Title: Surprise!!!

Author: Jenn

Rating: Will depend on the chapter but I'm gonna go with a steady R

Category: Crossover with Stargate Atlantis & Roswell (well kinda I'm borrowing Liz Parker for a little bit) ... Romance/Angst/Drama

Spoilers: Unending

Couples: Sam/Cam, Daniel/Vala, others to follow

Disclaimer: They're not mine sniff sniff. If they were both of my kids would be Mitchells LOL Once again they're not mine. Blah. Blah. Blah. No copy right infringement intended...Cairo and Aleera Carter, Ashley Grimaldi, Reille, Chatham and a few others however are of my own creation...

Summary: After the events of 'Unending' throw them for a loop, Sam & Vala attempt to resume a normal life...but the higher ups have other ideas.

Author's Note: I'm going to be tweaking things (read: timeline/events) quite a bit kids so pay attention: 1) Rather than being trapped for 50 years, they were only trapped for 4; 2) As the story begins, Sam & Vala are in Atlantis (will be explained) and Daniel and Cameron are back the SGC; 3) Liz Parker is the only character from Roswell that I am borrowing (as to why, well you'll just have to read and find out) 4) Rather than leaving after Graduation, the Pod Squad (along with Maria, Kyle, and Alex) left for home sweet home while they were in college 5) Liz is 24, Sam, Daniel, Cam, & Vala are all around 34-35ish 6) There will be other differences between my version of events and the episode "Unending" but changes are not just limited to that particular episode (trust me you'll see) and finally 7) O'Neill is still in command of the S.G.C. and we're gonna go on the assumption that Carter and Mitchell have known each other for a long time.

On with the show...

Chapter Four: We're Off to see the Wizard...

Two Weeks Later:

The Concordia: Odyssey Class Ship:

They had been aboard for about two weeks now. Only the original five it was supposed to have been turned into eleven of them. Beside Teal'c and Ishta, both Chatham and his sister Reille had taken a brief respite from the Tokra to see the city of the Ancestors. Then there was Ashley, of course. He had been pleased to hear that his 'sister', niece, and nephew were all well and more than safe. Not only that but two of his cousins were alive. Liz had insisted that he be allowed to go with them. She explained that he had no one else and that she couldn't in good conscience leave him on Earth while she gallivanted among the stars. And then somehow, the kids managed to talk Jack into allowing Sam's dog, Aurora, to go with them. So the gang was all there.

It also gave Liz the chance to have some chats with Daniel and Cameron. Even though she was only on the base for one day, she had heard through the grapevine Dr. Lam that something had gone down between the members of SG-1 following their whole stuck for four years on the Odyssey deal.

Yeah she knew about it.

Teal'c had explained in great detail. Well okay maybe not so great.

Anyway she had gotten to Daniel first. She got her answers. But not before he given her some news.

----

She yelled for who ever was at the door to come in.

Daniel stepped inside.

She knew this was her chance to ask about what happened. But she suspected he wanted to speak first. This was gonna be a long conversation of that she was sure.

"Hi Daniel. Please sit down."

He sat on the bed across from her. He seemed almost unsure.

"Daniel?"

"Where are the kids?"

"Oh they're with Teal'c and Ishta. Seems my children are very taken with your Jaffa and his wife."

"I think it's mutual. He seems rather fascinated by Cai and Eera. And I think Ishta's getting the baby itch."

She smirked. After not even knowing the kids for two days, her friends, both new and old, had begun to call the children by their given nicknames.

He took a deep breath. He wanted to get down to business. "Liz you know they did some tests on you guys just before we left Earth, right?"

"Yeah. Why? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No. But..."

"I don't like buts. What is it?"

"The tests revealed that you and the kids have enormous amounts of what are referred to as ATA genes."

"Jack mentioned it. What exactly does that entail?"

"The ATA genes are what allowed the Ancients to control most of their technology. Now I'm sure as you can well figure out, Atlantis is an Ancient outpost."

"Meaning what?"

"Well, you and the kids tested off the charts compared to anyone else that we have. Meaning they're gonna want at least you to test some things."

She nodded. "I think I can live with that. It's not like I don't already have unique abilities. I'm Antarian for crying out loud. I can read minds and move objects without touching them. Playing with some new toys might be fun."

His brow furrowed. "See and here I thought you were going to freak out."

"Nothing really freaks me out these days Daniel."

"I see that. You know Sam is gonna freak though right?"

She nodded. It made her sad that she had to lie to her sister for so long about something so important. Missing Sam was one of the worst things that tugged at her heart.

