Hey there! Long time not seeing you. Hopefully, you are still around. It took me a long time to get this one together.

Anyhow! Enjoy!

M.

Chapter XXXII

March 27th, 2004

Conference room

SGC.

"So, once you all were changed, how did you find out you were an Akhkharu?" Sam asks.

Helen and Nikola exchange a glance, they both remember quite vividly the how and the way the change had affected them and their relationship. They also remembered quite vividly the promise of never talk about it with anyone. Off course, now that it was brought forth Will noticed there was more to it than what they were saying.

1872

Helen Magnus POV.

"Nikola? How are you feeling?" I ask as I enter his room almost two days later. As I quickly scan the room, I find several trays of various food, which tells me that John as done as I've asked while I took care of James. What I don't see is him, until the light in the bathroom is turned on. "James and John returned to their homes, James change took around 12 hours, he was different; he had this huge," I continue, and then I see him. I notice his black eyes, and his long nails and I shiver in excitement. "Headache."

"Dear Lord," I whisper almost against his lips when in a motion that's faster than humanly possible, I find myself pinned to the wall. His nose nuzzles my neck and his tongue darts out to lick it. "Nikola," I shiver. He says something, and I frown, he speaks on something I've never heard before, or that I've never heard him talking in before. "Nikola," I whisper again as his hands explore my sides.

"I need you, Ijubavnica." He tells me this time as his nails cut the front of my dress as I gasp launching my chest forward, closer to him. "You are the only one who can save me," he says, and I notice that wasn't English, but in this obscure language I didn't know, yet somehow, I understand to perfection.

"What?" I stop him from moving, and his black eyes lock with mine. "How?" I manage to ask before his lips collide on mine and we start all over again. His hands explore, and mine follow. He takes me right there against the wall, and I don't deny him entrance, I don't complain, and I, well, I ask for more. And as I shiver in the aftermath, he takes me in his arms and places me softly on the bed.

The primal need becomes soft, he kisses and explores and caresses, and I do the same. We whimper, pant, groan and moan. But it's different than all the other times from our first encounter. It's like we both finally managed to understand that this was happening for a reason far stronger than our debilitated beliefs of God and hell.

I find myself waking up in his bed every day for two weeks. My body is heavenly sore, and I need three new outfits to replace the ones he shredded until I warned him not to. I saw him fight with his new side, his eyes changing from his regular ones to the blackness until my dress and under gowns pool on the floor. Then, with a speed that he had just mastered he moved us to the bed and enjoyed the new-found passion over and over again.

"We can't continue like this," I whisper to his ear later that day.

"I know, Ijubavnica." He says placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "You need to find out what I've become. Only then you will know how to stop this." He trails. "No matter how much I don't want this to end," he smiles sadly. We've now come to terms that, even if there was some attraction between us before, this unstable energy and passionate closeness has to do with whatever he has become and was affected by whatever I became before. It made sense; we were the both who took longer to change, maybe it similarly changed us.

When the end of week three hits, he told me something I had thought of but hadn't acted on. He says to me "Helen, you should let your father know. You haven't found what I am, and you know we can't keep going on like this, every night as insatiable bunnies." I chuckle at the mental image. "Although, I certainly wouldn't mind trying," he winks with this mischevious smile of his.

But he is right; insatiable bunnies are precisely what we've become every time I enter his room, no matter if I come to check him at night or if I reached him at midday to bring him lunch or even early to give him a tray for breakfast, we always end up like this. Sorely spent, butt naked and utterly sated.

"Ijubavnica," he cares my face lovingly, "as much as it pains me to admit it, we can't continue like this forever. You shouldn't," he points.

"Okay, I'll talk to him today," I say not moving an inch.

"I must confess, sometimes I feel like a caged lion." He sighs, and I understand him, he has been inside this room for longer than I would like to and even if I brought him books to read it's not the same, he lost his freedom and mine, albeit somewhat existent, seems to be attached to him. I frown, and his finger caresses the lines I created, "Don't blame yourself, Ijubavnica. I chose this fate. Speaking of which, what do you know of the others?"

