Chapter 14

Jonas Quinn wandered into Sam's lab in the SGC. He wanted her opinion on an urgent matter. He found her typing a report at her desk and greeted, "Sam."

She glanced up and smiled, "Hey Jonas."

He took a seat in the chair across from her, "I want your opinion on something."

Surprised she asked, "What's that?" He seemed ever so serious to her.

He pulled out a pamphlet from his pocket from a local jeweler. He placed it before her, "Which ring do you think Livy will like better? This one or," he flipped it open, "this one."

"Diamond engagement rings?" she asked him surprised.

"I'm going to ask her on our ski trip," he informed. "It's gotta be the right ring."

"You've only known her six months," she countered concerned.

Jonas admitted, "She's the one. I've never met anyone like her. She got this innocence to her…"

"Innocence?" she asked him.

Jonas reached to explain it, "Remember last week when it snowed?"

"My car was snowed in," she nodded.

"Livy loved the snow. She told me she never saw snow before. It's like everything is magical to her. The snow, the sun, the rain…I've never seen anyone just appreciate the weather like she does. But it's more than that…It's kind of weird…I know she's from Earth and is your average person from Earth but I can really relate to her and the things we do together…It's like exploring a new planet together even if we are just going to a park. I know she's just an office assistant and she lives a simple life and yet at the same time she kind of has this thing about her…I'm not sure how to put it into words."

Sam asked him, "You sure she feels the same way about you? I know she likes you a lot and being in the military she's understands the risk we take. If you get married she could be transferred elsewhere and well, there are more men in the military than women and her uncle is a well-known General."

"She's not gonna be cheating on me," he insisted. "She understands what I do here and I don't have to keep things from her. And best of all she's not involved in any of the craziness that we get tangled up in. I mean when I'm around her I actually feel normal. And she's a smart as you, Sam! She tends to hide that but she could probably follow more of what you say then she lets on. And she got this great sense of humor…" he sighed.

"Her sense of humor is in line with Colonel O'Neill's," she rebutted. "He makes a joke and we all look at him weird and she's cracking up. Granted, the Colonel can be pretty funny at times but she basically likes the same things he likes. Matter of fact when I was picking out a birthday card for him she was with me and she got him a card that I thought was corny as can be and he liked her card the best. You want to marry someone with Colonel O'Neill's sense of humor."

Jonas stated, "So…She and the Colonel have similar taste. I like the fact that she is normal compared to what goes on in this place." He folded up the brochure rather ruffled.

Sam gave a sigh, "Buy her the ring you think she will like."

Jonas gave a grateful smile, "Thank you."

Jack walked into the room next. He looked at Jonas and Sam, "Daniel is starting to remember before he did his…thing. Still has no idea where he was or what he did."

"Good," Sam sighed relieved. "I'm sure he will recall the rest in time."

"You're staying," Jack looked at Jonas.

"I have nothing left for me on Langara and Livy isn't going off world." he explained.

Sam mentioned, "He wants to marry her."

Jack looked at him, "Gonna marry Hammond's niece, buy a house and settled down here on Earth, huh?"

"Why not?" he asked amused. "I could go for a nice, quiet and normal life with Livy."

"You get a ring yet?" he asked.

Jonas removed the brochure, "I'm debating between these two."

Jack took the paper and looked at the two rings. He winced, "Not her taste. She kind of likes simple things. Go for the one in the bottom corner. It's will also save ya a bundle of money," he handed it back to him. "You meet her folks yet? If you are gonna pop the question you might want to see who are about to be your in-laws."

"No," he admitted in thought. "I haven't met her family yet. She speaks of her mom and dad a lot."

"You better asks her father for permission first," he suggested. "Then when you pop the question get down on one knee and have something planned to say that doesn't sound stupid."

Jonas figured, "I take it Earth traditions are bit more elaborate than Langara. I was just gonna ask her on our ski trip."

Jack asked, "How were you planning on doing it?"

"I was just gonna ask her during the trip. Maybe over dinner," he figured.

Jack shifted his weight, "How are going to ask her? What words were you gonna say?"

Jonas told him, "I was gonna suggest we get married and if she say that's a good idea I would give her the ring."

