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Ha, my readers seem to be evenly split over whether Jack's dead or not...

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"It won't be easy Dorothy... but we can make it."

Carter was right... it wasn't going to be easy, but they would make it.

She filed for custody of the young teenager. After several delays, she was granted temporary guardianship.

When she told Dorothy the news, the girl nodded wordlessly and then asked permission to go for a walk. Carter knew where she was going and nodded.

Daniel and Teal'c helped all they could. Dori continued to go up to Cheyenne Mountain every school day at her own request. After three weeks passed, Carter finally stopped dialing 92R-763 every day after Daniel pointed out that it was bad for Dori. Everyday the girl would hope… and everyday despair would come crashing down around her, as the seventh chevron refused to lock.

They settled into a comfortable schedule. They would get up about 6:30, make breakfast, eat, dress, and be up at the mountain by 7:30. They both hit the gym for a half hour then Dori went to Daniel's lab to study while Sam began working on her more 'exciting' projects. At 12:00, Dori and Sam would meet in the commissary for lunch. The staff adored Dori and made her whatever she asked for. All had known General O'Neill, had respected and liked him. They seemed to feel the best way to honor Jack's memory was to spoil Dorothy was much as humanly possible. Whenever they were finished eating, Dori would go outside and walk around- under the supervision with the guards- while Sam wrapped up her projects. Dori met Sam in her lab around 2:00 where her guardian alternated from helping her with her schoolwork to reading/writing reports. At 4:00, Dori went to Teal'c to train in lok'nel. They stopped sometime around five then normally talked until Carter showed up to take her home, Teal'c and Daniel often coming with them. They cooked dinner, watched TV, and just hung out until bedtime, which was 10:00 for the teenager.

Saturdays they did whatever Dori wanted. Bowling, the movies, roller-skating, hiking... whatever.

Sunday mornings they went to church and then went shopping.

This comfortable routine went on for about a month until the arrival of one certain person.

Miss Grant.

Miss Constance Grant worked for the local social services. She had not been happy when Sam had been granted temporary custody of Dori, believing it to be unwise for the child to grow attach to its guardian then having to part them. She honestly believed that Sam was never planning on adopting Dori- that she was keeping her only out of respect for the dead.

Knock-Knock

Carter pulled open the door. "Miss Grant," She said surprised. "I... is something wrong?"

The lady nodded. "I need to speak to you Miss Carter."

Sam reluctantly let her in. "What is this about?"

"The child."

Her expression became stony. "Dori?"

"We need to talk as I said."

Carter ushered her into the living and prayed Dori wouldn't come down.

Å

The teenager heard the door slam and rushed to the window. A lady stalked over to her car and slammed the door closed. Her throat constricted as she recognized the car of her social worker. She knew Sam only had temporary custody of her and that Miss Grant was trying to get her placed with a new family.

However, she had just always assumed she would just stay with Sam until she was an adult.

That's what Jack would have wanted.

She felt a stab of fear. What if Sam decided she was too much trouble to keep and let her go live with this family? She hastily finished braiding her hair and smoothed her capris.

"Dori, I'm leaving!"

"Coming!" She called.

The ride to the SGC was made in silence. Dori expected Sam to mention the fact that Miss Grant had come to call but Sam seemed preoccupied.

They parted ways once there and didn't see each other until lunch. Afterwards, Dori followed Carter to her lab. The Colonel sat in a chair, lost in thought.

"Sam?"

Sam blinked and looked up. "Dori!"

"Hey Sam," She began. "Can you help me with this?" She held up her math book. She perched on a stool, opened her notebook, and grabbed a pencil from the penholder on the table.

Sam shook her head. "Later, but first, listen to me."

Dori dropped her pencil. "What is it?"

"I… I got called from Miss Grant, the lady from-"

"They're going to take me away from you, aren't they?"

Carter blinked but nodded. "Yes."

Dori stared at her notebook. "Oh."

"There is one option…"

"Adoption."

"Yes."

"He's been gone for over a month," Dori whispered. "I… I hoped so much that he'd come back."

"I know." Carter said a few tears stinging her eyes.

"It just seems like if I say yes… then that means Jack will never come home."

"I know."

Dori looked over at her, tears clouding her eyes. "Do... do you want to adopt me Sam?" She asked quietly.

Sam stared at her for a second the stood up. "Oh, you silly girl," She whispered placing her arms around the girl. "Of course I do. I've come to love you as much as I think I would have loved a biological daughter of mine."

"It'll be a lot of work though... house inspections and... Lots of things Sam."

The Colonel gave a shaky laugh and twirled the teenager's long braid. "You're worth it kiddo... you're worth it."

Å

With help from our commander-in-chief, Sam received approval for Dori to stay with her. The adoption would take the better part of a year to finalize- longer was more likely.

June came and Dori, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c flew to Orlando, Florida to visit Disney World.

Jack had promised to take her here sometime. Him being dead had created a little bit of a problem so Sam had surprised her one day with tickets.

She stood by the Wishing Fountain and looked around. Sam and Daniel were busy discussing the displays they had seen at Epcot and Teal'c was buying snacks for them. Quickly, she fished out a penny then held it over the clear water.

"I wish that Jack will come home."

As the penny sank to the bottom, she had an odd feeling of happiness.

Å

"Sam, I don't need a shrink!"

Carter gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm not saying you need one but it's been four months since..."

"Jack disappeared," Dori supplied.

"And Janet thinks you may need to talk to someone."

The doctor was worried about the young girl. Dori had confided to Cassie that she thought Jack might be alive and Janet had overheard.

"I did. Remember?"

