Not knowing exactly what to expect, Jack took the long route back to Area 51. Flying over the Earth was enough to convince him that this wasn't home. He could see the cities, but no lights, no vehicles moving in the streets.

Glancing over at Carter, he raised an eyebrow hoping that she would explain it to him but she was looking in the opposite direction… as she'd been doing ever since they'd lifted off. It looked as if she'd decided to blame him for leaving his counterpart behind … which was fair enough when he thought about it. Since Daniel was also giving him evil looks, it seemed to be a fair explanation for her behaviour. Jack couldn't find it in his heart to blame them.

Mitchell and Vala hadn't been happy at being dumped in 1969… or thereabouts, but Jack had refused to listen to their arguments. They were safe there and not a whole lot else mattered to Jack.

"Not long now," he said wanting to get somebody… anybody talking to him.

No one replied, so he set the coordinates anyway.

This wasn't how Jack had wanted this to end. They were all acting like they'd never seen him die before. Okay, so maybe he hadn't pulled of the trick as many times as Daniel had but even so… Jack was tired. There had been some damn good reasons for taking that job in Washington and the most pressing had been that he was getting too old for this.

Two days in the jungle heat with no food and minimal water would take its toll on anyone. Add to that being zatted by his counterpart and having spent the best part of another day wandering around trying to find the time ship and Jack wasn't really in the mood for the silent treatment. He'd just saved their collective asses, for crying out loud…

Jack wanted to go home. He wanted a pizza, a beer and a hot shower… none of which he was going to get anytime soon. Right now he was still telling himself that there was a way back to his future. Delusional? Maybe? But he had to believe that he would get home otherwise what was the point? Flying over the US strengthened his resolution. He had to stop this happening to his world. The only problem was that he didn't know how.

Bringing the ship down towards Area 51 Jack was relieved to see some signs of life. People walked between the buildings and he thought he caught a glimpse of a group of children playing some kind of ball game. The human race wasn't quite finished, but Jack didn't want to believe that this was all that was left.

One of the kids spotted the returning ship and waved up at them. Without thinking, Jack returned the gesture. It seemed right, even if he had no idea who the child was.

On landing, Jack pretended to be busy with the ship's systems, and let the others disembark first. He didn't know exactly what he was supposed to do. Did they want him to pretend to be the other man? By the time he'd climbed out of the ship the familiar faces had vanished. He stood there for a moment, unsure of where he was supposed to go until he felt a tug on his pants. Looking down he saw the little girl who had waved at him, she was holding out her arms. Glad that someone was actually pleased to see him, Jack picked her up and started to carry her towards the nearest building.

"Jack!" a voice called out.

He turned to see who was shouting at him but it was a struggle to keep the shock from registering on his face, when he saw the wheelchair.

"Is Daniel back too?" Vala asked him, her voice unusually eager.

"Yeah, he's here. He's okay," Jack replied, not knowing quite where to look.

Jack knew that he was way out of his depth. Setting the little girl down, he walked away. He needed to find somewhere quiet, somewhere that he could his head together.

Then he was going to find Carter.

XOXOXO

Sam stared at the ZPM without really looking at it. At the back of her mind, she realised that it was stupid to be trying to work when she was this tired, but being here helped calm her troubled soul. Even though she now had the means to contact Atlantis Sam knew that their mission to find the box, such as it was, had failed.

She poked at the ZPM with a screwdriver for a few moments wondering how exactly she was going to manage to create an interface between that and her makeshift Stargate.

Sam had to admit that she was still trying to figure out exactly what had happened and why the other Jack O'Neill had been there in the first place. Vala had suggested that it had all been Sam's idea, but there was no explanation as to why. Somehow, some way, Sam realised that she must have jumped from one timeline to another.

It was at times like this that she really missed having someone telling her what to do. She had one shot. This gate wasn't capable of dialling multiple destinations. If she didn't dial Atlantis, then who…

"The Asgard," O'Neill's voice supplied.

He was leaning against the doorpost. How long he'd been there, Sam couldn't tell. She hadn't realised that she was being watched.

"What?" Sam asked, trying to hide her discomfort.

"You were just wondering who you should dial using that gizmo."

"Why the Asgard?"

"Because that's what you do do."

"I do do?"

Sam shook her head trying not to smile.

"It's why I'm here," he added, quietly. "You're the one who changes the future, Carter."

"Well we tried that, you died and nothing's changed."

Exhaustion and grief were fuelling her anger. She wasn't really in an emotional state to listen to anyone right now, but O'Neill… being O'Neill… didn't let that stop him.

"You bring us a warning. It's not enough to stop the box being opened but we have the situation under control."

"Sir…" she began and stopped. Somehow, she couldn't think of him that way. Her O'Neill, her sir was dead.

"Call me Jack if it'll make this easier," he suggested.

"Jack, I don't know how long this is going to take. It might be months…"

"You'll work it out."

His faith in her was flattering but Sam hoped that it wasn't misplaced and that he didn't expect her to provide him with a way home. Passing a weary hand across her eyes, Sam turned her attention back to the ZPM. There was little chance of her solving this tonight.

"I need to get some sleep," she muttered.

"Really?" Jack said, raising an eyebrow at her uncharacteristic behaviour.

It was all heartbreakingly familiar.

"Don't," she snapped at him.

"Carter…"

"Just don't… please."

He took the hint and moved away from her. Picking up a reel of wire, he started to twist it in his hands. Sam realised that he wasn't about to leave and that she was the one who was going to have to walk away.

"Your quarters are along the corridor, third on the left," she told him.

"Didn't that used to be Maybourne's office?"

"Yes."

"Ewwwww!"

That was what he had said last time, Sam thought sadly.