AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello and welcome! Just a warning, this story is a companion to one of my other ones - Defining Moments. If you have not read it, you probably don't have to; I think I've explained the basic and important info you'll need to comprehend this story.
For those who have read Defining Moments, this story is set after my bonus chapters and based on that first SG-1 team in "Ripple Effect." I had never planned to do a companion (spin off?) story to it but my mind kept writing it and I eventually put it down. I wanted this to be finished much earlier but I waited too long to write it (I was finishing up another story) and some of my thoughts and ideals went out the window so I struggled to remember what they were.
There is much more language, FYI, since that first SG-1 team in "Ripple Effect," was not the same SG-1 as ours and they were a little more...mean? Dark? You know what I mean! I'm not super comfortable with language and I do apologize to everyone else who is the same way! I tried not to over saturate it!
Story is finished, just needs editing, and I will be posting a chapter a day if I'm able. As always, let me know you're thoughts. I welcome Constructive criticism but please only that! Our world has so much hate in it already so let's not add to it and choose to be kind. If you have a comment that will help me improve as a writer, I would totally welcome it!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own Stargate SG-1, it's characters, or anything associated with it. I'm just letting my imagination run wild with their creation.
o0o
Chapter One
Why couldn't one mission go as planned for once? Why did it always have to go awry? It has been a fairly simple mission objective. Granted, they had been in the wrong; stealing a ZPM from an alternate reality, one that was keeping Atlantis safe, had been wrong, not to mention risky. But none of that mattered now. By some stroke of luck, an SG-1 specialty, they had been sent to an alternate reality that had already defeated the Ori – before the Ori had even found the Milky Way and started their crusade. And they have been given all they needed to do destroy the Ori here. All thanks to a woman who wasn't originally from that reality either. A woman who had been the last person Daniel had expected to see; a woman he had recently started acknowledging his feelings for.
Damn, he was in trouble. For more reasons than one, Dr. Daniel Jackson admitted as he rematerialized on the other side of the Stargate, back into his reality. His team waited for him to catch up to them on the ramp before facing General Landry, someone who was not going to be happy at the turn of events. Hell, Mitchell was still pouting about the failed mission objective and being found out, by Vala Mal Doran no less – wait, Vala Jackson. She was Jackson in that reality. Damn, that was still hard for him to acknowledge. Married to another Daniel Jackson, another him, and had three children with him and number four on the way. Talk about insane.
"Welcome back, SG-1," Landry's voice rung out as he walked into the Embarkation room and stopped in front of them, "I take it the mission was a success?"
"No sir," Mitchell contradicted, "in fact it –"
" – went better than we could've expected," Daniel cut in, shooting a glare at Mitchell before focusing back on Landry.
"Care to explain?" Landry demanded.
"We have everything we need to defeat the Ori without stealing the ZPM," Daniel responded, "The information that was given to us includes a weapon capable of destroying ascended beings and another device that will take care of the Priors. All we essentially have to do is go get them."
"And pray tell, how did we acquire this intel?" Landry asked skeptically.
"The alternate reality. They've already used this information to destroy the Ori, before they became a threat to their galaxy."
Landry thoughtfully looked at each member as he digested this new information. "Briefing room, one hour," he ordered abruptly and left the room.
"He's not gonna be happy," Mitchell warned and walked off.
o0o
"So, what you're telling me is that despite your orders, you didn't bring home a ZPM?" the unhappy General asked rhetorically.
Mitchell shot his a team an 'I told you so,' look.
"No sir," both Air Force officers gingerly responded.
"What the hell happened?"
"We got caught, sir," Mitchell hesitantly replied.
"You got caught? How? By whom?" Landry demanded and received no answer. "Well, how did you get caught and by whom?"
"Vala Jackson unintentionally overheard our conversation and alerted the others to our intentions," Teal'c bravely answered for everyone.
"Vala? Vala blew the operation?" Landry asked incredulously, "and did you say Vala Jackson?"
"The Vala in that reality had been married to that Daniel Jackson for over three years; they'll be welcoming their fourth child in a couple of months," Daniel replied, adding the last part mainly to remind himself at the possibility of what him and Vala could be.
"Whoa, whoa!" Mitchell exclaimed, "I knew they were married but kids? They have four kids?"
"Yeah," Daniel quietly replied, "they're beautiful," he mumbled to himself, but the others heard.
"How is that possible?" Landry questioned, "To my knowledge, you haven't known her that long, Dr. Jackson, or am I mistaken?"
"You're not. I haven't known her that long, but he has. You have to remember, this is another reality and it's different from ours for a reason; that's what makes it an alternate reality," Daniel tried to explain.
"Their reality was eerily similar to ours before Vala showed up," Sam butted in, "The Vala we met there wasn't originally from that reality. The Vala born into that reality died during the Goa'uld extraction process, making it possible for the Vala we met to stay and live there."
"She wasn't originally from that reality?" Landry asked, baffled. "How did she get there and why did she leave her own reality?"
Sam went on to explain what her counterpart in the other reality had told her: Vala's original reality had been slightly different. She had been a host for two years longer than most of the Vala's she had heard about and when Qetesh had been removed, it had been a day before SG-1 had first made contact with the Tok'ra. Vala had ended up on Earth, where she became a member of the SGC and SG-1. Her Daniel and her had dated and eventually married. As some type of gift, Vala had procured the same tablet their Vala had, the one that led the Ori right to their doorstep.
