Title: Ad Infinitum – Chapter 3/10

Chapter Summary: Alex says too much – or does she?

Chapter Rating: PG-13

♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥

Chapter 3/10

Alex's POV

Jacob woke me up this morning at 6 am, eager to go down to his mother's lab. Honestly, I would've preferred to sleep in. I separated my hair into two ponytails and followed the eager teenager and our four escort airmen down to the Carter lab. The sight that greeted us after the SFs left was a familiar one: my godmother stood in the middle of the lab, wearing safety goggles, carefully examining some alien device. Jacob and I stared at each other in surprise as a manly snore resounded through the lab. After a quick look around, we finally recognized the form of one Jack O'Neill sleeping on the bench in her lab.

"Oh, good, you guys are here." Aunt Sam excitedly noticed. "I have so many questions about this." She found her notes and Jacob's rough blueprints that he'd drawn of the components he'd installed. "How did you come up with these?" She asked in awe.

The look from Jacob's bright blue eyes let her know this was one of the many questions she'd get no answer to. This whole thing would drive her insane, I'm sure. Only person I know who's more curious than Sam Carter is my mom.

The conversation seemed to finally awake the sleeping General who sat up suddenly, looking around in surprise. "Uh, hi… why was I asleep, Colonel?"

Carter smiled. "Fell asleep sometime around oh-three-hundred General."

O'Neill frowned. "How come I don't remember that? I remember you were talking something about the time-space continuum and then—whoosh, nothing." The look from his wife told him all he needed to know. "Oooh. I guess I must've fallen asleep during that explanation, eh? Sorry about that." He said non-apologetically. Turning to the other occupants of the room, he decided to address us. "Good morning, kids." He seemed almost embarrassed at having been caught, but to his luck, Jacob and I were more than used to these two's relationship.

"Good morning, sir," we replied in unison.

Aunt Sam went back to the blueprints and soon, she and Jacob were engrossed taking every non-existent part apart and putting it back together, everything else lost to them as they focused on problem-solving. I'd seen that look on his face many times and I knew this was going to take awhile.

My godfather looked at me with a smile, as he seemed to reach full consciousness. He stared at the duo that was concentrated in their task and then back at me, probably realizing I knew as much about Ancient or Asgard technology as he did. "So, kid, what do you say we go down to the mess and grab a bite?"

I smiled and nodded. Suddenly the idea of Mess food sounded pretty good, plus it gave me the opportunity to roam around the base without an SF escort.

From the looks of it, the cafeteria-like food was the same I was accustomed to which meant below standards levels. The desserts, however, were always delicious even the jell-o was to die for so we just helped ourselves to an unhealthy number or desserts.

"So what else do you do when you're not hanging around archeological digs and spending time at Daniel's lab?" Uncle Jack asked. "I mean, do you go to school?"

The look on my face probably told him no and I wasn't about to lie so I just shrugged. I had to convince my parents to let me be homeschooled, especially since with Jacob gone at the Academy, I wouldn't have anyone to hang out with. Jaen and Olin were roughly the same age but she was six years behind me in school and Olin was four years behind, so the three of us didn't even go to the same school. I had no other friends because all the other kids were so fucking clueless - wasting time arguing about movies and fashion and music, completely unaware that there was a whole other universe out there, galaxies abandoned just waiting to be explored, planets on the verge of collapsing.

"Well since you don't want to talk about school," my godfather continued, "maybe you can tell me when do I retire from the Air Force because I gotta tell you, every time I try, it doesn't work out."

I couldn't tell him the truth... I couldn't tell him how he was the one who drove us to school and cooked me dinner when my parents were out on missions. I couldn't tell him that his uniform with his two stars was retired and how he very seldom missed going on missions and how he definitely didn't miss Washington.

"Can't tell me that either, huh? So tell me, do the Cubs win the 2007 World Series?" He kept asking and I just glared at him. "2008?" Another glare. "2009?" I gave up and sighed, wanting to laugh at him. "2010 for sure, right? Minnesota twins?"

