A/N: Hey guys, I thought I'd push one more chapter out before New Years, so here it is. The last chapter for 2014. Hope everyone has a very happy new year!
Briefing Room, SGC, 1800 hours.
While General O'Neill and General Landry were talking in the latter's office with the President, Faith and the others were just quietly sitting at the briefing room table. Faith was simple looking at a spot on the table in silence, while Xander leaned back and sat with his eyes closed while rubbing his face. Teal'c on the other hand was standing next to Colonel Mitchell as they simply looked out the window into space. The entire area, including the control room, was quiet since Colonel Pendergast sent the subspace message thirty minutes ago regarding the launch of the nuclear missiles on Tegalus. Faith was there in the control room, watching as the Stargate activated to let General O'Neill and Xander through to Edina just as the fateful message came through. She still remembered Colonel Carter's shock at reading the message which was when she called General O'Neill back to the control room. He then ordered the Gate deactivated until he had talked to General Landry and the President.
Xander was in the Gateroom confused when Colonel Carter called the General back to the control room and a few seconds later, the Stargate disengaged. He wanted to run up to the control room and ask what was going on, but after he saw the looks of devastation on the faces of the people in the control room.. he knew something horrible had happened.
'Please don't tell me it's Willow' thought Xander to himself when he noticed Faith was looking at him. Giving him a small smile, the brunette Slayer got up from her seat at the control room, grabbed her crutch and carefully went down the stairs and hopped into the Gateroom where she approached Xander.
"Faith?" asked Xander, "what's going on? Is it Willow?"
"No" she said quietly, "we just got a report from the Prometheus, the Rand and the Caledonians just wiped each other out."
"What?" said Xander in shock, "wait…. What?"
"Both countries's launched their nuclear weapons at each other" said Faith, "we still don't know how many people….. how many people lost their lives."
"How many?" asked Xander, "I mean how many people were on the planet?"
"Millions" said Faith, "the radioactive fallout is preventing us from conducting life sign scans on the surface. Big-G ordered them to stay on for a few more hours, to search for survivors."
"The Stargate?" asked Xander as he looked at the frantic scenes in the Control Room, "can't we use that and rescue any survivors?"
"They're trying" said Faith as Walter started to dial the gate. The both of them stood in the Gateroom as they watched the sixth chevron engage.
"Chevron seven" said Walter as he shook his head, "will not lock."
"What's that mean?" asked Xander as he looked at Faith.
"The Gate's probably buried under tonnes of rubble" said Faith as she shook her head before she turned around, "come on, you'd better take a seat upstairs.. we need to wait for Prometheus's scans. It may be a while. Did you talk to B?"
"Yeah" said Xander as he helped Faith up the stairs into the control room which was already a buzz of activity as they were running a diagnostic scan of the Earth Gate, in case it was something on their end that caused the last chevron to not lock.
In the present time, Xander opened his eyes and looked at Faith who was still fixed on that one spot on the table. She looked up when the door to General Landry's office opened up and the two General's walked over to the red coloured briefing room table.
"Alright" said General Landry, "we've talked to the President and he's ordered General O'Neill and Mr. Harris to Edina to talk to Mrs. Summers. In the meantime, given the precarious nature of the Prometheus and her systems, the Odyssey will be ordered to bring them home before heading back to Tegalus to look for survivors."
"Mr. Harris" said the General, "shall we?"
"Umm… yeah" said Xander as he stood up.
"See you later, Xan" said Faith as she looked up and the other man nodded his head before following the General down the stairs to the Gateroom. She then slowly got up and hobbled over to where Teal'c and Colonel Mitchell were standing as the Stargate activated before the General and Xander walked through.
"There has got to be some people who're alive" said Colonel Mitchell.
"The Colonel said that it was like hell from space" said Faith, "even if there are any survivors… damn, to lose a whole planet."
"Indeed" said Teal'c as he turned around and looked at General Landry, "with your permission, I will petition the Jaffa High Council for Ha'tak vessels to transport humanitarian aid."
"Thank you Teal'c" said the General, "that would probably be best."
"Sir" said Colonel Carter as she ran up the stairs, "I've just gotten a report from Willow."
"Sam" said Faith, "is she?"
"She's fine" said Colonel Carter with a smile, "the doctor's a bit annoyed at her but…."
"Colonel?" said the General as Colonel Mitchell stifled a smile.
