Chapter 7

Captain Charles "Charlie" O'Neill had returned home to see his family. He took a cab from the airport to his mother's home in Virginia. Dressed in his blue dress uniform with ribbon bars and insignia proudly displayed he came to the front door of her small ranch home. In the window of the door was a small rectangular flag with two stars in the center to indicate family in the service. He pushed the doorbell and waited.

The door swung open. His mother Sara stood before him wearing blue jeans and a red and white flannel shirt as she gasped upon seeing him. She didn't expect him to be home so early. She held back the tears as her hands covered her face in surprise, "Charlie!" She then grabbed him and held him tight.

"Hi Mom," he grinned as he hugged her.

"Get in here," she told him. "Why didn't you ring? The door was open."

"I wanted to surprise you," he told her following her inside the small home. "Is Jackie home?"

She nodded, "She's on leave." She led him into the kitchen. The house was decorated with a simply country theme. They passed an Air Force portrait of Jack's picture on the wall. Beside it was a display case with the American flag folded into a triangle and the awards that he won in service.

Charlie's eyes landed on his older sister sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. She had light brown hair and big brown eyes. She wore blue jeans with a white and purple flannel top. She looked up over the rim of her coffee cup.

"Charlie!" She quickly put the cup down and shot up from her seat to welcome him home. She wrapped her arms around him, "It's so good to see you again. I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I," her mother stated.

"I'm here on official business," he told them. "Have a seat," he motioned for both to sit down. Charlie took a seat at the table and placed his visor cap by his sister's coffee cup. He folded his hands and reached in his mind how to explain that his father was now alive. "Do you two know anything about quantum physics?"

Sara shook her head, "I know about real estate and how to sell a house."

"You mean quantum physics like particle displacement and that weird CERN project they are constructing?" his sister asked.

"That's exactly it," he nodded.

"All I know is what I have seen in science fiction movies," she admitted. "I briefly read a few articles on the CERN project but it's kind of beyond me. Why do you ask?"

"Well," he took a deep breath. "You know about the events in NY City, Thor and Asgard."

"I thought that was an elaborate hoax," she admitted.

"It wasn't a hoax," he shook his head. "We really did make contact through the Avengers and SHIELD."

"SHIELD is kind of shady," she warned. "I don't trust them."

"I don't trust them either but there are some good people there. Anyways, there is an Asgard artifact called 'Odin's Mirror' and Loki stole it from his father and brought it to Earth. He's back on Earth now but we don't know where. He's hooked up with Hydra."

Sara stated, "Charlie this classified information you are giving us."

"I know it is," he admitted. "The thing is this mirror has quantum capabilities and can open doorways to other realities. It opens doors to other versions of Earth."

Jackie asked, "Like that TV show, Sliders?"

"Exactly like that," he nodded. "On one version of Earth our Dad died in Iraq. In another version he didn't die in Iraq. Odin's Mirror activated and another version of our father came through. The mirror was damaged during a firefight with Hydra and this version of our father is stuck here."

Jackie gulped, "Are you saying that Dad is alive?"

"A version of him is alive here," he nodded.

Sara cried, "Jack is alive."

"Kind of," he cautioned.

Sara sucked in a breath as tears swelled up in her eyes, "I want to see him."

"You will," he assured her. "I am working with the deputy director of SHIELD to get us situated. We are moving to Colorado Springs. Dad will be working with SHIELD and the Avengers on another top secret project. I had Phil pull some favors and he had agreed to get Jackie transferred along with me out there. I asked him to see if he could get you a job as a contractor doing office work, Mom. This way we can all be in Colorado and see Dad."

Jackie rubbed her forehead, "Let me get this straight. Dad is alive and we are all moving to Colorado?"

Charlie nodded, "Yup."

"Oh wow," she sat in shock.

Meanwhile

Phil led the Avengers and SG-1 into the newly acquired base. To Jack it was like a trip through time to that first year of operation when Hammond was getting the Gate program set up to run for the complex was exactly the same.

Thor noted, "This complex is deep underground. It will make a good containment unit if your Gate gets out of hand."

"That's the idea," Jack told him. He like this version of Thor but preferred his version for his Thor simply seemed much smarter. This Thor was more along the lines of a warrior than a scientist. He wondered if perhaps Odin's forbidding of the Gate's use had caused Thor to be less educated in science. His Thor never spoke of Odin for that matter.

"I see," Thor agreed.

Tony mentioned, "Bruce if you let the big guy out down here and he won't break anything."

Bruce miffed, "Thanks."

Jack told Daniel as they walked the hall, "Wanna know what I would like to see?"

Daniel asked, "What?"

"Frasier verses the Hulk," he told him. "Who you think would win?"

"Obviously the Hulk," he rebutted.

"I think Frasier would win," he told him.

"How would Janet win against a giant green monster?" he then looked at Bruce's wincing expression. "Sorry about that."

"Giant needle," he proclaimed. "She would jam a sleeping pill into him."

Bruce asked, "Janet is a doctor?"

"Yup," Jack agreed.

"It would be nice to meet her someday," he told them.

"Someday," he agreed. They walked into the Gate Room and looked upon the newly installed Gate. Though the some of the symbols were different it was much like home to SG-1.

Daniel stated, "Now this is familiar."

Sam agreed, "Pretty close to our set up."

