Eternal Surrender

Deep inside of Cheyenne Mountain the Stargate was spinning before a large group of people. Several boxes were prepared at the base of the ramp.

"I still can't believe I ordered your mother to disassemble that time doohickey." Jack grumbled.

"Don't even think about having her fix it." Danni said pointing a finger. "If she does, it won't be in the same condition it was when she started to make the Olympus one…and then we could all be in a world of snake heads."

"For someone so worried about messing up the time line, you sure are taking a big risk with this idea of yours." Sam had come into the gate room as well.

"Well, I have it on good authority that this was actually part of the plan. Accept I still can't understand why I woke up early. It doesn't make sense…you weren't there."

"What do you mean?"

"My stasis chamber wasn't supposed to have deactivate until the proper time or until the sensor picked up you or Dad's DNA. But you said neither of you have ever been on the planet."

Sam tilted her head. "No. We haven't." Then she looked towards Jack.

"Don't look at me. I was on Earth…swear!" He put his hands up in fake surrender.

Danni lifted her chin and looked at her mother as she narrowed her eyes. "Maybe you got too close to someone and they had some kind of trace of your DNA on them. The sensors were designed to be extremely sensitive."

The comment earned a suspicious stare in Carter's direction from Jack. "Dear?"

"What?" Sam's eyes were wide. "Don't start with me Jack O'Neill." His face came alive with shock as several others near them tried not to die from holding in their laughter. "Danni, honey, maybe your calculations were off. I mean in the scheme of things you didn't really wake up that early."

The youngest O'Neill crossed her arms. "MY calculations are NEVER off. Thank you very much."

Daniel leaned close to Vala. "And that's what happens when you mix Jack's attitude with Sam's brains." Vala merely raised her eyebrows and nodded.

Sam winced, "Sorry." Danni just tilted her head.

She shook her head once again. "I don't know. I'll figure it out eventually."

"Well, when you do, feel free to call and let us know." Jack smiled.

"Your father's right. It's about that time." Sam pressed her lips tightly together, trying not to cry as the event horizon had formed and the gate room began to dance with watery reflections. It wasn't a sad cry per say, maybe a little bit of hormones, maybe more that gnawing thought in the back of her mind that it was going to take a long time to get to this point with her daughter who hadn't even been born yet.

"Mom, please don't cry." Danni giggled. "You guys are coming with me for a couple of days, it isn't goodbye yet." She smiled and earned a small one in return as Sam blinked her blue eyes several times to wash away the tears.

Daniel coughed loudly. "Well, your mom and dad may be going with you, but your aunt and uncles are going to be missing you a lot sooner." He stepped forward. "I really am going to miss you. Nicholas told us a lot."

Danni shrugged. "Well, don't believe everything he says." Forgetting all that had been so wrong, she threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and Daniel quickly hugged her tightly as well.

"Bye sweetie."

"Bye Uncle Daniel." As she released her grip she looked into his eyes and saw just as she had since she was a child that they were exactly the same as her best friend's. "Oh!"

Daniel jumped. "What?!"

"Make sure that you help me pick out my call sign when I ask you in like nineteen years or whatever."

"Huh?"

"Athena…it was your idea. You know the whole warrior goddess of wisdom… and since Brainy Bad Ass was taken …" she giggled.

Daniel just smiled. "I'll remember."

Now a line had formed of well wishers. Next of course was Vala. "Oh, come here you." Vala gave her a good squeeze.

"I'm going to miss my fashion advisor." Danni whined.

A raised voice came from behind them. "Umm…that had better be a joke." Jack said warningly, already becoming an overprotective dad envisioning just the kinds of outfits Vala would have her wearing. Danni just stretched a frown but kept a glint in her eyes that told Vala it wasn't so much of a joke.

"And I'm going to miss you too." Vala continued as she patted her head with great care. "I think we both will." She placed her hand on her still flat stomach.

Danni leaned over a bit. "Bye Nicky!" She called at Vala's stomach with a smile.

Next was Mitchell. "Well, Sir." Danni dipped her head.

"Captain." Cameron replied somewhat unsure as what to do or say.

"It was nice to work with you again."

His hand swung not sure of what to do before it went back behind his back. "Likewise…"

A mischievous grin crossed the girl's face. "Don't worry; I'll still be kicking your butt in just a few years."

A concerned look crossed the Colonel's face. "I thought I was…"

"A general? Yeah, but you're still my Uncle Cam first and foremost."

"Cool." Mitchell said before he broke down his uneasy demeanor and gave her a hug as well.