I unlatch myself from his torso and seat on the bed; he raised with his back to the headboard. I look at him, and his eyes don't waver, he doesn't lower his gaze, and he doesn't feel ashamed of keeping his eyes on mine. It's refreshing as if we reached this point in where our regulars selves can sit and hold a conversation without thinking of what we do when we are not in control of our minds. It took a while, the first couple of days we couldn't look at each other in the eyes.

"Well, Nigel has improved his skills, he now can control his cloaking to around 5 minutes and stopped going invisible out of the blue. John, he's learning to control his jumping skills. We all forbid him to enter any chambers, and he has given us his word."

"I'm good with him not showing up unannounced to mine," He smiled mischievously, I rolled my eyes. "You can't blame me for that one, I mean. I know you want to marry and have babies with that man and all but pardon me if I find him scary as hell. Even more than hell if I might add."

"Oh, hush," I shake my head. "Watson, well, we better don't be in the same room with him for a while. If he was annoyingly correct before, now it's impossible to hide things from him."

"How impossible?"

"Well, I saw him one morning after I, we. after it. Well," I roll my eyes at my inability to word it. "I returned to my room and got dressed for the day. I was reading at the library when he showed up to see what news I had from you. And he mentioned my lips looked plumper. And I quote. "my, my Helen Magnus, have you gotten a suitor you aren't telling us about? I'll bet some of us will be fairly disappointed."

"Alas, he knows something," Nikola smiles.

"I guess he does; he didn't outright tell me he thought it was you. Yet he might be suspicious of you. Although there's this new intern working downstairs, he probably believes it is him due to the fact the boy can't keep his eyes straight when I'm in the room. I sure hope James minds deceive him for once."

"Are you ashamed? Of me? Of us?" He asks me crooking his head slightly.

"I, I'm not, Nikola. But it's not exactly what I wanted for me, you know it" I grimace, and he nods in understanding.

"You wanted John." He says, and I bite my lower lip. "There's no need to affirm it again, Helena." I wince, he only calls me that when he tries to put some sort of space between us, and it's always around those times when we spoke about my preference for John. He grimaces, "Don't trouble yourself, I knew that before this whole mess happened. I also know we would never be like this if it weren't for whatever the hell is wrong with me."

"Or me,"

"Go, find your father, Ijubavnica." He says caressing my cheek, his eyes softened. "You deserve better than hiding in my room all day because you simply can take your hands from me due to whatever the hell we've become. We both deserve better."

"I know, I wish things were different, Nikola. I know this isn't right, nor the way either of us thought of our future. And yes, I'm aware you did think of a future for us, but I'm quite certain it didn't involve not being able to get out of a room."

"Yes, sadly, I knew the future I wanted for us was too much of a dream for it to ever happen. And now things became utterly complicated." He inhaled deeply. "You must go, or I'll bite you again." I nod, and standing up from the bed I walk towards the place where my clothes are lying on the floor. He's next to me in a blink, helping me dress.

"You should go around naked, Ijubavnica. You are exquisite." He growls into my ear, and I shiver. "Or better, I should never allow anyone to see you like this. You should be sinful only for me," he whispers against my ear. "Alas, it can't be. Go, save us. Find your father; he might be the only one who can help." He places a quick kiss on my neck before moving to the other side of the room. I gulp.

"I'll see you later, Nikola," I say turning around enough time to see his somewhat defeated form standing close to the window, looking the garden and the streets he can't roam.

I closed the door and walked to my room where I get another bath. I believe that I've never been cleaner than during these weeks, nor did Nikola. We bath every time we get apart, and sometimes we bath together when our bodies take a mind of their own. I finish and grabbing a light; I walk downstairs to the Sanctuary.

"Father?" I ask, entering his office.

"Helen, dear, what are you doing down here? Are they all finally gone now?" he grins at me.

"John, James, and Nigel have been gone for three weeks now, father."

"And Nikola?" He asks. Sometimes I believe he knows more than he lets me think. I wet my lips, it's now, or never I guess.

"He's still around."

"And when does he think we will be going? I believe he mentioned the spring semester in Prague."

"That's the plan, yes." I agree with him.

