Destiny From The Past

by Sam I Am the gate fan

An event in Sam’s past has changed Sam. Sam isn’t quite who she says she is... Another weird story! It’s so darn confusing! (I should know! I wrote it!) But it’s good all the same.

Destiny from the Past

By Sam I Am –

Rating: PG-13 (can't honestly be any more than that)

Warnings: Sam/Jack (that's a warning for anyone who don't like that!)

Category: Sam/Jack Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, minor character death, friendship and a little bit of SG-1 Humour thrown in for good measure. (If there's anything I missed out someone tell me!)

Spoilers: Um... usual stuff. Season 1-4 the usual! I can't remember off the top of my head!

Time frame: After Season 4 most likely!

Summary: An event in Sam's past has changed Sam. Sam isn't quite who she says she is... Another weird story! It's so darn confusing! (I should know! I wrote it!) But it's good all the same.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime / Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. No money is being made. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission. Lyrics from Whisper by Evanescence and the lyrics were used without permission (Sorry!) No Copyright intended, they just fit the story... and Evanescence are the coolest! If you want to archive my story TELL ME, or, to borrow a phrase from our beloved Colonel, I am SO gonna kick your ass!

Author's Notes: This is pretty bad but read it anyhoo cos I want to know what people think of it and ways to improve it etc!

Dedications: To my Best Pal/Editor. I don't think I could ever tell you how great you've been these past four years I've known you! Also to my little Sister, Kerry, who's now going to be getting my bus to school as she's an ickle year 7! (Awww!)

Now that's done with, my insanity begins... Destiny from the Past

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Fallen Angels at my feet, Whispered voices at my ear,

Death before my eyes, Lying next to me I fear,

She beckons me, shall I give in?

Upon my end I shall begin,

Forsaking all I've fallen for...

I rise to meet the end.

Whisper - Evanescence

Å

In that peach coloured summer dress, Sam looked undeniably beautiful. The most beautiful creature Jack had ever seen. He watched her feeling his jaw dropping, before hurriedly putting himself into check. For crying out loud, the whole team was here, including Sam's latest boyfriend, Fred... Francis... his name could be Fiona for all Jack cared!

He sighed watching the beautiful Major chatting with General Hammond. George had invited them all to his birthday barbeque and it had been really fun... that was until Sam and Frank showed up.

Now, Jack was trying to avoid them, playing with George's grandkids and talking with Teal'c, who, as usual, was sat alone 'observing'. Pretty much like Jack was doing now.

He watched her, taking another sip of his beer only to find he'd just finished it. He looked up as the woman laughed. Yes, definitely the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Well, except...

'Come on, Jack! You'd lost a hell of a lot of blood! It was all your imagination!'

Jack sighed. That explanation made hell of a lot more sense, but part of Jack, the part that had seen Aliens, mechanical spiders, huge honkin' space ships and some really weird and wonderful fashion senses throughout the universe, completely ignored the logical answer. That part of him was positive he'd really seen... Sam.

Whilst on one of his Special Ops missions, back before he'd even met Sara, Jack had been lying in gloopy mud, the monsoon splattering on his broken, battered and bruised body painfully. He'd been shot a few times, kicked, snapped and then left for dead in the middle of the jungle. To this day, Jack could never understand how he'd survived. He swore that in all his life he'd never had a near death experience except this one time. The first time he'd been a hair's breadth away from death. He'd been lying in the mud and he remembered staring into the ominous black sky above, the rain blurring his vision when he saw her. An angel. Jack had never really believed in heaven, God, Angels or anything like that, but that day he saw an angel. She smiled at him and spoke softly, 'It's OK. They're coming.' And then a helicopter began hovering above him, men sliding down ropes to the ground surrounding him and lifting him onto a stretcher as he passed out. The angel had been there right until he passed out, 'holding' his hand...

And now she was stood talking animatedly with the General.

Jack didn't even believe how corny it was, but he swore on his life that the woman he'd seen was Sam. At the time Samantha Carter had been in her mid teens living in San Diego with her brother just after their mother's death, but the woman he'd seen had been her, completely identical to that amazing woman who'd strode confidently into that briefing when he'd first met her.

At first he'd thought he was being silly, using science (yes, science!) to prove there was no way they were the same before realising he'd not believed in science since he'd been just over ten!

He looked at his angel again, almost drowning in her beauty. The dress looked wonderful with her golden skin, and clung to her figure just enough to show her off, but also for the dress to be flowing. Her hair looked great, as usual. It was cut just how Jack liked it, not too long and not too short. Her eyes were still that unforgettable blue, that made his heart shoot up into his throat making breathing a chore.

She glanced up at him as if suddenly aware of his observation, her nervous blue eyes fixing him where he sat, before Fabio began speaking to her obviously not wanting to share her with anyone else.

Jack sighed. No, she wasn't his angel. She was Frankenstein's.

He got up wandering over to the food about to grab himself another beer before he realised if he did he'd have to stay longer before he could drive home...

Jack shook his head at himself. It was George's party for crying out loud! He was such a selfish bastard!

"Colonel."

Jack jumped at the voice beside him. He turned to the woman giving him a hesitant smile. Jack's heart began thumping wildly as he coughed, clearing his throat, "Carter! You made me jump!"

"Sorry, Sir."

They stood in an awkward silence for a second, before Jack picked up another beer trying to make it look as if he was doing something. The silence continued until she spoke in an undertone, "Colonel, are you OK?"

"I'm fine," he tried to give her a smile, but he knew it must have been more of a grimace.

She looked him up and down and he could feel her eyes piercing through him as if reading his mind. That thought alone made Jack blush slightly, he turned to her. He had to say something.

"Carter, I... um... You look really..."

"Sam! I've been looking for you!" Jack looked up to see Ferdinand striding towards them.

Jack spoke hurriedly, "I'll go talk to, T. He looks lonely."

Too late! Florien arrived wrapping an arm around Sam's shoulder, "Hey, Hon! You going to introduce me?"

Sam gave him a silent apology as she spoke, "David, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill. He's my CO."

David? David? Jack could've sworn his name had begun with 'F'...

The man grinned sticking out his hand, "Colonel! I've heard so much about you!"

In other words, he'd heard absolutely nothing and was trying to be polite.

Jack took his hand and replied, "You too."

Jack began sizing the man up as he stood there. He was almost Jack's height, fair-headed with blue eyes; he had a Grecian complexion and was wearing shiny blue shades that gave him the look of someone from Baywatch. And that was without the bright Red Hawaiian shirt, pale cream shorts and sandals!

He spoke, grinning his bleached grin again, "Colonel... Can I call you Jack?" Jack shrugged as the man continued, "I'm sure you have loads of embarrassing stories to tell me about my Baby. Maybe we could trade a few."

Jack gave him a glare as he said with a small smirk, "Sorry to disappoint you, David, but Carter's an absolute Angel. Don't have a single anecdote to tell you. Why don't you ask someone else?" He gave Sam a small smile turning to David and back to her as he said, "If you'll excuse me, my friend, Murray, looks a bit miserable. I think I should go cheer him up."

David look rather shocked and surprised, if not slightly threatened as he returned, "OK, Jack. It was nice meeting you."

"Like wise," Jack replied before making a quick exit muttering under his breath, "Almost as pleasant as having a Goa'uld enter your head through the nape of your neck!"

Å

Jack left the house hurriedly moving down the path. The party had got progressively worse and worse as everyone seemed to get more and more drunk. Jack had said his goodbyes, once again wishing his CO a happy birthday before he sped out the door. He stared at the path as he strode swiftly forwards.

He couldn't stop thinking about her and David and...

"JACK!"

He stopped as a car screeched its brakes and missed him by about two inches. God, he'd been so busy thinking he'd walked straight into the road. If Sam hadn't shouted...

