Chapter 1
"Here are the mission reports, sir."
"Thanks Carter. Hey listen, Danny and I are taking Teal'c to see the Grand Canyon this weekend. Wanna come?"
"Um, well I kind of have plans sir." With Pete, but she didn't want to say that, not to *him.* Despite the fact that she was seeing Pete, she new he was just a substitute for what she really wanted. "Maybe next time. Have fun."
"Yea sure you betcha." His phone rang just then, "O'Neill... Sarah? Hi! Um..." He looked over at Sam for a moment, but his attention was drawn back the phone when the caller said something, "What? Are you okay?" There was a pause, and Sam watched the growing fear in the Colonels voice. "They said what!? Damn, okay, listen, does that big guy Joe still live next door? Good, I want you to go over there and stay there until I come get you. Don't go anywhere with anyone else. I'll be there in an hour." His eyes looked up at Sam's once more. "Bye."
"Sir?"
The Colonel was already headed for the door. "Some goons met Sarah on her back porch. They roughed her up a bit, slapped her around." The anger was growing in his voice, "One of them told her to 'give Jack O'Neill a special hello from the NID."
Sam gasped. It was obvious the NID had figured that the Colonel would still care about his ex-wife. They had wanted to pressure him into retiring for years now. This ploy might just succeed. She followed him into the Generals office.
"General, Sarah just got roughed up by some NID goons. I have to head over there. Now."
The General's eyes widened in shock, "Yes, of course. Go."
Sam spoke up "I'll go with you, sir. Daniel and Teal'c are off with *his* Sara."
"Good luck to both of you." The General ushered them out the door.
XXXXXXXXXX
Sam had thought she went fast on her motorcycle. The Colonel drove over 90mph the whole way. He was by no means out of control, however. Just another one of his hidden talents.
They arrived at the house Sam recognized from pictures she had seen of the Colonel and Charlie. O'Neill walked up to the neighbor's house and knocked.
A burly man opened the door a crack "Jack? Come in!" The man opened the door wide and allowed the two air force officers to enter his house. Sarah was sitting on the couch, looking for all the world like someone who had just gotten out of bed. A slight purple shine to the left of her eye was the only evidence of her encounter. The relief in her eyes was palpable when she saw Jack, who immediately moved to cradle her in his arms. They sat there for a moment before Jack spoke. "How are you?"
"Ok, now." She looked at her former husband "Who were they? Who is the NID?"
He thought for a moment before facing the other two in the room. "Joe, can we use your phone?"
"Sure, Jack."
"Thanks. Carter, call Hammond, tell him we're bringing Sarah back to the base."
"Yes sir."
"Sarah, lets get back to the house. Carter, I want you to provide overwatch from here after you call Hammond. Those goons might still be here. I've got my radio."
"Yes sir."
O'Neill led his ex-wife to her house. After checking to make sure nobody was there, he spoke to Sarah, "Listen, Sarah, those guys who picked on you work for an agency called the NID. It's kinda like the CIA, and they don't like me too much. I think it'd be best if you stayed on the base where I work for a few days, until we can figure out what we're going to do."
"But..."
The radio crackled, "Sir, your position has been compromised, a car just pulled up outside. Two men just stepped out."
"Copy." O'Neill looked out the window, and then met the two men at the door. "Can I help you?"
"Colonel O'Neill, if you'll please come with us."
"Uh, no thanks."
The man reached behind his back "Sir, you're coming, even if we have to *make* you come." He pulled a pistol out from behind him. The colonel reacted by drawing his own gun.
Sarah would forever remember the next events. Both guns went off at the same time. The NID man was thrown against the walkway, stuck in the chest by the Colonels shot. Jack flinched as the bullet missed him by mere inches and embedded itself in the living room wall.
Leveling his gun at the second man, Jacks voice was hard. "Get out."
The man wasn't arguing. Jack turned to his ex-wife and said "Pack enough for a week."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Colonel, she can't stay here forever." General Hammond looked at his subordinate. Sarah O'Neill had been staying in the VIP room for three days. After what had happened, Hammond couldn't refuse when O'Neill asked permission to tell his ex-wife WHY the NID didn't like him. As a result, Sarah O'Neill now knew that humans were not alone in the universe, and also knew that her former husband had quite literally saved the world more than once. It had been a lot to take in, but she was handling it as well as could be expected.
The attack on Sarah had obviously been intended to rattle the Colonel. They still didn't understand why the NID man had actually pulled a gun, however.
