A/N – Ah, so here we are, final chapter. Unless of course I go crazy and think of something else I just have to add to this story…but we shall see. As per my modus operandi, I get rather cute and silly with this final chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: We are the Dreamers
Sam felt tired. She felt good, but tired. Her eyelids seemed to weigh about a thousand pounds each and much as she wanted to lift them, she couldn't. Instead she lay there, listening to the voices that drifted over to her.
"Dr. Fraiser, report." This was Hammond's voice, unmistakably.
"Well, sir," Janet replied. "The Tok'ra found them on a deserted moon. They were doing a routine sweep to see if it was suitable for their new base and…they picked up two life signs. When they checked it out they found Col. O'Neill and Major Carter, both unconscious. That's how they've been for the past few hours since the Tok'ra brought them back."
"And are either of them injured?"
"No, sir, that's one of the remarkable things about it –"
Daniel's voice interrupted. "Besides Sam's hair being about five feet long."
"Besides that, yes," Janet laughed quietly, then cleared her throat. "I've ran tests on Major Carter, double, triple checked the results. The remarkable thing is there is no trace that there was ever any cancer in her body. It's gone, completely gone. She's in better health than before she got it. Col. O'Neill is in remarkably good shape as well."
"So they must have found it then," Daniel murmured.
Finally, Sam managed to get her eyes open. She mouthed wordlessly for a moment before she found her voice. "Janet…"
"Sam!" Janet turned, rushing to Sam's side. "Hey…how are you feeling?"
"Great, actually…" Sam said, frowning. With a little help from Janet she got into a sitting position, looking around at the others.
Hammond smiled. "It's good to have you back, Major."
"Thank you sir." Sam returned the smile then glanced to her left. She could see Jack laying on the next bed over, his eyes still closed. "Col. O'Neill…"
"…Is going to be fine, don't worry." Janet reassured her.
Daniel walked over to stand on the other side of Sam's bed. "So, Sam…" he reached out and gently poked the side of her head with one finger. "What's with the hair?"
"Hey, leave the lady alone!" came a loud protest from Jack's bed. "Sheesh, Daniel. Just be happy it was her hair and not mine."
"Glad to see you awake, Colonel," Janet said, turning and smiling down at Jack.
"You too, Doc. How's the back? I kinda expected you to be taking it easy."
"My back?" Janet raised her eyebrows. "Colonel, I've had plenty of time to recover…"
"Have you." Jack turned and exchanged a frown with Sam before looking back at Janet. "Well, looks like Sam wasn't the only miracle around here."
"Jack? What're you talking about?" Daniel asked, frowning. "Janet and I have been back for over two weeks."
Sam's eyes widened and she sat up straighter. "Two weeks?! It hasn't been two weeks!"
"Says the lady who can't remember anything!" Jack cried, his tone almost accusatory.
Sam turned to look at him, her eyes half lidded. "Oh, I remember some things, Jack."
Janet was the only one in the room beside Sam who caught the cat-who-got-the-canary grin on Jack's face. Rolling her eyes, the petite doctor turned to Daniel and General Hammond. "Alright, gentlemen, I think these two could use some time alone. So if you don't mind…"
"Of course," Hammond nodded, then turned his head to call back over his shoulder. "Colonel, Major, when you're feeling up to it I'd like as much of a debriefing as you can manage."
"Yes, sir!" Jack called. "Give us a couple hours, we'll be ready."
"Good." Hammond strode out of the infirmary, followed by Daniel.
Janet walked over to the table between their beds and began slowly collecting her papers. "So…did you two have fun in the center of the universe?"
"So, Doc," Jack shot back. "Did you have fun being carried back to Earth by Danny-boy?"
"Hah, Colonel, I was unconscious. I don't remember anything."
"Funny," Jack turned to look at Sam. "That's exactly what Sam said."
Janet had all her papers scooped up by then and turned to walk away, shooting them a coy look. "Well…the two of you must have been doing something for those two weeks."