The car driver wound down the window and began shouting at him, telling him to watch where he was going... blah blah blah. Jack wasn't in the mood. He was about to say something rude when a gentle touch landed on his arm, striking him dumb instantly. He looked up to see Sam begin speaking to the man. Jack couldn't tell what she was saying. Usually he listened to every word Sam said with rapt concentration, but now he just stared at her realising he could be dead now. Run over by a car... Not fighting like a hero or dying from an alien disease or anything SGC related. Hit by a car. Christ, when had he forgotten Earth was still a pretty dangerous place!

The man in the car nodded watching Sam confused. When she finished speaking Jack came back to the land of the living. The driver still watched her quizzically from behind his specs, "Do I know you?"

Sam just smiled, "No. Have a nice evening."

"You too..." The man said, still watching her with a confused frown as if trying to place her face before winding up the window and driving off again.

Sam turned back to Jack, looking him up and down before she let out a small sigh, "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," Jack muttered. He glanced up and felt their eyes meet. He suddenly felt energy returning to him. He'd been weary for years and if the truth was to be known, even when he was truly rested at his cabin, not getting up til mid-afternoon he was still dog-tired. He only felt truly alive on the special occasions when him and Sam could laugh at something or do something together without people watching them, eyes peeled.

After a second Jack mumbled, "Thank you, Carter. You..."

"Don't mention it," she said hurriedly.

Jack suddenly realised he should be going, not stood staring into Sam's eyes. She had a boyfriend in that house for crying out loud. So without another word he turned ran to his truck, jumped in and sped off.

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"What the Hell are you playing at?"

He fixed her with his blue eyes and fluttered his eyelashes, "Aww come on, Baby. I pulled it off!"

"David, why are you here?"

Sam let out a sigh when there was no reply, slipping into the front seat of her car, David sliding into the other side. She closed her door and began driving as David finally spoke, "You've got another Job."

Sam looked up in shock, "What?!?"

David stared at her with a frown, showing he disapproved of her tone, "This is a hopeless case, Samantha. There is nothing you can do."

Sam glared at him angrily, "There is a lot I can do! I'm still needed here! Send Gabriel or Julia. This is..."

"Samantha, you care too much about this Job!" David said angrily as she pulled up outside her house, "You know the rules and I've been covering for you for too long! Soon They will send someone to check on you, if not already, and They will see! You know that if you get another Job you have to take it whether its more important or not!"

Sam sighed and rested her head on the steering wheel, as David spoke softly, "I know you think this is it, Samantha, but it's not. It can't be. This Job is dangerous, not to mention so full of sin I'm surprised you've not been pulled out from it before."

"I'm needed," she glanced up at him, "I just know... This has to be..."

David shook his head sadly, "You are so young and naïve, Samantha. Not to mention you're far too stubborn, especially about this Job."

"This is my chance, David. I know it. My one chance. Please, I have to stay..."

"I'm sorry, Samantha. You know I would let you stay just to let you see that you're wrong, but it's not my decision. I'm just delivering a message and it was urgent so the boyfriend disguise was needed. That reminds me. I'm sorry I had to give your friends memories of 'David'..."

"That alone had set back my Job for a while."

It was David's turn to sigh as he fiddled with the bottom button of his Hawaiian shirt, "This Job is no longer yours. Samantha, I'm sorry, but you have to accept or They will..."

"I know. I know," Sam said pulling a hand through her hair wearily, before looking at her companion, "You wanna come in and tell me about this new Job?"

He gave her a comforting smile, "I'm only trying to protect you. You know that don't you?"

"Yeah," Sam gave him a small smile and stepping out of the car.

David spoke with a grin showing he was pleased with himself about something, "Besides, this Job's only short. You'll get it done tonight, maybe moving onto tomorrow."

Sam nodded, "So, I'll still be stationed here for a while?"

David spoke gently, "Yes. At least until they find you another permanent Job."

Sam felt a smile come to her face as she murmured, "You had to put a lot on the line to keep me here, didn't you?"

David shook off the comment and spoke solemnly, "Come on. Let's go in. It's going to be a long night and this is quite important."

Sam gave him a wide smile, "Thank you so much."

His blue eyes met hers for a second, filled with paternal affection, "I just hope you're right, that this Job is the one. I missed my chance and I'd rather you didn't. You deserve it."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She hugged him tightly before grabbing his hand and leading him to the front door, "So... What've I gotta do?"

Å

Teal'c's eyebrow rose with concern as he noticed Major Carter sat alone in the corner of the Mess hall. Her hair was dishevelled and her usual tanned complexion was pasty white. Her eyes had bags beneath them and a small frown held her brow as she stared into a mug of coffee.

He walked over and sat down across from the woman, although she never looked up. After a few seconds of silent observation, Teal'c spoke quietly, "Major Carter?"

She jumped and stared at him eyes wide and let out a few pants as she spoke, a hand flying to her heart, "Teal'c! I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

"Are you well, Major Carter?"

Her expression became thoughtful and worried again as she murmured, "I'm fine, Teal'c."

Teal'c highly doubted her statement was in earnest and spoke, "Do you wish to visit, Dr. Fraiser?"

Sam shook her head, "I'm fine. Honestly. I just..." She stopped speaking, "I just had a rough night last night."

"Jonas Quinn telephoned you last night and you did not reply. What were your exploits during this time?"

"Some guy from N..." Sam stopped mid-sentence and hurriedly spoke, "I was at David's house." Sam looked around a deep flush covering her pale face as she got up, leaving her coffee mug on the table, "I've got to go. See you later."

Teal'c watched his companion as she hurriedly left the Commissary. He looked at her full cup of coffee and dipped his little finger into the milky brown liquid. Cold.

Teal'c's anxiety increased. Major Carter was seriously uneasy and Teal'c had no evidence of the cause. He should speak to O'Neill.

Å

"...New Orleans police were shocked to find the man unscathed and lying unconscious, hidden in his car. The man's statements testify that when the shooting began the thieves had come out of the bank armed and carrying the stolen money. Gregory King, aged 23, told CNN reporter, Nigel Paolo about his 'near-death' experience..."

Jack glanced at the news channel. More crap about 'near-death' experiences! He took another sip of coffee and went back to writing his report as the guy came on screen. The young man spoke into the microphone, "I thought I was going to die. The gunmen started shooting at me, but then this white light stopped all the bullets. The gunmen were terrified. The white light sped towards them and knocked them all out taking their weapons and throwing them far away. The light then came to me and that's the last thing I remember..."

The news reporter, with his bleached white teeth grinned at the camera before saying, "So Gregory, are you saying you believe in spirits?"

The man frowned, "You think this is all some huge joke or that I'm crazy. I know what I saw..."

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Jack hurriedly switched the channel to cartoons, shoved his report in a draw, pulling out his yo-yo and put his feet on the table, "Come in."

His Jaffa companion stepped inside. The man bowed his head, with an amused look. That Jaffa always knew when Jack was trying to hide he'd just been having an 'adult' moment, "O'Neill, I trust I am not disturbing you?"

"No. No. Not at all." The Jaffa's expression worried him. Jack frowned, "T? What's wrong?"

The Jaffa closed the door and stood in front of it, "I am anxious after Major Carter's health."

"What?" Jack said suddenly worried.

"She is acting strangely and does not appear in good health. I believe you should go and speak with her."

"Wh-What? Why me?"

"You are her CO and most trusted friend. I believe she would wish you to speak with her."

Jack thought for a moment as to why Sam might be acting strange. He looked up at the Jaffa, "It's not that David guy, is it?"

"I am unsure. When I saw her in the Commissary she left rapidly and her mind was definitely occupied. Jonas Quinn also commented on her sickly appearance when he noticed her in her lab earlier this morning."

Jack nodded and without another word got out of his seat and left the room.

