Writers block, new computer, cooking, cleaning, shopping, working, motherhood, being a wife, etc, etc. Vini's ongoing excuses for slow updates. I will update my other stories soon. Sorry!

Thanks to my reviewers - for the encouragement but also the ideas, some of which I'm incorporating. I'm so appreciative of you all ...

"So Tirrel – why did you say Sam could go?" Daniel asked the Senecksi historian.

"Who is -? Oh, you mean the woman?"

"Uh yeah. Why did you say she could go?" Daniel tried to sound matter-of-fact, but he was, in reality, feeling quite put out. He should have been the one to go with Jack. He was their resident expert on all things Ancient after all.

"It was written", Tirell answered distractedly. He was staring at the small building that Sam and Jack had just entered as if wishing he too could have gone.

"Written? Where? And what did it say?"

Tirrel glanced at him and Daniel was sure the alien man sighed. "In our Holy writings", was all he said. He shook his head slightly as Daniel continued to look at him expectantly. "Our writings speak many things about The One. They also tell of his consort – the woman with hair the color of the sun and eyes the color of the sea. She is the only one who can enter with him."

"O- kay", Daniel said slowly. "Uh – Tirrel?"

"Yes Daniel?"

"What happens if someone else goes in? I mean, someone who isn't his – uh – consort?"

"That is simple", the other man said, still regarding the building. "He or she will perish. The temple is only for The One and -"

" – his consort", Daniel said, completing the other man's sentence. He too turned and faced the small building. "Crap!" He reached for his radio to contact either Jack or Sam. After a moment he gave up. He couldn't get through. Not sure what to do, he approached Teal'c.

She was in heaven. At least that was her first thought when she saw what was in the room, her second that they had somehow wandered into a Harry Potter book. The sight before them was – unreal, to say the least. She probably would have said she was in space, except she'd been there and this didn't look like the vast darkness and seemingly emptiness of space. This – this was a symphony of swirling colors and sounds and – and feelings.

It was, quite simply, stunningly beautiful.

After a few seconds, however, everything faded out, until they were simply standing in the doorway to a darkened room. Sam frowned and turned towards her CO – to see him frozen with an expression she'd rarely if ever seen on him.

"Sir?" she asked softly. He was staring into the room, a look of absolute wonder on his face. She went to speak again, when he slowly turned his head.

"Sam", he breathed, his eyes sparkling with some inner awareness. "Did you see that?"

"I did. Do you know what it was?"

He didn't answer, instead he again faced forward and, without hesitation, took a step.

"Colonel", she warned, reaching out and grasping his arm. She was afraid that he was in some kind of trance that prohibited him from recognizing danger. She knew she had to step in to keep him from doing anything crazy.

His hand reached out and covered hers. He then looked at her again, this time appearing more himself, although his face showed a seriousness, and a gentleness that she rarely saw. "It's okay" he told her softly.

"But Sir, we don't know what this is. We should check it out first. Let me use my -"

"It's okay Sam. Trust me." Letting go of her hand he took another step forward. Instantly a light seemed to glow around him. The strange thing was, it was impossible to say what the source of it was.

Sam briefly closed her eyes. If the Colonel thought it was safe, she might as well follow, just as she'd been doing for all these years. She took a step – or at least she tried – but nothing happened. She tried again, but still stood frozen in the same spot. She could move backward, so it wasn't something with her, but she could not move into the room. She watched as the Colonel moved while something was holding her back.

"Colonel", she called softly. He instantly turned towards her.

"What is it Carter?"

"I can't move. Something's keeping me out of the room."

He nodded, as if it was perfectly logical that he could move forward and she couldn't. He didn't say anything but simply turned and headed the few steps back towards her. He held out his hand. "Take it", he said, a small smile on his face.

With a quirk of her brows she reached out and took his hand. She started at the slight vibration that went through her at his touch. She didn't know whether to mention it but before she could decide he'd spoken.

"Wow, did you feel that?"

"I – yes. What caused it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but it was kind of nice" he told her with a naughty look. He then began to move and this time Sam was able to follow. As they both stepped into the room the light – whatever it was – followed them, illuminating their path but growing darker behind them.

"Sir, are you sure this is safe?"

"Hmm?" He glanced at her and again smiled, that same serious but gentle smile from before. "I'm sure." He stopped and turned to face her full on. "Look Sam, I don't know quite what this is all about, but for the first time I feel -". He stopped.

"You feel?"

"That – that this is right, that I'm supposed to be here. And wherever or whatever here is, I'm sure it's safe and good."

"So – you are The One?"

"I – maybe", he grimaced. "You realize Daniel will never let me live this down."

