Author's Note: Due to the fact that we'll be dealing with a few different alternate realities, I'll make some clarification notes. This really applies after the alternate people meet the series people. In this chapter, as Samantha watches the goings-on in the mirror, she calls General O'Neill "Jack" because that's how she referred to her husband. Everybody understand? Hope so. 'Cuz if not, this is going to be fun!
Colonel O'Neill is the Jack from the series, Jack is the Jack from Samantha's reality and General O'Neill is the Jack that comes through the mirror. Sam is the Sam from the series, Samantha is the Sam who comes through the mirror, and Carter is the Sam from General O'Neill's reality.
Enjoy the next chapter!
Dr. Samantha Carter and Major Charles Kawalsky arrived on the other side of the Quantum Mirror, dazed and confused. "How do we know the goa'uld aren't on Earth in this reality?"
"We don't."
"So, what? We wait around for that first prime guy to have us killed?"
Samantha clenched her teeth in repressed emotion. Kawalsky had hit a nerve, and he was instantly sorry about it. "We take a chance, Charlie. Just like we always do."
He put his hand on her shoulder as she shut off the mirror. "I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean for that to sound-"
She turned and looked at him. "I know."
The mirror activated again, and Sam looked at Kawalsky before they both whirled around, setting off the alarms in the storage rooms.
"Damn!" Kawalsky cursed under his breath.
Meanwhile, Samantha stared at the mirror. She could see Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter running toward the Quantum Mirror. Only this Samantha Carter had short, blond hair. There was a small bundle in Carter's arms. She was shouting something to Jack as a Jaffa came around the corner. Before Samantha's very eyes, a staff blast hit Carter in the back. She fell into Jack's arms, depositing the bundle into Jack's arms before she fell to the ground, dead. Jack swallowed and then pressed his hand against the glass, the bundle tucked safely in one arm.
He appeared on the other side and stared at the mirror for a few seconds. Then, he glanced down at the bundle. He pulled the blanket down and revealed the blond curls of a baby.
Samantha gasped and Jack whirled around. For a moment, they stared at each other.
"Samantha?"
She gulped. "Jack?"
Jack looked back at the mirror where Carter lay dead and a Jaffa stood staring at the mirror. Suddenly, the Jaffa looked like he'd been taken by surprise, his eyes darting around the room.
Jack turned urgently. "The Auto Destruct."
Samantha nodded as she quickly shut off the mirror. As she did so, the SFs surrounded them. She looked into Jack's confused face and then at the infant that he held in his arms. Tears threatened to fall, so she turned instead to the SFs. "We're from two alternate realities. I am Dr. Samantha Carter from the SGA. This is Major Charles Kawalsky also from the SGA and…"
"Major General Jack O'Neill. Commander of the SGC." Jack filled in.
She looked at him. "Major General? My Jack was still a colonel. Commander of SG-1."
"Commander of SG-1?" He asked, confused. "Where was Colonel Hammond?"
She was about to respond, but the SF leader interrupted. "Silence!"
Samantha tensed. She glanced at Jack as the baby began to whimper.
"What the hell is that?"
"A baby, airman. Ever seen one?" Jack snapped.
"What's wrong with it?"
"Her. What's wrong with her. I'll tell you what's wrong with her. She's scared. Her mother was just killed by a Jaffa and you decided to yell at the people surrounding her."
The airman had the grace to look suitably apologetic, and General O'Neill focused his attention on the baby.
Samantha nearly cried as she watched the man who looked exactly like her late husband rock and shush the baby girl. Within a few minutes, she yawned and placed her fist in her mouth, sucking on it contentedly. "That's my Gracie." He said as he tenderly kissed her forehead.
Grace. The name repeated through Samantha's mind with great force. It was the name of Jack's mother. The name he had wanted to give their firstborn daughter. Obviously that hadn't changed between the two realities.
"Come with me." The SF demanded.
Jack looked up sharply, a hardness returning to his features as his arm tightened protectively around his daughter. As he turned to follow the SF, his gaze lingered on Samantha. She could see tears glisten in his eyes, though none fell down his cheeks.
"Jack." She said in a tiny whisper as tears slipped down her cheeks.
He began to give her a smile. That smile that she had missed for the last three days. But then, his eye filled with sadness again, and he followed the SF to the holding room where he would stay until the commanders of the facility made a decision about what to do with the intruders.