Yesterday I knew just what you wanted
When you came walkin' up to me with him
So I told you that I was happy for you
And given the chance I'd lie again...
Sam walks down the stairs and stops at the bottom.
"Okay you two Cassie will be here soon so get down here," she calls.
The sound of little feet running down the stairs echoes around the house as a small girl and boy join Sam at the base of the stairs.
"Promise me you'll be good for her while I'm gone okay?" she says as she pets their hair lovingly.
"Yes mommy," they answer in unison.
"Can we watch cartoons now?" the boy asks.
"That's fine; but only an hour then you go play outside," Sam says as the two kids squeal and run toward the family room.
"Hey!" she hears Daniel exclaim from the family room and she smiles as he walks over and joins her by the front door.
"I was almost caught in a stampede," he says smiling.
"Well you know better than to get between them and cartoons."
"If I didn't before I certainly do now," he says as someone knock on the front door. Sam laughs as she opens the door.
"Hi Cass, they're watching TV. But only for an hour then they need to play outside," Sam says hugging the girl as she comes in.
"Okay, that'll give me a little time to relax after last week."
"Oh right, how did your finals go?" Sam asks as she closes the door.
"I think they went good. Now we have to see if my teachers agree."
"I'm sure you did great," Daniel says.
"Thanks Daniel. So how long will you be gone?" she asks Sam.
"Shouldn't be more than a day or two at the most."
"Okay, well we should be fine. I'm sure the kids are glad to be done with school."
"Yeah they are," Sam says with a smile as she and Daniel walk toward the garage.
"I'm a little sad that you guys will be moving this fall," Cassie says, following them.
"Well the plan was to move as soon as I retired almost four years ago but we kept putting it off. But the time has finally come."
Cassie smiles, "well good luck; and don't worry about us. We will be fine for a couple of days."
"Thanks Cassie," Sam says.
She and Daniel climb into her car and she starts the engine.
"So how was the date last night?" Daniel asks.
Sam laughs slightly, "It was fine until he found out I have not one but two kids."
"Sorry," Daniel says.
"Hey he still paid for dinner so I count it as a win. I am thinking about just sticking to being single though."
"Maybe you'll meet a good guy in Nevada," Daniel say encouragingly.
Sam smiles at him, "Always the optimist. So what has you in such a good mood?"
"As strange as this may sound, Vala is coming in this morning."
"So are you ever going to ask her out or are you just going to flirt for the rest your lives?"
"I don't know, I don't think she would be open to that."
Sam laughs as they pull up to the front gate at the base. After they are thru the gate she drives to per parking spot.
"Trust me, she is open to it," she says as they get out of the car.
They makes their way to the briefing room to find Cam and Teal'c sitting at the table while Vala stands near them with her back to the door.
"And so just as I thought I was in the clear one of those smugglers saw me sneaking into their ship and the next thing I know he's yelling for his pals to help him stop me from taking off and one of them decides that it would be better to blow up the cargo rather than let me have it so..." Vala pauses as she notices Cam looking past her and turns.
"Daniel, Samantha, it's wonderful to see you both again," she says smiling at them both.
Sam smiles back at her, "It's good to see you too."
"I'd ask if you have been keeping out of trouble but something tells me the answer would be no," Daniel says in a teasing voice.
Vala smiles at him but before she can answer Landry walk into the room, "Alright people, let's get down to business. Dr. Carter, would you like to start?"
"Sure, as you all know we have found a new uninhabited planet that is almost identical to earth and with the presidents permission we have decided to start another research facility that will be designated Delta site. SG1 will be accompanying a hand full of personnel to the planet, including myself. This trip is going to be short as we will be looking for a place to set up the base. Over the next few months we will be making several much longer trips to set up the base and get it running efficiently. I will be overseeing most of these trips as well, however someone else has been chosen to run the base once it's ready to go."
"And who might that be?" Vala asks.
"Captain Jennifer Hailey; she is due for a promotion and Dr. Carter suggested that this post be given to her," Landry says.
"I think this is something she is very well qualified to do. Since military personnel will be limited on the base her rank won't be an issue and until I feel that she has everything under control I will make regular visits to Delta site," Sam adds.
Cam nods, "Sounds good to me. Will she be coming with us?"
"Not on this trip; she is otherwise occupied which is why I am going," Sam responds.
"So this is a simple recon mission. Does anyone have any questions?" Landry asks.
Cam looks around the table then back at Landry, "Nope, looks like we're good General."
"Alright, you'll be heading out in just under an hour. Dismissed."
Landry stands and leaves the briefing room as everyone else begins to leave the table. Cam walks over to Sam.
"So, haven't seen you around lately," he says to her.
"I was working on something that needed my attention in Area 51. To be honest with you I am looking forward to running the R&D there."
