FOR TOMORROW

CHAPTER 6

For disclaimer and other information, please refer to chapter one.

A/N: Well, here is when the story starts to unravel. Thank you all for your feedback and wonderful, wonderful comments! I am really glad I decided to go on with this story.

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A soft, happy laughter came from outside the cabin, and Sam's face lit up. She looked from the porch and glanced at the figures of the tall gray-haired man, and the small girl he held in his arms. The soft curls of her blonde hair flowed freely, as her father lifted her up in the air. He hugged and kissed her lovingly as she landed in his arms once again, and then repeated the game per the girl's request. Sam climbed down the few stairs and slowly walked towards her family, when a sudden bright light appeared, taking her daughter from Jack's arms.

"NOOOOO!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, and she ran as fast as she could to reach her husband, who held her as they both cried for their lost daughter.

"Sam, Sam!" Jack called, as he shook her from her nightmare.

She opened her eyes, and inevitable tears began to fall from her blue eyes. Jack brought her closer to him, and kissed her forehead, as he rocked her to calm her down.

"We can't let them take her, Jack," she said between quiet sobs.

He pulled back a little to look at her face, his eyebrows rising. "Her?"

She nodded. "I don't know why, but I know."

He didn't ask further, just pulled her against him again. "They're not taking her, Sam. I promise."

"How can you promise me that, Jack?"

His eyes locked with hers, and after brushing a strand of hair from her face, he framed her face with both hands. "Because they'll have to kill me first."

Seeing the determination in his face and the seriousness of his voice, Sam framed his face as well. "No, nobody will die. You hear me? There has to be a way. You said it yourself, there is always another choice."

The room was brighter once again, and Mili'ah appeared just a few feet from where Sam and Jack were.

Sam stood up and approached her, challenging and menacing. "You listen to me, I've had it with your soft and innocent apparitions where you tell me how and when you've decided the fate of us all. I need to speak to someone with the authority and the knowledge to come to an agreement between us."

"I am taking you there in a few moments, Samantha," the other replied, calmly and smiling.

Jack stood beside Sam and watched the other woman with great curiosity. "Are you a Furling?"

Mili'ah grinned and gazed at Jack. "Yes, Jack. I am. It is a pleasure to meet you at last."

"Uh, I don't think I can say the same… no offense." He then studied her from head to toe and looked at Sam as he raised his eyebrows. "Is this how you really look, or is it a costume to not scare the hell out of us?"

"Jack!" Sam said, surprised by his sudden comment.

"What? I don't buy for a second she looks like this on her better days."

The beautiful woman before them widened her smile. "You are correct, Jack. This is not my original form; we change the way we appear to others, depending on how we believe they will be most comfortable. Humans are usually uncomfortable with the unknown and the unfamiliar."

"So, are you fuzzy and cute?" Jack continued, with a spark in his eyes.

Sam gazed at him in disbelief. Seriously, he could not still insist on the appearance of these aliens! "Jack, that's enough of that! What difference does it make how they look?" she said as she continued to lose her patience.

"You are mistaken, Samantha. Jack is correct, it does matter." She watched him carefully, her smile disappearing from her lips. "I was told you were quite inquisitive, and now I see why."

The pair remained silent while the woman took a few steps back. "As for… fuzzy and cute, Jack, I am unsure as to how to respond. I never really thought of myself as cute, really." Then, she vanished along with the beam of light.

Sam rolled her eyes and screamed, "ARGGH!"

Jack turned to her and tried to touch her shoulder, but she moved from his hand. "Now she left! I was getting to something, she was taking us to her superiors, and you pushed her buttons, Jack!"

With a quick raise of eyebrows and a smirk, he watched as Sam covered her face with both hands and began to laugh. "What's so funny?" he asked her.

Laughing for a while, she fell to the floor and sat against a wall. Jack's confused eyes searched for hers, as she finally returned his gaze and she extended her hands to his. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Huh?" Now he really was confused.

"I'm sorry. Two years of not being your Second in Command in the field, and I forget your strategies. I'm sorry I questioned you."

"Huh?" He sat by her, still looking at her with bewildered eyes.

"You surprised her, Jack. You remained calm and you turned it around. I had not been able to do that with her, so far."

"Would you believe me if I told you I didn't plan it? No strategy there at all."

She smiled and kissed his hands. "For some strange reason, I think we're gonna be ok. For the first time since they took me, I saw this being as someone we can reason with. You did that, I just can't explain how you do it every time."

"Sam, you're over-thinking what I did…which, if I remember correctly, was simply ask if they were fuzzy and cute. What can I say, it's been bothering me!" he said in the most innocent of tones.

"Yes, Jack. I know," she finished with a smile.

The beam of light appeared around them, transporting them to their next destination. They instinctively hugged each other in the process.

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Jack's mouth dropped open as he looked at his surroundings. It had to be his cabin! But, why? These aliens had a way to look into their subconscious and that was something he absolutely hated. It reminded him of the human Replicators. He was relieved that Sam was still beside him, staring at the now familiar house in Northern Minnesota.

"I'm assuming they'll make their grand entrance shortly, huh?" Jack told her as she sat on one of the entrance's steps.

"I guess." She placed her hand on her stomach.

Jack saw this and walked closer to kneel in front of her, concerned. "You ok.?"

She nodded and smiled weakly.

"I swear, if they hurt you…"

"Jack, I'm fine. Just…tired, I think," she assured him. "We need a plan."

Sitting beside her on another step, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "Another sacrifice?"

She didn't respond, simple shrugged.

"How about no sacrifice at all? Just… a contract, or something!"

"I'm afraid they won't go for that."

"I just don't understand, why the dramatic initiation? Can't it just be an agreement between five," he gestured quotation marks in the air, "Advanced races?"

She giggled softly then. "We'll have to ask them that, I think."

His brown eyes looked at her blue ones and he leaned over to kiss her lips softly. "If a sacrifice is required, I want you to know…"

"Jack, no. I already told you..."

"Listen to me. You can't die. Fortunately for both of us, our kid is inside you. But me…"

"Jack, NO!" she insisted, scared that she knew what he was willing to do.

"Think back when we were commanding officer and second in command. We had to think with a cool head, make decisions. This is no different than that."

"Yes, it is! What are you talking about, Jack? We're not talking about an alien ambush, or killing the Jaffa that are after us. We're talking about us…. our family!"

Jack lowered his head, looking down to his feet. He shook his head and closed his eyes. "No, Sam. I hoped you knew me by now. I will not let you give up."

"I'm not saying I will! God, Jack! How can you make me choose?"

"They won't give us any other choices."

"You don't know that!"

"No, but I have my suspicions."

"So what's the choice?"

"I stay as the sacrifice."

"No," she yelled, determined.

"Well, then all the years we've spent fighting the bad guys will be for nothing!"

She dropped her head between her shoulders, shaking it and running her hands through her hair. "I need you, Jack. WE need you. Please don't give yourself up."

He turned to her, as he met her pleading eyes. "Sam."

"Jack. We're in this together. That's the only choice I'll give them. What good would it be to be part of this alliance if you give up on us or I give up on you? I don't care if we only get a little time before the Ori or anyone else, come to Earth. At least, we'll be together."

After being quiet for a while, Jack stood up and took her hands, helping her rise with him. "Alright. Then it's decided: No sacrifice, or no alliance."

She smiled and met his mouth for a long and passionate kiss. After they came apart, she hugged him and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

"I love you," he replied.

Watching the couple from a distance, Mili'ah was joined by the young handsome man, Thor and Lya.

"It is time," said the small Nox woman.

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