Realities Apart

By Sam I Am – PG-13 (can't honestly be any more than that)

Warnings: Sam/Jack (that's a warning for anyone who don't like that)

Category: Sam/Jack Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, AU fic, friendship and a little bit of SG-1 Humour thrown in for good measure. (If there's anything I missed out someone tell me!)

Spoilers: Bits and Bobs from Seasons 1-4!

Time frame: Sometime during Season 4, after 'Divide and Conquer' (I think!)

Summary: While one world is being enslaved, another carries on as usual until one particular person travels through the Quantum mirror to give Sam and Jack a big surprise!

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime / Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. No money is being made. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission. If you want to archive my story TELL ME, or, to borrow a phrase from our beloved Colonel, I am SO gonna kick your ass!

Author's Notes: The fan fic I ever began! Sat on a coach two years ago, scribbling in my rough/note book as we were on the way to France, my Best Pal/Editor helping me write. Ah Memories!

Dedications: To my Best pal/Editor. This story is truly dedicated to you, Hannah! Also to all you S/J fans, especially Carter13 and Fran! You're great for a chat!

The First I ever began... Realities Apart!

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Part Three

Sam watched with a sort of dizzy feeling as the two Jack O'Neills stared levelly at each other, one in a wheel chair, one geared up and ready to go to the other's reality with the main purpose to make the place safe so that she and her husband could go back home with their small daughter. That was the situation. The strange situation that was occurring whilst the three of them awaited the arrival of their General Hammond and the other three members of their SG-1.

The motive for what they were doing, Sam was unsure of. She understood that she and Jack, and therefore their counterparts, had an endless capacity to help those in trouble. She'd become a doctor just for that purpose and Major Carter had joined the air force to do the same. What Sam couldn't understand was why they were risking their lives for them? From their point of view, surely their reality was the only one that mattered?

After a second, the other Jack spoke, "I'll do whatever I can, but... I can't promise you that everyone will be safe and without a scratch back there," he tipped his head towards the mirror stood in the corner.

Her husband spoke as he stared up at the other him from the wheelchair, "We know that."

"Good," the other Jack replied as he pulled a hand through his greying hair awkwardly in a familiar motion.

After a second, Sam spoke, fiddling with the end of her golden plait, "Why... Why are you doing this for us? Why do you even care what happens to our reality? I mean... to you, we don't exist right?"

He looked at her with dark eyes in an expression her Jack had never shown her. It was one of sorrowful want. His eyes travelled over her briefly before his eyes had to look away. She glanced at her husband who glanced back looking irritated, sympathetic and confused before he said, "Sam's right. I know you... uh... me. And I wouldn't do this for you. I know you wouldn't just do this for me either."

He looked up a slight anger in his eyes as he muttered, "I'm not doing this for you."

"Then why?" Her Jack spoke in an irritating tone that Sam knew would infuriate her if it had been aimed in her direction as it had been on the odd occasion!

Colonel O'Neill gritted his teeth and then glanced up at her again. His eyes met hers as he whispered, "I'm doing this for me."

"How can this be for you?"

He looked back at her husband as he said and growled in an angry embarrassment, "Because I love her! Because I love both of them! I love them more than anything!" He looked back up at Sam and she felt her heart slowly breaking for him, the man who was so similar to her husband and yet had not had a second chance at a happy existence.

Her husband blinked obviously a bit dumbstruck as the Colonel continued, no longer fierce, but strangely vulnerable, "God, I spent a day with her and... and I fell in love with the munchkin, OK! I hate that at the end of all this me and Carter are gonna be the ones who miss out! I mean..." He sighed and firmly made sure his eyes were averted from her, "You have the perfect life. You have Carter and you have Hannah. What've I got? A lonely cabin in the middle of the wildness next to a lake without a single goddamn fish in it." He closed his eyes for a second before he opened them and fixed them on her husband, "What I wouldn't give to have them in my life. To actually be able to hold Sam or take Hannah to the park, I'd sell my soul for that. You're lucky, but you have a problem. So I'm going through that goddamn mirror to fix it because I want Hannah to grow up in a safe world, in a place where she's surrounded by family and love. A place where I know she'll be better off than she is here so I won't spend every second of my day regretting, maybe even thinking she would've been better off with me looking after her."

They were both rather amazed by the man's words. Sam certainly had had no idea he felt so strongly about her daughter, but then again in a strange way she was his daughter as well. He spoke slowly, his jaw gritted as he stared at the grey painted concrete floor, "And I know that if you get stuck here, eventually... she's gonna die..." His eyes rose to Jack and he stared at him, "And I don't think either of us could go through losing a child again."

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The minute Sam stepped into the room she'd just walked in on an awkward situation. Both the Colonel and the Jack from the alternate reality were staring at each other as Dr. O'Neill took a step forward. She glanced at her husband in the wheelchair and then turned to the Colonel, speaking with a sincere care in her eyes, "Although Jack doesn't sound very grateful for what you're doing for us, I promise he is."

She cleared her throat and all the people stood in the room turned to look at her. She gave her Jack a small smile. Since yesterday she'd done two things. The first had been almost avoiding Jack and the second had been talking to Hammond. Both things had been hard on her, but she now knew how she was going to get over her mental anguish...

She spoke quietly, her voice weaker than usual, "The General and the others are on their way, Sir."

He smiled gently, "Good. You ready for a little adventure, Carter?"

She felt a smile of her own come onto her lips. Jack had known how to cheer her up within a second. He knew how much she loved a challenge, "Of course I am. The question is are you?"

He laughed slightly and Sam blushed as she felt the married couples' eyes watching them knowingly. She cleared her throat, "Did you pick up that communication technology for me?"

The Colonel nodded and jerked his head towards the heavy looking box with the rest of the supplies. He spoke with a tiny smile, "Siler told me to 'Tell Major Carter that if she lets one more of my babies get blown up I'll programme all MALPs to raid her lab and destroy as much technology as they can find!' In fact, he seems pretty annoyed with you, Carter!"

Sam shook her head fondly at Siler's message, "I'll try to keep this piece of technology safe..." Everyone in the room, including General Hammond, Teal'c, Daniel, SG-3 and SG-7 who had all just entered, all gave her a disbelieving look. She looked around at her friends, "Honestly! Do you guys think I can't look after anything at all?" More looks. Sam just scowled and mumbled something about checking her weapon before striding over to their equipment.

Jack gave a fond chuckle before he cleared his throat and wheeled his wheelchair back slightly, "I wish you guys the best of luck and I want to thank you for what you're doing."

Daniel smiled and nodded slightly, "No problem."

Dr. O'Neill sighed slightly as she looked at him before her husband said quietly, "We're gonna miss you, Danny Boy."

The archaeologist just nodded sadly as Major Crane spoke up, "SG-3 are ready to move out, Sir," he turned to Major Rowland, leader of SG-7, "Your rabble ready, Henry?"

Rowland glanced over his team and then nodded, turning to Colonel O'Neill, "Ready on your order, Colonel."

"General?"

General Hammond answered Jack's question, "You have a go, Colonel. God's Speed."

"Thank you, General." He looked over the group of airmen, his eyes picking out Carter immediately. She smiled reassuringly and he cleared his throat, "OK. SG-3, your task on this mission, as you know, is to try and hold the mirror room for as long as possible. However, Crane, I want all your men to get out of there alive. We can always retake that room later if needs be. Carter, you and Daniel are going to set up the communication device in the mirror room if possible. Otherwise, you will have to find another location, covered by SG-7. If SG-7 need back up, I want SG-3 to give 'em it. Crane, Rowland, I want radio contact at all times. There's a lot that could go wrong with this mission and so we need to know what's happening with the other teams."

Rowland spoke up, "Sir, I know you and Teal'c are going in search of the alternate Teal'c and any other prisoners, but surely you need some back up?"

"Me and Teal'c can cope fine on our own and it'll be easier for us two alone. We also plan to assassinate any Snakehead that may have shown up on the scene to steal the limelight, so stealth is our main priority. Not to mention that if the Jaffa destroy the communication device without us sending the message to the Asgard, we are going to be in trouble." Jack paused, "I can't emphasise enough how important it is that that message is sent. We can't take on an entire fleet of Jaffa and Gliders! Understood?"

A chorus of 'Yes Sir's erupted from the group as Jack gave a small smile before continuing, "If possible once you've set up the device I want SG-7, Carter and Daniel to go back through the mirror…"

"But Sir…"

Jack turned to Sam as she protested, "No Buts, Carter. It's an order!"