"Sorry, Sir" said Colonel Carter, "she managed to temporarily increase sensor sensitivity and found about one hundred survivor's so far. They've been beamed aboard the Odyssey, and they are requesting permission to take the survivors to Edina."
"All Caledonians?" asked Colonel Mitchell.
"Rand too" said the Colonel, "Willow said it's like a mini cold war on the ship, the Caledonians are holed up in the mess hall and the Rand in the infirmary. They had to be forcibly separated by the SF's, apparently one of the Rand is a high level minister in their government who blamed the Caledonians for firing the missiles without cause. Almost started a riot."
"Great" said Faith, "another troublesome politician."
"Indeed" said Teal'c.
"Let General O'Neill know what happened" said General Landry, "tell the Odyssey to make their way to Edina."
"Yes, Sir" said the Colonel as she ran down the stairs.
Edina, five minutes later.
Xander and General O'Neill had just stepped through the Stargate when the younger man was hugged by Buffy and Dawn who made contact with him so hard that he fell onto the ground.
"Miss Summers, Dawn" said the General as he walked past the struggling Xander under the weight of the two younger women. HE then walked toward Hailey and Satterfield who were standing at attention near the MALP probe that was sent there the previous day when the Summers family, Willow and Faith came onto the planet.
"Sir" said both Hailey and Satterfield as they stood at attention until the General told them to stand at ease.
"Hailey, Satterfield" said the General, "how are things? Peachy, I take it?"
"Yes, sir" said Hailey, "Mrs. Harris was worried about her husband, and.. well, that's about it Sir."
"Have you heard from Willow and Faith, sir?" asked Satterfield.
"Faith is on Earth" said the General as Xander and Buffy walked up to the General and stood in front of him, along with Dawn, "but the Major was injured, she's recovering on the Odyssey right now."
"Injured?" asked Buffy, "bad?"
"It was pretty bad from what I was told and…." the General stopped when the chevrons on the Stargate started to light up, and soon the wormhole 'kawooshed' open.
"Get behind us, sir" said Satterfield and Hailey as they aimed their weapons at the event horizon in case any hostile came through the gate. Instead, the speakers on the MALP came to life as COloenl Carter called for the General.
"Carter?" asked the General as he signalled the two Majors to put their weapons down, "what's up?"
"Sir" said the Colonel, "We just received a subspace message from Willow, they found a hundred survivors so far. They're on the way to Edina, and they should be there in about two days."
"I see" said General O'Neill, "I'd better get talking to Mrs. Summers then."
"Yes, sir" said Colonel Carter, "SGC out."
"Carter" said the General.
"Sir?"
"Red's alright?" asked the General.
"Yes, Sir" replied Colonel Carter, "she annoyed the hell out of the doctor, but she received permission to increased the sensor sensitivity on the Odyssey temporarily. With all the extra hands on board, the life support system is working extra hard to keep everyone comfortable.. and it's getting crowded in there."
"Right" said General O'Neill, "send a message to Pendergast, tell him he did a good job."
"Already did, sir" said Colonel Carter.
"Cool" replied the General, "O'Neill, Out."
"Sir?" asked Hailey, "something happened on Tegalus?"
General O'Neill looked at Xander before looking at the two majors again, "maybe it'd be better if we all talked. I need to talk to Mrs. Summers."
"This way, sir" said Hailey as she and the others led General O'Neill down the trail.
Joyce's Home, Edina, 1815 hours.
Joyce was making the evening meal for Buffy and the others as Tara helped to bring her some water from the one of the nearby freshwater wells, while Kennedy just arrived from a river that was just teeming with fish about a fifteen minute walk from the village. Joyce had just finished cleaning the fish and some vegetables from the nearby village garden when she heard someone opening her door.
"Mom" said Buffy as she walked into the living room as Tara and Kennedy walked out of the kitchen, "guess who came back."
"Xander" said the three women as they hugged the younger man, before Joyce stepped back and punched his arm.
"Hey" said a pouting Xander, "that hurt."
"Don't ever do that again" said Joyce as she caressed her son-in-law's cheeks, "you almost caused all of us to have a heart attack."
"Sorry" said Xander sheepishly.
"Ma'am" said General O'Neill as he stood outside the door with his cap in hand as Hailey and Satterfield stood on either side of him, "my name is General Jack O'Neill, I'm with Home World Security."
"General" said Joyce as she approached the silver haired man, "please come in."
"Thanks" said the General as he walked into the home and looked around, "nice place."