"How come you never told her?"

He asked yet he felt he already had the answer. But the fact of the matter was Daniel knew she needed to talk. Needed to get it out.

All of the pain he went through after losing Sha're had bubbled up at one point because he refused to talk about it. Sam had forced his hand on it and he ended up crying on her for hours. After that, when ever he needed to talk she was always there. They had been best friends ever since.

So being Sam's best friend, he took it upon himself to look after her little sister as best he could. Granted she wasn't so little anymore. So much pain and heartbreak littered the heart of the now grown woman before him. He had spent a lot of time with her and the kids since they had boarded the Concordia. The kids had taken to calling him, Cam, and Teal'c 'Uncle'.

"She was safer not knowing Daniel. If it was the Special Unit and they knew that I had a sister, imagine what they would've tried to do to her."

"Nothing would've happened to Sam. She's too important. And I'm pretty sure Stargate Command has friends higher up than that of the Special Unit."

"I didn't know that back then. I was trying to protect my sister. She was all I had left." She answered as the tears began to well in her now blue eyes. They had changed once her Antarian side had exerted itself.

He pulled her to him in a fierce hug. "You're not alone anymore you know. You've got all of us now. And Jack is gonna find out who was after you. You won't have to run ever again Liz. Hell now you're part of the most powerful family on Earth too."

She smiled gratefully. Emotions didn't need to be read to tell her that every word that had come from Daniel's mouth was the truth. It would take some getting used to but they were finally gonna be okay. Her and the kids. There would be no more running. Ever.

Daniel pulled back and looked at her. "That still doesn't change the fact that Sam is gonna freak when she sees you and the kids."

"Yeah I'm sure. Not only does she not know that she's an Aunt. She's Aunt and sister to alien royalty. And there is that whole business of me now knowing what she does for a living." She chuckled before getting to her main objective. "And I'm sure seeing you and Cameron will be a bit of a shock to her and Vala."

This time it was Daniel whom she made speechless. He tried not to give it away in his expression but failed miserably. One's eyes bulging out of one's head tends to give the game away fairly quickly.

She shook her head and clucked her tongue at him. "Now, now Doctor Jackson. Feigning ignorance will get you nowhere."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"See I fail to believe that. And your body betrays you. I can tell that you're lying Daniel. Humans have different colors for different emotions. And right now you have a hue of black that surrounds you which tells me you're lying. That and I heard some things."

He couldn't look at her because she was right. "From who?" He mumbled.

"Oh a certain birdie who happen to be in the Infirmary when I went to get checked out."

He rubbed his face in his hands. "Carolyn."

She nodded with an all knowing smirk. "Your Doctor Lam is quite up to date on all things gossip in the SGC. She told me of how you and Cameron seem to have had a falling out with Sam and Vala. So what happened?"

"Well I'm sure she's upset that neither me nor Cameron came to say goodbye to her."

"I wasn't talking about Sam, Daniel. What happened between you and Vala?"

He didn't know where to start.

"The beginning would be good."

He shot her a look. She had read his thoughts.

"Sorry," she told him as she threw her hands up in mock surrender. "I can't help it. I need to teach you and him how to not broadcast your personal thoughts so loudly. It's hard for me to ignore them. And I'm good at ignoring others. So, shall we?"

"Liz, I-"

"Save it. You're not getting out of this. Don't worry I'll get Cam too."

"Oh that just makes me feel so much better thanks."

She chose to ignore his sarcasm. "Yeah I'm sure. So what happened? I know that it all started after you guys got back from the Odyssey. Teal'c told me that much."

She was good. "You got Teal'c too?"

"I didn't get specifics. I just got the general story."

He sighed deeply. He hadn't even really discussed it with anyone. Not even Cam. That wasn't to say that he didn't want to. He just couldn't.

"Vala-"

"You love her. Don't try to deny it. It's written all over you're face, body language and soul at the mere mention of her. Same with Cam and Sam."

He didn't even bother to try and look shocked at her statement. Shit. She was real good. Had them pegged real quick. What did he expect though. She was a Carter and they aren't exactly slow on the uptake.

"I do. She's come a long way since she joined us."

"Tell me."

"When she first came through the Gate, I really didn't even want her here. She infuriated me. She could hardly manage a word of truth. And then she destroyed that first Supergate. That whole time she was missing, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I refused to write her off. I hoped and prayed that somehow she'd come back to us. Back to me. When she finally came back she was different. More subdued. Less likely to act impulsively. Actually telling the truth. And she really wanted to help us and be apart of SG-1. I was so taken with her. I was always kinda taken with her."