"Yes sir, I know, but what are we going to do to protect her? If the NID tried this once, they will try it again."
"Yes, Jack, I know." The Generals phone rang.
"Hammond."
"Sir, this is the guardhouse. The NID is here, they say they have a warrant for Colonel O'Neill's arrest."
XXXXXXXXXX
Jack knocked on the door to Sara's quarters and entered. She was sitting on her bed, reading a book.
"Jack! What's wrong?" Instantly happy to see him, she sobered when she saw his face.
"I have to leave, Sarah. Apparently that guy I killed at your house was the son of some senator. The NID is here to arrest me."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm leaving."
"To where?"
"Oh, you know, out there, second star to the right and straight on 'til morning type thing."
"You're leaving earth?"
"Yeah, for a while anyway."
"What about me? Do I go home?"
His face got sadder, if that were possible. "If you stay on earth, the NID is liable to try to get to me through you again. Even the Witness Protection Program couldn't hide you from them."
"Soooo...what?"
"You leave too."
"Through the... Stargate?"
"Yeah." She looked terrified. "Look, it's perfectly safe, I've done it thousands of times."
"No, it's not that, but where would I go?"
"Wherever we decide to go."
Something changed in her eyes "I could go with you?" Her voice had changed from sadness a moment earlier to something like tentative hope.
Smirking, he said "Sure. I can't wait 'till you meet Thor. But listen, we have to go, now. The NID guys are on their way down. Hammonds stalling them, so we can 'escape'. Let's go."
XXXXXXXX
They arrived in the Gateroom. To Jacks surprise, they found the gate already open, and the rest of SG-1 attired like the Colonel, in mission attire.
"Uh, guys, what are you doing?"
"We intend to come with you, O'Neill." Teal'c spoke.
"Teal'c, I'd be glad to have you with me, but you two," he said, turning to the two humans, "you still have a life here on Earth."
"Jack, I can come back for Sara later."
"And I can come back for Cassie."
Jack looked specifically at Sam. His voice was soft, "What about Pete?"
"I don't want *Pete*!" She gasped when she realized what she had said, in front of the Colonel's ex-wife, no less. There was an awkward pause, before the NID men entered the Gateroom and the decision was made. They took off up the ramp and disappeared through the Gate.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Here are the mission reports, sir."
"Thanks Carter. Hey listen, Danny and I are taking Teal'c to see the Grand Canyon this weekend. Wanna come?"
"Um, well I kind of have plans sir." With Pete, but she didn't want to say that, not to *him.* Despite the fact that she was seeing Pete, she new he was just a substitute for what she really wanted. "Maybe next time. Have fun."
"Yea sure you betcha." His phone rang just then, "O'Neill... Sarah? Hi! Um..." He looked over at Sam for a moment, but his attention was drawn back the phone when the caller said something, "What? Are you okay?" There was a pause, and Sam watched the growing fear in the Colonels voice. "They said what!? Damn, okay, listen, does that big guy Joe still live next door? Good, I want you to go over there and stay there until I come get you. Don't go anywhere with anyone else. I'll be there in an hour." His eyes looked up at Sam's once more. "Bye."
"Sir?"
The Colonel was already headed for the door. "Some goons met Sarah on her back porch. They roughed her up a bit, slapped her around." The anger was growing in his voice, "One of them told her to 'give Jack O'Neill a special hello from the NID."
Sam gasped. It was obvious the NID had figured that the Colonel would still care about his ex-wife. They had wanted to pressure him into retiring for years now. This ploy might just succeed. She followed him into the Generals office.
"General, Sarah just got roughed up by some NID goons. I have to head over there. Now."
The General's eyes widened in shock, "Yes, of course. Go."
Sam spoke up "I'll go with you, sir. Daniel and Teal'c are off with *his* Sara."
"Good luck to both of you." The General ushered them out the door.
XXXXXXXXXX
Sam had thought she went fast on her motorcycle. The Colonel drove over 90mph the whole way. He was by no means out of control, however. Just another one of his hidden talents.
They arrived at the house Sam recognized from pictures she had seen of the Colonel and Charlie. O'Neill walked up to the neighbor's house and knocked.
A burly man opened the door a crack "Jack? Come in!" The man opened the door wide and allowed the two air force officers to enter his house. Sarah was sitting on the couch, looking for all the world like someone who had just gotten out of bed. A slight purple shine to the left of her eye was the only evidence of her encounter. The relief in her eyes was palpable when she saw Jack, who immediately moved to cradle her in his arms. They sat there for a moment before Jack spoke. "How are you?"
