A/N: Well, folks, this is it. There will probably be a short epilogue to follow, but this pretty much brings my grand, 3-part saga to a close. More than a quarter-million words, 1300 reviews, and almost 3 years of my life have gone into this epic tale. Glad you've all been along for the ride. Rest assured, I've got plenty of new material up my sleeve. For those of you reading Torment of Tantalus, I plan on updating that very shortly. Once that one's wrapped, have I got some great new stuff already on the backburner… (Evil author grin. Again.)
Thanks again for hanging with me. It's been one hell of a ride.
Chapter 28
Sam's heart lurched violently at her husband's proclamation. "Jack," she said desperately, "you have no idea how to use that thing."
He looked at her, unblinking. "Yes, I do." There was no arrogance in his words, just a simple statement of fact.
Wanting to believe him, she was nonetheless unconvinced that he could suddenly now operate a device which had eluded the best minds at the SGC for more than a year. "Do you really think you know enough about it to cure Sha're?"
Jack shook his head immediately. "Not a chance in hell," he said.
Sam's eyebrows drew together in an expression of confusion. "Then what are you going to use the ring for?"
He smiled faintly. "To get Bett."
Suddenly, Sam's face paled. "Wait. You mean you're going to step foot in that circle of stones and activate it?" Sheer panic rippled through her words. "Do I need to remind you what happened the last two times someone did that?" Her voice took on a frantic, shrill quality.
Jack's eyes glinted with determination. "I know enough about it now to keep anything bad from happening."
Sam did not look reassured. "What about using the gate? Or a ship?"
He shook his head. "The gate really was buried in the eruption. And a ship would take weeks to get there." Gazing at her somberly, he said what they both know to be true. "We'll be lucky if she's got hours left."
Sam's eyes had taken on a glint of raw terror. "Then I'm coming with you," she said desperately.
Closing his eyes, Jack sighed painfully. "Sam, you can't."
The clawing fear which she'd been holding at bay suddenly seemed to overwhelm her. "Why?" she shrieked, tears starting to streak down her face. "Because you don't want our twins to be orphans if you're wrong?"
Jack reached out to her. "Sam–"
Jerking away from him, her eyes held bitter accusation. "Don't!" she sobbed. "Don't be sweet and comforting. Nothing you say is going to make this okay."
"Jack, she's right." The quiet, slightly tired voice from the doorway instantly stopped their conversation.
Jack turned to gaze somberly at the familiar figure. "How much of this did you hear?"
Daniel shrugged. "Enough. And I know that Sha're wouldn't want you risking your life to save her. She made that clear two months ago."
Jack's face darkened. "Damn it, I'm not going to be risking my life," he said sharply. "The worst that could happen is that I'll end up right where I started, bruised and battered for a few weeks, but otherwise unharmed."
Sam swiped her cheeks furiously. "Then why don't you want me to come with?"
Sighing deeply, Jack tried to remain patient as he explained. "Because Bett made it pretty clear that if you use the device without programming the cylinder, you need to be crystal clear about your intended destination. And since I'm the only person with knowledge of Bett's planet, I'm also the only one who can step into that Ring."
Hearing his explanation, Sam's brittle expression wavered. "You really believe you won't be in any danger?"
This time, when Jack reached out to her, she did not pull away. "Sam, I'd never willingly put you through that again," he said quietly. "You're not the only one to live through the ordeal of losing someone you love," he said, reminding her of his earlier description of the giant, alien dog.
Sam swallowed and turned to look at Daniel. His haggard appearance reminded her viscerally of what they were fighting for. He, too, had once experienced the loss of his beloved Sha're. To do so again would be unspeakable.
Seeing the uncertainty still lingering in the faces of his wife and the exhausted archaeologist, Jack exhaled sharply. "Listen, you two. I realize that it's not usually my brilliant leaps of intuition which save our butts on a regular basis, but this time, you're gonna have to trust me." Looking Daniel squarely in the eye, he spoke with absolute conviction. "I can do this," he stated. "I can save her."
Hearing the certainty in her husband's voice, Sam looked at Daniel and nodded once, giving him her blessing. With a tired shrug, Daniel seemed to give in. "Do what you can," he said quietly, not quite willing to believe in miracles again.
Sam walked over and took his hand. "We'll do our best," she whispered.