He turned back to the group, "If this isn't possible for any reason, I want you all to find yourselves a room and barricade yourselves in. Try and find a room with more than one exit. I need you all to avoid capture."

"Once me and Teal'c have assassinated the Goa'uld, or at least cause some disturbance, most of the Jaffa will come to protect their Gods, so that'll give you an opportunity to get the mirror ready and get through. If we don't make it back in time to get through the mirror, hide the remote in the room. We'll find a place when we get there."

Jack stopped briefly and then said, "OK, I think that's everything. Guess now we can go. The mirror set up on the right place?"

Dr. O'Neill spoke gently, "Yes, that's our reality."

"Alright then. Let's move out."

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Once through the mirror, Colonel O'Neill, Major Crane, Major Rowland and Teal'c checked to see if the coast was clear before closing both doors with a quiet hiss and clunk. When everyone was through the mirror, Jack nodded to Hammond on the other side and the mirror was shut down. He passed the remote to Daniel and muttered to him in an undertone, "If you are captured, make sure the Jaffa don't get it. Throw it on the floor, Hide it, I don't care, Just make sure they don't get it." Daniel nodded as Jack patted him on the shoulder, "Good Luck."

Carter who was staring down at one of her doodads gave a sigh and then said, "There's a very faint signal in here, not enough for us to know the message would be sent." She looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers as she explained, "The best way for me to do this would be to up a floor or two, Sir."

Jack nodded and turned to SG-7, "SG-7, go towards the elevator shaft. If it's operational I want you to go as far up in the building as you think is safe, but be aware of Jaffa." He wanted to add 'And make sure they don't hurt, Carter', but knew that if he did he'd be court marshalled before he knew it.

He looked around the room, at the large SGC crates and then rubbed his neck as he did when he was thinking. He spoke suddenly, "Change of plans. Crane, you and SG-3 hide the mirror behind these crates somewhere."

"And then what, Sir?"

Jack turned to them, obviously still thinking it through as he went, "Go down to the Cells. Chances are that's where the Jaffa keep any prisoners. Radio me when you get there. It might be a useful diversion if we need one. There's a Janitor's closet just of the corridor. Hide in there until I give you the order then I want you to shoot down any of the Serpent Guards and free the prisoners. If I'm asking for a diversion the chances are we're in a fire fight somewhere and I will tell you where. Go to the armoury on that level and then join us."

"Yes Sir," Crane said.

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It was too quiet and Daniel hated it when it was too quiet. The only noise was of Sam tinkering and adjusting the communications device. By his calculations, she'd been doing that for 35 minutes. Another 25 to go!

Daniel spoke in a whisper to Major Rowland, "You guys OK?"

"Shh!"

Daniel sat back down in a moping silence after the unanimous reply of his comrades.

Sam spoke quietly, almost to herself, "I think I might need twenty minutes tops then we can rendezvous with Teal'c and the Colonel..."

A staff blast narrowly missed Lieutenant Niven, the willowy woman shooting in the direction of the attack as Lieutenant Harris quickly slammed his hand on the button that lowered and locked the metal door the attack had been coming from as Daniel did the same for the door at the other side.

Major Rowland spoke to Niven, "How many, Fiona?"

The woman, who looked the least likely person in the world to be in the air force spoke in her uncharacteristically husky voice, "I'd say about 3, give or take, but I get the feeling that the party's only beginning, Sir."

An echoing bang on the metal door proved this!

Major Rowland moved over to Sam, "At the most, I'd say you have ten minutes, Major!"

"I might just make it, Sir," the astrophysicist said hurriedly moving wires around and tapping stuff into her laptop, "But it's unlikely! This would usually take another quarter of an hour!"

There was another explosion on the door as Captain Leahy spoke gruffly, "Tough luck, Major!"

Major Rowland turned to his team, "Leahy, Niven, guard that door! Harris, help me with this one! Dr. Jackson, I suggest you watch Carter's six if either of these doors open!"

Everyone nodded as Sam worked close to light speed, Daniel watching her hands speeding around in awe. How the hell did she know what she was doing?

The door that had been shot at a few times already began to rise, Captain Leahy immediately ducking to the floor. He began shooting at the legs of the Jaffa with his

90 as Niven joined him. After a second, Rowland glanced under the door narrowly missing a staff blast as he said to Niven, "I thought you said give or take 3! Not give or take 30!"

The female lieutenant flashed him a smile as she shot under the door again, "I like to keep you on your toes, Sir."

Daniel defended his friend as she said loudly, "Almost there! Just a couple more minutes!"

The door lifted another inch as Daniel spoke encouragingly, "Come on, Sam. You can do it!"

She pressed a button on the device and then moved back to the laptop, typing as fast as she could, "I'm sending the message to the Asguard."

Daniel watched over her shoulder as the Major formed words as quick as was physically possible for a human being! She hurriedly pressed the enter button and a box appeared telling her it was transferring, a bar slowly filling up.

She smiled at Daniel as he said, "You did it!"

She continued staring at the screen, "It's almost ther..."

A blast sped through the air as the door jolted open with a sickening metallic crash and a quiet cry of pain! Daniel looked at his companion. She lay on the floor, the staff weapon blast having struck her in the middle of her stomach! She was gasping from the blinding agony and bleeding quite badly from burnt wound which smoked slightly. A small bleep told them the message had been sent successfully but it was almost drowned out by the thuds of staff blasts and the stuttering of

90s.

Major Rowland glanced over his shoulder, "We need to retreat! Open the other door!"

Daniel did as he was ordered dodging a few shots and the door lifted open. He lifted up Sam feeling guilt over take him as he tried to hold her. He should've been protecting her, keeping an eye on her!

They all retreated out of the door and down the corridor, SG-7 shooting down the Jaffa that seemed to be increasing in number rather than the opposite. They suddenly turned and all sprinted a way down the corridor until they came to a junction for 6 or 7 different corridors. Captain Leahy spoke to Daniel, "Get the Major to safety! We'll draw them away from the mirror room! Then you can take her back through there ASAP!"

Daniel nodded and began running down one of the passages as SG-7 began to move down another, the Jaffa following them as they'd planned.

Daniel kept running, the weight of Sam in his arms get heavier by the second as she was getting paler and paler and Daniel knew in a second of heart-stopping clarity that she was going to die.

The sound of metallic footstep from both ends of the corridor made him panic. He looked around desperately like a fox being flamed out of its den. Sam's eyes opened slightly, dark blue with the pain and glazing over as death approached. He stared down at the woman, trying to tell her in a glance that he was never going to leave her. His eyes rose before she could give him the look which told him she was about to die and that she wanted him to save himself.

It was as his eyes rose, the clanging of metal shod feet reverberating louder and louder down the corridor, that he found himself stood before a door...

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Jack and Teal'c slunk across the corridor having been searching for the Goa'ulds' main chambers for quite some time now. They heard Jaffa approaching and shouting which they couldn't identify. Teal'c seized his comrade and dragged him into a shadowy area of a lab Jack recognised as Siler's. They hid behind one of the desks and peeked over the surface at the doorway.

The Jaffa began to march along the corner and Jack had to fight the urge to run out and attack them alone when he noticed who they were escorting. SG-7, all looking slightly worse for wear, covered in bruises and cuts, Lt. Niven with a wound on her shoulder from a glancing staff blast, and Daniel were being frogmarched along. The shouting was coming from Daniel, who at the top of his voice was shouting the same word over and over again much to this displeasure of the Jaffa that struck him once. Daniel, however, could not be silenced...

"SARCOPHAGUS! SARCOPHAGUS! SARCOPHAGUS! SARCOPHAGUS!"

The Jaffa dragged them past and around the corner. Jack turned to Teal'c frowning as he hissed, "What the...?"

Teal'c spoke his eyebrow rising, "I believe that Daniel Jackson has a good reason for bellowing 'Sarcophagus' whilst being seized by Serpent Guards."

"I'm glad someone does because I just think he's gone nuts!"

Teal'c gave him a disapproving look before they both moved out of their hiding place and back in the direction they'd been travelling.

It was along this stretch of corridor that they came to another sealed doorway. Jack moved to the buttons and opened it, his

90 aimed at the ready...

The room was empty, but it seemed they'd discovered the Goa'ulds' pad!

