"Sam's POV"

When she quit breathing and flatlined, my heart split in two. The hole in my heart could never…would never heal. But, looking at Jack grieve - for not one, but two lost children – I knew I would have to be the strong one. My time to grieve had yet to come.

After getting to the Nox home world, Jack struggled briefly when they tried to take her from him. I know he was trying to hold on to her, to keep the warmth in her body. Hell, if she were in my arms, I would do the same thing. I finally got Jack to let her go.

"Jack, look at me." I put my hands on either side of his face. "Look at me, Jack." I saw despair in his eyes and he was sinking fast. If I lost him this time, I'd never get him back.

"Come with me," said Lya.

"Come on Jack," I said softly, taking his hand in mine. She led and I, holding tightly to Jack's hand, followed silently. I pulled gently and he came willingly like a small, trusting child.

My baby is gone. Oh God! Why am I still here?

I choked back a sob as Lya led us into a small hut. "Where's my daughter?" I asked shakily.

"She is being taken care of by the elder."

"Is she going to live?"

She didn't say anything; just turned and walked away, leaving the two of us standing there. I turned to Jack. "Jack?" I put my hands on both sides of his face.

"I failed her," he said in a voice full of anguish.

"No," I said softly, the tears beginning to fall. I didn't know how much longer I could contain them.

"Yes," he said, gripping my wrists. "I told her that I would protect her. I failed her." He rested his forehead against mine. "I failed her." I was losing him. I had to do something quick.

"If you failed then so did I," I said. "I'm her mother. I'm supposed to be there to protect her."

I turned and walked away from him. I stared out the window for a few minutes when I heard him move up behind me.

"Jack, I'm hurting too…more than you can imagine. I've lost part of me…a part of me that I can never get back. It hurts so bad and I can't make it stop." I turned around and he pulled me into his arms. I let myself grieve then. We both did.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he said. We held each other...standing, sitting, it didn't matter. We held each other. Neither one of us said a word for a long time. We held each other and cried.

"What do we do now, Jack?" I said emotionally drained.

"I don't know. But, I promised…" he stopped and took a shaky breath. "I promised Jessie I would take care of you…and I will."

He pulled me up to his lips. We kissed slowly, unsurely for several minutes. "I love you, Jack." I cried softly as he wiped the tears away.

"I love you too, Samantha."

We fell into a deep sleep brought on by grief. It was much later when we awoke to…

(Mom? Dad? Where are you?)

Jack jerked his head up, shock in his eyes…and something else….hope.

(Jessie?) I called out with my mind, knowing that Jack was doing the same thing.

(Where are you guys? I'm surrounded by giant luck trolls! Where am I?)

One of the Nox walked in. "Come with me."

Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. We followed him to another hut. He opened the door and motioned for us to step inside. Jack looked at me and squeezed my hand. We walked in.

"My POV"

"Mom! Dad!" I screamed, jumping up from the bed I was on and running to them.

Even thought they'd seen it before, they both looked shocked. Mom held her arms out to me and I jumped into them. She picked me up and held tightly, sobbing over and over, "My baby. My sweet baby girl."

"Mama!" I was crying too. She held me for a few minutes and then sat me down. I looked around at dad. He was crying silently, but he wouldn't look at me. I walked over to him. "Dad?" I said unsure of what was wrong…of why he wouldn't look at me. "Dad, look at me. I'm here. I'm ok now."

"I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." I touched his arm, trying to make him look at me. He wouldn't.

"No, dad. It wasn't your fault."

He wasn't listening. "I let you get shot. If I had just let you orb us back to the SGC, you wouldn't have been shot."

"Dad…daddy…listen to me…please. It was meant to happen. It had to happen. I had to die to get something…I think."

He finally looked at me. His walls came down. He picked me up and held me as tightly as mom did while we both cried. Mom walked over to us and dad pulled her into his embrace. The three of us held each other for a long time. We held each other until someone clearing their throat broke us out of our own pain.

I looked around and saw a luck troll. I stiffened in dad's arms. "It's ok, baby. They're friends…allies even," he said.

"They look like giant luck trolls."

