Chapter Three:

Decisions

They were standing on the other side of the hall, far away enough from Finnley to talk freely.

"Listen, Jack. I hope it's clear to you that we won't find a reality where none of us is existing, unless it's also controlled by the Goa'uld. We know this because we've tried to find one months before Apophis came here." the alternate Jack explained.

"Yeah, I see." Jack returned.

"The only thing we can do is to save our world. It's to late for this facility or us, but not for earth. So we'll be heroes, right ?" O'Neill said, sarcasm dripping off his voice.

"But Finnley... she can live in your world. She doesn't exist where you come from, does she ?" he added.

"No she doesn't. But... does that mean you wanna... stay here ?"

"Well, I don't want to... But I don't see any other option. Which does not mean I'm gonna leave this world to the snakes, you know ?!"

"Yep, I get it. Teal'c said something like that, too. Kill the God , then you get all of them. But how the hell are ya gonna do this ? I mean, two levels above is a whole jaffa army and we're only nine people - if you count your Daniel, too. But I don't think he's gonna be a great help in fighting anyone..."

"We'll blow this thing up. The whole mountain, Apophis, the snakes and ourselves. Your team will leave of course. We'll stay." O'Neill said with a serious voice.

"And Finnley should go with us, right ?" Jack inquired.

"She's got a chance in your universe but if she stays here, she'll die." his alternate self replied nodding.

"I'll take care of her... You have my word. She's a nice girl... a geek... but nice." Jack smiled.

"And don't tell her about all of this. She mustn't know..."

"Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"OK, thank you, man. This is really important for Sam and me... and Charlie." O'Neill said when he was about to return to the others. But Jack stopped him.

"Hey, wait a second."

"Huh ?" O'Neill turned around again and looked at Jack.

"What... what about Kawalsky ? Couldn't he join us, too ?" Jack questioned.

"Um... Don't you have a Charlie in your world ? I mean... you seem to know him..."

"Yeah, I do know him pretty good... but... well, he's gone. He died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks. But that's a long time ago... We're talkin' years here, so... Don't get me wrong, this is not because I want an alternate Kawalsky taking our Charlie's place but... He's got the same chance to survive as Finnley has. Shouldn't he get the same opportunity ?"

"You're right." O'Neill admitted.

"Moreover I get the impression that he's... very important to Finnley, isn't he ?" Jack asked while watching Charlie and Finnley talking and he was totally amazed by the way they cared about one another.

"Yeah, Charlie and Finnley... That's quite a story..." O'Neill remarked grinning.

"They seem to get along very well..." Jack added.

"Oh boy, you have absolutely no idea. This... this is even more than getting along . Never seen something like this before. Since day one, since they've met for the first time, they're like this... They have that... I dunno... connection or whatever. They're pretty close... No one but Charlie calls her Finn . Yeah, I'd say this is a deep, honest friendship, basing on confidence that - I believe - no one could ever tear apart. You may know that I normally don't use words like this and that I'm not superstitious or something... but believe me, these two are soul mates. One cannot breath without the other." O'Neill clarified the relationship between Charlie and Finnley.

"Ah... never known that Kawalsky was so... tender-hearted..."

"Maybe because you don't have a Finnley."

"Hmm... yeah... maybe... Jack ?"

"Huh ?"

"Just to get that straight... I take it you and... Samantha... you're a couple, well... engaged... or what was it ?" Jack asked sort of embarrassed and looked over to the two Samanthas.

"Married." O'Neill corrected him. Jack raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Yeah, married, alright. Um... isn't that against the regulations, I mean..."

"Actually yes. It is against the regs. But, jeez, where the love falls, you know. I was so sick of lying to myself every single day. I told the general what was goin' on and that I'd retire from active duty. But you know Hammond, don't ya ? He was like a father for all of us. So he talked to the president. And considering the fact that we'd saved earth more than once, he had meant that he would owe us a favour. And here we are..." O'Neill told Jack with a slight smile on his lips.

"It was that easy ?"

"Apparently. Jack, I know about your feelings for Sam..."

"You don't know anything..."

"Hey, we're actually the same person, remember ?"

"You got a point."

"You should do something before it's too late, ya know ? Life's to damn short to waste so much time in hoping, remaining silent, being afraid of things like love, ya know. No risk, no fun, Jack. That's the way it goes... In your place, I'd probably start with that grey hair..." O'Neill said sarcastically and put on an evil grin.

