"We will take care of your family, General O'Neill. They are also a part of us now."

Try as he might, this was one time that Jack O'Neill could not come up with a Plan B.

"Okay, just let me say goodbye."

NEW LIFE

Jack made his way with Sam to the nursery where the twins were sleeping. Moonlight was streaming through the nursery windows and fell on Sam's face, illuminating the tears that slowly but surely streamed down her now very pale cheeks. As the couple stood over Jake's crib, Jack wrapped his arms around his wife and placed soft butterfly kisses over her face, wetting his own lips with her tears.

"It's okay. We've got to believe it's going to be okay, Sam."

"I wish I didn't have to do this without you."

"Me too. But I'll be with you, right here," he said placing the palm of his hand over his wife's heart. "We'd better get the kids ready. It sounds like Oma wants to get the show on the road. Wouldn't want to miss the bus, now would we?"

Each parent carried a sleeping child from their crib and brought them to the Ancients who were waiting with Daniel. Handing Jake to Daniel for safe keeping, Jack turned to Oma and said in a somewhat pleading voice, "Promise me, they'll be safe."

Smiling gently, with the air of wisdom she so often exuded, Oma tried to reassure the very unsure father, "They will be safe, Jack O'Neill. They will be returned to you soon."

With that, the twins, held by Daniel and Sam, along with Oma and Orlin were enveloped in a cloud of light. To Jack's eyes, they became light and gracefully vanished from his sight.

OoOoOo

In the wink of an eye Sam and Daniel found themselves, still holding the children, deposited in the midst of a peaceful garden, facing a small pond. Sam recognized the area from her last visit and was relieved when Elizabeth came to welcome her. The tiny Ancient child ran up to her and threw her arms around her friend with great enthusiasm.

"Sam, I'm so glad to see you again. Now I can really talk with you and visit. I don't like hiding when I'm in your world!" After a pause, Elizabeth looking astutely at Sam's eyes as the grown woman knelt down to hug her, said with concern, "Sam, are you sick? You look so tired."

"No, sweetheart, not sick, just really tired. It's been pretty hard lately, keeping up with Grace and Jake. I hope you can help us." By now both twins had opened their eyes and were quickly wide awake squirming to get out of the adults' arms and look around this new place. Finally remembering Daniel, Sam continued, "Elizabeth, this is my very good friend, Daniel."

"Hi, Daniel. My mother told me you were coming. She's told me all about you."

"She has?" he questioning genuinely wondering how Oma would've described him to her daughter.

By now, several more of the Innocent were coming towards Elizabeth and her guests. Elizabeth made introductions all around. Both Jake and Grace had managed to squirm free of restraining arms and now toddled around shyly, eventually just holding on to Sam's legs.

"Mommy, up!" Jake called, ready to be back in the safety of adult arms. No sooner had Sam scooped up the little boy, than his more adventuresome sister had her own demand, 'Me play," she called in Elizabeth's direction.

Just as Elizabeth bent down to smile at and play with Grace, Oma approached with Orlin just behind. "Welcome back Samantha. And welcome to Kheb, Daniel. I am pleased that you can be a part of this special place. It is possible you will also be able to assist us."

"Just what is it that we're going to do, Oma?" Daniel asked.

"We dance the new song of springtime in the meadow as the sun rises."

"Helpful as always, Oma."

Oma smiled patiently and proceeded to explain. "Telekinesis acts out the power of a being's emotions. Naturally, the gift responds to thought patterns. We teach our children, the Innocent, to control their gift, in much the same way we taught Samantha. It takes a great deal of psychic energy to keep the gift in control. When we first ascended, we realized that the very young children did not have the ability to manage their gift. Since they were pre-verbal, it was nearly impossible to explain it to them. However, it was possible for a parent to exercise the control until the child developed enough to do so themselves."

"We will teach Samantha to be the gatekeeper. She will need sufficient energy to manage, or lock up if you will, both her own gift and the powers of her children as well."

"Gatekeeper? Sam questioned.

"Yes, we will teach you to absorb the energy created by the children's telekinetic abilities. You will be the one responsible for how that energy is released."

"What if I can't do this?"

"We dance the new song of springtime in the meadow as the sun rises. Orlin will show you to the quarters you will occupy during your stay with us. Then we will begin."

