Despite himself, President Hayes looked amused. "So, Colonel, what you're telling me is that unless," he looked down at the piece of paper he was holding, "unless Dr Fraiser accompanies you on this mission, you aren't prepared to go."
"That's correct Sir," Sam's expression was mulish. She knew he wasn't in any position to make demands.
"Even with the fate of the world at stake?" he asked.
"It's non-negotiable, Sir," Sam said firmly.
He smiled. "Well it just so happens I've already decided that having a medic along for the ride can only be a good thing," he said. "Permission granted."
Sam allowed herself a small smile.
"The ships in orbit are called al'kesh. They serve both as scouts and as ground-support bombers," Mitchell explained to the president.
"And they're nothing compared to what's coming next," Sam added. "Have you located the Stargate?"
"We couldn't locate the one you sent down, but we did manage to find the other one, in Antarctica. It's still there," Hayes told them. "the Navy suggested, and I agreed, what better place to build a facility and start a testing program in complete secrecy than McMurdo base? Look, when I was first briefed on you three, I thought my Chief of Staff was yanking my chain. I didn't believe him the second time, either. Finally, he had to bring in the National Security Advisor to convince me that he wasn't kidding. On page two thousand and something of the brief, one of you, I can't remember which, talks about how I handled a similar invasion in your timeline to the one that might happen here."
"Of course," said Daniel, "in our case, you had the benefit of an operational Stargate Program for about seven years."
"To be fair," Sam reminded him, "it was actually the Ancient weapons platform in Antarctica that saved us. But if we were to consider getting that to work, we'd need a fully charged Zero Point Module."
Janet didn't understand most of what was being said. But she did understand that what they were talking about was big. Real big. Before she knew it, they were off, planning to steal a cargo ship - whatever that was - in order to retrieve a ZPM. Whatever the hell that was. All she cared about was being with Sam, and being useful to the mission if she possibly could.
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"We should all be together at this time," Kathryn said to Cassie and Anna as soon as she opened her door to them. "I agree. I'm all packed."
"How did you know?" Cassie was astounded. They hadn't called Kathryn before leaving to collect her, so she couldn't have known they were on their way.
"I saw the news reports on the TV," Kathryn said. "And I know as well as you do that that wasn't a UFO, was it? It's what Sam was so frightened of, isn't it."
Cassie nodded, miserably. "It's happening, the invasion" she said. "Sam said all we can do is just stay together. She said she's gonna do everything she can, but she didn't look happy Kathryn. She said that our only real chance is if they can repair the timeline. There's nothing we can do now."
"Nothing except love each other," Kathryn's voice was gentle. "Have faith in her Cassandra," she said, "Sam's an incredible woman. My bet is she's going to succeed." Kathryn took a deep breath, knowing the answer to the next question. "My little J's gone with her, huh?"
Cassie nodded again. "Sam tried to stop her, but Janet wouldn't listen."
"Good," Kathryn said, unexpectedly.
Cassie looked surprised.
"They should be together, whatever happens," Kathryn said. "I don't think J could survive losing her again, I really don't. And if they succeed it's all good. And if," she swallowed, "we all die, then they should be together when that happens too. You'd want that too, wouldn't you Cassie? Anna?"
"I certainly would," Anna said with feeling. "I do. I want to be by your side, Cass, now more than ever. I want us all to be together. I understand that Sam had to go, had to try, and that Janet had to go with her. But nothing," her voice cracked, "nothing in this world will keep me from being with you sweetheart."
"We should go," Cassie said, her voice thick with emotion. "Anyway," she tried to brighten, "Albie's in the car, we've got to get back to it before he chews it to pieces."
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"You okay back there, Jan?" Sam was worried that Janet was unnaturally quiet in the back seat of the F-15.
"I'm fine, Sam," Janet told her. "Just keepin' quiet so you can concentrate."
Sam smiled. Her smile fell, however, when over the radio they heard "McMurdo has been destroyed. Return to your previous position and stand by for further instructions."
"Shit," Sam said. "What further instructions can there be, other than, 'Kiss your ass goodbye'?" her voice was bitter.
Janet was startled to hear Sam talk like that; it wasn't like her, she never gave up. But Sam did as instructed, and banked the aircraft and headed back in the direction from which they had come, followed by Mitchell and Daniel in the other F-15.
They stopped 15 minutes later to refuel. Just after refueling, however, the tanker that had supplied them was hit by an energy weapon and immediately exploded. They took evasive action away from the hostiles, and were just trying to work out their best course of action when they received a radio signal from President Hayes.
"Of course," Sam cursed herself for not thinking of it before, "the Russian 'gate. It's our only option."