I continued to hold my laughter in. Of my extended family, I loved my godfather's sense of humor the most. This was the man who'd told me when I was ten that Jacob and I had been betrothed to each other at birth during an alien ritual in Calt. I was skeptical, of course, but Uncle Cam corroborated the story so I figured it was true. I turned down several boys' requests to go to my first dance because I didn't want to offend anyone in Celt by disrespecting their betrothing ceremony and I didn't want to be unfaithful to Jacob. It wasn't until my first year in high school that my mother had finally told me the truth. Dad looked like he could've lived with the lie for another few years.

"You and Ben good friends?" Uncle Jack asked me.

Ah, finally a question I could answer to some extent. I nodded. "Best friends for as long as I can remember."

"Ah, she speaks!" O'Neill bit out. I saw him search around his brain for another neutral subject that didn't involve affecting the timeline, "Tell me, do you like fishing?"

I couldn't hold back my laughter this time. "Actually, sir, I do." It wasn't a lie. I didn't care for spending all that time still and waiting for a poor creature to take the bait just so we'd return it to the lake minutes later like a human subject to Asgard testing, but I enjoyed spending time with my friends and family in the small cabin in Minnesota, telling alien ghost stories around the fire, trying to sneak a few sips of beer here and there when the adults weren't looking. For the first time I felt a really strong pang in my chest as I realized I might never get to experience that again; then I remembered Jacob and Aunt Sam were the smartest people on this planet as far as I was concerned and they'd find a way to get us back.

"Have you ever tried ice fishing?" My godfather continued to ask and I shook my head. "I used to be a big fan but it seems every time I'm around ice, something bad happens."

I smiled. "I'm not a big fan of ice either, sir. Much more comfortable in sand and dirt."

"Ah, archaeologist, right."

"Not that there aren't ice-covered ruins worthy of exploring, but I miss the feel of sand filling my shoes slowly and I walk for miles and miles trying to find some buried treasure..." I trailed off as I realized a couple - or at least I assumed they were a couple at this point, walked towards us.

"Jack, General Landry is looking for you." My father's voice was so comforting to me even if it missed some of the quality that aging brought to it.

"Excuse me," Jack said, standing up and nodding at me. "Daniel you wouldn't mind spending some time with Alex here while I talk to the General, would you?"

Dad shook his head and took Jack's vacant seat, mom sitting next to him. "So... Alex? Is that short for anything?"

I nodded, unsure if I should be revealing this but this was my dad... I could always lie to my mom but it was always trickier to lie to my dad. "Alexandria," I finally told him.

He raised his eyebrows. "Like the city in Egypt?"

I nodded yes. My mother finally decided to take some part in the conversation, "Alexandria, that's pretty."

I should hope she liked it since she agreed to it. I guess she still wasn't privy to my father's suggestion for a boy name: Atlantis. She should be damn glad I was a girl.

Dad turned to look at her, "Alexandria, it's a city here on Earth. Once named Rhakotis, possibly after Ra himself. It once held a gigantic Lighthouse, the beacon was rumored to light ships on from hundreds of miles away... archaeologists have been trying for years to understand just how it worked but all they can agree on is that the Egyptians used some kind of mirrors." As he explained the story, I could see the wheels turning in his head and I started feeling a little short of breath.

"Sounds like alien technology to me, possibly Asgard. Those short hairless bastards know how to ruin a party." Mom said, grabbing a fork and reaching for a piece of pie on my plate. I slapped her hand away, an act so familiar to me that I didn't realize it until the other woman glared. I tried to fake an apologetic look but I doubt it worked.

Dad nodded, a little distant. "Yes it does sound like an Asgard beam like Thor's hammer, but Earth wasn't a protected planet then, so I don't understand why they would've left such technology here."

Uh-oh. I should've kept my mouth shut.

With one quick glance at me, dad continued his explanation. "Alexandria was also home to the Library of Alexandria, which was once the largest library in the world. Now if the Lighthouse was alien in technology..." he trailed off.

"Then it is possible that the Library was also alien, a knowledge compendium of sorts." Mom finished for him.

