TITLE: Take a Chance- An alternative beginning to everything. Part 2

AUTHOR: Meloko

EMAIL: faithz_angel@hotmail.com

ARCHIVE: my website is http://home.talkcity.com/BoxOfficeBlvd/cleopatra- 1st/stargate.html and any who wants it.

CATEGORY: Alternate Reality, Romance S/J and S/D

SPOILERS: Minor Children of the Gods, Cold Lazurus

SEASON/SEQUEL: My own season 1 episode

RATING: PG

CONTENT WARNINGS:

SUMMARY: In my alternate reality, SG1 haven't formed as we know them. The SGC is strictly male military operation so Sam works for another company, Daniel only goes on a few mission. Teal'c is still First Prime of Apophis and Jack's a drunken womaniser!

DISCLAIMER: None of this is mine; the actual story and idea is mine, but the characters and name etc, don't belong to me.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is part 2 of a series so it may be hard to understand if you haven't read the other part. Please give feedback if you want part 3.

Take a Chance- Part 2

Sam backed away slowly, astounded, she hadn't expected that...it was.she didn't know what to think. He was a really kind and they got on so well.but.could she let him in. and after last time?

Daniel panicked at the silence. Had he mucked up yet another relationship? He didn't know whether to wait for her to speak, or take the lead?

"I...".

A loud beeping sound rang from Daniel's pocket. Startled by the vibration he pulled his pager out, though what he read through his emotions into more turmoil.

"What does it say Daniel?"

Daniel pulled out his hand unable to speak.

Curious Sam read the message {SG emergency, come now, bring scientist}

"Oh My God!" Sam muttered.

"Here's your chance". He turned to her, still hurting from her reaction to the kiss but this could change everything. Seeing her anxiety he instantly forgot about his pain. "You can do this" he reassured and put his arm round her. ~

"What's the emergency?" Jack entered strolling in.

"If we don't act immediately we'll loose another team".

Jack cut the laid back approach and turned serious. He hated loosing good men as much anyone would. "What's the situation?"

"The DHD is broken and the building they're in is going to...."

The door swung open.

"Dr Jackson".

"Why are." Jack halted as Sam entered.

Sam stared back at Jack.

"You!!!!"

"You're the scientist he's been raving about!" Jack shouted.

Both Daniel and the General were very confused.

"You've met before then?" the General asked.

"Yes, Sir we have" Jack replied flinching, remembering the meeting, where she rejected and embarrassed him.

"Jerk" Sam muttered.

"Could someone explain what's going on?" asked Daniel now worried.

"I'll explain later" she turned away from Jack and she held her hand out to the General. "Dr Samantha Carter, Sir. Thank you for letting me come here".

"Your skills maybe required". The General briefed them all fully on SG6 stasis and how they were going to save them. Actually Sam was going to think of how to save them.

"What! I can't be expected to come up with that!"

"Their lives depend on you" the General enforced before shutting the door behind him.

Jack still feeling the awkwardness and an unusual embarrassment left the room moments later.

Daniel turned to her and with more anger than he meant to "How do you know, Colonel O'Neill?"

"Know? I don't know him. I met him, once, in a bar" she told him worried about what the General hand just told him.

"And." He was still angry.

She hung her head. "He came onto me, ok?" Daniel face was getting redder by the second. "I pushed him back. Nothing happened"

"How do I know that's it? I don't know."

"You're right about one thing, you don't know me and at the rate you're going. You never will".

The door slammed in Daniel's face. ~

Jack couldn't believe she was here. Of all the places, of all the women, it had to be her. The first woman allowed on the base and the only one to reject him. Life sucked. Though he didn't feel angry, he felt embarrassed and like.a womaniser. Caught at his own game, but as the General briefed them. He hadn't taken his eyes off her. The blond hair had curled round her perfect oval face and her beautiful eyes had stared at him with feeling...he was still attracted to her.that was what a womaniser looked for.looks. They never get to know the real person, their soul. Though he liked the fire she had in her, the passion. She had a yearning for new opportunities and willingness to fight battles.

He heard her heels click on the hard floor and he instantly turned round.

"I'm sorry" he apologised.

"Not in the mood, ok. My so called friend doesn't trust me, because he thinks something happened between us and I have a clock above my head that ticking with four people heads on it, and I have to save them. Thanks, for saying you're sorry, that really helped" she turned to walk away.

He grabbed her arm. "You may, think I'm a jerk but can you at least give me a chance?"