"That's none of your beeswax, doc!"
Janet chuckled, then leaned over and whispered something in Sam's ear.
Sam looked outraged. "You…Napoleonic power monger!"
"Oh ho! Someone's been taking lessons from her CO," Janet narrowed her eyes at Sam as she backed away. "Watch it, missy, or I'll actually follow through with that threat." She grinned and vanished into her office.
Jack blinked at Sam. "What'd she threaten you with?"
"Oh…" Sam blushed, looking down and fiddling awkwardly with her blanket. "Pregnancy test."
Jack snorted and the two fell silent for a few minutes. Sam pretended to be suddenly preoccupied with her hair, but she was really trying to think of something to say to Jack that could even begin to cover all the emotions swirling in her chest. Gratitude, love, confusion, overwhelming joy and worry all at the same time, all mixed into one. And the sad realization that now they were back on Earth things might have to go back to the way they were.
"Sir…" She said quietly.
Jack looked at her and shook his head. "Sam, please."
"Thank you." She looked up at him, blue eyes wide and earnest.
"Hey," Jack smiled. "Anytime. Really. If you ever need me to carry you to the center of the universe and make sweet, sweet love to you beneath the branches of the Tree of Life…I'm there…"
Sam laughed, blushing and looking down. "My dad's gonna kill you."
" 'Ey! You're alive and healthy, ol Jacob should be happy."
"Oh, I am happy about that," said a voice from the doorway. "Doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you."
"Dad!" Sam's face went pale. "You just…heard…"
"Yes, I did just hear that…" Jacob said, then he smiled a rather forced looking smile as he walked over and gave Sam a kiss on the forehead. "Good to see you, kiddo, you're looking great…I was so happy when Dr. Fraiser told me you were all better." He turned to glare at Jack. "You!"
"Hey!" Jack waggled a finger. "I just carried your daughter to the center of the universe. The center of the universe, Jake! Do you know how far that is?"
"Well…" Sam said timidly. "You didn't exactly carry me all the way…Jack…"
"Huh. Try telling that to my knees."
"You kids," Jacob said, rolling his eyes and laughing quietly. He turned to Jack. "Really, Jack, I don't think there's any way I could thank you fully for saving Sam's life."
Jack looked up at him. "Not killing me is a start." He leaned around to look at Sam. "Hey, Sam, if you're feeling up to it maybe we should go do that debriefing now, get it out of the way."
"Yeah, sure," Sam nodded and they both slowly got to their feet.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, Jack went to wait outside the women's locker room for Sam. He found himself standing in the hall with his yo-yo for about twenty minutes before Sam came out, hair dried and in a ponytail, and a sour expression on her face.
"That's it," she said as they started walking. "I'm so having Janet chop this all off tonight."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Why? I kinda like it."
"Do you want to wash it everyday then?" Sam snapped, scowling at him. "It takes a ridiculous amount of time! And then blow drying it-!" she shook her head.
"Yeah, but look…" Jack stepped in front of her, holding his hands up to stop her. Reaching behind her head he pulled her hair out of its ponytail, then brushed it down so it was hanging in front of her face. "Now you look like Cousin It's hot blonde sister!"
Sam growled and pulled her hair back, glaring at Jack. "You know that thing called sex? If you ever want to have it again with anyone, Jack, I'd suggest you don't do that."
"Sorry." Jack stared meekly down at his shoes.
They were both overjoyed when they reached the briefing room to find Teal'c there waiting for them, perfectly uninjured.
"Teal'c!" Sam cried, rushing over to throw her arms around the large Jaffa. "You got back alright."
"Indeed," Teal'c smiled, bowing slightly as they stepped apart. "I am most pleased to see you well again, Major Carter."
"Thanks, T." Sam smiled.
They took their seats and were joined moments later by General Hammond, Daniel and Janet. Over the next couple hours the group recounted the strange journey, though, notably, Jack left out several of the more private details towards the end.
