AN: Thanks for your patience again! Friendly reminder that this is an AU. While I am referencing and quoting the episode "Beachhead" (No copyright infringement intended) and using it as a backdrop for this chapter, things are not *exactly* like the episode. Hope you enjoy.

Pausing outside of Daniel's lab, Janet tapped a folder against her leg nervously. Forcing a smile on her face, she stepped through the door. "Hey," she called out to the man inside. "I brought a copy of your recent medical record for Doctor Kunlan, just in case."

Smiling tightly, Daniel took the folder. "Thought it'd be thicker," he jested, thumbing through the papers.

"Oh, I just sent the highlights," she countered. "Wouldn't want you to have to add another bag to haul the entire thing."

Watching as Daniel stuffed the notes into a bag, Janet's gaze lingered on his wrist. Even though the bracelet that had almost killed him was long gone, she knew the residual effects of it weren't. Yes, they had lessened, but what would happen when he left and Vala Mal Doran stayed on Earth was an unknown. If he got into trouble there was no way the team could spare the time to return him and he would likely die. The only way to minimize that possibility was to send her with him. Frowning she wasn't happy with either option.

"What?"

Her eyes snapped upward at the sound of Daniel's voice. Watching his eyes narrow as he assessed her, she carefully stilled her features. "Nothing."

Stepping closer to him, he rubbed her arms. "You're worried what will happen tomorrow when I leave aren't you?" Seeing he had hit the mark, he pulled her closer. "I'll be fine."

Resting her head on his chest, Janet closed her eyes. "I know. Caroline says the marker in your system is barely detectable now."

"But you're still worried," Daniel surmised, his hand trailing slowly up and down her back.

"If she's wrong," Janet breathed lowly, "there won't be time to get you back."

"And if she's right, nothing will happen," he countered. As much as he hated to think about it, he knew that his recent near death experiences since Vala had arrived had been hard on her too. The least he could do was to try to minimize any more damage. Moving her back he dipped his head to catch her eyes. "How about I ask Landry about taking her with us? Just as a precaution. Will that make you feel better?"

Grimacing, Janet snorted. "No," she huffed. "I'll feel better when she can head back to whatever back water hole she crawled out of and out of our lives." The look on his face had her adding, "Yes, if she went on this mission, it would make me feel better."

"I'll talk to him," Daniel replied pressing his lips to hers.

"Your little present will have to be at the SGC by ten hundred hours. Transport will be ready by oh-seven-hundred. SG1 will meet Prometheus on PX7-626 and head to Kallana with it," Jack explained, easing against the kitchen counter. Watching Sam as she made coffee, he read the conflicting emotions in her body. When she finished the task, but continued to stare at the pot as it slowly filled, he frowned. "What's up?"

Glancing guiltily back at him, Sam blew out a breath. "Nothing," she replied, forcing her features to ease before turning around to lean on the counter opposite him. "Just thinking." A cocking of Jack's head, had her adding, "About the mission, the bomb, Daniel, Teal'c," she trailed off, shrugging as if not sure how to voice it all.

Seeing his nod and careful schooling of his features at her reply, it was Sam's turn to frown. "Why did you come here? You didn't come all the way to Nevada just to tell me the mark nine had to be shipped first thing in the morning."

"Teal'c called me," Jack answered. "Said that I was being an selfish ass by not letting you go with them."

"He didn't say that, did he?" Sam pressed, doubt and surprise in her tone.

"Close enough. Something about stopping a warrior from his or her calling served no one or some crap like that."

''And he thinks it's my calling to go on this mission," she stated, watching him. Seeing him shrug as if to say 'evidently,' she continued. "What do you think?" she asked.

Snorting, Jack shook his head. "I think your calling," his fingers quoting the word back to her, "is to be as far away from all this shit as possible." Shaking his head again, he looked outside the window. "It sure as hell shouldn't be making the deadliest bomb ever made and then worrying if it's enough to stop an invasion or if it'll kill part of your family."

"Or ordering for it to be made," she countered softly, moving across the room to stand in front of him. "Or to have to sit by doing nothing but wait."

Bringing his eyes back to her, he quirked an eyebrow. "We talking about you or me now?"

A smile tugged at her lips at his question. "Maybe both," she conceded. Running her gaze over his features, she watched them soften. A pang of regret ran through her as she knew her next words would put the tension back into them. "I think I'm ready."

The slight twitch of his eye belied his concern. "Think?"

Shrugging, she tried to cover. "Like you said, at some point I'm going to have to go back to the SGC or at least through the gate. Right now, I could go along, stay on the ship, see how things go, and be back here in time for the weekend. Besides, I may need to modify the settings once I get some readings on the energy dome," she rationalized.

Stepping around her, Jack blew out a breath and ran a hand over his features. "And if the entire planet goes up and takes the ship with it?" A part reproachful, part regretful sigh from her crossed his ears. He heard in it all the arguments and rationalizations for her going that had been running in his head for days and that she was now not voicing.

