Rain Dancer – thank you for the review…mostly rested now :)

WhiteWolf3 – the bomb dissolved into her blood stream so it's just a protein marker like Sam now (I think…please correct me if I'm wrong).

X-Lander – Dawn needs friends…I don't think we ever get to see her friends, hence the slumber party.

Flameshadow – thanks…projects really do suck…sadly enough I have to go do more after this update :(

Alienbeing – high standard *blush* going to make my head swell

Tigerlily – I can't write Hammond for toffee and I was trying to make things fit together, plus they all shared and stuff. Hanging endings are my thing.

Louie Pastiche – a collaboration has never crossed my mind but I consider all things…

Falcon-Rider – Spike…I didn't forget him *nervous laugh* OK…must write some Spike…

OK, sorry for the unusual length of author's notes…I'm making up for abandoning you all for such a long time. To everyone I didn't mention thank you so much for reviewing. Right, sorry for the length…enjoy.

Chapter 8

Tara, Dawn, Cassie and the rest of SG1 were assembled in the 'Gate room. Behind them a magnified voice announced that the dialling procedure was starting. Jack, having voiced his opinion rather loudly, was glowering in the corner – he sent a cursory glance back up at the glass window above their heads and sighed. Despite his misgivings he felt affection for the newest member of his team as he did for the older members. Sam was leaning next to him looking as though she wanted to smile, which she did every time she caught a glance at Jack's childish pout. Jonas was standing next to Tara who had her hands wrapped around the handles of a wheelchair in which Willow was sat looking rather put out. Jonas had developed a liking for the two women and got on famously with them. Cassie and Dawn were both watching the gate – Cassie nervously and Dawn with barely contained excitement.

Dawn breathed in awe as the 'Gate exploded into life and then drew back into itself before settling on a quiet rippling. It was so beautiful, like a vast ocean contained within a stone circle. It was like glass and fire and peace and rage all at once. It caused a swelling of emotions inside her over which one ruled supreme. She felt at ease with this strange object as if she had seen it before or had always known, somewhere inside, that it existed. Breaking free of the group she approached it with caution and as she did so the peaceful rippling moved away from her leaving an impression of her body in the liquid. She stood an inch or so away from the event horizon not knowing that something was wrong. Within the swirling she could pick out the indentations of her eyes and the strands of her hair. As she moved to straighten a stray piece the indentation hand copied her like a warped version of a mirror.

"Shut it down!" Ordered the General with a strange authority in his voice but before anyone could act she had disappeared into it. Whether the 'Gate had taken her of its own will or she had chosen herself to step into it she would never know, as the sounds of Tara screaming her name faded she became aware that she was lying on her back looking up at the sky. It was a brilliant blue with soft clouds scudding across it forming into fantastic shapes before spinning into nothingness. A face appeared above hers, the puzzled face of a man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, he was wearing a white jumper that looked to be knitted and white trousers all spotlessly clean. His arms were folded across his chest and he had a look on his face that she had seen on Giles and Wesley many times before. She blinked at him trying desperately to regain her bearings.

"Well that's never happened before." He said before helping her up. The first thing she did was spin in a circle in an attempt to see the 'Gate and the DHD that she had been told was used to form a wormhole. Neither the 'Gate nor the DHD were to be seen anywhere just grass spreading for miles and in the distance what could be a city. "Are you OK?" the man was staring at her with amused curiosity.

"Um…I don't suppose you've seen a circle, um…big and made of stone…?"

Next chapter a.s.a.p. Peace out

Coffee Bean

xXx