Okay, so I know I said it would probably be awhile before I got this chapter up, but my muse bit me (it's amazing what having a really boring teacher can do...) so here is chapter 9. I hope you enjoy and I'll try to have another chapter up before I leave, if not I'll have a great update the first of next week. Yay for fall break!

Chapter 9: Facing Reality –

"Colonel." Jack said without looking up as Sam walked in. "Does Doc Frasier have any idea what happened yesterday?"

"No sir." Sam responded, simply thankful that he wasn't going to make her stand there without recognition.

"And yet you aren't still in the infirmary."

"All the tests came back normal, sir. Janet thinks it might be an anomaly from traveling between universes."

"Something other than cascade failure?" Jack asked, still focusing on the paperwork in front of him.

"Yes sir. Cascade failure requires…" Sam stopped in mid-sentence. This was not how she wanted this to go.

"Requires what, Colonel?" Jack growled, finally looking up at Sam. The hardness of his eyes caused Sam to wince inwardly.

"General, I…"

"Forget it Colonel. Just…" Jack sighed. "…forget it."

"Unfortunately I can't just forget it, sir." Sam replied.

Again Jack's harsh gaze was centered on Sam's. Only this time she stared right back.

"Excuse me?" Jack demanded.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"What the hell have you been doing?" Jack questioned. When Sam didn't respond he gave in grudgingly. "Permission granted."

"I realize sir that for the last three years our universes have been different. The key event being Janet, P3X-666 and myself. However, I believe that before the events on P3X-666 our universes were one in the same." Sam paused.

"Which means?"

"Which means that, except for the last three years I am the same as the Sam Carter who died on P3X-666."

Jack let out a sarcastic laugh.

"General, three years ago I was part of a team that was more of a family than a team. That day I lost no only by best friend, but my sister. And…" Sam paused as these memories brought up long buried emotions.

"And what, Colonel?"

"Sir, you were the one who moved to stop the Jaffa who was trying to flank us." Seeing the look in his eyes, Sam shook her head. "The staff weapon blast hit you dead center on your vest."

Jack nodded, his eyes softening slightly.

"When I came through the stargate into this universe I was given an opportunity that no one should have to live through."

Jack looked at her curiously.

"No one should have to witness the aftermath of their own death."

Jack nodded slowly.

"Damn it Jack!"

Jack wasn't sure which surprised him more: Sam's explosion or her use of his first name.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts me to see how my death has ruined everything?"

"Now Carter…" Jack tried to sooth, but she wasn't listening.

"In the one year that you ran the SGC in my universe, you earned the trust and respect of all in your command. Everyone considered themselves lucky to be in your command. Even after you left the SGC and went to Washington to run Homeworld Security, you staid in contact. You remained best of friends with Daniel and brothers with Teal'c. But here…?" Sam paused and locked eyes with Jack. "Here you have become a miserly old man who has become so consumed with anger that you not only pushed away those closest to you, but you have become a liability to this command."

It took a moment and a pained look from Jack before Sam realized what she had said.

"Sir, I…" Sam was interrupted by a wave of Jack's hand.

"No Carter, don't apologize. You're right."

"Sir?"

"Dismissed Colonel."

"Yes sir." Sam saluted and left the office.

"Good job."

"Good job? I just called him a liability."

"He called you Carter."

"What?"

"Ever since you arrived, he's called you Colonel, but in there he called you Carter. That is progress."

"You call that progress? You self-righteous son-of-a…" Sam stopped talking as an Airman rounded a corner ahead of her and gave her a funny look. Ignoring him, she continued down the hall and headed directly towards her quarters.

"Where are you going?"

Sam didn't respond. Partially because there were people around, but mostly because she was angry at what had happened in O'Neill's office.

"So what, you're going to ignore me again?"

After a quick decision, Sam turned away from heading towards her quarters and headed instead toward the gym, she really needed to hit something.

"You can't ignore me forever Colonel."

Rounding a corner, Sam found herself alone for the briefest of moments.

"Right now I want more than anything else to hit you, unfortunately I can't, so just leave…me…alone."

Λ

A few other SGC personnel had been in the gym when Sam first entered. Many of them had worked with the other Sam before she had died on P3X-666. So when she began beating the living daylights out of the punching bag, they quickly cleared the gym and allowed her time to work out her anger.

Thanks to the few SGC personnel that knew her personally, Sam had the rest of the day to cool off. Not one single person bothered her, not even Teal'c or Daniel. Janet however, wasn't so easily intimidated.

"Hey Sam." Janet said as she leaned against the doorframe of Sam's lab. "I just got off duty and was heading home. Thought you might like to join Cassie and me for dinner."

"Isn't Cassie away at school?" Sam asked absently without looking up from what she was working on.

"She's home for fall break."

"So you finally got around to telling her that I was 'back from the dead'?"

"Not exactly."

At this Sam finally looked up. "You don't think that me just showing up might be a bit traumatic?"

Janet shrugged. "Just thought you might like to get off the base for awhile."

"I appreciate the thought Janet, but I have things to do." Sam paused, she really wasn't sure how to tell Janet that she might not be with them much longer.

"What aren't you telling me Sam?"

Sam sighed. "I think I may have figured out how I got here."

"Which means it's only a matter of time before you figure out how to reverse it and get yourself home." Janet said quietly.

Sam simply nodded. After an uncomfortable silence, Sam spoke again.

"If I'm right, and I'm going home soon, it just might be better that we not put Cassie through having to say goodbye again."

Janet nodded, then turned and left. After watching her go, Sam rested her elbows on her desk and put her face in her hands.

"I feel like such a heel."

"Well you are being kind of selfish."

"And you are a pain in the ass."

Please review! I am far more likely to update quickly when I get reviews. Okay, so I'm a bit of a review junky...so are most of the rest of the writers.