Thank you to those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. And thank you to those who simply read chapter 1. I edited chapter 1 to have my section breaks as I didn't realize they didn't copy over - of course they didn't. This website has to make it tricky for us! Did you know there is no section break option in the copy and paste area? I work in google docs! Come onnnn!
I hope you like this chapter as well.
WEDNESDAY
Vala found Sam in her lab the next morning studying her computer. The Other Daniel and Sha're sat at the other end of the table.
"Good morning!" Vala greeted everyone, a decaf mocha latte in hand.
The three others responded in kind.
"Where's Daniel?" Sam asked, looking up from her computer.
"SG-4 needed something translated from their last mission," Vala shrugged, "Honestly Sky could have done it but they don't have a linguist."
Sam nodded. "We can grab him if we need him. Or we have this Daniel should the opportunity see fit!"
"I can see many opportunities in which having two Daniels would be very advantageous," Vala said, grinning at The Other Daniel in her suggestive manner to which he was not accustomed.
"Um, I uh," he stuttered, not sure what he should say to that.
"She's joking," Sam told him before he had a little heart attack and they affected the future in another reality any more than they already were.
A young man in a lab coat with a laptop knocked on the open door before Vala could lament about Sam ruining her fun with The Other Daniel.
"Colonel Carter, I have those results you were waiting for," he announced, carrying a laptop.
Sam waved him in. "Perfect, Dr. Featherland. I'll take that. Thank you. And thank Dr. Lee for me."
Dr. Featherland handed over the laptop. "No problem. We were happy to help. We found solar flare activity and some electromagnetic activity around the time that this Dr. Jackson and Sha're arrived. You will find it all in the program."
"That's very interesting," Vala said, mainly to herself.
Dr. Featherland said goodbye and went back to his office and The Other Daniel translated the tricky information of what they discovered for Sha're.
Sam clicked through her computer. "Atlantis reported similar findings. Solar flares and electromagnetic activity."
"Well we suspected the solar flares," Vala replied, "because of time travel."
Vala went over to the white board where she had drawn the pictorial representation of Abydos and Abydos Daniel and Earth and Earth Daniel. To the very right of her squiggly line she she drew another, smaller circle with an S attached to the top of it.
"Okay so we got the solar flare. Now what about electromagnetic fields?" Asked Vala.
"I have a theory but I need to run home and get something," Sam told them, "I'll be back soon. It should prove my theory correct!"
Vala recapped her marker. "Why don't you just ask Jack to get it?"
"That would entail asking Jack to find it - and it's easier finding it myself. Plus he would have to bring Sky and Liv up here, then back home, and I'm sure they're having fun playing," Sam explained. "It'll be faster if I do it myself."
Sam came home to a great dane wrapped in toilet paper; Quarks watching her - unamused - from the top of Magnet's crate; couch cushions, pillows and blankets all over the floor - probably the remnants of a fort; empty bowls on the coffee table; various Barbies, dolls, legos, and science toys were strewn about the floor; and playful screams came from the backyard. Making her way around the mess Sam went to the back sliding glass door to see her daughter and niece climbing on top of the play structure - Olivia in the playhouse part and Skylar on top of the monkey bars.
Sam stepped outside, followed by Magnet, to find her husband watching them from the deck.
"What is going on here?" She asked, just a tad more than slightly peeved.
"Oh hey!" Jack replied with a smile, "What are you doing home?"
Sam gave him a look that quite a few years ago would be labeled insubordinate. "I needed a book for my theory. But I see the living room exploded."
Jack was saved by the girls noticing Sam was home.
"Mommy!" "Auntie Sam!"
They ran across the yard, up the 3 stairs, into her sides, and hugged her.
"What are you doing here?" Olivia asked, "Can you play?"
Sam shook her head, "No I was just asking Dad about the mess I found!" She told the girls with a big surprised face, "And then I have to find a book and then go back to work."
Skylar started talking first, "Uncle Jack let us have Trix for lunch because they're for kids and then we wanted to make a fort."
"So we made a fort because we were off world and we to stay the night!" continued Olivia, "so that was our base!"
"But we were under attack from the mummy dog and her master," Sky explained why Mags was wrapped in toilet paper at least, "so the fort fell down. And then the Barbies had to discover why the mummy was alive and make a fixer elixir!"
Liv took over from there, "But then there was an explosion because the calculations were off."
Jack shrugged and patted the still partially wrapped up Magnet, "And then they had to go outside."
"Wow!" Sam laughed, "That sounds like a really exciting mission."
Skylar and Olivia nodded. "It was!" Olivia told her, "but we're not done yet."