Jack shook his head and balked, "That's not how you do it! You have to plan that kind of thing out. Ski trip a good idea; private dinner in your room. You start by talking about how much she means to you and slid into a proposal. You get on one knee and asked outright with the words 'will you marry me'. You can add words in and around that. Then you sit like a duck and wait for her to reply. If she says 'yes'…You're probably getting laid. If she says 'I will think about it' that is a big fat 'NO' and she has no intention of going any further. You might want to just check out then."

Jonas told him, "You make this way harder than it has to be."

Sam suggested, "You might to bring up the future and asks her what her plans are for the future before you do what he said."

Jonas wasn't sure anymore. Jack scared him with the idea that she would turn him down. He winced, "Right."

Meanwhile

Livy was beamed back up to the Odyssey. The ships repairs were coming along as the crew tirelessly restored the vessel. She found SG-1 in the mess hall once more. This time Jack was playing a game of chess with Teal'c, Daniel was reading a book and Sam was going over a computer screen before her. "Hey," she called out as she walked in.

Jack held up a hand, "Shh…" He looked at the pieces before him. He then looked sternly at Teal'c as he placed his hand on a piece.

Teal'c merely looked back waiting for Jack to make a move.

Jack found Teal'c was much harder to beat at chess than most. He moved a piece and Teal'c countered. Jack then looked at the board in disgust, "I was afraid you would see that move." He looked at Livy, "How was work?"

"Daniel descended," she reported. "Um…Jonas went back to Langara, right?"

Sam nodded, "Yup, after we gave Anubis another blow." She looked up, "What's wrong?"

"He wants to stay on SG-1 and Hammond agreed to make it a five man team." she reported.

Daniel mentioned, "He was offered a chance to stay but felt he should go home because he didn't belong on Earth. What changed his mind?"

She confessed, "I think I did. We've been getting closer lately. It started small, going to lunch on base. Then out to the movies on the weekend. Now we have weekend plans and he wants to take me on a ski trip. I think we might be dating. Is that kind of thing…dating?"

Jack stated, "Yup! You just became his girlfriend and now he has a reason to stay."

Sam figured, "It won't really matter. Langara fell to the Ori and we never heard from Jonas after that. He could be dead as far as we know. You could have just saved his life."

"What about the timeline?" she asked her.

Sam sighed, "That's a dilemma. I guess to get Jonas to go back home you need to dump him. Thing is, if you are gonna have a boyfriend he's the type guy I would approve of."

Jack agreed, "I would be okay with Jonas. He's a good guy."

Livy plopped down at the table and sighed depressed, "So to put the timeline on track I have to break his heart and lose the best guy I ever had."

Sam stated, "You can't blow your cover, Livy."

"I know," she complained.

Next Day

Livy was beamed back down the SGC. Before she could leave her room a knock came at the door. She opened it. "Jonas," she replied surprised.

"Can we talk privately?" he asked her.

"Sure," she nodded and let him inside the room.

He walked in figuring he could run the idea of marriage by her to gauge how she would react to a proposal. He softly closed the door behind him. He came to her and gently took her hand. "I've been thinking. What do you think about us getting a house together?"

"A house?" she asked unsure what he was talking about.

"A place for you and me off base," he replied. "You know…live together." Jonas figured if he suggested they live together that would be a good way to judge her reaction to marriage.

"I can't," she simply replied.

"Why?" he wondered.

She couldn't tell him about the ship and went into other reasons, "I guess it would be different if we were married but just use two in a house…"

Jonas took a leap, "How about we get married then?"

She stood like a deer caught in a pair of headlights. She then shook, "You wanna get married?" she finally asked.

"I do," he admitted, "to you! I can't imagine my life without you in it."

She gulped as tears started to run down her face as she would be forced to put the timeline on track. "I can't." she sniffed.

"You can't?" he asked not understanding.

"I can't tell you why," she replied as her heart broke.

Jack's words ran through his mind. He gathered his gumption and gave a nod, "Okay," he replied and then softly slipped out the door without another word.

Livy stood heartbroken as she turned the proposal down to save the timeline. She sniffed back the tears and wiped her cheeks dry and then forced herself to go to work.