"However?" I gulp. "Helen? What's the matter? Is something wrong?" I lower my eyes. How to explain this? How to disappoint him to this extreme? I know that's precisely what he will feel when he learns about the blood and what I did with it.

"Oh, father." I sigh. "I've done something awful."

"You? What could you possibly do?" I bit my lower lip.

"I found a vial of untainted Akhkharu blood, father."

"What? Is it safe? You know how dangerous it can be in the wrong hands, Helen! That's fantastic; you saved people from who knows what!" I shake my head.

"No, father. It ended up in the wrong hands."

"Whatever you mean with wrong hands, dear?"

"It ended up in mine," I sigh, and he comes around and sits in front of me, and grabs my hands.

"What do you mean when you say your hands are the wrong hands?" I launch myself forward, and I cry on his shoulders. I find that I can't stop myself even if I tried. He embraces me, and when I finally take some space back, I can see he is utterly confused.

"I made a serum, father," I say with a voice so broken that I barely recognize as mine. "One that can be used by humans to get the mysterious benefits of the blood. I didn't know the extent of the changes. I was such a fool and now," I gulp taking a breath.

"Nikola?" He asks, and I nod.

"As per his request, I've injected it to Nikola a little over three weeks ago, and he's not coupling well with it. He can't control himself unless," I blush, my mind providing me images of exactly how he is coupling with his change.

"Unless what? What does he do? Helen, what did the blood give to him?"

"Long nails, black eyes, sharp teeth, strength, speed, he reads faster and knows things he didn't before. His memory was improved."

"Oh, Lord." He says rubbing his face.

"What?"

"Helen, how has he been coping with it?" He frowns, "Who has been taking care of him?"

"I didn't allow the others to help him." I inhale. "They are all coping with their own changes."

"Helen Magnus! What on God's Earth did you do?"

"I. They volunteered, and I tried to make them change their minds, but they didn't," I explain. He closes his eyes and sighs.

"Well, what's done is done, no matter how foolish it sounds now," he shakes his head before I can explain more. "Just tell me, if the others aren't taking care of him, who is?" I sigh.

"I am," I affirm. The moment I do, he moves my head to the side and in one swift move he clears my neck out of clothes and hair frowning. Then he checks the other side and sighs alleviated. "What's the matter, father?"

"Your description, Helen. It's the precise description of an Akhkharu."

"Is it? There aren't books about them in the library. The only thing we managed to find was that their blood was supposed to possess miraculous powers."

"That's because information about them is one of the most dangerous and difficult to obtain. I didn't want you to have access to it, Helen. I know you. That kind of information would only ignite your thirst for knowledge. Now, I know I've made a mistake." He sighs. "I should've let you read what I've managed to obtain about them and maybe, that idea wouldn't even spring into your mind."

"I don't understand, father. What does anything of it has to do with my neck?"

"The Akhkharu, also known as Sanguine Vampiris, they fed on blood from one another."

"Blood you say?" I blushed. And he noticed.

"Oh, Helen." I bit my lower lip, and he sighs. "I should have allowed you to read this. Alas, this will get awkward, darling."

"How awkward?" I frown.

"Probably equally for both of us. For both our sanities, I will treat you as a patient, and not as my only daughter."

"Very well," I trail.

"According to with your description of the creature, you are talking about a sanguine vampiris. They were known for the same characteristics you described. However, there's an issue with them. To survive, they fed on blood. Their children could grow by a combination of regular food and blood from their parents. However, once the creature was of age, there was a need for them to find a suitable mate or several of those." I frown. "Their ritual of feeding for an adult member of such a species was highly… Tantalizing, for those participating in it. It had an extremely, huh, erotic nature. There are books comparable to the Kamasutra with information about how they fed."

With every word that comes out of his mouth, I feel myself go a shade brighter of pink. My father gives me a knowing look. I mean, if I'm the one taking care of him, it's not so difficult to reach the proper conclusion of where we found ourselves.

"However, there's one thing," he trails frowning.

"What thing?"

"How many times has he feed exactly? And even more strange, why don't you have a bite mark?" I whimper. "Oh, Helen, what did you do?"

