First, I wish each of you a very happy New Year. May all you need be within your reach, may you achieve each goal you set for yourself and may you always enjoy reading!

I will let you know this has been a long run. I am thinking about letting this be the last story for a while. I am still trying to get back on my feet and I do not want to leave you guys hanging. I also have a new novel I have started (detective). And I really want to work on my website. I started it about 3 years ago and I have been messing with it but have not been serious. It will have all my fanfiction stories on it, my sonnets and poetry I have written and my first novel. If you would like the web address, I would love to give it to you but remember it is a work in progress. I do not plan on this being my last fanfiction story because I love Stargate SG1 and you guys and I would love to keep writing for you.

Please enjoy this chapter. I had thought this would be the last one but I think I must have one more. Thank you for your patience, your thoughts and prayers and your continued support since 2017. Thanks again for the comments and just for the likes, kudos, and favourites.

Vanessa

Chapter 38 – Earth, Home

Jack watched with anticipation the screen in front of him. Thor had beamed them all into Stargate command, so it was no worry about being seen. Jack felt the sweat incasing his body. He would never admit this, but he was anxious about being back on Earth. He had hidden everything in the dark creases of his mind, not even Teal'c knew what all had been done to him in Kinsey's care. Although Jack had a feeling Teal'c knew more than he was letting on.

When Thor had told Jack that Kinsey and Loki had been beamed onto a planet about to be swallowed up by a black hole, the happiness he felt should have been sinful. But to him it was righteous punishment. Now all he wanted was confirmation that they would not escape again. And even though there were several people keeping an eye on the screen with him– he would take no one's word but his own as to the death of both of those slimy creeps.

Jack was not the only one in attendance in the viewing room. All SG1 was there. Jonathan had immediately left the SGC to go to Cassie with a promise to Jack that he would bring her to see him as soon as possible. As Sam stood beside him holding Button and watching the screen – Jack felt a little completeness creeping up and taking away some of the agitations he had felt. He was home, back on Earth where he should be. He was with the woman he loved, and he had a beautiful daughter. Life may be just starting again for him, but he had a feeling that maybe this time it would work out so much better. He knew it would as he watched the black hole finally swallow most of Loki and getting closer to Kinsey. It would still be several days before they were both swallowed completely up, but he had confirmation that the screen would stay on until there was nothing left of either being nor the planet.

Looking at Jack, Sam wondered whether he would be able to forget all that had happened to him the last time he had been on Earth. To be sure the nightmares that caused him to thrash about and scream out loud was the end of the torture. It made her blood run cold the first night he had a nightmare. She had thought he was back in the black ops and was remembering the times he had been captured. She had thought that until he screamed out Kinsey's name one night and it dawned on her that he was reliving the torture that Kinsey had put him through. She knew that the others gathered around her in the viewing room had noticed the smile that stayed on her face, but she did not care. The two on the screen deserved the punishment and it seemed God agreed.

When the President had realized that SG1 was being brought straight to the SGC, he had told Generals Laundry and Hammond that he was going to Washington to make sure all the paperwork was completed for Jack and Sam's retirement. When he made this comment – General Hammond looked at him and though no words came out, the look made it plain there would be no going back on his promise. General Hammond was tired of seeing his goddaughter hurt and though he had not been privy to what had truly happened between she and Jonas, he knew there was more to it than what was told to him when she showed up on his doorsteps so many years ago. And should the truth be known; he cared a lot for the stubborn man she had fallen in love with. If they would not be allowed to be together despite the promises were made, he was afraid of just what might happen and who all might be involved in the rebellion including himself.

Jonathan knocked on Cassie's door and waited patiently while she came to answer it. He knew how he felt about the young woman living in the house that had belonged to both her and Janet. He reflected on the first time he had seen Janet. Oh, the test she ran on him, the blood she had drawn from him. He kept trying to tell her that he knew who he was. He was Colonel Jack O'Neill and he was stationed at the SGC and had everyone at the damn base lost their minds. He was pissed that morning. First, he had been handled by security like he was a mugger, then he was harassed by General Hammond and when it finally came to Sam, Daniel and Teal'c – he found it hard that not even one of them believed him. Of course, when the truth came out and he was nothing but a clone, he could not believe it. He had felt so real, so full of life. And when he had actually met the real O'Neill, he questioned why the three remaining SG1 team members found it so hard to believe he was not him.