Not for the first time, Janet had no idea what was happening. But she did recognize the optimistic tone of Sam's voice, and her heart lifted.
Somehow, the two F-15s made it through the enemy fire; Janet couldn't help but be impressed by Sam's flying abilities, though she had to shut her eyes when they were flying what seemed like only inches above the sea at one hell of a speed.
Eventually, after several hours and God only knew how many close calls, they landed at the Russian military base. Sam saw Janet's white face as they descended from the aircraft. There was no time to talk, however, as they ran for a nearby truck. Once inside, Sam placed a gentle hand over Janet's, squeezing her fingers. "I love you," she whispered.
If Janet had thought that most of the action was over after landing, she was very much mistaken. Within minutes they arrived at the most incredible sight Janet had ever seen. "My God," she whispered, "so that's a Stargate."
Sam nodded, but looked panicked. It turned out there was no power to make the 'gate work.
Minutes later, however, a set of rings activated, depositing Teal'c and two Jaffa in the room. Janet was astounded; she had never imagined such technology. "It's Teal'c," Sam whispered to her. Janet knew all about Teal'c from Sam's stories, but this man didn't look anything like the gentle giant she had been led to expect; this man was a harsh warrior, ready, and it seemed, willing to kill whoever got in his way.
Eventually Sam managed to negotiate with Teal'c. She pushed Janet toward the Stargate. "It's okay, baby," she told her as they all stepped through the open wormhole to the planet Praxyon.
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Kathryn organized dinner for Cassie and Anna, the two younger women happily taking instruction on what to do, what to chop etc. As they sat down at the table, Kathryn reached out and took one of each of their hands in hers. "Have faith," she said. "Have faith in Sam. In God. In each other."
Cassie and Anna just nodded. "'kay," Cassie said after an age.
When they had finished eating, Kathryn took charge. "We're not gonna do the dishes tonight," she said firmly. "If," and she knew there was a good chance it wouldn't happen, "if they, and we, are still there tomorrow morning, we'll do them then. I'm taking Albie out to stretch his legs and pee. You two head upstairs. Just be together. That's what Sam and J want you to do."
Cassie and Anna tried to protest, but Kathryn wouldn't listen.
Cassie turned to Anna as she shut the bedroom door. "So this is it, d'you think Annie?"
Anna looked as scared as Cassie felt. "I think it probably is. We're just going to have to try and be brave, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Cassie replied in a small voice. "Just how do we do that?"
Anna stepped forward and took Cassie in her arms. "By remembering that, whatever happens, we're together. If we survive this, we'll stay together. If Sam manages to reset the timeline, well we know we're together in her timeline. And if," she tried to keep her voice even, "if we all die and that's it, well then we die together. I can't think of any better place to die than in your arms."
Cassie nodded. "God I'm glad we found each other," she said. "I mean, this is bad enough. Way bad enough. But if this happened a year ago, I'd have been standing here, wondering who would care, or even know, if I died. Now at least I've known what it's like to be part of such a wonderful family. And to be part of such a wonderful relationship. If this is all I'm supposed to get, it's enough. I want more, but this has been enough. You've transformed my life, Annie. I want you to know that."
"Bed?" Anna whispered, and Cassie could feel her shaking slightly.
"Yeah," Cassie agreed. She wanted to feel Anna's skin, her touch, her embrace, once more. Maybe for the last time.
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"We can offer you the freedom of your people," Sam told Teal'c and, for the first time, it seemed that they were getting through to him. "This is Ba'al's failsafe," Sam gestured around her. "It has to be. I think this whole place is his time machine. Teal'c, if you let us use this device, we can return history to the way it was meant to be. The Goa'uld will be gone. Your people will be free. Please, Teal'c."
"Let it be done," Teal'c replied.
Sam rushed to the control console, Janet at her side. "It'll just take me a few minutes to figure out exactly how it works," Sam said. "Jan, we're going to make it." She turned to the others. "We need to choose a time and place sometime before Ba'al can put his plan into motion. At least one of us has to get through." She looked up in fear as the rings descended onto the ring platform. She handed a pistol to Janet, holding her zat in her left hand.
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Cassie and Anna made love for hours. At some point in the evening, they heard Kathryn come up to bed. They also heard Albie's unmistakable whimper, and turned and smiled to each other. They were glad that nobody was alone on that dreadful night.
At around 3am, though, Cassie was awoken by a small noise. The noise was Kathryn opening the back door downstairs and letting herself out. The door had always been stiff; it was something Sam had been meaning to get around to fixing. Cassie slid out of bed, and looked out into the garden. Her blood turned to ice when she saw the night sky lit up with flames. She opened the window slightly, and the noise of sirens and screaming invaded the house. She saw Kathryn, standing in the middle of the garden, Albie in her arms, her face streaked with tears.