Carter grimaced. The girl stayed in Mackenzie's office for about two minutes before storming out and locking herself in Teal'c's quarters.

"Come on Dorothy... one visit- if you hate it, I won't make you go to another one."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She slumped against the seat. "30 minutes, that's it?"

"That's it."

"What if I'm sick?"

"Dori!"

"Just joking."

Å

The girl attended the session and agreed to one more. She found it a bit of relief to talk about Jack... something she really couldn't do with Sam or Daniel. She was sure Teal'c would listen but... if she was going to have to stay here, might as well let the man do something other then stare at her.

The adoption process continued to drag on. Several obstacles had presented themselves- Such as Dori being 'homeschooled', and basically living on a top-secret military base. Miss Grant argued that Dorothy had no social life. To the girl's disgust, Sam enrolled her into a beginning volleyball course. To her surprise, she actually liked it.

The news she didn't like was that Sam was enrolling her into a private school in January. She promised if the teenager hated it, that she would pull her out after Spring break. Dori found, as the time grew nearer, she was growing increasingly excited.

Not that she would tell Sam that.

She started Driver's Education and passed. Driver's Training was easy- Jack had taught her the basics of driving when she was 12.

Dori's first Christmas without Jack passed. They had decided to celebrate on base, putting up a Christmas tree and decorations in Sam's room. Amid laughter, Daniel kissed Dori on the forehead as the two were 'trapped' under the mistletoe. They played games then went to bed, thinking of the vastly different Christmas they had had the year before.

Å

"Sam, I don't want too."

"Dori, you can not keep coming on base with me for the next three years. You need to have a life... a chance to be a kid."

Dori looked with dread at the neat little building. "Please? Let me enroll in September... please?"

Sam forced herself to ignore the pleading in the young girl's eyes. "Dori... two months. You hate it; you are outta there. Two months."

Dori smoothed her skirt- the school's dress rule was: Skirts, slacks, and blouses only- and sighed. "Okay."

"Want me to go up with you?"

A van pulled up from behind them and three teenage girls spilled out.

"Dori, do you?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

She opened the door and slid out. "I'm fine... see you at 3:00."

And she loped off. Carter resisted the urge to yell 'Be safe' and pulled off as the girl entered the doors.

Å

Carter spent the rest of the morning in knots. What if Dori hated the school? She knew that Sara had been against them…

"What if I'm doing the wrong thing?"

"You aren't."

She started and spun around. "Daniel!"

The archeologist gave her a small smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's okay." She exhaled sharply. "Little on edge... Dori's first day of school."

"She'll be okay... it'll do her good- she was becoming a bit of a loner."

"I hope you're right."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Want Teal'c and I to go with you to pick her up? We can go get ice cream after it or something."

She smiled her thanks but shook her head. "Maybe tomorrow... I think today I'll do it by myself."

Daniel nodded. "Okay."

Å

Carter pulled in front of the school. 2:55. The minutes seemed to be hours as they dragged by. Finally, the door opened and children poured out. Near the back, Dori came out, alone, her big book bag making her seem smaller then she was.

Her heart sank. She looked lost, searching.

She was about to get out when a girl ran up to the teenager and pressed a piece of paper into her hand. They chatted animatedly for a moment then the girl ran off. Dori stared at the paper for a moment then looked around for the Volvo. She spotted Carter and headed towards it, stopping to chat with a few people for a brief second.

"So?" Carter asked as the girl settled in the car. "How was it?"

"Okay."

She hadn't expected a miracle but she had hoped it was better then that. "Did... are... are you okay going back tomorrow?"

Dori shrugged. "I s'pose... I've already covered the material they're working on in biology and math so I can, like, check out the guys."

"Dorothy!"

The girl smiled. "It's okay Sam... Met a nice girl."

"What's her name?"

Dori gave her a funny look. "That's the interesting thing... her name is Dakota... Dakota Carter."

"Carter?"

"Yep."

She started the car. "Ice cream?"

"You betcha!"

Å

School continued to improve for the young girl. Though shy, she soon had a group of friends that she could 'hang out' with. Being a Junior had caused several of the kids to write her off as a geek but the rest found it funny… especially considering that she was homeschooled- something they had always thought was inferior to themselves.

Carter was finally assured she had done the right thing when at the end of January, the teen proudly announced she had made the debate team- something normally reserved solely for seniors.

"Thank you Sam," She whispered as Dakota climbed into backseat of their car, chattering loudly.

Carter gave her a small smile and wiped away a tear.

"If only Jack was here to see her," She thought before starting the car and driving away.

Å

Sam yawned and shuffled into her lab and stopped.

The lab was filled with roses... just like when Jack was alive and he had ordered roses galore.

"You like it?" A voice asked from behind her. "Teal'c and I did it... if it makes you sad, we'll take 'em out but-"

"It's beautiful Daniel," She whispered. "Thank you."

He nodded and looked at the woman he had come to love as a sister. "You going to be okay?"

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah... thanks."

"I could pick Dori up and bring her on base today... she's been asking about her lessons with Teal'c so..."

"Sounds good."

Daniel nodded, squeezed her shoulder (something he had been doing a lot more of), and left. Sam buried her face in a bouquet of roses.

"Oh Jack," She whispered. "I love you."

And for some bizarre reason, she smiled. Unsure why she was suddenly feeling so happy, she headed off to the commissary.

She needed coffee.

Å

"Holy smokes!"

With the familiar feeling of 'a nail in the head' thing, Jack O'Neill was jolted back into the world of the living.


He's alive!

I hope you liked this chapter... if it was frightfully unrealistic or weird, I apologize!

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