"I… he… we…" I groan. "A Doctor-Patient conversation, am I correct?" I ask, and he nods. "He's been feeding daily for the past three weeks, Doctor." I bite my lower lip, to avoid telling him that daily means several times a day and not only once.

"What? That's not only preposterous Helen, but it's also impossible!" he shakes his head. "They could only stop once sated if both were of the same species that mean once both had enough blood and once their… Physical needs… Were satisfied. Usually, if the mate were human, they would stop there, and they wouldn't allow their partner to return to their room until they had recuperated the blood they've lost. "

"You mean, they drank blood until reaching climax and then they would stop for a week?"

"Yes, exactly! But you mentioned every day, with that rhythm of blood consumption, you should be completely drained by now," he says, and with his finger, he lowers my eyelid. "You don't even have anemia, Helen. You are full of color."

"I," I gulp.

"And as I said you don't have a bite mark, has he been biting you somewhere else? Don't tell me; I need to go and kill that man! And he was the one I trusted the most with you!"

"Father! It's not exactly his fault." I intervene before he finishes plotting Nikola's demise.

"Yes, before I check him and then kill him for placing his hands on you. I first need to check how it is possible for you to be alive." He stands up and grabs my hand to try and take me out to his lab.

"I know how, father." I grimace. And he stops.

"Oh, no, Helen. Please tell me you didn't." He whispers turning around to see me.

"I did. Five years ago." He plops back in the chair, his head between his hands.

"That's why you haven't changed? That's why your broken nose fixed so perfectly?" He trails looking at me. "But why Helen? Why did you do it?"

"I needed to know." He sighs.

"Of course you did," he huffs caressing my hair. "Oh, darling, if your mother were alive, she would've killed me by now. She was looking forward to having a girl and raise her to be the Lady she was, and see her married to a gentleman. And I did a poor job on steer you to it. Oh well, as I said before, what's done is done. I can't change what I did or didn't do as much as you can change what you did." He says caressing my cheek. "Let's go and check that friend of yours and see what we can do."

"It might be better if I don't go in, father." I blush, and he hums.

"Let's see how he reacts to me before you enter."

Conference Room

Present Time

"We didn't, my father did. I had to let him know what I did. And he was the one who diagnosed Nikola. With his help and a lot of patience we managed to isolate the compound that Nikola needed from my blood."

"Once I was under control, we successfully created a lunch box sort to speak, that would allow me to go through several days without needing more fake blood. Let me tell you, that was something I really value, the fake blood does taste awful."

"When we did, Nikola was supposed to be back in Prague. The five, we joined him on our very first crusade. Father gave us a task on getting some abnormals smuggled back to London, and that was our way to keep Nikola under surveillance.

London

1872

Nikola's POV.

"Ijubavnica," I whisper to her. We are alone on the rooftop of her home. She hums, "are you sure you want to do this?" She sighs and pats the spot in the cornice next to her.

"Nikola, we've managed to stop being attached to each other for over a month now. Yes, you still need my blood, but you can sit with me without having that need of ravishing me." I chuckle.

"The need is still there as it was before the change." I point, and she rolls her eyes.

"You know what I meant." She adds.

"Yes, we don't need to have blood sucking highly erotic encounters even if you are my mate. But that's beside the point; I asked you if you were sure. They all be there; what happens if we end up losing control?"

"I won't. You won't, " Helen affirms, and I know she will try as much as she can.

Just like I will, I guess that's my life now, knowing what she's capable of when her limits are pushed, and she has no boundaries. And doing everything in my hands not to be the one taking her there, no matter how much I want to.

"I saw John the other night," I comment, and her eyes sparkle, and I feel like I've been hit in the gut.

"He came to visit me, he was worried you drove me insane during this time," she tells me with sparkling eyes.

"Oh, I know I did." I grin, and she punches me. "Seriously, Ijubavnica. I don't know how good I will be, but I'll do everything in my hands to keep them from knowing, despite what others might think of me, your honor is important to me."

"It's a bit too late to be worried for my honor, don't you agree?"