"So what happened then? Why are you here and she's there?"

He took his glasses off for a second and rubbed the bridge of his nose as a sigh of frustration escaped his lips.

"After the Odyssey, I kept getting these flashes."

"Flashes?"

"I think they might have been latent memories that survived."

"And?"

And he blushed. "Some of them were of us together."

She smiled to herself. Only Daniel could blush like that. "Still not seeing a problem."

"The problem is that we're on the same team. We're-" The familiar excuse shot from another mouth.

"Oh cut the shit Daniel." She stood and faced him with anger flashing in her eyes. "What's the real reason?"

Her sudden outburst left him a little bit disturbed. He had never known Liz to have any sort of temper. But maybe protecting two Intergalactic toddlers might do that to a woman.

Maybe what bothered him more was the fact that she was forcing him to spill his feelings. It was something he didn't like doing that often. And even then he only spilled to Sam. But here was the other Carter sister offering her shoulder. He supposed it was only fair considering that he had done it for her. "I'm afraid okay. Is that what you wanna hear?"

She shook her head in dismay. "Afraid of what? Feeling again?"

Yeah she had known that he had lost a wife a long time ago. He was only a little older than her when Sha're was killed. He had told her about it once but left out the interstellar details. Jack had filled her in on the rest the night before they had left for Atlantis. They had a sort of Stargate Q & A session after everything died down.

This time he stood and found himself at the window staring among the stars. "After Sha're's death, I thought I'd never be able to go on again. I was fine by myself all that time. And then Vala came. She managed to knock down every wall I had built up for the seven and half years prior to that. I want to be with her." As he turned to face Liz he remarked, "I really do."

"I'm sensing a but here."

"But I'm afraid. I'm afraid to feel again. I'm afraid that I'll lose her."

"Like you lost Sha're?"

"Yeah."

"That still doesn't tell me what happened Daniel. Jack said that Doctor Weir told him that Vala and Sam have been wandering around Atlantis in a daze. What did you do?"

He turned back to the window. "I fucked up. Plain and simple. I fucked up real bad." He shook his and examined his reflection in almost disgust.

"How?"

"It's complicated."

"Well, you can show me. I mean if you want to that is."

The sincerity in her voice made him turn to her again. "How?"

"All you have to do is think about it and let me in. Just that memory. As long as that's all you concentrate on, I won't see anything else. I promise."

He nodded hesitantly. "Okay. But you're not gonna like it."

"I already know that. I just need to see so I can understand. So that I can know what I'm up against."

He ignored her last comment and opened his mind to her.

----

He had been sitting in his office attempting to work. The dreams had been coming more and more frequently. He had avoided Vala as best he could. He wasn't sure if he could resist the temptation to pin her against the nearest wall and kiss her senseless.

"Knock, knock darling." She said as she stepped into his office.

He didn't even look up at her. He couldn't bring himself to.

"So what are you working on?" She walked around his desk to stand behind him. He could smell her perfume and her proximity to him was unnerving.

Once again he didn't look up. He hoped short answers might give her the hint and she'd leave. "Nothing much."

"Want to go grab some lunch?" He could hear the hope in her voice. He knew that she missed his company just as much as he missed hers. But it had to be this way. At least for now.

"Ate already."

She still hadn't left. And her leaning over his shoulder didn't help much. Well there went that plan. "Want to go to the surface for a little while with me?"

Again he didn't look up from the book. He'd been tortured before and never given in. This was a form of torture he wasn't sure he could withstand. "I'm busy."

She seemed confused by his short answers. Even if he was busy, he usually said more than that. He knew that she knew that much. "Oh okay then. How about later?"

He slammed the book shut. Her being so close was killing his resolve and he'd had enough. He was sure he would spontaneously combust. "Dammit Vala!"

She jumped back in shock. He had never yelled at her like this before. She didn't even say anything and didn't dare look up at him. He knew he was on the verge of going off and yet he couldn't stop himself. It was like all his pent up frustration surfaced and was coming out in the worst outlet possible. His mouth was moving without the consultation of his mind.

"Why is it that you can't leave me alone?"

She simply shook her and he could've sworn that tears welled in her eyes. His angry expression probably didn't help matters much.

"No really, why is it? How come you don't respect my personal space at all?"

"I-I-I just..." she trailed off at a loss for words. This was a side of Daniel she had never seen, and he'd never demonstrated. No matter how much she had driven him nuts in the past, he had never snapped at her like this before.

