So this one is a little longer. After realizing all the stuff going on halfway through the season this one kind of just took a life of its own. Angsty, hope you enjoy :)

Year 10

Jack O'Neill wondered again as to why he didn't simply retire. It was Christmas eve and he was still at work. Daniel was still MIA after that whole mission with Ba'al had gone south. What a surprise that had been. Oddly enough, he wasn't overly concerned. He glanced up at the door half expecting Daniel to walk in with a bemused 'I've descended again' look. Not that they had any reason to think he was dead or ascended. Vala seemed confident he was alive. Although, by the sound of things, they couldn't think of where to look for him. It had been tough on Sam. Sam who had almost died on SG-1's last mission. He had gone to visit her the second he had heard. He couldn't remember ever being so worried. He had stayed for a couple of days during her recovery. Just the two of them at home. It was a sad statement that it had been the most undisturbed quality time they've had in a long time. It was also why he was working Christmas Eve. Things tend to pile up when one suddenly leaves without warning. The president had been less than pleased but he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He flipped a new report open, skimming until he came across his wife's name. Progress with the phase shifter thing was going slower then she would have liked. He knew she had buried herself in the project to help cope with Daniel missing. He also knew she'd figure it out eventually. He signed off with his probably unnecessary indication that he was now aware of the goings-on. It contained nothing that Sam hadn't already told him. He glanced at the clock. It was 0100. Christmas day and also much later than he had planned on staying. But at least now he was finally caught up. He was gathering his things and almost out the door when the phone rang. He hesitated. First intent on ignoring it when a nagging thinking had him realizing that any call on Christmas morning would either be urgent or, better yet, news on Daniel. He dropped his coat back on his chair and picked up the phone.

"O'Neill" he answered with just a small hint of annoyance.

"Hi Jack." It was Landry. Jack would have hoped for news on Daniel but something in the man's voice put him on edge. Something was wrong.

"Hank. To what do I own this early morning pleasure." He said with his usual sarcasm.

"There's been an incident with the phasing device."

His heart stopped. Sam was working on that. Landry words were muted. He was explaining the experiment she had been doing. He just wanted to know if she was ok.

"Colonel Carter has been out of phase for 2 hours now. We think the changes to the device are somehow preventing her from phasing back."

Jack wasn't sure how to process the whole thing. She was safe by the sound of things. And if anyone could fix it, it would be her.

"Keep me posted." Was his only reply. He didn't hear what Landry said as a goodbye as he hung up. Questions rushed through him along with a new wave of worry. He called Teal'c without thinking twice about the time. The Jaffa would be up.

"O'Neill." Came his calm voice. It helped.

"Teal'c. I heard what happened."

"We are keeping Colonel Carter company." His reassurance was swift. "Vala is speaking to her now."

"Has she managed to communicate?" Jack asked confused. The short pause was answer enough.

"Vala simply wishes Colonel Carter to not feel alone."

It was a touching thought. He knew that Sam and Vala had become good friends. Jack struggled to convey his worry into words without sounding desperate.

"Colonel Mitchell expressed that he experienced no hunger or thirst during his time out of phase. Colonel Carter had theorised that one would not need such sustenance in the situation."

"But they can die. From an injury." The words were out before he finished thinking them.

"There is no indication that Colonel Carter was injured."

Jack didn't respond. He wanted to go down there. Keep her company as well and be able to be there the second she got back and made sure she never worked on the darn thing again.

"At least she isn't missing." Unlike Daniel. He was too old for all this stress.

"I am confident that she will find her way back to you."

"Thanks T." Jack replied after a moment. "Keep me posted."

"Indeed I will."

He hung up slowly. God, he hoped she was ok. He leaned back in his chair, hands over his eyes. He wasn't going to get much sleep. Not while waiting for news about his wife. He opened the file he had quickly pushed away. Her report had been sent earlier that morning. He read it thoroughly hoping to get a hint of what she might be dealing with, far too often pausing to stare at the silent phone.

"Next year you need to take Christmas off." He spoke to the pages. Because she would return.

Two weeks later the phone rang and Jack picked it up slowly. He had gotten his hopes up enough times to know that it was far more likely to be the president instead of news about either of his missing former teammates.

"She's back!" Vala's familiar joyful tone spoke through before the phone was lifted to his ear. He was standing before realising it. Vala was saying something about an alternate reality when he cut her off.

"Put her on the phone."

"Oh of course."

There was a long pause before he heard the most beautiful sound ever. "Jack?"

He breathed out a sigh and sat back down in his chair. The tension he had been holding for weeks was finally leaving him.

"Sam." He said relieved. There was so much he wanted to say and convey. How much he had been worried and had missed her. How nice her voice sounded right now. How he wanted nothing more than to be with her at their cabin and never let go.

"I know. I'm ok." She provided when he failed to say anything after her name.

"You're not allowed near that machine anymore."

She chuckled. "I got it to work. In the alternate reality. So my work is done really."

Vala had said something about that. "I thought you were stuck out of phase."

"Not exactly." He could imagine her biting her lower lip. He needed to see her. Feel her.

"Can you get away for a few days?" He asked.

"They haven't found Daniel yet."

And she would be eager to get back to the search.

"Team night when we find him. Then a date night."

"That sounds good. I missed you."

"My alternate didn't match up?" he teased. She was quiet. "Sam?"

"It was such a messed up reality Jack."

He listened to her story. The experience had shaken her up but talking about it seemed to help. Enough that they both laughed at her reaction to finding out her alternate had married McKay of all people.

"Everything was so different. I was scared to ask about your alternate. I eventually did." She paused. "You were dead." She didn't elaborate. He figured she may just need to see him as much as he needed to see her.

"You're home now."

"No place like it." He could practically hear her smile. Now they just had to find Daniel.