Chapter 3

"Dad? What's going on?"

Jacob, who had carried the unconscious Sam to the infirmary and just returned to the Briefing Room, turned to the younger version of his daughter. She looked terrified.

"Sammy, this isn't what usually happens when you go through the Stargate."

"The what?"

George watched his friend in interest.

"We- well, Dr. Jackson- found out that it's called a Stargate." He said motioning to the ring on the other side of the glass.

"Who's Dr. Jackson?"

Daniel appeared from out of the corner suddenly. "My name is Daniel Jackson."

The teenager raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"He started working on the Stargate after we shut it down when you got back- or rather, we will shut it down when you get back."

George blinked in surprise. "Jacob, you worked with the Stargate?"

He nodded. "The Pentagon decided to try experimenting with the Gate again roughly forty years after an incident in 1945. I was assigned to the command. For Sam's fifteenth birthday, I brought her to meet with some of our scientists. She was reading everything she could get her hands on about space and physics."

He paused, and then turned to the teenager. "By the way, Sammy. Happy Birthday!"

She smiled. "Thanks Dad."

"So, what happened?" Daniel prompted.

"There was an emergency, and all the scientists were called to take a look at the Stargate. Sam followed them. I realize now that we had accidentally activated the Stargate. Sam here, being curious as she is . . ."

"Let me guess, she went through, there was one of those sun thingies, and she ended up here." Jack said as he stood up.

He didn't really notice the smitten look of the teenager.

"Who are you?" She asked, slightly dreamily.

Jack outstretched his hand. "Colonel Jack O'Neill. Your- well, your future commanding officer."

She smiled, and shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Jack, it's a solar flare." Daniel said, clarifying what Jack was trying to say.

"Whatever."

"So, you mean, if you activate this Star-whatever-the-heck-it-is at the same time as a solar flare, it's capable of time travel?"

Jacob bowed his head, and Selmak answered. "Jacob refuses to admit everything from those memories. He had resigned himself to her death. He nearly took his own life. However, when Samantha returned two weeks later, he recommended that the Stargate be destroyed and all evidences of the program burned. The program was shut down, for the time being, and Jacob was sent to the Pentagon on another assignment."

The teenager shrank back from her father. "Uncle George, what have you done to my father! Where is my dad!"

Jacob resurfaced and went to hug his daughter. "Sammy, it's me."

She struggled, and Jacob moved away from his embrace. "Sam, I know this is going to be hard to understand . . . "

"Whoa, Jacob! Is this really a good idea?"

Jacob raised his hand to stop Jack. "I'll explain later."

"Sammy, my new assignment is to be an alien liason. In order to do that more effectively, I offered to share my body with an alien named Selmak."

"You're- an- alien?" She swallowed and looked at Jack, Daniel, and George for confirmation. All three men nodded.

"George, is it possible for Sam to talk to a couple of the base scientists? I think she would find it fascinating."

"I suppose so, but only about unclassified theories and facts, etc."

The teenaged girl was escorted by two lieutenants to- though unbeknownst to her- her lab.

"Jacob, do you want to fill me in?" The General asked.

"When Sam came back, she didn't remember anything. And she didn't come back through the Stargate."

"What?" Jack asked.

"She just reappeared in the middle of our command center. Of course, before she got there, there was a bright light."

"The Asgard?"

Jacob nodded at Jack's suggestion. "I'm inclined to think so."

"But, they don't have the ability to travel in time, do they?" Daniel asked, a little puzzled.

"Maybe not, but I suggest we talk to Thor."

Dr. Janet Fraiser walked into the briefing room swiftly. "Sir, I have the latest report on Major Carter's condition."

All of the men turned to look at her.

"Come on, Doctor, let us have it."

She took a deep breath. "She's stable, but I don't know how much longer that's going to last."

"What's the cause?" Jack asked, after a short silence.

"Honestly, I have no idea. So far, I can't find a single cause for her state."

"She mentioned feeling weaker to me." George offered.

"Well, that makes sense. As far as I can tell, she's suffering from symptoms of exhaustion and over-exertion."

Jack clapped one hand to his forehead. "She didn't sleep last night!"

Jacob's eyebrows shot up further than anyone thought possible. "Jack .. . " He growled.

Jack realized the implications of his words. "No, sir, I haven't . . . done . . . anything. I just went into the lab and found her hard at work this morning, with a few empty coffee cups nearby. You all know how she loses track of time while she's working. Besides, she openly admitted to not having slept."

There was an awkward silence, and Daniel decided to get Jack out of the center of attention. "It's okay, Jack. We knew what you meant."

"Well, that does make more sense," Janet added.

"But, doesn't she do that often?" Jacob asked.

"Well, yeah . . ." Daniel replied.

"So why is she . . ."

"Jacob, she said it started happening after fifteen-year-old Sam came through the gate." George interrupted.

The color in Jacob's face disappeared. "We've got to call the Asgard now."

I'm sorry for the moments of shippy-ness. I can't help myself. Besides, if you were a teenager, and saw Jack (albeit a younger Jack) wouldn't you just start drooling?

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