She looked at his face and in his eyes tried to assume his character. "Ok, I'll give you a chance, if you help me figure out a way to save SG6".

"I want to save them as much as you, but I'm no science ge...whiz"

She rolled her eyes but followed him into his office. She looked at his ceiling and was amazed to find a poster of star constellations.

"You like astronomy?" she asked in disbelief. **Maybe he has more depth than I thought? **

"It's fascinating, I love it ever since I was a kid. I used to just sit in my back garden and look up at the night sky; it helped me get away from the constant rows of my parents. I could almost forget.sorry, focus".

Now she was amazed, maybe she had got him all-wrong. He actually sounded like a decent guy, like most people, circumstances had shaped him. The womaniser was a self-defence mechanism she guessed, to stop anyone from getting close.

"Focus. Yes" she shook her head. She never understood how that helped her to focus but it did. "Tell me about the SG teams, Daniel wasn't too clear on them".

Jack slightly flinched at the mention of his name; it was obvious they had more in common with each other but...focus.

"Each team consists of four members of different abilities....." He explained in detail all about them and even reencountered some of the more helpful ones. Like how they had managed to get out of some threatening situations. She laughed at some of the missions they'd been on.

"This one time, this one race insisted we wore these.dresses.as you can imagine I wasn't thrilled!"

"Really, I bet you dressed up in your mummy's dresses when you were younger!"

"How did you know?" he laughed. "I'm afraid I did the whole hog, the lipstick and everything!"

Jack looked down at him watch and read 2.45. "I can't believe I've kept you this late".

"It's fine, I've pulled all nighters before".

"You should really go to sleep. I could drive you home if you like?"

"You forget mister, I know the real you" she laughed.

Jack was glad of the laugh; it showed she had finally forgiven his stupid actions. "You sure? I wouldn't..."

"It's fine" she turned to him. "Actually I might have an idea, but it could take a while......"

The light entered her eyes but as she lifted her head up a piece of paper stuck to it. She turned round to see Jack watching her. **Had he been watching me sleep? **.

"Awake now are we?"

"I wasn't asleep, I just think better with my eyes closed!" she defended with a smile.

"Morning Sam" he said to wake her up more.

"Ok, so I'm not as young as I used to be and I'm still stuck..."

"You tried" he reassured her.

"Trying isn't going to save them."

"Can I ask something?"

"Sure".

"When did you meet your husband?"

"What? I'm not married; whatever..." she stopped remembering the first time they met.

"Then why." he stopped realising the full sleaziness he had been that night.

"I'm sorry Jack, it's was the easiest way. You're not the first guy I said that too; it's a." seeing the hurt she touched his face gently. "If I'd really spoken to you, like I did last night, I would never have" looking him straight in the eye. "Believe me". Sam pulled her hand back and knocked her pen to the ground. They both went down to pick it up. They stared for a second; Jack moved his hand to her face.then the door opened.

"Daniel" Sam muttered.

"You lied to me" he walked out the door.

Panicking Sam followed. "Daniel, there's nothing going on".

"You looked pretty comfortable to me!" he shot back.

"What? Daniel we both went down to get a pen."

"Ok, then why are you two together, alone at 6 am?" he questioned coldly.

"6 am?" she looked down at her watch and checked. "What are you doing here at 6 am?"

"I came to help you"

Sam heart jumped. "You came to help me," she repeated. "You're so sweet" she pulled his arm. He still didn't face her. She grabbed his face. "Nothing is going on. Trust me".

"I'm sorry....."

# Incoming traveller# rang out over the speakers. Daniel grabbed Sam's hand and dragged her to the control room

"So this is the Stargate" Sam said amazed as she looked out of the large glass window.

"Is any teams due back Sergeant?" the General asked nervously.

"Yes, SG3" a code appeared on screen. "It's SG3, Sir".

The panic was over as the iris was ordered open.

Sam looked in astonishment as the iris exposed a pool of water and moments later four officers appeared.

"Can I have a closer look?" Sam asked not taking her eyes off the wonder.

"If you think it'll help" the General reasoned.

"It might".

She looked closely at the Ancient gateway and touched the granite.

"Are these the.co-ordinates on the.?"

"DHD" he filled in. "Yes, you dial 6 of these" he pointed to a symbol. " And the place of origin".

"I just wish I could go through it".

"You will Sam".