"Thank you" said Joyce as she motioned towards one of the chairs at the dining table, "please, have a seat."
"Ma'am" said the General as he sat down, "we need to talk."
"Alright" said Joyce, "but please call me Joyce? Ma'am, makes me sound old."
"Alright" said the General, "as long as you call me Jack, we're golden."
"Jack" said Joyce.
"Joyce" said the General nodding his head.
"General" said Tara as she sat on another chair, "is.. is everything alright?"
"You know why Major Rosenberg and Faith had to leave, right?" asked General O'Neill.
"Something about an Ori weapon satellite?" said Buffy as she sat beside Joyce, while Kennedy stood behind the older blonde.
"Yea" said the General as he leaned forward, "almost immediately after the Prometheus exited hyperspace, they were targeted by the satellite. The weapon was charging when we fired our missiles to take it out before the satellite had a chance to fire."
"Oh" said Dawn, "so the satellite was destroyed then?"
"No" said Xander as everyone looked at him, "I was on the bridge when the missiles were fired, it hit a shield."
"A shield that wasn't on the plans we received" said General O'Neill.
"A late addition, sir?" asked Hailey.
"Yea" said General O'Neill, "after after that first hit, the satellite returned fire. Based on preliminary reports, it punched through the shields and cut through the forward section of the ship."
"What?" said Joyce as her eyes opened wide and the other looked at each other in shock, "the people? I mean, the crew?"
"A little more than ten either missing or dead" said the General as Tara brought her hands to her mouth and Buffy stood up and looked out the window, "after that one shot, the Prometheus lost hyperdrive, sublight engines, shields and weapons. The beaming technology was very iffy."
"General?" said Dawn, "where's Willow? You said Faith is on Earth, Xander's here… where's Willow?"
Upon hearing Willow's name, Buffy turned around and looked at the General.
"Based on the report" said General O'Neill, "and from Faith and Mr. Harris' observations, she asked the commander of the Prometheus to beam her into space."
"What?" asked Buffy as she sat down, "is she? I mean….."
"Buffy" said Joyce, "let him finish."
"Is Aunt Willow unwell?" asked Jay as he came down the stairs along with Rose who was following close behind.
"Jay, Rose" said Joyce, "I thought the two of you were asleep."
"Sorry momma" said Rose, "we heard shouting and we woke up. Then we heard the man say that Aunt Willow was hurt."
"Sorry, General" said Joyce, "these are my children, Jay and Rose."
"Hey kids" said the General as he crouched down, "your Aunt Willow did something very brave, she and another man saved a lot of people today."
"Like what Buffy does?" asked Jay.
"Yes" replied the General as he nodded his head, "exactly like that. But she's just a little unwell, she'll get better soon though."
"Yaaay" said both Jay and Rose as they ran over to Buffy and Dawn respectively.
"General" said Joyce, "Willow?"
"She was beamed into space" said General O'Neill as he got up and sat down again on his seat, "she attempted to disable the satellite but before she could, it fired a second shot."
"Oh my" said Joyce.
"That shot took out most of the life support systems" said General O'Neill as he noticed Jay and Rose listening intently, "the hull was badly damaged, and communications were gone."
"Faith and a few others were badly injured" said Xander.
"Aunt Faith?" said Rose quietly.
"She's alright now, kiddo" said Xander as he kissed Rose's cheek.
"I don't know what Red did out there" said General O'Neill, "but when she was beamed back… well, lets just say that she looked very unwell. Extremely unwell."
"But she's alright now?" asked Kennedy, "I mean…"
"Yeah" said the General, "she's alright. The Odyssey was rerouted to aid the Prometheus, and they'll be coming back to Earth in two days."
"Two days?" asked Tara, "isn't that slow?"
"The Odyssey will be towing the Prometheus through hyperspace since it would most likely be destroyed if it heads into a hyperspace window under its own power" said General O'Neill, "that's how bad the hull is. One of the engineers rigged a Naquada reactor into the power systems to power the shields for entry and exit from hyperspace."
"Oh" said Tara.
"That's one" said General O'Neill as he glanced at Xander who gave him a small smile before he looked at Joyce again, "the other thing is that Daniel… Dr. Daniel Jackson, he tried to mediate a truce between the Rand and the Caledonians."
"Ok" said Joyce.
"It didn't go too well" said General O'Neill, "the deal was for any Caledonian who didn't want to worship the Ori to be sent to another planet. We were hoping that you'd allow refugees to Edina."