Danni found herself shaking her head once more before coming to the last person in the line. "Uncle T."

The large man bowed. "Danni."

Several heads turned as he used only her first name.

The young woman took a moment before speaking. "There's going to be a time when I won't see you for a while. I can't really say much more than that…it's nothing bad I swear, but…just the same…I just want you to know that even though you weren't there…I still remembered everything you taught me…and it saved my life. Thank you."

"Anything for…my niece." Teal'c smiled at her and was the first to successfully draw a heavy tear before he picked her off the ground like when she was a child and gave her a big squeeze that she was more than capable of handling. The rest of the room, even some SFs, just smiled at how this young woman could turn even such a renowned warrior into a teddy bear.

Wiping her eyes she made her way beside Jack and Sam at the ramp. A few personnel were scurrying away from having sent the crates and supplies through the open horizon while the farewells had continued.

"Well, onward to twenty-four hours of beautiful confinement." Jack quipped.

As Jack and Sam stepped through the wormhole Danni paused and turned back. This was the last time she would step through from Earth until her time had come again. Turning back she looked down on the faces of her family. They were young but the same. The same souls resided in them that she had loved and would continue to love until the day she died. She raised her hand in a final farewell as the other's mirrored her actions. And then with a small sniffle, Danni stepped away from her home and into an unknown future.

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During their stay on the Midway, time was spent keeping Danni's mind off of the fact that it would be a long time before she saw her family again. Jack and Sam promised that they would do what they could, but for the most part she would have little or no contact with anyone she had known before she awoke.

As they all went to sleep before they were to head to Atlantis, Jack and Sam spent some time in their small quarters trying to decide what had finally led their daughter to become secure enough in her decision to actually go through with it.

"She's stubborn. Must get that from you." Jack remarked as Sam snuggled into the small bed with him.

"Right." She sounded more like him than ever.

"I just don't get it."

The lights were out but Sam could still see the clockwork ticking behind his eyes. "Get what, Jack?"

"What it is that had her willing to stay on Atlantis until this one," he rubbed his hand over her stomach, "turns into her."

"I think I have an idea." Sam smiled to herself.

"What do you mean?" She could feel him shift his weight onto an elbow.

"I mean…she made a life for herself on Atlantis when she didn't know who she was. It was a very vulnerable time for her, and I think she made some really good friends. Until she remembered us, they were her family."

"Yeah, but you're not going to be there now." Jack thought for a moment. "Do you really think there is someone there that she thinks is worth this?"

Sam started to feel uneasy about spilling too much of her idea. "She made a lot of friends Jack, and it's a beautiful place. It's a lot nicer than being in a stasis chamber aging with no memories. Better than being hidden away on a base or Siberia. And besides, the President is fixing it where she'll be reinstated specifically for the expedition. She'll be doing what she loves, and as long as we keep the baby from ever going there it shouldn't be a problem."

Jack was growing tired of the explanation as he shifted back into a more comfortable position. "OK. Whatever you say my genius."

"You realize you have two now right?"

"Two what?"

"Geniuses."

"Huh. Guess I really am the luckiest guy then." Jack smirked to himself as he buried his head deeper into his pillow and pulled Sam even closer.

"Yep."

"Sam?"

"Yes Jack?"

"Tomorrow is going to be interesting isn't it?"

"I'll say."

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Twenty-four hours after their arrival on the Midway station, the small O'Neill clan made their final length of their journey together to Atlantis. Upon arrival they were met by the person who had been called in to hold the lead position of the expedition until further discussions in D.C. could commit to a finite leader. Shepherd had been more than capable, but those in charge were ready to have he and his team back on the front line.

"Colonel Caldwell." Sam greeted. No one else was in the gate room as they had requested for 'security' purposes.

"Colonel…I see some congratulations are in order." He had not been aware of her pregnancy when she left and found himself stunned for only a brief moment. Suddenly her willingness to hand over her command decision was making sense.

Jack jumped in with a smirk. "Well thank you Caldwell."

Realizing who he was now talking to Caldwell jumped to a salute, "General O'Neill Sir."

"At ease Colonel." He watched as Caldwell's mind began to connect his earlier statement.

"Sir?"

"Colonel," Jack started as if nothing had been said. "I believe you've already met my wife?" Caldwell's eyes shot up as he nodded at Sam who tried to hide a smile of delight. "And I also believe you've met our…daughter." Jack now turned to indicate the bubbly brunette standing a few feet behind them.

Sam spoke the introductions this time. "Captain O'Neill…I'd like you to meet Colonel Caldwell. Colonel…"

Danni stepped forward and saluted. "Colonel Caldwell. It is an honor to meet you Sir."