"Not really, they are only three people who know about our … entanglement. And I'm pretty sure none of us will be revealing that soon. And trust me, Ijubavnica, if you find yourselves in a similar situation with the one you want, he won't care, we will be too occupied trying to memorize you." I caress her cheek, and she bites her lower lip, I know who she's thinking in. I know who she wanted before me, and I know she still wants it, him. And he, oh well… Anyone of us would gladly step forward if she were to call us. He is just as doomed as the least of us.

"I'm not worried about John or Nigel," she whispers.

"Watson," I say, and she nods. "He will notice something changed between us, but he won't be able to know exactly what it was. I mean, we spend a hell of a lot of time holed up in the lab, even my relationship with your father has been altered. Let's trust he blames it to a large amount of time we passed together. And there's one more thing; he will die before thinking of you and me in that way."

"You think we can manage? Not to tell anyone and not bring this time even among us?"

"I know that for you, I'm willing to try."

Present time

"And how did it go?" Sam asked curiously.

"Well, we were all under control, and we used our skills to get the abnormal convinced that he wanted our help." Nikola grinned.

"What happened next?"

"As much as I adore giving history lessons," Nikola interrupted. "There's plenty of information to offer if you plan on going through our lives. I mean, among the most notorious points of our history you can count both world wars, the great depression, cold war, Cuban revolution, and an extensive list of etceteras. I mean, we were present both when the wall was built and when it was demolished."

"I agree with, Nikola." Helen says, "We can go through all of that; you might find that your version of history is far different from ours. However, it will take time, a long time."

"I've been interrogating Helen since I've met her, and I'm still learning new things as the days go by," Will said.

"And there's nothing more you want to share with us?" Jack asked squinting at them.

"The only thing that comes to mind is the history behind your Stargate. Doctor Jackson, you read my invite. Certainly, my calligraphy has to be somewhat familiar with you. Thus, you might be able to confirm that both the note and the images from the expedition diary entries were mine."

"I. Yes, I noticed the resemblance, I sent them to a friend he's a calligraphist, and he concluded both were from the same person."

"That's correct, as Catherine can confirm, both Nikola and I were present the day the gate was sent, and I was the person who gave it to Catherine's father. I also was the one funding the experiments that ended with the disappearance of Ernst Littlefield."

"What?"

"Yes, we helped fund the research hoping they wouldn't make it without the second part which was hidden on a different sanctuary, but somehow they made it work. The experiments were done under the Air Force chain of command; however, the funds came from me."

"Helen, we've recovered Ernst. I mean SG-1 did."

"That's excellent news; I always felt his disappearance was partially my fault. Your father wanted to see if he was the right man for you; he was sure Ernst was the right one for you before he disappeared if that makes any difference." She smiled at Catherine. "Well, you know all the history of the Sanctuary, and know what abnormals are. You also know both Nikola and me, are willing to help the Jaffa's by providing the blood-based cure. And finally, I'm here to offer you access to all the knowledge we already have, including multiple areas of expertise that can be coordinated through you. However, we would like to keep our secret for as long as we need and thus, we would ask you to be the coordinating team."

"That sounds acceptable," Hammond nodded. "However, we need to check not only the facts you gave us but what you offered must go through the President."

"I don't think Henry will have an issue with my offering. Alas, I believe I've told you everything that can affect you, your base or your future." Helen affirmed.

The room went silent for a while; Helen felt Jack's eyes on her as he assessed her. Sam frowned as his behavior, Nikola raised an eyebrow. And the rest simply held their breaths.

"Nope, I don't believe you," Jack added after a while. "Yes, all you said might come up as true, but you are still holding something which affects the SGC."

"I'm holding things, yes. However, the information I'm hiding doesn't affect directly to the SGC or the USAF. It doesn't even affect Henry or his government."

"Yeah, well, ma'am. That's an impressive poker face, however, what you just said it ain't true." Helen raised her eyebrow, and so did Sam, who also clenched her jaw tightly.

"How can you tell, sir?" she answered a bit angered. He turned towards her as if she just slapped him.

"Carter? Are you really saying that you believe there's nothing more to this? That she has no ulterior motive or hidden agenda lying behind all her years in the world?"

"That's right, sir. That's exactly what I'm saying." She hissed, Jack raised his eyebrows at the expression he found on her face.