"Need a helping hand?" a handsome young scientist asked entering the Gate room.

Sam smiled and Daniel felt a pang of jealousy shooting through him. "I think I've got it" she jumped up with an excited grin after hearing his words.

Daniel felt confused and hurt but then **What do I expect? The only woman on the base, a beautiful one at that, of course they're going to come flocking after her. Though what does she think? ** He looked at her with real affection and admiration. Had she really figured it out?

"What did I say?" the scientist wondered, but felt that he had a chance with her.

"I think I can save them......"

~

Jack gazed up at his ceiling and looked at the stars. The small dots represented planets millions of light years away; at least the real stars did. He was looking at an artist's interpretation: one, which did little justice to the real thing, but his office, didn't come with a roll down roof! He remembered the previous night when he had been talking to Sam about them. He had felt so comfortable and he had no need to worry about the results of the evening and having to make excuses in the morning. They just talked.

That was how it had begun with Sara; their love had been strengthened by a sold friendship to the extent that they were each other's best friends. A perfect partnership, when they were together. The military had often kept them apart and this was the cause of the main rift that had been between them. Made worse be the element of 'classified'. Her usual response had been "you leave me for days, and I don't even have a clue where you're going and even if you'll come back alive". His constant reassurance soon became not good enough but when Charlie had entered their life she had a child to worry about and panicked less about him. Though she soon realised that her greatest worry, would be that Charlie would have to grow up without a dad and well that was when the arguments started and his first affair.

A beautiful dark haired model that he'd met at the airport after coming home after a mission. They soon realised that they lived so close they could make it work. It wasn't love, they barely even knew each other and it certainly wasn't a long term 'relationship'. The agreement was when was feeling down the other would make them 'feel better'! In simple terms it was just sex, with absolute no meaning behind it. To Jack's surprise it made his feelings for Sara increase but the lying was endless and he wasn't quite good enough to pull it off.

A screaming wife had thrown him out and they'd separated for several months but she missed him and she dreaded the thought of Charlie growing up without a father. He'd learnt his lesson, but things were never the same but if he'd known what would happen less than a year later, he never would have wished loosing a single moment with them.

She'd killed herself because he'd given no support, and he'd promised himself, he never risk falling in love again and now.he was smitten. He couldn't stop it. He was falling in love with Sam. ~

Sam grabbed Daniel's desperately. "We have to see General, now".

"Sam, what's going on?"

"Please, I'll explain later, I promise, but SG6's life could be in the balance here, so."

"He'll be in his office".

Sam's hand bounded on the door and a rather annoyed General answered.

"Sorry" Sam apologised. "But this is urgent. I think I know how we can get SG6 home".

His facial expression immediately changed to one of relief and thankfulness. **Maybe we still have a chance to save this program**.

"Ok, fire away Doctor".

"I'm not entirely sure whether this could work, as I'm still not really sure of the concept...."

"Doctor" he interrupted in attempt to remind her of the urgency.

"Sorry, well what do you need to get the Stargate to work?"

"A DHD".

"Yes, but think about it more basically".

"The symbols to dial home" the General answered.

"Yes, and.....?"

"Power" Daniel realised.

"Exactly, the Stargate itself contains the symbols and in theory you should be able to dial it manually, right?"

"Yes, because you're still having the right co ordinates" Daniel agreed.

"But then how do you power it up?" the General asked following.

"We can send things to them still?"

"Yes"

Daniel realised her point and jumped up. "We can send them the power they need".

"Igneous" the General congratulated. "But will it work?"

"In theory yes, but in practise, I'm not sure General".

~

Teal'c woke up in a sweat. Their faces were haunting him, every night now he saw their ghosts. His dreams were filled with their innocent images that had become deformed because of what he'd done to them. The massacre he'd helped in, in the name of his God. The high almighty Apophis, his ruler, his leader but for those with a belief in him it was an honour. For him, it was a form of torture, as he knew that he was serving nothing more than a parasite using a human body. He had assisted in wiping out whole worlds, any which posed threat to the Goa'uld. He was a cold-blooded killer feeling the guilt. All he could do to consolidate his feelings was the fact that one day he'd have the strength to break free. If he didn't soon he'd loose his sanity.

He walked out of his house gazing at the untouched landscape and just sat and watched the sun rise. As he knew as soon as he shut his eyes, their faces would take shape and stop him from letting the realms of sleep envelope the guilt.

~

To be continued in part 3... (want it give feedback!)