Hello! This one is the reason for all those timeline changes; hopefully, now everything will make sense to you. And it is also the start of the end.

Enjoy,

M.

PS: Yes, I know they look like a bunch of snippets pasted together. Probably they are, anyhow, it's only until I reach the place I need, and you all will get to understand how exactly they all got to that point. Oh, yes: I'm sorry. You'll know why when you read it.

Chapter XXXVIII

April 12th, 2004

SGC.

"So?" Daniel asked as soon as he had taken the seat in front of her at the commissary and looking at her as if she had any clue of what he was wondering by it.

"So?" Sam frowned amusedly and wondered if that was the face Daniel had when the Colonel and Teal'c got stuck in that time loop.

"You are abnormal," Daniel trailed. The major's eyebrow rose up in wonder.

"Yes?" She crooked her head.

"And?" He asked, trying to push for more information. Sam didn't know what kind of info he was going after.

"And? What, Daniel?"

"What does it mean?" He asked, curiously.

"That I am not normal," Sam stated if only to annoy him. The way he rolled his eyes told her she had managed to annoy him and also informed her he caught on her mischievousness.

"You know what I mean, Sam," he sighed. "I'm curious," Daniel confessed. Sam leaned forward and checked her surroundings before signaling him to come closer.

"I figured," she grinned leaning back before she took another bite of her food.

"Oh, come on, Sam!" he pouted, she chuckled.

"How long have you known me, Daniel?"

"Almost eight years," he grinned proudly.

"It means I am the same person you know, with yet another tag to help define me," Sam shrugged.

"That doesn't say anything at all," the archeologist huffed.

"Well, this new tag explains why I think the way I do. Why I can fix things I've never seen before in a matter of hours, and why I don't carry any scars from all those times when we've been hit or tortured. Along with a long list of etcetera," the major grinned before she returned to her food.

"So," he grinned hopefully, "are you a vampire?" he whispered and shook his head the moment he noticed how stupid it sounded to his ears.

"No," Sam giggled, "those are extinct."

"Huh," Daniel frowned.

"Huh, what, Daniel?"

"They are extinct," he affirmed, and she nodded in agreement. "But Tesla said they are, or rather, were immortals."

"They define them like that, yes."

"Then," Daniel frowned. "How come they got to the extinction point? I mean if they are immortals, they shouldn't be able to be killed, and thus, they couldn't be extinct, right?" Sam sighed.

"This so is a Helen question," she mumbled scratching her head. "What do you recall from the history of vampires as they presented it?"

"Hum, when Ancients arrived at Earth, the Akhkharu somehow convinced them to teach them technological advances and sciences. Then there was a plague that killed ancients and forced them to leave Earth. They returned years later to bring the stargates, and the Goa'uld arrived later on trought them. When that happened, Akhkharus and Ancients tried to make humans change so we wouldn't become hosts to Goa'ulds, and when that failed, an Akhkharu scientist offered herself to get changed and resulted in the final mutation that made them Vampires. How far off am I?"

"That's very well summed up," Sam grinned. "To answer your question, Tesla explained to me that there is a device they could have created. This device can override the changes made from the original machine that made them immortals and bring them back to base Akhkharu, which was a type of abnormal that could be killed easily."

"What about the stake in the chest?" The archeologist blurted out before he could stop himself. Sam snorted.

She had impaled Nikola by accident during one joined training. The staff she was using had hit him too strongly, and his own speed at the moment of impact had allowed it to go through his chest. To Sam's utter horror, he fell limp to the floor, sliding on the staff as he panted for air and coughed. Until a 'Dear Lord, Nikola cut the act you are scaring her' came from her mother who was glaring at the vampire from the other side of the room.

"So? Does it work or not?" Daniel asked again, bringing Sam back from her memories. She chuckled.

"No, it was part of the lies they created to be protected. Now, there's one thing they aren't sure. I asked Helen and Tesla what happens if you sever the vampire in millions of pieces at the same time."

"Like a close-range explosion?" Sam nodded in agreement as she chewed some more of her food.

"My thoughts exactly, I asked them if that would kill a vampire or not."

