Disclaimer: Same as usual. I don't have the brain power to think of something clever right now. Sorry.

Okay, so I've changed my mind! Or rather, my muse has changed it for me! I do not think there will be a character death after all! I even went so far as to take that disclaimer off the description of the story. I'm much happier with the way things will turn out. I think…


Kate buried her head in the file, doing her best to appear calm. As soon as she had given her answer, Colonel O'Neill had flown into action. He pulled out a dossier on her alter ego, and spent an hour on the phone with his boss in Cheyenne Mountain. Kate tried to read, but found herself too nauseas to concentrate. It didn't help that Gibbs was staring her down, either. She hoped his attention would soon be diverted somewhere else, or she might just change her mind.

When O'Neill hung up, Gibbs turned to talk to him. Their voices weren't soft – if she'd been paying attention, she would have heard their conversation. Instead, she stared at the photo of the scowling woman before her – wondering what set of circumstances could have led her into such a different life than her own. Not that she had any right to dictate someone else's future. Or was it her past? She was getting a headache again.

"Kate," Gibbs said, snapping her out of her reverie, "Let's go." She nodded and stood, not bothering to ask where. At this point, did it really matter? In a few hours she'd be on a plane to a secret military installation, and then off to another world. Who cared about the next few minutes? It turned out that Gibbs did. The second the elevator doors closed before them, Gibbs hit the emergency stop. He stared forward. Neither of them spoke.

Gibbs finally broke the silence. "Welcome to my office, Agent Todd," he said. She tried to smile, but couldn't. He turned to look at her, and she couldn't resist the pull of his eyes. They seemed to see into her soul, and Kate absently wondered what he found there. "One question," he said, never looking away. She didn't dare blink. "What the hell are you thinking, Kate?"

"What?" Whatever she had been expecting, that wasn't it.

"Why? Why are you going halfway across the country – no, scratch that – why are you leaving your entire life behind? To save humanity as they know it? C'mon…"

Kate tried not to stutter. "This is something I think I have to do."

"Don't give me that crap."

Her brain jumped to defensive mode. "You heard the Colonel, sir. He doesn't have time to find anyone else."

"Well why can't he make a deal with this other 'Kate'? Get her to kill that bastard Ari?!"

"Would you make a deal with her?" He sighed, and she knew she had him. He never made deals with anyone. "I have to do this, and I think you know that." Determination crept into her voice, with a fierceness that surprised her.

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to make sure that you do."

Kate smiled for the first time since coming to work that morning. Talk about a backward pep talk – strengthening her resolve to go while telling her to stay. Only her boss could have pulled that one off. "Thanks, Gibbs." He nodded and cancelled the emergency stop. They traveled the short distance to Abby's lab in silence. Only as the door opened did Gibbs speak again.

"Be careful," he whispered.


Short, I know. But the next one should be coming soon! I have finished the last two chapters, and there's only one more between that one and this…

:-)