"Me?" said Joyce in surprise, "why me?"
"Technically" said General O'Neill, "until tomorrow, you're just an Edinian. You'll be officially resurrected tomorrow on Earth. And in the meantime, as the only remaining elder of this planet, we need to ask your permission for this. Actually, I've got the permission of the President and the recommendation of the IOA who, if you happen to agree, will come by tomorrow and talk about details of relocation plans for the refugees."
"Oh" said Joyce in surprise, "this is… I mean…."
"Joyce" said General O'Neill as his gaze lowered and, as if Xander knew what the General was going to say picked up Rose from Dawn's lap and ushered Jay to the field outside, "these people need a place to stay, if you don't give permission.. we can ask our allies on the Land of Light to hold them until we find a suitable world. You see, after Mr. Harris and the crew left the surface of the planet…. The Caledonians launched a nuclear first strike against the Rand."
"Oh my God" said everyone while Hailey and Satterfield watched Xander playing with the kids outside, "how… I mean…."
"Daniel thought he was making headway" said the General as he leaned forward, "but… yeah…. Red, Daniel and the crew of both ships just watched them wipe each other out."
"The Rand…. You mean they…. Did they….?" said Kennedy in shock.
"They retaliated almost immediately" said the General, "the fallout was so disruptive to our sensors that we managed to pick up only a hundred survivors and squeezed them onto the Odyssey. We plan to drop them, and the Prometheus off, before sending her back to the planet to look for more survivors."
"One hundred" said Buffy softly as she looked down, "out of?"
"Five million? Give or take" said the General, "it was bad."
"My God" said Joyce as she stood up and walked towards the window where she saw Jay and Rose playing with Xander, "men, women and children… all gone."
"The first time we went to the planet" said the General as he stood up and walked over to where Joyce was looking out the window, "they were already like a powder keg, and we were the spark."
"The situation exploded" said Joyce.
"Think Cold War" said the General, "except with extreme nut jobs on either side. The first time, it was religious fundamentalists who took over Rand. Caledonia responded with missile strikes that decimated the Rand. Daniel was lost and we launched a rescue mission to bring him back. Since it was partly our fault that the attack happened in the first place, Daniel mediated a truce between the both sides and we offered our help to the Rand so that they could rebuild. But they were more interested in our weapons technology."
"You refused to give them weapons" said Joyce silently.
"Yea" said the General, "we sent them humanitarian aid, materials to rebuild their society…. But the Prior came and offered them more. He spread a virus in the planet."
"Oh God" said Joyce as she looked at the General.
"HE said that those who worship the Ori would be cured" said General O'Neill, "and so, many supported Origin… some didn't, those who didn't were… punished."
"Oh" said Joyce.
"Then the Prior gave them the plans for the satellite" said General O'Neill, "and now…."
"They destroyed themselves" said Joyce.
"Daniel fought tooth and nail for them to sign a new truce" said General O'Neill, "but the bad blood ran too deep, the Caledonians saw an opportunity to take out the Rand.. and they took it."
"He's right though" said Joyce, "it was our fault."
"Every time we go through that Gate" said the General, "we put our collective noses where it doesn't belong. Sometimes we do good, and sometimes we don't. It's one of the risks of stepping into the unknown."
"True" said Joyce as she looked at Dawn and Buffy, "but it's that unknown that broke my heart when it ripped me away from my children, and then healed it again when it gave me new children, and returned me to my oldest two."
"I know how precious children could be" said the General as he looked at Jay laughing as he ran away from Xander who was chasing him, "I know exactly how you must have felt when you lost Buffy and Dawn."
"I see" said Joyce as she looked at the sadness in the General's eyes.
"But you have them back now" said the General with a smile, "you'll be alive starting from tomorrow, and Home World Security has a cover story that you would have to follow."
"Please don't tell me it's an evil twin thing?" asked Joyce.
"Nah" said the General as he waved his arms, "that's been done to death."
"Then?" asked Joyce.
"Witness to a murder of a higher ranking Air Force officer" said the General, "we had to fake your death, your children couldn't know what happened.. but the murderer mysteriously died in a car crash and you came out of hiding. IN the meantime, you met a man in Salt Lake city…"
"Salt Lake City?" asked Joyce as she raised an eyebrow at the General, "really?"
"Yeah" said the General, "anyway, you met someone there…. Had a relationship, had two wonderful children…. But he passed away of natural causes."