This room had, in fact, been the Mess hall at some point. All the tables and chairs had been shoved into one area of the large room and it appeared that one of the beds from the guest rooms had been shipped up here along with quite a lot of the usual Goa'uld furnishings. The usually plain, grey concrete and metal room had become some kind of 'Changing Rooms' makeover! Golden drapes, golden cushions, golden sheets, golden ornaments... One of the Mess Hall tables was covered in a banquet of fine foods, delicacies and wine, obviously none of which were from the SGC stock!

"Talk about Do it Yourself makeovers! From Grey to Goa'uld in two days!"

Teal'c frowned disapprovingly again, "This is no time to jest, O'Neill!"

He nodded, "You're right!" He sat on the edge of the bed with a small sigh, "Now we just have to wait for Carter! We can't contact her over radio as she's on the same frequency as SG-7…"

"O'Neill, how can you be certain she avoided capture?"

Jack gave him a look although it was obvious, "Because she wasn't being frogmarched towards the detainment cells by Jaffa!"

"Maybe she has been killed in battle."

Jack glared at Teal'c, but soon jumped up when the sound of Jaffa footsteps began approaching behind one of the doors leading to the room...

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Jack tried not to think of Teal'c as he crawled along the ventilation shaft. He looked through every grate he passed over, but so far had had no success in finding a Jaffa-free room.

He crawled along some more. So far he had managed to piss off two Goa'ulds, a building full of Jaffa plus Teal'c and he was so in for it!

He looked down again, his knees and back really beginning to complain. Nope. Still more Jaffa. He shuffled along in the claustrophobic tunnel trying to find SOMEWHERE he could hang out for a while until he could find out if ANY of the people he'd brought through the mirror had NOT been captured! By any people of course, he meant Carter!

"Finally," he breathed as he looked into an empty with a suspiciously-familiar box placed in the middle of it. The room was empty though and Jack thanked Snake-less gods for the chance to get out of this maze that seemed suspiciously like some experiment mouse labyrinth!

He moved the grate with a scraping metallic squeak before jumping out of the hole, landing in the room. He collapsed, his knee giving away immediately. He stifled his swearing and rubbed the offending joint with a glare of utter loathing before he hopped back to his feet, stepping gingerly on it to check he could walk. To his relief it was fine, he'd just twanged it that was all. He gave a soft sigh and took in his surroundings.

It looked like a plain storage room and Jack just prayed that the Sarcophagus, glinting gold in the pale light, was as unoccupied as this cupboard usually was!

He pulled his radio out of his pocket and spoke into it, "Crane? You still there?"

The radio buzzed for a second before a hushed reply followed, "Colonel! We were getting worried! We hadn't heard from you." Crane spoke slowly, "SG-7 were captured, Sir."

"I know," Jack replied, "Have they been brought down to the cells?"

"No Sir," Captain Evergreen continued, "I been keeping watch, Sir. They haven't been brought down here, but there's at least 40 SGC personnel locked in the cells and about 6 Jaffa guarding."

"Can you guys take them?"

"Pretty easily, but the problem is a lot more will come running quickly," Crane continued, "I was about to send Cohen and Worthing to grab some ammunition to give the prisoners when we free them, so we aren't totally out numbered."

Jack nodded, "OK, Major. If you Guys can make it, the Goa'ulds' Lair is where the Mess Hall was. Teal'c got… left in there and there were Jaffa coming in there so I'm guessing that they were returning. If you get to this floor radio me."

"Yes Sir." The Major paused, "Good Luck Sir."

The radio transmission ended and Jack sighed slightly, "This mission is going SO badly! I'm gonna KILL that… other me…!"

Jack jumped when suddenly the Sarcophagus lid began to open. He spun around his gun pointed at it, knowing Sod's law had yet again prevailed over him. He got ready to shoot the Goa'uld to emerge out of it but was surprised by the unlikely figure that rose from it instead.

He spoke softly, limping towards her cautiously as she slowly stepped from the Sarcophagus shaking, "Carter?"

There was a huge hole in her BDUs at the front which looked definitely like a staff blast, but her skin beneath the hole was perfectly healed. He glanced at her then turned to the door, opening it and glancing out into the corridor to check the Jaffa hadn't located him yet.

He then turned back to Sam. She was shaking worse now and looked confused and lost. In her hands she held the remote for the mirror. He instinctively stepped closer again as she whispered tremblingly, in a scared tone, "I thought I was going to die."

He pulled his arms round her gently as he murmured, "What hap...?"

"I don't know..." She stopped speaking suddenly and then spoke quietly, "I was guarding the mirror with Daniel and SG-7 like you said... We were attacked... We'd only been there 45 minutes when they found us..." She continued in a hushed voice as she began to recollect what happened, "We split up... SG-7 were captured... Daniel... Daniel! H-He picked me up... I was shot and... and... We reached this room... the Jaffa were coming... He put me in the Sarcophagus... told me it was going to be OK..." She gulped slightly before she whispered, "I was in so much pain. The lid shut and... I remember the Jaffa were yelling something about 'only one'."

Jack nodded slightly, everything sliding into place, "They got Daniel. He was being dragged down the corridor. He kept yelling, 'Sarcophagus!' I thought he'd gone mad!"

Sam let out a shuddery sigh, looking very pale as she whispered, "They thought I split up with Daniel." She spoke quietly, looking around confused, "Where's Teal'c?"

A small smile came to her CO's face as he took the mirror remote from her and placed it in his jacket pocket, "He's doing a little... surveillance...!"

Sam spoke quietly, "Jack…?"

He looked up at her as she stared at him, obviously wanting to say something. After a couple more seconds, he prompted, "What?"

"Earlier, back at the SGC when you told me and Daniel to leave through the mirror once we'd finished…"

Jack interrupted, scuffing his shoe on the shiny concrete floor which had suddenly become enthralling, "Oh… that!"

"Why? Me and Daniel would've been a hell of a lot more useful in taking out Jaffa…"

Jack stared at her again, looking in her eyes as he said truthfully, "Sam, I know that at this particular moment in time, you are not on top form. You haven't slept properly for God knows how long and I'm surprised you can even think with all that's happened to you recently."

Sam felt tears in her eyes as she whispered hurt, "You doubt my capabilities? Is that it?"

Jack took a step closer, his hand reaching up to push a strand of hair from her eyes, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was that if I'd made you stay, even when the Doc had reluctantly let you come on this mission, and you'd got hurt, it would be my fault. And right now…" His voice trailed away as his eye line dropped for a second to the hole in her uniform. He looked up again, his eyes full of care, "Right now I care for you too much to see you get hurt. Christ I know it's probably selfish of me and that it's the most obvious way for me to get Court Marshalled, but I considered leaving you at home for this mission."

"Why didn't you?" Sam whispered gently.

"Because you're her mom."

Sam blinked at him shocked, but understood what he meant. His soulful eyes made the tears in her eyes swell and one dribble down her cheek. Slowly he leant in and kissed her softly…

"Colonel? Are we glad to see you, Sir!"

Jack jumped away from his 2IC like a cat with its tail on fire. He turned to see 7 Serpent guards stood in the open doorway. Jack frowned as the helmets came down. His frown deepened in surprise as their faces became visible, "Siler! Davis!"

The two Gate technicians were the first he noticed. There was also an assortment of airmen. An orderly and a nurse, one of the Mess hall Staff, a couple of soldiers Jack had never seen before...

They all looked at him and then at Sam. Suddenly everyone was frowning confused! Siler spoke, "Dr. O'Neill! What... Your hair... Your uniform... You have a gun?"

Sam cleared her throat blushing, "I'm not Dr. O'Neill."

"And I'm not Colonel O'Neill," Jack continued flippantly, "Well I am. Just not YOUR Colonel O'Neill..." He paused slightly embarrassed by the expressions of 'What?' on the SGC Jaffas' faces, "We're here to rescue you!"

Siler pulled an expression and then his lips shaped an 'oh' shape, "I wondered who'd botched the mirror! They made it through! Are they OK?"

Jack nodded with a small smile, "A little worse for wear, but... OK."

"And Hannah?" asked the nurse, who he'd only seen once or twice around the base at home. She spoke almost desperately, which surprised him.

Jack nodded gently, "She's fine. They got her through the mirror before it was broken and they had to fix it and come through themselves."

She grinned, her eyes filling with tears as she whispered, "Thank the lord! I prayed the little monster would be safe!"

Siler spoke with a soft smile, "Yeah, it was Lauren who brought her into the world. First baby at the SGC. Everyone was so happy fo..." He stopped speaking and then blushed when he noticed the look on Jack and Sam's faces before he glanced at Sam's uniform. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "I guess... Major and Colonel...?"