The look on his face was priceless. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning; actually, scratch that, I knew how he looked on Christmas morning, and he wasn't big on the holiday which was the reason I always slept over at the O'Neills every Christmas Eve. His look right now was the most excited I'd seen.

"I nee-- I need my books, I need my computer. God, I need to find my journals of when I was in the Kom al Dikka excavating the ruins of the city."

Oh shit, I thought. Yeah I should've definitely kept my mouth shut.

"Come on, I need your help," my dad said to my mom before turning to me. "And Alex, if you'd like to help, I could definitely use the extra hands and eyes."

Groaning inwardly, I tried to smile. "Erh, yeah I would love to... but I should find J-- I should find Ben first if you don't mind."

He shook his head. "No that's fine, we'll take you to Sam's lab."

With that, I stood up to follow the younger version of my dysfunctional family and leaving half a pie and an entire slice of cake uneaten.

♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥

Jacob's POV

We hadn't been making much progress with the blueprints and my mother and I had gotten sidetracked by a power device that SG-12 had brought back from their latest mission. The power device, which had a 2-inch radius, could power a city the size of New York for up to ten years. We had been so engrossed we didn't hear the approaching footsteps until Alex knocked on the metal door.

"Uh, excuse me but I need to talk to Ben... now." I looked at her then back at my mom, put my goggles down and walked towards the door.

Alex walked out of the room so that we could have a private conversation but knowing that my mom could still see us and therefore no SFs or added security would be necessary.

"What's up?" I asked when I saw the worried look on her face, getting more and more concerned by the milisecond.

"I think I might've, possibly, completely screwed things up."

I groaned. "Holly Hannah... what happened?"

"Remember the Ancient knowledge base in Alexandria, the one where SG-1 found the repository?"

I nodded. "Yeah, they blacked out and woke up on the surface and they couldn't access it again, right?"

"Exactly! Well, remember how my Dad figured out where it was all those years ago?"

I nodded again.

"I think I just made him realize that it's there."

I let my head drop back until it hit the stone wall, then I did it again for emphasis. This could not be happening. This should definitely not be happening. "Hey, wait a second..." I said excitedly, realization finally downing. "When did your Dad discover the Ancient Library?"

Alex shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure, I suppose it was 2005 or 2006--" she trailed off as she realized the same thing I did.

"Did he ever say how he came up with the idea of where to look for it?"

Alex shook her head. "No, he just said he was telling my mom about the city and then he realized something... wait a second, that's pretty much what happened today at the Mess. I told him my full name, then next thing he was desperate for his books and his excavation journals."

I smiled. "Do you see what's happening here?"

She frowned. "What?"

"My mom once said that she named me Jacob after my grandfather and Benjamin after a special young kid she once met. And your Dad apparently realized about Alexandria after talking to you... I think we're meant to be here. I don't think you screwed up the future, I think you just did what was meant to be done." I felt very relieved all of a sudden.

"You mean kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy? We go back in time and make sure that everything that was meant to happen actually happened?"

"Exactly."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Ok, so how do we know what we are supposed to say and do and what we aren't?"

"Well, that might be a little more complicated to figure out."

"I am so not liking this walking on eggshells thing, I suggest you find a way to get us back soon."

I laughed. "Wow, no pressure or anything, right?" I was flattered as usual that she trusted me so much but still, the expectations of getting us back home hopefully before my classes started and before our parents went nuts looking for us was getting a little crazy.

"Come on genius, you know you can do it."

I pulled her to him me in a hug. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alien Girl."

She pulled away after a few seconds, "You're welcome. Now get to work, I have to go help my D--" She looked around hoping no one had notice the little slip. "Daniel to find something I know about but I'm not sure if I can share the info and I'm not sure if I shouldn't either." She smiled for a second before allowing me to go back to the lab. I saw her walking up to an SF standing at the end of the corridor, flashing him the Mal Doran smile, "Hi there. Care to escort me up to Dr. Jackson's lab?" Yeah, that smile worked every time, I noticed as the airman quickly nodded.

♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥♦♥