Mom and dad both laughed shakily at that. We sat down and dad sat me on his lap, neither letting go of my hands. Even safe in his arms, I was suddenly very afraid. I knew instinctively that these luck trolls had helped me in some BIG way. How? I dunno. I could only guess. But, I wasn't really sure I wanted to know.

"Thank you," said dad. "That's all I can say." he sobbed kissing the top of my head where it rested on his shoulder.

"Jessie O'Neill," she said.

I tried to shrink, to make myself smaller. Damn. It didn't work. "Uh…that's me." Dad taught me, when all else failed, sarcasm usually did the trick.

She smiled gently. "I am Lya. We are the Nox. What do you remember?" she asked.

I shut my eyes and shivered, suddenly very…very cold. Mom wrapped a blanket around the three of us. None of us were ready to lose physical contact. "Is that better, baby?"

I shivered again, stronger tremors. "I remember," I whispered.

"What do you remember?" asked Lya.

I looked at mom helplessly. "Everything…I remember being shot and…I remember dying."

Dad's grip tightened to an almost painful degree. "Jessie…" he couldn't continue.

I turned to look at him. "It's ok, dad," I said as he pulled me against his chest. Mom whispered something to him and he gave her a watery smile.

"Me, too," he said, kissing her on the lips, softly.

"Rent a room," I mumbled. Yep. I was alive…and being a smartass again. That got a laugh from the both of them. They started tickling me. I knew that they were trying to make me forget. I endured the torture for a few minutes, when it became obvious I couldn't breathe.

Dad stopped and pulled me back onto his lap. Rubbing my back, he handed me a canteen with water. I drank a little of it. "Sorry baby."

"It's ok."

Lya came closer. "You are going to be a powerful ally against the Goa'uld."

Another one came in. "Do you know all of your abilities?" With that question, the tension inside was back.

Mom pulled me onto her lap. I shook my head as mom stroked my arm. I wrapped my arms around her neck and buried my head between her shoulder and neck, forcing myself to relax.

"Think about it for a moment."

"Look. Not that we're ungrateful or anything…" Dad touched my head, making me look at him. "We're more grateful than you will ever know." I grinned sleepily as he kissed my forehead. "But, give it rest ok. Give the kid a break."

I laid my head back down and started dozing. Dying will definitely exhaust you. I didn't want to admit what I already knew. I knew what powers I had. I knew what powers I would have. Hell, I knew how to call my powers to the surface. I didn't want to think about it just yet. I was safe and warm in the arms of my mom. I was where I wanted to be.

Mom spoke up. "Can you give us some time alone?"

"Yes. I apologize." he said and left.

Dad stood and shut the door. Turning back to us, he smiled. "Sam. Look." he said quietly, pointing at me.

She maneuvered me to where she could look at my face. "My angel," she whispered tearfully. I was in the space between sleeping and waking. I knew I had a goofy grin on my face. For the first time in two days, I had a peaceful look on my face. I was home…again. At least as close as I could get…for now.

"Sam's POV"

"Here," said Jack as he reached for her, but I wasn't ready to let her go yet. I'd just gotten her back and I wasn't letting her go…not just yet. I shook my head and held her tighter.

"Not yet. I've got her."

He understood. "Come on sweetheart," he said, helping me stand with Jessie in my arms. He led us to a bed at the side of the room. He helped me get my balance as I laid Jessie down. I curled myself around her small body and Jack curled himself around me.

"I love you, Sam." he whispered.

"I love you, Jack." I whispered back.

At the same time, we both said, "I love you, Jessie."

"I love you too." she murmured sleepily.

The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was the feeling of warmth and love coming from behind me and in front of me. I had the man I loved holding me as I held our child.

"My POV"

When I awoke the next morning, I was alone. I started to panic. That dream scared the shit out of me. I know I cried out. In six months, I'd gotten used to having someone near me when I woke up, even if it was in a different room. But, this place only had one room. I knew my mom and dad weren't there. I sat up rocking back and forth, tears streaming down my face. I guess the events of the last two days were finally catching up with me. I was back to being a small, frightened child.

Waking up alone is not enough to scare a lot of people. But, waking up alone on an alien planet scared the shit out of me. That and the memory dreams. Nothing like dying to wake an overactive imagination.