"I need to find my book and get back to the SGC," Sam told them.
"Will you tell Sha're I say hi?" Sky asked her, swinging Sam's hand in hers, "And my mama? And Daddy? And Walter? And The Daniel who is like Daddy?"
"Me too, Mommy!"
Sam nodded with a smile, "Absolutely."
"Okay! Let's go chase that mummy!" Oliva said, running off after Mags who had run after a squirrel. Skylar ran after her, the pair laughing.
Sam turned her attention back to Jack.
"It'll be cleaned up," he told her, standing up, "it always is."
She laughed, "there was an explosion because the calculations were off?"
"Don't even tell me that never happened, Colonel," he chuckled, teasing her.
"I wouldn't dream of it, sir," she replied cheekily before giving him a quick kiss.
Vala grabbed a dish of green jello from the cooler in the commissary when she felt a hand on her lower back.
"Green?" Daniel asked, coffee cup in hand, pressing a kiss to her temple.
"Don't ask me," she told him, heading to a table, "this is your baby."
Daniel chuckled, taking a seat across from her, "I don't like green jello."
She shrugged, eating a spoonful. "I do now, apparently."
"You liked lemon pie with Sky," Daniel recalled, then laughed, "that was fun when McKay was here."
"Oh it was! He wouldn't come near me," Vala grinned, and put on a voice like his, "'one drop of citrus is fatal to me!' He practically ran away. Yeah, we should teach Sky that trick."
"I'm normally against her tormenting SGC and Atlantis personnel but…maybe," Daniel decided, laughing into his coffee.
Vala ate more green jello. "When is our briefing?"
Daniel checked his watch, "Half an hour."
"Good," she nodded, "Sky's dentist appointment is tomorrow at 10 but depending on what General Landry decides about our...well Sam's plan I may not be able to take her."
"Let's see how it goes," he told her, "I can take her and if you guys need me we can reschedule her appointment."
"Okay!" Vala smiled, happy with that resolution, "And then Carolyn said she would see us for the ultrasound whenever we were finished."
"Mitchell is convinced it's a boy," Daniel told her, "Something about his grandma and...honestly I forgot what he said."
Vala laughed, "Well he'll find out tomorrow."
Everyone sat around the briefing room table - Vala at one end next to Daniel then Cam, and General Landry. Across from Vala was Teal'c then The Other Daniel and Sha're. Sam displayed a computer model of her data before she began to explain it.
"There is a proposal that electromagnetic fields have something to do with string theory in alternate realities - which in quantum theory allows for multiple versions of our universe to exist and overlap, and even interact with one another on the quantum level," Sam explained. "Vala and I - along with a few others looked at the recent space activity as well as some scientists at the Atlantis station to see if we could see if there were any correlations between solar flares and electromagnetic activity."
"They were kind enough to compile data we wanted to look at and then we found patterns," Vala told the others, "Obviously we knew we wanted information on solar flares since there was time travel."
Sam nodded, "And then I remembered that string theory talked about electromagnetic fields but since we hadn't really ever experienced anything like that my book on it was at home. Anyway we figured out that," stopped the model of the data, "right here is where the solar flare and the electromagnetic field occurred at the same time."
"The electromagnetic field possibly happened in Sha're and Daniel's reality and caused them to," Vala gestured her hands upwards, "woosh and then the wormhole jumped here through," she gestured again with her right hand almost hitting Daniel, "a solar flare and they time traveled."
"Right," Sam agreed. "But since that same electromagnetic activity was occurring here then if we create the same circumstances we can send them back."
"But with a solar flare on the opposite side of the sun," Daniel said, remembering how time travel with the Stargate and solar flares worked.
"Exactly," Vala nodded.
"But how do we predict solar flares?" General Landry asked.
"The Asgard database," Sam told them simply, "Vala and I already looked and there are significant changes just beneath the surface of the sun just preceding a flare that a detectable by satellite."
"Did you test it?" Asked Cam, knowing that was a stupid question.
Vala nodded. "We have it set up to continuously detect and predict solar flares."
"We are still monitoring for electromagnetic fields but so far none are have been occurring at the same time as the solar flares," Sam continued, going back to her visual aid that now changed to show their ongoing data. "However, that is more easily fixed."
The Other Daniel raised his hand slightly, "Um, how?"
"Well we can create an electromagnetic field. Creating a solar flare is pretty impossible," she told him.
"What would you need to create an electromagnetic field?" Landry asked.
