"General Hammond, Sir! With all due respect, Colonel O'Neill did not get captured!" I practically shouted. Yeah, probably not the best way to get your CO's CO to authorize a rescue mission on a planet now deemed hostile, but Dammit! Oops I mean, Dang it, I was pissed.
"Major Carter! Stand down!" he growled back at me. Yeah, don't think I've ever sat faster. Ja… Colonel O'Neill must be rubbing off on me. Talking back to a superior officer, what was I thinking?
"If there are no Jaffa present when we send the MALP through, you may return to search for the Colonel." Hammond sat back and stared at me. Man, I wish I could figure that out. It was like he knew something I didn't.
"You're dismissed until 1400. I suggest you eat something and rest before we send the MALP."
I stood and quickly exited the room. I could feel Daniel and Teal'c staring after me, but I just wanted to be alone right now. I knew Daniel would try to follow me, but I also counted on Teal'c restraining him.
Eat? What was the General thinking? Of course I wouldn't eat. And rest? Totally out of the question. C'mon, they've got to know me better than that. Or maybe they do.
Yup, he must be thinking back to the last time Jack… ERGH! Colonel O'Neill was left. Back on Edora with Laira. Yeah, that was years ago, but I know he still thinks of her. He won't admit it, but I know he slept with her. I know he still wonders whether they've got a child or not.
If I had just hesitated all those years ago, I would have been trapped there with him. Who am I kidding? I'm sure he doesn't feel that way anymore.
I plopped myself down on the stool in my lab, knowing full well I wouldn't get any work done. Two hours, with nothing for me to do. Studying new technology usually helps, but not this time. I stood and went to the weight room for I nice, relaxing workout.
1400 hours, the MALP was going through. No shots fired, no bald heads or glowing eyes. We were mounting a rescue mission.
"SG-1, you have a go. SG-2 will be accompanying you," Hammond ordered. I grinned a little trying not to show exactly how ecstatic I truly was. Had to look professional, you know?
When we stepped to the other side, I knew immediately what must have happened. We followed the Colonel's foot prints straight to where they were backing into the side of a cliff.
"Daniel, you and Teal'c check around, make sure he's not lying injured somewhere in hiding," I ordered. I knew it was useless, we wouldn't find anything.
I set to inspecting the cliff face. It had to be here somewhere. There was no explanation. Ja… Colonel O'Neill, couldn't just disappear with out a trace.
I've got to stop doing that. He's the Colonel. My CO. The man in charge. The commander who always listens to me even when he's got no clue what I'm talking about. My friend. No, my best friend.
But he was more than just that. God, I miss him. Those deep chocolate eyes, that wonderful silver hair. That smile that went missing for months after Edora, but came back when we worked things out. The way he always pretends he doesn't understand me.
Ha! I found it! "Daniel! Teal'c! Over here!" I pressed the rock face and watched a section of it flicker.
"A quantum mirror! That's where he went," Daniel exclaimed. I could hear the joy in his voice.
"Teal'c, go let Hammond know we may have found the Colonel." I inspected the surrounding area to make sure there was no damage done and we could return home.
Teal'c came running back and stood beside us.
"Okay, let's go bring him home."
We stepped through the 'Gate to hear Jack shouting. I couldn't tell if it was our Jack or not, so I laid my weapon on the ground. Daniel and Teal'c followed suit.
"Close the Iris!" I shouted up to them. I saw Jack disappear from the control room. I knew he was heading down to see us, but I still wasn't sure if he was ours or not. I'd seen a few of them with the scar through the left eyebrow, but the eyes were always different. I could always tell who was my Colonel. My Colonel? Where'd that come from?
I didn't even get the chance to look into his eyes before he grabbed me tightly in the biggest bear hug I'd ever seen, much less been a part of. I hesitantly brought my arms around him, still not quite sure what was going on.
He rubbed his hand over the back of my head, entwining his fingers in my hair. I'd never seen him act like this before, and it almost scared me. This emotional… bombshell he was putting me through was definitely not being left in that room.
"Oh, God, Sam," I heard him whisper into my ear. He said it! I wasn't Major Carter, or Major, or just Carter. I was Sam, finally.
"They've never come across the mirrors. I though I'd never see you again," he whispered again. I held him tighter, knowing only Daniel and Teal'c would see; we had left SG-2 standing guard on the other side of the mirror.
"Sir, are you okay?" I asked backing away.
"No, but I'm not injured," he answered quietly. He stepped back and rested his left arm across my shoulders, wrapping his left hand around my arm. "C'mon, there's a little excitement going on right now."
I just stared at him, full of disbelief. My CO had his arm around me while we were on duty!
"Um, Sir? You might have gotten lost and all, but the three of us are still on duty here. SG-2 is waiting for us," I told him trying to hid the smile threatening to play across my face.
"Well, radio them, let 'em know you found me and let's go!" he urged. This was so not like him.
"Teal'c-"
"I shall return MajorCarter," he interrupted me.
"Maybe I should go with him," Daniel suggested.