Minutes later, the Asgard transporter aboard Prometheus beamed Sam and Jack into a cramped, sweltering tent in the backwaters of Iraq. There, set on the floor, was the now-familiar set of smooth paving stones. A few nervous-looking airmen and scientists stood in one corner of the tent, eyeing the new arrivals uncertainly. The staff at the sparse military outpost had only been notified of their coming moments before they'd appeared. To say that it was unusual to have a commissioned general and his lieutenant-colonel wife drop in unexpectedly was something of an understatement.
"Hi kids," Jack said glibly. "Don't mind us. We're just here to have a little fun with your toy," he quipped, pointing at the stone circle.
The others in the tent seemed far too overwhelmed to do more than nod or mutter their acquiescence.
Sam suddenly gasped. "Jack! We forgot to bring the cylinder!" They'd rushed off the base as soon as it had been logistically possible.
Jack smiled. "Don't need it," he replied. Then, walking to the center of the circle, he quickly located the hidden latch and revealed the shiny top of a metallic device identical to the one currently hidden in Teal'c's "safe place."
Sam gaped. "Are you telling me that's been here the whole time?"
Jack regarded her with a wry smirk. "I'm not sure why it never occurred to us to look for one here."
Raising a hand to her forehead, Sam could only shake her head dumbly. "D'oh!"
Smiling at her use of Homer's classic line, he quickly replaced the central paving stone. Then, looking his wife in the eye, Jack spoke with a confident smile. "This is where you get off," he said, pointing to a spot outside the stone circle.
Inhaling deeply, Sam looked at him with the bravest face she could muster. Before following his directive, she took a step closer and kissed him tenderly on the mouth. "How will I know if it worked?" she asked quietly, trying not to sound as terrified as she felt.
Jack looked into her eyes, proud beyond words of her composure. He wasn't sure he'd be half that brave if the tables were turned. "I won't be here," he said gently.
She swallowed. "When will you come back?"
Shrugging, Jack tried to be reassuring. "As soon as I can," he stated quietly. "Time is of the essence."
Then, with one last kiss brushed over her husband's mouth, Sam pulled herself together and stepped out of the circle, her blue eyes never leaving his familiar brown ones.
"You all might want to stand back a little," he said over his shoulder to the crowd in the corner. He knew better than to ask his wife to move away. Finally, with a wink and a smile at the love of his life, Jack crouched over, placed his palm on the center paving stone, and slowly closed his eyes.
Every hair on Sam's body seemed to stand on end at once. Then, suddenly, with a deafening blast that literally knocked her off her feet, the world seemed to explode in a blinding torrent of white light.
When she was finally able to open her eyes again, Sam looked at the spot where her husband had just been standing moments ago. There, on the smooth surface of the paving stones, sat a small mountain of smoldering ashes.
Taking a deep breath, she sat down on the ground and waited.
Opening his eyes with a muffled groan, Jack now vividly recalled why he'd been reluctant to mess with that damn device again.
It hurt.
A lot.
"I have treated your injuries as best as I could," a musical voice said in his ear, "but I am unfamiliar with your physiology and did not want to do more harm than good."
As his vision came into focus, Jack instantly recognized the alien blue face in front of him. "Bett!" he said warmly. "Good to see you." Suddenly, a shadow crossed his features. Jerking painfully upright, he looked her in the eye. "How long have I been here?"
If she was curious about his unexpected arrival, she did not show it. "Minutes, no more."
Jack sagged in relief. Glancing around at his surroundings, he was relieved to see he'd at least managed to get the "where" of his destination right. The room was the same one he'd been taken to the first time he'd met her. A harmonious mosaic of marble tiles encased the walls and floor of the giant chamber. And, of course, directly beneath his own bruised backside lay the now-familiar Ring. "You know who I am, right?"
Bett's blue face lit up with a smile. "Certainly, Colonel O'Neill. Though I am surprised you know who I am."
Jack exhaled. "Yeah, I'm not sure why that is, either. But before I go any farther, can you tell me how long it's been since we last saw each other?"
The alien paused, apparently thinking. "In your units of time… approximately six years."
