Title: You Only Live Twice
Author: Rae F. Scott
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Season 1/3/4; "Children Of The Gods", "The Enemy Within", "There But For The Grace Of God", "Point Of View", "Divide And Conquer"
Genre: AU/Character Death, R, D, Ad, Angst
Summary: Young Finnley J. Carter's reality has been assumed by the Goa´uld. She escapes through the quantum mirror to get help from our universe. But will she and her SG-team make it to another reality ? Is that even possible ? What about Kawalsky who seems to be pretty close to Sam's AU sister ? And how does the stoy continue after Finnley started a new life in our universe ? As a full member of SG-1 and an AF lieutenant, she makes a confusing journey back in time to meet an old friend...
A/N: Two years ago I wrote this story in German because my English wasn't good enough I think.. Now I got crazy about the idea to have Kawalsky playing a special role in it since I've met Jay Acovone, and so I had to change the story line a bit. Moreover, I added some chapters that did not exist before.
If there are any grammar or spelling mistakes in the story - I'm sorry, I'm just trying to put something down in English here...
In the second chapter, there are the alternate versions of Sam and Jack appearing. To avoid any confusion, I named them O'Neill and Samantha, our versions of them are named Sam and Jack.
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 or any of these characters, nor do I owe the songs used in this fanfiction.
Chapter One:
There's No Place Like Home
She crouched in the corner of a small room, somewhere on the lower levels of the Stargate center. This must have been the place where they collected all the alien technologies and the stuff from these many different planets.
Sweat was dripping off her forehead. It has not been five minutes since she had been able to escape from the two jaffa who had caught her. She had been running across the Stargate center, searching for any safe place. But after a while, she had had to realize, that there was no safe place in a world which had just been assumed by the Goa´uld. The dark room she was sitting in gave her the chance to get a little rest. She was sitting behind the door, leaning against the cold wall and thinking about where to hide next, how to defend herself and in the first place how to save the rest of SG-1. This world was through, no doubt. But still she wanted to save her friends. Maybe to another planet, somewhere the Goa´uld have never been. The Stargate. How she wished to go through right in that moment. It was such a beautiful but yet so deadly creation. But still, she loved it. The silvery-grey ring with the smooth liquid surface. Whenever she stepped through, she felt like flying.
Freedom. Zero gravity. Cold. Endless. Weightless.
She breathed heavily. A sudden attack of tiredness came over her when she took a look around the room. And then she discovered that it was also full of weapon technology, for example zat guns and staff weapons. But there was something else. It was dark and at first she could not see what it was. But when she approached the object, she was able to recognise the outlines of the quantum mirror. The mirror that was able to take her to any possible alternate reality. That would be her chance. Her only chance to get out of here. Her strained eyes searched the darkness for the dialling device. But when she finally held it in her trembling hands, she heard the heavy steps of two jaffa coming closer and closer. There was no more time to think. She activated the mirror and seeked a reality which seemed to be peaceful or at least not controlled by the Goa´uld, as suddenly the door opened and the two jaffa were standing behind her. She turned around quickly and pointed a zat gun towards her enemies.
"Na'noweia si'taia ! Rin'tel'noc !" she shouted. Her knowledge of Goa´uld language was limited but it still was enough to irritate the jaffa and to use this moment of confusion to shoot them.
Afterwards she turned to the mirror again, touched it and without even realizing the journey, she found herself being in an alternate reality. She turned off the dialling device so no one could follow her although she knew it was a risk because it could take hours, even days to find her reality again. That was what Daniel had told her once. But she had to do it.
She looked around. The room looked exactly the same as the one she had just left. She quietly sneaked to the door, trying to hear any signs of Goa´uld being in this reality. But there was nothing so she had to take it that this world was safe. After hiding the dialling device and leaving her zat gun behind, she slowly opened the heavy door made of steel.
"Damn ! I did it !" she told herself with a breath of relief as two officers realized the young woman walking through the corridor.
Just a second later, she found herself standing in front of the officers who were pointing their guns at her.
"Hey, Miss, who are you ? And how did you get into this facility ?" one of the officers asked her with a tough voice.
"Don't shoot ! I'm unarmed and I'm not an enemy, I'm human. The mirror... I came through the quantum mirror." she tried to explain. Suddenly, one of them looked at her clothes and put on a confused look.
"Wades ?" he murmured letting down his weapon.
