THE HERE AND NOW

Chapter 42

"WHO IS O'NEILL?"

"Jack?"

A female voice?

"Wake up Jack, we are going to be late again"

Who was she?

"I'm leaving now Jack, see you at the base okay? I left fresh coffee and some donuts on the kitchen"

Soft lips pressed down on his right cheek, a warm and heart felt good bye, a kiss that a wife would give her husband, but they were not married, his hand didn't have a ring on the ring finger, opening his eyes he could see her in a blur, blond hair.

"C-Carter?"

His voice croaks out and the figure turns to face him, her smiled is the Same but her hair is long and held up in a tight pony tail, she is Carter all right but this is all wrong.

"Since when am I Carter when I'm at your house?"

His house? Yes he could feel the sheets underneath him and the smell was of his home, but it was mixed it was laced with her own scent and it worried him, this was not how things were.

"W-what?"

She gave him a strange look then smiled her dazzling smile, the smile that always took his breath away and made his day, the smiled that could lift his spirits and make him feel like everything was possible. This was not Carter, she was no soldier right now, she was not his second in command, she was Sam.

"I don't have time to play Jack, ill see you on base okay? Love ya bye!"

With those words she smiled and walked out of his bedroom, opening his eyes Jack looked around the room and frowned, this was wrong, everything was wrong, pictures of her and of himself were every were, one was of his embracing her from behind kissing her neck while she smiled playfully at the camera. Taking a deep breath he tried to clear the last cobwebs from his head and try to make sense of everything, recalling his memories he found them to be quite disturbing and yet they gave him nothing, if anything they only served to confused him even more, if he had had a fight with Carter then what was she doing on his room? Standing up he rushed to the bathroom and both his suspicions and confusion grew more and more, the bathroom was filled with everything a woman would need to fulfill her needs, it seem that Sam had made herself right at home.

"No…I fought with her….this can't be…"

Everything was different, he had a fight with Carter a big one, she shouldn't be waking him up in the morning or calling him Jack, she shouldn't even be here with him, hell the last discussion they had was about how he wanted nothing to do with her, so how did they reached this point? Something was wrong, this was not right quickly going to the bathroom he took a shower, got dressed and rushed out of the house. The more he had looked around the house and had thought about it he knew that this was not his world, whatever happened it had landed him on another place and another time, he had gone through the gate with Teal'c which meant that maybe something happened during the transition from point A to point B, getting into his car he frowned when he saw his beloved truck replaced by a small sports car, whatever this place was it was getting weirder and weirder by the minute. But he had a guess as to what had happened, either something had gone wrong with the star gate or this was all part of the Furling is test, he smiled if this was it then all he had to do was figure it out.

"So you're not that dense after all"

Looking to the passenger sit of the small car he had gotten into, he saw a woman with dark brown hair smiling at him, or if he could read her right she was smirking.

"Who are you?"

Something about her made him tense up, she was not human that was clear from the beginning, but she wasn't Furling or Nox, no she was something else, something else entirely.

"You love her"

She turned her head and nodded to the front of the car, following her gaze Jack saw Sam standing in front of the car with a smile on her face, glaring at the woman beside him he saw the frown on her face.

"Is something wrong?"

"You're an ancient, I don't like ancients"

The woman frowned and everything around Jack vanished, he was left standing in front of the woman a startled look on her face, she was surprised and Jack didn't have the slightest clue as to why, she had been the one to approach him and now she was looking at him as if he had grown a new head or something. The ancient had been prepared to deal this human a pretty intriguing test but somehow the tables had been turned on her, this man's will power was nothing to be messed with.

"How did you…"

Jack could see the confusion and worry in the woman, something was wrong here, it was as if she was surprised or scared of him, but that couldn't be, well not unless she had gone meddling inside his head, then she would be surprised, half the stuff he kept inside was not kid friendly. Dark memories and emotions always surrounded his mind, especially when he was under pressure; it was a technique he had learned when in black ops, if you think the worst outcome of something the real outcome will not be so devastating once it came.

