Hey! I'm still progressing which is good, right?

Enjoy!

M.

Chapter XLII

January 8th, 2005

Underground Sanctuary

"Very well, then. Would you mind if I ask for a farewell hug before I call Nikola so that you can say your goodbyes too?" Helen asked, managing to keep her voice steady. Sam nodded, and they both stood up.

Surprising both, it wasn't awkward anymore, but full of feelings expressed by the tightness of the hold. They were trying to control their breathing so that tears wouldn't spill; words that could scare were left unsaid.

"I won't ask you to promise you will return, Samantha," Helen whispered into her ear. "But I will ask you to do your best at trying."

Sam nodded once, try as she might she couldn't find her voice. Especially not when she felt a couple of tears dampening her shoulder as her tears fell shamelessly over her mother's shoulder.

"I love you, Samantha," Helen gasped, unable to stop herself from telling her those words. She backed away a bit, so she could see her daughter's eyes and convey precisely how precious she was to her. "I truly don't know if I can deal with losing you."

"Oh, mom," Sam whispered back, her own watery eyes showing much more than words could express. "I love you," she managed to confess.

Then she hid her face in her mother's neck, searching for some reassurance and comfort as Helen lowered them both to the closest couch and maneuvered to hold Sam on her lap as if she was a child. Sam's ear found her mom's heartbeat; she found both the reassurance and the comfort she was desperately needing. Helen's heart broke once more as she caressed her child's hair for what could be the last time.

"What's going on?" Nikola's voice interrupted them.

He didn't need to be a genius to know something was very wrong. Nikola only required to look at Helen's expression, her puffy eyes, reddening nose, and the way she was clenching her jaw while trying to get herself together. And he frowned, even more, when the tough as nails woman being held as a child in Helen's arms, presented the same broken expression. Sam stood up quickly and turned her back towards them, but the movements of her arms and the slight shuddering of her frame were still revealing for all the involved.

"I took Dr. Jackson to the library to give you a moment of privacy. Also fetched him from his lab," Ashley explained.

"Thank you, Ashley," Helen said. "Nikola, Ashley. Samantha is going on a mission."

"Isn't that what she does for a living? Why all the mush?" Nikola frowned.

"She is going to another galaxy, to see if she can contact the Asgards," Helen continued, but Nikola frowned deeply.

"What aren't you telling me, Helen?" Tesla asked, crooking his head.

"This might sound weird, but I agree with the vampire," Ashley said.

"It is a one-way ticket," Sam whispered, not able to look in their eyes.

"Wait. What?" Ashley asked, confusion written on her face. "What do you mean with one way?"

"The vessel I'm using has a modified engine that will get me to this galaxy in ten days. The base engine wasn't supposed to work in that way."

"You are going to burn the engine to get there," Nikola pinched the bridge of his nose. "No," he shook his head. "No, you can't do that. I should go with you, find a way to keep it going and make sure you get your ass back here."

"Nikola," Helen said in a warning tone, and Nikola stopped his mind from finding a way to keep his daughter from getting stranded off-world.

"I don't have to like this," he pointed. "I hope he is worth it, Samantha," Tesla said with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, believe me, I get it. You want to find a way to save him, and we aren't moving fast enough." He grimaced. "Please, don't burn the engine and do get home with a nice story to tell. Will you?"

"I'll do my best," Sam said, and before she knew it, she was engulfed in Nikola's arms.

"I've only said this to one person before," he whispered in her ear. "I love you, Samantha, more than you will ever know," Nikola said, tightening his grip a bit more before releasing her, but to his utter surprise, she didn't let him go.

"I love you too, dad," Sam said teary-eyed before she too released him. Nikola nodded, taking a step back and trying to get himself together. "Do take care?" He asked, searching the only fountain of comfort he could find at the moment, he went to stand by Helen and searched her hand for reassurance.

"Sam," Ashley said.

"Ash," Sam smiled and opened her arms. "Come here, it won't break you, I promise," she grinned knowing full well how reluctant her sister was to show of affection, especially when there was some audience. As Sam supposed, Ashley doubted a little before she took the steps separating her from her sister.