"At ease Captain." He didn't even see it. As far as he could tel he had never met this girl before.

"And Caldwell?" Jack signaled the man with a tilt of his head. "This is of course classified. No one is to know who she is. There is a report on your desk that will explain everything. Her name can stay the same, but if anyone insinuates, there is no relation. Understood?"

Caldwell nodded as he was still absorbed in trying to imagine what else could possibly be in the file.

Jack took Danni by the crook of her arm and began to lead her away. Sam addressed Caldwell once more. "Colonel, if you could please, arrange a debriefing in about five hours. You, Dr. Keller, and Colonel Shepherd and his team should all be there."

"Understood." Caldwell called as she had begun to walk away to join the other two now making their way up the staircase.

Danni turned back quickly. "Oh, Colonel Caldwell!" She glanced at her dad for a moment before turning back.

"Yes Captain?"

"Sorry again about beating you up Sir." She said trying to hide a guilty grin.

"That's….what?!" Suddenly Colonel Caldwell began to make a connection that he hadn't thought possible. The girl he immediately began to think of had been declared KIA only days before, but suddenly this girl looked amazingly identical aside from her hair and eyes, and the way she now seemed to carry herself. "Lizzie?!"

Jack gave Danni a stern look and she gulped. "Colonel Caldwell, as you have already been informed." He looked to Danni once again as she drifted her glance away from both him and her mother. "Lizzie is dead. I suggest you go read your file Colonel."

"Yes Sir." Caldwell stood in the empty room for a moment as he watched the three make their way out of the gate room. Then with a flash he made his way to his office to uncover exactly what was in this highly classified file.

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Rodney was hunched over his desk working on some calculations that were displayed on a projection screen in the center of the lab. He was desperately trying to remove the thoughts of the recent report from his mind, but all attempts were failing. All he could think now was how much easier it would all be if Lizzie was there to help him, and that thought only led to the more depressing one that he would never see her again.

"Dr. McKay?"

Rodney knew the voice, but he was not in a good condition to turn around and face General O'Neill. His recent thoughts had left him teary eyed and he did not want to appear weak in front of anyone, especially not the General.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I have a new member of the expedition here with me. I think she may be able to help you out with your work until she is placed on a team."

"That's nice General, but I really don't need any help." Rodney snorted under his breath.

A woman's voice spoke out from behind him. "Well from the state of these equations, I'd say that you do."

On a short string as it was Rodney didn't care who heard him as he spun around in his swivel chair, "And what makes you think that you are qualified to…" He stopped dead, choking on his words.

The young woman standing by the General had her head cocked to the side with her eyebrows raised just like he did. Wearing an Atlantis uniform of grey and aqua, she had medium length brown curly hair pulled slightly back, but none the less he knew who she was the moment he saw her.

"Lizzie?!" Rodney jumped up from his seat and walked swiftly over to the pair.

Jack got a huge grin on his face. "Dr. McKay, I'd like to introduce you to Captain O'Neill. Captain, this is Dr. Rodney McKay." He winked at the young woman who smirked.

"I believe we've met, Sir." And she turned back to Rodney.

"Lizzie?!" Rodney was still processing.

"Hello Rodney." She beamed at him.

Suddenly he jumped at her and pulled her into a bear grip. "The report said you were dead. How? I mean…I'm so happy to see you. Wait a minute…" Rodney suddenly let go of her and pushed back. "Did he just say Captain."

"Actually I said Captain O'Neill." Jack said looking somewhere between angry and haughty.

"O'Neill?! As in? What?"

Danni rolled her eyes. "Rodney, he's my Dad."

"How in the he…"

"McKay!"

Rodney jumped and gulped. "Sir?"

"Lizzie regained her complete memory. She's not Lizzie anymore, she's Captain Danni O'Neill. My daughter. There's a debriefing scheduled for tonight, so none of this leaves this room. I expect you to be there Doctor. Now I'm going to let you two talk for a minute and I'll meet you, young lady, in the hallway."

"Yes, Sir." And with that O'Neill waltzed out as the door automatically glided shut behind him.

In the hallway he exchanged smiles with Sam as the two waited for Danni to make her way out. Sam and Danni had already agreed to keep one part of the puzzle for Sam to pull out on Rodney on her own.

"Lizzie, they said you were dead." Rodney said, unable to hide the emotions bubbling up inside of him.