"I had heard you were leaving. When are you going?"
"The end of the summer."
"So just long enough to get this new base set up."
"Basically; so what's new with SG1?" Sam asks changing the subject.
"Well Vala got some Intel from an old contact of hers that some smugglers were collecting large amounts of Naquadah but no one knew why so she went undercover to find out and from the sound of it she was able to steal a large part of it from them and drop in off with the Tok'ra. Now they are investigating where it came from and we should hear back from them in a few weeks but it could turn out to be nothing to worry about."
"We can hope that is the case," Sam says with a smile before turning and leaving the room. She heads to the ready room and Vala follows her. They get into the elevator together.
"So, how are your children?" Vala asks as the doors slide closed.
"They're good; a little sad about leaving this fall but they'll get over it once we are settled and we get more time together."
"I still can't believe that you are going to try to raise them all on your own now."
Daniel shakes his head to clear it.
"What is this?" he asks as the vision fades and he finds himself in the cave surrounded only by the blue light.
"You must choose" a airy voice says swirling around him.
"Choose what?" he asks, looking around to find the source of the voice.
"The future."
Daniel takes a breath, "What am I choosing for the future?"
"We can see you love this one," the soft voice says as an image of Sam appears in the rippling blue water.
"You must choose for her."
"I don't understand. What choices do you want me to make?" Daniel asks slowly.
"You must choose what is or what could have been."
"What do you mean what could've been?"
"We have shown you what will be, now we will show you what could have been."
The light begins to grow brighter until Daniel can't look at it anymore; then it fades into a different image.
The stargate activates and moments later he and Teal'c step out, followed by Jack. They walk down the ramp to General Hammond.
"Well Colonel, how did it go?" Hammond asks.
"Daniel found some old writing; I saw a weird bug. Not much else to report Sir."
Hammond smiles, "Alright, debriefing in one hour."
Jack throws him a sloppy salute, "See you then Sir."
Several hours later Jack walks up the walkway to Sam's front door. He pulls his keys out and unlocks the door then walks into the house. He closes the door quietly and locks it before taking his shoes off and moving into the kitchen. He empties his pockets on the counter then drops his jacket on the back of the couch on his way into Sam's room. He moves quietly as he undresses and climbs into bed. He hears Sam mutter something as she moves closer to him.
"I didn't mean to wake you," he says softly.
"How was your trip?" she asks sleepily.
"It was uneventful. Are you starting to feel better yet?"
"A little but it was pretty bad this morning."
"Well I'm home now and tomorrow I'll make you soup," he says, wrapping his arms around her.
"You're going to make me soup?"
"Yep, what ever kind you want. As long as it comes in a can."
She smiles against his chest, "Just having you back is enough for me."
The next morning Sam wakes up to the smell of fresh coffee. She opens her eyes to see Jack sitting on the edge of her bed holding a cup out for her to take.
"Good morning," he says smiling at her.
She sits up and takes the coffee, "Hi."
"So I have something I need to tell you."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I gave Hammond my resignation."
Sam sets her coffee on the bedside table, "When?"
"Just before I left. I told him not to open it till I got back so he should be opening it this morning."
"What if my transfer doesn't go thru?"
"Then Hammond can put you in charge of SG1."
"And what would you do then?"
"What ever I want. That's the point of being retired."
"I know that but..."
"No buts; whatever happens I want you to remember one thing."
"Which is?"
"That I love you Samantha Carter and from now on I don't have to keep it from anyone."
Sam smiles at him, "It will be nice to tell everyone."
"Although, George probably knows already."
"Do you think so?"
"I'm pretty sure."
Sam takes a breath, "Okay so now we are just waiting to see where my career takes us."
"Yep," Jack says leaning in to kiss her but she covers her mouth and jumps off the bed moving quickly to the bathroom. Jack sits still for a moment as he listens to the sounds of her getting sick but after a moment her follows her. He finds her kneeling on the floor by the toilet so he sits beside her and starts rubbing her back. When she is finished she sits back and wipes her mouth with a towel from the sink.
"I think you need to let Doc Fraiser know how bad this is," he says, his voice conveying deep concern.
"It was getting better," she says.
"It doesn't look like it to me. It might be worse than it was before I left."
"Okay, I'll go see her today."
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to drive."
"So..."
"I'll drive you."
"Why are you showing me this?" Daniel asks as the image fades.
"So you can choose," the voice answers.
"It is impossible for me to choose what can never happen," Daniel says as he looks around waiting for the voice to respond. When he doesn't hear anything he tries again.
"Why do want ME to choose?" he asks.
"You are the one that is torn. We wish to mend you but first you must choose."
"What does that mean? I'm torn?"
"You have strong love of this one," an image of Sam appears then fades.
