RU

"Dreams don't get better than that!" I woke feeling incredible, completely satisfied and like the past 6 years of tension between me and the colonel were obliterated in one act of complete passion and recklessness. I felt wonderful, it seemed so real, but nothing like that could ever happen between us, but it is damn good to dream. "Oh God that was incredible."
"I agree, you were a wild woman, you even passed out. But we really need to get going now"
"Holy Shit!"
"I know were going to be late for Charlie's game, but at least we can hope that this time it'll take."

I registered the first comment, the second one making no sense to me. "Charlie! .. Oh my God colonel we just had Sex! And kissed in front of the General. My career is over, completely over."

"Come on Sam Baby we really don't have time for games, Charlie's gonna have a Cow if I miss this one, he's the starting pitcher."

"Colonel, what are you talking about?"

"Charlie, Sam you know, Smart kid, blond, ... My son . . . Sam is there something wrong here.?"

"Colonel, you're son has been dead for over 9 years. And with you being my commanding officer what we just did is VERY wrong."

"Sam, sammy, please stop. It's not funny baby. I knew I married you for your humor but, that is really not funny."

"I'm not Joking Sir. I think we should get you to the infirmary."

AU

We arrived home after the game, Charlie didn't say anything to either of us, but kept on giving me wary angry looks the entire ride home. Sam and I didn't talk either, the unsurety of how to deal with the situation was tangible.

We entered the house and Sam looked at me and with Charlie still lingering there she didn't broach the thoughts that were on her mind, she needed sleep. I had been around Sam Carter for long enough to know when she was stressed out and overburdened by something, and this was it.

"I'm going up to bed Jack." She said with a finality in her tone. Charlie watched as she left, then watched me following her with my eyes.

"You fucked it up didn't you dad? " He said in a low accusing vice. "The best damn thing in your entire life and you went and fucked it up!"

"Charlie."

"Don't treat me like I'm nine dad." He started toward the living room, but turned back. "If you two get a divorce I'm living with Sam. She's more of a parent than you ever were." He turned away again.

"Charlie please . ." I followed.

"Please What dad?"

"..Let me get a word in ... "

"You gonna explain to me, how you managed to ruin your marriage to the most perfect woman in the world ."

"It isn't ruined Charlie!"

"She was crying dad, Sam never cries unless you hurt her, you've done that too many times recently, so what was it this time? Another woman, another Damn mission that's gonna have Sam killing herself to rescue you again?"

"It's nothing like that Charlie, Sam's just scared, she's overburdened by her workload at the base she's stressed about . . " I tried to make it sound convincing, but his eyes were just getting darker with every word , he looked ready to punch me, so I stopped.

"Charlie, we're worried about the baby." I don't know if I had the right to say that or not. whether Charlie knew that Sam and his dad were trying to have a baby, or whether there even was one to worry about. But it seemed the only thing that would be dramatic enough to shock him into dropping his current train of thought.

"Sam's pregnant? You did it?" Well at least he knew that they were trying. I was amazed to see his eyes instantly brighten.

"She may be, we wont know for sure for a few weeks, but she's worried that there may be a problem because of something that happened on my last mission."

"The one you got back from today . . What were you exposed to radiation or something. I thought they tested you guys for all that kind of stuff."

"They do, and it's nothing like radiation, something I don't know how to explain" He seemed to accept my inability to explain technical things as common. Which in this case was good. "We don't know anything for sure yet, but you know how Sam gets when it comes to having a baby she stresses and over thinks every little thing." We're going back to base for an hour or so tomorrow to try and figure out what the facts are and what the risks may be, I don't want you to worry until we have more information. I just have to get Sam to do the Same thing."

Charlie looked at me for a moment considering my words, he seemed surprised that I'd been so open with him. All I really wanted to do was Hug him and maybe go out back and toss a ball. So I did the first.

I stepped to my son and pulled him into a hug.
"It was a great game Charlie. Good job, I'm proud of you." I could tell that the gesture surprised him, but he was somewhat placated by the congratulations. I held the hug for a moment longer before letting him go, not willing to push the boundaries of whatever relationship this Charlie had with his Dad.

"Uh .. yeah, thanks Dad. Glad you could make it." The last statement had a deeper meaning behind it, I could tell Charlie had been through a lot in his 16 years,I'd seen that look in many of the black ops recruits that had made it through the harder training. No kid should have to dealwith that much shit this early in life. I felt like a bastard in my counterparts place. But what would it have been like to loose sarah then? I can't imagine.

"Okay, you'd better get to bed, and I'd better get Sam to stop thinking too much."

"Right, so I'll see you for breakfast, and do you think you can avoid the 'special ingredient' in the pancakes this time?"

"Uh . . yeah, sure." I thought back to the Saturday morning tradition of making pancakes. I hadn't done it since Charlie died.
I could already tell that this wasn't going to be easy.

RU

"Once more from the top please."

I started back at the beginning, stating my life and career track to the SF in front of me. I could feel her presence behind the two way mirror. George was probably there too and Teal'C and Daniel. Doc was standing in the hallway talking ot some nurse.
"I've been over this 30 times General, can we dispense with the pleasantries and move on to the torture now. PLEASE!"

"First, I have no idea how this is all happening, or what is happening, We found a mirror on that planet but nothing ever happened with it. As far as I know it is still there. . ." I continued on with my story ad-nauseaum while they just sat there watching and listening. I was missing Charlie's game. I'm the biggest bastard in the universe, and to top it all of I just screwed up the career of the woman I love and need most in this universe, well in her reality that is, I can't imagine not being with Sam. Loving her. And by the way she responded to me I think that the jack that belongs to this reality is a complete idiot.
It throws me for a loop though when I think that while I had Charlie, He had Sarah, that we both ended up alienating the one remaining person in our lives due to the loss of the other. that we both ended up suicidal and going to Abydos. That I could make a phone call right now and hear her voice and see her, living breathing. Sarah alive. But no Charlie. and no Sam.

"His life seems to be consistent with that of our Colonel O'Neill up until 1996, a few months before the first Abydos mission. When Ja.. Our Colonel O'Neill lost his son Charlie, This O'Neill lost his wife Sarah in the accident.
Now we've examined the members of SG-5 that returned from PRX-198 with Colonel O'Neill and have determined that they are from this reality, whatever happened, it only effected the Colonel."
"And have we been able to determine what happened major?"
"Not a clue so far general, but id like permission to examine the remains of the quantum mirror in hopes of finding a clue that may lead us to getting our Jack O'Neill back."
"Very well major, I'll authorize the fragments to be shipped here from Area-51. dismissed people. Major May I see you in my office."