Author's Notes: Now that this story is finished, I wanted to thank those of you who sent me the reviews that prompted me to rethink this story and ultimately helped me to write it. That is the beauty of writing a story as a WIP, readers often send me a review that inspires me as I finish the story. I also want to thank Lynette whose questions and thoughts on this story gave me the ammo I needed to improve it. And, as always, a special thank you to Diane who did a fantastic job of pointing out all of my mistakes and errors. You all are great!

Epilogue

It was good to be home, Jack Gallagher thought, as he pulled into the driveway of his house. He had just gotten back from a week long mission to P2-something or other and was anxious to see his wife. He'd only been gone a week, but he still worried about her being alone. He found her in the kitchen of their home and Taria was looking as beautiful as ever with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a pink sweatshirt over a pair of blue jeans. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her as she was trying valiantly to get a spoonful of baby food into the mouth of their five month old daughter, Gina.

"Hello beautiful," he said, then grinned at her when she looked up and smiled. It was the same smile that she had always given him whenever she saw him, and it always warmed his heart.

"Jack!" she cried, as she came over to welcome him home. She smelled of cinnamon, he thought, as he greedily returned her kiss.

"Have you been baking again?" he asked her, then hugged her once more before going over to grab his daughter to give her a hello kiss, as well.

"An apple pie," Taria responded smugly. "It's going to turn out good this time," she insisted, and Jack hid the grimace by giving his daughter another kiss, as he remembered the last time Taria tried to make that dessert.

"Did you help her make it?" Jack asked the baby, as he put her back into her highchair. Gina cooed back at her father and Jack reached over to tickle her. "No? Oh man, we are in so much trouble!"

"That is not funny, Jack," Taria said with a pout. "Carolyn told me what went wrong the last time and I made sure to do it right this time." Jack gave her an encouraging smile, hoping she was right. He was grateful as he thought about Carolyn Lam's willingness to take Taria under her wing in order to help her to adjust to life on Earth. Between Carolyn, Sam Carter, Cassandra Fraiser and Jack's own "foster family", the Garretts, Taria had an army of people all willing to help her to adjust. Of course, Karen Garrett and her family thought they were helping Taria adjust to life as an American, but the end result was the same. Taria had successfully integrated into the role of an American housewife and their marriage was still going strong.

Jack went over to the oven to take a peek at the pie that must have just been put in. It looked safe enough from his viewpoint, but looks could be deceiving and he decided to wait until the time came to taste it before passing judgment.

"I made it for General Jack," Taria told him as she went back to spooning food into Gina's mouth.

"Jack's coming here?" he asked, trying to control his shock. "What's he coming here for?"

"He has some business at the base and I invited them over for dinner. I knew you wouldn't mind," she said innocently.

"Great," Jack grumbled. This is just what he needed – O'Neill coming to give him hell over whatever he could make up. O'Neill just loved to flaunt the fact that he was the original, the one and only.

"Sam's coming with him," she said, apparently ignoring Jack's grumbling. "We're going to go shopping for baby clothes tomorrow. I thought I might buy some things for Gina while I'm out."

"Doesn't she have enough to wear now?" Jack asked, watching as a glob of food landed on the baby's bib when she spit it out. "Cut that out, you traitor," he warned. The baby just cooed at him and Jack grinned back at her.

"I think she is done," Taria said, as she wiped the baby's face and picked her up to hand her over to Jack. He accepted her gratefully, then took her with him as he headed for the living room.

"When are they supposed to get here," he called out resignedly. It had been a year since Jack was rescued from that hellhole called Hulmeshur, and although he was extremely grateful to his counterpart for his role in Jack's recovery, he still cringed whenever they got together.

"They should be here in a few hours," Taria replied from the kitchen. She came to join him a few seconds later and sat down next to him on the couch, leaning her head on his shoulder, as she reached up to play with the pendant on the slender golden necklace that she never took off. Jack smiled as he watched her absently rubbing the pendant that was shaped like a bell, which he just had to buy when he saw it. "You are going to be nice to him, aren't you?" she asked.

