So this is the first story that I've done in a couple of years... I got the idea from a few other stories that I'd read where they took a scene from 2010, and ran with it... So I felt relatively safe to take my own idea and run with it a little... If anyone out there has done something very similar, then I appologize, cross my heart I didn't steal your ideas...I promise...

I will WARN this is a very AU story. It's my take of what was happening in an alternate universe when they first would have met the Aschen on P4C-970. The first chapter takes place in 2010, just so everyone knows that it is in the future. I wrote the first chapter basically as a stand alone, then chapter 2 goes back to the past when they met the Aschen, the third a few years later, and so forth and so on.

As always, I definately don't own any of the regular characters...now for a new disclaimer I'd like to try:

The Characters depicted are fictional, and any resemblence to names, or places is merely coincidence...

Yeah, didn't sound as good as I thought that it might. Ah well, on with the story...

Just for a reference:

Ad acta - To archives. Not actual any more.

Ad Acta 2010

The light crept in from the window, casting a beam directly across the bed. Any other morning, she wouldn't have minded, but this was supposed to be her morning to sleep in. Eleven years ago, she would have been up for hours already. The thought of how much had changed made her roll over with a groan, trying to escape the light, but it was no use, the rays were too bright. For a split second she contemplated pulling the covers over her head, but then remembered what had disturbed her from her dreams.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look in the morning?" Her husband's voice cut through a bit of the groggy feeling she had as she opened her eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light so she could look at him.

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," She let a sleepy smile form on her face.

"Mmmmm, I thought that you were watching the kids this morni--," She yawned, opening her eyes a bit more as they focused on the figure changing out of one set of clothes near the closet. "You're soaking wet--"

"Yeah," He cocks a half smile at her.

Her expression changed, "Where are the kids?"

"Hang on, I'm getting there. Trust me, it's good."

"Where are they?"

"They're in the kitchen eating froot loops."

"So what happened?"

"I was getting there, " His face once again cocked that half smile she'd come to know so well. "I know you're already wishing you'd have been there."

She looked at him with a face that questioned the sarcasm he had just thrown at her.

"Actually, You'd be quite proud, " His words came out so matter-of-factly, as he moved towards the bed, buttoning up his shirt as she slowly sat up. "Your daughter was making a 'scientific observation'."

"Was she-"

"Well, maybe I was stretching a little bit, but that's how she phrased it," He sat down on the bed next to her, "she was leaning over the pier to make sure that there weren't any fish in the pond."

"Ah, so that's how you got wet?"

"Apparently there are...how did she put it... no visible life forms anywhere in the water? " His words came out so innocently that they prompted her to laugh. "Don't worry, she's already in dry clothes."

"Eating froot loops." She repeated his previous words.
"Yes. " He brushed his hand against hers, noticing something about her looked not quite right. "You okay?"

"Yeah," She answered quickly. "It's that whole 'just woke up' feeling."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," She nodded, giving him a little smile.

"You really sure? Because we don't have to go later, if you're not--"

"Jack--"

"Sam--"

"I'm fine." Her smile got a little bigger. "I promise."

"There's no way I'm getting out of this am I?"

"Not a chance, Sir." He laughed, every once in a great while, she teased him with the respectful title she had used on a daily basis all those years ago.

"Carter, I'm retired." He kissed her lips softly, this time she smiled. "Lose the 'sir'. "

"Have I told you how lucky I am?"

"You may have mentioned it."

"Seriously," She ran her fingers over his hand. "Even with everything we went through to get here, I wouldn't change a single thing."

"Neither would I."

Their eyes met, and for a moment they sat there, just taking the other in, until two little voices interrupted them from the kitchen. They both looked in the direction, contemplating whether or not they really needed to go, or if the problem would just work itself out. The answer, as usual, came in the form of the crash, and splash of what they could only guess to be a cereal bowl hitting the floor.

"I got it." Jack laughed as he stood and headed for the mess that no doubtly awaited him in the kitchen, leaving Sam there with thoughts of how lucky they both were. After all they had been through, all they had fought for, she could finally wake up without worrying. She could wake up with her only care being what they were going to have for breakfast, or if she had gotten enough sleep the night before, or whether or not she or Jack would have to run into the kitchen to break up a slight scuffle over something insignificant. No more saving the world, no more risking her life, life had definately changed for the better.

Okay, that was the first 'stand-alone' chapter. I wanted to do a piece that started in the future, and then traveled backwards. Don't worry, I promise it will get better :)

I just had to set up the sappy-happy beginning of the end :)