"Hey angel, you're awake." I heard mom say from behind me. I couldn't turn around to save my life.

I didn't turn…just rocked back and forth. Too scared. Still freaked out.

"Baby, what's the matter?" asked dad, reaching for me. I screamed and jerked away from him as soon as he touched my shoulder. I lay down and curled into a ball, trembling with fear. The dream was still fresh in my mind.

"You left me alone" was all I could say…whisper…something.

He lay down behind me. Wrapping his arms around me, he rocked me slowly, like a baby. "I'm sorry we left you alone." When I didn't say anything, he continued. "The Nox wanted to talk to us alone. I promise, it won't happen again."

Mom knelt by us. "Baby, what happened?'

"I don't want it." I sat up and pulled my knees to my chin. "I don't want these powers."

"They're cool." said mom.

"But, they're the only reason that I'm wanted."

"Bullshit!" said dad. I jumped at his anger and tried to get away. He pulled me into his arms and held me. "You're wanted because we love you. Not because of those powers."

I was still crying. "But, I just want to be normal. I'm not special. Why me?"

"Like hell you aren't special." said mom, stroking my hair. "You're very special. Your dad and I love you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to us. We love you more than anything on this planet."

Before she could say anything, dad quipped, "Or any other." I know he was trying to make me smile, but it didn't work.

"But, I don't want to be different. I just want to be a normal kid. I didn't want any of this shit to happen."

"Baby, I don't know about your mom, but I for one, am NOT normal." said dad. "From what I've seen, normal is way overrated.

"Baby girl, look at me. Your father has never, ever been accused of being normal." I giggled a little as he play-hit her. "That's better." she said kissing my forehead.

"Forgive us?" said dad.

"Sure." I stood and walked to the window. "It's just …" I stopped, remembering the chilling aspects of my dream. I shivered again.

"Just what baby?" they asked walking up behind me. Mom wrapped her arms around me, feeling the slight tremors. "Baby? Talk to us?"

"Just dreams."

She turned me to face them. She used her thumb to wipe the tear running down my face. "What kind of dreams, baby?"

"Nightmares." I shivered and she pulled me back into their embrace. "I call 'em memory dreams." I hid my face in mom's chest.

Now, it was dad's turn to kiss my head. "Memory dreams? What kind of memories."

"I don't know…things that haven't happened yet. All I remember is pain, darkness, and more pain. There was something else."

"What?"

"I can't…you wouldn't believe me."

"You know we would. You can tell us anything."

"There's someone there. His eyes glowed. He had this thing on his hand." I shut my eyes, trying to shut out the memory. "It hurt so bad, but I couldn't stop it. I could feel the pain as he held it over my head." I turned my face to them. "It was happening to me, but it hasn't happened yet. Does that make sense?"

They both looked at me as though I'd lost my mind. I walked away again. "I knew you wouldn't believe me." I said, wrapping my arms around myself.

Mom turned to dad. "Jack, Lya said that her abilities would grow. What if premonition is one of these?"

They both walked over to me. Mom put her arms around me again and rested her chin on the top of my head. Dad, once again, put both arms around us.

But, I didn't feel anything. "It will happen…unless I can find a way to stop it." I said.

"How could you stop it?"

"I don't know…I can stop it, can't I?" I turned to face them, fear in my eyes. "Please tell me I can stop it."

Mom pulled me close. "We will help you stop it."

"But…"

Dad gently pulled me out of mom's arms. "Sunshine, if there's…" he turned me to him. "Jessie, sweetheart. Look at me." I did. "If there's one thing that you and your mom have taught me these last few months is that we don't know what's going to happen. You've taught me to live each day like it's your last." He put both hands on my face. "Forget about the past. Don't think about the future. Live here and now."

I couldn't help it. Even though the situation was serious, I giggled.

"What's so funny?"

I looked at mom and we both giggled. "What's so funny?"

"That was…uh…deep dad." I giggled again.

"I can be deep if I want." he said, tickling me briefly. Then he sobered. "You understand what I was saying, right?" he asked, smoothing my hair.