Jack stopped, doing the math himself. One year since his wedding, another since Sam got pregnant, and another four since they'd been stranded on this planet together. Relaxing, he realized that he must have been successful in his operation of the Ring. "Good," he exclaimed sincerely. Then, looking into the large, grey eyes across from him, he took a deep breath and tried to figure out where to start.
"You're probably wondering why I'm here…"
Anxious tension shrouded Sam like a blanket. The gaping scientists had long since given up trying to ask her what Jack had just done with their device. Sam hadn't spoken a word since he'd left – she was nearly unable to. She was terrified that if she opened her mouth, a torrent of hysterical sobs would rush out before she could utter anything remotely coherent. Instead, she sat firmly on the ground, staring at the device with obsessive intensity.
For their part, the other people in the room seemed reluctant to go anywhere near the stones. After what they'd just witnessed, it didn't seem like an especially good idea.
Suddenly, the quiet hum of an Asgard transporter beam sounded behind her. Tearing her eyes away from the circle, she turned to see Teal'c materialize in the tent. Silently, she locked her overly-bright blue gaze with his steady brown one. Without a word, he gracefully settled cross-legged on the ground beside her and gently placed one large hand on her shoulder.
How long they maintained their silent vigil over the still-smoldering ashes, Sam couldn't say. But, just when she thought she might finally give in and start hyperventilating, a second, blinding flash of light erupted from the paving stones.
The first thing Sam noticed was that there was no deafening crash accompanying the light this time. The second thing she noticed was that Jack was standing in the center of the circle beside a willowy blue alien with odd, wispy hair.
Sagging with immeasurable relief, Sam was not terribly surprised to feel wetness on her cheeks. Dimly, she felt Teal'c's strong hand squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. However, her only real focus at that moment was the familiar face of her husband. "Hi," she rasped quietly.
Instantly, Jack strode across the stones and pulled Sam to her feet, wrapping her in a fierce hug. "Hi," he replied, squeezing her tightly. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Sam buried her face in his chest. "I'm just glad you're okay."
Jack smiled carelessly. "Piece of cake." Then, looking back at the small, blue figure in the stone circle, he cleared his throat. "I'd like you to meet someone." He paused. "Or, I suppose, re-meet someone."
Stepping forward, the unusual woman examined Sam with a look of tender affection. "You look well, Samantha."
Sam regarded the alien with a faint smile. "Thanks. I'd like to say I remember you, but–"
Bett held up a hand. "There is no need," she said with a smile. "Jack has explained." Then, turning to him, she inclined her head. "Where is the young woman who requires my help?"
Jack looked around. "Oh. Yeah. I suppose we need her here."
Pulling out a small communication device, Sam beat him to the punch. "Prometheus? Can you beam Daniel and Sha're here?"
Seconds later, the shimmering lights of a transporter beam brought Daniel, Sha're, and her entire hospital bed into the now very-crowded tent.
Looking up from the bed, Daniel wore an expression of absolute confusion. "What the…?" He blinked as he realized that he and all his teammates were now sitting in the very place where this leg of his journey had begun. Furthermore, the presence of an odd-looking, blue-tinted woman was undeniably real. Suddenly locking eyes with Jack, Daniel sounded astonished. "It worked?"
Jack, for his part, looked a little hurt. "You doubted me?"
Smiling faintly, Daniel just shrugged. "Mental clarity was never really your thing," he replied.
Jack sighed loudly. "Shows you what you know," he muttered sarcastically.
Quietly taking control of the situation, Bett delicately glided to a spot next to Daniel and placed a hand on his. "I am Bett'sko'Gra'Bethsuana-Ri'patualna am Tro'beldun-Ethpran. You may call me Bett." Seeing a blend of hope and wariness in his eyes, she tried to reassure him. "Your friend has brought me here to help your wife. Colonel–" she stopped, correcting herself, "I mean, General O'Neill has explained the nature of her condition and I believe I can help her."
Daniel looked at her somewhat desperately. "I'm not sure I understand her condition."
She tilted her head to one side, apparently considering her explanation. "When you accidentally activated the Ring, your mind brought this woman," she said, gesturing to Sha're, "into your present reality. But somewhere along the way, you also picked up the consciousness of your dead wife from a time already past." Bett's grey eyes twinkled. "I wish I could tell you more about how you accomplished such a feat, but to my knowledge, this is the first time anything like that has happened."