Å

Sam shook her head at herself as she sat in her Lab. Some Jobs were just so much harder than others and last night... God, she wanted this all to be over. She hoped she knew what she was doing. She hoped this was her chance. If it wasn't she might just lose her mind...

"Carter?"

Sam looked up to see the Colonel stood in the doorway, fixing her with anxious brown eyes. His eyebrows rose slightly asking her what was wrong. She and the Colonel could speak to each other without actually saying anything. A gesture or a look said everything. But sometimes words were needed. She needed the words. It was her chance.

"Carter?" She realised she'd gone off into a trance and Jack was now knelt in front of her frowning with worry. He spoke sharply, "Carter!"

"Sorry," she mumbled finally blinking and shifting slightly, but Jack held her gaze stubbornly.

He spoke, "Teal'c told me you looked unwell, but I think that's an understatement."

"Thanks for the compliment," Sam said trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"I'm taking you to see the Doc," he said forcefully, before standing up helping her up beside him. He could see right through her. He knew something was wrong, although she couldn't tell him what. Not to mention she wasn't sure if she was fully healed...

She felt him place a comforting hand at the base of her back as he spoke gently, "Are you OK to walk up there?"

"I'm fine," she said dismissively, noticing the care in his voice as he spoke. God, please let this be her chance!

"Don't lie. It really doesn't suit you," he replied as he led her from the room towards the Infirmary.

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Sam lay in the bed, looking up at her friend, "Janet, I'm fine!"

The Doctor gave her her best 'Fine-my-ass' frown as she said pointedly, "You are showing sign of a minor concussion. You don't look well at all."

"Honestly, I feel fine."

"Sam, I know you're finding this hard. I mean, Daniel's... death," the woman let out a sad sigh, "You've not been getting enough sleep. You look exhausted." Janet switched into Doctor mode, "Anyway, have you had a fall in the past couple of days?"

"No."

"Any dizziness?"

"No."

"Is your vision blurry or distorted?"

"No."

"Disorientation, nausea, headaches, unusual fatigue..."

"No!" Sam said frustrated, "Look, Janet. I probably just need a bit of sleep. Honestly. Just give me a couple of hours and I'll be right as rain."

Janet looked slightly hesitant, "OK. But if you're not, you're staying here..."

"But I can't miss our mission tomorrow," Sam said desperately.

Janet sighed, knowing how much Sam needed to work. It helped keep her mind off everything that had happened to them recently, "I'm sorry, Sam, but you're not really in any condition to go around chasing Jaffa..."

"Janet, please!" Sam's eyes implored with her, "I have to go on that mission!"

The fear and desperation in her voice worried Janet. Sam grabbed her hand, "Janet?"

"OK. But it depends on how you look in the morning. I want you to stay here overnight for observation."

Sam sighed and murmured, "Fine."

Janet just nodded and left the room. She needed to talk to the General, especially about the unexplained concussion. Why was everything always so unexplainable?!?

Å

Jack wandered into the Infirmary, witnessing Sam letting out a frustrated growl and throwing her head back into the pillow. OK, he might not be the most popular person at the moment. After all, he'd been the one who'd taken her to the Doc. Better make a hasty escape...!

"Colonel!"

Jack glanced up to find Sam smiling at him. That smile struck him dumb. Not only had he not seen it coming at all, but her smile always had that effect on him.

"Colonel? Something wrong?"

Jack frowned shaking his head, before putting on his own smile, "Isn't it me who should be asking that question?"

Sam smiled again, but this time Jack could see the fatigue in her eyes, "There's nothing wrong with me. I just want to get out of here and come on the mission tomorrow."

Jack felt his stomach writhing as he got a bad feeling, but he shook it off, "Yeah. I always go stir crazy when Doc Fraiser imprisons me here! Usually she brings out the instruments of torture and puts them on the table in front of me to shut me up!"

Sam let out a soft laugh, "She threatened to, but it doesn't really have the same affect when the patient has absolutely no fear of needles."

Jack stood, feeling awkward for a moment, before he mumbled, "Fancy some company?"

Sam's smile returned and Jack had a strange feeling. She kept smiling quietly for no apparent reason, just... smiling. He loved her smile and knew she'd been so down after Daniel ascended that she hadn't smiled a lot, but the sad, almost wistful smile was worrying him.

She spoke with a teasing tone in her voice, "Surely you must have some paperwork to do?"

"It can wait. That is, if you want some company?" Jack added hurriedly. Truth was he'd finished all his paperwork... but he had to keep up his reputation!

Sam stopped smiling as she sincerely, "I'd like that."

Jack wandered over and sat in the chair beside her, still anxious about her 'floaty' frame of mind. He wondered if Janet had given her any medication that might be caus...

"You sure you're OK?"

He looked up at Sam and couldn't help but smile fondly. She was the one lying in the Infirmary with a suspected minor concussion and here she was asking if he's OK.

"I'm great, though I'm not so sure about you. Got something on your mind or has banging your head made you go a little bit loopy?"

She chuckled softly, snuggling back into her bed and rolling onto her side so she faced him, "I didn't bang my head! And second of all..."

She stopped speaking and just stared into a space for a minute holding her breath. Jack began to get worried, "Carter? Sam, can you hear me?"

She let out a sigh and looked up at him, "I'm sorry. I'm tired. Maybe you should go."

Jack couldn't miss the way her eyes shimmered slightly more than usual. He stood and spoke slightly hurt, "Sure. Um... If you need to talk or you just want some company... just... get in touch."

Sam nodded, "Thanks Jack."

He blushed at the sound of his first name as he mumbled, "Get well soon," and almost ran out of the Infirmary.

Sam let out a groan and felt tears growing in her eyes. Another suicide victim. That was the fourth this month. Sam had almost lost him for a moment there. Luckily she hadn't needed to dissuade him that much. He'd fainted the second he'd seen her. Hopefully, he wouldn't attempt it again.

She may not have lost that Job, but she was well on the way to losing this one...

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Jonas stopped by the Infirmary on his way to his quarters. He'd been up half the night after discovering one of Daniel's old journals. It had been fascinating. The archaeologist had had some pretty amazing theories about Ancients. All this stuff over one artefact that had been discovered about three years ago!

Jonas had ordered it sent to his office from the Artefact Storage facility on Level 21. It should arrive in the morning in time for him to examine it before they went on their mission tomorrow afternoon.

The artefact was a weapon of some sorts, well, that had been Daniel's theory although everyone else had disagreed. Major Carter had spent weeks and weeks working on it and she had deduced that there was nothing weapon like about it and that as far as she knew it was just an Ancient ornament.

Daniel had translated the words on the side of the weapon and had been quite surprised by the fact it was in a peculiar dialect, but he still managed to translate after many late nights of self-enforced work on it. It read: There is only one way to kill a dead man and that is to give him life.

Personally, Jonas considered the translation strange and couldn't understand it at all. He understood why Daniel had thought it was a weapon of some kind, but it was strange none the less. Not to mention none of them could make it work. Daniel had theorised it could only be used by Ancients, but he'd always said something didn't sit right about it. Ancients couldn't change anything. He'd therefore assumed that it was some rebel faction of Ancients, sort of similar to Oma Desala helping people ascend.

Still stood in the Infirmary, Jonas realised he need to get a life. He'd been stood contemplating that artefact when he'd really meant to wish Major Carter a good night and see if she'd be joining them on their mission.

He strode over to her bed, the woman's back to him. He sighed. She was asleep. Oh well, he'd see her in the morn... He watched her back as it shuddered slightly and the woman began to gasp for breath. She rolled onto her back her hands covering her eyes for a few seconds as she let out a hushed sob, "Oh God!"

Jonas suddenly felt extremely awkward, "M-Major Carter?"