"Please take care, Sam. You will drive those two nuts with over worrying if you don't get back here at some point."

"I can't promise you that, sis," Sam grinned sadly as Ashley took a step back from their hug.

"Yeah, well… find a way to send us a message at least. After all, you are their daughter, you above anyone should be able to do it," Ashley said grinning sadly.

"Ashley?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what? I figured out that I love you, sis," Sam grinned and winked at her blushing sister. Ashley's eyes widened, and then she nodded in agreement.

"You just figured it out? Really? I knew I loved you since the first time I kicked your ass." Ashley snorted. "But if you tell someone I have feelings; then I will have to kill you."

"No worries, your secret is safe with me," Sam grinned, letting her go. But Ashley didn't.

"Sam, really. Do take care," Ashley added sadly, and Sam knew that jokes aside, her sister would be worried sick during the time she would be gone.

"I will," she affirmed, and they broke their hug. Sam gave one glance towards her parents and nodded towards them. "Take care of them for me?" Ashley nodded, taking a couple of deep breaths to get herself together.

"Okay!" Ash exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "If you are all done with the mushy goodbyes, I'll fetch your friend from where I left him," she finished disappearing before anyone else could say a word.

January 9th, 2005

Underground Sanctuary

Something had woken Will up; he wasn't sure what it was. Patting his side, he wasn't surprised when he found it not only empty but cold. Sighing, he sat up on the bed. Rubbing his eyes, he turned his bedside lamp on and found his watch.

3:33 am.

Inhaling profoundly and feeling bone tired, William strained his ears to see if Helen was playing her instrument of choice for that night as she often did. But he could hear no music. He frowned.

Will knew something had happened somewhere around the afternoon as Helen had locked herself up in her office. His mind pointed out that, whatever it was, it had to be related to one USAF Major who had also taken Ashley's custom of calling him daddy mockingly whenever he said something too serious to either. Shaking his head, Will walked away from the room as he analyzed what he knew.

Helen was on lockdown, which meant huge issues. Nikola was also in lockdown in his lab, and according to Henry, the vampire had a mood that made him understand why Magnus had fears of his world domination ideas. And Ashley, she had teleported around town as if she had too much energy to spend. Everyone else at the house seemed normal.

More out of custom than anything, he walked down towards the music room only to find it empty. Then, he wandered to Magnus' office, and surprisingly, it was also empty. He considered his options and shaking his head, returned to their room and walked straight to the balcony.

It was also empty, and he knew by then, that whatever it was that Sam had revealed had hurt Helen badly. He found her slippers next to the almost hidden roof ladder, and with a sigh, Will started to climb.

He still wasn't a fan of the heights, but time and time again, he found himself admiring her while she admired the view. More often than not, this scenario included a great feeling of despair coming out of her like a halo of sadness. The way Helen straightened when his feet finally touched the floor of the highest part of the Sanctuary told him she knew he was there.

So, he sat in the chair she had brought for him far away from the edge while observing her. Her hair danced with the wind, and even if goosebumps were taking over the uncovered parts of her skin, her stance didn't waiver.

"Will you join me?" Helen asked, barely turning around to watch him doubt for a bit before he nodded. She smiled. After the explosion of the Old City Sanctuary, while she still was dead to him, she used to come to the same place and think of all the times they were like this at the North Tower.

"This thing with you and heights, Magnus." He chuckled.

"We've spent a lot of time in similar situations if I recall correctly," she grinned back. "Why do you keep accepting to stand next to me?"

"Why do you keep asking?" They shared a knowing glance.

The answer was simple. William accepted because she asked; Helen, asked because she knew he was going to accept. It was how they worked.

He searched her hand and entangled their fingers before he raised their linked hands to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her hand. He also noticed the remains of tears that had fallen down her cheek, along with several wet spots on her blouse. Her nose wasn't red anymore, and her eyes weren't puffy, but she most definitely had cried. Will let her hand go and embraced her tightly.