"No, I'm sure he won't. But what does it mean?"

"I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure I'm – we're about to find out."

"Do you think I should be here? I mean, it tried to keep me out."

"I think as long as you're with me you're fine, so hold on tight."

"I will Sir", she smiled. She then took a deep breath. "Shall we", she nodded ahead.

He laughed. "Yes Major Carter – let's."

"They're not answering Teal'c", Daniel complained for about the tenth time. "Why aren't they answering?"

"I do not know Daniel Jackson. However the Senecksi do not seem worried."

"Maybe we should go in. They could be in danger."

"You cannot", Chkoltay informed them.

He had approached silently and Daniel practically jumped out of his skin when the other man spoke. "Why not?" he asked the alien.

"Because it will not let you inside. Only The One and his consort may enter. All others are prohibited. I know", he smiled suddenly "because I and my friends tried. In fact, I'm sure that most Senecksi youth have, at one time or another, tried to enter the room. There is something that keeps all out. The fact that O'Neill was able to enter and has not returned proves that we were correct. He is The One we have waited for".

They had been taking steps for a few minutes but as yet hadn't arrived at anything that would explain what this was all about. Sam kept glancing at the Colonel, trying to read him. He seemed different than what she was used to – more serious and yet not quite in 'Colonel' mode. There was a quietness and a sureness in him she had not witnessed before. It was beyond his usual confidence and she didn't quite know what to make of it. Oh, she knew he was confident, when it came to his leadership skills, and he was smart – much smarter than he usually let on, although she knew that she was sometimes guilty of falling for his 'stupid' act.

She knew he didn't care much for science and usually appeared as if he didn't have a clue what anything was about. Again she had to remind herself that he was an accomplished pilot so he must have a reasonable understanding of the physics behind flight and all the other things you had to learn to fly jets for the Air Force. The fact that he was a senior officer also gave evidence to the fact that he must be smart. Why he spent so much time pretending not to be she hadn't quite been able to figure out. It may have been partly so his enemies would underestimate him, although that didn't explain why he continued to act with his closest friends and comrades.

She also suspected that he was much more sophisticated than he usually liked to appear. Oh, he liked beer (although Guinness was a step above the usual brew most of the guys she knew liked) and he liked sports, especially hockey, so in those senses he was one of the guys. But she'd caught glimpses of him which didn't quite fit the picture of a common soldier.

She remembered the time he'd given her a ride when her car had been in the garage. She'd asked if she could turn on the radio and when she'd hit the dial a classical music station had come on. He'd looked almost embarrassed, although she'd actually found it rather charming. Then there were the times she'd caught him unconsciously humming arias from a variety of operas. Once she'd even caught him singing – in Italian no less. He'd claimed that Teal'c had forced him to take him to an opera and the song was stuck in his head. She knew better.

And of course she couldn't forget all those times he'd made some statement – seemingly out of the blue – that led them to the solution to a sticky problem. He'd always shrug and act like it was nothing, but she knew better. He was smart and incredibly capable. Why then did his present demeanor surprise her?

It was as if he was totally focused on something he understood, but she couldn't. It wasn't that he was doing anything, it was just the complete confidence and serenity with which he moved. She sighed in frustration, not able to even put it into words for herself. Jack O'Neill had always been a bit of an enigma to her, and she somehow thought this wasn't going to help things.

"Carter?"

It was only then she realized they had stopped and he was staring at her, clearly wondering what she was thinking.

"Sorry Sir – just wondering what this is all about."

"Yes – well – I think we're about to find out." He stepped closer to her. "Uh Sam?"

"Yes Colonel?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but -"

"What?"

"I – uh – think I need to put my arms around you – to keep you safe", he finished quickly. "I'm not quite sure what's going to happen and I don't want anything to hurt you."

"Oh." She licked her lips, suddenly frightened, although a small part of her liked the idea of the Colonel – stop it Sam. "Okay."

They awkwardly moved closer to each other. Jack went to put his arms around her at the same time she moved and they ended up in a comedic tangle of limbs. Sam laughed self-consciously, feeling like a teenager going for her first kiss and took a short step back.

Jack rubbed his face ruefully. "Uh let's try that again Carter." He stepped forward and lifted his arms. He stopped and checked to make sure she was still okay with this and at her nod he put his arms around her and drew her close. He didn't really have to have her so close – but enjoyed the contact and decided to make the most of it. "Okay hold on tight Major."

"Always Sir", she answered softly. She was pretty sure she could feel him grin at her response – although he could have been frowning. She decided to go with the grin.

"Follow my lead Carter."