She looked up at him in shock, a hand landing over her heart, "Jonas! You scared me!"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to wish you good night and see how you were doing..." His voice trailed away as he looked at his friend's appearance. The colour was draining from her face and she looked close to tears. Jonas sat in the chair next to her taking her hand from her side and holding it gently, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Sam looked at him and a tear made it through her eyelashes, "I'm sorry, Jonas."

"Why are you sorry? I don't mind. I'm not even tired. I'll stay with you if you'd like," the alien said with a sense of enthusiasm at spending time with his friend and helping her get through something just like the countless times she'd helped him.

She let out a fond chuckle, "Thanks for the offer, but we have a mission in the morning and if I don't get my sleep I won't be able to go..." She took in a shuddery breath at the prospect, which surprised Jonas slightly. She looked back at him with a sisterly love in her eyes, "You better catch some zees yourself. It's gone midnight."

"I know. I got enthralled in one of Daniel's old notebooks that I hadn't found before."

He expected Sam to be sad after he'd said it, but instead she gave a soft smile, "What was it about?"

"Some Ancient artefact he thought was a weapon, but you said it wasn't..."

Sam's expression changed in a second and she frowned, "The one with the stuff about death on the side..."

"Uh... yeah. Sam, are you alright?"

After a second the frown lifted and she smiled, "Hey, if you want I can look over it again for you, tomorrow morning, once I'm out of here."

Jonas was shocked and worried for a second, before realising her smile hadn't faltered. He grinned excitedly, "That would be great! I'm really looking forward to looking at it myself! Are you sure you don't mind sacrificing some of your time tomorrow?"

Sam nodded solemnly, her expression strained for a moment, "Not at all." She yawned, "I'm tired. I better get some rest or Janet threatened to keep me here tomorrow."

Jonas let go of a hand still grinning at the prospect of spending some time with his adopted sister the next morning, "Oh yes. Of course. Alright then. See you tomorrow. Hope you feel better!"

Sam watched as the young man almost skipped from the Infirmary. She sighed softly, "Oh Jonas!" She stared at the dark ceiling, "I'll be sacrificing a lot more than just some time for you tomorrow. A lot more."

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Janet stepped out of her office the next morning to find Sam watching her expectantly. Janet had no idea what was going on with that woman's body!

"Can I go?" Sam asked and the eagerness in Sam's eyes made Janet chuckle.

"You've been spending too much time with the Colonel!"

Sam's expression changed for a second as she muttered something that sounded like, "You can never spend too much time with anyone." She cleared her throat and smiled, "So, can I?"

"Well, your results have come back and the concussion has... disappeared. Maybe it was a mistake with the scan. Besides, you do look a lot more healthy this morning... Alright. You can go."

Sam almost leapt from the bed, grabbing her fatigues off the bedside table and hurriedly pulling the curtain around her bed, shouting a swift, "Thanks Janet. I owe you one!" before pulling off the Infirmary pyjamas and getting changed in the fastest time ever.

Å

Jonas grinned as he saw the woman leaning against the door, "Sam! She let you out!"

Sam smiled back walking over and moving a huge pile of books off a chair so she could sit down, "Yeah, I think my serious winging and whining was starting to grate."

Jonas nodded and then motioned towards the device sat before him, "I was just translating it again. Just trying to see if Daniel made a mistake. I mean, it doesn't really make a lot of sense!"

Sam nodded and then lifted up the weapon in her hands. Oh yes, she knew it was weapon. In fact, she knew more about it than anyone... well, except perhaps Daniel. After all he'd been the one to figure it all out. He'd been the one who found out everything...

She trailed a finger over the raised bumps of writing on the device in a language she could read and speak fluently, not that anyone knew that. The weapon was made of a sleek black metal. It was very shiny and when Sam looked at it she could see her reflection. At the tip of the weapon was a see-through crystal similar to the crystals that generated hyper space windows. She was extremely careful not to place her fingers anywhere near the trigger. Jonas could pick it up a hundred times and never be able to work it, but Sam... Daniel's old office didn't need to be destroyed!

She smiled at Jonas as there was a knock on the door. They both looked up as Colonel O'Neill swaggered into the room escorted by Teal'c, "Morning all!" He grinned at Sam, "Nice to know you're up and around. I assume you're definitely coming on the mission?"

Sam grinned back, faking enthusiasm, "Yep."

He spoke sincerely, "That's great." He cleared his throat and glanced at Teal'c and then at Jonas, "Me and T were thinking of having the traditional 'Jello before mission' get-together. You 2 scientists going to join us?"

Jonas looked at the weapon and then at Jack, wanting to do both. Sam smiled, "Jonas, after the mission, me and you have all the time in the world to look at that Ancient centrepiece, but I think Jello sounds like a great idea."

Jonas nodded and grinned as he stood up, "Sure Colonel."

Teal'c spoke up for the first time, "I believe we should make haste. The SG-3 marines are extremely partial to the red and have just entered the Commissary."

"So no red Jello make Teal'c go nuts?"

Sam's quip caused Teal'c to raise an eyebrow, Jonas to laugh, having just watched that episode of Simpsons a few days ago and Jack to scowl, "Excuse me, Major. I don't start doing your astrophysics for you on a mission, now do I? Leave the funny comments and adjusted Simpsons quotes to me."

Sam snapped of a quick, cheeky salute as she marched from the room, the guys following towards the Commissary, "Yes Sir."

Å

They stepped onto the planet, Sam's bad feeling never dissipating. Sam's senses were going wild. She always knew when something bad was happening and she'd had this bad feeling for an exceptionally long time compared to usual.

This was the second mission to this planet. SG-14 had been here a few days ago and had discovered an abandoned base of some kind. No inhabitants had been found and the whole planet was deserted, without a single life form. SG-1 had been sent on an 'easy' mission. They were just to give the place another look-over, searching for technology or anything that could be helpful.

Jack spoke, as they made their way towards the grey block shaped building, "Alright Kids. Me and Teal'c are gonna search the perimeter of the building. Jonas and Carter, I want you to have a snoop around in there. Keep in regular radio contact, just in case something happens or you find something."

Sam nodded in acknowledgement as Jonas grinned like a kid in a candy store at the prospect of finding some new rock or fancy alien device for him to play with.

They stopped outside the large base as Jonas began blethering onto Teal'c about something or other. Jonas and Teal'c got on really well. Sam guessed it was because they weren't from Earth and so found it easier to fit in with each other. In fact, Teal'c had been the one teaching Jonas how to 'perform as an Earthling'.

"Carter?" She noticed the Colonel watching her slightly concerned, "You OK?"

She forced a smile, "I'm fine."

"You're looking pale again. Do you feel sick? Do you want to get back to the Infirmary?"

Sam smiled slightly, a true smile this time, as she lied, "I don't feel sick. I was just thinking."

Jack stared at her for another second, before her smile obviously satisfied him and he smiled, "Now, Now, Carter. What have I told you? You think too much. It's not good for a person."

Sam just nodded as Teal'c interrupted their chat, "I believe we should begin our mission, O'Neill."

Sam almost sniggered at the Jaffa's hinting as Jack said indignantly, "Yes, fine. But next time you start talking to an attractive woman, I'm going to come and interrupt you!"

Sam and Jonas laughed at the half embarrassed/half confused expression on Teal'c's face before he stalked off at a fast pace, beginning his first lap of the building.

Jack sighed, "I better follow him." He tapped his radio attached to his vest, "Keep in contact."

"We will," Sam and Jonas chorused like children who's mother has just reminded them to tidy their rooms while she's gone.

Jack grinned and then yelled after Teal'c, running to catch up with his alien companions huge strides, "I know I'm embarrassing, but don't sulk. I won't break up any kind of Jaffa flirting. I'd be there with my camera. Kodak moment and all that..."

Å

Sam and Jonas walked into the room in companionable chat, Jonas talking to her about the device. He gave her grin as they step into the room, to check it was clear, "I brought it with me if you wanna have a look..."