"Then Major, you are completely biased." He added sounding disappointed. "See, that's one of the things she's holding, Carter. She knows why you are 'team sanctuary,' and she won't let us know the reason behind it."

Hammond looked at his officers then at Helen. Her face showed no signs of distress nor did her posture. Tesla and Ashley's reaction was similar to Helen's, an impassiveness that could only be achieved with plenty of experience. Henry the tech, he was looking around. Whatever it was they knew, Hammond was sure he didn't know. But then, his eyes fell on William, and that man looked concerned as if he knew that whatever she was holding, whatever Jack was trying to push out of her, would be harmful. But beyond what the Sanctuary team looked like, or felt at that moment, something was bothering General Hammond beyond all things.

He looked at Sam, and Jack and they were hissing to each other. The two of them had gone through hell and back, confessed they cared about each other more than they were supposed to, and without taking any actions towards a relationship they kept their careers and themselves true to who they were.

The cohesive force that joined them, and allowed SG1 to survive deaths and ascensions and keep them working despite strong feelings and familiarity was being pushed to its limits.

He looked at them, Teal'c and Daniel tried to remain calm but the exchange was taking a toll, they knew soon they would be needed to pick a side, and they weren't willing to do that, not yet. Not without knowing the whole situation. And then, there were Sam and Jack. George Hammond had known for ages now how strongly they felt about each other, those deep feelings rooted so profoundly that seemed nothing could ever cut through it. And yet, this meeting was breaking them apart.

The precious platonic loving relationship of the military part of SG1 was under attack, and he had to do something to stop it. He looked at the Doctor, and he decided there was only one situation that had a small chance of tipping the balance in their favor and break her. He doubted. Someone of her supposed age and experience was probably far from pouring her heart just because he was menacing her. However, he had seen fake gods crumble and cry for help once the threat of certain death was thrown into their dishes.

"I agree." General Hammond said finally breaking the staring contest Jack and Sam were having. They frowned looking at their CO. "I agree with Colonel O'Neill."

"Excuse me, sir? I don't believe I've heard right." Jack said.

"Then allow me to set the record straight. I believe you, Doctor Magnus. However, I must agree with Colonel O'Neill. You aren't telling us everything we need to know, and I warned you, Doctor." To Sam's surprise, Helen nodded in agreement. "Then, Colonel O'Neill escort Doctor Magnus to a cell and guard her until SCIU agents come searching for her."

"What?" Came from several points on the table. But the protest was quickly quenched when Helen raised her hand.

"General, I understand your position. However, I do need to request," Hammond raised his eyebrow expecting her to ask for a call to the President. "that you let my people return to where we came from."

"Mom!" Ashley pleaded.

"Helen!" came from both Nikola and William, while Sam looked at her with widened eyes. She shook her head no.

"There won't be an uprising trying to find me, at least not while I'm on your base." She smiled, looking at her team; it was an order for them. "We work to protect the innocent, General and I know you can relate to our cause. I need them to go back and keep saving them; I need them to return and delete me from your systems and keep the abnormals under control. Otherwise, if anything comes up, then Earth will remain safe. Our planet isn't ready for a new abnormal uprising as much as it isn't ready for an alien invasion."

"If that your final desire, Doctor." Hammond trailed.

"Wait. What?" Henry frowned.

"Mom! You can't be serious!"

"It is, General."

"Then, Doctor Jackson, Teal'c please accompany the Sanctuary team back to where they came, take as many airmen as you need to help you."

"There won't be any need, General. My team will go peacefully."

"Mom, you can't ask that from us."

"Helen, your daughter is right, and you know just the two of us can take the SCIU scum quickly," Nikola added, and Ashley nodded.

"I know I shouldn't, but I am. No more murders." Hammond tried not to sigh; she would be tough to break.

"Helen," Will started, but she smiled shaking her head no. And she glanced lovingly to her team, her family. And she rested her eyes on Sam for a bit longer than she was supposed to, before looking to the rest of the present. However, Hammond had noticed it.

"You are ready to keep the Sanctuary alive, Will. You all have been ready for quite some time yet you all allowed me to keep the reigns. Just don't do anything dumb and support each other, everything will be okay. I'll be fine."