"Well Rodney, 'Lizzie' is dead. And she has to stay that way. I'm not really her, so to speak." She watched as a sad look began to creep across his face. "Rodney calm down, it's me…it's just no one can know it's me…OK?"

Rodney stared blankly. "OK."

"Are you alright?"

"I thought you were dead."

"I thought so too for a while there."

Rodney turned his head to the side and began to speak in a lighter tone than he ever did. "What do you mean?"

"Look, the debriefing should cover all the details later. It's kinda hard for me to keep repeating them…just…I just wanted to see you before then. I've missed you guys."

Rodney walked back to her and pulled her into a hug again. "We've missed you too. All of us."

"Which is why I need to go see some folks before the debriefing. Our secret OK?" She narrowed her gaze at him.

He nodded quickly, "OK."

Danni waved a goodbye and started out the door. She was already in the hall with her parents out of Rodney's view when he called her back.

"Liz…Danni?"

"Yes Rodney?"

"If General O'Neill's your dad, then who is your mom?"

Danni turned her direction to Sam (still hidden from Rodney's sight) with a smile twitching on both women's faces. "You'll see." She stated as the lab door slid shut once more.

"This is gonna be good." Danni giggled at her mother.

"Oh yeah." Sam said as she put an arm around Danni.

Jack stopped walking and thought for a moment. "What are you two up to?"

The two women stopped and turned. "Nothin'." they said in unison.

"Nothin'?"

"Yeah Dad, nothin', like that time you went through those time loops and…."

"ACK!" Jack was immediately beside her clapping his hand over her mouth as an evil grin peered back from her brown eyes.

Sam just looked at him with her eyes wide as saucers. "Jack?"

"Nothin'." Sam just nodded, unconvinced.

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"Ronan, right?"

"Yeah?" Ronan looked up to see General O'Neill in BDUs with Colonel Carter standing beside him.

"You look a little down in the dumps." Jack said matter-of-factly. Ronan was sitting in the middle of the sparing room, alone.

"Sorry?"

Jack started using his hands to emphasize his meaning. "Earth expression, means you look…unhappy."

"Perceptive." Ronan grunted as he stood.

"Mind if I ask why?"

"Yes, actually I do. And honestly, I'm surprised you two can be this happy right now."

"To tell you the truth I don't think I've been this happy…ever." Sam said looking up at Jack.

Ronan finally noticed her hand resting on her belly. "Well good for you." He began to gather his things

"Maybe a good fight would make you feel better." Jack stated.

"With you? No offense but, aren't you a little old for sparing?"

Sam snorted. "More than a little."

Jack just looked at her stunned as she mouthed an apology for her joke behind her bright smile.

Another voice came from the outside corridor. "Mind if I take a whack at it?"

Ronan's eyes grew wide. He knew that voice, somehow. Sam and Jack parted to allow a young woman with curly hair to enter. "Hey Chewie." The girl's smile looked just like Colonel Carter's.

"Lizzie?" He said in disbelief.

The girl quickly corrected him. "Ummm…actually…Ronan, 'Lizzie' is dead. You got the message right?"

"Yeah." He looked to the two seasoned officers for support. Both nodded their heads.

"Sorry, you just look, just like her." He rubbed his hand back through his wild hair.

Danni grabbed a chunk of her hair in her fist and turned around. "I told you guys this disguise wasn't going to work." She turned around laughing loudly.

Stunned as usual Ronan couldn't speak.

"You OK Ronan?" He didn't move. "Ronan, it's me…" She tilted her head forward a bit, using her eyes to implore him to speak. Finally she let a little blue glow release from within them before they subsided back to brown.

The large man shot forward and lifted her off the ground in a hug similar to, but far less delicate, than Teal'c's own method. "Hey buddy." Danni choked out.

Both Jack and Sam had stepped forward a bit on edge. "Ronan, maybe you could put her down." Sam said uneasily.

"It's OK Mom." Danni turned from her high position.

Ronan dropped her unceremoniously and her amazing skill showed once more as she landed silently like a cat. "MOM?" He looked between the two women.

Danni pointed at Sam's belly. "That would be me."

Ronan's brow furrowed.

Jack finally began to speak again. "Yeah, long story, which we will be happy to explain in oh…" Jack looked at his watch, "four hours in the debriefing room."

"Sure." Ronan said lightly.

The family began to leave the room as Ronan stood in the middle still contemplating what had just happened. Danni turned back as they left. "Oh and Ronan? Don't say anything to anybody please."

"Sure." He said once again, still at a loss for word variety.

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A crash could be heard coming from Teyla's quarters. She had been moving a decorative container in her room when she turned to greet whoever had come to her door. Turning around she had dropped the vessel believing she had seen a ghost.