"Oh" said Joyce, "heart attack?"
"Heart attack" replied the General nodding his head, "you, Buffy and Dawn will the debriefed on this, and you'll have to remind Jay and Rose of the story."
"They will" said Joyce as she looked back at Buffy and the others who were talking at the table, "can I come back again?"
"It's up to you" said General O'Neill.
"I've been here for ten years" said Joyce, "Jay and Rose were born here, if we still keep roots then I'm afraid they'll never get used to staying on Earth."
"I take it you've talked to Cassie?" asked General O'Neill.
"Yes" said Joyce.
"It wasn't easy for her either" said the General, "everything she had was still on Hanka."
"How did she cope with missing her home?" asked Joyce.
"Easy" said a grinning General, "I got her a dog."
Edina, two days later.
Earlier that day, Buffy, Kennedy and Tara were called back to the BPRI on Earth. Before they left Edina, they told Joyce they had to go to Portland since some demons were trying to raise Death, one of the horsemen of the Apocalypse in two days, so that they could bring about the end of the world. Giving her daughter a kiss, Joyce saw them leave through the Stargate back to Earth where they would a already healed Faith would take them in the Puddle Jumper all the way to the BPRI for a briefing.
After the three of them had passed through the event horizon, she had asked Hailey and Satterfield to take Jay and Rose back to the SGC. She had explained to them that Edina would now be the home for a new people, they would live here in peace.
'Hopefully' thought Joyce to herself.
"Will we stay with Buffy?" asked Rose as she looked up at Joyce, "please?"
"Of course" said Joyce as she crouched down, "but first, we'll be staying with Aunt Willow, Aunt Faith and Dawn."
"Dawn doesn't live with Buffy?" asked Jay.
"She lives in another city" said Joyce, "the same city we'll be going to after I return."
"OK" said both Jay and Rose.
"Thank you" said Joyce as she looked at both Hailey and Satterfield who were holding a bag full of the children's clothes while they held the hands of the children.
"It was nothing" said Hailey as she and Jay turned around and walked through the gate.
"Momma" said Rose, "you coming soon?"
"Yes, baby" said Joyce as the little girl waved at Joyce before she followed Satterfield through the gate before it disengaged. Then sighing, Joyce walked down the trail to an open field right outside the entrance where Woolsey, General O'Neill and Dawn, along with various other members of the SGC sent to help the refugees were milling around.
"Dawnie" said Joyce as Dawn turned around after she was talking to General O'Neill as smiled at her mother.
"Mom" said Dawn, "they left?"
"Yep" said Joyce as she placed her hand on Dawn's back.
"They should be here right about….. now" said the General as everyone turned towards the field when they heard buzzing sounds, followed by multiple flashes of light all over the field.
"Willow!" said Dawn as she ran and gave the redhead a tight hug.
"Hey Dawnie" said Willow as she returned the hug with one arm; the other one in a sling.
"You alright?" asked Dawn as she hugged the redhead even tighter.
"Yea" said Willow as Dawn released Willow and she walked towards the General.
"General, Sir" said Willow with a grin, "we're back."
"Glad to have you back, Red" said the General, "Daniel?"
"He's right over…" said Willow as she turned around looking for the archaeologist, "ah, there… Daniel!"
"Hey" said Daniel as he ran over to the small group, "Jack, Mr. Woolsey, Mrs. Summers, Dawn."
"You alright?" asked the General.
"Kinda" said Daniel.
"You did your best Danny" said General O'Neill when he suddenly heard two people shouting amongst themselves.
"Hey!" said General O'Neill as he approached the two people, one male and one female; "what the hell is going on?"
"Are you in-charge?" asked the woman as she turned to face General O'Neill.
"Jack" said Daniel as he rolled his eyes, "meet Minister of the Interior Cheska from Caledonia, and that gentleman is Second Minister Solder of the Rand."
"They've been going at it the while trip here, sir" said Willow, "we had to separate them, and their supporters."
"If this is the planet your people are putting us on" said Solder as he poked Daniel's chest, "not only am I not impressed.. I am not sharing it with a Caledonian who started this in the first place!"
"I refuse to stay with anyone from the Rand" said Cheska, "I absolutely refuse, I rather live in a Goa'uld infested world."
"Well" said Willow, "that can certainly be arranged Minister, would you prefer…"
"Willow" said Joyce as she stepped forward and walked towards the two politicians.
"You both represent your nations?" asked Joyce.