"And they are not sure?" Daniel frowned, trying to imagine how anyone could survive after being torn into millions of pieces. And images of body parts sliding together until the body was recreated came to his mind. Sam noticed the sick tone he was getting and placed a hand over his to bring him back to reality. "Sorry, I was…," he waved.

"Imagining?" Sam smiled, and Daniel nodded. "So, to answer that Nikola said and I'm quoting 'thank God, that one Helen has decided she won't try.' I guess that means it might work," she shrugged. "Tesla has survived explosions, but they had never had enough force to dismember him or worse. He only got burns, cuts, and smoke inhalation as the result of those."

"Only," Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Says the guy who has ascended," Sam joked.

"Does that mean you could survive explosions?" He asked in awe.

"It means that I hope I don't need to try," she grinned. Daniel frowned, "Oh for crying out loud," Sam muttered pinching the bridge of her nose. "As they have put it, I'm not immortal just tough to kill. But not as hard to kill as Nikola."

Daniel opened his mouth again, but an unscheduled off-world activation interrupted them, and they both rushed to the control room.

June 19th, 2004

Sam's home

After checking her bag and her fridge, Sam decided to secure her home before she walked to her room to find the Sanctuary version of a radio that Helen had given her. It was the easiest way to contact them whenever Sam wanted to enter the Sanctuary whenever she had time to spare. And since then, she had been going back and forth every time she wanted under the excuse of training.

Helen pointed out that measures to have Ashley picking her from her home were far less complicated and would raise fewer questions, than having Sam driving to the same empty location repeatedly. Especially if at any point, she found herself under surveillance. Therefore, having that scenario in mind, Nikola had provided Sam with a device that would keep any artifact that could transmit signals out of the house from working to avoid having Ashley caught teleporting on tape. And they all agreed that closing her curtains and turning the device on after contacting them was the way to go. No one would bat an eye in doubt when noticing her house closed since all her neighbors were used to see her come and go at weird times and disappear over weeks.

"I'm ready whenever you want to poof here, Ash," Sam said to the radio and then turning on the device.

"You called?" Ashley grinned. And at that moment, the phone rang. Sam frowned. "The one calling, for sure, is not us."

"I've figured, I'm going to, you know," Sam trailed, pointing to the phone. Ashley nodded. "Carter?" she said, answering the call.

"Sam?" The major straightened the moment she recognized the voice at the other side of the line.

"Give me a sec, here," Sam said both to the phone and her sister; before she walked towards her room with the phone nestled between her ear and shoulder "Pete? Why are you calling?"

Outside the room, Ashley sighed, she had noticed the way Sam's demeanor had changed, and after the time they had spent together, she was getting quite good at reading her sister. So, she walked to the place where Sam always had paper and a pen, and after writing a quick note and sliding it under Sam's room door, she returned to the Sanctuary.

"Hey! I know what you've said. I know you can't be in a relationship due to the weird hours of your job, and the whole pressure of it, and let's not forget how I acted out on it following you, and almost getting killed and all. I understand I screwed it up, but you did say we could be friends, right?"

"Yes. I did say that" Sam frowned kneeling to pick the note. 'I'm going back, take your time and call when you are done.'

"Is this a bad time?" He asked, and she wondered why she hadn't hung the phone yet.

"I…"

"If it is, I can call later. I'm in the city, and I thought you could join me, your friend, for lunch? Friendly conversation, that's all I'm offering."

Friendly conversation.

She could use a friend who didn't know she had just met a whole new family, who didn't even fathom the idea of her being abnormal or one who wasn't aware of her feelings for her CO. A friend who wasn't a member of her team or her family, old or new. And discarding all those options, she couldn't come up with a name to make her decline such offer.

"Okay. Let's meet for lunch; I do need to let someone know that I'll be getting a bit late to our meeting."

"Oh, if you have plans..." Pete trailed nervously, "What I mean is, I don't want you to change your plans for me."

"Nonsense, you are in the city, so let's meet."

"At that bakery, we've been once? I'm a few blocks away, and I'll be free in half an hour."

"Sure, Jesse's bakery." Sam checked her watch. "In forty-five?"

"Can't wait."