"Why didn't you come to me, Helen?" he whispered.

"Because I know you always find me, William," she whispered back.

"Okay, will you tell me what happened?" Will continued, this time pulling back a little and searching her eyes. Helen sucked her lower lip and fought the tears that came over her just by thinking of the reason but nodded once.

"Samantha found a way that might get her a chance to get the Asgards."

"Isn't that great news?" Will frowned in confusion.

"It is, and it is not," Helen sighed. "Samantha believes she can get to them by traveling to another galaxy, and the only way to reach it is by using a vessel that will end up with a damaged engine."

"You told her that's crazy, didn't you?" Helen huffed, and Will closed his eyes. "You told her to go for it, even if it was crazy." She nodded. "So, I'll take her mission was approved, and now you are feeling guilty?"

"No. I mean, yes; Samantha's mission was approved. But I'm not sure what I'm feeling, William. She isn't exactly gone for good, but there is a chance she might be. I suppose I need time to process this; kids are meant to fly the nest. I wish I knew what the result of this would be."

"Helen," Will whispered.

"Yes?"

"Come to bed, I'm going to hold you, and you can stop pretending to be strong. I'm here for you. I can't even start to understand what is going on in your mind with this situation. I know for sure, what it feels like to carry around the doubt about the whereabouts of someone you love, especially when there is no physical evidence of their demise. So, allow me to be strong for you tonight. Will you?" he asked, searching her eyes. She nodded, and they walked down the ladder and inside their room.

Will undressed her slowly, making sure she felt loved. Before he too stripped out of the clothes he didn't need. Will walked her to bed, and they settled together. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, and as he caressed her back softly and muttered loving words, Helen finally gave in and cried.

"I don't know why I still do this, William. Why I keep feeling when I know it will break my heart?" Helen whispered, and Will's heart broke at how much pain her voice had.

"Because you are the strongest person I know, Helen. Despite what you might think, you love life and you can't imagine one where you are not giving yourself to it, that would go against your whole nature."

"Sometimes I hate my nature," Helen confessed with a sigh.

"Well, that makes you human. Sometimes we all hate who we are," Will answered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Helen smiled. "I love you, you know? I'm not sure if that helps or not, but I do."

"It does," Helen said, looking up at him. "I love you too."

January 14th, 2005

Somewhere across the galaxies.

Teal'c strained his eyes trying to figure out where his travel companion had gone. The situation was unusual, to say the least. On the first day, the Major had all but avoided him, burying herself inside the engine room trying to understand how the ship worked.

Day two, she tried to make some conversation with him. And yes, he knew he hadn't been the most talkative of them. Their chat was cut short when she left to grab him a sandwich he didn't want to eat but had ended up eating under her watchful eye. By day three, they had figured that their schedule of guards was silly, they were traveling extra fast on hyperspace, and they were alone on the ship, no one would come to attack them, so there was no real reason for one of them to be on guard all the time.

They did it nonetheless.

Since neither of them had carried coins, they ended up flipping a toast with jam on a side to figure out who would get the morning shift and who would get the night shift; which by day four they also agreed was silly because the lack of sun, moon or stars made the days and nights blend into each other. The Major was still chatty when she didn't know what to do with herself, when she was tired of overthinking or when she was merely bored.

But by day four they had also managed to add some Jaffa martial arts training, some yoga and some sparring that would be stopped the moment it got too intense. Day five seemed an organized bliss. They got a schedule, and they stuck to it. But now, at the end of day six, Teal'c found himself worrying. The major wasn't chatting, wasn't insisting on giving him food. She hadn't searched him for training, yoga nor sparring and she was not in the engine room.

"Major Carter?" He called anyways.

The engine room was dark, and if he hadn't remained a bit longer, he would never have heard the light sob coming from somewhere in there mixed with the noises that came from the engines.

"Major Carter?" He tried again, but there was no answer.