Remembering what Janet did to try to save his life during that time, it hurt him to know there had been no warning that she would not be coming home one night. He and Cassie had already started dating before that day and he was there to hold her as she shed many tears over the loss of a woman that had claimed her as her own child. From that day forward, he and Cassie had become even closer and soon – people did not see one of them without seeing the other. And then, Kinsey screwed everyone up. Jonathan was sent to help with a project that he and Thor were hoping would help save Jack from a lifetime of torture and Sam from endless grief. Of course, as they soon learned, it did not help as much as he and Thor thought it would and the pain and suffering were unbearable to watch.

When Cassie opened the door and saw Jonathan, she wanted to fly straight into his arms – but there was something wrong. This was not the same Jonathan that had left her almost six months ago. This was a younger Jonathan – closer to her age. Was it her Jonathan or was someone playing an evil trick on her? She knew about the whole cloning idea and as evil, as Loki was and as easy as he could slip through his brothers' fingers – she would not put it past him to do just that. Cassie knew that Loki and Kinsey had been put on a planet that was being swallowed by a black hole but that was yesterday's news. Today could be a whole different story. Maybe that was why this guy was here. Maybe he worked for them and he thought she knew where SG1 was. Well, he was not getting any information from her. She knew how to take care of strangers; her mom had taught her that.

"Cassie, what is wrong?"

"I don't who you think you are or how dumb you guys think I am – but I know you are not my Jonathan and I can tell you right now I know nothing about SG1. Now if you cherish that body you stole from someone, you will remove your ass from my front porch!"

"Cassie, I promise you…."

Jonathan slowly stepped forward as he tried to explain but stopped quickly when he saw Cassie reach behind her and grab the Glock that was sitting on the table by the door.

"Take one more step, please I beg you! I am so sick of Loki's crap so please take one more step and you will be one clone that will not live another day."

"Cassie listen to me. I was getting very sick. Dr Lam thought I was going to die. But when Lia came to help Sam and the baby…."

"Just stop, ok just stop. Sam has not had the baby. Sam is not due for another two months almost. Why would you say such things about her and the baby needing help? Is the pain Loki and Kinsey inflict on people ever going to end? Just leave before I shoot you and I am an excellent shot."

With that last remark, Cassie stepped inside the house and shut the door. Leaning against it, she let the tears flow. How cruel could people and aliens be? Didn't they understand that she was hurting? First, she lost her birth mother, then she lost the woman that cared enough to make her her own, and she had been told that Uncle Jack was gone. She did not know where Sam or the others were, and she assumed no one else did. Even if they did – they did not act like they gave a shit. She was tired, so tired. Slowly she slid to the floor with her back against the front door and still, the tears came.

Outside Jonathan leaned his head against the front door. How stupid they were. He and Uncle Jack both should have thought about the consequences when Cassie saw him for the first time after Lya healed him. If not them, Sam really should have. How was he ever going to get her to believe him? She had not known that Sam went into premature labour, she did not know that Jack was back with Sam – she did not know that Sam had died. What did they expect her to do when he showed up at her door about 20 years younger? There was no sense in standing here and arguing with her – she was not going to believe anything he had to say. Cassie knew that Jonathan knew everything about Jack when he was cloned so it would do no good to tell her anything that only the two of them would know. He needed someone here that she would believe with no doubt whatsoever.

"Cassie, listen to me. They are back. Thor has brought them home, all of them. I need you to believe me. I am going to call Uncle Jack right now and he is going to come and talk to you. You would believe him because he cannot be cloned again. I promise to you, Cassie I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you"

Suddenly the door flew open and Cassie stood there with a loaded Gloak, aiming it right at Jonathan. The look of horror on her face caused Jonathan to gasp.

"How dare you! How dare you mention his name when Loki and Kinsey killed him for nothing but power. I am going to give you a chance to save your ass but if you are not out of my sight in five minutes, I swear you will no longer have a heart – if you even have one."