Lula, thank you for your kind words. I too know the horrors of being strapped for time...I'm in a favourites section? Kewl.

Dean, I'm glad I can be of some use. The plot will be revealed in good time so quit squirming in you seat. One day you may be right, but not this time. I will reveal all in time : )

So, here it is. The next installment but not the last.

Chapter 17

"Sir, the computer won't let me access the codes. The Gate's activating." Sergeant Siler informed looking over his shoulder for some help from General Hammond.

"Close the iris." Came the familiar response.

"No need Sir, I'm receiving a GDO now...it's SG1." General Hammond reached over and issued a command to the whole base.

"All personnel to the Gate room!" He barked. He didn't want to take any chances should a Goa'uld come through. Armed officers raced to position and aimed an assortment of weapons towards the Stargate, then all anyone could do was wait. A tremor ran through the base, building in strength until people were holding on to things to keep standing. A coffee cup and several files found their way onto the floor as the wormhole began to destabalise. Just as the event horizon disappeared four familiar and much missed figures were flung out.

Jack apologised to the soldiers that he had landed on and promptly flopped back down trying to regain his breath. Daniel lay unconscious, as did Sam on top of yet more soldiers. It appeared that Teal'c was the only one who had managed not to land on anyone. Even so, when Doctor Fraiser arrived she insisted that he follow her down to the infirmary.

********************

"Well, Dr Jackson has a concussion from the impact, Teal'c is fine and Colonel O'Neill has a sprained ankle."

"What about Major Carter?" General Hammond's face creased in concern, he was clearly worried that the Doctor had not mentioned Sam's condition. Janet sighed and handed him a chart to look at.

"I'm not sure, I've performed a full examination and...well Sir."

"What is it?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say that Sam had given birth quite recently. I took full X-rays as well." She put the picture up on the light box, "You can see a slight abnormality on this bone here. That would say to me that Sam had broken her leg some years ago and the bone had healed over time but there's no record of Sam ever breaking her right leg." General Hammond opened his mouth to speak when a yelp of pain drew his attention. Jack's angered voice floated out from behind a curtain, quickly followed by the Colonel himself who hobbled over on crutches to the General and Janet.

"Sir." He greeted throwing a sloppy salute, crutch dangling from one hand. "Doc, how's Sam, nobody'll tell me." He complained attempting to stay stable but failing miserably.

"She's fine but I think you need to tell us what went on. She was a little upset earlier and we had to sedate her."

"Sedate her? Janet, please let me see her." He turned pleading eyes on both her and General Hammond.

"I'm sorry Jack, but we need to debrief. There's some things that we need to know first."

"D'oh." Said Jack quietly.

********************

"That's an impressive report Colonel." General Hammond was slightly taken aback by the information Jack had just given him. He had missed out the part about Sam being impregnated and he was getting away with it. Teal'c sat impassively, hands folded in front of him glass of water untouched at his side.

"I don't understand Sir, why would Sekhmet want to capture Sam? In that timeline SG1 didn't exist and posed no threat to the Goa'uld."

"That's a very good point Doctor." General Hammond and Janet looked at him expectantly. He sat in tense silence for a moment. "Colonel O'Neill, are you withholding any information from this debriefing?"

"I believe I am Sir," Jack admitted quietly.

"Colonel!" He barked, looking extremely angry and disappointed. "I am ordering you to tell me what went on. I would like to know why it appears that an officer on my best team has given birth within the 2 weeks that you were missing."

"I'm sorry General," Jack said rising, "I'm not in any position to tell you." The corridor outside the briefing room seemed to close in on him, with the General's bewildered voice floating out through the door he picked up his pace until he found himself at the elevator. He heard footsteps, slow and purposeful, without thinking he started to head to the surface. A guard stopped him at the entrance and asked for a security pass which Jack nervously showed him hoping the General hadn't yet discovered where he was headed. He breathed a sigh of relief as the uniformed man waved him through, the crutches were the only things preventing him from running.

********************

Teal'c approached noisily, he knew that Colonel O'Neill could make a formidable opponent and didn't want to risk surprising him when he was in such a mood.

"Colonel O'Neill." Despite his approach he still jumped.

"Hey Teal'c."

"The General is most displeased with your behaviour."

"I want to retire." Jack announced suddenly into the darkness. "I'm going to retire." He amended, Teal'c's eyebrow raised in a manner that suggested he had just realised something.

"Is this why you performed in such a manner?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Do you not wish to obtain a court martial?" The Jaffa questioned in a straight forward manner. Jack gave a soft chuckle that was carried away on the evening breeze.

"If only it was that simple." His comment seemed to be aimed more at himself than at his companion, after a moments silence he turned and looked him in the eye. "I'm not sure why I did it."

"Perhaps it is because you have strong feelings for Major Carter and wish to protect her." The silence was enough to answer his question, after a moment Teal'c pushed on. "Why do you wish to leave SG1?" He asked quietly.

"Said it yourself T." He hooked his fingers in the air, "strong feelings."

"I do not believe that..." Teal'c snapped his mouth shut and closed his eyes.

"What."

"It is extremely selfish of me but I do not wish you to leave SG1. You are not only a strong ally but a great friend." Colonel Jack O'Neill scrubbed his hands over his face wiping away a few tears while he was at it.

As always your reviews can only make me a better writer, they make me happy too. So do what ya gotta do. Thanks for reading.

Smiles and Sunshine

Coffee Bean

X X X