I just wanted to say how blown away I was by the reviews last chapter. Hence the quick update ;-)

To my usual reviewers: You know who you are. You guys keep me writing. Whenever I can't be bothered to write, you're the reminder that there's people out there wanting me to finish this. I love hearing from each and everyone of you.

I also wanted to acknowledge Pat and Kathryn for sending me such insightful messages about last chapter. You both gave me quite a lot to think about.

Ah, the big reveal! Let's see how Sam copes, shall we?


Chapter 9: Reading Ancient

Daniel paced nervously in the briefing room as he watched his team mates file in one by one. They all took their seats and it was clear from their expressions that they'd sensed something big was going on, and Jack's absence was another indicator.

He glanced at Sam who was last to come in and saw that she instantly knew that Jack wasn't around. He'd known her long enough that he was able to see the brief look of worry that passed through her before she was able to reign in her emotions. Sam may be able to fool everyone including herself, but Daniel knew where her heart belonged.

"Where's General O'Neill?" Sam finally asked as they all took their seats.

"He's taken a short leave of absence. Colonel Reynolds is in charge until he gets back."

"Then shouldn't the Colonel be here debriefing us?" Sam knew he was being evasive and Daniel realized he couldn't stall for long.

"He is- I mean, he will be. But first, I need to debrief you guys about a totally different matter. Jack would've done it himself, but it's the reason why he's not here in the first place. Both he and Colonel Reynolds felt that it would be better if I you guys heard it from me."

Sam was becoming impatient. "Just spit out, Daniel. Whatever it is."

Daniel looked to Teal'c and Jonas. They both looked eager to know what was going on. Well, Jonas looked eager, Teal'c just looked impassive as always.

"Look, there's no easy way to say this so I'll just, well, say it..."

Daniel proceeded to tell them Kawalsky's sudden appearance and the sad news he'd brought with him. He told them what he figured transpired between Samantha and Jack and that the result was Grace.

At the mention of the little girl's name, Sam visibly blanched. Whether from shock, disbelief, or both, Daniel could only speculate.

He went on to Samantha's last request, her need for her Grace to be with her father and finally Jack getting permission from Hammond and Hayes to keep Kawalsky, Frasier and the little girl in their reality. He also told them about Jack's request that he get Grace settled in before meeting everyone. He'd looked at Sam then to see her reaction, but she wasn't looking at anything, just staring out onto the observation window that looked down at the Gateroom.

"O'Neill must only ask and we will be there to help him with Grace O'Neill."

Daniel smiled at the Jaffa. Teal'c always knew the right thing to say. He never intruded and he never presumed.

Jonas nodded as well. "Definitely. The General only has to say when and we'll be there."

Teal'c rose to his feet. He sensed that Daniel needed to talk to Colonel Carter alone. "Come, JonasQuinn. I am in need of some nourishment."

Jonas quickly got to his feet and started gathering the folder he'd brought with him. "Yes. A snack sounds really good right now." He gave Daniel a meaningful look. We'll leave you alone now.

"How are you doing, Sam?"

She continued to stare out at the Stargate.

"I can't even imagine what you're thinking right now-"

"You have no idea, Daniel." She paused. "Her name is Grace?"

She saw his reflection nod.

"Oh, god."

Daniel came up to her and squeezed her shoulder. "Sam, what's going on?"

She shook her head, her whole body trembling. She wasn't crying. Yet. Daniel was sure though, that it wouldn't take much for her to start.

"I think maybe I've made a big mistake."

"Sam..."

"Oh, god, Daniel. How could I have gotten it so wrong? I mean it could just be a coincidence, but somehow, the way the universe works, I don't think so."

"You're rambling, Sam. Slow down and tell me how you've made a big mistake."

She sniffed and shook her head. "Where do I start? It's all so confusing. I don't really know how to feel... General O'Neill slept with my alternate, impregnated her and now she's dead. I mean, it's not the first time that I've been confronted with something so bizarre, but-"

"But you've never been confronted with the reality of Jack's feelings being so blatantly displayed for everyone to see."

Sam laughed, but there was no humor in it. "That's just the thing, this isn't the first time for that either. This time though, we can't just sweep it under the rug or lock it up in that room. Not when there's walking evidence of what we- she - had with him."

"I don't want to sound callous, but this really isn't about you, Sam. Grace is the result of something that Jack allowed to happen because he felt he needed to help a woman who was married to him in another reality. This was about Samantha wanting a piece of her husband back and taking it from the next best thing."

"At some level, I know that. But I can't help but feel that Grace is a part of me. I may not have conceived her, but that little girl is mine just as much as she was Samantha's."

Daniel gave a rueful smile. "I kinda figured you'd feel that way."

Sam laughed again. "Hell, I still can't figure it out. I haven't even met her." Her expression sobered. "The General doesn't want me to see her."

Daniel knew he had to be careful how he said things or Sam would be incredibly hurt. "Not yet, no. He hasn't really explained things to Grace yet. She doesn't know that you exist and he's afraid that it would confuse her even more if she saw you."

Sam nodded in understanding. She knew what it was like to lose a mother and her heart ached for the little girl. Sam wished she could wave a magic wand and make all the pain disappear. If she could replace Samantha...