Sam nodded, jaw gritted, and Jack realised the current conversation was seriously uncomfortable. After a second, she spoke, "We came here with two teams plus me, the Colonel and Daniel on the request of the other us. We're here to assassinate Hathor and Heru'ur and then we... I just remembered!"

"What is it, Carter?"

She spoke to Jack with a minute smile, "I managed to send the Asguard before we were attacked. I know that they'll come to destroy the Goa'uld."

Jack grinned and resisted the urge to hug her, "But you said you were ambushed within 45 minutes!" He poked her in the arm with a half laugh, "You said it would take at least an hour to set the thing up!"

She smiled almost sadly thinking of the main reason they were doing this, for that bubbly, blonde-haired child who hadn't stopped possessing her every thought since they'd met her, "This time I think I was sufficiently motivated!"

Jack's smile faded and then he turned back to Davis, "Walter, anymore of you 'sheep-in-wolves'-clothing' in the SGC?"

Davis nodded, "There's 21 of us. There were over 90 that stayed behind, Sir." He glanced around him sadly before he murmured, "Some didn't want to leave Earth, wanted to stand up and fight. Some of us decided we'd be more useful here where we could at least try and do something. 17 died the first day, fighting in the Gate room." He gave a small sigh as he murmured, "Sir, General Hammond went down with all of SGs 2, 9, 17 and 23 defending the Gate when the Jaffa finally broke through all the barriers."

Jack blinked feeling a pang of pain before realising that they weren't talking about his Hammond. Siler continued where Davis left off, "36 airmen, probably more, were captured and are being held in the cellblock…"

"I know," Jack interrupted, "We came through with our SG-3 and SG-7. SG-7 have been captured, but SG-3 were hiding in a room near there. They're going to set the guys down there loose any minute…"

"That's great!" Davis said with a small smile.

Siler continued, "SG-6 and SG-21 managed to escape and joined us, but SG-21 died trying to get out to the surface. They wanted to find a way to get the whole world to fight, though we have no idea if they are or not. It was crazy! We told them to stay here, but they all had wives and kids out there, Sir."

"It wasn't your fault, Siler," Jack said patting the man on the shoulder and wincing from the metal of the suit. He spoke quietly, "But you guys have to help us get back all our friends that have been captured before anymore good airmen, from either reality, are killed."

Siler nodded as, on cue, one of the other airmen grabbed a radio from under his suit and began talking into it. Davis spoke rubbing fingers over his spectacle-less eyes, "We'll go wherever you do, Sir."

Jack nodded with a half-smile before he turned back to Carter. She scraped her fingers through her hair glancing down at the huge hole of material around her stomach where she'd already been shot once. Jack immediately pulled his eyes away from the flawless expanse of flat stomach on show and shrugged of his jacket, keeping his eyes averted, "You better..."

"Yeah," she agreed as their comrades observed them peculiarly. Sam spoke again trying to get everyone away from this bizarre situation, "So Colonel, where did you say you left Teal'c?"

The Colonel grinned sheepishly, "I didn't."

"So... where is he?"

Jack just winced slightly and began to follow Siler as they all began walking down the corridor, "Let's just say I have a funny feeling I'm not his favourite friend at the moment."

"What?" Sam asked curiously.

Jack gave a look of fear which made her smile slightly, "I promise you. This is worth one of those super-duper Jaffa grudges!"

"What did you do?"

Jack sighed and grabbed his Zat getting it ready as he murmured, "You'll see, Carter."

Å

Teal'c was irritated. He was in fact extremely irritated. But then again who wouldn't be if you were under a table and had to hold yourself up on the underside. His arms and legs were pressed hard against the rims of the tabletop and beneath him were Heru'ur's pointy metal boots. A most compromising position it seemed!

'This is O'Neill's fault!' The Jaffa thought sourly as he resisted grunting from the exertion. When they'd heard footsteps, the first thing O'Neill had down was get a foot up to the nearest vent shaft on the ceiling. Then looking down had mentioned how there was no way Teal'c himself was going to get up and that maybe he should hide under the table until he returned with reinforcements. The fact that everyone except Major Carter had been captured it seemed incorrect to say reinforcements as Teal'c had then pointed out although his message fell on an empty shaft way.

The door had opened a second after Teal'c had got into position. According to his watch that was digging into his wrist in the bent back position it was in, O'Neill had been over 20 minutes and that Teal'c would kill him if the other Jaffa didn't first!

There was a hiss of the door and Teal'c breathed a silent sigh of relief, he may just be able to get out of this. He glanced at his Zat, under the bed at the other end of the room from where he'd dropped them in his haste to become concealed. All he needed was a diversion...

"Heru'ur, here are the prisoners as you requested."

Heru'ur spoke in a soft purr to Hathor, "Thanks you, My Love. This shall be amusing!"

"We won't tell you anything!"

He dipped his head slowly and glanced out. Daniel was knelt there with the Teal'c of this reality and SG-7. Everyone except O'Neill, Major Carter and himself had avoided capture concurring that this mission was indeed a very poorly executed mission! He hoped that SG-3 were still avoiding arrest and that they would 'come to his rescue'.

It was then Daniel looked straight at him and frowned. He then immediately diverted his gaze, "You're both going to die! Leave this planet now and save yourselves the trouble of being destroyed along with your armies and fleet!"

Hathor laughed, "The whole planet will soon be under our control! Any attempt to destroy us will destroy this planet!"

"I don't think so," Daniel smirked, "Ever heard of the Asguard!"

One of the Jaffa hit him round the back of the head at Hathor's command! Heru'ur glared at her, "We shall not harm them until we find out what we need!"

She turned back to him her voice rising with anger, "He lies! And we tire of this! The Shol'va will not speak although we have personally tortured him vigorously, these humans do not either and this..." she pointed towards him, "This one will not stop! He has been infuriating us since we escorted him to you!"

Teal'c took his opportunity; he slowly dropped to the cold concrete floor beneath him in silence. One Jaffa saw him and was frowning in confusion as he looked between the two versions of Teal'c. The delay cost the Jaffa his life.

In a split second, Teal'c had sped across the shiny floor under the bed where he grabbed the Zat, and use the wooden structure as cover as he shot down the Jaffa holding his comrades. Now SG-7, his other self and Daniel Jackson were no longer held captive they all seized weapons and shot down a couple more of the many Jaffa in the room.

Suddenly more Jaffa began racing into the room from the main door behind him. Teal'c spun and went to shoot when he heard O'Neill's voice shout, "Stop! Good guys! Other door!"

It was then he noticed SG-3, O'Neill and Major Carter within the small army of Jaffa and SGC personnel and knew they were allies. He spun on his heel. It was from the other door that hundreds more Jaffa sped into the room and that's where all fire power was aimed. Teal'c's eyes scoured the crowd, but he could see no sign of Heru'ur and Hathor.

They began to shoot down all the Jaffa, many falling before they'd even engaged their staff weapons. Teal'c overturned the table and crouched behind it as other pieces of the Mess Hall furniture that had been discarded by the Goa'uld, was used as a shield by his allies.

O'Neill and Major Crane joined him behind the table. Teal'c spoke in a loud voice over the rattling of

90s and the blasts of the Jaffas' staffs, "O'Neill, if you do not die in this battle you will wish you had afterwards!"

Jack just laughed in his strange way as he threw a grenade across the room and into the corridor behind the front line of Jaffa, "Ah! You don't mean that, T!"

The following explosion sent the room into darkness, before the green glow of safety lighting filled the room. O'Neill had taken out about 20 Jaffa in one blow and as the last few were shot down, the SGC personnel came out from behind their cover.

Looking over the corpses, Teal'c thought that the fact Hathor and Heru'ur had escaped was proved. Nowhere could he see the bodies of the Goa'uld…

"Carter?"

Teal'c turned to his comrade. O'Neill was looking around confused as were everyone else now. He called her name again, "Carter! Carter!"

Daniel spoke quietly, "She was here a second ago..."

Colonel O'Neill spoke obviously worried as he began walking back out the door he and the SGC serpent guards had entered from, "We have to find her."

"I will assist you, O'Neill!"

Jack turned to Teal'c, "No, T. You need to get out of here! Both of you!" The other Teal'c had spent most of this conversation with one-eyebrow raised obviously ridiculously confused.

"I do not understand..."