"Look lady, I don't have time to play with you, I have a meeting with some fur balls in Othalla so if you could send me back"

He was unaware of what he had done, of what he had become, if it were not for the fact that he was standing before her she wouldn't of believe that such being could exist, she believed that Anubis had been the only one to achieve such a goal, but she was wrong, Jack O'Neill had become an ascended being.

"You lack the discipline and are still very young…but you are magnificent"

"Lady please, I can't miss this meeting"

She was about to respond but everything changed once more, they were in the great Asgard hall, the Ancient looked at her surroundings and frowned, he was doing it unconsciously, as a reflex but what was more surprising was the fact that he was unaware of what he had done, or of what had transpired. This man didn't just have their gene or some of their genetic makeup, something had happened, something had changed him into being what he now was, Daniel lacked the gene, and the evolutionary step but his mind, his essence had been ready to ascend, Jack's own had not follow, something within him rejected the idea of ascending.

"O'Neill? Oma Desala? What is he meaning of this?"

The Nox looked at them and Jack smiled and waved, at least he had not been late for the meeting, Thor looked at the woman beside Jack and made a small glare, Jack had been expected to arrive trough the star gate and not for another 3 hours, and yet he was in the great hall and his companion was no were in sight. The Nox beside the Asgard closed his eyes and frowned at what he felt, they were being watched by ancients, a lot of them.

"Anteaus, sorry I'm late but had a slight detour"

He pointed at the woman beside that now stood behind him and frowned, looking around he couldn't see Teal'c or any of the others, it was as if he had arrived early or something.

"You are early O'Neill, we did not expect you to be so early"

Jack frowned and then was subtly lead away from the ancient woman, he glanced back and saw that Anteaus had approached her with a not to happy expression on his face, Thor talked to him and his attention was diverted back to the Asgard before him. Thor had seen the look on Anteaus and had recognized it immediately, he had sensed something in the area, and with Oma here the Asgard knew that the ancients had taken noticed of their gathering. The Nox looked at Oma and frowned, the expression on the little man didn't sit well with her, sure she had meddle in there affairs but she had been curious.

"What did you bring them into this?"

Oma frowned and knew why the little Nox was upset, they had come, she had in avertedly showed the others what O'Neill was capable off and they were interested.

"I didn't know I…"

"It is of no consequence, but why did you take him?"

For now any way, the Nox had other things to worry about, like the fact that they were being watched by the honored guest, the one whom would decide the fate of this alliance and the re birth of their alliance.

"Curiosity"

The statement was simple and far more complex than the little Nox wanted to admit, the ancient always had a nasty habit of making difficult situations worse than they were, now with the others witnessing this gathering he didn't know if they would meddle in there affairs or stay out them. They always acted in a way that would benefit them and hinder the rest.

"Is your curiosity satisfied?"

"It is quite the opposite actually"

"She meddles to much in affairs that should no longer be of any concern to your kind"

A voice boomed from the top of the hall, a voice that had not been heard for a millennia had finally arrived and was making its presence known, the huge being was covered with silver fur that covered his whole body, it stood on hind legs and a long tail swished behind him, yellow eyes looked at the two figures as a huge smile plastered on his muzzle face. In an instant the figure jumped from the upper level of the hall and landed before the ancient and the Nox.

"Garou"

"Oma it's been a long time"

The ancient frowned at the were wolf before her, the creatures that still dominated much of the outer regions had actually come to rejoin the new alliance that was being created, it was surprising that they would be interested in a human, but then again she had been interested in one also, so why not them, the question had been why O'Neill and until recently she didn't know why him, but now after a face to face encounter she understood why he was so interesting.

"We did not come to fight, we came for peace or have you forgotten"

Garou looked at the little Nox and nodded, he hadn't forgotten why he had come, but he didn't not want the ancients here, there meddling was always to gain something or to stop someone from gaining knowledge, they had deemed themselves the judges of the worlds and beings, perhaps that is why they were here, to impose their judgment on their decision to form a new alliance and once again bring order to the universe.

"They are not welcomed"

Suddenly a small cloud gathered and lighting struck the floor, within the smoldering crater emerged an ancient, but one unlike Oma, his whole body glowed, only his face remained perfectly visible. Anteaus looked at the ancient and frowned, this is exactly the kind of thing they didn't need right now, the ancient had declared themselves as a none intrusive race, yet here they were meddling in physical realm affairs. The massive werewolf looking creature let out a small growl and the Nox frowned, if there was one thing the Furling were known for was there short and bad temper. This situation could escalate into a fight, a fight that could ruin everything, O'Neill was counting on this meeting to gain support for his troops who still battle the wraith in the far corners of the Pegasus galaxy.

If the alliance was successful then every race would unite the battle against one enemy, this would give provide the humans with much needed assistance since they had been the ones holding the front lines since the war had began, they had kept the universe safe from both the Goa'uld and Wraith, they deserve to be heard and to ask for aid, if not for their efforts the whole universe would be dominated by some tyrant or be completely destroyed.

"Enough!"

The small alien is voice carried a warning behind, one that had not been heard in a long, long time, a time were the Nox were not the peace loving beings they were now, no that command had come from a Nox that had been a warrior once.

"Anteaus…I thought the Nox warriors were extinct"

"You thought wrong"

There was a warning behind the small Nox is eyes, one that told them his patience was running out. The Furling looked at the two ancients before him and glared hard, they were and undesired presence in this meeting, they had done nothing but let the universe become chaotic and destructive, so they should have no say in this.

"We are of the ancient alliance are we not?"

They were, but that did not mean that they could come in and demand a seat in this proceedings, they had made their choice of keeping out of physical beings is affairs, so why now? Why come to jeopardize a new alliance that could bring order to the universe? It didn't make sense. The Furling growled at the statement but the Nox simply turned and inquisitive look towards the two ancients.

"Your rules dictated that you no longer meddle in our affairs do they not?"

"This is different, that human…he is no ordinary being"

"So you have notice"

Thor strode into the room and smiled, the Furling is eyes went wide in surprise, this was an Asgard? But he did not look like one. Sensing the unasked question the Asgard smiled and waved at the Furling.

"Many things have changed since our last meeting my old friend"

"Thor?…h-how is this possible?"

"O'Neill, the human that lead earthlings to the stars, the one who defied a would be god and declared war on its kind, the one who battle a plague of metallic monsters and live to aid us in our times of need, he is the one they speak of, the one you have come to meet and the one whom alongside his people had held of the wraith from advancing on this galaxy"

The Furling nodded in understanding, the human he had come to meet, the one who would be judge had been the one to aid an old friend, a human whose resolve had lead a team of human to succeed were many other had failed.

"You speak so highly of him Thor"

"He and his team, he and the humans whom he served alongside and whom he now commands have all risked their lives to safe guard what was once our responsibility, it is only fair we show them some respect, for they have earned it"

The whole room went silent and Thor glanced at the beings before him, three of the most powerful races in the universe all together and what happened? They acted like children, closing his eyes he looks at Anteaus who nods, this had gone long enough, they needed to clear thing up and to accommodate the ancients whom despite protest they were going to be present in there gathering. The wolf like being looked at the glowing ancient and the humanoid one with distaste, there was no arguing with a race that felt superior to them so he simply nodded and walked away from them, there was no need to waste words on them when the choice had already been made.

Thor was always a politician and so was the Nox, the two were always the peace makers and the ones who sought out peace resolutions to any conflict that they might have within there once powerful alliance, so he would let them do their little dance and in the end he would see just why the ancients were really here, he didn't believe that this was all because of curiosity, no there was more to this than meet the eye, they were up to something and the human was the one who was in danger here, something about him worried the ancients and he was determined to find out what.

"Always the stubborn one"

"That might be so, but his points are valid and I sense that you are hiding something, something that concerns you a great deal"

The glowing ancient looked at Anteaus trying to read him, but a smile from the Nox told him that it wouldn't be such a good idea to do what he was planning on doing, if there was one race in the whole world that could stand up to the ascended beings it would be the Nox, the small little man knew this and that gave him every right to defy the arrogant race before him.

"We will not interfere in your doings, we only wish to observe and be a part of your decision, we were once part of an alliance were we not?"

"You were, and still are welcome to participate in our doings, but up to a certain point we will draw the line, Is that understood?"

The glowing being nodded and vanished in a swirl of lights, the only ones left were Oma, Thor and Anteaus, the Asgard looked at the Nox with troubling eyes and the Nox nodded in confirmation, this meeting had just gotten more complicated and dangerous, there old allies were deceptive and had certain ways to assert their power when it needed to be done, like wiping out an entire planet just so that they wouldn't be able to use their technology.

"I must apologize if it were not for my…"

"Why the interest on O'Neill?"

The two ancient simply smiled and vanished, the answers would be coming soon, but not right now, they needed to discuss what had happened and Oma Desala needed to explain her actions once again. Thor looked at Nox and frowned, there was no way to stop them from attending there meeting, Anteaus looked at the Asgard and nodded, if the ancient were going to attend then there new preparations needed to be done.

"Were is O'Neill?"

"He is going trough last minute preparations with the others"

"We must keep out eyes on him, whatever the ancients have discovered will be bad for us"

"I agree"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EARTH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Samantha Carter looked at the files before her and frowned, so much work to do and so many questions running around in her head, Jack is voice kept echoing in her mind, telling her truths she had hidden or had denied for a long, long time. She had hidden so much from Jack; kept her love for him so well that she had started living a lie, taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and lower her head towards the desk before her, Jack was right she had given up long before he had and now she had no way of getting him back.

"He will be all right you know"

Hailey is voice rang out from the other side of the lab and Sam frowned, how could she have forgotten about Hailey? Was she that distracted?

"Hailey, please not now"

"Oh? Why not? I know your worried I am worried to, but they'll be all right"

"Do you ever wish that things could be different? You like if you could go into the past and change something would you do it?"

Hailey and smiled, yeah she always wished that she could go back and focus more on her classes and maybe that way get into the SGA earlier, or not dating that jerk cadet when she was in school or an infinity of different things she could change. Looking at Sam however she knew that Sam was talking about something else; Something deeper than just fixing minor details.

"T-this is about Jack right?"

"…..not just about Jack….w-we just god I screwed up everything"

"wow, wow Sam, what is going on?"

The despair she heard on the older woman made Hailey worried, it was for one thing to be concern about Jack and Teal'c, but there was something more to that sorrow, she could hear it behind her voice, something had happened between Jack and Sam and that had hurt the woman. Walking over to where Sam was sitting she could see the tears falling down her face and now knew why she had asked that question.

"I-I just wish….god I lost him Hailey…I lost him and I…"

"H-hey calm down, tell me what happened"

Slowly she embraced Sam in a hug and Sam is body began to be hit with one sob after another, her tears falling freely now Sam knew that she had to tell her something, she needed to get her this off her chest or it was going to destroy her, it was already eating her from within, everything Jack had said had its share of truth but he, he didn't understand that she was trying to move on to forget him before it got to complicated. She had tried to hard to forget about him, to get him out of her heart but he refused to stay out and she refused to let him leave, if only he understood that she was not as strong as he was.

"I love Jack"

Hailey smiled and nodded, she already knew that part, since the moment they had gotten stuck on that planet when she had first went to the other word and General O'Neill was willing to sacrifice himself for them she knew because she had seen her, she had seen the pained expression on her face when the Colonel made the decision, she had seen the way her eyes pleaded with him to think about what he was doing, to not go through with it. Samantha Carter was always afraid to lose Jack O'Neill, nothing was going to change that. Which is why she was surprised to hear that Sam had gotten married and was surprised to see Jack dealing with it so well.

"I know that, duh, I also know he loves you"

Sam pulled away from Hailey and frowned at her, how did she know? How could se say that?

"No….maybe he did, but not anymore"

Hailey shock her head and took a deep breath.

"You know how I know? It's because I asked him"

"WHAT?"

"I asked him…."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHALLA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack looked at the codes running around the central computer on the mainframe and frowned, he had arrived at earlier than expected, what worried him was that he had left the SGA just in time so there should have been no time delay or advancement in his arrival time. Something was wrong, that ancient had done something, aside from reminding him of what could have been with Sam she had been studying him, she had been watching him closely and something within his mind was telling him that it was all wrong. The ancient had something up her sleeve and he was going to figure out what she wanted from him.

"Something wrong O'Neill?"

"I am worried about the ancient"

Lia looked at him studying the coded figure and frowned, the way he was studying the screen was telling her just how much the little confrontation had unnerved and concern him a lot more than she had first thought, his hands were flying from one stone to another from one key on the holos-screen to another while his eyes ran over every single bits of data. Jack is hardened when he saw something in the Asgard is database; there it was the thing he was looking for.

"Jack?"

"They want to interfere…damn them"

Lia looked at the screen and frowned, ancient rules and guide lines from the first treaty were displayed, the ancient rules and the old treaty still applied and with the ancients calling in their presence in this matter the old laws applied, this had turned from making one new treaty to Jack vouching for membership status. Jack glared and slammed his fist into the board before him, if this failed then they failed, he failed, without the help of the other races the wraith were going to win the war.

"Jack please relax, I am sure"

"No, Lia, you do not understand, I seen what they are capable off when they don't want someone to succeed"

"But you were alone then, this is not the case now"

"But you four are bound to follow the treaty is rules, I need to study this, I need to find a loop hole or something if I don't they ancient will dictate our treaty is rules"

"I think you over obsessing"

"I am not, the ancients are up to something and I can't let them interfere"

Lia wanted to continue to talk to him but he refused and simply walked off. In the mood he was in Lia knew that she wouldn't be able to reason with him, it was better to let him cool off. There was no talking to him when he was like this. Jack simply walked off and Lia shock her head, if Jack was right then there was no telling what the ancients wanted from this meeting, or why they had taken noticed, they were always closed off from them even back when they had first created there alliance they always kept to themselves.

"Is he all right?"

Lia shock her head, and the Asgard frowned, there was no way that he was going to be ok, not when he knew that the stakes had been set higher than they had been before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EARTH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you mean you asked him?"

Sam was furious no, scratch that she was beyond furious, she had expected some form of meddling from someone, but from her never, she had been the first to point out that they should just leave Jack alone so why would she be involved, why now? She had been so damn insistent on them not pursuing Jack and that is exactly what she had done. Hailey saw the reaction she was getting from Sam and frowned; she knew exactly what the woman was thinking and she didn't like it, she wasn't like it, she respected the General is private life and knew that his love life or any of his other aspects were none of her business, not if he wanted to keep them private that is.

"It's not what you think Sam"

"It isn't? oh then please tell me how it is Hailey, since you seem to know the man a lot more than his friends do!"

Hailey frowned, Sam was hurt and angry and right now she was the focus of that rage, frowning she closed her eyes, when she had first approached the General it had been out of pure curiosity, all she wanted to do was asked him a few questions and tell him that she cared about what happened to him, she had never expected the General to open up to her like he had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASH BACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Working late again?"

Jack smiled when her snap up to attention, he loved sneaking up her, she always went all nervous. to be truthfully he hadn't planned on stopping by but when he noticed her in the lab curiosity had gotten the best of him, she was not schedule to work late, well not that late any ways.

"Sir?…working late again?"

He looking up from her desk she smiled when he shrugged, she smiled and shook her head, there was always something about the General that made her feel at easy it was as if she wasn't talking to her superior but to an uncle or grandfather.

"Yeah just needed to tend to some last minute business"

"Really?"

Jack smiled when she gave him a skeptical look, closing his eyes he groaned and sat down on one of the nearby stalls, there was no hiding things from her, she always saw right trough him.

"Escaping from paper work, you know how boring that stuff is"

"Tell me about it sir"

She pointed at a bunch on files stacked up on her desk, Jack smiled.