Teal'c frowned and walked deeper inside the room and found her. He had seen her beaten, tortured, broken, and even at the brink of death, but he had never seen her like this. Sam was in the darkest corner of the engine room. She was embracing her legs so tightly that her joined hands were showing the classic signs of strain. Her head was lowered over her knees, and her whole body was trembling uncontrollably. And although she wasn't making much of a sound, Teal'c knew she was crying.

Without uttering a word, he sat down next to her and extended his arm to engulf her in a one side hug. Sam tensed when she felt the weight of Teal'c's arm resting over her shoulders, and the warmth of his silent attempt at comforting her. She turned around, not looking up at him and buried her face in his neck and cried as he sat stoically next to her cocooning her from the solitude and the despair she was feeling.

Neither of them knew exactly how much time had passed since he had found her, but they remained there sometime after she stopped crying and until she was able to breathe calmly again.

"I'm so sorry, Teal'c."

"You shouldn't be Major Carter," Teal'c said.

"You are calling me Major Carter even when covered with my tears and snot," Sam grinned and tried not to laugh at the quick change on Teal'c's demeanor after the mention of snot. "I'm joking, thank you Teal'c. You didn't have to do it."

"I believe we are friends, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"Then, I believe it is part of my duties to be the shoulder you cry on while you are feeling sad," Teal'c pointed as he stood up. "Especially when there is no one else around you could confide in."

"I…" Sam started, then shook her head. "Thanks."

"We will return home, Major Carter. You will see your family again, and we will find Thor. Colonel O'Neill will also be alright," Teal'c finished extending his hand to help her up.

"I wish I could be as sure as you are Teal'c," Sam grinned sadly, taking his hand. With one quick pull, she was standing tall again.

"Then, don't be certain and try to plot a plan B and allow me to be the confident one, Samantha," he grinned. Sam was so surprised by his words that she embraced him tightly and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you Teal'c," she said, freeing him and taking a few steps back. "I'm hungry! Aren't you hungry?" Sam asked then, and with that Teal'c knew for sure, everything would be okay.

January 22rd,2005

The Daniel Jackson

"Explain this to me again? 'Coz I'm not going anywhere until I can understand what's going on," Jack roared still feeling confused about the situation.

"Well, it's January 22nd, 2005. After you got your head sucked by the Ancient Repository, you were able to get us to a planet that had an active ZPM. We took the ZPM and came back to Earth. You then flew us to the Antarctic, and using the rings; we reached what we believe is an Ancient outpost. You added the ZPM at the" Daniel frowned. "power plug, for lack of a better word and used the weapon hidden there to destroy Anubis and his fleet."

"The weapon was here," he frowned watching the Earth from the window. "I mean there, all the time?"

"Yup. Oh, and then you got frozen inside the post for three months," Daniel finished. Jack squinted at him and then took a deep breath.

"And where is Carter?" he asked, and Daniel opened his mouth several times unable to tell Jack they had lost her.

"Major Carter and I took the Tel'tak you modified and traveled to Halla with the hopes of finding Asgard help. Thor was nearby and saved us from imminent death." Teal'c started, Jack raised a hand to stop him from continuing.

"Imminent death?"

"We collapsed the Halla sun, believing it would have enough gravitational pull to absorb the Replicators before they would notice it. Unfortunately, our predictions were wrong. They seemed to resist the pull, and they created a ship. They are currently taking over Orilla, O'Neill. We must hurry to get the weapon you made from the data of the repository back there to save us," Thor said.

"And Carter?" Jack frowned again.

"We believe the Human form replicators managed to recreate the beam technology of the Asgards and they have her," Teal'c explained.

"When did all this happen?"

"We left Earth on January 9th. Earth calendar." Teal'c pointed. O'Neill frowned.

"Thor, I need a quick favor. Can you help me contact Helen Magnus at the Sanctuary?" Jack asked, and Thor blinked. "You know? Doctor Helen Magnus? The one who lives inside the hollow Earth and was helping you to develop new bodies?"