From her last stay with Oma and the ascended Ancients, Sam knew better than to look for more specific explanations right now. After all they had very successfully helped her to rein in her gift. She'd just have to believe that this plan would be equally successful.

OoOoOo

Once Sam, Daniel and the children had settled into temporary quarters and had a light meal, Orlin arrived to usher them to their first "gatekeeper" training session.

After a brief walk across the open area, they arrived at the low lying compound and entered the sparsely furnished meditation room where Sam had initially met Oma on her last visit. Both Oma and Elizabeth were there to greet them.

"Welcome to all of you, especially Grace and Jacob. Elizabeth will bring you gifts for the children, Samantha."

Right on cue, Elizabeth approached with a familiar looking wooden box, handing it to Sam with great dignity. Opening the box, Sam found two small amulets, similar to the one she'd been given when she'd left Kheb nearly two years ago.

Elizabeth explained, "From what our friends the Asgard have shared with us of SG1's adventures, I believe these devices are similar in function to the memory recall modules employed by a race you call the Tok'ra."

"But those devices created a neural interface that allowed retrieval of buried, forgotten memories. How is that going to help us?" Daniel asked, at the same time he tried to keep Grace from pulling off his glasses.

"Samantha, how does your amulet work?"

"It amplifies my thoughts and allows you to hear me and sense where I am."

"Exactly. In such a way you are able to call when in need. The children will each wear an amulet, programmed to the same frequency as yours. When one of the children begins to use their telekinetic energy, you will sense it. The initial energy output will be their 'call for help' or their aura if you will. Your response will be to safely absorb the energy by way of the amulet you are wearing. You'll picture yourself pulling the energy within you where you will lock it away in 'the cottage' until it is needed.

"Oma, we want our children to grow up to be their own people. This is sounding like mind control. It's not right that I should be in their heads controlling them all the time."

"Sam, think of it this way," Elizabeth began, her voice exuding infinite patience. "This is simply an extra link to your children. It has a purpose: to safely control their abilities until they become capable of using them responsibly. As the gatekeeper, you'll have the key to the cottage. There will come a time when the cottage must be opened, when Grace and Jake are old enough to learn its secrets. Until then, you will guard the door."

"Sam, it sounds like a safety seat or training wheels, really. Once they outgrow them, we take off the brakes." He said tentatively, gesturing towards Oma for confirmation.

"If I understand you correctly Daniel and you are referring to safety devices used to protect children of your world, then yes, the analogy is correct."

"Okay, so what do I do?"

"Well since little Grace is on your lap right now, let's begin with her. Elizabeth, with your help please." Oma requested as she gingerly pinned the amulet to Grace's jacket and made certain Sam was wearing hers.

The Innocent picked up a brightly colored scarf that she'd noticed Grace had been enthralled with since her arrival. She began to run back and forth in front of the small child swirling the material behind her as she went. It wasn't long before Grace could resist no longer. "Mine, I want," she called.

Sam was aware of a jolt of energy passing through her body, at first like the static electricity one felt rubbing feet on a rug and touching a doorknob. Oma saw her slight twitch and instructed, "Now, Samantha, picture the energy from your child and bring it within your self."

Sam concentrated on the power she felt emanating from Grace and tried to picture the cottage where she'd tucked away her own gift. By the time she'd managed to start the visualization, the material had already flown from Elizabeth's hand to that of her own daughter who was delighted with herself.

"Mine, mommy, mine."

"We will try again." Oma said quietly.

OoOoOo

And try again they did. Several times a day for nearly a week, Sam practiced the new set of skills she hoped would be able to keep her children safe. By the fifth day, she had her first success. With Jake sitting just across the room from her, she sensed and intercepted energy sent from the little boy as he tried to grab for a small flower that had grabbed his attention. As she absorbed Jake's energy, she was momentarily startled by the strength of it. After a sharp intake of breath that drew Daniel's attention, she closed her eyes and pictured herself taming the energy and securing it in the calm, peaceful confines of the cottage. Opening her eyes she saw the garden still intact and her little boy looking a bit frustrated.

"Excellent, Samantha. That's it… tomorrow, the next step, absorbing energy from both children.