"The Odyssey, some large magnets, a lot of insulated copper wire, and a really big bolt or something similar made of steel," listed Sam, "And Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c to help. We can create a large electromagnetic generator, connect it to the outside of the ship, and use the ship's systems to control it. Then we can disconnect it when we're done. "
General Landry nodded, "Detail the size and amount and I'll get it prepared. I anticipate it will take at least 11 hours to get to Odyssey back from it's current location so we can get you the materials in that time. Anything else?"
Sam shook her head. "No, sir. Vala?"
"Nope."
"Alright, you're dismissed."
The group dispersed and Vala went over to Sam, speaking quietly. "Do you think we could enact Plan Girl Trio Coffee Break?"
"Do you think General Landry would agree?" Sam asked, shutting down the computer model, "And you think Sha're wants to go?"
Vala raised an eyebrow, "She's been confined here. I'm sure she wants to go. And leave General Landry to me. I'll be back in a few."
Vala turned to head to the General's office and saw her husband still sitting in the chair waiting them with amused curiosity.
"Do I want to know what you're planning?" Daniel asked, turning the chair around so the back was to the table.
With her hands on the armrests she leaned down towards him, "Just some girl talk, Darling." She gave him a quick kiss before continuing on to Landry's office.
After a knock on the door and a response allowing her to enter, Vala was ready to propose her plan.
"What can I do for you, Vala?" Landry asked, looking up from the file on his desk.
"Sam and I want to take Sha're off base," she started. He looked like was about to say no so she continued quickly. "General, she must be so bored. Can you imagine? At least this other Daniel can read and translate and talk to...himself. She just needs some girl time! An hour, two tops. Some coffee, decaf for me obviously - I just have to have a decaf, soy, double whip mocha latte - maybe a hot chocolate or iced tea for Sha're, a frappuccino for Samantha - she loves those. We'll be back in no time. We can even pick something up for you if you want."
Vala waited somewhat impatiently while Landry thought about her proposal.
"Okay," he conceded, "But no more than two hours."
"Thank you!" Beamed a bouncing, excited Vala.
She went to tell Sam they had a go for their excursion and to find Sha're so they could go out.
Daniel looked up from his Asgard translations when he heard someone come into his office and saw himself...the other himself.
"Oh hello," Daniel said.
"Hi," The Other Daniel replied.
"Where's Sha're?" Asked Daniel, not used to seeing the other him without her.
The Other Daniel sat on the stool that was usually reserved for Vala, "She went out with Vala and Sam to Starbucks a couple hours ago."
Daniel nodded, "Leave it to Vala to spring someone. That's a pretty long Starbucks trip though."
The Other Daniel nodded his agreement.
Daniel located his cell phone under a couple papers and sent Vala a text asking where they were. He quickly received a photo reply - a selfie of the three of them.
"They're at the mall," Daniel told 'himself', while sending a text telling her to come back soon.
"Are they coming back soon?" The Other Daniel asked.
Daniel squinted as his phone. "I'm not sure. She just sent back the kissy lips emoji," he said, showing The Other Daniel his phone, knowing he would be unfamiliar with emoji.
"Hmm."
"Yeah."
"So we found out that in this reality Sha're was taken as a host," The Other Daniel said, getting to the subject he was curious about - the differences in realities.
"Uh yes," replied Daniel, "we had been married for a year and then Apophis came to Abydos after SG-1 came back and took her and Skaara and she was made host to Amonet. Then I joined SG-1 to find her and about 3 years later we did but she had control of me with a Goa'uld hand device and Teal'c was forced to kill her so she didn't kill me."
The Other Daniel listened with awe. "I'm so sorry."
"It wasn't a great time."
"How did you meet Vala?" The Other Daniel asked, "because she is...well she scares me a little bit."
Daniel laughed. "I met Vala almost 9 years after I joined SG-1. She used to be host to Qetesh."
"Ahh Qetesh, that explains it," The Other Daniel said in realization.
"Oh?" Asked Daniel amused because he knew his wife. "What did she say?"
"Something about two of us being advantageous."
Daniel laughed, probably harder than he should have seeing that his other self had no experience with Vala but it was funny to see it from this side.
"What?" The Other Daniel asked.
Daniel shook his head. "She's just messing with you. You don't need to be afraid of her. She can't do it to me anymore because I do it back so you're new meat so to speak."
"I see. So continue with your story," prompted The Other Daniel.
"Oh yes. Um, she attempted to steal our ship after leaving me the only one on board. We fought."
"You fought her?"
"Well she hit me! And then she kissed me, I called her a fruitcake, and she headbutted me, but I zatted her and locked her in a room. But then I let her go and got everyone back on board. A few months later she showed up at the SGC. A treasure hunt later and we can't get rid of her. Eventually she became a part of the team. And part of me."