"No." Sam angered voice made them all turn towards her. "This is not okay, and I won't accept it, sir!"

"Major!" Hammond warned.

"Carter," Jack pleaded if she continued on that path her career would end up on a stake. But George experience told him that if Helen didn't break, chances were that Sam was going to, it wasn't the best-case scenario, but he hoped it worked and saved whatever was left of his best team.

"Colonel, I'm waiting for you to fulfill the order."

"Carter," Jack said once more, looking at her. She had tears in her eyes, and she noticed Jack wasn't very fond of fulfilling that order.

"Don't do this, sir." Sam pleaded. "You didn't allow it for Teal'c, or Apophis. You didn't even allow it for Ba'al, and you hate that arrogant bastard. Why would you accept this fate for her?" A tear escaped her eyes and Daniel moved closer to her, but she stood up and embraced her middle.

"Carter, you know me." Jack trailed, and Sam could see through the reflection on the glass that he was standing behind Helen, and strapping her hands on her back. "You know she is hiding something, Carter. Just ask her to let that go, and the moment she does, we won't have to do this."

"I can't," Sam whispered.

"And I won't," Helen added sadly, "some things are worth more than my future."

"Mom," Ashley whispered, and something broke in Sam's heart.

"I'm sure once my team figures out where they take me they will be able to find a way to rescue me."

"Come on, Carter. I never asked you for much, but now I'm asking you to convince her to let it go and take this weight out of my shoulders."

"You can't give her to the SCIU, Jack." She said turning around and watching him from over Helen's shoulders.

"And I don't want to do it either. Give me a reason Sam," he pleaded. "Tell her to give us a reason."

"Please, Jack. What she's hiding doesn't have to do with the USAF or SGC, please."

"Sam," He whispered.

"Colonel." Hammond intervened, and Jack started to move with Helen walking beside him. "Major, if you know something or know the way of getting it out of her, this is your last chance."

"Don't worry, Samantha. My team will get to me before SCUI can do much harm, " Helen smiled reassuring Sam.

But Carter looked around, Helen's eyes were still on her, the reason behind why she was being dragged to a cell. She avoided Helen's eyes and drifted her gaze towards Ashley; her sister smiled at her fully accepting what was going to happen. William and Henry had their eyes fixated on Helen's form, and they were both holding tears. And her father, he had his claws expanded, and he was doing his best to keep Helen's wishes, to keep Helen's promise to her.

Sam whimpered, she knew the weight of what was happening laid exclusively over her shoulders, over her own insecurities and her fears. The others accepted Helen's decision to keep her word to her daughter, and by extension, they had accepted her completely as part of a family she wasn't sure she was ever going to fit in. The whole situation could be so easily fixed, and yet, she doubted it.

'How weak are you, Samantha, if you hide behind everyone else's suffering?' she wondered.

"I'm sorry I've asked this much from all of you," she whispered. "It means a lot more than you can imagine."

"Samantha, look at me," Magnus called. "There's no need for you to do it; I will survive as I always do."

"Yes, there's a need. You don't have to go through this because of me, mom." Sam added with a teary smile. And Helen left out a tear.

"Wait. What?" Daniel asked blinking quickly. Sam didn't dare to take her eyes out of her mother's afraid of what she might find in her friend's.

"I hope you are all happy now. That's it. That the thing that has been worrying you so much. The thing they have been hiding from you and that you believe affects you. And what's worse, they have been keeping it to themselves because I asked them to, this whole situation is my fault," Sam licked her lips, and Ashley's hand found hers and gave her a reassurance press. Sam smiled at her sister.

"You can do it, sis," Ashley whispered. "If they can't have your back we always will." Sam nodded gratefully and raised her eyes to find her team.

"You'll see, I'm the biological daughter of Helen Magnus and Nikola Tesla. By embryonary age, Ashley is my older half-sister. I guess that makes Will my stepfather, and Henry, a little brother I'm also willing to adopt into my family as they did with me. The fact is, they were protecting me, there was nothing else to hide but my truth. So, I'll plead to you, sir. Please, release the mother I'm getting to know."