"Stay within radio contact," I told them. Yeah they knew the drill, we'd worked together for years, but, hey, a little reminder never hurt.
I watched as Lt. Simmons dial the 'Gate for them. As he waved down to us, I noticed a wedding ring on his left hand. God, I hope it isn't me!
"Don't worry," Jack whispered. He nodded up at Simmons, following my gaze. He placed his hand on the small of my back, sending shivers straight up my spine.
He slowly led me to the infirmary, not speaking a word. I didn't know what to do. This was so much closer than we'd ever gotten before. I could smell his cologne wafting in my direction. It mingled softly with his aftershave and deodorant. Normally he wouldn't be wearing anything with a scent, but originally we weren't supposed to go off world today.
It had been hours since we'd seen him, with the original mission starting at 0900, but he still smelled so wonderful. Oh, why must he do this to me!
I smiled up at him, noticing we had reached our destination, and his eyes sparkled back down at me. I looked around to see the other Daniel and Teal'c, plus a very much alive Kowalski.
"Teal'c, what's with the hair?" Wow, and no gold either.
"Major Jackson, I thought hair was a natural occurrence for the residents of this planet," he stated calmly.
"Ours doesn't have hair," Jack answered, smiling. "And he's still got the tattoo."
Teal'c raised his eyebrow slightly, just enough for me to notice. I grinned towards him, he was so much like ours, but he seemed so old, experienced.
Suddenly, I snapped my head in Daniel's direction. "Major Jackson? Wow, maybe you can show Danny-boy a thing or two." Definitely spending too much time with Jack. "You don't have his… hmmm… you don't overdose on gravity quite so much, do you?" I joked with him, hoping he would see it as such.
"Danny-boy?" He shook his head. "Space Monkey? How does he put up with you guys? Maybe I should have a talk with him." He turned on his heals and walked away. My jaw dropped straight to the floor.
I could hear Kowalski chuckling behind us, sending a wave of relief over my body. I watched Daniel walk back towards the Gateroom, obviously checking to see if he could find his counterpart.
"So, uh, what's going on?" I asked. The curiosity was starting to drive me nuts. There really wasn't much of a reason for us to be in the infirmary unless the Colonel was suffering from entropic cascade failure. He'd been here a whole lot longer than we had, but he wasn't showing any symptoms.
"I know how much you love talking to the other you's every time this 'thing' happens, but as she is so indisposed for the next few days, I figured I'd give you the next best thing." I glanced up at him, making sure he could see my confusion. What in the world was he talking about? He couldn't have gotten their McKay, he would never subject me to that torment.
I could tell I had show my fear on my face because Jack started laughing at me.
"Don't worry, he bugs the Hell outta me, too. No, I think you'll like this kid."
I raised my eyebrow at him, nudging his arm playfully. "Kid?" I asked. Well, hey, maybe it's Hailey. She was far smarter than I, and Jack had liked her as soon as he'd seen her in action.
"He's assisting in the infirmary at the moment, but according to Kowalski over there, he should be out soon." Jack pointed his thumb over at Kowalski who had positioned himself against the wall. He just shrugged back.
"Okay, so whatever's going on in there has obviously happened before, but why does it effect us?" I didn't mind this universe, but I was getting fed up with everybody running in circles around the issue. It was already 1625, I was getting sort of tired.
"Five times," Kowalski spoke up. It was the first time I'd heard him since I'd gotten there.
"Okay?" I asked, motioning for him to elaborate.
"This is Jack and Sam's fifth kid. Always quick, too." His eyes fell. I could tell he wasn't quite comfortable talking about it, suddenly.
"What's wrong?" I turned to Jack for clarification.
"Dr. O'Neill's baby is arriving about a month and a half early. Jack's son will be out to talk to you soon," he explained to me.
Dr. O'Neill? Yep, we're married in this one, too. All these Sam's, these other me's running around, they all got to have him. Thirteen Sam's now, who were married to him, or engaged to him. Three Jack's were dead, but they had still been together. There were even two universes where the President had given permission for the SGC to ignore certain "regulations" allowing us to be together.
"How much experience does Charlie-"
"John."
"Does John have dealing with the Stargate?" I asked. He couldn't be that old, why would Jack want me working with him. From what Jack had told me of his own life, Charlie could only be 16, so any other children would have to be pretty young.
"First kid born on Earth to go through the 'Gate. He's been working with Sam for years on it. Their timeline runs a little differently than ours. Charlie would be 27 if he were still alive. Jonathan is 14, Sara is 10, Jacob is 7, Catherine is 4 and Madison is 2 ½. John spends a lot of time working here on the Stargate and in the infirmary."
I leaned against Jack, subconsciously, and grabbed his arm to steady myself. Only 14? And I was gonna work with him? And he's in the infirmary helping his mother give birth? This was the most interesting universe so far. It was odd, for the first time I noticed the relaxed atmosphere of the base.
"Sir, you've been here for hours, could you fill me in on this place?"
A/N: Okay, I'm soooooooo sorry this one took so long to get up, but i've been REALLY busy. I'll try to get the next one up sooner for ya! thanks y'all!