"I guess so." I looked away.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." I said, looking back. "It's just….I…I'm scared."

"Baby," said dad. "Whatever happens, we will face this together…you, your mom, and me." He put his arms around me and kissed me again. Then he kissed mom on the lips.

"Ewww." I said backing up and giving myself room to run. They both laughed as I started to run past them. They tackled me on the bed and mom held me down as dad tickled me mercilessly. We were going to be ok. We fell asleep again.

When we woke up, I had a split second of fear run through me. Then I realized we were still on the Nox home world. Mom and dad were still asleep. As drained as I was (dying will do that to you) I knew they were more exhausted than I was. Even in their sleep, they both cried out for me. Hell, I cried for me. I'd lost an innocence that I could never get back.

I'd had another memory dream and it caused me to tremble in my sleep. Dad reached behind him and pulled the blanket around us. Mom pulled me closer. I snuggled against her and fell asleep again.

"General Hammond's POV"

I called Dr. Fraiser and told her to bring me Jessie's diary. Jacob's attitude would have to change. I couldn't believe that he acted that way. His daughter had just lost her only child and all he wanted to know was how she even had child.

I handed the diary to Jacob. "Read this."

"What is it?"

"Jessie's diary. She kept a journal of everything that happened to her."

"It can't be all that bad, George."

"No Jacob. It's worse…much…much worse."

Twenty minutes later, he put the book down and looked at me. "Is this for real?"

"Yes."

"God damn it all to hell."

Someone knocked on the door. "Come."

A lieutenant stepped in. "Here is the file you requested, sir."

"Thank you lieutenant."

He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "Sir, has there been any news of Jessie?"

"No, son. None yet."

"Yes, sir." he said saluting and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, lieutenant," said Jacob.

"Sir?"

"I have a question for you."

"Sir?"

"You care about the child…Jessie."

"Yes, sir." he said. "We all do."

"We?"

"Yes, sir. All of SGC."

"Because of her abilities." said Jacob, thinking it was that simple.

"No, sir." stated the lieutenant emphatically.

"Then why?"

"Because she's a great kid. Even with the hell that she's been through, she can still find the good in people." He paused. "She makes me laugh. When I'm stressed out about something, she can always make me laugh. I think about what she's been through in ten years and my problems don't seem so big anymore."

"I see."

"Is that all, sir?"

"Yes."

The lieutenant nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Jacob, what in the hell was that?"

"What was 'what', George?"

"Interrogating that lieutenant about why he cared so much about Jessie."

"Just curious." He looked at the folder in front of me. "What's that?"

"Jessie's medical file," I said, sliding the folder across the table to him. "Read it."

I left the room. I don't like being in the same room with those pictures. Just the thought of them makes me ill. I left Jacob alone to read the file and see the pictures. About fifteen minutes later I returned to hear him cussing.

"Well?"

"Selmac is highly agitated because of what we read and saw in that file." He shook his head. "That poor kid." He looked up. "Did you ever find out who did that to her?"

"Yeah. He's dead. Shot by the police trying to escape."

"Good."

I laughed bitterly. "When he showed up at Jack's the other night, I thought Jack was going to kill him with his own hands. I should've let him. Hell, we'd all have given him an alibi."

"He really cares about her doesn't he?"

"Yes, Jacob. He does. He loves her probably as much as he loved his son."

"And Sam?"

"She loves Jessie, too. They would both give their lives for her."

"How does Jack feel about Sam?"

"I don't ask."

"But, you suspect."

"Hell, Jacob. They have a child together. There is a connection there that will override any regulations they may or may not be breaking."

Jacob opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by...

Unauthorized off-world activation

We both left for the gateroom at a run, entering as the iris closed. "Who is it?" I asked as the wormhole established itself.

"It's SG-1's signal, sir."

This is it.

"Open the iris."

Dr. Jackson and Teal'c entered the gateroom as the iris opened. "General?"

I shook my head and held up my hand, forestalling any further inquiries. The same Nox as before stepped through…Lya…I think.

"General Hammond." she said.

"You have news of Jessie?" I held my breath.

"I do. The child lives."

Cheers went up all around the gateroom and above in the control room. A very good day. A very, very good day.