Title: As the 'Gate Turns: 91 Days
Author: Annerb
Rating: language, violence
Summary: Some old friends ask SG-1 for help.
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)
Disclaimer The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: What could possibly be worse than losing a daughter and being estranged from the one person who should understand you? How about dredging up some old memories that you would rather not remember? Man…I'm so mean to these poor guys. Montage and Triptnx: Many thanks!

Feedback: Always appreciated!

Part 10: 91 Days

Sunlight played in gentle patterns across the ceiling, reminding Sam that it was well past time for her to raise from bed. And yet, she remained; watching the twinkling, morphing shapes as a gentle breeze caused the leaves outside her window to flutter. She gazed at them, for once not analyzing the principles behind the reflections, but rather indulging in a moment of pure whimsy.

For the last few weeks, every day had been slightly easier than the one before; but today, Sam felt the old heaviness returning to her limbs. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and block the world out. Just for today, she told herself. She wanted to wake up to find that it was already tomorrow. But it was a weakness that part of her just couldn't allow. Today is just like any other, she reminded herself.

But today was not just like any other. Today marked a dubious milestone that loomed over everything: three months. Three months since she last saw her daughter smile. Three months since she had seen the stubborn determination in Haley's face, communicating that she would never let others suffer on her behalf. Three months since she altruistically offered her life up for the 'greater good,' whatever that was.

Sam didn't know why three months was so much more difficult than two months had been, or 56.3 days. They were all just numbers after all. A human invention to help comprehend the passage of time as light flowed endlessly from one edge of the universe to the other. It's not even like it was a day associated with a special holiday. It wasn't Christmas, Mother's Day or even Haley's birthday.

Sam closed her eyes at the thought of Haley's birthday. She didn't technically have one other than the day she was ripped from her mother's womb, which didn't seem like a good thing to celebrate every year. Jack had been the one to insist that she have one. 'No daughter of mine is going to miss out on a chance to be the center of attention once a year,' Jack had declared. He had gone on to announce that the coming Saturday was as good a date as any. Plus, he'd said, he always thought Haley seemed like a bit of a Pisces, earning a complete look of disbelief from Daniel that Jack would know, or even believe in, such things.

Jack and Sam had just recently reached a sort of truce and so they spent the whole week together planning a big party for Haley, just like real parents. Jack had insisted on all of the trimmings ('After all, we have 24 birthdays to make up for!'). He had been adamant that Chuck E. Cheese's was a must; every kid had to eat cheap pizza and roll around in a pit full of plastic balls at least once in their life. Sam had some serious doubts that the whole event wouldn't be too childish, but Jack's enthusiasm had been difficult to fight.

In the end, Jack had been right. Haley's eyes had lit up at the gaudy interior and she had laughed hopelessly hard at the mechanical puppet band. They all stuffed themselves with cardboard-like pizza and then instituted war-games in the play structure. Seeing Teal'c covered up to his neck in multi-colored balls with a patiently exasperated expression on his face was something Sam would never forget. Daniel had proved to be an absolute master at skeet ball and managed to win an utterly atrocious purple elephant for Haley.

Haley had loved every moment. When she had wished Sam an exhausted goodnight later that evening, Haley had looked up at her, still clutching the horrible stuffed animal and said, her eyes wide with amazement, "People get to do this every year?"

She never got a second birthday party. That ridiculous elephant still sat in Haley's room, collecting dust. Three months… Today shouldn't be any harder than any other. It wasn't logical. And yet, Sam remained, staring at the splaying light, her heart desperately yearning for the sound of thumping water pipes or the smell of waffles that would never come. One day, she told herself, one day for whimsy and hiding. Tomorrow is soon enough for reality, and then she pulled the covers over her head.

'Three months and one day,' Daniel thought as he watched Sam furtively from across the briefing table. He had noticed her strategic absence from the base yesterday, but had decided to allow her some space. He was glad to see her back today, looking slightly pale, but well enough otherwise.

Daniel had also felt a strange compulsion to commemorate yesterday in some fashion. He had sat on the grassy knoll where he delivered Haley's eulogy late in the afternoon, doing nothing more than watching the clouds float by and thinking of Haley. Even Teal'c had partaken in a ritual kel'no'reem session dedicated to the remembrance of fallen warriors.