OoOoOo

Jack's POV

God this was hard. I miss them. Me… Mr. 'I don't need anybody'… 'I can make it on my own'…I miss my family .

I'd spent years coming home to an empty house before Sam and I finally got together. Now I don't think I could go on if anything happened to her. And our children, Jake and Grace, they're amazing! This house is so empty without them. They're on a planet, God knows where, light years away, without me. How screwed up is that?

For crying out loud, I should've stayed at the office tonight. No point in coming home to this empty house. Nothing I can do here. At least at work I can play the cardboard General, dressed to kill and impress, medals and all. But here, here I'm a man whose family is probably in danger, damn it! And I didn't go with them! How could I have been so stupid to agree to that? Daniel, helluva lot of help he'll be if there's trouble. He'll want to shake hands and negotiate!

A couple of years ago I'd be getting drunk right about now. Not an option anymore. Used to seem like the manly thing to do. Get drunk, pass out, wake up in the morning and forget the pain ever existed. Stiff upper lip and all that way of the warrior crap. It sure was a helluva a lot easier than this torture! Now I get to deal cold turkey. I can deal with getting shot to hell, tortured by snakeheads and bored to death by the Pentagon flunkies. But this?

I'm wearing holes in the carpet pacing back and forth! This is ridiculous! I've got to do something.

Daniel's on Kheb, Teal'c is back on Chulak. I can't exactly tell Hank I've got to use the gate to go have a chat with T.

Major Archer . He told me to call, let's see what that smart ass has to say about this mess. I've gotta talk to somebody. Hey he's the only one around right now with the necessary clearance.

OoOoOo

On Kheb, Sam woke up to little fingers pulling at her nose and eyelids.

Sam's POV

Nice way to wake up, my little girl on top my chest, pulling at my nose and calling "Mama". Since she's not going to take no for an answer, I'd better open my eyes and get started. If today is anything like yesterday, it's going to be a lot of work.

Within seconds both Grace and I are laughing and tickling each other and before we know it, little Jake had crawled into bed as well, joining the fun.

It's not long before Daniel's knocking at the door, telling me we're late for our next lesson in the compound. Thank goodness, Grace and Jake seem to feel comfortable here. They've been so good, what with a strange place and new people. I think they're actually enjoying all the attention they're getting, especially from little Beth and all of the Innocent children.

In less than half an hour the kids and I are ready and off to meet Daniel, Oma and Elizabeth ( such a formal name for such a little girl, I've started to call her Beth).

The little munchkins, (can't help it, I'm getting to be the kind of mother who makes up cute nicknames for her cute children) toddle over to the older children, Anya and Elizabeth, as they find their way into the meditation room. Pretty soon, they'll be able to go at quite a clip. Right now their footing is still a little slow. Thank goodness!

Before I know it, Oma is ready to get started. Today is the day I try to manage both of the twins' energy at the same time. It wasn't so bad with one of them. I'm hoping this is just as doable. Still don't understand exactly what I am doing, but for once in my life I'm just following the directions and trusting. Daniel seems to believe in Oma and I know she helped me before.

Okay here we go! The kids are being shown some smooth, soft cuddle toys, a lot like their favorite stuffed animals at home. Before I know it, Grace's determined call of 'mine' sounds through the room.

That didn't take long. I'm already starting to feel Grace's 'aura'. And now, Jake's. Not one to be left behind for long, I think he wants to fight her for the toy. That will never do! The power of their combined energy literally takes my breath away. I had no idea. Oh…I don't think I can do this… what's happening? Thefull energy wave is starting to hit now. I'm not sure I can contain this. I can hear myself scream and I can't stop. Jack!

I need to tell him. Be sure the children get home to Jack. Daniel, please be sure the children go home to Jack. Finally I feel Daniel's arms holding me as I fall. I don't think he heard. I don't think any sound came out.

Within seconds all is darkness .

OoOoOo

Okay, this really was supposed to be the last chapter. But it was just getting too involved. Hope it made sense (at least as much sense as energy transferring amulets can make!).So, one more chapter for this particular story and then on to Part 3. Promise I'll resolve the cliffie within a few days. Please review and share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions with me. And thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter – you were very encouraging.