Author's Note: I'M SO SORRY!!!! Life has been a nightmare the past couple of weeks and I just haven't been able to sort out anything for my account at all! Thank you for your patience, everyone, and I hope that my abscence hasn't put you off at all.

As an apology for the long wait and a thank you for still reading (which I hope you are!), I'm putting up two chapters tonight - maybe even three! Enjoy!!

Alternate Reality

Quinn let his head fall back against the wall, ignoring the thud of pain as his skull reminded him he was leaning against stone.

"This is hopeless."

Carter's blond head could barely be seen behind the DHD.

"Oh come on, where's that irrepressible joie de vivre of yours gone?"

He opened one eye to peer at her, his lips twisting in a soft frown. She sat up enough to peek at him and sighed as she registered his expression.

"You're right." Carter rolled her head round, fingertips stabbing into her neck as she tried to ease the ache in her muscles. "We've been studying this damn thing for days."

In a fit of pique she flicked the tool she had been using so it would strike the palm plate. The tool bounced, flying off at an acute angle and thunking somewhere in the shadows of the room.

"There's nothing wrong with it. Our systems are fine, this DHD is fine, the Gates are fine, the DHDs' on the neighbouring six planets are fine, their Gates are fine…"

Quinn pushed back with shoulders, levering himself away from the wall and snatching up a water bottle as he moved to crouch beside her, offering the container.

"I know. It makes no sense." He ruffled his hair in frustration. "There should be something, anything, a small fluctuation, a blip, an anomalous reading, but there's nothing here. Absolutely nothing."

Glancing at the woman beside him, he tried a wry smile.

"Dare I say it but I wish one of them was here."

Carter briefly closed her eyes, pushing back against the pain that slashed through her.

"I wish both of them were here." She whispered, her voice slicing at her colleague. Quinn stiffened, a subtle movement that put distance between them without either moving away. As ever, she felt the difference and as ever, he took the few steps needed to put him out of arms reach before she could react.

"Jonas…"

"I'm fine." He glared at the DHD, his face darkening. "Although I am having a slight urge to kick that thing until it either tells us where Dari is or it breaks."

Chuckling, Carter rose, her knees catching where she had been kneeling for so long.

"Or you do." She quipped as the dust drifted in soft clouds to the floor from her ministrations to her BDUs.

Quinn glowered at her for a moment before shaking his head and giving in to the impulse to smile.

"You always manage to do that."

"Do what?"

"Make my mood lighten even when I'm trying to stay mad."

Playfully she tossed the water bottle at him.

"That's what friends do, idiot."

That's what friends do, Jonas.

Quinn caught the bottle with one hand and stood there, staring a moment into space. Carter could tell his mind had turned inwards – that wasn't difficult – but knowing where his mind had gone, to which specific memory he had been drawn, was something none of them could decipher. Slowly she moved forward until she could lay the tips of her fingers over his upper arm. When he didn't react, she slid her arm forward until she could lay her palm over his bicep and was shocked at the low tremor that ran through his muscles.

"Jonas?" Aqua eyes searched that normally open face. "Jonas, you with me?"

He blinked once. She tightened her grip and shook him slightly.

"Jonas."

Like an awakening sleeper he shuddered, drawing in a sharp breath, lashes fluttering as he glanced round wildly.

"Hey there…where did you go?"

He looked at her concerned face, ducking his head.

"Just a…just a flash, that's all." Scrubbing at his face with his free hand, Quinn half-laughed. "It's not as bad as it was."

Carter caught his eye, her hand reaching to rest lightly on his cheek.

"You can talk to us, you know."

"I know. Just…not yet. Sides," Quinn shrugged. "I'm willing to bet that Jack hasn't said anything about it either."

With a wry, slightly sorrowful smile, Carter shook her head.

"No…he hasn't."

About to speak further, she was cut off as her radio flared to life.

"Carter? Jonas? Status."

"We got nothing, sir. The DHD is one hundred per cent operational. So is our dialling computer."

"So she's vanished into thin air?"

The two scientists looked at each other.

"Unfortunately, Colonel, that's exactly what it looks like." Quinn winced at the curse that followed his statement then added, "It's possible that the Asgaard might be able to provide us with more options but as far as our own knowledge limits us, Dariana has completely vanished."

"Fine." The voice paused as O'Neill thought about his options. "Okay you two. Come back to the roost. There's nothing else we can do. We'll pack up and debrief with Hammond as soon as we get back to the SGC"

The radio clicked off. Quinn and Carter stared at each other, expressions of matching despair on their faces.

"What are we going to do now?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know…" He replied. "But I'm glad Daniel isn't here to know about this."