"Me? Nice? Uh… sure, I guess," Jack responded, half-heartedly. Taria frowned at him and Jack grinned at her to let her know he was kidding. "I'll be nice. Just keep an eye on him around Gina though," he warned. "That guy will steal her heart right out from under us without either one of us knowing it." Taria smiled at that and Jack had to add, "I'm not kidding. He has a way with kids."

"Just like you," she told him. "You two act more like brothers than cousins. Like two peas in a pod."

Jack pulled back to look at her in surprise. "Two peas in a pod?" he asked. "Where did you hear that expression?"

"Kelly used it when she was talking about her boyfriend and his brother." She squirmed a little, then told him, "I had to ask her what that meant. I hate it when I don't know something."

"Don't worry about it," Jack told her. "Kelly knows you are not from around here. She understands." Taria nodded at that, while they both fell into a silence punctuated by their daughter's coos and playful sounds. Jack used this time to dwell on Kelly Garrett and her family, as he sat there on the couch with his newest family.

Jack wasn't quite sure why he deserved them, but he acquired families almost everywhere he went. No matter what the circumstances were, he came out with a new addition to the spider web connecting him to the various friends and people who have inducted him into their circles. There were his buddies during his career with the Air Force the first time around, his wife, Sara, and their son, Charlie, and then the original members of SG-1. They had all become a major force in his life and he mourned his loss when he was cloned into a 16 year old replica of O'Neill.

The Garretts were the first people Jack had befriended when he found himself back in high school again after a thirty year absence. Sean Garrett and Jack had become best friends, and Sean's mother, Karen, immediately took a liking to Jack and made it her mission in life to become a 'second' mother to him, despite his insistence that he didn't need her. He finally reconciled himself to the fact that she was his friend, and he let her have her way, especially after her son's death. Jack did not like to dwell on that event, as he still felt responsible for his friend's death, even after all these years.

He had continued to keep in contact with the Garretts throughout his years at the Air Force Academy and the subsequent years while he was stationed at Cheyenne Mountain. Karen Garrett and her daughter, Kelly, were the first people he thought of when it came to introducing his wife to the general population of Colorado Springs. He knew the women well enough to know that they would jump at the chance to help a newcomer to the country learn the ways of this society. Taria was going to be, and in fact had been, in good hands.

The phone rang just then, bringing Jack out of his musings. Taria got up to answer it, seeing that Jack had his hands full with a sleeping baby. He continued to sit there as he listened to his wife's end of the conversation, then grimaced as he realized who she was talking to.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, General Jack," she said into the phone. "I've made a pie for you." There was silence, then he gave Taria an innocent look when she glared at him and said, "I know what I did wrong with the last one. Who told you about that pie?" she asked, still glaring at her husband. "Oh. Well Carolyn should have told Sam that I've figured out what the problem was. I'm sure that you will like this one."

Jack laughed at her while she ended the call, and she decided to just ignore him as she went back into the kitchen. This was also something different about his beautiful wife. She had learned to be more aggressive in her actions, realizing that freedom also meant that she didn't have to take crap from anybody. He liked this about her, even when her aggressiveness really came out in their arguments. It meant that she was going to survive this world if something ever happened to him.

This thought brought on a frown and he shook his head to clear away the dark thoughts this brought on. He had no intentions of dying, but his luck was bound to run out sooner or later. Jack couldn't help but hope it was going to happen later, much later if he had anything to do with it. He had a daughter to raise.

He got up from the couch and put the baby down in her playpen to finish out her nap, while he headed for the bathroom to take a shower. He didn't quite make it to his destination. He took a detour through the kitchen instead, and grabbed his wife around the waist as he pulled her in for another kiss. She knew what he wanted and tried to remind him that she had to get dinner ready for their guests, but his insistent kisses convinced her otherwise. The shower could wait, Jack thought, as they made their way to the bedroom instead.

The visit didn't go as bad as Jack originally thought. O'Neill and his new wife, Samantha Carter, acted as if they were still on their honeymoon, although the baby Sam was carrying seemed to contradict the honeymoon stage. Jack had to smile when he thought about O'Neill becoming a father again. The man was way too old to be fathering a child again, but technically, so was he.

The apple pie turned out great, much to Taria's relief, and Jack was proud of her accomplishments. She had come so far in adapting to her new life, and her willingness to learn more about her husband's world, only made things go easier for her.