Only Jack had continued on as if the day had meant nothing. Daniel was still torn between wanting to kick his friend's ass and feeling sorry for him. When the subject of today's briefing was finally broached, however, Daniel began to lean quite a bit towards the former.

"We're going to have to put off your trip to P6T-953 for a bit. A situation has come up that requires our attention," Jack said as he passed out folders around the table.

Daniel's eyebrow shot up, "Our attention, Jack?"

Jack nodded briefly, "Yeah, I think it would be better if I came along for this one."

Daniel was about to ask why when his eye was caught by the planet designation on the folder in front of him. P5C-768. Daniel was sure this had to be some sort of a joke. "Edora?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, Daniel," Jack said warningly. "Early this morning Walter registered an impact against the iris. It matched the signature from those boxes you're always handing out."

"A Sagan box? And it came from Edora?"

Jack just nodded and Daniel really wondered how many more unpleasant things could possibly be dragged up.

"Any idea of what we might be running into, sir?" Sam asked without looking up from the folder.

As Jack and Sam discussed recent intelligence reports and Goa'uld activity in the area, Daniel couldn't help but stare at Sam. She was in consummate soldier mode, asking all the proper questions for a thorough assessment of the situation into which she would be taking her team. Looking at her, or hearing her tone, one would think this was just any other planet, or that the estranged-father-of-her-dead-child was not, in fact, accompanying them on this mission to a planet that had once held him hostage for three months in the arms of another woman.

Daniel knew that compartmentalizing feelings was essential to being an effective soldier, but this was getting a little ridiculous. He wasn't sure what, exactly, he was expecting form her, just anything other than the cool indifference that she was radiating at this moment. She was always like this on base these days. Professional. Detached.

When she was off-base with just him or Teal'c she would smile and laugh, almost be her old self, but here she was always a soldier to the core. She did her job and did it well, but some of her joy seemed to have bled away. Daniel suspected that she wasn't even aware of doing so, which was even more worrisome.

And now they all got to go to Edora together. Fate had a real weird sense of humor sometimes.

When they stepped through the gate, the first thing they saw was a young boy standing near the MALP. The second he saw SG-1 come through, he took off at a run, calling out as he went. "They're here, they're here! The off-worlders have come!"

"Wow, our very own Paul Revere," Jack noted wryly.

Less than ten minutes later a small group of villagers came charging up the path. One young woman broke off from the rest and addressed them.

"Welcome. We thank you for coming so quickly."

Daniel smiled. "How can we help?"

"We are truly sorry to bother you with this, but we knew not what else to do. We do not know how to travel among the stars as you do."

"It's okay; just tell us what has happened."

"Two boys have gone missing. And this one," she gestured at the boy who they had seen running from the gate, "Tomas, says he saw the older boys playing with the symbols." She gestured towards the DHD. "The children have been warned and told never to touch the gate to the stars…"

"Are you saying that you think the boys went through the Stargate?" Daniel asked.

"Yes," said another woman who had just appeared up the path. It was Laira.

Daniel could feel Sam stiffen ever so slightly beside him as they all turned to regard the woman. Five years had not changed her much. But there was one major change, she held a small child in her arms.

"Laira," Jack said, his voice carefully neutral.

She smiled and said, "It is good to see all of you again. Garan was sure that you would come to help us. He has told endless stories about you to little Valen here," she said, nodding to the child in her arms, who was now adamantly squirming. A young woman silently appeared at her side and took the child from her. "Thank you, daughter. Your child grows heavier every day!" She turned back to SG-1, "You remember Naytha?"

Naytha smiled shyly at them and nodded before retreating back to the village.

"He is a beautiful child."

Daniel turned to Sam in disbelief, to find her looking at Laira. Laira smiled at Sam. "Yes, Naytha has truly blessed us." She then reached into her apron and pulled out a rough piece of parchment, which she handed to Sam.

"A gate address," Sam said in surprise. Daniel looked over her shoulder and saw that seven coarse symbols had been scratched onto the paper.

Laira nodded. "These are the symbols Tomas says the boys pushed before disappearing into the standing water."

"Carter," Jack finally spoke up, "do you recognize the address?"

"No, sir, not off the top of my head. I'll need to look it up in the database back at the SGC."

