Once again, the weeks past by quickly with SG-1, and SG-11 barely made it home. They had walked into a Civil War for the very gate it's self it wasn't until the opposing forces had bombed the prison they were being held in, they had escaped. They had been there for five days. Among the chaos and destruction, they fled to the gate quickly. They had been bound by their wrists and gagged. Daniel had let out a smart remark, usually Jack's job, and was whipped in the back a few times. Robert was okay until the bomb. The wall crumbled around him breaking his arm, wrist, and pinky. The rest came out with bruises and scrapes, but that was the extent of their damage. The group of them were all in the infirmity. Michelle had a decent laceration going down her arm, and Janet was trying to decide if the glue would be good enough.

"I'd never heard the end of it from Marty if I didn't go with the glue," Michelle claimed.

"Alright, glue it is," Janet claimed.

Janet looked at the deep marks lashed into his back. They were evenly spaced.

"Daniel, these are starting to look infected." Janet sighed.

"I'll have Dr. Droll look at them," Janet claimed, and she moved on to check on Sam, Jack, and Teal'c. Robert was currently in surgery to get the bone back in the right place before it healed wrong.

Sam was currently talking Janet into letting Daniel stay with her. Janet agreed as long as Sam would call if there were any changes to the area.

When Sam told Jack what was happening, he frowned only for a second that Sam wouldn't be coming home with him, but he understood and was glad Daniel wouldn't be stuck in the infirmary like Robert.

"You know you can always come over to my place," Sam stated as she and Jack walked to her lab.

"Yeah, but no offense, I need some rest," Jack claimed.

"None took, I understand," Sam claimed.

Sam smiled, and even though they were in a few views of her camera in her office, she wrapped her arms around Jacks's waist, and they held each other for a long time.

"You okay?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine," Sam claimed.

Jack kissed her on the cheek, but she moved to feel his lips against hers. It was comforting and made her feel better. The last few days were almost too much, but they had gotten through it like they always did.

Sam, Jack Michelle, and Teal'c were all expected at a debriefing to give the details. Daniel and Robert excuses due to injuries.

When Sam went into details of what happened, Jack could see it replaying in his mind, a new memory to ignite nightmares, just what he needed.

The people thought they were the enemy, and after explaining they came through the gate, it was instantly as if they had said they were there to kill them or were against their side. They didn't have any way to process who was on the "right' side of the war. Before they knew It, they were overwhelmed by soldiers tying them up, throwing them in prison.

It wasn't the worst thing they'd ever been through, but it wasn't a vacation by any means. Jack was frustrated by Roberts's injuries, more so that Daniels. Not that he wanted either man hurt, but Robert paid the price for them to all escape. Jack was counting his blessings that the man didn't get buried under the rubble.

A few hours pass, and everyone is cleaned up and ready to go. Jack is heading home by himself. Sam is taking Daniel to her place for the next few days, something she was happy to do. Teal'c had asked to visit family once again and go through the gate the following morning.

Robert was left in the infirmary with Michelle and Jack promising to be back to check on him in the morning. Sam wasn't sure how much help Daniel would need, but General Hammond said he would understand what every time she came in, and if she wanted, she could use leave.

Sam made it back to her house with Daniel helping him out of the car. She had seen the wounds and understood why Janet was so worried. They were large open wounds and couldn't be stitched or stapled.

"You didn't have to do this," Daniel claimed.

"I wanted to Daniel. Do you want the guest room or I could pack up and stay at your place? Sam said.

"No, I can stay here," Daniel claimed.

Sam smiled.

"Ever feel like your place, isn't your place anymore?" Sam asked as she looked around.

"I didn't have a place for a long time. It's nice to have a place to call home, but I take it Jack's house seems cozier." Daniel claimed.

"It always has been," Sam explained.

Daniel smiled.

"Can I ask you a question, Sam?" Daniel asked.

"Of course, Daniel, what is it?" Sam asked.

"Do you sometimes think that we get into these situations because of who we are, what we've done?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel, you're a man of science, you think that it's destiny?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, I mean it just seems we end up places and change so much," Daniel claimed.

"Well yeah, sometimes we do," Sam claimed.

"But what if we didn't? What would happen if we never got the Stargate working?" Daniel asked.

"Do you wish we didn't?" Sam asked.

"Sometimes," Daniel admitted.

Sam closed her eyes.

"I have those days, too," Sam admitted.

Daniel looked at her.

"How many universes right now are we having this conversation.

"Countless," Sam claimed.

Daniel just nodded.

"Sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind," Daniel explained.

"Don't worry about it, Daniel, it's hard when there are not very many people that understand what's going on. I'm glad I have you." Sam smiled.

Daniel blushed.

"You're the older sister I always wanted," Daniel admitted.

"You're the little brother I never had. I'm sure dad will welcome you with open arms," Sam claimed.

"Your dad is an amazing guy. I don't know if I'm as strong as he is." Daniel admitted.

"You're stronger than you know, Daniel, honestly. I'm so glad your part of my team. I couldn't do this without you." Sam claimed.

Daniel smiled.

Sam sat next to him on the couch, and they flipped on the TV. Sam almost instantly drifted off to sleep.

Jack had made it home and saw Elliott's car in the driveway. It was a Tuesday, and he still shouldn't be back from school, but Jack didn't say anything.

When he walked in, he found Elliott with about 20 library books notecards everywhere and a bunch of paper scattered around.

"Jack! You're home, are you okay?" Elliott asked as he looked at the bruises and cuts.

"I'm fine, exhausted, but fine. Shouldn't you be in school?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I left after 4th, I need to get this done, and I didn't feel like running the gym for 45 minutes then going to health class to talk about the nervous system was a productive use of time," Elliott claimed.

Jack smiled.

"You haven't been skipping, have you?" Jack asked.

"This is the first time. I have to have this done by Friday, Mrs. Waper is a complete loon."

"What are you working on?" Jack asked.

The first ten pages of an opinion paper will be worth 75% of our grade. I had tried to start it but couldn't with the other projects going on. I knew I should have taken that college English class." Elliott claimed.

"Why didn't you?" Jack asked.

"I didn't have a car when we had to sign up for it last year, and it's three days a week the second semester doesn't seem to meet criteria for any other colleges, at least none my friends went too, so I thought it was a waste of time. This is supposed to be 40 pages! This is insane!"

"You know you'll have college reports and research and other stuff you need to write; she's probably just preparing you for worst-case scenario once you go to college," Jack claimed.

"I know," Elliott claimed.

"No offense but you look rough, you sure you're okay?" Elliott asked again.

"I'm fine," Jack claimed.

"Since you're home, is it okay if I get Cass after school?" Elliott asked.

"If it's okay with Janet," Jack stated.

"I want to take her out to the movies," Elliott claimed.

"I'm going to bed, just have her back here or home by whatever time Janet says.

Elliott nodded his head.

Jack looked at his bed and wished Sam was there too, but he knew the next few nights were going to be rough on all of them, so he was sort of glad they wouldn't be tossing and turning keeping each other up all hours.

He closed the blinds in his room, and he laid down, thinking how soon Christmas was and how Elliott hadn't said anything about it.

He needed to get the tree up and get it decorated, there were only two weeks until Christmas, and he wondered how it would work out.

Happy to be home, Jack fell asleep, thinking about the upcoming holidays, his first Christmas with Sam.