"What?" Sam exclaimed when suddenly she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Ah Samantha, my Angel! How are you and your pathetic Guardian doing?"

Sam grimaced, "I wondered when They would send you weaselling around here, Zehbedai!"

She could hear the man sneering as he spoke unpleasantly, "Hand over the weapon and I shall not terminate your alien friend here."

Jonas looked at Sam in confusion as she muttered through the side of her mouth, "Do what he says Jonas."

Jonas shrugged off his pack and it was snatched by someone behind him. Zehbedai spoke, obviously thoroughly enjoying himself, "Now walk towards the wall, turn around and sit down on the floor."

Sam and Jonas slowly walked towards the far wall, away from the door and turned slowly before sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor.

Jonas observed the man in confusion. He was dressed in immaculately white robes and seemed to glow sort of similar to the Ancients' glow although Jonas knew he wasn't an Ancient. The man had grey hair that was pulled back into a low hanging bun. He had a thin weasel-like face and dark grey eyes. In one hand he held the weapon and was examining it in such a way that he could always see them.

Jonas turned to Sam and whispered, "Who is this guy?"

The man laughed, "I am Zehbedai and you are wondering how I got here and how I know Samantha."

Sam smirked in satisfaction, "He's not one of my Jobs, Zehbedai and if you kill me he won't even care. You might as well let him go."

The man laughed again his stormy eyes seeming manic, "My poor naïve, Samantha. I can't let him go. Can't have him running to get Lover Boy for you, now can I? Can't have that idiot coming to rescue you and set you free. Oh no. They are very displeased with you, Samantha. And your friend here will suffer because of it."

Sam stood up and shielded Jonas from view. Jonas watched his friend in surprise, wondering how Sam could protect him from anything. She spoke coolly, "Don't bluff. You know I won't let you hurt him, my Job or not. You should also know that there has been only one New Apprentice this year. We are a dying race. I know They will not sentence me to Life because They are running out of us and out of time too. They need every single one of us."

Zehbedai glared at her, "You underestimate me. They have ordered your destruction if you do not cooperate. You must terminate your Job and the two aliens. You shall then be put on heavy duty. The really gruesome Jobs, Samantha. The ones that your Darling David has been protecting you against." Zehbedai laughed, "Ah yes. That reminds me. The traitor has been sentenced too. Once They find him this will be his fate," the older man waved the weapon in his hand.

Jonas spoke up, "David? As in your boyfriend?"

Sam spoke, "He's not my boyfriend, Jonas. He was posing."

"Sam, what's going on?"

Zehbedai grinned, "An excellent question! What's going on is Samantha broke our rules. She fell in love with her Job and now they will both suffer."

"Job?"

Zehbedai laughed again, "You know for someone who came so close to understanding us, Jonas Quinn, you are still exceedingly ignorant. No matter. The only one to ever discover Sam's true identity decided to play hero and get himself killed. Stupid human!"

He saw Sam's eye flash with anger, "Daniel wasn't stupid! If you hadn't noticed he's an Ancient now! You know. The guys that are better than. That aren't cursed to this pathetic excuse for an existence."

Zehbedai laughed cruelly, "The Ancients are unimportant and your friend, Daniel Jackson, was stupid enough not to right in that silly notebook what you really are!"

Jonas spoke worried by the man's statement and by the way Sam's hand had begun to shake slightly with a sort of fear, "Sam? What is he talking about?"

Sam spoke, "Jonas, listen to me. I'm not who you think I am, well, not really. I'm an A..."

"Samantha!" She looked up at Zehbedai, the man now aiming the weapon at them. He held up one hand flinging her across the room.

"SAM!" Jonas yelled as her body hit the side wall hard. He was about to rise when Zehbedai aimed the weapon at him and charged it up.

He spoke to her, clicking his tongue and speaking in a tone of mock disappointment, "That's a no no, Sammy. You're not allowed to tell him. I guess now he must die..."

"NO!"

Jonas was temporarily blinded by the intense flash of white light that engulf Sam as she screamed. He blinked a few times until he could see again and what he saw made his heart stop for a second.

Sam's body arched backwards as she floated in midair. The light surrounding her began to fade and Jonas could finally see her clearly. She was clothed in white robes also, the cloak hanging from her neck, brushing the floor. Her feet, now bare, lowered to the floor and she stood up straight. Her blue eyes seemed to have an ethereal quality and seemed to become a more intense blue colour as her voice echoed around the room, cool and powerful, "Hand me the weapon and I will not harm you!"

Zehbedai grinned suddenly shooting the weapon, the blazing black fire ball erupted from the end, speeding towards Jonas. Jonas closed his eyes and then heard a cry.

After a few seconds of confusion, Jonas opened his eyes. Lying in a heap before him, her white robes spread across the floor, lay Sam. He gasped in horror. Her body was crumpled and her back was broken. Blood was staining her golden hair and her body was suddenly covered in dark bruises and cuts. Jonas looked up at Zehbedai as the man stared at her body fearfully for a second, before an evil grin came to his face, "I'll hand it to her. She really is the fastest Angel. I never would've made it, not that I ever would've saved you anyway! But she is also the weakest. That shot was only enough to kill a human. She should be back on her feet by now."

"D-Did you say... Angel?"

The man smirked, "Yes. She is, or rather, was an Angel. She's been dead since she was 12 when she ran into the road and got hit by a truck as you can see by her body."

"I... I don't understand any of this."

Zehbedai laughed cruelly, raising the weapon again, "You may not understand, Jonas Quinn, but you already know too much. If you have any questions, you'll have to ask her to explain it to you when you join her in Hell..."

"I don't think so, Zehbedai!"

Jonas looked up as a man appeared before Zehbedai. Jonas recognised him immediately.

Zehbedai grinned disgustingly, "Ah David. Come to join the Execution, have we?"

David looked at the man his cool, blue eyes full of hatred, "Samantha is dead, but her soul isn't yet. They won't be pleased you killed her."

Zehbedai shrugged, "She killed herself. I was aiming for the alien. Besides, nothing can save her if her soul is dying. You can't make her into an Angel twice, David!" He aimed the weapon at the man, "If you'll excuse me, I have an execution to perform and you're the guest of Honour!"

David moved his hand upwards, the weapon flying from Zehbedai's hands and into the corner, "Then we fight as equals!"

Jonas watched as suddenly the two men began fighting, throwing each other with movements of their hands. Jonas guessed it was some form of telekinesis, but he didn't really care. He threw himself down beside Sam, feeling her pulse. She was dead. Jonas watched the two glowing men. It seemed David was winning although Jonas couldn't be sure. Zehbedai threw David into a wall as he growled, "While we fight your Apprentice is dying. There is no way you can save her."

It was at that moment Jack and Teal'c sped into the room, "What the hell is going on?!?"

Jonas watched as Jack's eyes fell on the two men grappling frowning in confusion before they fell on Sam's dead body beside Jonas. He watched Jack freeze in absolute shock before he cried, "CARTER!"

He sped across the room to them as Zehbedai tried to throw him against the wall with one hand. Releasing part of his grip on David, the younger man took advantage. He fought back propelling Zehbedai into the opposite wall with a satisfied smile, "That's where you're wrong as while we've been bickering her Job has just arrived. And you know the Irony, Zehbedai. This Job is the one."

The look of horror in Zehbedai's wide bleak eyes was unbelievable, "No! It cannot be! They would've known!"

The two men continued to battle as Jack and Teal'c collapsed beside Sam. Jack pulled her head into his lap as Teal'c and Jonas backed away slightly. Jonas trying to explain to Teal'c what he thought was going on.