Jack spoke with a frustrated sigh, "The Asguard are on the way. First of all we need to retake the mirror room and find the right place to go. Secondly, you know their weapons! They destroy anything Goa'uld, including the Jaffa and their symbiotes. They don't know Teal'c is a friend in this reality, you'd be sucked up by their ship just like the others. You have to go back to Earth… Now!"

Teal'c spoke defiantly, "I will not allow you to go in search of Major Carter alone!"

Colonel O'Neill looked angry Teal'c was wasting their precious time, "Teal'c, go or I'll shoot you and SG-7 and SG-3 here will drag you back!" He turned to the other Teal'c, "That goes for you too, Buddy. I was requested that we brought you to your Colonel O'Neill safe and sound and that's how I want to bring you back."

Both Teal'cs glared. Jack shrugged as his Teal'c turned on his heel marching out of the other door, staff at the ready to blast any guards that stood between him and the Gate room.

Jack muttered, "Finally!" He turned to Major Crane, "Major, take Teal'c 2 and the rest of your team with you. Secure the mirror. SG-7 you go with SG-3…" Jack stopped mid-sentence, "The remote… Ah crap! Carter's got it!"

Siler spoke up, "Sir, I might be able to play around with it…"

Jack nodded, "Siler, take whoever you need out of this lot," he nodded towards the SGC airmen, "And see what you can do." Jack turned to Daniel, "Do you reckon the communication device is still up and running?"

"Um… I dunno."

Jack spoke hurriedly, "Try and get a message to the Asguard. Tell them bout the two Teal'cs. Might be able to stop them zapping them up."

Daniel nodded as he and the others jogged off after Teal'c as Jack turned to Davis, "Walter, bring your men with me. We're gonna kick some Goa'uld arse!"

Å

"This is your fault," Hathor hissed at her companion as they hurried towards the exit, "If you had listened to us and killed the prisoners immediately this would not have happened!"

"Silence!" Heru'ur growled, his eyes glowing furiously, "I told you that there were some of Apophis's Jaffa who were not under your control. You said you'd taken care of them!"

"They had an immunity from when we first took control of this base!" Hathor said, referring to herself in the plural, "We had no idea they were Tau'ri!"

Sam pressed herself against the wall, watching from the corner of her eye as the two Goa'uld hurried around the next corner. She followed them

90 at the ready. She was going to prove to Jack she could do this, her father's voice filling her head: "Carters can do anything they set their minds to and if anyone ever doubts you, you tell 'em that!"

She stood on the corner watching the Goa'ulds still retreating to the surface and their ship, bickering in Goa'uld furiously with each other. They stepped into the elevator and when the doors closed Sam ran to the metal door, opening it and then moving to the ladder. She began to climb upwards, her foot slipping once or twice.

A few minutes later, when she reached the surface she was panting with excursion as she pulled the lever slowly and opened the hatch, darkness surrounding her.

She hoisted herself out, her arms aching and jumped out onto the fern carpet. She ran through the fir trees and thorny bushes towards the entrance of the complex, ducking beneath solid looking branches and jumping over thick logs.

She reached the fence and peered through the wire at the two Goa'ulds walking as fast as they could to get beneath the rings.

Sam stared at the fence and decided there was no way she'd get over it in time to stop them.

Suddenly, Hathor turned to her partner and hit him round the face, the two still shouting at each other in Goa'uld. Both their portable shields went up almost immediately after the blow like to ravenous dogs, hackles rising as they fought over a scrap of meat.

Sam took her chance and scrambled up the fence like an insect before flipping herself as well as she could over the large metal barbs lining the top. She fell to the ground, about 11ft below her and winced as she landed unsteadily on her feet, feeling blood begin to ooze from a long, but not very deep scratch on her stomach. She collapsed against the fence causing it to rattle louder still although the Goa'uld were too busy fighting furiously to care.

She licked her lip waiting for the opportune moment to kill them both. Hathor and Heru'ur lifted their hands at the same time, two amber beams striking each other between the two figures. They fought viciously as Sam crept closer along the fence, staying in the shadows.

Her mind ran through hundreds of plans to kill them. Now their shields were up, shooting them was out of the question. A harebrained scheme popped into her mind. It might just work…

She edged along the fence some more, her hand reached along the floor. Her fingers searched for a stone.

Her fingers soon found a large, flat rock and she lifted it in her palm. It was quite heavy and Sam remembered throwing shot-put at school.

She was about to throw when the brilliant golden light from the Goa'ulds' ribbon devices lit up to things. The first was the serpent guards running out from the entrance of the SGC and the second a huge Asguard ship that began to engulf the Goa'uld one.

In a split second, the rock was flying through the air. Perfectly aimed it broke the bands of light sending both of the Goa'uld flying away in a blast.

Hathor skidded to the floor a few feet away from Sam, her broken body cradled in a newly created niche in the ground. Heru'ur's body struck the side of the mountain face, creating a small avalanche before his corpse fell to the ground, his face in the dirt as he was buried in rubble.

Jack ran over to her, "Carter! Mirror Remote!"

She gasped remembering where it was fishing it from the pocket of her CO's jacket. She gave it to him as he threw it in a long pass to one of the serpent guards who began sprinting towards the elevators.

Jack stood by her, "I hope it gets to them in time." He turned to her and said slightly angrily, "Why the hell did you run off? We needed that device!"

Sam turned to him feeling her own rage building, "Just because it finally dawned on you that I'm not indestructible doesn't mean you have to treat me like I'm so fragile I might break!"

"Did you do this to prove yourself?" Jack said shocked and angry, although not only with her, "You don't need to prove yourself! I know what you're capable of, Carter! You just killed two Goa'ulds by throwing a goddamn stone and if that isn't a stroke of genius then I'll be damned! By running off like that you could've got yourself killed! Not to mention that any second now, the Asguard are gonna start zapping up Jaffa and Teal'c may be one of them!"

When he said that, Sam felt a sudden gut wrenching feeling of dread. She shook her head, shaking slightly, "He'll die because of me…"

Jack gulped, deflating considerably as he murmured, "I didn't mean it like that…"

"You did. And you're right…"

White light suddenly shot from the Asguard ship to the two dead bodies lying in the SGC car park. The beams then moved to the building as a tear rolled down Sam's cheek as she watched in horrified awe.

Jack's arm touched her shoulder comfortingly as Sam held her hands to her ears, the sound of the Asguard's deadly weapon soundly like the screaming of Jaffa as they were destroyed.

After a few more seconds the sound stopped abruptly and the Asguard ship began to float upwards before zooming away to destroy more Jaffa that had taken over the towns and cities.

The silence was deafening as they stood there in the car park, the SGC Jaffa watching the enormous grey ship sailed away on the waves of clouds filling the chilly night's sky.

Jack's radio suddenly burst into life causing them all to jump as Siler's voice came through the other end, "Colonel?"

Jack grabbed the device and pressed the button hurriedly, "Did they make it through?"

There was a pause and static before Siler's voice came back through, "Yes Sir!"

Jack let out a relieved laugh as Sam felt her lungs inflate with air, realising she'd been holding her breath. Jack hugged slightly with one arm as they slowly trudged across the Car park to the elevators, "OK, Siler. Can we go home now?"

"Yes Sir. Thank you, Sir."

Jack smiled slightly as he said gently, "No problem, Siler. It was the least we could do."

Å

Back in their own reality, SG-1 sat in the Infirmary as Dr. Fraiser and her nurses hurriedly checked over all the SGC personnel from the alternate reality, fixing ever wound and broken bone before the alternate reality airmen were sent home. It was because of this that SG-1, SG-3 and SG-7, with the exception of Lt. Niven, were being made to wait.

"How you doin, Fifi?"

Niven let out a soft laugh, her team mates' nickname for her causing everyone to chuckle, "Don't worry bout me, Sir." She glanced at the bandage being applied to her right arm and shoulder, "I'll be back on my feet in no time."

"That's good to hear," Captain Leahy said sincerely, before a grin came to his face, "That way we won't have to go on too many 'cakewalk' missions with Scientists!"

"Hey!" Daniel protested causing them all to let out a small burble of laughter.

The nurse finished bandaging, "There you go, Lieutenant. Doctor Fraiser says you are to stay here for at least one night. She's going to prescribe you more painkillers once she gets the chance."

"Thanks for treating her so quickly," Major Rowland said with a small smile, a hand of support falling on his Lieutenant's other shoulder.

"No problem, Sir," the nurse said, rushing off to help with the examinations.

