Thanks for reading/reviewing for the last chapter!
(hands out Thor's yellow starburst look alike things)
Hope you like this one. (Readers laugh hysterically.)
The next two weeks were some of the weirdest the Air Force Colonel had ever experienced. Including the time loop days.
The little girl appeared at random startling both him and Carter into calling her name, which, of course, made other people stare at them.
She ate pie as if it was going out of style and studiously ignored the vegetables on her plate. Carter had to start bringing plates of food to her lab, as a plate of food slowly disappearing was hard to explain.
And then there was the game of hide and seek. Grace had talked them into a floor wide game since everyone had been evacuated (a plant was taking over the gate room). Unfortunately, the security team was still monitoring the floors and reported the fact that Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter kept talking to a non-existent being.
They were sent promptly to Dr. Mackenzie. The visit was fruitless as Jack said nothing and Sam just babbled.
They consoled themselves on the indignity of going to the 'Doctor' by eating an enormous amount of blue jello and pie.
However, the girl had yet to show herself to Daniel and Teal'c. Anytime they were in the room, she wasn't.
---
Grace sat at the table, coloring.
"Sam?" She asked finally. "Can I... Can I go up to the top with you?"
"May you," Carter corrected automatically.
"May I please Sam?"
The Major twirled her pen. "You've already been up there though..."
"I want you to take me," She said placing a heavy emphasis on the you.
"Why me?"
"I just want you to," The little girl said, dropping her red crayon and picking up a purple one.
Carter tilted her head so she could see the picture. It looked like three jello goblets... red, blue, and purple.
"Purple?" Carter questioned.
Grace gave her a small smile. "You'll see."
"Why go topside? People can't see you."
Grace hesitated. Maybe... "Sam," She said finally. "Do you know German?"
Carter shook her head.
"Nicht ist wie es scheint,"
"Nothing is as it seems," A voice said quietly from the doorway. Both heads turned.
"So... you HAVE been seeing a little girl..." Daniel said moving in. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Daniel-"
"Everything is not like it seems," He repeated kneeling next to the girl. "In context, I'm assuming other people can see you."
Grace bit her lip. "Das kannich nicht sagen..."
"You can't say." He touched her shoulder. "You're solid. Somehow I thought you'd be like Urgo."
Grace was staring at him with a peculiar expression on her face. "Hello Daniel."
"I take it you drew the picture for me?"
She gave him a small smile. "Did you like it?"
He nodded and she beamed.
Carter smiled. She wasn't crazy... Daniel could see her, Jack could see her...
"Anyone wants any cake?" She asked.
Å
Rumors were flying, one that the Colonel and Major were married and had four children, the other that they had been having an affair since the day she first walked into the complex, and countless others.
Bets were placed, and the world (SGC) watched closely...
Å
Carter was admittedly confused.
She didn't have the slightest idea how Grace was here, and more importantly, who was Grace and why was she here?
Dr. Mackenzie, she was sure, would be delighted to hear all of this but as she wanted to keep her job, Jack was the only person she could really talk too.
She had no idea that every night, after she was fast asleep, the little figure stole in and watched her sleep, departing only once the sun rose.
Å
"Saaaaaaaaaaaaaam..."
The voice wasn't annoyed, but full of laughter.
"Graaaaaaccccccccceeeeee..." Jack mimicked as he strolled in and helped himself to a bit of his 2IC's lasagna, "What Carter do now?"
Carter scowled, her blond head rumpled. "I was just running some idea by her."
"Like what?" Jack asked, picking up the little girl and swinging her onto his lap.
"Like how she can be both solid and yet not, why other people can see her, can NOT see her and yet EVERYONE can see her."
Jack gave a mock glare at the little girl. "You makin' trouble little girl?"
She giggled and then glanced at the door. "Can we go to Burger King?" She asked suddenly.
Carter looked up. Jack was already considering saying yes... "Sir," She reminded him, "We have that briefing to attend with SG-13."
"Uh... why?"
Carter sighed, "They are exploring a site off world. Daniel asked if we could join the briefing."
"HE can Carter. WE... are going to Burger King!"
She half laughed, half sighed as he left, followed by the little girl.
"Here we go."
Å
Great. A film crew. Just what she needed.
For the last few days, a crew had been here to 'document the 1000th trip through the Stargate'.
Then, SG-13 was attacked by a Goa'uld drone... and now she was in her lab, trying to figure out WHAT it was doing there.
"Hey!"
She smiled and smiled at the young archeologist."Hey ... one sec ..."