"Ok, now." She looked at her former husband "Who were they? Who is the NID?"
He thought for a moment before facing the other two in the room. "Joe, can we use your phone?"
"Sure, Jack."
"Thanks. Carter, call Hammond, tell him we're bringing Sarah back to the base."
"Yes sir."
"Sarah, lets get back to the house. Carter, I want you to provide overwatch from here after you call Hammond. Those goons might still be here. I've got my radio."
"Yes sir."
O'Neill led his ex-wife to her house. After checking to make sure nobody was there, he spoke to Sarah, "Listen, Sarah, those guys who picked on you work for an agency called the NID. It's kinda like the CIA, and they don't like me too much. I think it'd be best if you stayed on the base where I work for a few days, until we can figure out what we're going to do."
"But..."
The radio crackled, "Sir, your position has been compromised, a car just pulled up outside. Two men just stepped out."
"Copy." O'Neill looked out the window, and then met the two men at the door. "Can I help you?"
"Colonel O'Neill, if you'll please come with us."
"Uh, no thanks."
The man reached behind his back "Sir, you're coming, even if we have to *make* you come." He pulled a pistol out from behind him. The colonel reacted by drawing his own gun.
Sarah would forever remember the next events. Both guns went off at the same time. The NID man was thrown against the walkway, stuck in the chest by the Colonels shot. Jack flinched as the bullet missed him by mere inches and embedded itself in the living room wall.
Leveling his gun at the second man, Jacks voice was hard. "Get out."
The man wasn't arguing. Jack turned to his ex-wife and said "Pack enough for a week."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Colonel, she can't stay here forever." General Hammond looked at his subordinate. Sarah O'Neill had been staying in the VIP room for three days. After what had happened, Hammond couldn't refuse when O'Neill asked permission to tell his ex-wife WHY the NID didn't like him. As a result, Sarah O'Neill now knew that humans were not alone in the universe, and also knew that her former husband had quite literally saved the world more than once. It had been a lot to take in, but she was handling it as well as could be expected.
The attack on Sarah had obviously been intended to rattle the Colonel. They still didn't understand why the NID man had actually pulled a gun, however.
"Yes sir, I know, but what are we going to do to protect her? If the NID tried this once, they will try it again."
"Yes, Jack, I know." The Generals phone rang.
"Hammond."
"Sir, this is the guardhouse. The NID is here, they say they have a warrant for Colonel O'Neill's arrest."
XXXXXXXXXX
Jack knocked on the door to Sara's quarters and entered. She was sitting on her bed, reading a book.
"Jack! What's wrong?" Instantly happy to see him, she sobered when she saw his face.
"I have to leave, Sarah. Apparently that guy I killed at your house was the son of some senator. The NID is here to arrest me."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm leaving."
"To where?"
"Oh, you know, out there, second star to the right and straight on 'til morning type thing."
"You're leaving earth?"
"Yeah, for a while anyway."
"What about me? Do I go home?"
His face got sadder, if that were possible. "If you stay on earth, the NID is liable to try to get to me through you again. Even the Witness Protection Program couldn't hide you from them."
"Soooo...what?"
"You leave too."
"Through the... Stargate?"
"Yeah." She looked terrified. "Look, it's perfectly safe, I've done it thousands of times."
"No, it's not that, but where would I go?"
"Wherever we decide to go."
Something changed in her eyes "I could go with you?" Her voice had changed from sadness a moment earlier to something like tentative hope.
Smirking, he said "Sure. I can't wait 'till you meet Thor. But listen, we have to go, now. The NID guys are on their way down. Hammonds stalling them, so we can 'escape'. Let's go."
XXXXXXXX
They arrived in the Gateroom. To Jacks surprise, they found the gate already open, and the rest of SG-1 attired like the Colonel, in mission attire.
"Uh, guys, what are you doing?"
"We intend to come with you, O'Neill." Teal'c spoke.
"Teal'c, I'd be glad to have you with me, but you two," he said, turning to the two humans, "you still have a life here on Earth."
"Jack, I can come back for Sara later."
"And I can come back for Cassie."
Jack looked specifically at Sam. His voice was soft, "What about Pete?"
"I don't want *Pete*!" She gasped when she realized what she had said, in front of the Colonel's ex-wife, no less. There was an awkward pause, before the NID men entered the Gateroom and the decision was made. They took off up the ramp and disappeared through the Gate.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX