Wed. Oct. 22, 2007

San Diego Star

Kathrine Carter: 35

Mark Carter: 37

Friday, Kathrine and Mark Carter,

of San Diego, were killed in a head on

collision with a construction barricade,

while on their way to the hospital.

Surviving family members include;

Marks sister Colonel Samantha Carter,

Kathrine and Mark's children :

Jennafer, Alison, and Charles Carter, as well as

Kathrine's parents, Jerome and Tabatha Foreman.

Funeral services will be held at

St. Cristina's Cathedral on Monday at Noon

Alison read over the obituary three times. Thirteen lines, that's all there was to commemorate her parents death. Alison threw down the paper and stormed out of the kitchen leaving a bewildered aunt in her wake. Sam watched the sudden outburst and sighed.

"Aunt Sam, why is Ali angry?" Jenna asked through her mouth-full of toast. Sam looked at her youngest niece.

"I'm not sure sweetie." Sam turned back to the baby in her arms. Last night had been much easier than his first night home, at least now Sam was getting the hang of this whole motherhood job. Sam never knew that such a small being could produce so much noise. Sam was so grateful that Jack had agreed to stay with her at the Carter house, without him Sam didn't know how she would still be sane.

Sam was completely baffled. She had tried feeding, burping and changing Charlie, but still he kept on crying. Sam didn't know what to do, so reluctantly she carried Charlie down the hall to the guest room that Jack was staying in, and walked in. Jack immediately sat up and got out of bed.

"I'm so sorry for waking you sir, but I don't know what to do any more. I've tried feeding him, changing him, burping him and nothing's working." Sam was almost to the point of tears and Jack could tell.

"Give him here." Sam readily handed over the wailing infant. Jack turned the boy onto his stomach and began to rub circles on his back. Almost instantaneously Charlie stopped crying. Sam was floored.

"How did you do that?" Sam asked. Jack just shrugged.

"I don't know, I used to do this to my Charlie and always had the same reaction. Why don't you go back to bed and I'll put him back down, you look like you're about to fall over." Sam smiled and as she turned to walk out, Jack gently put a hand on her shoulder and she turned back toward him. Jack placed a gentle kiss on her lips and bade her goodnight. Sam left the room with a wide, tired smile on her face.

"Good Morning Sam." Jack said cheerily. Sam just chuckled, she still wasn't used to seeing her commanding officer looking this happy. Jack walked over to Sam's side and kissed the top of her head.

"Sleep well?" Jack asked.

"Yes, sir." Jack just smiled at her calling him, apparently old habits really do die hard.

"What was up with Alison, she practically ran me over as I was walking in here." Jack asked.

"I'm not sure, she was reading the paper, when all of the sudden she threw it down and stomped out of the room." Sam replied. Jack picked up the newspaper that was laying on the table and began to look for what ever it was that got Ali so upset. There it was, at the bottom corner of the page. Her parents obituary.

"I figured it out, the obituary is at the bottom of the page. I'm gonna go talk to her. Teal'c and Danny-boy should be here soon."

Jack softly knocked on Alison's door and awaited an answer.

"Come in." Alison was sitting on her bed, with a sketch book in her lap. Jack sat down next to her and looked at the drawing, it was a picture of a young woman crying. Even though the subject was quite sad, Alison's drawing was amazing.

"Wow, you're a very talented young woman Alison Carter, very talented." Alison just smiled.

"Thanks, my mom taught me. She was the best artist I ever knew. All of the paintings in the house, mom painted, along with most of the pictures of us." Alison's face grew somber.

"What happened down stairs just a little while ago. I know you were reading the obituary." Jack said softly.

"It isn't right, all they get to remember them is thirteen lines on the bottom of the back page of the newspaper. My mom and Dad did so much for so many people and all they get is thirteen measly lines. They deserve more than that Jack!"

"I know how you feel Ali. When my son died, he didn't even get that. My ex- wife wouldn't even let me post an obituary." Ali looked at Jack wide-eyed.

"Why the hell would she do that?"

"She thought it was too great of an embarrassment that our son died because he got to my personal weapon." Alison gasped.

"How? What happened? I mean, if it bothers you, you don't have to say anything." Alison remedied quickly. Jack just shook his head.

"No, you guys will end up knowing anyways so I might as well tell you now. I was outside with my wife looking at some photos when we heard a gun shot come from upstairs." Jack took a deep breath. "By the time the paramedics got there he had bled so much there was nothing they could do. My wife was so broken, she didn't speak for days. She even refused to go to the funeral. When I got back from one of my assignment the next month she was gone."

Alison looked at Jack.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How did you cope. I have to make an extreme effort just to get out of bed in the morning, most of the time I just want to curl into a ball and never face the world again." Jack wrapped his arm around Ali's shoulders.

"Well, I didn't really cope at all. I went on the first suicide mission the Air Force sent my way. I figured that I wouldn't make it back home. That's when I met Daniel, he made me realize that even though it seems like the world was going to end, it won't, all you can do is keep living. If not for yourself, then for the person you lost." Jack looked down at Ali's head resting on his shoulder.

"I don't think I can do that Jack. Everything seems so wrong. I keep waking up expecting to walk down stairs to find my mom making breakfast. To se my dad at the table reading the newspaper, or some report for work. And then I realize that I won't ever see them again, and it kills me all over."

"I know, but after a while, your expectations change. Your mind begins to accept that change, and it gets easier to wake up and live." Ali took a deep breath.

"I guess I can handle with that explanation." Ali said sadly

"Just give yourself time, okay." Jack said softly. Ali nodded and sat up.

"How about we go and get some food huh? Jack asked as Alison's stomach began to rumble.

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

A/N, link to the picture Ali's drawing is on my profile