"Darren, what are ya doin' ?" Wades answered, still pointing his gun at her.
"She's wearing an SG uniform..." Darren mentioned.
"Please identify, Miss !" Wades ordered, walking over to her.
"Carter, Finnley Jade... SG-1, Sir. And now, take me to General Hammond, please."
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"Alright, I think that's it for the moment. Dismissed." Hammond closed the meeting. Jack got up and stretched himself with enjoyment.
"Finally ! Holiday ! And I deserve it, definitely. I really start thinkin' that my hair's gettin' even greyer than it already is..." he murmured grinning. But just as he wanted to leave the room, Sergeant Darren entered, looking nervous.
"General Hammond, I think there is something you should see... as well as SG-1." he explained while looking at the general first, then at the others. Jack did not like this.
"Oh for cryin' out loud, are you sure this can't wait until... later ??? Maybe next week or so ?" Jack asked grumpy. But Darren seemed to be serious.
"No, definitely not, Sir !" he answered.
"Alright, so what's wrong ?" the general finally gave way.
"In your office, Sir... Follow me." the young officer returned and left the room, General Hammond and SG-1 following him.
A young woman was waiting for him, not older than 19. Long, black hair, small and slight. Her clothes were dirty, blood was dripping out of a wound on her forehead. On her left shoulder, her T-shirt was torn up so you could see another gaping wound.
"Who is this, sergeant ?" Hammond asked a bit surprised.
"Well, Sir, she says her name's Finnley Carter... and... she claims to be a member of your team, Colonel O'Neill." Darren explained the situation.
"She does ?" Jack was wondering. Darren nodded.
"She told us something about... coming through a mirror." the sergeant went on.
"The quantum mirror ?" Sam questioned.
"Yes, I think that's what she said." Darren confirmed.
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She got up from her chair when General Hammond entered his office to show him respect. She wanted to make a good impression although she was hurt bad, did not look very good and felt tired and weak.
"Please sit down, Miss." Hammond ordered before he sat down himself.
"Thank you for... listening to me, General Hammond, Sir." Finnley said with a shy voice.
"Not at all, Miss. But let's get to the point. What is your name, where do you come from and how did you get into this facility ?" he wanted to know.
"Alright, here I go again: My name's Finnley Jade Carter and I'm a member of the SG-1 team - at least in my reality." she tried to explain.
"What do you mean by your reality ?" Hammond inquired. Finnley took a deep breath. She knew that this was the general's job and that he had to ask her all of this but it was tiring her out. She hardly could keep her eyes open.
"I'm coming from an alternate reality which has just been assumed by the Goa´uld. They had caught me but I was able to escape. I... I don't remember that much... I only remember... running... hiding... then I found the mirror. I thought this could be a way out of there." Hammond nodded.
"How old are you, Miss Carter ?" he asked.
"19, Sir."
"Aren't you a little bit too young to be an AF officer ?"
"I'm actually no Air Force officer. But a year ago, my father and my brother had died in a plane crash. I'd had no one but Sam. And it had been her idea... I mean... me being part of this... whole thing. You gotta know they think I'm kinda... genius. OK, I speak some ancient languages, including Goa´uld and... Sometimes I can help Daniel with his translations or Sam with her researches... I learned a lot about weapons and alien technologies and I learned how to fight..." she told him and pushed her dark hair back from her face.
"How are you related to Samantha Carter ?" Hammond went on asking her questions.
"She's my sister."
"And Jack O'Neill ?"
"Well, they're married."
Hammond swallowed. Although this had happened two times before, it was always a bit surprising him to hear that Jack and Sam were married - again.
"Alright, Miss Carter. I don't think that there's any reason why you shouldn't tell us the truth. But I hope you understand that I had to ask you about all these things." Finnley nodded.
"Um... General.... I take it I'm not existing in this universe..."
"No, you're not. I'm sorry."
"Oh, no. it's OK, you don't have to be sorry. I mean, it's good if there's no Finnley existing here...
That means I can stay here longer than 48 hours without dying." she returned, trying to smile.
"However, I'm gonna talk to my superiors about your stay here. In the meantime, you should get your wounds dressed by Dr. Fraiser."
"Yes, Sir." she said nodding and left the office.
She closed the door behind her and was about to be brought to the infirmary by Sergeant Darren, when she suddenly took a look to the right and stopped. She swallowed.