He couldn't help but look at her incredulously. "You just what Vala? You just want to drive me insane? You just want to bother me?" Only she didn't know just what he meant by that. She never 'bothered him' these days. But insane she did drive him, in a good way.

"Never mind." She started to make her way towards the door.

"Give it up Vala." He ground out. It was like someone had taken over his body and hit the cruel switch. He was so worn out from putting a front up.

She turned to face him. The look on her face almost took all the oxygen from his lungs. "Give what up?" She asked honestly through her tears.

"This," he made a gesture between him and her "This nonsense. You have to know that none of this would ever go anywhere. You can possibly believe that I'll give in to you."

His heart shattered into a million pieces; and here he was breaking hers. He hoped in the back of his mind that, after all this time, that she knew he didn't think that little of her. She couldn't have possibly known how much he felt for her. Or how it scared him to the point of running. "I don't know what you're talking about Daniel."

"Oh quit feigning innocence. I'm really tired of your shit. I. Don't. Want. You."

The venom in his voice had her backing out the door before the sobs broke out. "I. Get. It." She told him and turned to run down the hall towards her quarters.

He sat back down at his desk and dropped his head. He felt like crying. He had just been the biggest bastard possible to the woman he loved. Or course he couldn't admit that to anyone.

And what bothered him more was her reaction. He had expected some sort of nasty quip to escape her lips at his outburst. She like the rest of them had a knack for hiding real feelings behind sarcasm. But no well placed retort ever came. The fact that she hadn't said anything made him feel even worse. He knew how much she must have been hurt by his words if she couldn't find any of her own. Who ever said that silence was golden was an idiot.

----

"Jesus, Daniel what the hell is wrong with you." Liz backed away from him angrily. "What the fuck would posses you to talk to her like that?"

"I told you. I was so horrible to her. She didn't speak a word to me after that. I didn't know that she had even left for Atlantis until Cam told me two days after they left."

"Can you really blame her?"

He finally gathered the courage to look her in the eyes and wondered briefly if her abilities included looks that could kill. Cause she was sure as hell giving him one.

She gasped. Daniel had a broken expression and she could swear there were tears in his eyes. Her expression softened.

"Daniel, you're in for a hard time when we get there. I don't even have to know Vala well to tell you that. But what I will tell you is this: If she loves you as much as you love her, you will eventually be okay. You were horrible and it's gonna take a lot of work. I hope it's worth it."

"It is Liz."

"Is it really though Daniel? Tell me are you gonna go running the next time you feel so strongly? Not many people are lucky enough to get a second chance at love; let alone a first chance. You of all people should understand me when I say that a chance like that is once in a lifetime. Some of us should only be that lucky."

This time it was Liz who had tears in her eyes. He quickly enveloped her in a hug.

"You'll get yours Liz."

"I don't think so Daniel." She mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm damaged goods. I have two kids. I have abilities that would make most men turn and run the other way."

"That doesn't make a difference."

"To someone like you it wouldn't Daniel." She told him as she dislodged herself from his arms and swiped angrily at her tears. After the twins were born she swore that she wouldn't cry any more.

"You have to believe it Liz. Otherwise you'll give up on it."

"I don't know if I can ever put myself on the line like that ever again. Michael and I were together for what seemed like a lifetime. We went to hell and back. I stayed with him even when I shouldn't have. And it's not like I can go sharing with just anyone what I am."

He hugged her again. "You're an amazing woman Liz. Hell If I didn't love Vala-"

"If you don't want me to hurt you, you won't finish that sentence Daniel. Now get outta here." She laughed as she pushed him towards the door. "Go think about how you're gonna get your woman back." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and pushed him out of her quarters.

----

She hadn't really badgered Cameron about it until now; just before they were due to arrive in Atlantis.

----

They were taking a break from sparring. She sat to his left and he passed her a water bottle. This had become a daily ritual for them since Cam had learned that she could fight. Ashley had let it slip-who was she kidding he did it on purpose- on their second night on the Concordia. Cam had hauled -yes hauled, there was kicking and screaming- her off to the gym with him the following morning. He had been shocked by how good she was. Liz explained that Ashley, the Antarian High Council and Michael had more than made sure that she could defend herself mentally and physically. She received countless hours of physical, mental and weapons training. After all shouldn't the second highest ranking military officer be able to do everything that was expected of her troops?

"Cam?"

"Hm?"

"What happened with you and Sam? How come you guys barely spoke before she left?"

"Um,"

She shook her head at him. "I'm just curious and nothing you say to me is gonna go any further than this room. If it makes you feel any better I already got Daniel." She told him with a smile.

"It doesn't but thanks."