Jack nodded. "Alright. Daniel, go with Carter and see what you can find out about this planet. Then you can gather the proper equipment and meet us back here."

Sam nodded and immediately turned to dial the gate, her mind already immersed in the problem at hand.

"Radio check in thirty minutes," Jack called after her retreating back.

Daniel watched Jack as Sam dialed up the gate. Laira offered Jack and Teal'c some refreshments, but Jack just shook his head and squatted down next to the MALP. Daniel couldn't imagine what he was doing to it, other than using it as an excuse to ignore people. Teal'c took some water from a village woman with a nod, gracious as always. Daniel sighed and stepped up to follow Sam back to the SGC. Jack seemed to be treating Laira with the same indifference he treated everyone else with these days.

Once on the other side, it didn't take Sam long to track down the planet that the boys had wandered off to. There was only a slight delay as Daniel convinced Walter that everything was okay and that, yes, the General would certainly be back for tomorrow's video briefing with the President. Yes, Daniel would remind him again.

Daniel bit back a sigh and turned to watch Sam updating Jack through the MALP.

Sam was already mid-way through her report. "It's one of the planets abandoned after the death of Chronos, sir. We don't have any intelligence more recent than six months ago, though. With the Goa'uld's recent moves to reacquire previously abandoned planets…"

"So you're basically telling me that we might be walking into a Goa'uld party, right, Colonel?" Jack interrupted, his face leaning into the video camera on the other side.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied steadily.

Jack sighed. "Alright, why don't you round up the necessary supplies and tell SG-8 to get geared up so they can join us for a little rescue operation."

"Yes, sir."

Soft footsteps let Jack know that Laira had followed him to his 'thinking spot' as she had always called it. This place, right by the edge of the stream, always seemed to draw him. So he really wasn't surprised to find himself standing there as he waited for equipment and manpower to be sent through the gate from the SGC. It seemed that five years wasn't nearly long enough to erase old habits, either of theirs.

"You know, when you left, I mourned. I gave you one hundred days," Laira said as she came up behind him.

Jack felt guilt rising in his throat, but when he opened his mouth to apologize, she just waved it away.

"I do not say this to make you feel bad, Jack. Quite the contrary. I want you to know that a hundred and one days after you left I met Horace, my husband. It was as if our souls touched. He has blessed me, in so many ways. So, it seems to me, that things always happen for a reason. No matter how hurtful they may seem at the time."

Jack didn't reply, instead he leaned over and began collecting stones.

Laira watched him complete the familiar task. So many days they had stood together like this. "I only tell this to you in the hopes that it may lighten your burden. I see it in you, a sort of darkness pressing into you, just like when you were here before and had lost your whole world."

"And you think that whatever I am suffering has happened for a greater reason?" Jack asked in a harsher voice than he'd intended.

Laira did not seem to take offense. Instead, she continued in that soft voice of hers that always held such simple wisdom. "I know not of your loss. I can only offer what my own have taught me."

Jack nodded his head and picked up another handful of stones. "I don't suppose that whole hundred days thing works when it's your child, does it," Jack finally said quietly, surprising himself.

Laira looked out over the water for a while before replying. "I don't know, Jack. That is perhaps a wound that is never meant to heal."

Jack nodded. "I thought as much. But I was still kind of hoping." He threw a rock and watched it skim across the calm water of the creek. "Today is 91 days."

Laira raised one hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she watched the progress of two boys running across the bridge. "Tell me of the child."

Jack felt his throat clench. "I can't…I-"

"Let me ask you this," Laira interrupted. "If you had a choice, would you have rather never known the child? Would you wipe all knowledge from your memory if you could?"

Jack wanted to say yes. He so desperately wanted to say yes, but instead, for the first time in weeks, he let his mind wander gently over his memories. Her sparkling eyes, so like Sam's. Her determined glare as she stood up to a room full of stuck-up PhDs. The sound of her laughter and the way she would roll her eyes at him when he teased her. A tightness began to build in his gut, clenching at his heart. Did he really wish that he had never known her? Was he selfish enough to wish that she had never lived, just so that he wouldn't have to suffer this pain?

"Damn it," he swore harshly. He threw the handful of pebbles roughly into the stream, watching them sink into the murky depths. "I don't know how to do this, Laira."

