To be locked in a cell wasn't new to Jack. He had experienced it during a confidential mission in a foreign country. Anyway, in a foreign country or in the USA, the situation was never a good moment. Jack was standing at the bars, his hands gripping two of them, his face in the space between. The man was close from despair, short of ideas. Sam didn't recognize him. The soldiers who brought him here and the two airmen watching the jail place near Jack didn't believe his version. Nobody would listen to him. And what could Robbie do? Jack O'Neill sighed, realizing he was in a dead end.

A glimmer of hope came from the outside. Sam appeared into the room, accompanied by the staff sergeant who put Jack into the cell. The two airmen surveilling Jack stood to attention. Jack noticed that they started to glimpse Sam and each other, impressed by her presence and unsure if the scene was real or not. It was true that Sam was impressive in some way. Jack straightened as well, to look less miserable, the hands still holding bars. Sam tilted her head to the airmen as a salutation, and came in front of Jack. She asked the staff sergeant and the airmen to give her some privacy with the prisoner. The three men exited the room, with the two young guys keeping on glancing at Sam on their way to the exit. Sam didn't notice their behavior for she was observing Jack with a stiff face. There was also something else in her eyes, Jack couldn't put a name on it.

Samantha Carter seriously declared, when the door of the jail area closed, "You know, if you want an autograph or a picture, you just need to ask."

Jack cocked his head and frowned, confused by such a silly idea. "Uh, what? Why would I want an autograph or a picture?"

O'Neill's question perturbed the lady. "That's not what you were looking for?" she asked with a less rigid voice.

"No." Jack affirmed, shaking his head. "I need to talk to you - Sam raised an eyebrow - Look, I understand it sounds crazy to you, but everything I've said earlier is true."

"Why should I believe you?" Sam retorted in a serious tone again. "You know, I've had my share of people trying to catch my attention."

Carter had got a point, although O'Neill had no idea what she was talking about. Moreover, his physical appearance didn't help very much. The mission would be harder. Nevertheless, Jack had been in worse situations than this.

Jack tried, "Because you're an astrophysicist. You know it's possible… According to the multiverse thing… You know, quantum physics…"

The prisoner lightly shook his left hand, trying to make Sam understand where he was going. He should have listened to his Sam more carefully instead of gazing at her beautiful face and smile... It would have been really helpful right now.

Carter sighed. She was wasting her time with this individual. She started to walk away.

O'Neill reacted and moved in the cell towards Carter, "No! Wait! Did you defeat the Goa'uld with the Ancient outpost in Antarctica?"

The Ancient outpost in Antarctica? Seriously, Jack? Wasn't your speech crazy enough to add another crazy detail? Jack thought, the hands gripping other bars. Well, crazy from this reality's standpoint.

The Antarctica topic seemed to strike Sam because she turned around.

"The Ancient outpost? What's this?" the lieutenant colonel interrogated, frowning and sincerely astonished.

Another glimmer of hope.

If Sam didn't know about the outpost, that would explain why the Goa'uld could land on Earth for a while, before being kicked out by other means. And Earth didn't use the outpost because they probably had no knowledge of its existence. Even if they had, they probably had no knowledge of people with the ATA gene… Starting with Jack. He couldn't activate the outpost in this reality… because he had never been part of the Stargate Program! That made sense. Before or after Abydos? Had he ever been to Abydos by the way?

Whatever, Jack realized that he could offer something valuable to this Sam in exchange of her help.

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Thanks guys for keeping reading & commenting the story!

My answers to the comments received after chapters 19 & 20:

Does Jack's reality still exist? Hum, good question... Probably yes, Jack will have to find a solution...Or probably not, so, how will Jack cope with that? Indeed, our man's going through a very confusing situation (sorry if you feel as confused as Jack), however, there will be answers, don't worry. There might be a chapter before that's giving some clues ;)

"See" you soon!