No.

She couldn't ever replace Grace's real mother. It wasn't right. Samantha deserved to be remembered by her only child. Jack would make sure of that.

"Look, Sam. It's not going to be for long. Jack will get Grace to understand eventually. He just wants to make sure that Grace knows that things in our reality is a lot different from hers and that you're not really, you know, her mother."

Sam felt pain at Daniel's words, no matter how true. Grace could easily have been her daughter if things had been different, if she'd been as brave as Samantha and taken what she'd secretly wanted and suppressed even to herself.

Sam composed herself and finally turned away from the observation window. "Hey, I think I'm gonna head over to my quarters and just be alone for a while." She tried hard to smile, but it ended up more like a wince.

"You do what you have to, Sam," Daniel said as he watched her leave the briefing room.


Sam Carter collapsed on the military issued bed no longer able to stand on her feet. She curled herself around a pillow and finally let the tears slide down her cheeks.

The moment Daniel had mentioned Grace's name all she'd felt was numb. It was the same name of the little girl who'd haunted her on the Prometheus months before.

She'd always wondered after that who and what Grace represented.

Teal'c had been her warrior's instinct, her practical side that made sure she survived.

Daniel had been her curiosity, her need to explore despite possible dangers.

Her father, she figured, were her secret regrets. Regrets that she had never voiced to herself for fear of realizing just how lonely she was.

Then there had been Jack. He'd been her confidence, the one who spurred her on even when things looked rough. He'd also been the one who questioned her feelings for him. The one who made her think that maybe what she felt for him was just an excuse to avoid being in a real relationship where she was bound to get hurt.

She'd told herself to move on, to find happiness wherever she could get it. It was either with Jack or someone else. But Jack meant sacrificing her career and she wasn't even sure if he still felt the same. Trying to read Jack O'Neill was like trying to read Ancient. Unless you were Daniel Jackson, you just couldn't. So, she'd moved on to someone else.

She had to admit she was having second thoughts about Pete. Imaginary Jack told her that he would always be there for her no matter what, but her relationship with Pete had only served to drive them even further apart.

When he'd downloaded the Ancient database for the second time around, she'd had her doubts about having moved on. The thought of him dying had pushed her to try and at least see if there was anything at all left between them. Almost four years had passed since their forced confessions and their time as Jonah and Thera; Long enough for feelings to lessen and die.

She'd thought she'd seen something in his eyes before they were rudely interrupted. Then on the ship, Jack didn't want to know. He'd known he was dying and he didn't want a long drawn out scene between them, a death bed confession that would only serve to hurt them both. That wasn't Jack O'Neill's style and when he'd come back seemingly restored at the Asgard Homeworld, they had shared a brief but intense look.

She'd thought of breaking things off with Pete then. Then another panic had set in as Jack had collapsed and everything had changed.

He'd somehow gotten himself promoted and she saw that the chances of them getting together were getting slimmer and slimmer. He was young again, similar in age as her. Retirement was a long way away and she didn't think that he would consider it now that he had a new lease on life.

With his and her promotions, they were as far from each other as they had ever been. Jack really was unattainable as ever and she stayed with Pete because she didn't want to be alone.

Then Pete had asked her to marry him during the incident with Teal'c and the Trust. She'd debated and debated with herself and she'd even gone as far as asking Jack what he thought her answer should be. A part of her had wanted him to fight for her, to say no. But Jack O'Neill, being Jack O'Neill, left the ball in her court. It had to be her decision.

She'd eventually said yes to Pete and there begun the inevitable spiral into finally letting Jack go. Whatever was left of the feelings they had shared had turned into dust.

He'd become very professional around her, sometimes teasing, but he no longer came around her lab to visit. She chalked it up to his now very busy schedule, but she knew he was keeping his distance. Then she'd found out about his outings with the SGC boys and his sudden closeness to Daniel and she'd felt then that things were moving fast and she was losing him forever.

She'd suddenly felt so lost then. A part of her would always love him and that part was rebelling, screaming at her not to let Jack go. She'd tried to tamp it down hard, told herself that she loved Pete and he was the man that would give her a future, not Jack.

Her mind kept comparing the two and she knew she was being unfair to Pete by doing so. No man could match Jack O'Neill. He was everything a man should be and much much more. He was a hero. But like most heroes, he was so high up a pedestal, she just couldn't reach.

He was meant for far greater things than just to warm her bed. She knew she couldn't interfere with what could be a great destiny...

Her mind wandered back to Grace.

Grace, she'd assumed, was her inner-child. The Samantha Carter who wanted to be let free, to do what she wanted instead of what was required of her. But deep inside, she knew Grace was also her secret desire to have a life. A family. In her concussed mind, she'd conjured up Jack and asked him if it was possible. She'd told herself that he was a safety net and to move on.

Her mind had given her the wrong answer.

Grace was more than possible, she was now real.

The life she'd been wanting all along was now right in front of her waiting for her to either take it, or continue on her current path and marry Pete.

She just hoped that when everything blew over, she still had the luxury to make those choices.


Under the circumstance, I thought Daniel was incredibly sensitive to Sam's feelings. If she keeps making stupid choices though, he might not be as nice next time around.

Please feel free to review =)