"Uh – I don't think I have much choice Sir", she said, her voice muffled in his chest. She could no longer see anything but a close up view of her commander. She could also smell his scent – and she admitted to herself that she was rather enjoying it.

They began to move, a little stiffly because of the awkward position they were in. After a few moments of semi-coordinated movement they stopped and the Colonel held on to her even more tightly. She opened her mouth, to ask him what was happening, when suddenly everything changed.

Later on she would try and describe what exactly happened, but even then, when she wasn't in the middle of things, she couldn't. Right now, at this moment, all she knew was that she was thankful the Colonel was holding her so tightly, otherwise she was sure she would have been hurt or even killed.

It was as if they were caught in some kind of torrential storm. No, she decided, in her terror – it wasn't a storm – it was a vortex that was trying to pull them in. She thought back briefly to the black hole which had almost destroyed Earth, and which had killed Colonel Cromwell and almost killed the Colonel. As things howled and whistled around her, as a huge force tried to pull her away, she knew that what they were experiencing wasn't anything human-made. It was too raw, too powerful – too elemental.

She tried to speak – to call out to him – but no sound emerged from her mouth. She couldn't look up to see if he was okay and she could hear nothing. But all the time the world around her was in chaos, she felt his arms held securely around her, keeping her safe and keeping her from being pulled away.

She relaxed into him, knowing that her salvation, her very life, depended on his arms. She continued to breathe in his scent and to feel his heart beating under her ear. She drew even closer, suddenly feeling almost as if she was going to dissolve into him. In some strange way it felt like they were melding into one person – it was the strangest and yet most beautiful feeling – but one she could bareky describe. Instead, she allowed herself to trust him and to be held by him.

As soon as the door to the room had opened, Jack had known that he had some how arrived at the place he'd been travelling to his whole life. He didn't know how he knew – and if he had thought about it he would have laughed in derision. This was not the kind of thing he believed in. This was more Daniel's world – or even Teal'c's – not Jack O'Neill, smartass and cynical Air Force officer. As much as he always claimed to hate science, in many ways he was just like those cynical practitioners who believed in data, evidence and the practical and had no time for the mystical.

He'd given up the notion of God or the divine the moment that shot had sounded that had taken the most precious thing in his life away from him forever. If he hadn't – he would have spent the rest of his life blaming and hating that ever-powerful being. No, it had been easier not to believe at all then to become a person filled with hate. Of course all that had done was turn the hate inward. It would have destroyed him, except for the person of Daniel Jackson – and later Sam Carter and Teal'c. Those three people had saved him – not just his life – but his soul.

And now here he was – soul intact if a little damaged. He was where his destiny had led him. He thought briefly of that accident in his basement and wondered if the cosmos did things like that or if it could have been something else that would one day bring him here.

In the end he guessed it really didn't matter. What did matter was that he was here, now. And even more than that – he was here with her. He knew, in the depths of his heart, that she was where she had to be, that they needed to be together in this. He didn't know if she realized, or if she ever would, but his soul was no longer his – it belonged also to her.

He held her closer as the torrent outside of him raged. He knew they were safe, that together they were stronger than whatever force whirled around them. He realized then that it wasn't an accident, wasn't coincidence or convenience that had brought her. No, without her he couldn't have survived this. In fact, without her, without each of his friends, he never would have made it this far. He could feel his eyes, but more importantly his heart, well up at the realization of how lucky he really was. He loved these people – and he was loved by them in return.

Suddenly, without warning, something struck him in the back. It wasn't painful although for a few moments he couldn't breathe. It was overwhelming and frightening and he wondered if he was going to die. Then it changed – it changed to an overwhelming sense of joy and, and rightness. His body was suffused with power and he was able to take a deep breath. The breath filled him with something - he didn't know what – except that it had changed him. He prayed it was for the better.

Strangely Sam had fallen into a sort of a doze, lost in the myriad sensations around her. She had no idea how long they'd stood here like this, instead she rested and allowed herself to feel the Colonel – no, to feel Jack. She was shocked, then, when all of a sudden something seemed to move through her. It was almost as if she had gotten an electric shock, even though whatever it was didn't hurt.

She stayed totally still and it was only then that she noticed that Jack was not breathing. She stopped breathing as well, wondering if this was the end. A time – an indeterminate time – later, she again felt him take a breath – a deep breath. She started to relax thinking that everything was fine, when again something shot through her.

"Jack?" she finally cried out. What had happened? She still felt safe – safer than ever – and warm and, and complete, as if she hadn't been whole until this very moment. It was an incredible feeling but it confused her.

Just then – or maybe an eternity later, neither of them could tell which – things grew quiet. From a deluge of sensations there was suddenly – nothing. It was quiet and dark and still. Neither of them moved for a long time.