Sam lowered the phone and wondered why she had accepted. She had chatted with him several times before, and he seemed a genuinely good guy. Sam shook her head; she couldn't kid herself; she had done more than chatting with him. She had dated the guy, and memories of how innocently happy she was during those dates overflowed her mind. Sam felt her face burn with a blush as she remembered having hummed in front of the Colonel after a date with Pete. But it was now months later, she was a different person, and she wouldn't get involved past the friendship. Not with a guy who had unknowingly put himself in harm's way following her to a stakeout, not even if he was the only guy out there to whom she could talk about her job if she wanted.

"Ash," she said to the radio, and her landline went off again.

"Pick the phone, it's me," Ashley's voice came through the radio.

"Ash?" Sam said, answering the call. "Why a call?"

"More privacy? Radio is good for short chats; the phone is way better for longer and more private calls. Also, it helped that I was reaching my room, setting the call was easier. So, you are not coming," Ashley affirmed.

"Yes, I am. That is if you can pick me later?"

"Sure, sis! Radio me when you are ready, but promise me you won't do anything stupid," Ashley said in a warning tone.

"Why would you think I would do something stupid?" Sam asked, frowning.

"Because…" Ashley said in a weird tone. "Come on, Sam. I know that look, I had it a couple of times too."

"It was just a friend on the phone," Sam chuckled.

"Yeah, right. A friend. As I've said, don't do anything stupid."

"Just lunch, Ash. Relax," Sam huffed.

"Promise me, I know that was a bad boy calling you."

"How could you possibly know that?" the major chuckled.

"I told you, I've seen that look before. You, me, and even mom sometimes. We all have the same weird taste for men who can be dangerous, if not total psychos."

"Right because Will is super dangerous." Sam chuckled.

"Dude! Let me remind you that my father was Jack the Ripper. Let's talk about dangerous." Ashley said, and Sam could almost see her eyes rolling.

"Why you worry if I do anything stupid anyway?"

"Because I'm your big sister," Ashley huffed. "It's my duty to worry."

"You are younger than me, Lil' sis," Sam chuckled.

"Only by birth, I'm oldest by creation date," Ashley affirmed.

"Oh! Come on, not again! And he is not a bad boy; he is a cop," Sam stated.

"Sure, not a bad boy, just a cop. And only a friend." Ashley affirmed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know how to stop it. And I'm sure you are going to be late if you keep delaying it."

"Ok! Fine! I promise I won't do anything stupid. He is just a friend."

August 20th, 2004

Sam's home

"Honey, I'm home!" Ashley shouted after teleporting to Sam's dark living room.

"Hey!" Sam called, getting out of her room and stopping dead on her tracks. "What are you wearing?"

"What I always wear?" Ashley said, looking down to her black leather pants and jacket before she looked at Sam.

"What are you wearing?" She grinned, and Sam frowned again looking down to her flowy dress.

"It's hot outside," Sam rolled her eyes.

"So? It's nice coldish pre-set weather down," Ash affirmed solemnly. But something in Sam's demeanor told her that her sister wasn't disclosing something. "What? Really, Sam. I have many skills, and even though I am getting better at understanding your expressions. I still can't read minds."

"I know mom's birthday is next week." Sam blurted, and Ash squinted at her in confusion. "I don't know what to get her?"

"Oh!" Ashley grinned and then her eyes widened. "Oh, you think I would know?"

"You know her better," Sam affirmed.

"I might, but you know that she has everything she can possibly want and then some, right?"

"There must be something," Sam affirmed. "What are you getting her?"

"A Yamaha TT-R125LE," Ashley grinned.

"A dirt bike?" Sam asked, amused.

"A play bike - the best one of this year." She added seriously. "But I guess that's not exactly what you are thinking as a gift?"

"No. Let's go shopping; we should be able to find something that I buy."

"Oh! Shopping! I haven't done that in ages! Let's go!"

"Are you sure you don't want to get changed first?"

August 27th, 2004

Underground Sanctuary.

"Happy birthday, Helen," Will said as soon as her eyes slowly blinked open. She smiled, and stirring in bed, she grinned.

"Well, at 275, I don't feel a day older than at 162," she giggled.