"Annie?" Cassie ran her hand up her lover's arm. "It's happening. Now. Kathryn's outside. I think we should go join her."
In silence, Anna took in all that was happening. She nodded, and got out of bed. She grabbed her robe, and wrapped Cassie's robe round her. They both jammed slippers on their feet. Hand in hand, they made their way outside.
Kathryn turned round as she heard them approach. "Just wanted to feel the wet grass under my bare feet. For one last time," her voice was calm.
"Good idea," Cassie said, and kicked off her slippers. Anna followed her example.
The three women met in a group hug, clinging tightly to each other. And then, in a flash, most of their garden was obliterated. One second they were standing there, the next there was a huge smoking crater.
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Suddenly all hell broke loose on Praxyon, with gunfire and staff blasts exploding around Sam's head as she tried to configure the machine. If she had not been so preoccupied with the machine, she would have been impressed with Janet's dexterity with a gun. She heard Daniel cry out, and was shocked to see him take a staff blast to the abdomen. She could tell that this was an injury he would not survive. Shit! She worked as fast as she could. If she could just fix this, then Daniel would still be alive, if they could just put the timeline right. "I've got it," she cried. "Once I dial the Stargate, we'll have less than twenty seconds to get through!" She initiated the dialing sequence. As she pressed the centre button on the DHD, she felt a searing pain in her back. So it was too late for her. As she fell to the floor, she could only pray that her death would be temporary. That she and Janet would be together again.
Janet felt rather than saw the staff blast hit Sam. She was at her side in an instant, cradling her head as the life force ebbed from her. "I love you baby," she whispered over and over again. Sam was too weak to respond, but Janet could see the love in her beautiful blue eyes. She also saw the moment that love and light was extinguished, and Sam's head lolled in her arms. In the same moment, she saw Mitchell dive through the open 'gate and then, a split second later felt what she knew was a lethal blast in her own back. In the second before she died, she felt grateful that she would not have to live without Sam, though that thought was tinged with regret for their unborn child. She slumped forward on to Sam's chest; together in life, together in death.
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REVISED TIMELINE
"Mom!" Cassie's voice was stern. "I've been calling you for the last ten minutes."
"Wha'?" Janet shook herself. She had been staring out of the window in the kitchen, into the darkness. "I'm sorry honey, I'm miles away. What d'you need?"
"Nothin'," Cassie admitted. "Just worried about you. You seem distracted. Is everything okay?"
Janet forced herself to smile. "Everything's fine, Cass. Truly. It's just today's felt kinda... weird. It's been strange without her. I know," she smiled ruefully. "I'm not making any sense. Sam's away all the time. God knows she was away for the best part of a year on Atlantis. But somehow I've really missed her today. I can't stop thinking about her."
Cassie smiled back. "You love her Mom," she said gently. "Nothing weird about that."
"She'll be back in a couple of hours," Janet looked at the clock which showed it was nearly midnight.
"Why don't you go to the base to meet her?" Cassie suggested. "Can't hurt. And it's late, you can give her a ride home. She can pick up the bike tomorrow."
"That's a good idea, Cass," Janet said. "I know I'm being dumb. But I just want to see her. As soon as I can."
"I'll bet she'll be stoked to see you, too, Mom," Cassie told her mother, drawing her into a tight embrace.
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Janet was in the corridor just outside the 'gate room when the wormhole flared. She stayed where she was, and waited for Sam to hand over her weapons to the armorer. Then SG-1 and General O'Neill left the 'gate room and headed to the infirmary for the post-mission check-up. "Hey," Janet said quietly when she saw Sam.
Sam turned at the familiar voice. "Jan!" she cried warmly. "God I've missed you baby. What the hell are you doing here at this time of night?"
"I missed you today," Janet admitted. "Real bad. I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Same here," Sam said, "You should be in bed, but I'm so pleased you're here instead."
Janet looked closely at Sam and noticed that the colonel looked exhausted. "Are you okay, Sam?" she asked her.
"Yeah, I'm fine honey. I'm suddenly real tired, I'm not quite sure why. But I'm good, I swear."
"I'll meet you in the locker room when you're done," Janet told her. "I'm giving you a ride home, we'll come back for the bike tomorrow."
For some reason tears sprang to Sam's eyes. "Thank you, Jan," she said in a quiet voice. "You're amazing. You're always here for me."
"Always," Janet told her. "Always and for ever."