Vala's original reality had just started gaining momentum with their fight against the Goa'uld and had been utterly unprepared for the Ori. It had been essentially a blood bath, one that led to the deaths of SG-1, and millions of lives on Earth. Vala had fled to another reality, keeping her promise to her Sam to make sure her children grew up with parents, away from the dangers of the Ori. Before Vala had a chance to find a perfect reality, the Ori attacked one of their off-world bases and Vala had been forced to take the children to a random reality, blowing up both quantum mirrors on each side, effectively stranding her.
Vala had luckily found herself in a reality where her doppelganger was dead and wouldn't be affected by the entropic cascade failure. She had also brought all the research she and her original Daniel had been doing on finding a defense or weapon to use against the Ori to her new reality. She and that Daniel had eventually found it and used it to destroy them before they even became a threat, freeing the Ori Galaxy's people. Vala and that reality's Daniel had fallen in love and had married ten months after her arrival and apparently got busy procreating.
"She sounds incredibly lucky," Landry commented as Sam finished.
"We are too, sir," Sam noted, "We could've ended up in number other realities, but we didn't and while there, we found what we need to defeat the Ori. We are incredibly lucky, sir."
Landry's eyes shifted to Daniel. "How soon can we utilize this information?"
"I haven't had a chance to really go over it," he confessed, "but give me a day and then I'll know."
"I won't waste anymore of your time then," the General rose, "Get to it. Dismissed."
o0o
Daniel grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and some snacks before getting comfy in his office. He expected that he would be in here for a while. Grabbing one of the flash drives given to him, he popped it into his laptop and grabbed a new notebook and a pencil. Once the flash drive was open on his computer, he skimmed the files on it, trying to find a starting point. It was labeled how he normally would do it so that helped, except that there was one folder labeled 'Read me first!' Good enough for him. He opened the folder to see a video file and opened that.
His double appeared on the screen. Daniel frowned and leaned forward to listen.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson, obviously, and if you're watching this, you're most likely him as well. If you're not, give this flash drive to him. By now, you're probably already back and safe in your own reality, eager to destroy the Ori. I just wanted to take a moment to address something which I believe you all need to know. From what I've gathered from the many Daniels from the SG-1 teams that were standard in my reality, your Vala was lost when she destroyed the first Ori Supergate, most of you presuming she's alive in their galaxy.
"What I wanted to say is if you ever see her again, don't ever let her go. You have no idea what you're missing if you do. I know most of you are trying to keep your distance and you're afraid to pursue any type of romantic relationship, afraid of getting hurt like you were with Sha're. Trust me when I say it's worth it, it's so worth it. You don't even know the real Vala, she puts on an act, a mask, to protect herself. If you open up, she'll open up, and the life you can create together is so beautiful and amazing that I can hardly believe it sometimes. I been married to her for over three years now and its been the best damn three years of my life.
"Marrying Vala, pursing that relationship, and taking that risk was the greatest thing I ever did in my life after joining the SGC, closely followed by creating my children. I didn't tell many of you this, but we have three amazing children and another on the way. Having them, having a family has brought me more joy than anything I have ever experienced, and I'd hate for any of you to miss out on it. I get your relationship with your Vala is different but Vala Mal Doran and Daniel Jackson are meant to be. Vala would call me corny if she heard me say that but it's true.
"I know this because I almost missed out. My wife isn't originally from this reality. She came here over four years ago. The real Vala in this reality died when Qetesh was removed. Had Vala never come through a random quantum mirror on a different planet, I would've never met, never had this amazing family, and be this content and happy. Life with her is better than anything.
"So, trust me when I say, don't let yours slip through your fingers. Don't let that fear you have enslave you from ever moving on from Sha're. Life is too short to live in the past and in fear. I almost let that fear ruin our relationship before it even began and came so close to wrecking it all and I know I would've regretted it for the rest of my life. I can only hope you'll find your Vala one day and that you'll heed my advice. She is the best thing that will ever happen to you, the best choice you'll ever make. The love you'll feel for her will be more than you'd ever think possible. Because after all, Vala Mal Doran and Daniel Jackson are just meant to be. Good luck."
Daniel sat back, stunned at the man's words. He knew, he knew how they were, how in love they were. He had seen what life with Vala looked like, remembering the photographs of the two of them and their three children. All of them were so happy. Daniel couldn't remember that last time he was ever that happy. There was also the promise he made that Vala before stepping through the 'Gate. He promised her he'd give his Vala a chance if he ever saw her again. He wanted that happiness the other him had. He had spent so long in his grief, in his pain, in fear, and bitterness over the loss of Sha're. And he was done.
Daniel sat up straighter, hand poised at the ready with his pencil. First, he was going to find the weapon that would defeat the Ori. Second, he would use that weapon to destroy them. Third, he would look for this Ark of Truth, whatever it was, while simultaneously looking for Vala in the Ori galaxy. Fourth, he would find her and make good on his promise to other Vala and never let his Vala slip through his fingers again.
A/N: It gets better...I hope. Thoughts?