"Um... Sergeant... Just... give it a minute..." she murmured staring at these people who should actually know her very well. She was almost paralysed, not able to move or to say anything.
"Hey, you OK ?" Jack interrupted the silence.
"What ? Um... yeah... it's just... Hi, Sam, Jack... Daniel, Teal'c..." she stuttered.
"And... you are ?" Jack inquired with sarcasm dripping off his voice.
"Finn... Finnley Carter," she answered with a moment of hesitation, "I'm sorry, I just forgot that you actually don't know me. Nice... hair colour... Jack... it's... grey... It's totally you... " she said and now she really had to behave. It was funny to see him with the grey hair. In her reality, it was still dark brown and her Jack somehow looked younger.
"Yeah, it's grey... Cos I get too few holidays cos you just arrived, ya know ?!" he returned grumpy.
"Um... should we know you then ?" Sam asked confused while looking at Jack and Finnley alternately.
"We're sisters where I come from. You two... you are my family." she said swallowing again.
"Carter ? Did I miss anything, huh ?!" Jack asked sarcastically.
"I have no idea, Sir..." Sam answered.
"Oh really..." Finnley and Jack murmured simultaneously. Then she saw Teal'c standing behind Daniel. Memories crossed her mind. Sad ones. He was dead. Actually. But here, he lived. Her eyes lit up and she put on a broad smile.
"Teal'c !" She walked over to him and gave him a warm hug as if she had not seen him in years. He raised an eyebrow and took a look at Jack who could not hide signs of laughter.
"So good to see you ! They killed you, they killed you and I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you. I couldn't do anything, I'm so sorry !" she sobbed, almost panic-stricken.
"I cannot remember being killed." Teal'c said quite irritated and Finnley took a few steps back.
"Um... yeah... sorry. I already forgot again..." she apologised.
"Let me guess... quantum mirror ?" Daniel interfered. Finnley nodded.
"God bless you Daniel ! If you hadn't found that thing on P3X233, I'd still be caught in a world which is controlled by the Goa´uld."
"Alright, this is... the alternate... universe... whatever thing, right ?" Jack supposed.
"Yeah, well, that sounds logical to me." Sam confirmed while Finnley wiped away the blood which was still dripping out of the wound on her head.
"I see." Teal'c added.
"You should go and see Doc Fraiser. Your injuries look... horrible. And don't take this too personal but... you look like crap. Maybe ya should get some rest, too." Jack mentioned.
"Um... yeah. I actually feel like crap. Haven't slept since... two days I think." Finnley's voice sounded tired and none of them could imagine what she had gone through.
"Sergeant, would you please take her to the infirmary." Jack ordered.
"Yes, Sir."
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"Looks bad." Janet Fraiser said while taking a look at Finnley's injuries.
"Nah, it's not that bad. Could be worse. One of these snakeheads brushed me with his damn staff weapon when I was on the run. I was lucky." she told Janet who was looking at her with amazement.
There was this smart girl looking so much like Sam, but talking like Jack. That was confusing but somehow funny, too.
"Well, it's gonna heal, though. But I'm still wondering how you could get so far with that injury." Fraiser mentioned.
"Well, I didn't say it was pure fun, Doc. I bumped into some jaffa all the time, searching for a place to hide," Finnley explained, "and don't think this wouldn't hurt... It does. I just kept my mouth shut. I'm not a ´lil kid anymore. ... But... Ya know what ? I'm here right now, am I ? I made it... somehow..." she added yawning. Janet nodded.
"I think you should stay here for a couple of days until your wounds are healed over. And you obviously need some rest. Get some sleep." Fraiser finally said.
There was so much Finnley had to think about. How to save her world, her friends, her family. But all of this became unimportant. She was too tired to think about anything. She did not even realize that she fell asleep.
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"I spoke to the president and he thinks she deserves a chance and that she should be allowed to stay here. I believe she told us the truth, too. I can't find any other explanation for her turning up here than the quantum mirror. I do not doubt that. By the way, Dr. Fraiser just confirmed, that she is human and the DNA tests prove that she must be a close relative of Major Carter. And as there is no Finnley Carter existing in this reality, her life isn't in danger here." General Hammond told SG-1 the odds.
"Um, Sir, I guess she'll be... in the team, right ?" Jack inquired.
"We're not sure about that yet. We don't know much from her and we don't know if she'd be an advantage for SG-1." Hammond answered.