"I know who Helen Magnus is, O'Neill." He said, and Jack could've sworn that there was a good amount of annoyance coming out of their little grey friend.

"I can attempt to beam you down to where she is. You'll have ten minutes, Earth time," Thor said and beamed Jack out.

January 22rd,2005

Underground Sanctuary.

Since the day Sam came by to say goodbye, Helen was overworking. Once upon a time, she had managed to push all her nervous feelings in a box and deal with them once a year, on the anniversary of Samantha's birthday and disappearance.

Yet, now, she seemed unable to get in control of her emotions; it was the damned uncertainty. She couldn't precisely mourn her daughter, Samantha wasn't dead. But not knowing where she was, how she was doing or if she was going to be able to return was driving Helen insane with worry.

And really, according to their best-case scenario, they were only four days behind the E.T.A they had calculated as the arrival to Halla, and one day behind on the return to Earth using the Asgards ship.

But, thousands of things could have gone wrong during that time. Magnus mind chose to remind her. Helen sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

After a particularly overreaction from both herself and Nikola, Helen decided to keep herself and her own mood swings away from the vampire and his mood swings.

The fact that a couple of hours ago, the frozen Colonel had disappeared and they still didn't have any news from the SGC only added to her tension. And after learning that Doctor Jackson was also missing, she had started to feel a headache forming out of the stress she was feeling.

"Hum, hi?" Jack waved as he beamed inside her office.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Helen asked, blinking several times.

"Yes."

"Where is Samantha?"

"Ah, that's why I'm here, ma'am."

"No," Helen said before he could say anything else.

"Excuse me?"

"I won't accept a death notice, Colonel."

"And I won't give you one, ma'am. I just figured you would be worried not knowing anything about Carter's whereabouts. I had a kid once too." Jack pointed out.

"Then, where is she?"

"We don't know for sure, ma'am. Teal'c mentioned replicators captured her. As we speak, Thor, Daniel and Teal'c are getting everything ready to get back to the planet where we believe she is to bring her back."

"Thank you, Colonel, for letting me know. I'm aware this is far from part of your protocol."

"No problem," he nodded.

"Bring her back, Colonel. Bring her back to us." Helen said.

"Will do, ma'am."

"Oh, and Colonel."

"Yes?"

"It is good to see you alive and well," she smiled

As Jack disappeared from her office, Helen took a deep breath and called Will.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Will asked a few minutes later. She was standing by her window, and when she heard his question, she quickly walked to his arms.

"They reached Halla," Helen whispered once she was secured in his arms. "But they don't know where she is now."

"What? How is that possible?"

"Colonel O'Neill," she said as if that explained everything. Will frowned. "He has been revived; I assume by the Asgards. He was just here, but he didn't know much about the situation. The Colonel said he would do everything in his power to get her back."

"Then let's hope he does. Have you told this to Nikola?" she shook her head no. "Do you want me to tell him?"

"No. It's something I should do."

January 22rd,2005

Underground Sanctuary.

"If you come to blame me of his disappearance just walk away Helen," Nikola growled not even turning to look at her. "You know fully well our demolecularizing devices do not create any light patterns."

"I know," Helen said, rolling her eyes.

"And I didn't convince your daughter to rob a frozen person out of a secure base."

"I know," she tried again.

"Then why are you blaming, wait a minute," Nikola said, turning around. "What do you mean with 'I know'?"

"Colonel O'Neill was at my office not too long ago," Magnus stated.

"Colonel O'Neill, but no, Samantha?" Tesla frowned.

"Exactly," She nodded, and he collapsed in a chair.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. Helen could see he was clenching his jaw tightly and how hard he was fisting his hands. Signs that she translated as fear of receiving bad news.

"He didn't provide much information, Nikola," Helen whispered getting closer to him, hoping he would at least look at her. When he didn't, she pulled a chair and sat next to him. "She reached Halla but was captured by replicators. He didn't give me much information, besides the fact that they are going to get her back."

"I swear if he doesn't bring her back, I will kill him," Nikola hissed.