"Oh, you didn't?" Will shook his head amusedly at her weak attempt of a joke.

"That's what a linear timeline would account as my age, yes." Helen nodded, turning towards Will, who chuckled before seating in bed. "Where are you going?"

"Don't be impatient, darling." He mocked her accent getting out of the bed and walking away. And then she looked at him open-mouthed as he pushed a trolley towards their bed. "Breakfast in bed for m'lady."

"Oh, Will you shouldn't have."

"But I did, it is your birthday," he grinned. What didn't occur to him was that breakfast in bed would've needed to be heated because Helen wanted to thank him in a more adult way. And he, well, he would never complain about her wicked ways. Especially not when Helen took her sweet time and all thoughts of her starting her day late had abandoned their minds, for once.

After they had managed to have their breakfast, he walked her to her office, knowing the girls were planning something. The moment he opened the door for her, several voices called a cheerful: 'Surprise!'

"You all know by now birthdays are overrated," Helen grinned, but couldn't help to squeeze Will's hand tightly out of the overwhelming happiness she was feeling.

Her office was filled with balloons, birthday decors, family, and close friends. Ashley's doing, she knew. But what she didn't expect was Sam standing there with them. The glitter on her face, giving away the fact that she also had something to do with her office arrangements.

"Nonsense, darling," Nikola said, coming out of the side of her office with a teapot and what seemed to be cake.

"Happy birthday, mom!" Ashley said, rushing to embrace her. "Weren't you the one who always told me that birth dates are special dates?"

"I believe I was, yes." She said, embracing Ashley tightly until she noticed her daughter discomfort. "Thank you," she whispered before letting her go. and Ashley followed her line of sight. "Ah, that wasn't my doing, mom," Ashley said after following her mom's line of sight. "Go." A bit nervously, Helen walked towards Sam.

"Happy birthday, mom," Sam smiled.

"Can I?" Helen asked, and her daughter eagerly nodded before they hugged tightly. "Thank you so much."

"What for?" Sam frowned.

"Being here," Helen said, taking a step back and placing a strand of hair behind Sam's ear. "You have no idea how much it means to me."

"Told you so," Ashley grinned behind them. Helen squinted at them.

"What did I miss?"

"She didn't want to go halves on my gift," Ashley grinned making Helen frown entirely at lost. "Here, happy birthday." She said, getting a small box from her jacket and passing it to her mother.

"What is this, Ashley?" Helen asked.

"Your gift, duh!" Ashley joked. "Well, part of it at least. Go on; it won't open by itself." Magnus sighed, and after looking at the box, she opened it to find a key.

"Ashley Magnus, whatever did you buy now?"

"Your present, geez. Come," Ashley placed a hand over Helen and Sam's shoulders before they appeared at the garden where the bike was parked. Helen's eyes twinkled in merriment.

"You bought me a dirt bike?" She laughed.

"A play bike," Ashley rolled her eyes. "Do you…"

"I love it, Ashley! Thank you." Ashley exhaled, and Sam noticed that somehow her sister was worried about her gift of choice, which also made Sam nervous. "You know you shouldn't have, right?" Helen said once Ashley had teleported them back to her office.

"Happy birthday, Doc," Henry said, catching her attention. "Ah, Erika wasn't feeling so good."

"Did her water broke? Did she have any contractions?"

"Oh, God, no. She has a hard time finding a position to sleep, and the baby does move a lot during the nights."

"Are you certain? I can go check up on her."

"Nah, there's no need. I'm sure Erika will chew my ear off for letting her sleep and missing your party."

"Doc! Happy birthday," Kate chirped.

"Go," Ashley said to Sam, who was standing further away observing the exchanges. Sam turned towards her frowning. "She will love it, that much I know."

"Like you were so sure about your gift," Sam pointed.

"Mine is different, I knew she would like it, but I wasn't sure she was going to love it. Besides, I was alive for her last birthday, and during many others, this is your first one. I'm sure she will say something like 'your sole presence was all I required' or even more ancient sounding words." Ashley grinned before she pushed Sam towards Helen.

"Hmm, mom?"

"Samantha," Magnus grinned. "You have to go back?"

