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Alternate Reality.

Carter walked through the halls quickly. It was half past one and she had a tremendous amount of work to do. Several scientists, most of them whom she didn't recognize, stopped her to ask her questions and beg for her help. By the time she had escaped, it was after two o'clock. She was only three doors away from her lab…

"Hey, Sam, look at this!"

She entered her lab and turned on the lights. "Hi, Daniel."

"Look at this!"

Carter stifled a yawn and leaned over to look at the photos Daniel held. "Interesting."

He nodded. "Yeah, Dr. Lee and I were trying to-"

She yawned loudly. Daniel looked up.

"I'm more used to this behavior from Jack." He commented.

She shook her head. "Sorry, Daniel, it's interesting. Go on."

He looked at her. "Are you tired?"

"Ya think?" She quipped. "I didn't get to bed till almost five."

"That's funny," Daniel commented. "Teal'c said he left you guys about twelve… couldn't sleep?"

She hesitated for a second. "Pete came over."

Daniel looked up. "You uh…"

"No!" She said quickly, knowing what was on his mind. "We uh… didn't. Actually… we broke up."

Daniel's eyes had strayed back to his photos but at that he focused his full attention on her. "Are you okay?"

To her annoyance, a few tears sprang to her eyes. "I'm fine." She said rather impatiently, walking faster.

He stopped her and looked into her eyes. "Wanna go to the commissary?" He asked. "Get a cup of coffee and talk?"

"I could go for coffee." She said softly.

Å

Carter was halfway done with her coffee when she suddenly realized she hadn't seen a certain Abydonian woman in a while. "Where's Sha're?"

Daniel looked up. "You didn't-? Oh, right, you were… gone… oh, she returned to Abydos. They came to deliver a message from Bray'tac. Rya'c trains a lot with him so Bray'tac normally passes the message onto him so he can come to Earth to see his dad, and so Sha're can see me."

"Do you really go stay with her on Abydos?" She asked curiously.

He nodded. "Mid-June to the beginning of September."

"Wow," Carter said. She thought for a moment. "What does SG-1 do while you're gone?"

"Depends," He said with a shrug." Sometimes they are split up- Sam... I mean you... goes on mineral survey things, negotiates for Naquadah, stuff like that. Teal'c comes with me for part of the time then does his Jaffa recruiting thing… Jack goes fishing, trains recruits, catches up on paper work, yada yada.. We all end up meeting on Abydos for a few weeks before going back to Earth."

"Does she come for brief visits then during the rest of the year?"

"Actually, Sha're stays with me in the winter for two, three months."

She thought about how differently it had played out in her reality. "That's great, Daniel."

Daniel inclined his head. "Yeah… Sam…"

Carter looked at him. "What?"

"How come Jack didn't return to base until after 4:00 this morning?"

She froze. "Uh… what?"

"I was getting coffee and I saw him get off the elevator."

"Maybe he decided to get an early start."

"Sam, I'm not three."

"It's really none of your business, Daniel."

The archeologist sighed. "Okay… but if you ever want to talk, I'm here… okay?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Daniel."

He squeezed her shoulder then moved away, leaving Carter alone with her empty coffee cup.

Our reality.

Sam set down her cup of the native drink and looked over at Teal'c. "How long until we can leave?"

The Jaffa looked at her. "Do you wish to leave, Major Carter?"

She gave an apologetic grin. "Kind of. I have to meet Cassie on Earth."

"Major Carter, O'Neill has given you command of SG-1," Teal'c said.

Her mouth curved into an 'O'. Daniel had unconsciously assumed control, and she, used to following, not leading, hadn't fought it. She looked over at her friend who was sitting around a bonfire, talking to Gairwyn.

"Daniel, we really should head back." She called.

The archeologist checked his watch. "Why? We have an hour."

Sam looked around. Although it was only a little after seven on Earth, it was already extremely dark on Cimmeria. "I know."

"I believe we should return as well, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c said. "If we stay much longer, they will attempt to draw us into the festivities and it would be rude to decline."

He hesitated still so Sam tried again. "I promised to meet Cassie…"

Daniel sighed but obediently stood up. "Goodbye, Gairwyn. May the Gods bless your new marriage."

The woman bowed. "Thank you. We were honored to have you with us."

She embraced them in turn. Sam gave the woman a friendly smile before dialing Earth's address.

Å

General 'Jack' O'Neill was surprised as the Stargate activated, and SG-1 walked through.

"You're home early!"

"Blame Sam. And Teal'c. I was all for staying later."

"Sir," Sam said hurriedly. "Can we debrief tomorrow? I promised to meet Cassie-"

The red head adult poked her head into the gate room. "I didn't think you'd remember." She hesitated then added. "We don't have to go… Jack uh… told me about the uh… accident... and uh..."

Sam flashed a smile at her CO who had been looking rather apprehensive. "It's fine, Cassie, I don't mind going. It'll be fun."

Cassandra smiled. "We'll forego the movie and just do dinner and shopping… that okay?"

"Sounds good."

Jack studied his second-in-command. She seemed to be settling into her new life fairly well.

"Why don't we all go?" He suggested. "I'll treat… and help pay for the new shoes you have to have."

Amid the chuckles, his offer was accepted and the old SG-1 and the teen they had 'adopted' so long ago, left.

Alternate Reality.

"Carter!"

The Colonel removed her goggles and turned off the 'doohickey'. "Colonel O'Neill."

"What are you still doing here? I thought the General banned you from your lab after 11:00."

"I… that late, sir?"

"It's not Sunday anymore."

"Wow. It feels like I just started this."

"Well, unfeel it. You need your rest, Carter, you were up late."

She smiled. "Yes, sir." She said obediently, turning off her various pieces of equipment. Turning off the light, she plunged the room into darkness.

"Carter?"

"Yeah?"

"I… never mind, good night."

"Good night, Colonel."

Å

Jack sat in his room, once again pondering retiring.

When Carter had been talking to him about the 'zay'arc' or whatever it was, she had, unconsciously, revealed to him how much she had loved her Jack… and that, despite the differences, himself.

He had always known 'their' Carter had 'feelings' for him… but they had both remained silent, never even hinting at what they felt.

He picked up the form he had considered getting signed when he found out that 'Sam' had been going out with Pete. He had assured himself that nothing serious was going on between them… and he also thought, rather ashamedly, that with Carter's luck, Pete would die. But he didn't die… and she appeared to be in love with him.

To be honest, he had loved their Sam. She was gone… but not, because 'Carter' was 'their' Sam. She had the same smile, same infectious laughter, same habit of babbling nonsense that only made sense to geeks…

He groaned. This wasn't even making sense to him.

He thought back to their kiss last night (this morning, actually) and sighed.

"What do I do?" He asked the empty room.

A sound of a pen scribbling was heard. Colonel O'Neill immerged from his room with a crumpled piece of paper and returned fifteen minutes later without it.

It was done.

De dum...

I'm starting to wrap this up, at most there should be seven more chapters.

Several people are getting slightly annoyed with this story, but, please, hold on a little bit.

Anyways, I hope you liked it and...

Please review!