Hours Later

Jonas Quinn packed his bags to return to Langara. He kicked himself for being so stupid to think that General Hammond's niece would want to marry an alien space boy. Jack came to his room, "You going someplace?"

Jonas looked up, "I'm not needed anymore." he told him.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"I saw Livy this morning and asked her," he confessed.

Jack asked, "She said no?"

"She said she couldn't," he nodded. "She wouldn't tell me why. She was crying…"

Jack held up a hand, "She was crying!"

Jonas nodded, "Yeah."

"Ah," he stood pondering. "If the chick is crying that means she's hurting. You sure she was crying?"

"Tears running down her face," he reported. "You think she didn't want to say no but something is keeping her from marrying me?"

"I would say so," he figured. "Usually, if it's no it's a flat out 'no', most women love weddings. They dream of it."

"Think maybe I should talk to her?" he wondered.

"Least see if can find out why before you leave," he suggested.

Jonas pondered but wasn't sure to press the issue, "Maybe."

Half Hour Later

Jonas stood in the Gate Room in his civilian Langara clothing ready to leave. He had yet to find out why Livy turned down his proposal and wasn't sure he even wanted to know. Livy followed Hammond into the room as SG-1 gathered to say goodbye to Jonas.

"Mr. Quinn," Hammond stated walking into the room.

Jonas replied, "General." He softly gazed upon Livy and whispered, "Livy."

Jack stated, "You don't have to leave."

"I should go home," he told him. He glanced at Livy who stood wishing she could find a way to keep the timeline on track and keep Jonas Quinn as well but she could think of nothing.

Sam gave him a hug, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you," he assured her.

Before them the wormhole started to dial but it was not dialing out but rather in.

Jack stepped back, "We're not dialing out yet."

Sam figured, "It's incoming."

The klaxons sounded as the unauthorized wormhole established. The iris was immediately defeated before them. The warning rang out and base went to lockdown.

Livy radioed the ship through the hidden microphone in her pen, "Odyssey we have a problem down here."

Replicator bugs erupted through the event horizon. Guards sprang to action and opened fire. As the events unfolded Livy just wanted it all to stop. As her mind screamed "stop" Jonas Quinn had grabbed her to get her to safety. Suddenly, the world seemed to stop to Jonas and Livy.

Jonas asked looking about, "What just happened?"

"It's a long story," she sighed. "You and are in a miniature time bubble that only affects us."

"How?" he asked baffled.

"Time dilation field," she explained. She tried to reach the ship, "Odyssey come in." She got no reply. "Must be the time bubble." she figured.

"The Odyssey?" Jonas asked.

"My spaceship in orbit." she smiled. "You can't tell anyone about this. You see I'm from the future and there is a ship in orbit called the Odyssey that was damaged and is undergoing repairs. General Hammond is helping us. There will be another enemy called the Ori. They will take down Langara." She looked at the Replicators, "Now how to stop these things?"

"How long will this time bubble last?" Jonas asked as his quick mind started processing the information.

"I don't know…Minutes…maybe longer…" she replied. "Seconds for them," she pointed to their friends and family.

"Is this why you said you couldn't marry me?" he wondered.

She nodded, "If you stay it messes up the timeline. Honestly, I think you should go live on the ship." She then looked at him and grinned, "We can do that!"

"Do what?" he asked.

"You live on the ship and send messages that you are on Langara. That will keep the timeline. If I can disabled the bugs this attack will just be a failed attack and no one will know about the time bubble or the ship. Let me get one of Mom's computers and see if I can reprogram these things and shut down that Gate."

"Mom?" he asked confused.

"Sam is my mother," she informed.

He stood gasping rather shocked for he didn't expect that.

"Time travel thing," she reminded him.

Jonas asked, "And your father?" he wondered how she got to be Hammond's niece.

"Jack O'Neill," she explained. "My real name is Olivia O'Neill. Being General Hammond's niece is my cover for the mission."

"You're on a mission," he quickly figured. His unique mind quickly caught up with what she was saying and suddenly oddities started to make sense to him.

She nodded, "To repair and supply the Odyssey."

"Need any help?" he offered.

"Yes," she nodded.