Instant Message

Season 4- after "Divide and Conquer" and the rather nebulous time between Seasons 8 and 9

Sam walked through her house, a cup of coffee in one hand as she returned to her laptop to finish her book on wormhole physics that she had begun while wearing the armbands. Normally she would have been exhilarated by the intellectual stimulus, but as she sat alone in her house, her thoughts consistently strayed to the events of a few days ago.

She had dreamed of being able to express her feelings for her commanding officer for a long time now, but she hadn't expected a situation to develop when admitting their mutual feelings for one another would a) be better than the alternative, b) cause more pain and sorrow than happiness and joy, or c) be swept under the rug while they continued being good little soldiers. And this situation had included all three!

She had anticipated a quiet, romantic dinner in some classy restaurant- in many daydreams, the regulations had been suspended for the SGC, so neither of them had been forced to retire in the name of love, but most of the time, she retired and stayed on as a civilian scientist. She had anticipated a number of things. A proposal. An engagement ring. A kiss. That would be the catalyst in the reaction that would allow them to unleash all of their withheld passions.

Needless to say, she'd been sorely disappointed. Not that Jack- Colonel O'Neill- hadn't tried to be the knight in shining armor. He had almost died for her- not once, but twice within the last few weeks.

It was the closest thing to romance he had exhibited in the four years that they had worked together. Then again, maybe it wasn't romance. After all, it was in his nature to protect. He would have done it for anyone.

Suddenly, a window popped up on her computer screen. It was Daniel- he was IM-ing her.

NOTaspacemonkey: Hey Sam!

stargateBarbie: Hi Daniel. Whatcha doin?

NOTaspacemonkey: Thinking

stargateBarbie: 'Bout what?

NOTaspacemonkey: SG-1. And all the changes we've gone through lately.

stargateBarbie: What changes?

NOTaspacemonkey: Well, I don't know…let's start with the fact that since SG-1 split up a few months ago, it's just not quite the same.

stargateBarbie: SG-1 hasn't split up.

NOTaspacemonkey: Not officially, I know, but…I don't know, I feel like the old SG-1 is falling apart faster than I can glue it back together, and it all started with your dad dying.

stargateBarbie: My dad died? Daniel, what are you smoking?

NOTaspacemonkey: Nothing. Why?

stargateBarbie: Never mind.

NOTaspacemonkey: Of course, then Jack had to go to head the Homeworld Security part of the pentagon and then, to make things worse, he had to ask you to marry him, which totally ruined the team dynamic.

stargateBarbie: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SMOKING?

NOTaspacemonkey: What's your problem?

stargateBarbie: Colonel O'Neill and I are SO not involved. That's against regulations.

NOTaspacemonkey: Sam, I know that when you hit your head, Dr. Lam said that there was a possibility of amnesia, but I didn't think it would be quite so…well, pervasive.

stargateBarbie: What?

NOTaspacemonkey: Sam, you're a lieutenant colonel in the air force, Jack's a major general, you are getting married because for a few months, you were no longer under his command. You were head of Research and Development- well, technically you're still just on-loan from Area 51, but that's a technicality that you and Jack have used to your advantage. The wedding is tomorrow. That's why I'm thinking tonight. Beats the hell out of getting drunk with Jack.

stargateBarbie: Daniel, are you from an alternate reality or something? Because I KNOW that I'm a Major in the Air Force, I haven't hit my head, Jack is a Colonel in the Air Force, and we are most definitely not getting married tomorrow since we both declared our love for each other to Anise- a Tok'ra- two days ago. For the first time.

NOTaspacemonkey: Uh-oh, I'm not from an alternate reality. What year is it?

stargateBarbie: What?

NOTaspacemonkey: It's 2006. What year is it from where you come from?

stargateBarbie: CRAP! It's 2000.

NOTaspacemonkey: Yup. I was afraid of that.

stargateBarbie: You're from THE FUTURE?

NOTaspacemonkey: Apparently.

stargateBarbie: How the HELL did that happen?

NOTaspacemonkey: Don't ask me, you're the one who explains this stuff to me. And Jack.

stargateBarbie: Are we really getting married tomorrow?

NOTaspacemonkey: Yeah. FINALLY! We were waiting for something to happen about the time that you're in, but you guys held on for another four or five years.

stargateBarbie: What? Hold on…you shouldn't be telling me this. I'm sure that the future me has explained the whole "Grandfather" theory to you…

NOTaspacemonkey: At least a dozen times.

stargateBarbie: What are you trying to do to the future!

NOTaspacemonkey: Well, a lot of things, actually. Janet Fraiser has been dead for a year and a half now. That and the fact that SG-1 has changed in ways never before imaginable, well…I just think things could be better. Besides, there must be some higher being involved in this. Instant messaging doesn't just get sent to the past with no help…

stargateBarbie: Are you saying that this is a critical point in our history where everything that went wrong happened?

NOTaspacemonkey: I would never say that.

stargateBarbie: But…

NOTaspacemonkey: But I might imply that.

stargateBarbie: So, what do I tell J-Colonel O'Neill? That someone from the future told me that I was wrong and that I want everything to come out of "the room?"

NOTaspacemonkey: Not my problem. Besides, Area 51 would kill to have you, if things don't end up working for you guys staying at the SGC together…

stargateBarbie: I feel like I have sinned.

NOTaspacemonkey: Don't worry about it. We do this kind of stuff all of the time…besides, why save the world if you don't get a few favors out of it. Possibly…suspension of frat regs…

stargateBarbie: Not a chance.

NOTaspacemonkey: Try it, and threaten to quit. They'll do ANYTHING. Oh, and mention a sun that needs blowing up. They'll need you, I PROMISE!

stargateBarbie: Whatever. What happened to my dad?

NOTaspacemonkey: Selmak died and your dad wouldn't let go of him. He died alongside Selmak instead of allowing Selmak to die to save his life. He also thought that Selmak was the last chance of saving the galaxy.

Suddenly, there was a message that popped onto the screen.

NOTaspacemonkey has signed off

She cursed under her breath. This was unbelievable. She didn't even know what she was supposed to fix. She looked over their archived conversation again. Maybe not…she knew that she needed to tell Col-Jack that she regretted her hasty decision to leave everything in Isolation Room 1. She closed her eyes. "Oh Lord, give me strength to do what I must." She prayed.

Where did I get Stargate Barbie? Any one know? Hee Hee! maybe I'm just a stargate geek...I don't know, but...cyber stars to whomever can tell me the reference to Stargate Barbie...