"No, I'm here for the day," Helen eyes widened and filled with happy tears surprised by that. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just terribly happy."

"Oh," Sam blushed. And she shifted her weight awkwardly. "Ah, I'm sorry I don't do this kind of things often," she flinched. "Come with me?"

"Okay," Helen frowned, confused. Sam took Magnus to the most secluded part of her office or 'the coffee shop' as she called it and surprised her mother with a middle-sized paper wrapped box. The Doctor eyed it not quite knowing what to do with it. "Should I?" she trailed, and her daughter nodded eagerly.

"Yes, please!" Sam said, and Helen took her time to unwrap it. "I, I asked Ashley to help me, but, we couldn't agree. And then," she added nervously. Magnus turned towards her and smiling, took Sam's hands in hers.

"Samantha, this might sound cliché to your ears. However, having you and Ashley here is already more than I could've asked," she said, looking into Sam's eyes. "Now, whatever you got in here, will be an incredible extra because it will come from you."

"If you say so," Sam chuckled nervously and nodded towards the box. "It's kinda silly, I talked with Janet, and she pointed me towards something like that," she trailed as Helen took out a frame.

"Is this?" Magnus let out in a whisper, trailing the contours of the girl in the framed picture.

"Yes, that's.. hum, me. I knew it would be too self-centered. But Janet said she would've loved to have some pictures of her daughter from before she adopted her and I thought…"

"It's perfect, Samantha," Helen said, caressing the frame softly. "It will go right next to Ashley's," she affirmed, lowering it and taking the next item. "What's this?"

"A diary? My mom kept one for me and one for my brother. She used to say that, once she was gone, we would be able to see ourselves through the eyes of a mother. It seemed fitting?" Helen's eyes widened as she leafed through the notebook. "I know it's nothing new, so I felt a bit guilty and added the last one."

"Are you sure about this, Samantha?" Helen asked, touching the diary in awe.

"If you want it, yes," Sam grinned, and Magnus gulped trying to keep her emotions at bay. And could only nod before she placed the book softly back in the box. Then, she grabbed the remaining item - small jewelry box; opening it, she found a necklace with a medallion as a pendant.

"I love it," Helen confessed in a whisper.

The pendant was a circular mother of pearl, surrounded by several tiny crystals in what seemed a chain around the edge. At the center of it, a rose gold tree of life in high relief covered the mother of pearl. Upon closer inspection, Helen noticed that the trunk of the tree seemed like a female figure with extended arms, and somehow her own initials were bound at the roots. The extended arms gave way to several branches with leaves. And in the two leaves closest to the trunk, an A and an S were engraved.

"There's room for more if you ever decide you want more of us," Sam joked, pointing her to the bare leaves of the tree. Helen raised her eyebrow amusedly.

"Yes, because having a baby brother or sister at this point wouldn't be awkward for you or Ashley."

"Perhaps, but we are already an abnormal family. My guess is we would deal with it pretty nicely."

October 15th, 2004

Underground Sanctuary

"Mom?" Helen flinched. Her heart did a painful summersault. Sam rarely called her mom at the start of a conversation. After all the time they had spent together since they've met; regular conversations always started with her being Helen and progressing until she was 'mom.'

"Samantha? To what do I owe this call?"

"Mom, can you meet me, topside, please?" Sam let out in a teary voice.

"Where?" Helen answered, already changing to the cameras trying to spot Ashley or William.

"My home?"

"I'll be there, asap." The call ended, and Helen radioed Ashley and had Henry lowering the barrier for them.

It wasn't even five minutes later when Sam blinked as the now familiar blue hue of Ashley's molecularization lighted her living room. And without thinking, she rushed to the figures that now were standing in her living room.

"Samantha," Helen said, opening her arms. Sam rushed to them, and the Doctor hugged her tightly.

Ashley was not comfortable with displays of affection and noticing the state of her half-sister, she decided to take a couple of steps out of the situation, seeing that it was as much for her own sake than for Sam's privacy.

"Call me when you need me," the young Magnus mouthed. Helen nodded and heard Ashley radioing Henry to let him know she was going back before she disappeared. And before she knew much about the situation that had the daughter in her arms so uncharacteristically demonstrative, Sam started crying.