Jack and his counterpart moved into the living room while Taria and Sam cleaned up the kitchen, using that opportunity to make plans for their shopping trip. Jack knew he was much better off not knowing the plans. Even though he was now earning a Captain's salary, he still worried about his wallet.

He settled in one of the chairs while O'Neill confiscated the other one, as he sat down to play with Gina. The baby adored O'Neill from the moment he first picked her up, and Jack wondered if it was because her father shared the same DNA as the man holding her. Maybe a bond already existed between them. Then again, maybe it was because he always did have a way with kids. Jack decided that he really didn't care at that moment, and he grinned when Gina laughed when her 'uncle' tickled her.

"Didn't think you would ever be a father again, did you?" O'Neill asked.

"Actually, I figured I still had a lot of years left," Jack responded. "I wasn't going to rule that out, just yet." He frowned as he remembered those months as a slave when fathering a child was expected of him. "I was definitely trying to get Taria pregnant while I lived in Hulmeshur," he added angrily. "It was either become a father or be punished for failing to please my 'master'." The anger that memory brought on surprised him. He had thought he was over that chapter of his life. He smiled weakly at O'Neill while shrugging his shoulders, then said, "I'm glad I'm over that stuff."

"Sure you are," O'Neill said, apparently not believing it either.

Jack grinned at his counterpart then said, "What about you? You're about to become a new father and you're old enough to be a grandfather."

"I resemble that remark," O'Neill complained with a grin. He stared at Jack for a moment, then said, "Actually, I'm looking forward to it. And I will do a better job of it then I did with Charlie."

"Yeah, me too," Jack responded, his thoughts drifting off to his son's death. He was determined to keep that memory alive, if only to save Gina from the same fate. He wanted to make sure she grew up to adulthood. "I've made it a habit to lock up my gun the minute I get home," he said, hoping to give O'Neill some ammunition to help his own child grow to a ripe old age.

"I'm already doing that," O'Neill said smugly. "Seems like we are on the same page here. Great minds think alike."

"Especially when they are the same minds," Jack added sarcastically. O'Neill just grinned at him, then smiled down at Gina, who was quietly playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"We've been lucky," O'Neill said, as he grasped Gina's hand in his. "We've been given a second chance in life, more so in your case," he said, giving Jack a knowing look, "And we should do everything in our power to do it right this time." He kissed the top of Gina's head, then looked over at Jack. "There's no excuse for screwing it up again."

"None whatsoever," Jack agreed. He stared at his counterpart for a moment, then asked, "So do you guys know whether it's a boy or a girl?"

"A girl," O'Neill responded happily, "A little one with Sam's personality, brains and good looks."

"You know this already, do you?" Jack asked.

"Yep. I won't accept anything else."

"Yes you will," Jack said, feeling it was his duty to set the man straight. "What are you going to name her," he asked, just a little curious about the subject.

"Well, we're still discussing it," O'Neill said, losing some of the smugness. "Sam wants to name the baby after her mother, but I was thinking more in line of something less traditional. Something like Martha or Mary, or something like that."

Jack could only stare at the man incredulously. Surely he hadn't changed that much over the years. "Martha?" he retorted. "No way! I know you, Jack. Martha is not even close to the top of the list. What's this really all about?"

O'Neill was grinning broadly at Jack, apparently deciding to let him in on his secret. "Actually," he said, in a near whisper. "I like the name she had picked out, but I have to grumble about something don't I? I mean, isn't that what husbands are for? To give their wives grief over what to name the kid?"

"Oh yeah," Jack responded, as he nodded his head in agreement. "We can't let them think they have total control over us," he added, conspiratorially.

"Damn straight," O'Neill agreed. "It's about time you realized that."

"I already knew it, my friend," Jack said, as he thought about his own life with Taria. His situation was a little different than O'Neill's as Taria was raised to be subservient, while Sam had been raised to be her own woman, and her training through the Air Force and subsequent rise through the ranks to Colonel only proved her worth. Taria was only just now learning that she could get away with a lot more than giving in totally.