"But wasn't she a member of the team in her reality ?" Sam mentioned.
"Yeah, and with all due respect, Sir, she survived this whole Goa'uld-invasion-thing. She's just a girl but obviously she seems to be familiar with weapons and she was able to escape from an invaded SGC - on her own. If you'd ask me, she'll become a member of my team." Jack added.
"If she's up to the demands, she'll be in the team. That's basically it for the moment. The meeting is closed, dismissed."
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Jack left the room together with Sam. Both of them seemed to be confused because something completely new was coming up to them. A person they did not know but who knew them very well. That was strange.
"Uhm, Carter ? Ya think we should go and look after her ? I mean... ya know..." Jack asked nervously.
"Sure. Maybe she needs something... familiar... Her family..." Sam said nodding.
"My God ! Two Carters under my command... That means we're the smartest team on earth... and every other planet." he joked when they were entering Finnley's room. Sam had to smile. This girl really reminded her of herself when she had been younger.
"Hey... Finnley... how ya doin' ?" she wanted to know.
"Well... I'm OK. Just a little tired. But it feels weird... I mean to be here. To see you all again." she returned.
"Yep. And you'll be glad to hear that you can stay here." Jack added grinning.
"Here at the Stargate Center ?" Finnley inquired.
"Yep." Jack confirmed but Finnley only smiled slightly and stared into nothing. She was somewhere else with her thoughts.
"What ? Don't wanna stay here with us, do you ?" Jack shook Finnley out of her thoughts.
"Huh ? Oh... no... don't get me wrong, I believe you it would be fun staying here and... well, maybe... live." she returned frantically.
"Yeah, I see you're freakin' out..." Jack murmured back.
"Excuse me, but my family and friends are still out there, "she interrupted him, "and I actually didn't come here to stay, I came here to get some help and because these damn snakies were after me. There was no other way out. I didn't have any choice. You misunderstood me if you think I was seeking asylum. I cannot let them die as long as there's a chance to save 'em. I won't allow the Goa´uld to destroy my world, so I have to go back."
"You wanna go back to... where ? Your reality ?" Sam inquired kind of shocked. Finnley nodded.
They could see it in her eyes: She was serious about that - about saving the people that she loved. But then Sam shook her head.
"Um... Finnley, I don't think this is possible. You say the Goa´uld assumed your world or at least the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. OK, maybe O'Neill and Carter are still alive but that'd mean we couldn't join you and by the way... I don't think that General Hammond will permit this..." she added.
"Alright... It seems you don't take me for serious, do you ? First of all... If you don't want to, you don't have to join me. But I need something like... medication because my Daniel is hurt pretty bad and we need something to ease his pain. Weapons would be a nice thing to have and perhaps some food. Secondly, it's not Hammond's family dying out there, nor is it his reality or his life we're talkin' about, right ?" this was a rhetorical question.
"But..." Sam started but she was quickly interrupted by Finnley again.
"No Sam, dammit ! it's none of his fuckin' business, for cryin' out loud !"
Silence filled the room and they were staring at each other for a short while. Then, Finnley took a deep breath.
"Look, you got nothin' to lose, but I have. What would you do in my place ? And... anyways... I don't really belong here... I mean, you don't even know me... And even if this is very close to my reality... There's no place like home, right ?" she tried to convince them. Jack looked at her for a second and nodded.
"Good point..."
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They had just left Finnley's room and obviously, Jack was on the way to Hammond. He wanted to do this. Saving her reality. Sam followed him.
"Sir ?" she shouted. He turned around and was now face to face with her.
"Carter ?"
"With all due respect, Sir, but you won't let her go, will you ?" she asked worried. Jack took a deep breath.
"As she said, it's not my decision. Nor is it yours or Hammond's. It is her life, they're her people, God, Carter, her family ! D'you really expect her to leave them behind ? Probably dying in a world full of Goa´uld ? She is... how old ? 19 ? She needs her family. Her friends. Her... godforsaken reality. For some reason, I like that girl, and I won't let her down." he tried to make her see the situation from a different point of view.
"She can't do it on her own, can she ?" Sam remarked. Jack shook his head.
"I don't think so. It worked once but she's hurt. And she's just one girl against an army of jaffa. So... what about a nice adventure trip to an alternate universe. Save flight with quantum mirror airlines...?" he joked. Sam nodded.
"Alright... let's go and get the damn permission..."