The Other Daniel couldn't reconcile this information. "A treasure hunt?"
Cam chose that moment to walk into Daniel's office. "Are you talking about the Pirate Princess? Or is this an idea for Tiny Space Monkey Pirate Princess' birthday?"
"He asked how I met Vala," Daniel told Cam.
Cam nodded, "That is an unlikely pairing, huh? Yeah Princess used to be a Space Pirate. She came back with a treasure hunt and a special tablet to entice Danie!"
"Vala used to make...questionable choices," summed up Daniel.
"But then we were good influences," Cam added proudly.
"She has to have changed if she's a member of SG-1," The Other Daniel agreed, knowing the members of his reality's SG-1, "but I am still amazed at how you first met."
"You and me both," Daniel laughed.
"I've seen you talk to yourself before, Daniel, but this bringing a whole new meaning to it," Jack said, walking into Daniel's office, Skylar and Olivia following him.
"Hi Daddy! Hi Daniel!" Skylar greeted with Vala's enthusiasm and climbed on Daniel's lap," Hi Uncle Cam!"
"Hi," The Other Daniel replied.
"Hey Tiny Space Monkey Princess. Hey Doctor Liv Monster," Cam greeted girls.
Olivia pulled over the spare stool next to her uncle and climbed up. "Mommy and Auntie Vala and Sha're went shopping because Mommy remembered something she wanted to buy after they had coffee," Olivia told them, "And Auntie Vala loves the mall."
Skylar nodded, "Me too!"
Jack made his way to the other side of the desk. "Did you really expect them to be back in two hours?"
"I didn't know they were gone," Daniel said, gesturing to his Asgard translations, "But I knew Vala was planning something with Sam after the briefing."
"Mama and Auntie Sam always plan things," Sky told Daniel in a seriousness only a six year old could, "And then you usually make a face and Uncle Jack usually laughs at you."
Olivia nodded in agreement. "That's true."
The Other Daniel laughed. "You know it's bad when the kids can predict it."
"Yeahsureyoubetcha," Jack agreed, "Anyway, they'll be back pretty soon. The munchkins wanted to eat dinner with everyone. That's why we're here."
"Yep. We solved the mystery of the mummy dog on P9T-682," Olivia reported proudly.
"It was a magic potion left over from the Goa'uld," Skylar added, "Once I got the translations right and we got the calculations perfect so the Barbies stopped blowing up their magic potion fixer elixir, the mummy dog went back to normal."
"Is that so?" The Other Daniel asked, intrigued by their imagination.
The girls nodded. "It took lots of calculating and the mummy dog chased us a lot but also took some naps so we had some opportunities to do stuff."
"Better than any of our missions," Daniel laughed.
"Can I be part of one of those missions?" Cam asked, a little jealous that they got a mummy dog.
Skylar and Olivia looked at one another to confer.
"Maybe," Olivia decided.
Cam smiled, "I will take maybe!"
"What is maybe?" Vala asked as the trio breezed into the office carrying Starbucks cups and a couple shopping bags.
"Maybe I can be part of one of Sky and Liv's missions with a mummy dog and exploding calculations," Cam told the ladies proudly.
Vala put her bag down on the shelf and leaned on the desk next to her Daniel, "Oh, fun! So Daniel," She said, talking to The Other Daniel, "You might need to get Sha're Starbucks once you get back to your time and reality and go to the right Earth...we maaay have gotten her addicted. This was our second trip on the way back."
Sha're nodded while sipping from her straw.
"What did you get her?" Daniel asked, stealing a sip of Vala's regular drink even though it was decaf.
Sha're thought for a moment recalling her order in English. "Grande, single-shot, no whip strawberries and cream frappuccino."
"With some mocha drizzle," Sam added, "I told her it was good with that."
"I love strawberries and cream frappuccinos!" Olivia bounced in her seat.
Sky ginned, "Me too! But I like the vanilla bean ones."
"Maybe we'll get some Friday," Jack told the girls, "And you can get all energized for your next mission."
"Oh! Was it magnets, mommy?" Olivia asked, excitedly, "Will magnets get this Uncle Daniel and Sha're back to their planet?"
"Um, actually...partially yes," Sam nodded, just a tad worried that the girls had guessed what they did about magnets. It was most likely a coincidence but then again they were very smart kids, "Part of how they got here was an electromagnetic field and they do occur in space and in nature but we can't predict them. So we're going to make our own using a really big magnet and one of the ships in space."
"It's always magnets," Skylar said simply.
"This is what I'm saying," agreed Jack, "Now let's go eat!"
The third and final chapter will be posted soon.