"But you feel guilt over the loss of this one," an image of Jack appears in the water.
"We can mend one but you must choose."
"So if I were to choose the second vision you showed me you can make that happen?" Daniel asks.
Instead of a voice Daniel hears a whispering sound and the light in cave beings to grow brighter again but this time Daniel notices that it is coming from one small place in the water instead of the whole small pool. He kneels down and leans closer to get a better look. Suddenly he slips and falls into the water. He gasps for breath but instead of water spilling into his mouth as expected his lungs are filled with air. He slowly exhales and looks around. He lifts his hand and is surprised when it feels no different than before.
"What are you?" he asks.
The light, that appeared to be water, swirls around him and becomes one figure sitting in front of him. He blinks to adjust his eyes and looks closer. In front of him sits what looks like a young woman swathed in glowing blue light. He adjusts his glasses and clears his throat as the woman speaks.
"I am called tâlih," her voice softly floats thru the air like music.
"Tâlih; if I'm not mistaken that means luck or chance."
She bows her head slightly then looks back at him, "Now you must choose."
"Ok," Daniel sits back and takes a breath, "Just let me think for a moment."
The light begins to grow brighter and then slowly an image appears as Daniel hears the soft voice saying, "I will show you her now."
Sam is sitting on the ground several feet away with her back to Daniel. He approaches her slowly and looks around. They are in a cemetery; he looks at the stone in front of her almost knowing before he sees the name.
Jonathan J. O'Neill
He hears a quiet sob and soft talking.
"She can not see you."
He jumps slightly as the blue light clad woman appears beside him. Taking a breath he walks closer to Sam but before he reaches her he sees General Hammond moving toward her. Daniel stops as they two talk for several minutes; then Hammond holds out an envelope to her. After a moment she takes it and opens it. Daniel moves closer just in time to hear Hammond say, "This was his way of choosing you over everything else."
Daniel feels a pang of heartache as he watches Sam hug the paper to her chest and begin to cry.
After a moment he turns to Tâlih, "I know what I need to choose."
"Very well," she says as the cemetery fades away until they are sitting face to face in the cave again.
"What do you choose?" she asks.
"No matter what I feel, Sam deserves to be to be happy. I choose what could've been."
"Before I grant you your choice I must tell you, if you decide to let the future be what it is now you must do nothing."
"And if I want it to be different?"
"Only you know what must be done to alter what has taken place and change the future," she says as her light fades out leaving Daniel in the dark.
"What does that mean?" he asks, his voice sounding strange as it echoes in the cave.
When he hears no answer he stands up.
"Hello?" he says into the darkness.
"Daniel?" a familiar voice calls his name.
He turns and finds himself in a jungle. Teal'c and Jack are standing in front of him.
"Huh? What?" he asks confused by their sudden appearance.
"I asked if you wanted to go look at the temple while we set up camp," Jack says as he lays his arms across the weapon hanging on the front of his vest.
"Yes, I mean no. I don't know," Daniel stammers slightly.
"Are you feeling unwell Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asks him.
"Um I'm not sure," he answers.
Jack looks at him for a moment before speaking, "Okay, change of plans. We go to the temple now so Daniel can take a quick look then we head back to the gate."
Daniel swallows hard as a lump forms in his throat and he thinks about the last words Tâlih said to him.
"Okay," he agrees and then looks around.
Jack nods at Teal'c and they start walking toward the temple. As they reach the base Daniel stops walking and looks up at it. He feels his hands starting to shake so he takes a breath.
"I think I'll just get what I can from here so we can get out of here," he says.
"Whatever you say, I'll just hang out here," Jack says sitting on a large rock near the base of the temple.
Daniel walks toward the temple slowly and pulls out his notepad. He writes down some of the symbols he finds near the stairs that lead up to the open doorway above them. He glances up at it.
"I do not want you going in there Daniel, this place looks like its ready to fall apart any minute," Jack says as he stands up from the rock and starts pacing around.
"Alright, I'll be as quick as I can here."
Jack stops walking and looks at him, "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'm catching something," Daniel says as he starts scribbling the symbols down for later.
"Maybe you caught the bug Carter's got," Jack says.
"Not likely," Daniel says under his breath. He finishes copying the text then he pulls out his camera and snaps a couple of pictures before turning to face Jack.
"Okay, I'm done."
"Sweet then let's move. If we hustle we should be back to the gate just a little after the sun goes down," Jack says as they start walking away from the temple.
As they walk back into the jungle Daniel stops and turns to take one last look at the temple. Just for a moment he thinks he sees a faint blue light coming from just inside to doorway, then it disappears.
AN: Okay there will be at least one more chapter either later this week or the beginning of next week. Let me know what you think and keep an eye out for the next chapter.