Jack couldn't hear them. His world had suddenly narrowed down to just Sam crumpled body. Her golden hair lay ruffled on his BDUs, the massive crack in her skull staining his trousers with blood. Her strange white dress, without a single crease, lay spread out about her, not loose enough to hide the way her back was bent unnaturally. Jack felt his body wanting to break down although he couldn't. He lifted one finger and slowly trailed it over her face, which looked as though it had been smashed into the ground, bruised and bloody.

His voice came out in a hoarse croak, "Carter? Carter, please wake up. I'll never ask you for anything again if you wake up. Just open your eyes and tell me what in God's name is going on and then I'll get you back to Fraiser and she'll fix you up and everything will be OK..."

He sat there in silence, the noise of Teal'c and Jonas talking and Sam's boyfriend and that strange Sauraman guy having a fight, like the one from Lord of the Rings, draining away.

Jack's throat constricted. She was dead. He gulped but couldn't dislodge the lump that had materialised in his throat. He held his breath and sat still as stone watching her face as he whispered, "Sam? Sam, I want you to know. I..."

"NO! Stupid human!"

He watched the guy with grey hair struggling to reach that strange device he'd seen Jonas packing this morning. David stared at Jack for a second and Jack heard his voice in his head, 'Tell her!' Jack was confused as to why Sam's boyfriend, who seems to be some kind of alien (name one who isn't!) would tell him to say... that.

Jack looked back at the woman lying in his lap, her beautiful face so distorted and damaged, realising that the words he wanted to say were the truest words Jack could ever have said to the woman.

His voice cracked with pain at the sight of her as he murmured, "I... I love you, Angel..."

Intense, white light exploded from Sam's limp form causing Jack to let out a cry of surprise. She began to float upwards, her body looking as if she'd been flung over a tree branch as it hung brokenly. Her dress began to flutter as a wind, sparkling with silvery dust motes, began to blow through the room. More light seemed to fill the expanse between Jack and the ceiling until he could only just see Sam's outline as she floated before him.

Jack was vaguely aware of David and the other guy stop fighting as they watched on in awe. Jonas gasped and whispered, "Oh my God!" as Teal'c said something in Goa'uld.

Suddenly, the light all disappeared and Sam came to stand on her feet, dressed in her BDUs again. It was obvious that she was alive. All her broken bones were fixed, her face was no longer bloody or bruised, her golden hair no longer tarnished with blood and she let out a soft sighing breath. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around her eyes falling on Jack, still sat on the floor beside her, his mouth open in shock as he stared at her.

The sound of the weapon charging up shook Sam out of her reverie. Zehbedai stood there laughing manically, "Now I can kill you, Human scum!"

Sam missed the first shot, diving in front of her friends, scrambling up and spreading her arms out, protecting them. The second shot hurtled forwards...

A flash of light tackled Zehbedai full on, grabbing the weapon and aiming it at him as the familiar voice spoke, "Go to hell, Zehbedai!"

Sam watched as David charged the weapon to full and shoot. Zehbedai screamed a high-pitched, unearthly scream as his body was engulfed in the black light. The second the scream finished his shape disappeared. All that remained were a few ashes and a thick grey smoke that rose in wispy plumes upwards from where his body had been.

David turned to them and Sam gasped, when she saw burns all over his body and blood turning his white clothing a gory scarlet. He'd taken the second shot. He stared at them for a second before his knees gave way and he collapsed to the floor.

Sam ran to the fallen man, "DAVID!" She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she threw herself down beside him. Tears grew in her eyes as she looked at his damaged body knowing he was going to die, "David, don't leave me!"

After a second, his blue eyes opened, and sighed with obvious relief as he murmured, "I am glad you are safe, my Samantha."

The tears finally began to drop from her eyes, wide with fear, "Don't die. Please."

The man smiled softly, "I have seen so much death, and have taken so much death when it was meant for others. That was my curse. Now it is over."

"No no no. Don't talk like that," Sam said in a shaky sob.

His hand rose to her face and he gently stroked her face. She held his hand to her face as he whispered, "They have ordered me to make over 100 Angels in my time. I condemned 100 innocent people to this life. You are the only Angel I have ever loved enough to save. It was fate that at the precise moment you had been freed that They were about to terminate you. I couldn't let that happen, Mu Iofillya. Not to you. Not when you've only just begun to live."

"Mu Iofillya," Jonas whispered to Jack and Teal'c, "It's that dialect of Ancient that was on the weapon. I think it means 'My Daughter'."

Sam began to cry harder, "I don't want you to die."

He smiled again, "I thought the precise same thing when They ordered me to revive you." He spoke tenderly, the love in his eyes unbearable for Jack to watch before he realised it wasn't that kind of love. David loved Sam as Jacob loved her and that confused Jack.

David's gentle voice floated across the room, "You were so young. I was sent to watch you after They had decided you were to die and become an Angel. That night when your father returned with the news of your mother's death... you were so sad... you ran and ran and wouldn't stop... I tried to warn you, but They stopped me and before I knew it... You were lying there and... the guy from the truck got out and he was having a panic attack thinking he'd killed an innocent child. Everyone from the street was surrounding you and I was praying 'Please don't say she's dead. I don't want her to die.' It is my fault you have been through so much pain."

Sam choked back a sob of pain as she murmured, "That's not true. You saved my life, David. Twice! Don't blame yourself for something that wasn't your fault."

He sighed and smiled, "You should never have had to lead that life." His hand fell from her cheek, "The Job has freed you now and you were right. He was the one. And for that I am truly thankful..."

His voice trailed away as he stared upwards, Sam's heartbroken tears dripping onto him as he whispered, "I thought I had missed my chance to be free, but I had only missed my chance... to live... This is my chance to be free and that I am also grateful for." A dreamy smile came to his face as his blue eyes filled with wonder and he whispered weakly, "Iah vieou Mephilan... Eyeu... ipsiliyon..."

Jonas stared at the dying man as Jack looked at him to translate. He gulped before he whispered huskily, "I see Heaven. It is so beautiful."

His eyes closed and Sam placed a trembling kiss to his forehead as she whispered in a language none of them knew, "Iah ameiu urh, Fosivu. Seirt libeyo."

His body began to glow as a white light rose and began to float to the ceiling. Uncomfortable memories of Daniel's death came to Jack's mind as he watched on. Sam jumped up trying to reach out for the light desperately trying to cling onto him. Silver steams trickled from her wide, blue eyes as Jonas translated what she'd said in a thick voice, "I love you, Father. Be free."

The light disappeared as Sam collapsed to her knees her body wracked with broken sobs. They stood watching her as she wept from the pain of losing a loved one, rocking backwards and forwards on her knees, her arms hugging herself tightly.

After a few seconds that seemed to stretch minutes, Jack began to step towards her slowly, before kneeling down beside her and pulling her into a tight hug. Sam threw her arms around him still sobbing fiercely. Jonas glanced at Teal'c before the Jaffa placed a hand on his shoulder and led him from the room leaving their companions alone.

Å

Sam cried into Jack's shoulder for a long time, until she could cry no more, although she didn't move from his warm embrace. After a few minutes of near silence, only broken by soft sniffs she made, Sam spoke, her voice thick and husky from crying, "I can't believe he's gone."

"I know, Carter," he murmured gently.

Sam felt his voice vibrating in his chest, which somehow calmed her. She pulled back from his arms and stared at his face. He was surprised by the expression on her face as she lifted a hand and ran her fingertips over his face for a second. She spoke weakly, "I knew you were the one."

Jack's eyebrow rose in an expression that told her he had no idea what she was talking about. Sam pulled him close to her again as she whispered, "There are only two ways for Angels to be freed from their slavery. One..." she had to clear her throat attempting to shake off the prickling behind her eyes, "One, is to be shot by that weapon, like... like David..."

"That's not why you're free?" Jack asked softly.