"One foot in front of the other, Jack," she said plainly, putting a hand on his arm. "Now, tell me the child's name."

Jack met Laira's eyes for the first time, bracing himself for pity, but all he saw was understanding and calm support. "Haley," he said softly, giving voice to her name for the first time in 91 days. The clenching in his stomach released, just a little bit, but it was a start.

Teal'c stood some distance away in the shadow of a house, his eyes never leaving Jack. He could see how the tension slowly left Jack as he spoke to the woman. Jack seemed to be involved in sharing a story and Laira's soft laughter reached Teal'c across the great distance.

Out of the corner of his eye, Teal'c detected movement. He turned to find Sam watching the scene on the bank of the stream with wide eyes. Laira laughed again at something Jack said and rested her head gently against his shoulder.

"Colonel Carter," Teal'c said softly.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Teal'c," she said calmly, as if the scene before her did not cause her any distress. "Could you tell General O'Neill that the supplies from the SGC have been sent through?"

Teal'c nodded solemnly, noticing how Sam's eyes kept darting back to the stream.

"I'm going to…I'll be at the Stargate," she mumbled before fleeing.

Teal'c sighed, torn between compassion for Sam and relief that it seemed O'Neill had finally found someone who could help him properly mourn his loss. He silently wondered why things always had to be so difficult for his friends.

The villagers came to see them off, wishing them a speedy journey and thanking them for trying to bring their loved ones home. Sam checked the supplies she had brought through for the fourth time, trying to ignore the way Daniel's eyes followed her every movement. She wasn't really sure what he expected of her. Did he think she was going to break down and cry? Or maybe get into a spectacularly girly cat-fight with a woman who had once held Jack O'Neill's heart? Sam wanted to roll her eyes and let out a very un-Colonel-ish 'Puh-lease.' She did neither.

Instead, she watched as Jack and Laira walked up the path together, reminding herself that it didn't matter. Reaching the crowd, Laira walked over to stand by a tall, lanky man who treated her to a warm, intimate smile. Laira slipped her hand into his with ease. Sam felt something inside of her inexplicably relax. And then she cursed herself a fool.

Jack spoke briefly to the commander of SG-8 before gesturing for Daniel to dial the gate up. He then walked over Laira and took both of her hands. He leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek, saying "Thanks, Laira."

She simply nodded and smiled in return.

Jack then turned to the man standing at her side and shook his hand. "You're a lucky man, Horace."

Horace beamed in response and wrapped one arm around Laira, who leaned appreciatively into his side.

"We'll bring them back," Jack promised.

Laira nodded again and called after him. "Be safe."

Jack turned away from Laira and his eyes met Sam's. He held her gaze for what seemed like an eternity. She couldn't remember the last time he had so much as looked at her if he wasn't ordering her to do something. She felt her head tip slightly to one side, questioning, easily slipping back into their familiar, unspoken language. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly in silent acknowledgement of her.

It was only in that moment that Sam could clearly see that she had been doubly mourning, not just the loss of Haley, but the loss of Jack as well. She had tried to ignore how much his withdrawal had hurt. She knew him well enough to see that something had changed today. She didn't have time to ruminate on what that might be, though, because in the next instant Jack broke eye contact to pull on his trusty cap. When he looked up again, his expression was once again unreadable, his attention focused on the Stargate.

Sam let out a breath she hadn't been aware of holding and quickly dropped her eyes to her weapon, ostensibly adjusting the strap. She chanced a glance at Daniel, sure that he would have picked up on the silent communication, but he seemed blissfully unaware. Jack signaled for SG-8 to take point through the gate and Sam pushed everything but the mission from her mind. It was time to bring those boys home.

The area around the gate on the other side was still empty of life, as revealed by the MALP. Jack ordered SG-8 to hold the gate while they scouted the surrounding area. He gestured for Sam and Daniel to head in one direction before slipping into the forest with Teal'c in another direction.

Forty-five minutes later they were all crouching together along a ridgeline overlooking a spreading valley below. The ridge extended on three sides of the valley and in the distance the large clearing gave way to a dense forest. An elegant tent stood at the center of the open space, two Jaffa standing at attention near the entrance.