Frowning and worried, Helen looked around the room and maneuvered them both to the closest couch she could see on Sam's living room. Caressing her back and muttering calming words, Magnus patiently waited until Sam had finally stopped crying her heart out. And cleaning the remains of her tears away with her thumb, Helen smiled softly at her daughter as they finally broke apart.

"What happened, darling?"

"Jack," Sam pouted as her eyes filled with tears again.

Inhaling deeply to try and keep the remains of her composure, the major fought an inner fight between what she was feeling, what she could share and how it could betray everything she stood up for if she shared it with Helen.

"You know I would never divulge anything you say to me, Samantha. And not only I understand the precepts of a classified position completely; let me remind you that I do hold permission to know what you do."

"It's not that simple," Sam shook her head, and Helen caressed her hair softly.

"I'm aware it never is. Listen, if you tell me what is happening, I might be able to help you. However, if you decide you can't, then I will remain here and hold you until you are ready to let me go even if, by the end of that, I still don't know the cause of your current state," Sam chewed her lower lip.

"What do you know about the current situation?" the major asked, taking a short breath. Helen sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You refer to SGC related news?" Sam nodded. "I know efforts are being made to retrieve some weapon that could help to protect the planet in the unlikely event of an Invasion. Does this have to do with this 'unlikely' event?"

"Somewhat," Sam nodded.

"Hum, if I recall correctly, the last candidate to invade the Earth was a half ascended, half Goa'uld being pretending to be Anubis, the Egyptian God? Is he coming?"

"Yes, to the first. For the second, we don't know for sure yet, but invading Earth seemed to be on his agenda," Sam sobered up a little.

"And the Colonel ties into this, how exactly?" Magnus asked frowning.

"A couple of weeks ago another team encountered a planet that supposedly contained a repository of the knowledge of the Ancients. Having encountered it before, my team was assigned to retrieve this repository asap. And see if somehow, it could point us to the weapon you've mentioned."

"However," Helen raised an eyebrow making Sam sigh.

"When we reached this planet, Anubis was on its way. And," Sam stopped again. "We ran out of choices on how to get it. Leaving it behind meant Anubis could grab it and leave us completely defenseless against him or worse, with knowledge of this weapon. Without much of an option, Jack downloaded the complete repository of the ancients in his brain, again," she finished pinching the bridge of her nose if only to stop herself from crying again.

"Oh, dear Lord, his brain couldn't possibly manage all that information," Helen quickly theorized.

"No, it can't. As I've said it's not the first time the Colonel has done this, first one was an accident. That time, the Ancient knowledge took over his brain. By the end of a week, we could barely understand what he was saying," the Doctor frowned.

"It is understandable, despite being of Ancient heritage, his brain patterns as we saw them, shouldn't be able to keep up with the information he was provided. And I'm only considering the amount of information we've found about them. How did he get back to normal back then?"

"He found a way to contact the Asgards," Sam sighed.

"And by your current state, I'll suppose you can't get a hold of the Asgards now?" Helen wondered.

"No, they haven't answered yet."

"You've said it took a week until this knowledge overtook his brain."

"Maybe a bit more."

"Then you still have plenty of time, Samantha." Helen tried to cheer her up, only managing to make her cry again.

"I'm afraid, mom. I'm afraid Jack won't survive this time."

"Oh, dear. Sadly, it is a possibility, the hyper-acceleration of the Colonel's brain could result in," Magnus stopped herself when she noticed the distress in her daughter's face. "I'm sorry," she said in earnest.

"I should've downloaded it in me, mom. I can't," she shook her head. "What would I do if he's gone?"

"I can't tell you what would happen, Samantha. What I can tell you is that you could lose him now or in ten years. As you stated, this is not the first time he finds himself in this situation; it's only the current one. And yes, he might be facing death straight up. However, there is still an if in your question. This still can be only a fear instead of a loss," she smiled, wiping the tear that escaped Sam's eyes. "Truth to be told, when that happens, hopefully out of old age, I do hope you carry no regrets because when he is gone, chances are you'll live. And you will have to move forward with the consequences of the things you did or didn't do."