She shook her head, from its position still buried in his shoulder, "Two, someone who doesn't know what they are or why their words would have such a significance, tells the Angel they love them." She lifted her head so she looked into his eyes again. Jack felt his heart stop. Her eyes were watery and red-rimmed, but they still captivated him as she stared at him with an expression that told him without words what she spoke, "There is only one person who can do this for an Angel, and the words must be meant with all their heart."

Jack had to drop her gaze as she said it. He let go of her standing up and moving to the door, "We better go find Jonas and Teal'c we need to get back to the Gate."

Jack sped from the room as Jonas and Teal'c noticed him, following in his wake. Jonas spoke anxiously, "Colonel?"

"We have to go home," was Jack's clipped reply as he began to lead them from the abandoned complex.

Jonas and Teal'c slowed down for a moment as Sam stepped out of the room, looking strange in her BDUs after they'd seen her... as an... Angel.

She gave a wan smile, "I'm in need of a nice hot bubbly bath and a cup of coffee. Let's get going."

"Sam..."

She looked at Jonas as she whispered, "I'll try and explain it to you one day."

"No... The Colonel?"

Sam's expression became miserable again as a single tear fell from her eyes, "This sounds ridiculously corny, but only true love could've freed me and I stupidly told him so."

Teal'c spoke comforting placing an arm around her shoulders protectively, "You must understand. O'Neill is frightened to care, Major Carter. He informed me after the incident in which O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and yourself used the armbands provided by Anise that admitting his feelings had been more painful that any horror he had suffered at the hands of the Iraqi soldiers."

Sam nodded as they began to head for the exit, "That's the reason why I was given a Job to cheer the Colonel up after Charlie's death. It worked to a certain extent, but I never did help him completely."

Jonas spoke, "No. No one could do that. Not after what he's been through. But you tried, Sam. And I know that Colonel O'Neill is beyond thankful for what you've done for him."

She gave them both a weak, watery smile as she whispered, "Thanks guys."

Teal'c spoke with a smile, "We are merely repaying you for illuminating our days, Major Carter and I have always believed all debts be paid..."

"Hey! Are you guys coming?"

They all looked up at Colonel O'Neill as he stood at the entrance. He looked at the way Teal'c held her close, giving Jack the equivalent of Jaffa evils. His eyes then fell on Sam staring at him. Her tearful eyes had a flicker of hope within them as he stared back and she attempted a weak smile.

Jack could feel his heart breaking right then and there and he felt himself stutter, "I'm sorry."

Her smile became slightly larger as she sniffed slightly and after a few seconds silence mumbled, "Let's go or we'll be in a mission debriefing until next year. I have quite a lot of explaining to do."

Å

Jack sat in his living room doing absolutely nothing... well, except glancing out the window as water droplets rolled down the window from the summer storm raging outside. His mind was utterly preoccupied and Jack didn't think he'd ever sat so still as the same scenes from earlier played over and over in his troubled mind. Sam's voice in his head saying, 'Someone who doesn't know what they are or why their words would have such significance, tells the Angel they love them. There is only one person who can do this for an Angel, and the words must be meant with all their heart.'

Sam knew he loved her and he'd been damn lucky if she didn't report him. Jack sighed, no she wouldn't report him. After all if he didn't love her, she never would've become free, been brought back to life and all that other crap! No, she'd probably ask to be moved... or ask that he be moved. Jack couldn't leave SG-1, it was his life. Jack wondered if Sam wasn't part of SG-1 would it still be that way?

He let out a soft groan and rubbed his temples, "Why did I let this get so complicated?"

"Complicated?"

Jack looked up in shock to see Samantha Carter stood in the door to his living room. She was dressed in pale blue jeans and a white shirt. In one hand she held a dripping umbrella. He blinked a few times wondering if he was seeing things before he said confused, "How did you get in?"

"I have a key, but... you left the door open."

Jack looked at her and then sat up straight, as he said, "Why are you here, Carter?"

He noticed she looked slightly awkward and stared at her military boots as she murmured, "I quit."

"What?" Jack asked confused, not understanding what she meant.

Sam stared at her boots again, "I've quit the Air Force. I've quit the SGC."

The words finally sunk in, "What?!? Carter, are you nuts?!?"

For the first time during the whole conversation, she looked him straight in the eye, "No, for once I think I'm actually seeing things clearly."

Jack was lost for words, "W-W-Why?"

"Since I was 12 years old I've been an Angel. Every now and then I'd go off into trances and have to go save some person from killing themselves or killing someone else. They were becoming worse and more frequent as I was getting older. I need a hell of a lot of time to recuperate. Hammond was talking about me having my own personal psychiatrist for a few years, but I promised him I wouldn't bottle it all up so he wouldn't have to get me a shrink."

"So, you're leaving because..."

"I'm tired of putting everything aside for my career. Now my life's not a living hell I want to put my career on hold for a while."

They stood/sat in silence for a few moments the ideas Jack was getting in his head, completely unhealthy. There was no way that Samantha Carter would want to be with him! The only reason she'd come around here was to tell her she was leaving the SGC and let him down easy that she was going of to make babies with some Baywatch look-alike!

After a few moments, she whispered, "Jack..." Somehow, she drew his eyes up to meet hers again as she murmured, "I came here to say..." She paused for a second looking strangely vulnerable, "I wanted you to know that... I love you too."

He gawped at her as she left his house, shutting the door gently behind her. After a second of silence and shock, his whole conversation with Sam finally registered with his brain. He jumped up from the armchair speeding out of his house, barely aware of the pouring rain and the fact he was just in an old t-shirt and a pair of holey sweats. All that mattered was her...

"SAM!" He shouted to the woman who was about to shut her car door. She looked up at him in surprise as she stepped out of the car again still holding the umbrella above her head, protecting herself from the summer storm.

Without warning he ran for her. She dropped the umbrella and threw her arms around his neck. The warm water ran down his face, blurring his vision and soaking his clothes, as he spoke softly into her ear, "I love you, Angel. I love you."

She pulled back and Sam smiled her loving smile that was reserved just for him as her eyes began to fill with tears. And that was it. Jack was drawn to that smile like a moth to a light bulb. He pulled her body close, holding her face between his hands as his lips caught hers. She kissed back fervently as she whispered, "Thank you, Jack. Now I really am free."

Å

Epilogue

Sam opened her eyes slowly and through the crack between her eyelashes, she saw a pair of warm brown eyes watching. She smiled and murmured, "Well, Good Morning."

Jack chuckled softly, "Well, Good Morning to you too!"

Sam smiled and then noticed the look in Jack's eyes when he was worried or thinking about something. She pulled her body closer to his, lying slightly on top of him, as she asked with a slight hesitation, "What's wrong?"

Jack smiled at her one hand rising to stroke her cheek as he said, "I just found out that you've been an Angel since you were 12 years old, Sam!" Sam let out a relieved chuckle at his tone as he continued, "All along, I thought it was just me, but you really are! Guess I've got brains as well as good looks!" Sam couldn't help but giggle and Jack frowned at her although she could see laughter in his eyes, "No giggling please, Major. It's extremely disconcerting."

Sam stopped giggling immediately and said with a small salute, "Sir, yes, Sir!" He chuckled softly and leant forward, kissing her soundly. Sam pulled back, "No not yet. I wanna know what you were thinking about!"

Jack groaned at her and then sighed, "Fine. It's just... a long time ago I was fighting... in a Monsoon and I got shot and pretty beaten up. I was left for dead. I don't know how I survived, but, and this is going to sound so corny, I swear I saw you."

Sam frowned in thought and then her eyes widened for a second, "You mean... Oh! I told you a helicopter was coming... That was you?!?"

"Well, yeah."

Sam let out a small gasp, "David never told me."

"Told you what?"