The women chose to join them at that moment, and the talk turned toward current events and other things. Jack enjoyed the company, despite his earlier misgivings, and he joined in, relishing in the companionship he shared with them. The only thing that marred the visit were his memories of that week he spent locked in a cell as he battled the insanity lurking quietly in the back of his mind. He kept the memories at bay, determined to not let them spoil his time, but he did wonder what brought them on. He and Mackenzie had their last session six months ago and Jack had moved on with his life, pushing any thoughts of that chapter of his life into a recess of his mind that held all of his other repressed memories. He supposed it was O'Neill's presence that brought on the memories this time, but Jack was determined to lock them away again. He smiled at something Sam said, even as he remembered the moment he had wakened from a flashback to the sound of her soothing voice as she tried to bring him out of it. He owed her a great deal, as well as Daniel, Teal'c and even O'Neill, and he could only hope that someday he would be able to repay that debt. Until then he would survive anything the Goa'uld, Ori and anything else he encountered out there, so that he could raise his daughter and her siblings, if any happened along.

"Anybody want a beer?" he asked, as he got up to get one for himself. O'Neill nodded and Jack stopped long enough to lean over Taria, "Keep on eye on him," he advised, as he indicated O'Neill with his head. O'Neill looked at him curiously, while Gina was snuggled up and falling asleep on his lap. "I think he's already taken her heart. Next thing you know, she'll be spoiled rotten."

The others smiled at that, as Jack went into the kitchen. "She's mine until she needs a diaper change," O'Neill called out. "You can have her back when that happens."

"Gee thanks," Jack responded dryly, as he grabbed the beer and gave one to O'Neill. "Although you'll have your own diaper duty in a few more months," he insisted.

O'Neill faked a grimace and Jack sat back down, then smiled at Taria, thinking of her reaction to the news he'd given her when they were lounging in bed earlier that day. General Landry had approved his request to allow them to travel through the Stargate to visit with Taria's mother, and Taria was ecstatic. It would be the first time in a year that they had the chance to do this, and he knew it was time. Gina will finally get to meet her grandparents.

From the reports that had been relayed to the SGC regarding the former residents of Hulmeshur, Jack knew that they were surviving and were doing well. It was no surprise to Jack when he heard that Dargan had taken on the unofficial role of leading his people to a prosperous future.

Their homes had been built and their farms were finally showing signs of flourishing. The last year had been tough for them, but the SGC hadn't abandoned them once their homes had been built. Supplies and personnel were sent to help the ex-slaves plant their crops and to provide sustenance while they waited for the fruits of their labor to mature. The slaves were not totally incapable of taking care of themselves, much to the surprise of one of the technicians sent to help with the planting of the crop. The slaves had lived in an oasis in the middle of the desert, where water was scarce during certain times of the year and they were able to teach the technician a thing or two about irrigation issues.

Jack knew how much this trip would mean to his wife, but now, given the memories he had been fighting all evening, he was worried about making the trip. What memories would surface while he was among the very people he lived with on Hulmeshur? He decided not to worry about it now, as O'Neill was staring at him thoughtfully, obviously wondering what was going on with him. It bothered him that they were so in tune with each other's emotions, although he should be used to it by now. He grinned at his counterpart, then turned his attention to what Sam was saying, hoping O'Neill would take the hint. He did and the rest of the evening was spent in enjoyable companionship.

He was back with his family again, a family that had survived, despite the hardships, betrayal and pain they had gone through. Jack knew from experience that there would be more trials and hardships in his future, but he also knew that he had a very good chance of dealing with those problems as long as he had the support and help of his friends. He grinned as he thought about Mackenzie's words when he told Jack that one of the reasons Jack was able to work through that time so quickly was because of the fantastic support group determined to help him, and Jack was grateful to them.

He was a survivor. He had survived a parachute accident, imprisonment in Iraq, being tortured to death several times by a maniacal false god, and torture, betrayal and insanity in a hellhole called Hulmeshur, not to mention a multitude of horrors the Goa'uld were able to dream up. What could be worse than all that?

Jack fervently hoped he would never find out.

He smiled at his sleeping daughter, as she lay in O'Neill's lap. He was going to be around to be holding his own grandchildren in his lap, if things went his way. And things were going to go his way, he determined. He wasn't going to accept anything else.