Major Rowland spoke to the woman on the gurney, "Get some rest, Fiona. We'll visit you in the morning."

She smiled and then said, "Don't mean to be a smartarse, but it is morning."

He ruffled her hair fondly as he said to his other team mates, "I'm gonna ask the Doc if we can leave. I need some sleep." His team mates nodded as he wandered into the throng of people from the other reality.

"Yeah, Fifi," Lt. Harris spoke up, "We'll bring you some cards to play with tomorrow. Want me to bring you a comic book?"

Niven nodded with a grin as Harris hugged her briefly and then made way for Captain Leahy who did the same. He pulled away and spoke caringly, "You ought to be more careful, Niven. How many times is this you've been blasted by one of those things?"

She grinned, "Must be about 8, but never properly!"

The Captain laughed, "It's cos you're so small they can't hit you!" He smiled and then spoke seriously, "Take it easy. I know what you're like."

"Don't worry bout me."

"As if we could ever stop, Lieutenant," Major Rowland said, "We can go, Guys." He turned to SG-1 and SG-3, "We'll see you all in the morning for debriefing."

Jack got up from the seat and spoke to the woman on the Gurney, "Yeah. We're taking our leave as well, Lieutenant."

"Night Guys."

Everyone left the Infirmary, Jack walking slowly besides Sam, "So…"

Sam glanced at him, "Janet says that they're planning on sending them all back tomorrow."

"I know," Jack replied gently, knowing that the same thought had been running around his head the entire time he'd been sat in the Infirmary, "But it's for the best. They've already been here a while."

Sam nodded with tears in her eyes. She swiped them away as they reached her quarters. She opened the door and turned to him, "I guess I'll see you at debriefing."

"Yeah," Jack mumbled. Sam went to walk into her room when Jack said hurriedly, "Carter?"

She turned back to him as he stood in the corridor, feeling slightly awkward. After a moment he managed to stammer, "I'm sorry about in the other reality when I..." Jack stopped speaking and raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Sam nodded showing she understood what he meant as he continued, "It was really… awkward timing and I'm sorry if I…"

Sam shook her head slowly before she stepped into her quarters, shutting the door behind her. Jack was left stood in the middle of the corridor, staring at the closed door before after a few minutes he walked away in a bemused daze…

Å

Sam realised as soon as the tiny little girl threw her arms around her neck that this was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. She squeezed the girl tightly to her, feeling bitter tears still rising in her eyes, which she screwed tightly shut.

Her trembling hand lay between the child's shoulder blades. Her other hand cupped the back of Hannah's head, her fingers threaded through 'her' daughter's golden hair.

The girl spoke in a whisper only Sam could hear, "I love you, Mommy."

Sam hugged her tighter as she muffled a gasp of agony that had issued from her lips at the little girl's words. She shuddered brokenly, clutching Hannah to her as she opened her eyes and they rose to Hannah's parents stood before the shimmering mirror. Their Jack was hobbling around on crutches and Dr. O'Neill was stood, an arm gently encircling his waist supportively. The strange look of pain in their eyes as they stared down at her and Hannah surprised Sam.

After what felt like no time at all, although it had been so much longer, the small child pulled away, placing a quick peck on Sam's cheek before she ran to Jack and he dropped down to his knees as Sam slowly rose from the concrete floor. He held the girl close to him, his face burying in her hair and Sam knew him well enough to know he was trying to remember how she smelt, how she felt in his arms. Sam knew she was taking this badly and she couldn't believe how much better Jack was taking it. He was shattered and yet not as shattered as her. He could go off with any woman he desired and have children. Have his own little Hannah. Sam, however, could not be that woman.

Jack let go reluctantly and watched with a stony face as Hannah gave him a quick kiss as well and then wandered over to her real parents, her mother taking her daughter's tiny hand in her own in a loving way. The last of their visitors from another reality were ready to leave.

She looked back at Sam and murmured, "Thank you again. You have no idea how much this means, how much everything you've done means to us."

Sam felt Jack stir beside her as he slowly rose from the floor. His hand gently clasped her own, not to comfort her, but to comfort himself. Sam glanced at him. His deep devastated eyes were fixed on Hannah for a few seconds before he whispered in a slow and wistful voice, "No. I think we understand perfectly."

The other Sam pulled a hand over her eye, her husband mumbling a 'You OK?' before she nodded subtly and moved to the mirror. They all reached one hand forward as Dr. O'Neill spoke, her voice feeble and trembling, "Ready... One... Two... Three."

They pressed their palms against the shiny flat surface and appeared on the other side. They stared back through for a second before greeting their Janet, Cassie and Teal'c, all of whom looked extremely battered but were laughing and crying with joy at the recovery of their friends and the small golden-haired girl...

Hannah was not greeting her 'family'. Instead, she was still stood staring through the mirror at them a cute befuddled frown on her face. After a second she cocked her head to the side... and smiled brightly...

And then the mirror shut down.

Sam felt her heart break as blankness filled the screen and all she could see was a subtle reflection of the room and of Jack stood slightly behind her still clasping her hand gently. Sam let out a shudder, the cry she wanted to release catching in her throat.

Jack spoke softly, sounding close to tears himself, "I'm so sorry, Sam." In the reflection of the mirror, she saw him standing behind her more, looking at her sadly, his other hand moving to rest on the base of back supportively. She continued to stare at the image on the jet surface, a tear trailing her face. She felt dizzy and disorientated and felt her fingers lose their grip on his as her knees buckled beneath her and she dropped, Jack breaking her fall with his own body. He lowered her to the floor, dropping down beside her, calling her name, his anxious brown eyes the last thing she saw, as like the mirror, she faded into darkness.

Å

It was only when Jack awoke in the uncomfortable chair in the Infirmary that he realised. When Sam had fainted, he'd been too busy worrying about her to realise… for it to actually sink in that... that Hannah was gone.

His neck cricked slightly as he moved it. Through his still sleepy vision he looked around the room and stopped when his eyes fell on something lying on the end of the bed.

Jack lifted the dirty white baseball cap into his hands and felt a lump of anger and pain in his throat. He was an absolute bastard, well the other him. How in God's name could a baseball cap replace his daughter?

Jack sighed. No, Hannah had never been his daughter. He placed the baseball cap on the side and went back to watching Sam sleeping. Her face looked so lifeless where she lay on the pillow, its usual vivacity and beauty seeming to fade beneath her misery and weakness.

She looked so old in that moment. Not old as in elderly. She seemed world-weary, her beautiful face, pale and grey. She had seemed so cold and distant since she'd discovered that she could no longer have children. It seemed that the woman Jack loved was dying, slowly but surely and he couldn't bear the pain. He couldn't live with the worry it was causing him and he certainly couldn't live with the agony it was causing her.

She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve losing Hannah after finally being given the one unattainable thing in her life that she wanted more than any other... a child... That wasn't completely true. She had more unattainable things in her life that she wanted... well, he guessed... no, he wished she did.

Oh God, who was he kidding anyway? He wished it so much that sometimes it almost seemed possible that she, Samantha Carter, may actually... love him. Yes, Love him! Stupid, huh? Jack would have to agree.

"Jack..."

He looked down at Sam, a small frown creased between her eyebrows, her eyes squeezed shut. She spoke in a terrified whisper, "Tell me it was all a nightmare."

Jack couldn't speak, had no idea what to say. Sam's eyes opened slowly and when she saw his face, and undoubtedly the sad expression on it, a tear rolled down her cheek.

Jack spoke softly, "Come here."

She sat up slowly and he pulled her into a fierce hug. She began to cry into his neck as he hushed her gently. Without thinking he kissed the side of her face softly, the soft expanse of skin causing his lips to tingle. She turned to look at him surprised for a second, her blue eyes so wide and sad it broke his heart. She blinked at him as another tear fell from those beautiful eyes. Her sobs diminished and after a second of just staring into his eyes, she nestled her head under his chin. They sat there like that for a while before she murmured, "I resigned."

Jack pulled back shocked and looked at her, "What?"

"Before we left for the mission, I resigned, telling the General it would be my last mission..."

"W-Why?"

She stared at him and spoke softly, "You know why."

He held her close again, "You're leaving?"

"The SGC? Yes. The Air Force? Yes..."

"Me?"

That one word shocked both of them and Jack realised that had been his real fear since the other them had shown up. That after losing Hannah, Sam would never want to see him again. It was understandable. He was just a reminder of what they could've had and yet now could not. Truth was, Jack could live without Hannah, but he could never live without Sam.