"Teyla, are you alright?" Danni had asked quietly.

"I am fine…but you are…"

"Dead? I keep getting that." The younger looking woman smiled.

"Lizzie, how?"

Danni raised her hand. "I'm fine. Nothing bad…nothing too bad…happened. It's all a cover. I'm fine."

Teyla walked forward slowly with a smile growing across her face as Colonel Carter stepped into her room as well. "I never thought I would see you again." She began to tear up as she embraced the girl. Looking back at Colonel Carter who was also smiling she pulled away from Danni, not letting go of her arm.

"Colonel Carter, you are with child?!"

"Yeah." Sam looked down at her stomach. "This one actually." Sam smiled at her daughter who slowly turned back to a bemused Teyla.

"I do not understand."

"Let's just say, I remembered a few things while I was gone."

Teyla continued to look at her with disbelief, "How many things?"

"Enough to know that Sam is actually Mom, and I'm actually Danni."

A joyful expression permeated Teyla's face. "You remember!" She hugged the girl once more.

"Yep. Everything."

"Then Colonel Carter, your child?"

Sam walked up and took Danni's free hand. "Is standing right here. I know it's a little hard to understand right now, it's going to be even harder to explain. But that is what this meeting is all about. Danni just wanted to tell you each in person that she was OK before you found out like that."

"Thank you." Teyla smiled at them both. "We thought for sure that with the message, we would never see either of you again."

"Well, I think you'll be seeing a lot more of this one." Sam nodded her head towards Danni. "But we'll talk about that more after."

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Exiting Teyla's room Sam and Danni found Jack waiting ever impatiently in the corridor.

"So, is that everybody?"

Danni nodded. "Yeah, everyone we needed to talk to. Dr. Keller already knew who I was according to Daniel so I don't think it will be as big a shock to her as everyone else."

Jack looked at his watch for the umpteenth time that day. "Well, we've got a couple hours still, you two ready for some cake?"

Sam's mouth began to water. "Yes. I think I'll start with three pieces. This one here has me so hungry I could eat a cow."

"Sorry. My metabolism must have started already." Danni winced.

Sam just smiled and rubbed her now growling stomach.

"So, to cake?" Jack said with an arched brow.

Danny bit her lip. "Yeah, why don't you two go ahead? I'm not really that hungry yet, but I'll catch up…there's something I wanted to take care of first."

Sam stopped Jack before he could say anything. "OK sweetheart. Don't be long."

"I won't." She shook her head, trying to disguise the fact that she knew what she was about to do was going to take a lot longer than a serving of cake would last.

Sam started to walk away pulling Jack at her side. He knew something was up, he just couldn't put a finger on it. But the thought of cake soon snapped him out of his curiosity and the couple was on their way.

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Colonel Shepherd had been continuing to avoid people at all cost. He had heard the rumors of Colonel Carter and General O'Neill's arrival. As well as news of a new expedition member. He just didn't care.

Tired from his sadness, John decided to go to the one place he knew no one would find him. He'd found himself there often in the past few months. Now entering her room felt like entering a tomb. It was just like when they had found the underground chamber that she had emerged from what seemed like eons ago. The door chimed open and shut as he made his way in. He was on a mission of sorts to stand on the balcony where he had truly said goodbye to her.

As he made his way he quickly noticed the packing crates and other items strewn across the room. How dare they? They had not even asked his permission and they were now obviously moving a new expedition member into Lizzie's quarters when she hadn't even been dead a week.

He couldn't find a trace of anyone in the room, so he decided to cool down on the balcony before he went and reamed someone for their blatant disregard for moral conscience. But his wish to have one final peaceful moment on the balcony was ruined when he stepped through the doorway to find a woman leaning against the balcony in the same place Lizzie had found him.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked in a berated voice.

He watched as the mid-length brown curls dipped forward as the person seemed to be almost laughing at him. He was so irritated, but she finally answered. "Danni."

"Well Danni, I'm afraid someone has made a huge mistake."

"How's that?"

"I'm afraid this room isn't…available. We're going to have to find you another one."

"No, I think I like this one just fine. It has just what I was looking for."

The nerve of this woman, "And what is that?"

She raised her gaze to the sky. "You."

So I know I said only one more to go…but I had a lot of time on my hands before I could get a proper connection to upload…so it ended up being two…and possibly an epilogue. Here's the first chapter of the night. Please enjoy. With hope and a prayer I may have it all up by 10:00.

Thanks for reading.

Please Review. : )