meant. Let's just say that I appreciate what you've both sacrificed for your country…even your planet. Hell, we all do! Jack, I think it's about time I told you that the President and I have discussed an alternate plan, for when you two can't deal with things as they are any more."

"An alternate plan? You and the President? ...as in of these United States?" Jack asked, incredulously. His face only revealed half of the shock and surprise he was feeling. Was he dreaming, or had Hammond just told him that the President of the United States knew about his feelings for Sam?

"Yes, Son, none other. President Hayes is quite fond of both of you, you know. And actually it was he who suggested the plan to me."

Jack shook his head and coughed nervously. Maybe he was just dreaming. Yah, that was it; Teal'c had hit him in the head while they were sparring and knocked him out cold, and all this was in his imagination! Jack closed his eyes tightly and opened them again slowly. Hammond was still sitting across from him, so Jack decided to see what else this apparition had to tell him.

"So, General, what is this alternate plan?" Jack asked curiously, wondering when the President had become such a big fan of his. He wasn't even sure he'd voted for the man!

"No, Jack, I'm not at liberty to tell you the details just yet...not until the time comes. Just know that the plan will be there for the two of you, when you're ready."

"But what about the election, Sir? What if the President doesn't get re-elected?"

"The plan has been approved by the Joint Chiefs, Jack. It'll still be there, even if Hayes isn't President. Now, you go back to work. I'm still waiting on those reports on your last two missions, you know. Maybe knowing that things aren't so hopeless will make your job here at the SGC a little easier," Hammond added, smiling.

"Oh, I'm sure it will, Sir! Thank you, Sir! And I'll get those reports to you by the end of the day! I promise!"

Jack breezed out of the commissary as though he were walking on a cloud. But he was still having trouble believing it. Was it possible that he and Carter would be together one day? And could that day be closer than he'd ever imagined? He had dreamed about it...wished for it even...but he never truly believed there would be a way for them to be together, at least not while he was still young enough to show her how much he loved her. And that was why these daily hard-ons were just so upsetting. Many days, when willing it away wouldn't work, he'd had to jerk off in the shower. At times like those he felt like his youth and vitality, and their future was spiraling down that damned shower drain! Well, maybe that would change soon!

Jack had gone back to his office, happier than he'd been in a long time. He even worked on those reports he'd been putting off. And by the end of the day the reports were finished and his future looked bright, and he felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

He was on his way to the commissary for dinner, when he was joined by his Sam Carter, who came strolling up to him from a side corridor. Jack could easily tell it was Sam by the green BDUs with the symbol for Earth on her shirt sleeve. The other Carters were all dressed differently, two in civilian attire and one in a brown uniform that reminded Jack of the outfits women wore during WWII. Not that he was around back then, but he'd seen plenty of photos from that era.

"Going to dinner?" she asked as she fell into step alongside him.

"Yah, thought I might as well. Nothing in the fridge at home," he replied. "Join me?"

"I'd like that, if you don't mind?" she replied companionably.

"Of course I don't mind!" he said aloud, but his wicked brain was screaming at her. 'Are you fucking kidding me!? You can sit on my lap! Then I'm gonna slip it to yah, and you can rock that sweet little ass until we both get off,' he thought vulgarly.

They kept on walking, finally getting into the elevator. Keeping one hand on the bottom of his shirt front, Jack pushed the button and the door closed, shutting the two of them in the small enclosure. The elevator was empty except for them, and he was sorely tempted to tackle her and pin her to the floor while he shoved his dick between her legs. 'Yah, that would be a very memorable first time for her, wouldn't it, you idiot!' his alter ego criticized him.

Jack dragged his mind back to their conversation, such as it was. The truth was that not only didn't he mind having dinner with her, he was grateful for the opportunity to sit with her...to just be in her presence for a while, the pathetic fool that he was. He looked around the floor and at their feet, trying to take his mind off the growing ache between his legs. And in the small enclosed space he began to notice something else. He could also tell this was his Sam by her smell, which invaded his head like an aphrodisiac, winding its way through his body until it gripped him by the balls. Jack swallowed hard and pushed the pain to the back recesses of his mind. Then he gritted his teeth and called on his black ops training to help him calm down as he glanced sideways, studying Sam's facial expression. Oh, oh! All was not well in Carterville! He could tell by her set jaw that she wasn't in a very good mood. He could always sense how she was feeling, and sometimes he even knew what was bothering her. This was definitely one of those times.

"What is it? You four Carters having trouble getting along?" he asked, trying to hide his smirk. He had heard them going at each other earlier that day, and he knew how stubborn and opinionated Sam could be. He didn't doubt that her doppelgangers were equally as stubborn, and he found it amusing that Sam was finding herself at odds with…well, herself! Jack thought it was hilarious, but he had a feeling that Sam wouldn't appreciate the humor he saw in the situation, so he decided to feign concern, less she turn her anger on him. Oops, too late!

"You think this is funny, don't you, Sir?" Sam asked, but her tone told him she already knew the answer. The elevator had arrived at level three and he waited while Sam stepped out into the corridor. He followed closely behind and then brought his steps parallel to hers, although with his current disadvantage and her long legs, it wasn't an easy task

"No, Carter, not funny," he said, but Jack snickered. He hadn't meant to, but it just slipped out. "Well, yah, maybe I do find it a little funny. But I feel sorry for you Carters too, and I wouldn't wanna be in your boots for anything! I mean it must be terrible having to listen to all of that techno-babble all day long, especially when their theories don't agree with yours."

"Well, that's not the worst of it. Apparently the President has ordered the General to remove the lock-down order as of zero 700 tomorrow. He says we're wasting the tax payers' dollar by shutting the program down, while my other selves try and figure out how to get back to their respective homes."

"But won't that mean less time for you to work on the problem?" he asked as they entered the commissary. Sam stood beside him as he grabbed two trays from the stack of clean ones at the end of the long row of stainless steel serving tables. He handed Sam one tray, and then got into the chow line, nodding for her to go first. He was always a perfect gentleman around Sam, and besides, walking behind her gave Jack a chance to check out that sweet six of hers! He put his tray down on the round metal bars and took the opportunity to glance down at her ass. How was it possible that a woman's ass could look so sweet in BDUs? His groin contracted with pain, and he almost regretted that one glance. Almost. God, he had it bad!

Sam continued talking, although by now Jack's mind was definitely elsewhere. "Yes, it will. But the President says it's either we get back to work, or he'll have the congress breathing down his neck over budget issues again. And he really can't have that this year, so close to election time. So for now, my duplicates are stuck here," Sam finished her thoughts on the matter and began paying attention to the selections offered for dinner that day.

Jack let out a relieved sigh. It wasn't that he was happy the other Carters were stuck here, it was that he was thankful he would be getting back to work soon...away from all the excess Carters!

TBC