"Amazing." Daniel said, awestruck, leaning back in his chair. "This has got to be one of our greatest accomplishments. And yet…you don't have a shred of evidence…no pictures…not a single artifact."
"We do have Major Carter." Teal'c pointed out.
"T's right," Jack said, nodding. "We do have Sam, and that's what's important. But, Danny, what'd Sam mean? That whole thing she said about 'I am your Eve, I am your…' "
"…Isis, your Freyja your Asherah, I am your Sam?" Sam finished and Jack nodded.
"Well," Daniel leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Those are all goddesses, obviously, except Sam. You know who Eve and Isis are. Freyja is one of the most loved Norse goddesses. We know the Asgard Feyer, he's her twin brother."
"And Asherah?" Jack asked.
"Oh, she's the mother goddess of Canaanite mythology." Daniel smirked. "Ironically according to some sources she's also Baal's mother."
"Funny!" Jack grinned and elbowed Sam, who rolled her eyes.
"My question for you, Colonel and you, Major, is are you going to want to return to normal duty on SG-1?" Hammond asked. "I'm assuming that after a period of recovery you'll feel up to it."
Jack took a deep breath. "Uhm, sir, actually I'd like to talk to you about that, in privet, if we can."
Hammond nodded. "Very well. Let's step into my office."
Giving Sam a long look Jack rose to his feet and followed Hammond out of the briefing room. After closing the door Jack took a seat across from the general.
"What can I do for you, Colonel?" Hammond asked, folding his hands.
"Well, sir, I don't really know where to start," Jack said. He was staring down at his shoes, avoiding Hammond's gaze. "Obviously there are certain things I left out of my retelling. You see…this is one of those things that you can't go through with someone without falling madly in love with them."
"I understand that," Hammond said, smiling faintly. "So what do you propose we do about it?"
"Sir, I love my job," Jack looked up at the general, brow furrowed slightly. "But I love Sam even more. And if being with her means giving up my job…I'll just have to do that."
"I don't think it's going to have to come to that, Colonel," Hammond was almost grinning now. "Honestly, you have too much faith in our government. You of all people should know there's always a loophole when you need one."
Jack could feel a grin growing on his own face. "A loophole, sir? I like the sound of that."
"I thought you might." Hammond chuckled. "Right now, Colonel, my suggestion is that you take Major Carter on a nice, restful vacation and leave me to worry about the loopholes. We'll work something out."
But Jack's expression had changed slightly. "With all due respect, sir, why are you doing this?"
"For one you saved the life of someone who's very important to this base," Hammond replied. "And for another, you are someone who's very important to this base. You and Major Carter are invaluable, and in my opinion that warrants bending a few rules if the need arises."
Jack was slowly getting to his feet. "Thank you, sir."
Hammond nodded. "Anytime, Colonel. You're dismissed."
Sam was the only one waiting for Jack as he stepped back into the briefing room. She got to her feet and hurried over to him, eyes wide and questioning.
"Well? What'd you guys talk about?"
"All in good time, dearie," Jack said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they headed out into the all. "All in good time. Now, Hammond has given us the week off and I think it's my turn to pick where we go."
"Ooh, I know what's coming…" Sam said.
"Fishing, Sam! Fishing in Minnesota with the loons and the lakes and the star spangled nights…" Jack pulled her closer to him. "You'll love it. And you're not cutting your hair until we get back."
"What?! Why?"
Jack turned to face her. "Because I like running my fingers through it. It's silky. Good enough for ya? Good. Now we have errands to run…I believe you are sadly lacking in fishing gear…"
Sam couldn't help but laugh as Jack continued to prattle on all the way to the elevators. Despite it all, despite everything they'd been through it always seemed to end like this; with them finding something to be happy about. And stepping onto the elevator with Jack at her side then leaning into his touch as his hand somehow snuggled its way into her hair, Sam realized that she had a lot to be happy about.