"You ... err ... want me to translate something?"
She nodded. "Yeah ... I'm just trying to get the interface connection more stable; SG-13 really kicked the crap out of this thing."
She continued to twist wires as she spoke. "Its system log seems to be isolated on a separate crystal from memory control."
Daniel was obviously still annoyed over something. "You know Bregman actually had the nerve to suggest that all that archive video footage I gave him was boring."
Sam looked at him, unsure what to say.
Daniel cleared his throat." Ahem, ok, here's what really bugs me, the only reason he's here is because the president's on his way out and he knows it right ... He just doesn't want to look bad if and when the Stargate program ever goes public. None of this is about truth- it's all about political posturing."
"Man, he really grilled me on that."
Daniel looked at her. "What, why the Stargate program should go public?"
"Yeah."
"What'd you say?"
She smiled. "Babbled incoherently."
Daniel nodded. "I mean, could you imagine if it ever did?"
She winced. "I try not to think about it." The computer screen now showed writing. "There."
"This is mostly just technical stuff..." Daniel said scanning it.
"Anything jump out at you?"
"Well, here's where it encountered SG-13. Uh-oh ..."
"What?" Carter demanded. "What ... Uh-Oh?"
Daniel gestured to a passage. "Well, after it engaged shields and weapons, it activated a long range communicator..."
Å
Jack groaned as he left General Hammond's office. He had just been cleared SG-5, 7 and Fraiser to the planet where SG-13 was now under Goa'uld attack.
SG-1 was already ready when he came to get them.
"Let's go!"
Å
Grace watched horrified as Jack dashed across the field to join Colonel Dixon.
Ships, gliders, Jaffa... the scene was of chaos and death.
"Hi Jack, Thanks for coming!" Dixon shouted.
"I was told you said there was six Jaffa. Where did you learn to count?"
Grace looked around for Sam. Where was she? She noticed a Jaffa creeping among the trees. As she turned to warn Jack, it was too late. He had already spotted him and was moving towards him.
And then...
"SSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Carter cried as her CO toppled backwards, hit in the abdomen.
"DADDY!" Grace screamed.
The two females rushed to his side, Sam not even asking Grace WHY she was there.
"Is he alive?" Grace asked. "Mommy... is he alive?"
Carter ignored her. "Jack?" She whispered.
The figure didn't stir.
Å
Sam rushed down the hallway. Dead... Dead...
The TV crew ambushed her.
"Major ... what happened?" Bregman demanded.
"Please," She whispered trying to still her tears.
"Now I know that at least one person was injured back there, and all I want to say is-"
"Look, leave me alone and shut that damn thing off!" She cried, slamming the door to her lab closed.
"Sam?" A voice whispered. "What happened?"
Carter burst into tears. Janet, her best friend, was dead.
Å
The next day...
Carter slowly walked into the infirmary. Her CO was pulling on his shirt, carefully of course. She turned as if to leave, but he spotted her and gave her an encouraging smile.
"Sir... heard you were up and around."
"Yeah ... still a little tender but they said I could go home."
"We're lucky that staff blast hit you where it did. That new vest inserts works well."
Jack looked at her. "Didn't help Fraiser much."
Carter inhaled sharply. "No."
"How's Cassie?"
"She's a strong kid, she survives ... you know."
"Yeah... you speaking at the memorial?"
She nodded then took a deep breath. "Sir ... I ... I just wanted to say..." She stopped and licked her lips, "When you were lying there I ..." She stopped again, fighting back tears. "I'm really glad you're okay." She whispered, openly crying.
Jack moved closer, slowly. She looked at him. He studied her for a moment then said "C'mere." He pulled her into a hug. She resisted for a moment, and then melted, still crying.
Grace appeared in the doorway. She stood there for a moment before Jack caught sight of her.
Her wistful face called to him.
"C'mere," He said opening his arms to admit the little girl. She hesitated then ran to them.
"I'm sorry 'bout Miss Janet," She whispered.
Jack stroked her head. "So are we baby... so are we..."
And as they continued to stand there, he could have sworn she whispered: "2 weeks to go..."
Hmm...
Is anyone confused?
I know Grace is sort of a mystery but hopefully my explanation later will make sense.
Anyone still reading this?
Anyways, thanks to Sara Loughlin for beta'ing this. She helped me with the German as I (obviously) don't speak it and helped me 'fix' this chapter up (if you think THIS is weird, you shoulda seen what is was originally like...)
PLEASE review!