"Yep, maybe you're right... Not about the hair-thing. About the Sam-thing, just to get that straight. Cos I like my hair... Uhm... I... I think I should send Daniel and Teal'c a radio message. We'll need them to kick Apophis' ass, right ?!"

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"OK, guys, this is the plan..." O'Neill carried out his idea.

"We're gonna blow the SGC up... Let's fill this whole facility with C-4 explosive, every level, I mean completely. Everything. We have to be a hundred percent sure that there's nothing left of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. The number of victims on our side will be nearly zero cos most of the SGC personnel is already dead and we'll leave through the quantum mirror." he explained and glanced at Jack who understood and nodded.

"The explosion will be set off by time ignition. We'll meet at the quantum mirror in exactly two hours. Understood ?" O'Neill ordered. The others nodded.

"But, Colonel ? Where do we get so much C-4 ?" Sam wanted to know.

"Two corridors farther... We knew that a situation like this could happen... Immediate self-destruction would be the order..." O'Neill answered her question.

"Well, then I'm wondering why you didn't obey your orders." Jack mentioned.

"Finnley was still out there... And Charlie begged us not to do it until she'd have returned. He thought she could save us all. Right was he..." O'Neill said.

"Yeah... Whatever... Why don't we get the damn job done, we're running out of time, don't we ?" Jack mentioned impatiently.

"Yeah, you're right." O'Neill admitted.

"OK, Daniel and Teal'c you prepare sub level 20 to 24. As soon as you're ready, you search for our reality. Is that understood ?" Jack ordered.

"Yes, Colonel O'Neill." Teal'c said while Jack turned to Samantha and O'Neill.

"Carter and I, we're gonna crash sub levels 13 to 19." Jack looked at O'Neill again, then at Finnley and Charlie. Now he remembered what O'Neill had told him about the two of them and made a decision.

"As Well as Kawalsky." he added. O'Neill nodded. Jack wanted to make sure that Charlie would survive. For Finnley.

"So there's the embarkation room left. No problemo. Sam and I, we'll get it done." O'Neill grinned.

"Hey guys, what about me ? I mean..." Finnley asked a bit irritated.

"Um... Finnley, Sam and me, well, we think that you should stay here. I mean, this is far too dangerous and we don't wanna lose you, you know. By the way, someone should stay to take care of Daniel." O'Neill said quietly.

"And... Finnley... if something happens to us... you have to promise me something..." Samantha started speaking.

"No..."

"Yes, Finnley. You'll leave without us, is that clear ?" Samantha added.

"I could never leave you behind. You're my family..." she whispered swallowing. But Jack gripped her shoulders and looked at her in a sad but still serious way.

"Finnley, you gotta promise ! Promise me ! I'll make it an order if you don't !" Jack felt that his voice was about to break. He really had to control himself but it was not easy. There was his wife, his best friend and this girl who was like his own daughter to him. And he had to tell her that everything she had ever known would soon be gone forever.

"I'm not with the air force, Jack."

"But you're a member of my team and I'm your commanding officer. And you have to obey my orders." he yelled at her.

"OK... I promise... Sir." she answered whispering.

"Good girl." he replied and embraced her as if it was a goodbye.

And there was Samantha. Her sister. Since their parents' death, Finnley's and Samantha's relationship had become much closer and Finnley could not imagine losing her, too.

She finally turned to Charlie. There was no way to explain the feelings she had in this moment of goodbye. Charlie had become her closest friend during the past 15 months and she could not even think of being without him.

"C'mere." he said and Finnley walked straight into his arms.

"You make sure you return, Charlie..." she begged him and tried to look unafraid. But she should have known better. It was actually not even worth trying to hide her emotions and fears from Charlie. He knew her better than anyone else. He even knew her better than she knew herself. And right now, he felt that she was afraid of losing him.

"Yeah. Will do, Finn, will do. And after blowing up the snakes' asses, we're gonna have a big party, right ?" he smiled at her jokingly.

"Listen, when I'm ready to leave I'm gonna get ya here, OK ? So wait for me, don't go anywhere without me... Unless I shouldn't make it... Then you'll have to go and save you own ass." he ordered, holding her head in his hands. Now he wasn't funny anymore. He wasn't joking. He was totally serious. Although it almost killed her, Finnley nodded.

"OK." she returned shortly.

To Be Continued...