"What good would that do? After all, Samantha traveled to another galaxy to try and save him," Helen said.

"You are right; we should've let that poison kill him a long time ago. Then it wouldn't have been my fault," he muttered but only gained a roll of her eyes. "So, is this all for naught then?" he asked, pointing to all the pieces scattered through his lab.

"I don't know, you tell me?" She shrugged.

"I'll guess it will work for something," he sighed. Helen patted his tight before she stood up.

"Helen?" Nikola called as she was about to leave his lab.

"I don't know if I can deal with her not coming back," he confessed.

"Neither do I, Niko. Neither do I," she grimaced before she turned around and left his lab.

February 12th, 2005

The Cliff House, Colorado Springs.

"Thank you, Colonel," Helen said, coming to stand beside Jack.

She couldn't help herself. After Sam's call to let them know she was alright, Helen had managed to put together a welcome home party. Members of both the SGC and Sanctuary were invited, and they were currently mingling together.

"You know you didn't need to do this, right?" Jack asked her, and she only smirked.

"Says the man who spent three months frozen only to be awakened to rescue the Asgards and my daughter." Helen pointed out. "Besides I couldn't let this situation go unnoticed, you all are extremely underappreciated by the general population."

"As if you aren't."

"I'm not. I'm dead," Helen grinned.

"Isn't this party bad for your 'I'm dead' reputation?" Jack frowned after taking a sip of his drink.

"I suppose it could be if people start talking. But you know what this is really bad for?" She whispered conspiratorially.

"No," Jack frowned, looking around.

"Their wine cellar," she chuckled and pointed towards Nikola who was sitting in front of his 8th bottle of their most expensive wine.

"Not to mention your bank account."

"My bank account can take the hit," she grinned.

"Hey, what are you two conspiring about?" Sam asked loudly as she walked towards them.

"Well, we were wondering how many of those expensive bottles they still have left," Jack said, pointing towards Nikola. Helen looked around finding almost everyone in plain sight.

"Have either of you seen William?" Magnus frowned when she didn't see him.

"I think I saw him speaking with Janet," Sam pointed.

"Well, if you both excuse me. I'll go find him."

"So," Sam said, clasping her hands together. "What were you really talking about, sir?"

"I was wondering if this isn't dangerous for her reputation. I guess it isn't otherwise we wouldn't be here, right?"

"I guess," Sam shrugged.

"What do you tell people when they see you both together?" the Colonel asked as they followed Helen's form.

"She's my cousin, Helen Bancroft. My mother's side," Sam grinned.

"And people believe you?" Jack frowned.

"Well, what other explanations could there be?" She shrugged.

On the other side of the room, Helen finally had reached her destination, and as soon as she was beside Will, he offered his arm, and she took it.

"Helen," he grinned.

"William, darling. I believe I haven't met your friends," she smiled back. If she was possessive, the girls didn't notice, but Will straightened and felt proud of the way she was unnoticeably marking him as her territory.

"This is Captain Jane Williams, Captain Vanessa Redgrave, Major Luke Steel, and his wife, Nancy; and Colonel Payton. They work with Samantha," William grinned.

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you and sorry to interrupt."

"No issue, ma'am."

"I know how entertaining William can be. However, I need to steal my fiancé away for a while," she grinned.

"Something wrong?" He frowned as the other people nodded politely as an answer

"I can't find Ashley," Helen explained as they started to walk away.

"You know your daughter is twenty-eight, right?" He asked. Helen hummed in agreement.

"Yes, I also know we are in a room full of military personnel, very handsome ones too," she told him with a mischievous smile. "I'm quite certain I might find her taking advantage of one of the rooms they made us rent to prevent the noise from reaching the third floor," she grinned. "Not that finding her in a compromising position would be ideal for my mind," Magnus finished, and Will stopped dead in his track, turning around to face her. She raised an eyebrow as he squinted at her.

"Then why exactly did you fetch me from the conversation I was having?" He asked confused. Helen grinned.

"I didn't like the way the redhead was looking at you," she shrugged.