"And you are?" asked Cheska.
"The last living elder on the entire planet" said Joyce, "everyone here died thanks to a Prior of the Ori when we refused to follow Origin. Now you are being given a chance to start a new life on a world you have the chance to call your own, and all you can do is import your previous hatred for each other?!"
"You can't even…" said Solder as Joyce held up her hand and stopped him from talking while Willow and the others looked on.
"Your two peoples launched a nuclear war against each other" said Joyce, "you claim to be the leaders of each of your nations but what will you do about those behind you who have lost everything? You wiped each other out, and may very well be the last people from Tegalus alive… and the first thing you do when coming to a new planet is argue? You should be ashamed of yourselves."
"Who do you think you are?" asked Solder as he glared at Joyce as Willow and Dawn protectively flanked her.
"She's the one who gave permission for both of your peoples to live on this planet" said Woolsey as he sighed, "Ministers, you have a chance now to let go of the grudges of your forefathers, start fresh on a new planet… a new home. That's something that not many people can get."
"Ministers" sad Joyce softly as the two of them turned to the blonde woman, "people here died.. maybe it was fate that everyone die from the disease, I don't know. What I do know is that you… both Rand and Caledonian have a new home. Edina's always been a peaceful place, the only time that there was a war here was when the inhabitants drove out what they call the old gods."
"The Goa'uld" said Daniel as he stood next to Dawn, "and they've been at peace since then."
"We'll be helping you with any technology, except for weapons" said Woolsey, "and we'll be providing you with supplies until you're self sufficient. There'll be a SG team sent every two weeks to check on how your people are doing…. Until both peoples have a security force in place, the SGC will leave a small contingent here.. just in case. Non-lethal weapons will be provided for any eventual security force. If anyone wishes to leave for another planet, they will be give suitable gate addresses for planets that we know are friendly."
"If you do decide to stay, please be at peace here" said Joyce, "respect the memory of the people who died, both here and on your own world. They wouldn't want you to destroy another planet. That is all I ask if you. You have access to our homes, clean water, there's a river of fish close by.. plenty of land that is fertile.. there are many things to do on this planet. When it is night, look up into the sky and you'll see so many stars that you'd swear you've gone to heaven."
"I…" said Cheska as Joyce interrupted her.
"My children were born here" said Joyce, "I will be bringing them back to Earth, where I was born…. where my oldest children were born. My hope is that one day all four of my children can visit this planet again, my two oldest so that they could visit the planet I lived on for ten years after I was taken… and my youngest children, so that they can visit their father's grave. Will the both of you permit me that?"
"Ye… yes" said Cheska and Solder.
"Thank you" said Joyce as she turned around and walked back up the trail with Dawn.
"We should have had Mrs. Summer for the negotiations" whispered Daniel as he leaned into General O'Neill.
"I have a feeling they would have still destroyed their planet, Daniel" said General O'Neill, "but maybe she convinced them to start a new life here."
"Hopefully, Sir" said Willow.
"Red" said the General as he looked at Willow's sling, "get back to the SGC, get that arm scanned… and then go home. Faith's waiting for you."
"Yes, Sir" said Willow as she turned and walked up the trail towards the Stargate.
"Daniel" said the General, "you too, get some rest. You have an appointment with the base shrink tomorrow."
"Jack" said Daniel."
"Daniel" replied the General, "you and Red have the appointment tomorrow. Besides, call Anya… she's worried."
"Alright" said Daniel as he followed Willow up the trail leaving General O'Neill and Woolsey behind with several SF's and SGC personnel to handle relocating the refugees to the now empty homes.
Daniel and Willow jogged up the trail until they reached Dawn and Joyce who were almost at the DHD. Willow looked on as Dawn dialled Earth, and once the event horizon had formed she input her IDC.
"We've got a green light" said Dawn as she looked back at Joyce and held her hand.
"Daniel" said Willow, "after you."
"Ladies first" said Daniel.
"I know" grinned Willow, "that's why I asked you first."
Dawn laughed as she saw Willow run through the gate as she was being chased by Daniel. Dawn them walked up to the event horizon when Joyce stopped and turned around.
"Thank you, Jayden" said Joyce, "Our children finally have their older siblings, I got my daughters back.. and no, I'm going back home. I promise I'll come back every year to visit you. Thank you for everything."
"Mom?" said Dawn.
"Let's finally go home, sweetie" said Joyce as the both of them stepped through the Stargate.
TBC.