When AG 1 and Dr. Weir got called to a science lab because what they thought was an Ancient had been found in statis, they expected to find just that, an Ancient. What they found was someone totally unexpected.

The old woman looked past them to the window and saw sunlight. She managed a smile and a sigh and said. "It worked."

"What worked?" McKay asked.

"Missed you all so much, even you, Rodney." The old woman said.

"How do you know his name?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm you, Elizabeth." The old woman said, and began to tell them her story.

"We came thru the Stargate. The city was in trouble from the moment we arrived. The shield was buckling and it was flooding."

"Why didn't the fail safe activate?" Elizabeth asked.

"Because there was no fail safe the first time. Major Sheppard got me to one of the gate ships. Captain Harris and Cordelia, along with Dr. Zelanka, were examining one of them. It had something different in the back then the rest of them. It turned out to be a time travel device. It activated as we were trying to escape. We ended up in the past, 10,000 years ago, just before the Ancients abandoned Atlantis. We were attacked as we appeared, an enemy of the Ancients that they were at war with. A terrible enemy called Wraith by humans. A scientist named Janus said he created the time travel device. He healed me. Cordelia survived because Xander shielded her and he healed on his own. Major Sheppard and Dr. Zalenka didn't survive. The Council wouldn't let us leave. They destroyed the time device. We were trapped. Then they told us about their war and that they wanted to try negotiating. When we learned the specifics of the war, Xander said, negotiating probably wouldn't work, but he was willing to go along and offer a fresh perspective, just in case. Cordelia went with him. Before they left, Janus told us, it might be a ruse. That the Council might be trying to buy time for the rest of their people to escape to Atlantis and from there to Earth. I agreed to stay behind and try to convince them to call it off. I failed. Then the entire armada was believed destroyed. Janus came up with a way to save the expedition. The fail safe and extending the shield. But someone would need to stay behind to rotate the ZPM'S. Me. I did it. I kept the shield up long enough to save the expedition."

"You did. You did good." Young Elizabeth told old Elizabeth.

"I wonder if I'll be haunted now. Xander joked that both he and Cordelia had a vindictive streak, but hers was bigger and if they died, she'd probably haunt me and since he'd refuse to move on without her, he'd be haunting me too."

Cordelia dope slapped Xander. "You and your bad jokes. Don't worry, I doubt we blamed you for our own choices."

"I know. I was teasing. We got to be friends in the short time we had. I miss them too. They were so brave to try to help. They died trying to help. Maybe I'll see them again." And with another sigh, the light in her eyes went out.

"You were brave, too." Cordelia said softly.

Later, when they were in their quarters, Xander was quiet. Cordelia asked him what was on his mind.

"You came along on this expedition because I wanted to go. You could be working in a law firm right now, impressing your bosses. But you came with me because you love me. And we got trapped in the past. Did you hate me in the end?" He whispered.

"No, because I would never blame you for my choices. Whether I live my life in the past or the future or an alien galaxy, as long as my life includes you, and you love me, I could never hate you. So a version of us died 10,000 years ago. We died trying to help people. I'm okay with that and I'm sure, she was too.

"I hope so, because trying to live without you Cordy would destroy me. Oh, I'd be walking around and talking and breathing, but I wouldn't be living, I'd be existing. I might even be able to convince myself I could love someone else. But it would probably be someone alot like you, which wouldn't be fair to them. Like you said, accept no substitutes. I fell for you, Cordy. Not a substitute. Are you happy with choosing to come with?"

"Yes. I've seen and done more then I ever thought possible. I've made friends, like Teyla. A good friend, the way Faith is a good friend. Someone who actually cares. I'm learning things and sharing apart of your life that you had to keep secret from me, for good reason, yes, but that didn't make it any easier. So yes, I am happy with my choice. Both of you and of coming with you on the adventure of a lifetime."

"Good, because it wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you." Nudging her towards the bed and the delights they could find there.