Jackson and Vala were having an intimate dinner on a rooftop restaurant at the beach in Waikiki. Daniel had dropped a considerable sum to reserve the entire restaurant for tonight. The waiter had just filled their wine glasses. Vala was looking stunning in a blue deep v-neck dress. In the past, Jackson would have been embarrassed by her display. However, she had changed him. He hoped to make her his for the rest of their lives. As Carter had spoken to him, a few months back, do you want to be with her to change her, or do you want to be with her? He realized he liked her "fun" side as he called it. It always kept him on his toes. Plus he had to admit it she was beautiful. He didn't want to change her, not even her begging she did from time to time for things. Jackson knew he was in love. Sha'rae held a special spot in his heart and he would always love her, but he learned he had room in his heart for a second love, Vala Mal Doran.
Vala was glancing around the empty restaurant, "Daniel, I'm not sure this is a good place to eat. Nobody else is here. Maybe we should go someplace else."
"I rented out the entire restaurant," smiled Jackson.
"You did what? Why?" asked Vala.
"So we could have some peace and quiet," smirked Jackson.
Vala grinning, "Peace and quiet, or are you wanting to have your way with me here?"
"For you, that could be arranged," replied Jackson.
Vala astonished, with nothing to say, just looked at Jackson.
Daniel getting up and coming around the table to Vala dropped to one knee, "Vala Mal Doran you make my life so interesting. You came into my life like a hurricane, and every day with you is an adventure. There is nobody I would rather have watching my back out in the field, and there is no one I would rather come home to than you. Will you Vala, marry me?"
Vala, had tears running down her eyes. She was looking deeply into Jackson's eyes. She couldn't find her voice, not even a single syllable. She wanted this moment to last forever. A flash of light then Jackson and Vala found themselves in the Atlantis gate room.
"What's going on? We were in the middle of something!" exclaimed Jackson, putting the ring and box up.
Vala at a loss cleared her eyes quickly.
"Sorry sir, Commander Landry ordered all personal recalled as soon as possible. SG-1 in particular. You're requested to head directly to the medical center," answered Harriman.
"Medical center? What's wrong? Who is hurt?" asked Vala, getting a grip on herself.
Jackson and Vala took off running to the medical center two floors down. Upon entering, Landry, Carter, Mitchell, and Teal'c were sitting in chairs outside of the medical center. Carter was visibly crying, event Teal'c show signs of having previously cried.
"What's going on?" asked Jackson.
Carter getting up and running to Vala who clutched her in a tight hug.
Landry standing up approached Jackson, "Commander O'Neill was shot in the back tonight, it hit his heart. Col. Carter found an intruder in their quarters when she beamed in. Dr. Fraiser, Dr. Keller, Dr. Beckett, and Loki are all in there working on him."
"The new medical bays can patch him up right?" asked Jackson.
"There is so much that even they can do, Dr. Jackson. He is suspended, but the damage to his heart is the worst any of them have seen. We're waiting for an update," answered Landry.
"Who did this?" asked Vala.
"I don't know. I beamed in like usual. I saw Jack laying on the floor blood was everywhere," cried Carter.
"He is going to be OK, Sam," replied Vala.
"Jennifer said he lost almost all of his blood," cried Carter, "After seeing Jack, I heard a noise and I turned toward it. There was a black figure standing there. I was able to take a swing, they blocked it. I noticed they had an infinity tattoo on their left wrist. Then they beamed out."
"How can that be?" asked Jackson.
"Dr. McKay, and Thor are going over every sensor reading and log entry in the database, to determine who and how," replied Landry, "Security is sweeping all personnel on this base to find anyone with a matching tattoo. We are on lockdown. We are recalling everyone off base."
"What can we do?" asked Jackson.
Landry just nodded toward Carter.
"Sam, Jack is going to be ok. He gets himself in some really tight situations and he gets out. This is going to be no different," spoke Jackson, as he wrapped his arms around Carter and Vala. Teal'c came over and did the same.
Hammond appeared, "I have had teams searching every nook and cranny on this base. We have found nothing. Nobody with a matching tattoo."
Jackson looked at Hammond, "The worst case is that you all ascend Jack. He would still be with us and can return to Sam, right?"
"One of the things Jack made Dr. Fraiser and myself swear to, was not to ascend him in situations like this. Too many times he's had things done to him he did not want. We swore an oath to him," replied Hammond.
Jackson asked, "Can't you just heal him?"
"Janet has tried healing him but it has no effect. We are baffled by this. No ancient has seen our healing blocked," replied Hammond.
"How is that possible?" asked Jackson.
"We honestly don't know. He has the best Doctors from three different races in there with the most advanced technology. Let's give them some time," replied Hammond.
Everyone sat down and waited in silence. Another hour passed by. Hailey and Sheppard came into the room. Vala ran out and changed her out of the dress, into something more appropriate.