Phil Coulson walked out of the stairway leading to the control room. He sported his trademark black suit and looked ever so pleased. "I see you all made it!" he smiled upon his new project. He held a bag in one hand and seemed giddy with a surprise.

Jack asked, "What's in the bag?"

"I'm glad you asked," Phil told him. He then removed the uniform shirt he had designed just for the Star Gate Project. He unfolded the article and held it up for all to see. "I got you all new uniforms. What ya think?"

The uniform was a black battle dress uniform with a two patches on the sleeves. One patch had SHIELD in bold silver letters. The other patch was a knock off of SG-1 patch. It was round with a chevron. SGS-1 was boldly displayed in silver lettering.

"SGS-1?" asked Jack.

"Star Gate SHIELD -1," he explained. "SHIELD is running the program, not the Air Force. However, I got a surprise for you, Colonel. I recruited your kids to join."

Jack blinked, "Kids? I had a son."

"Your son and your daughter," he smiled.

"I don't have a daughter in my reality," he informed. "I had a son and he died as a child. I know he's alive here and I got to see him but I only had one kid."

"Well," he replied, "you had two kids here: Your son, Charlie and your daughter, Jackie." He then asked, "Would like to meet your daughter?"

Jack took a second and then agreed, "Yeah! I would like to meet her."

"Your wife will be working as my secretary," he mentioned.

Jack held up a hand, "Say what!"

"Your wife, Sara." he told him. "Your son arranged for her to work as my secretary. He thought you two would like to see each other again."

"She divorced me in my reality!" he balked.

Daniel stated, "Jack in this reality you died in Iraq leaving two grieving kids and a wife behind. To them this must be a miracle to have you back."

"It is?" he pondered.

Daniel nodded, "It is!"

Thor muttered, "And he thinks I'm dumb." For to Thor the perspective was obvious.

"Oh," Jack puckered, "new reality new family." he figured.

Sam noticed Tony was studying the Gate intently. She asked him, "Something to see, huh?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It will take me years of research to even scratch the surface of what this can do."

"You got me," she assured him. "I'm here to help."

"I appreciate that," he told her. He liked Sam; he liked her a lot and found she was likely the only human being on Earth who could actually understand half of what he spoke of. He also adored Pepper and now felt somewhat torn for if Pepper was not in his life he would be entertaining Sam in an effort to win her affections.

Next into the room was Captain Steve Rodgers with Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff who arrived prior. The three all donned the new uniforms for the project. Natasha had placed her long red hair up above the collar in military style. She smiled as she neared SG-1 and the other Avengers.

"I see you made it," she cheered. She then admitted, "I like the new uniforms. They are very comfortable. What ya think?"

Jack squinted as he spotted her patch. It read in bold letters, "SGA-1". He asked, "Why is her patch different?"

Phil told him, "The Avengers all have an 'A' on their patch. She's Star Gate Avengers' team one."

He puckered, "Avengers has a nicer ring to it than shield."

Sam gasped, "You are going to have SG team One for the Avengers and an SG team One for SHIELD?"

Phil nodded, "The Avengers are in a subcategory due to their unique position. With the exception of Mr. Stark many are modified and have exceptional abilities."

"If that was the case than Teal'c would be on the Avengers' team as well," she balked.

Phil pondered, "I suppose you have a point there." He asked Teal'c, "Would you like to join the Avengers?"

Teal'c stood perplexed, "Is SG-1 not an Avenger?"

Phil pondered, "I suppose you are right too." He figured, "I will place your team under the Avengers title."

Jack cheered, "Cool! I can be an Avenger."

Daniel rolled his eyes for whole situation was like something out of a comic book for him and naturally Jack wanted to be on the side of the superheroes.

Tony spoke up, "If he gets to be an Avenger then I want to be SG-1 from the mirror."

Daniel noticed many similarities between Tony and Jack. They could both act rather childish at time. His head rolled back as he complained, "Oh god."

"What?" Tony asked him. "SG-1 has a nice ring to it. It's like superheroes from a comic book."

Jack told him, "Ya know Avengers are kind of the same way."

Tony agreed, "Kind of is, isn't it? Ya' know I can see a comic book for SG-1. I would call it Star Gate SG-1. I would have it based on your four and your adventures through the Gate. Sounds cool, huh?"

Jack pondered, "I suppose. That or a TV show."

Tony added, "Both! And a cartoon…Maybe a movie! The possibilities are endless."

Jack asked, "You ever watch cartoons, Stark?"

"Not really but once in a while I'll kill a few brain cells with one." he admitted.

Jack asked, "Which one?"

"Um," he didn't wish to say before his friends. "It doesn't matter," he waved it off.

Jack motioned for him to step closer, "Which cartoon?"

Tony whispered in his ear.

"Good taste," he told him.

Daniel sighed heavily and asked, "Did you find someone to watch the Simpson's with, Jack?"

Jack merely smiled.

Clint Barton stated, "I like the Simpson's."

Jack cheered, "See Daniel! It's not that stupid."

Clint told him, "It's stupid but it's fun to watch." He asked Daniel, "You watch TV?"

"No," he shook his head adamantly.

Steve mentioned, "The only two who owned a TV out of the four is Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c. I noticed that when I went into your apartments."

"You mean when broke into our apartments," Jack snorted.

"You door was unlocked," he rebutted.

Daniel mentioned, "You really should start locking your door, Jack."

"He picked the rest," he huffed.

"But you made it easier," Daniel told him.

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes. "Let's get this program off the ground."