"I want you to stay with me." "I want to stay with you."

They spoke simultaneously and Jack chuckled softly, "It's settled then."

Softly, she spoke, a tear meandering down the contours of her cheek as they sat in a comfortable and surprised silence for a few seconds, "Really?"

Jack grinned, "Hell yeah."

Sam's lips twitched, the edges curving slightly. Jack's grin widened. She'd smiled. It had been a small smile, but she'd smiled and it filled him with hope.

In a moment ruining fashion, Janet Fraiser bustled into the room. If it wasn't for her expression Jack might have sent a sarcastic comment her way about her blatant disrespect for the little door label on the handle outside saying 'DO NOT DISTURB!', or words to that effect, but the small Doctor's expression stopped him dead.

Janet looked shocked out of her mind, tears coursing down her cheeks. Her white lab coat was slightly askew, her auburn hair disorderly and ruffled from fingers running through it. Her eyes were filled with tears and showed her tiredness, Jack knowing the small doctor won't have slept since they left through the mirror.

Sam spoke anxiously, "Janet, what's wrong?"

"You... used a Sarcophagus... didn't you?"

Sam looked at Jack and nodded slowly, looking terrified, "Yes."

Jack spoke stricken with fear, "Why? Is something wrong with Sam?"

Janet couldn't speak she was crying so hard. She just held out the hefty-looking, brown medical folder with Sam's name printed on the label and a huge confidential sticker across the front.

The simple piece of paper in the simple brown folder, sat in Dr. Janet Fraiser's hands that happened to fall into his lap as the sobbing Doctor had to excuse herself, was the most important piece of paper in the world to both of them at that moment, although Jack didn't know it. He passed the folder to Sam as she opened it slowly. The expression on her face echoed Janet's and she held fingers to her lips. Suddenly tears began to pour down her cheeks as she choked on her sobs and gasps.

"Sam?" Jack whispered terrified by her actions.

Sam looked at him as she whispered, "I... I..."

He took the folder and the sight that met his eyes, caused him to choke as if a huge fist had just punched him in the stomach winding him instantly.

Jack had never believed in miracles, but at that precise moment a miracle occurred. A miracle that made Jack's knees go weak, his eyes prickle and his body act of his own accord pulling the woman he loved into his arms and kissing her for a good five minutes before a certain archaeologist stumbled into the room and ended up babbling an apology incoherently...

It was an x-ray of a woman's sexual organs, perfectly healthy. It was from this morning at the time Janet had insisted she examined Sam thoroughly because she'd been shot… and then healed by a sarcophagus.

He looked up at Sam's watery eyes as both their faces split into massive grins of joy. And Sam laughed. She laughed and laughed, her joy and shock sending her into hysterics. Jack just hugged her tightly to him a shocked tear finding its way from his eyes. He hurriedly swiped it away before she could see, but she was too busy crying and laughing in equal amounts to notice.

Jack closed his eyes tightly and realised. Everything that had happened to him, whether they had turned out for better or for worse, had been a miracle. If Sam had never been damaged, she never would've quit the Air Force, if Hannah hadn't come perhaps they would never have acknowledged how they felt about each other, if they hadn't gone on the mission and Sam hadn't been shot, Daniel would never have put her in the Sarcophagus...

Though some of his many miracles had turned out for the bad, Jack was certain this miracle would never, could never, turn out for the bad. How could it?

He pulled back from Sam, who was still smiling and crying with unadulterated happiness and relief. A beautiful smile lit up her face and Jack's eyes meandered over her features. He grinned and placed a hand to the moist skin on her cheek, his fingers curling towards the nape of her neck, tangling in her hair and his thumb stroking along her cheek bone. She whispered softly, "I love you."

The words took him aback briefly. Those three words meant more than any hundreds of thousands of words. He smiled lovingly as he mumbled, "I'm not good with words." She frowned at him in slight confusion before he pulled her into that five minute kiss that neither of them could ever forget.

If there was one moment from every day in your life when you could just stop time, it would've been that split second as her lips touched his. Jack was sure if he experienced that moment for more than a second he would've died from bliss. But Life isn't like that. Time isn't like that...

Well, outside the SGC it isn't!

ÅÅÅ

Epilogue

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill smiled as he watched Hannah playing with Teal'c, the two of them running riot across the beautiful green grass in the June sunshine. He sighed sadly for the first time that beautiful day as his thoughts drifted to someone else. He missed Daniel and it was sad that his best friend, Hannah's other godfather, wasn't here for her fifth birthday. Danny never missed her birthday, but this year was different.

Since their encounter with their alternate selves 8 months ago, Jack had been given leadership of the SGC and had been promoted. He no longer needed to retire and got to spend a lot more time with his family, which Jack was extremely grateful for.

He felt a hand on his shoulder as Sam came and sat next to him. She smiled at the little girl running around the sprinkler in her cute, pale blue swimming costume. Their daughter shrieked with laughter as the Jaffa scooped her up and swung her around. The usually unemotional man was laughing heartily as the little girl began giggling shrilly. Sam was prepared with a white, fluffy towel with which to dry the girl with if she needed to. The sun shone brightly as Sam smiled her secret smile to herself.

Jack looked at her suspiciously. She was hiding something. He was about to ask what she was grinning at when the dripping child threw herself into her mother's arms as the woman wrapped the towel around her, "Hey squirt! Having fun?"

The little girl nodded eagerly as Teal'c came and sat straight upright in the chair next to Jack. He spoke slightly out of breath, a Jaffa smile curving his lips, "Your child is tiring, O'Neill."

"Yeah. She gets that from me," Jack said with a small grin at the little girl enveloped in the folds of the soft white towel.

"Too right," Sam muttered with a small laugh from the fake look of indignation on Jack's face. She leant closer and was about to kiss him apologetically... as the doorbell rang!

Jack grinned, "Hold that thought," he hoisted himself from the deck chair as Sam shook her head fondly. He walked through the house to the front door as he opened it, he laughed in shock, "Jacob! What are you doing here?"

"This is the 16th of June, right? I came to see my Granddaughter, Dumb ass!" Jacob laughed, "Or am I not allowed to visit my grandchild on her birthday?"

"Of course you are. Come in," Jack said with a grin leading him back through to the garden.

"Dad!" Sam smiled in surprise as she stood up, Hannah propped on her hip.

"Grandpa!" The girl almost threw herself at the man as he chuckled fondly.

"Oh! How's my Hannah doing?" She grinned and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, as he murmured, "Happy Birthday, Sweetie!" He hugged her tightly as the little girl laughed happily.

When Hannah let go Jack lifted her onto his back, "Come on, Munchkin! Wanna put some clothes on or are you just gonna run around in your swimming costume all evening?"

"Clothes!"

Jack smiled and said, "OK. I'll go get her changed and give you a chance to catch up."

He turned to go into the house, when Sam spoke, "Babe?" Jack turned back to look at her as she grinned, "Dungarees are in the second drawer from the top."

Jack smiled knowing that was exactly what Hannah would want to wear as he made his way upstairs, carrying the young girl who clung to his back laughing and giggling.

Jacob turned to his daughter with a smile so pleased to see Sam looking so happy and content, not to mention the woman was absolute glowing in the June sunshine, "How are you?"

"I'm fine and so is Jack. Hannah's great, although she had chicken pox several weeks ago." She heard the TV switch on as Teal'c looked for something to do.

"I'm glad she feels better. I would've come to see her, but… you know what it's like with the Tok'ra. Not to mention we have no idea what a disease like Chicken Pox might do if it spread to the Tok'ra."

"Yeah. I know you would've if you'd had the chance."

Jacob grinned as he spoke, "So how's Jack been treating you? He better have been treating you nice, or else he'll have to answer to Jacob Carter!"

"Dad!" She poked him playfully, "Jack hasn't ever treated me badly."

"Good," Jacob said with a small smile. He looked at his daughter. She seemed more radiant than usual and had a smile permanently fixed to her face, "Sam?"

She looked at him, grinning and then glancing at the floor, "Dad, I'm…" She smiled again blushing slightly. Jacob's eyes lit up with excitement as she said, "I'm going to have another baby."

"Oh Sam! That's wonderful!" He laughed happily as he pulled her into an embrace. After a few moments he pulled back, "Does Jack know yet?"

"Not yet I was going to tell him and Hannah later."