February 14th, 2005

SCG

"Sir," Sam said after her promotion ceremony. "Can I have a word with you?"

"Sure, Carter. My office?" Jack grinned, and she nodded.

They walked towards his new office. Once there, Sam let her eyes wander until they fell over the nameplate on the desk.

"Brigadier General, who would've guessed, huh?" Jack grinned.

"I would," she smiled brightly. "Well, granted that stint as a popsicle did make it look like it might not be achievable, sir."

"Ha. Ha. Hilarious, Carter. But I'm sure that's not why you wanted to talk to me when there's a whole party out there for you."

"You know me, sir. I'm not exactly the soul of any party," she shrugged.

He still had trouble understanding he was the man now, and it seemed that everything had moved on faster except, well, himself.

In the two days that had passed since their return, he had not only assisted Dr. Magnus with the party had thrown for them, but he also had gone to DC where he received word of his promotion and requested a promotion for Sam.

Besides that, Jack had also managed to take some time aside to hang out with his friends. He learned that during the time he was frozen, they had been worrying and moving every single mountain they could.

Moving mountains included at least one successful attempt at helping Dr. Magnus get some unknown abnormals inside the very well guarded outpost where he was frozen. And of course, the slight issue of landing near a collapsed sun when they went searching for Thor. Jack had choked on his beer when Sam explained to him in simple words what Thor had meant with blowing up the Halla sun.

The idea of what could've happened added to the weight of losing her, if only for a couple of days, made Helen's words clear to him. Jack had finally understood what the Doctor meant with her 'please don't regret it.' He knew he needed to make some changes, so he would never have to deal with such despair again. The experience of losing Sam hit him so deeply that the pain was still there after they got rid of the replicators and found her alive.

"Have you talked at all about what happened when the replicators got you?" She lowered her head. "I'm not going to force you even if as your CO I should, Carter. But you have plenty of contacts somewhere inside the Earth that has enough experience dealing with a lot of screwed up things. Maybe one of them can help you?"

"Yeah, I believe this one is one of the few experiences my 'cousin'" she quoted with her fingers. "Can't possibly say she's had," Sam grimaced. He grinned.

"It's amazing how much that relationship has matured while I was gone," he said. "Doctor Magnus might not have experienced it at first hand, Carter; none of the psychiatrists I've seen over the years have never been on the field. But I can't say they didn't help. You need to talk about it with someone. I can take a guess or two on what transpired in the time you were captured." He pointed out. She frowned.

"Can we not talk about it?" Memories of being stuck with Pete or Fifth on a farm crawled in her mind, and she didn't want that to ruin her mood. Although, she knew if Fifth had used Jack O'Neill's image instead of Pete's, she would have had more issues getting out of that imaginary world he had planted in her mind.

"Sure. What did you want to talk about?" Jack added as he watched her expressions change.

"Ah, I wanted to take a few days of leave actually, sir. And I wanted to ask you why the promotion? As far as I know, everyone will believe this comes from some sort of favoritism, sir."

"Lieutenant Colonel," Jack said gravely. "I only nominated you; it wasn't me who approved it. The rules still apply to you, Carter, even when sometimes they shouldn't. Come on; no one can deny you've gone beyond the line of duty several times during these years, heck, you've saved me a lot. I'm sure that if it weren't for your idea of getting to Halla, I would still be a popsicle." She flinched.

"Still, sir. I'm not sure if I'm worthy of this promotion."

"You are. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If that's all, Lieutenant Colonel," Jack grinned.

"I, yes, sir." She saluted.

"Then I'm granting your leave. Give my regards to your family."

"Ah, they were thrilled to know you were back, sir."

"I bet," he grinned. "I had this nagging feeling that if I failed to return you alive, I would end up as vampire food."

"They respect you, sir."

"Then I suppose I should admit the feeling is mutual," he nodded once. "Shall we join the party now?"

"Yes," Sam grinned and walked towards the door. "You know, sir? I think that the nagging feeling you had was probably right."