She hit his shoulder with her own. "C'mon. I'm serious. Tell me what happened."

He pulled his knees up so that he could rest his head on them. "I'm not sure exactly. After we came back, I kept having these dreams."

She had heard Daniel say the same thing. After her conversation with Daniel, she had cornered Teal'c and simply asked him if the dreams were actually memories. He merely smirked at her, bowed his head and replied 'Indeed.'

"Dreams?"

"Of Sam and I. They felt so real. And they just kept getting more and more intense. Being around her became almost suffocating."

"How so?"

"I couldn't look at her with seeing some of them flash through my head. Being around her and not being able to do what I wanted to do started taking its toll on me. I started avoiding her."

"Yeah I heard."

He glanced up at her curiously. "From who?"

"Jack."

Now he was confused. "The General?"

"Yep. He mentioned something about all of you wandering around like puppies who had been kicked. His words not mine."

"You seriously discussed this with General O'Neill." He couldn't believe that Liz had, had that kind of discussion with the General; with Sam's ex.

"Well it's not like I could really talk with anyone else."

"C'mon Carter, the General?"

"Does it bother you because he's your boss or because he's Sam's ex?"

"Both."

"I see. Well anyhow, we're getting off topic. So you started avoiding her?"

His head went back to his knees. "Yep. I avoided team nights. I avoided being alone with her."

"And?"

"IwentonasmanydatesasIcouldtogetmymindoffofher."

"Huh?"

"I went on as many dates as I could to get my mind off of her. I kept hoping that these feelings would go away."

"But they didn't?"

"You know they didn't. I've been head over heels for her for a long time now."

"How long?"

"Since the Academy," he mumbled.

"Why haven't you ever acted on them?"

"Back then it was because she was one of my best friends. It seemed like she didn't see me that way. And she was with that Frankie guy for a long time. While she was at Area 51 it was because she had been seeing the General. Now I suppose it's because of the rules."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Oh come off it Cameron. It can't simply be because of the rules that you hide from her."

Damn this girl was good. Who knew such a small frame could hold such a powerhouse?

"She doesn't need someone like me. I'm a hot headed, loose lipped, pain in the ass."

"So?"

"So I'm no good for her. She deserves better than me. Always has."

It never occurred to her that Cam saw himself as unworthy of her sister's love. If he only knew just how deep Sam's feelings for him ran. "What if she didn't want better than you?"

He shook his head. "She has to."

"But she doesn't." It was the truth. Even when Sam had been engaged to Frankie, she confided in her that she didn't feel as much as she should for him. And when she dated Jack, well it was obvious that the chemistry stopped at friendship. And she was the ONLY one who knew just how much Sam really cared for Cam. She was really good at hiding it. Even if she couldn't be with Cam, she said that having him around on a daily basis would have to be enough.

He searched her eyes for anything to tell him that she was toying with him. He couldn't help the feeling of hope that settled in his chest. It seemed that Liz knew something he didn't. What if Sam really did feel something for him in return? "How would you know?"

"I just do."

"Well that's reassuring." He bit back sarcastically. "Unfortunately that still doesn't change the fact that there are regs."

Her response was automatic. "Fuck the regs."

She was met with a shocked expression.

"What?"

"I said fuck the regs. If you love her so much, isn't it worth fighting for?"

He nodded slightly.

"So then you do what needs to be done to keep it off base then. Nothing more nothing less."

"I'm not sure that's even possible anymore. I ignored her for weeks and didn't even say goodbye."

"So then you'll just have to kiss some serious ass and convince her it's worth it. Trust me. Love is worth fighting for. You're lucky to have it." She told him with a wistful expression in her eyes.

He heard the tone in her voice change. "God Liz. I'm sorry. Here I am droning on about my problems and you.."

"I am fine. Michael's been gone a long time now. If the Gods had meant us to be together, than we would have been. Our time was short but he left me with two of the most amazing gifts I will ever have in my life. And if I'm only meant to see them through this crazy journey we call life, then so be it."

"You are like your sister you know." He told her with a smile.

"Oh yeah. How's that?"

"You're both gorgeous as hell and so smart it's scary."

She smirked at him. "Gorgeous huh?"

"Yep. But unfortunately for you I prefer blondes."

He got up and offered his hand to her. She stood and faced him. He seemed a little bit more confident than she had yet to see him. She sent a silent prayer to the Gods that her 'pep talk' had helped him. Both he and Sam deserved to be happy. And she really wanted to see them happy together. "Thanks Liz." He gave her a peck on the check and left the gym.

----