Daniel's face creased with a worried frown. "But you can help her?"
Bett nodded. "Your wife cannot live with the memories of two people in her head. Up to a point, her mind was able to integrate the two existences, but when the final unlocking of her second consciousness occurred, she was rendered unconscious. Her body has since been fighting to regain control of her mind, but she cannot be successful until the extra memories are purged."
Inhaling sharply, Daniel's eyes reflected understanding. "She's going to lose all her memories of our first life together."
The alien squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I will leave what I can," she said, "but there will be much of your past which is lost to her."
Looking down at the unnaturally still, pale form of his wife, Daniel replied without hesitation. "I'm not concerned with the past," he said quietly. "It's the future I care about."
Smiling at the wisdom in those words, Bett gestured to the stones beneath her feet. "We need to clear the stones. I must have a look at your Key, and then I will need to be placed alone in the circle with your wife."
Quickly, her directives were followed – though maneuvering Sha're's gurney in the small space was decidedly a challenge. As Bett removed the cylinder from the central paving stone, a slight "Tsk" clucked from the back of her throat.
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Something wrong?"
Bett shook her head. "Nothing serious. One of the levers on this device was stuck in the wrong position." Looking up at Jack, she smiled ruefully. "This probably explains the unnatural pain and stiffness you experienced after using the Ring." Re-examining the cylinder, she flicked a few switches and levers until she smiled with satisfaction. "There. Now it should work flawlessly."
Moments later, Bett sat quietly in the center of the ring, cylinder replaced into its proper position. "Daniel, please bring your wife here."
Leaning down, Daniel scooped her limp form into his arms and momentarily closed his eyes, memorizing the familiar sensation of her body close to his. Then, with a silent prayer, he walked into the circle and gently lay his beloved Sha're on the warm stones.
Smiling up at him, Bett spoke in her unusual, melodic voice. "She will be well again."
Nodding, Daniel reluctantly stepped back out of the circle and rejoined his colleagues at its perimeter.
Slowly, Bett's eyes fluttered shut as her long, graceful fingers began to trace the worn engravings on the central paving stone. From someplace beneath the earth, a deep, comforting vibration resounded in the tent.
The air seemed to thicken and time slowed down. Individual motes of dust hung suspended in space, timelessly existing for an eternity and more. Odd sounds and shifting flickers of light seemed to be happening someplace just out of sensory range. No one could say just how long they all stood, observing the procedure in awed silence. But when the Ring finally grew silent and Bett stood up, daylight no longer shone from the door of the tent.
Looking weary but pleased, Bett stepped over to Daniel and took his hand. Gesturing to his wife's still form on the floor below, she smiled gently. "She is merely asleep. I'm sure she would be pleased if she woke to your presence."
Daniel blinked, hardly able to believe his Sha're was really okay. "Did everything…" he trailed off, not even sure how to ask about the events he'd just witnessed.
Seeming to understand, Bett's grey eyes shone with contentment. "All is well. She will still have some memory of her first life with you, though none of the dark consciousness which shared her mind remains. She will not be able to recall those terrible days."
Nodding, Daniel smiled faintly. Certainly those were memories that were best sent to oblivion. Then, swallowing somewhat nervously, he took a deep breath and stepped into the stone circle. Kneeling on the ground, he leaned over her sleeping figure and placed a soft, tender kiss on her lips.
With a gentle flutter, Sha're's thick eyelashes parted, revealing dark eyes clouded with drowsiness. "Daniel?" she asked sleepily, "what happened?"
Seeing the clarity in her lovely brown eyes, Daniel felt a sob catch in his throat. She really was okay. She was here with him. Forever. Finally, for the first time in years, he could look forward to an unblemished future full of love and happiness. Gathering her into his arms, his gaze swept over the smiling, familiar faces of his dearest friends.
Inhaling deeply, Daniel relished the sweet scent of her hair as his hands eagerly rubbed the contour of her back. After a moment, he placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head and quietly answered her question.
"Nothing more than a little bump in the road," he explained softly. "From here on out, I promise it'll be nothing but happily-ever-after."
And, because of the immeasurable love present in the hearts assembled that day, it was.
A/N: For those of you wanting the sappy reminiscence of the repressed memories on the volcanic planet, you can relax. It'll be in the epilogue.