"Sam?" Jack finally whispered, almost surprised that he could still speak.

He heard a soft sound and then the warm body pressed into him moved slightly.

"Are you okay Sam?" he asked, suddenly worried.

"Mmm hmm", she murmured into his chest. At that she began to pull away, although he still held on to her. "I'm okay. What about you?"

"Yeah – I'm – I'm fine", he told her hesitatingly. It wasn't that there was something wrong, it's just – he wasn't sure how he was feeling. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yes", she smiled and looked up at him. "I'm good. Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"For keeping me safe through – whatever that was."

"Yes, and what was that", he asked, his face scrunching in confusion. It was only then that he realized the room was lit up. He stepped slightly back, keeping his hands on Sam's arms but the rest of them now separate. His eyes did a sweep of the room – the well-lit, seemingly normal room. What the hell had just happened? He tried hard to focus his mind and to become the competent soldier. It was difficult as all sorts of emotions and thoughts were running through his mind.

"What is it?" Sam too had checked out their surroundings, although like the Colonel her mind was in confusion. She breathed deeply and forced herself to concentrate. She could see that they were in some kind of lab and that there were machines around the perimeter. She didn't know what they were, although she was certain she could figure them out as they looked like normal – whatever that was – pieces of technology. They did not look like something out of Harry Potter.

"Looks like I don't have to go to that physics conference after all Carter", the Colonel said as he looked around. "Nothing old or musty here."

"No - but you also didn't have to do any tests", she reminded him, refusing to acknowledge how disappointed she was.

He turned to her in surprise "Yes I did" he told her, sounding completely serious. "What do you think that was that we just experienced?"

"I don't know – some kind of technologically induced hallucination?"

"Sam", Jack said. "You know as well as I that that was no hallucination! Nope, that was a test – a test to see if we were the right ones. And when this is all over – you're goin' fishin' with me!"

She shook her head, not in disagreement, but because only the Colonel would worry about things like that at a time like this.

"Okay, if it was a test, and I'm not conceding that it was, what was it for? What kind of test was it? And wasn't this supposed to be about you? I don't think I was included in this."

"Yes you were", he said softly, regarding her directly for the first time since the storm – or whatever it had been. "You are a much a part of this as I am Sam. As for what – I'm not quite sure yet, but I think these machines may help and I'm gonna need you to figure them out, because the fish are waiting!" He grinned at her – the Jack O'Neill special, 'I'm too cute to ignore' grin.

She stared at him for a moment, a shiver running through her. She didn't want to examine her feelings too closely right then, although she was pretty sure things had changed since they entered this room. Sadly, that would have to wait. Instead she took a deep breath and nodded. She had work to do. She could try and figure out the rest later. "I guess – I'd better look at them."

Jack nodded, his eyes continuing to regard her. After a moment he too nodded. "Let's get to it then."

As Sam headed towards the machines to check them out, she glanced down at her watch to check the time. She'd lost track since they'd been in the room. As soon as her eyes focused on the timepiece she stopped dead.

"Carter? What's wrong?"

"What time do you have Sir?" she asked.

"Uh", he pulled the flap back on his watch and read – "what the hell? That can't be the right time!"

"I think it is Sir", she answered. "And check out the date as well."

"What! But that means we've been here -"

"Over 24 hours", she answered.

He shook his head and then laughed softly. "No wonder I was thinkin' I had to go. Hey, maybe the – whatever it was – screwed with our watches?"

"Could be. Maybe we should check in with Daniel and Teal'c."

He agreed and pulled out his radio from his vest. It had to be a problem with their watches because there was no way he had been standing there for over a day, although the thought of being able to hold Carter for that long was rather appealing.

"Daniel! Come in Daniel."

"Oh my God Jack – is that you?"

"Uh – who else would it be?"

"Holy – Jack, what happened to you guys? We couldn't make it into the building. Are you okay? Is Sam okay?"

"We're fine Daniel. Uh, just one thing; can you tell me how long we've been here?"

"How – Jack, you guys have been gone for over a day. But surely you know that?"

Oops! Jack grimaced and looked at Sam, who was frowning and looking rather worried. "Oh – I guess time flew by quicker than we realized", he said, sounding rather lame. "Uh, we're just checking out some of their technology Daniel. Everything is fine."

"But what happened?"

"We'll tell you about it when we get out of here. In the meantime, don't worry. I'll check in every hour."

After he'd signed off he glanced at Carter. "So – they're right. I don't know about you, but that didn't feel like a full day."

"No, it didn't. Colonel, what happened to us?"

"I don't know Carter", he said softly. "But let's find out."