"I," she frowned. "I have things that I want to do, and things I want to say, But I can't, how could I?" Sam cried again.

"I know, yours is a complicated situation, and these feelings can get in the way of many things."

"Yes, he is my CO, mom. I," Helen stopped her.

"He might be many things for you, Samantha. But these feelings aren't new; not yours, not his. Why would you think talking about them would change the way you both behave in missions when you have been dealing with them for a long while?"

"I don't know." The major shook her head.

"And I'm only saying that letting it out in a conversation can be a good thing, dear. I'm not saying you cross that line you both have so headstrongly drawn. Talking about your feelings might be a bit awkward at the moment, but it will settle things clearly for both of you. If you act on your feelings, you might complicate things to an extent," Helen smiled. "You'll see, rules don't mention having feelings. Feelings aren't tangible, and they can't be used as proof. However, acting upon them could create proofs and complications you don't need at this point." Sam frowned. "Where is he now?" Helen asked after a while.

"Home, I believe. We must be on base Monday morning, so I don't think he would've gone to the cabin. Those are the places I can imagine he would go. God, he pretty much chose a death sentence to give us hope," she rubbed her face. "For a hope that he will be able to find the coordinates where hopefully there is a weapon to keep the Earth safe. That's a hell of a lot of hope for a live or death choice. Where does one go when you do something like that?"

"Home." Helen smiled. "Although, I'm quite sure he isn't where home is, he might be in the building he considers a safe place."

"What do you mean?"

"You know that saying: a home is where the heart is? Where do you think you'd be if you got that happening to your brain?"

"Here?" Sam said out loud, knowing that, if the situation was reversed, she would've searched him before it was too late.

"Think about it, Samantha," Helen smiled knowingly. "I can stay if you want me here."

"Please?" She begged the Doctor nodded.

"I'm going to call William to let him know I won't be available at the Sanctuary."

"Mom?" Sam called as Helen walked away from the living room, taking her radio out.

"Yes?"

"What would you do if you were in my situation?"

"Oh, I've been there. But I can't choose for you. However, as I've said before to you and your friends, regrets are the worst things one can carry around." Helen smiled sadly before changing her radio channel.

"William, change to emergency channel, please."

By the time Helen returned to the living room, Sam was still curled in a ball, but at least she had stopped crying. Magnus sighed as she looked at her girl. Sam had her eyes puffed and still bright with unshed tears, her nose was red, and her hair was sticking up in weird angles.

"You didn't mention the complexity of the whole situation," she said, presenting Sam with a cup of tea.

"When did you made this?"

"While I talked to Henry," Sam frowned.

"With Henry?"

"Yes, the President. Not Foss." Helen explained. "I was curious about what the government position is at this point."

"And what do you mean the complexity of the whole situation?" Sam asked. "Oh, you haven't been informed yet," Magnus frowned, seating next to her. "You all will be in due time, I suppose."

"What are you are talking about, mom?"

"You know? You always call me mom more easily when things go wrong," Helen pointed. Sam's eyes widened.

"Does it bother you?"

"Not at all, it's flattering. It means you trust me when things are looking bad," Helen smiled. "This one can't leave the room, Samantha. Everyone else will be notified through proper channels in due time."

"What is it? I'm getting worried here." Helen gulped, there was no easy way to put it.

"Effective immediately, well, two hours ago. Henry Hayes decided to suspend all current operations regarding the SGC until a new government division can be established. They have considered the Stargate to be a threat to the country and the world, and they want someone ready to negotiate with aliens and human leaders alike."

"You?" Sam frowned, Helen shook her head.

"I'm dead, Samantha," she chuckled. "They want someone who looks reliable and can sell the whole idea to the other countries in an honest way. For what he left out, Henry has found someone he trusts, but didn't mention any name." Helen sighed.

"Geez, I, are they kicking us out? Now? When we are about to find out about the weapon, and we are under a real threat?"

"I'm not sure about kicking you out, and I'm quite certain the real threat was there before the Stargate program when considering there were four gates around the globe. But this means that you might not get a chance to save the Colonel employing the Stargate." Sam launched herself into Helen's arms, and her cries started again.