Her eyes suddenly seemed ancient to Jack, as if she knew everything. He knew she must've seen a whole hell of a lot of bad things. It obviously affected her. She spoke gently, "Well, the first 5 years as an Angel, your Guardian teaches you... Angel stuff. You start practising on 'simulations'. The first Job you get is almost always going to come back and 'haunt' you, so to speak. It's this whole thing to do with Them knowing your destiny as an Angel..."

"Sorry to interrupt, but... who are They?"

Sam looked sad and slightly scared as if even mentioning Them was a bad idea, "They are the ones who decide which Jobs you are sent to and who has to be revived to become an Angel. They are the ones who punish you if you do something wrong," her eyes met his, "like caring too much about a particular Job. That's punishable by Life..."

"Don't you mean punishable by death?" Sam shook her head and cleared her throat, obviously finding the conversation not pleasant. Jack continued, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want."

Sam smiled at him lovingly, "No. I'll tell you." She cleared her throat again, "It was what happened to David. Angels are essentially 'dead', I guess. That weapon is used to kill Angels because Angels are 'dead' so bringing them to 'life'..." Sam trailed off, "It's like the opposite of how 'death' works for humans because... when an Angel's brought back to life... whatever injuries they sustained when they died come back and kill them again... When I died the first time, I was hit by a truck... that's why my body was a complete mess when you saved me."

"I think I understand," Jack whispered trying desperately to understand everything she said, "So if you were shot, for example, when you were brought back to life... you'd be shot."

Sam nodded with a small smile, "Yeah. You explained it better than me."

Jack blushed slightly, "I highly doubt that, Miss 'I've got a PHD and Doctorate in Astrophysics!'"

Sam let out a soft laugh before she continued, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the spattering of hair on his chest, "Well, where was I?"

"You were explaining why you saved me just under 25 years ago."

Sam nodded, "Well, the destiny in your first Job is that there is some reason you had to take it. I had always thought my first Job was this young woman who wanted to commit suicide. Angels can remember every Job they take, but even if you weren't an Angel that first Job would always stick in your mind because you know that in the future something about that Job will be important."

Jack nodded earnestly, showing he was listening to every word and trying to understand her explanation. Sam spoke, "David must've gone against the rules. They gave me my first Job as the suicide, but somehow David knew that couldn't be my first. So instead of giving me a training Job simulation he actually gave me a real one. You." She stared at him and grinned, "Guess you came back to haunt me!"

Jack smiled slightly, but continued to frown, "I'm assuming that that crazy Angel guy, Zehbedai, was one of Them?"

Sam shook her head, "No. He was one of Their spies, sent to watch me. No one has ever seen Them, I guess we don't really know if They even exist."

"Why was he spying on you?"

Sam smiled cheekily, "You were my Job and Angels aren't supposed to fall in love with their Jobs!"

Jack smile disappeared from his face for second, "Did I get you into trouble?"

Sam shook her head fondly, kissing him quickly as she pulled back with a grin, at his apologetic and anxious expression, "No. Not really. You see the one thing They don't want is for you to find the one Job that can free you..."

"And that was me?"

Sam nodded, "They didn't know that though. They can't tell, but They can guess." Sam sighed, "You only get one chance. It's kind of one of those 'you only have one true love' things..."

Jack laughed, "I'm your one true love?!?"

Sam smiled and nodded as she whispered, "Only one Job can break 'the curse' as David used to call it."

Jack noticed the way her expression became sad. Jack lifted his hand and stroked her bare shoulder comfortingly as he murmured, "Why did he miss his chance?"

"They got to her before he could save her. He never forgave himself. You see, although They give you Jobs to save peoples lives, there are some Jobs when even They don't know the output. Sometimes the Job you thought you were supposed to be protecting isn't the person They told you it was. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. That's why you're not allowed to fall in love with any person because if you make a mistake whilst acting upon those feelings you'll be sentenced to Life..."

"Sort of like fraternisation regs?" Jack asked, Sam replying with a small nod as he continued, "So how come I was your Job for so long?"

Sam smiled mischievously, "Well, Samantha Carter had to live as a real person. Sometimes Angels don't, but David revived me at a moment when I'm surrounded by people all of them seeing me alive. So as they'd seen me alive I had to stay as a real person. They were furious, but David insisted he'd felt my soul dying and if he hadn't revived me then I would've died. New Angels are important to Them. There are only a handful of humans that can be revived since the Ancients all ascended..."

"Yeah, what is the difference between Ancients and Angels anyway? They're all just kind of floaty, white light things to me!"

Sam laughed slightly, before she continued, "Well Ancients, when they die, ascend to a higher plain of existence like Daniel. They enlighten themselves and continue to live. Angels are revived by other Angels and have no choice in their continued life. Anyone can ascend and become an Ancient, but barely anyone can become an Angel. The specific thing in my body that allowed me to be revived has all but died out in the human race. That was why I stuck with David for more than 10 years. After that time you're usually made into a Guardian taking on your own apprentices, but I was 1 out of only 17 people that have become Angels in the past 30 years."

"Is the fact that you can help by using your powers another difference between you and Ancients?" Jack asked curiously.

Sam nodded, "But you can only use them if you've been sanctioned to use them whenever you are protecting your Job. You can't use your powers to do anything else. That's the reason why They can't get to me now that you've freed me and I'm completely human again."

"Back to my original question, why was I your Job for so long?"

Sam looked slightly embarrassed, "Samantha Carter needed a life and my life was at the SGC. Truth is you weren't really my Job the entire time. It was on and off and because I happened to be working there They decided I should be your Angel. I must say there've been a few times They have almost pulled me out saying that I was getting to close to you and that you were becoming to 'fond' of me. That's what worried Them. You worried the hell out of Them."

"How in god's name can I scare the hell out of some guys with the power to blow me off the face of the planet?"

"You loved me."

Jack just blinked at her serious tone, "Really? That was why?"

Sam nodded and then her eyes lowered from his, "They almost killed you after the Zay'tarc incident. I stopped Them with a lot of help from David, but I'll tell you They played a major part in anything bad that has happened to you in the past couple of years. In fact, the Entity that took me over was meant for you..."

"What?"

Sam pursed her lips, trying to hold back obvious pain and anger, "One good thing about being an Angel and having a Guardian like David is he knows practically every trick in the book. He told me that it was probably Their intention to have the Entity take you over. I knew the moment we sent the MALP to that planet that They were there. That's why Daniel couldn't recognise any of the technology. It was all just an elaborate plot to have you murdered..."

Jack watched her shocked for a second as she looked away obviously trying to hide tears, "Wait a second. Sam, did you...?"

A tear ran down her cheek as she began to speak quickly, "I didn't want them to kill you. I didn't want you to die."

Jack clasped her face in his hands so she stared into his eyes, "You let that thing take you over...?"

"It was either me or you. I knew out of the both of us, I'd be the most likely to survive and..." She broke down into silent tears, shaking beneath his hands.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, as he whispered, "I'd rather die that lose you too."

She looked at him and pulled her fingers over her tearing eyes and managed a small smile, "Jack, if you had been taken over by the Entity... I would've had to live until the end of time or until I was executed by Them."

"But it didn't happen," Jack said pointedly, "Bad things happened and we got through it. Now you are finally free and we can be together," he kissed her gently as he whispered, "Stop thinking about all the bad things that could've happened. They didn't and the future's looking pretty darn good from here!"

Sam laughed gently and then smiled lovingly, "You know what, Jack O'Neill? I think we have a lot of lost time to make up for!"

Jack grinned and pulled her into a deep kiss, neither one of them breaking off until they were suffering from oxygen deprivation and Jack muttered, "Better get started right away!"

FINIS

Yet more Author's notes: Confusing, huh? Yep. I was thinking of doing a sequel (and I'm not sure if I'm kidding or not!?!) Anyway, all complaints count as feedback so please do! Thanks for reaching the end of this and I hope I can make up for this in all my others! Thanks!