Glancing back, he added, "I told you once that I would do anything to keep you safe and happy. Not doing a very good job of it am I?" he added dryly, self derision evident in his tone.

"Jack," Sam breathed, moving to stand behind him. "This is what we do, who we are," she said softly, gripping his arm. "You can't ask me to change now just like I would never ask you to be anything else. Yes, okay, I needed to get away for a while, and you helped me do that. But we both know I can't stand on the sidelines forever and I know if you're needed, you'll walk into the line of fire too. We have never shirked our duty or taken the easy road." Leaning her head against his shoulder blade, she sighed. "We don't get to be that lucky."

Loosening her grip as he turned, Sam sunk into his embrace. Raising her head to chance a look, she brushed a kiss on his lips at the regret reflected there.

Swallowing, Jack gazed at her for a moment. "You haven't read the reports. These guys are like nothing we've seen before. We haven't even begun to understand how they do half the crap they do let alone how to stop it." Drawing a breath he blew it out. "It could be a long time before this one's over."

"I understand," she breathed. "It'll be hard, but that doesn't mean we can't do it. We'll just have to adapt and stay committed along the way."

Looking over her shoulder, he glanced back at her before looking away again. Something on his face caused her to ask a silent 'what'. He finally brought somber eyes back to her face. "Defeating the Ori or us?"

Comprehension softened Sam's features. "Both. I am not giving you up," she promised softly. "You are stuck with me Major General Jack O'Neill, whether you like it or not."

Nodding in silent greeting at the familiar faces she passed, Sam let a breath seep from her lips. Walking down the hallways of the SGC brought back a rush of memories, some pleasant, some far from it. Pausing outside the infirmary, the image of the last time she had been in the medical bay flashed in her head. The memory of the tiny lifeless sheet covered body on the gurney caused her throat to tighten and tears to spring into her eyes. Muffled sounds of the people moving in the room gave her a lifeline to force back the whispers echoing in her head and focus on the here and now. Blinking back the wetness, she took a deep breath and forced her feet forward.

Moving quietly through the doorway, she watched as her former teammates pulled on their shirts from the pre-mission physical. A smile tugged on her lips as they paused in unison when they spotted her. "Hi guys, Janet," she called advancing closer to them.

"Sam!" Daniel called bounding across the few remaining steps to give her a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," she teased, squeezing the big Jaffa in response to his embrace as she replied. "In the neighborhood, running errands, dropping things off," she teased.

"You brought the bomb," Mitchell surmised, giving her shoulder a squeeze after she had been released by Janet.

"Yeah," she answered, her countenance sobering briefly. "The General thought it would be a good idea if I made sure it wasn't damaged in transport."

Exchanging a quick look with Teal'c, Daniel glanced down before looking back up at her. "Is that all?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.

Pursing her lips, she kept her amusement hidden at his failed attempt to keep his disappointment from showing. "Well, that and maybe take a reading or two along the way." Glancing at Teal'c she watched him raise an eyebrow in a silent query to the meaning of her words.

Deliberately not responding to the Jaffa, she looked around. "You guys done?" Seeing their nods, she turned to Janet. "Give me a minute to change and I'll be back for my physical. Shouldn't be more than ten minutes." Throwing her voice back over her shoulder, she added, "I'll meet you guys in the gate room." Seeing surprise shift across the doctor's features, she glanced back to see the dawning comprehension on the others' features. "What?" she teased, innocently.

Shaking his head, Daniel couldn't stop the grin spreading across his features. "You," he stressed, pointing at her, "have been spending way too much time with Jack."

Watching as the bomb was moved into position at the bottom of ramp, Daniel nodded in greeting as Sam came to a halt beside him. Nudging her shoulder, he smiled. "Good to have you back, even if it is only for one mission."

Smiling at him, Sam glanced around the room noting the personnel and looking for any changes. Seeing a woman leaning against the back wall, she turned back to Daniel. "What's with the backup singer?"

Grimacing, Daniel shifted uncomfortably. "Didn't want to test the whole long distance thing," he confessed, glancing unconsciously at his wrist.

Comprehension of who the woman was ran through Sam. Looking back towards her, she ran appraising eyes over the dark haired, wiry framed woman. When she met brown eyes looking back at her, Sam nodded towards her in greeting. While Vala Mal Doran may look like she couldn't beat her way out of a wet paper bag, Sam had no doubt she was far stronger and more dangerous than she appeared. Her musings were interrupted by the subject of her introspection stomping away from them announcing she would be leaving for good as soon as she could.

AN2: Thanks for reading. We are coming to a close on this one. One chapter left - and this time, it's a sure thing. BTW, I *HAD* to get Sam's line in here - loved that backup singer line from the show (no offense intended to the character of Vala). For me, it was a homage to Jack and an indication she had been spending a lot of time with him. It was just so Jack-like!