"Sir we have searched all personnel on this base we can find nobody that matches the description. Everyone even submitted to gunpowder residue tests and nobody came up positive," replied Sheppard.
"I talked to Thor and McKay they were still searching the database for any clues, but were appearing to come up dry," replied Hailey.
Kerry Johnson and Malcolm Barrett came in.
"Commander Landry, we have gone over O'Neill's quarters we have found trace of gunpowder. It was a large caliber gun used by the amount of gunpowder residue," replied Johnson.
"Samantha I'm so sorry. I have all of the alphabets reaching out for contacts for any kinda of terrorist. We're going to interview our friends from H.O.P.E next, but I knew of nothing of any kind of attack like this," replied Barrett.
Just then Dr. Fraiser appeared.
"Janet how is he?" asked Carter, running to Fraiser.
"Sam, he is not good. His heart took a direct hit from a very large caliber bullet. We have placed him in suspended animation. He lost a significant amount of blood. Loki used the nanites and Commander O'Neill's DNA to create a replacement heart for him. His body rejected it in seconds. I have not seen anything like it. Loki is working on a second one as we speak. It will take some time, as it has to be grown, to try an make one more compatible with his system," explained Fraiser.
"Janet I can't lose him," cried Carter.
"Everyone in there is giving it their best. We have not given up, but this isn't going to happen quickly," explained Fraiser. She returned to the medical bay.
Landry spoke up, "Agents Johnson and Barrett, continue with your plan. Interview the prisoners and keep checking your contacts. Col. Sheppard get with Zalenka see if he can run a scan across all of the Altera, heck the planet if he has too, to search for any other gunpowder residue that matches what they found."
Teal'c, Daniel, Vala, Mitchell, and Hailey stayed by Carter's side rest of the night, waiting. Landry's duties kept him called away, making contact with Caldwell, who was searching for any sign of a ship in orbit. Teyla was working with Sheppard, and Zalenka ready to take down anyone anywhere if their scans show something up. Thor came by and assured Carter that Loki was the best doctor the Asgard had, he would do all in his powers.
Sheppard stopped by, "We have scanned the entire city. The only place that matching gunpowder residue could be found was in Commander O'Neill's quarters and in the medical bay."
"Thanks, Col. Sheppard, keep on searching," replied Landry.
The next morning Fraiser came out to report that the last heart replacement had failed as well. Loki was trying to determine the reason. Dr. Kellar came out of the medical bay.
"Jennifer please tell me you have some idea?" asked Carter.
"I'm sorry Sam, I don't know what else to try," replied Keller. Carter embraced Keller in a hug. Keller didn't seem to know fully how to react. Sheppard watched the exchange remember how close the two of them had become when Carter was in charge of the Atlantis Expedition. Then Sheppard caught site of something, a tattoo on Jennifer's wrist.
Sheppard whispered to Daniel, "Get Carter away from Keller for me discretely."
Daniel gave Sheppard a strange look before, "Sam come here, I'm sure Dr. Keller is exhausted."
Carter came over to Daniel. Dr. Keller made ready to leave, when Sheppard made his move, grabbing Dr. Keller by her right arm and pushing her against the wall.
Landry shouted, "Sheppard what are you doing?"
Mitchell jumped up to grab at Sheppard, however, Teal'c blocked him and pointed to Dr. Keller's left wrist with an infinity tattoo.
Mitchell shocked, "What!"
Landry seeing the tattoo, "Dr. Keller tell me this isn't the case?"
Zalenka came running into the room, "Dr. Keller? We picked up a second hit for the gunpowder residue here just outside of the medical bay."
"Someone had to do it! He was going to get us all killed!" shouted Keller.
"Col. Mitchell and Teal'c take her to the brig. Col. Sheppard I need you to detain Dr. McKay until we know if he is involved," ordered Landry.
"Jennifer please tell me something is controlling you?" asked Sheppard.
"O'Neill had to be stopped. Don't you see he was going to kill all of us!" shouted Keller.
Mitchell and Teal'c took Keller to the brig. Sheppard found McKay going over the logs in his lab with Thor.
"Rodney I need you to step away from the computer now and keep your hands visible at all times," ordered Sheppard.
"What's going on?" asked McKay.
Sheppard pulling out his sidearm, "McKay do what I said now."
McKay picking up on the stress in Sheppard's voice put his hands in the air and stepped back. Sheppard led him to the interrogation room.
Back at the medical bay, Loki was investigating why the heart was being rejected so quickly. Once he learned of Dr. Keller's deceit, he investigated her actions throughout the night. He discovered a syringe that contained traces of an unknown drug. Fraiser and Loki began to investigate.
Sheppard returned, "This doesn't make any sense. Why would Dr. Keller shoot Commander O'Neill?"
"That's not the Jennifer I know," replied Carter.
Landry answered, "We will get to the bottom of this. Agents Johnson and Barret will interrogate both of them,"