Twenty or more Jaffa could be clearly seen milling around smaller tents and campfires some distance away. On the closer edge of the valley, six more Jaffa lounged near a small enclosure that held about fifteen humans. Through his binoculars, Jack could just make out the form of two small boys huddled together.

Jack sighed. "Of all the planets to pick, those boys had to wander here." He passed his binoculars to Teal'c.

"A harvest," Teal'c posited. "They are collecting humans as possible hosts."

"I guess they decided that eating each other wasn't good for the Goa'uld cause," Daniel observed with a snort of disgust.

"Their numbers have dwindled amazingly these last few years, they must be trying to build themselves up again," Sam offered.

"Yeah, well, they're out of luck today. No one is getting 'harvested,'" Jack said.

Sam looked sideways at him, "Sir, we are a little out-numbered."

"We'll wait for the cover of darkness and do it quietly."

Daniel let out a soft sound of disbelief.

Jack glared at him. "What? I can do quiet when I have to."

"Any idea who it is?" Sam asked, trying to change the subject.

Daniel, still looking through his binoculars, shook his head. "The Jaffa are too far away to see their marks."

"Well, I'm not picky," Jack said. "Seen one Goa'uld, seem 'em all, I always say."

Teal'c raised one eyebrow, but did not comment.

"Carter, how many hours until dark, do you think?"

"I'd say about three and a half, sir."

"Okay." Jack picked up a stick and began drawing in the dirt. "This is what we're gonna do…"

When the signal finally came, Sam could feel Daniel following closely behind her, under the cover of dark. The moon still had not risen and they had to walk carefully to avoid unseen obstacles. They were in charge of taking out the three northern guards. Teal'c and Jack were simultaneously approaching the south. SG-8 remained hidden in the ridge brush, ready to escort the prisoners to the 'gate, and, if need be, lay down cover fire. Plan A was to quietly take out the guards and herd the prisoners back to Edora. Plan B, which was to be implemented if the break-out did not go unnoticed, was to 'run like hell and not get caught,' as Jack had so eloquently put it.

Plan A seemed to be moving right along when the first inevitable hitch happened. The prisoners had been mercifully quiet, watching the strangers silently dispatching their guard with wide eyes. They created a hole in the ridge side of the enclosure away from the Goa'uld. The prisoners began filing out, following Daniel towards the waiting SG-8. They were down to the last few people when a young woman stepped out, took one look at Teal'c and let out a blood curdling scream.

Jack zatted the woman without hesitation, catching her body as it fell. They all paused for a moment, holding their breath to see if anyone had heard her scream. For a split second, everything seemed blissfully quiet. But then harsh voices in the distance and the impact of staff blasts on the enclosure shattered that illusion.

"So much for Plan A," Jack grumbled as Teal'c threw the unconscious woman over his shoulder. Jack grabbed the two Edoran boys by the neck of their shirts and quickly dragged them up the hill.

"Time for Plan B. Rogers, you and your team get these people through the gate. We'll cover your six."

SG-8's commander nodded once and took the woman from Teal'c. "We'll hold the gate for you, sir."

"Negative. You will go through as soon as you reach it. We'll be right behind you."

Rogers looked like he was going to argue, but by this point the Jaffa had reached the empty enclosure below.

"Go!" Jack snapped, not bothering to see if his order was followed as he was already busy holding off the rather impressive group of Jaffa below.

After giving SG-8 as much of a head start as they could, they pulled back from the ridge and retreated to the cover of a small copse of trees. When a good number of Jaffa were stumbling down the hill, Jack turned to Sam and nodded once. Sam covered her head and pressed a detonator that was ready and waiting in her hand. Half a dozen Jaffa were taken out by awaiting claymores.

In the ensuing chaos, SG-1 slipped further back into the woods, sprinting towards the gate. They had just reached the clearing surrounding the gate when a staff blast impacted a tree right by Daniel's head. Jack motioned for them to all take cover and hold off the approaching troops to make sure that SG-8 and the prisoners managed to get through the gate.

Jack turned back briefly during a short break in enemy fire to see SG-8 disappear into the wormhole with the last of the prisoners. He was signaling for the rest of them to fall back to the gate when a round metallic ball rolled to a stop at his feet.

"Oh, crap," was all Jack managed to say before screeching white light knocked him unconscious.