"You should put that assistant of yours to work"

She smiled and was about to respond when she saw the faraway look on his face, there was something there, a pain mixed in with that look, one that she had not seen on him in a long, long time.

"Is everything all right?"

She was hesitant to ask him, but she knew she had to at least try to get him to open up a bit more, something told her that he needed a friend right now.

"No…I…damn…I should go"

What the hell was he thinking coming to talk to her about this, she didn't know the history between him and Jack so how was she supposed to help him? Closing his eyes he wished he had more friends to rely on that just the close nit group he had build up in the mountain, in times like this they could become handy. He wanted to talk about him and Sam, he wanted to talk to someone who didn't know them, who wouldn't take sides or see the point of view from the other person, hell, all he wanted was for someone to understand and as if the last little discussion he had had with his friends he knew that none of them did, they didn't know where he was coming from.

They didn't know how difficult it was to speak about the subject, didn't know how hard it was when they took her side, or when they didn't support him in his actions, he needed a friend and so far all of them had let him down. They were always seeing Sam and Jack, they never took the time to just noticed Jack, the guy who needed some help in dealing with a situation that he had no control over, one that always threw him off balance.

"Is it about Sam?"

Jack froze and Hailey frowned, this was about Sam again, why did that woman have so much control over their lives? Just a couple of months back and the once happy group of friend was shattering before her eyes, the once group who considered themselves family were distant now and whenever they got together there was always this awkwardness that wouldn't leave them to enjoy the evening.

"Its seem it always is"

"Why is that?"

The General looked back at her and could see the genuine confusion on her face, she was really wondering why and now that he thought about it he didn't understand it either.

"I don't know, I guess it's because of me"

"Because of you?"

"Yeah, well because of how I fee…felt towards her"

She nodded in understanding, he couldn't come right out and say it, no, the General was much too stubborn for that, if he would ever say those words then the pain would become real. He always avoided saying how he felt about Sam because it was a defense mechanism; there was real pain if his emotions were never out there.

"Just because of that? I doubt it"

"Heh…I think it's more the fact that we became to close all of us I mean"

"So that is why she affects you so much? Sir with all due respect that's nuts"

"When you been through what we have been trough it make a lot of sense actually"

Hailey shock her head and sat down in the stall that was right next to his.

"No. I am not talking about that. I am talking about you all letting her effect you this much, I mean I know you care for her, all of you do but why did things change?"

Jack took a deep breath and smiled, she was getting it, she wasn't taking sides, all she wanted to do was understand why they were acting they were they were, why Sam was having such an impact on their lives.

"Daniel he and Janet were always closer to her, Teal'c I don't think he sees her any differently, but those two yeah I can see why the act that way and it is my fault because they…they care for me and for her and think that we belong together"

"That was then…this is now so have they or haven't they?"

Had things really changed that much? Sure they had. They had all changed but at the Same time they had never had closure. She had just up and left and they had never really gotten to say their peace. She just up and left them and in turn they had closed off that chapter in their lives, they hadn't talked to about her or even brought her up on conversations. He smiled bitterly, once again it was back to him, they did this because they believed that he still loved her, that he still felt strong emotions for her and now that she was back they believed that the only way for him to be happy would be to be with her, how was that for twisted logic, but then again he hadn't dealt with the issue either.

"Actually I think they have"

He hurt, he had been hurt when she had first seen her but then the pain had lessen as time went by, the fact was that each time he saw her it hurt less and less, she was no longer the shearing pain in his heart instead it had dwindle down to a small ache that lessen as each day went by.

"So what is the problem then?"

"I don't know, but I think I know what I have to do"

Jack smiled and leaned down giving her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks for the help kid"

"Any time sir"

"Hailey?"

"Sorry Jack"

She smiled and he walked out of the room grinning, it was time for a long overdue talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ENDFLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be continued….

A BIG THANK YOU GO OUT TO CBass

Who took it upon herself to beta the whole darn story and send it to me big thanks to her and now that I have a beta the works will continue on