Jacob grinned wider and hugged her again tightly, "I'm gonna be a grandpa again."

Sam heard the blare of the television in the sudden silence. Teal'c had put on 'The Wizard of Oz' and immediately she heard her daughter bouncing down the stairs. She could now walk down the stairs, but when she wanted to get down quickly she still slide down them.

Sam and Jacob stood up and wandered indoors as the little girl reached the bottom step. Jack followed her running down almost eagerly as his 5-year-old daughter. Her daughter's damp hair hung loosely over her shoulders as her father scooped up the giggling child and dived onto the couch.

Sam shook her head laughing fondly. She grabbed her dad's hand and led him into the living room, both of them sharing a secretive smile as they sat on the other couch, Sam snuggling close to her father like Hannah snuggled close to Jack.

The black and white land of Kansas whirled around. Dorothy stared out the window at the people in the cyclone as Jack and Hannah watched eyes fixed to the screen. Sam thought it was safe to say that this was their favourite film.

Å

As the film finished, Sam looked at her watch. The sun was setting. She stared at the little girl prancing around the living room singing, 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'. Jack grinned obviously refraining himself from springing off the sofa and joining the little girl.

Hannah jumped into Jacob's lap. Jacob grinned as he sung along with the birthday girl. Sam walked into the kitchen and pulled out a chocolate cake from the fridge. She pulled out some candles from a draw and stuck five in the top of the iced cake. She glanced around the door to see her husband, her father and her daughter dancing around the living room. Teal'c stood with his eyebrow raised as if debating whether they were possessed and if he should go and get his Zat. She stifled a giggle as she turned the lights down and lit the candles. She brought the cake into the living room as they all, even Teal'c, began to sing 'Happy Birthday'.

The little girl blinked her eyes lighting up happily as she looked up into her dad's eyes. She began grinning inanely and almost bouncing up and down in excitement as Jack murmured, "Make a wish, Sweetie," he passed Sam her camera from the coffee table.

Hannah closed her eyes and blew out the candles. She opened her eyes, still smiling, her tiny white teeth all visible. A small cheer arose around the room. Sam flicked the light switch. The clock now said 7 o'clock. It was Hannah's bedtime and Sam noticed the little girl yawn as Jacob smiled at her.

"Well, I guess I best be off!"

"Dad, you can stay here. We've got the spare room," Sam said with a small smile, "Besides, Cassie and Janet are coming around again tomorrow. They'd love to see you!"

"No, that's OK. I'm needed back by the Tok'ra anyway! Remember I'll visit again soon!"

"OK Dad," Sam hugged him tightly.

Jack lifted Hannah into his arms. The little girl climbed over to Jacob. He hugged her tightly, "I'll visit real soon, I promise."

The child gave him another kiss on the cheek, "Bye Grandpa." She clambered back to Jack as Teal'c inclined his head.

"I must also take my leave, O'Neill."

"OK, Teal'c, do you need me to drop you home?"

"I believe the walk will be quite relaxing." Jack grinned at the Jaffa.

"Bye Teal'c!" The child hugged the Jaffa as he held a hand to her back, his eyelids sliding shut as he smiled fondly. Jack O'Neill realised then that Teal'c was just as in love with Hannah as he and Sam were.

Teal'c pulled back, "Goodbye Hannah O'Neill. I hope you enjoy the remnant of your day."

"Yeah bye Sweetie. Happy Birthday."

"Bye, Grannpa. Go 'n' kick some Goa'uld butt!"

The little girl waved with a huge and extremely familiar smile on her face. Sam turned to glare at her husband playfully, "Jack, did you teach her that?"

"No," he said sheepishly, "Where would you get an idea like that?"

The two men stepped outside chuckling. Jacob climbed into his rented car and Teal'c turned and put his baseball cap on. He began walking away as Jack smiled with a small snort at his friend. He always had his emotions hidden and still he seemed to be overjoyed to be with the golden girl Jack hugged to his chest tightly.

Jacob beeped his horn once as they waved to him from the open doorway. When Jacob's car had finally disappeared in the distance they walked indoors. Hannah rubbed her eyes tiredly and yawned again. She smiled sleepily as Jack carried her upstairs. Sam got her changed into her pyjamas as Jack tidied away her toys that lay strewn across the floor of her room.

Sam lifted the girl into bed and covered her with her duvet. She heard Jack sigh happily behind her. She kissed her child as she murmured, "Night Mommy."

"Night Sweetie. Happy Birthday."

"Sweet dreams, Munchkin," Jack murmured as they quietly left the room. Sam left the door open so a small crack of light still entered the dark room and walked downstairs Jack following her.

He immediately walked into the kitchen and turned on the kettle and after a few minutes walked into the living room with two cups of steaming coffee and a small smile on his face. Sam realised she'd been smiling the same smile all day.

He pulled her closer to him as she murmured, "Jack?"

"Yeah," he said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"I forgot to tell Hannah about one of her birthday presents."

Jack frowned confused, "What did we forget?"

She stared at him, "A special present from me, and you, I guess." Jack still looked absolutely confused as Sam murmured, "I forgot to tell her she's going to be a big sister."

As the words registered with Jack's brain he almost cried out before Sam clamped a hand to his mouth and pointed up to the ceiling. When she removed her hand Jack was grinning like a maniac, "Oh Sam!"

"Janet told me when they dropped Hannah's presents off this morning. The baby's due in January."

Jack just sat there unable to form any words from his gaping mouth. He just continued to grin stupidly and hugged her to him as he whispered, "Wow!" He stared at her and shook his head, "You are… wonderful!"

Sam blushed modestly as she chuckled, "It's as much your kid as mine, Jack!"

Jack smiled sincerely, his eyes shining more than usual in the light, "I love you so much."

Sam felt herself blushing slightly and immediately joked, "Yeah, well you better! I'm the one who's going to have to go through labour again!"

Jack laughed cheerfully as he planted a kiss on her forehead, his arm circling her shoulders, "If I remember correctly, Mrs. O'Neill, it was two dislocated fingers…"

"I'll see if I can't dislocate three this time," Sam said with a small glare as he pulled her into a tight hug again.

"I can't believe we're going to have another kid!"

"Yeah…" Sam murmured. She sighed staring at her stomach, "What do you reckon, girl or boy?"

"I don't know. Doesn't really matter. There are plenty of names for both."

Sam looked at Jack as she asked unable to stop smiling, "So, if it was a boy, what would you call him?"

Jack grinned slightly, "Isn't it a little early for this chat?"

Sam poked him in the chest with her finger, "Yeah. I just want to know what you'd call him."

Jack frowned slightly and stared into space in thought. He then looked at her and said seriously, "How about Daniel?"

Sam nodded sadly, "That's perfect."

He cuddled her closer, his hands finding the old position they'd taken over her stomach when Sam had been pregnant with Hannah, as he murmured, "And if it's a girl, what would you call her?"

Sam smile widened slightly as she murmured, "Danielle."

Jack nodded in agreement, "He'd be honoured. I'm sure he's sat up there now, blushing and muttering, 'Guys, why on Earth do you want to name your kid after me?'"

Sam sighed softly, "That sounds like Daniel."

"No. Daniel would've gone into a speech about not being worthy etc. That was Dan."

Sam snorted, "Dan?"

"Daniel... shortened."

Sam gave a small chuckle and then snuggled her face into his neck. They sat in silence for a long time before Jack murmured, "So, if it's a boy… what about Teal'c?"

"And if it's a girl, Teal'ca!" Sam said giggling.

Jack laughed, "No. I was thinking more of George and Georgina."

"James and Janet!"

"Harry and Harriet!"

"Simmons and McKenzie!"

"Apophis and Hathor!"

"URGO!"

Jack laughed, "OK, now you've gone a little too far!"

Sam smiled, "I think we should stick with the Daniel/Danielle plan."

"You know, I think you're right," Jack grinned and hugged her in silence for a long time, her hands enveloping his as they both covered their unborn child. He sighed happily, before saying, "Then again we could always call the baby…"

"NO!"

FINIS

Yet more Author's Notes: This is the first story I ever started and it's taken me almost 3 years to finish it! It's finally over and I think Hannah is quite possibly my favourite original character. She's named after my Best Pal/Editor who has been fabulous to me since we started high school in Year 7. Love you, Babe! Ta! Thanks for reading this little piece of Sam I Am history (1st story ever begun and last finished!) and I would really appreciate some feedback! Thanks again! Sam x

Copyright (C) Sam I Am 2005