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Chapter Text

“Daddy,” Gracie said to her father and held out two ponytail holders.

“Where’s your brush, kiddo?” Jack asked her in amusement, hoping it wasn’t somehow embedded in the mass tangle of curls on her small head.

“I don’t know.” She said with a small pout.

“Well, I guess we better find that first then.” He said to her with a small smile. Jack didn’t smile much these days except at his daughter. In reality, most days her needing him was the only thing that kept him from eating a bullet and he knew it.

As her dad went in search of the elusive hair brush, Gracie went over to the bathroom vanity, put both hands on the counter and peered over the counter at her reflection. Blue eyes with flecks of gold looked back at her. Daddy said she had her mommy’s nose but Gracie was starting to forget what mommy looked like. Daddy had taken down all the photos. He said they hurt too much. Daddy was always sad inside now. Even when he seemed happy on the outside.

“Your brush was under your bed.” Jack admonished his daughter when he returned, wagging it at her with an amused half smile.

Grace looked up at her tall handsome dad. His hair was snow white now, what she could see of it anyway. He kept it very short now. “I wondered where that went.” Gracie said with feigned innocence.

Jack chuckled softly but his smile was sad. She might look like him but her personality was all Sam. How could she be exactly like the mother she barely remembered? The wife it shattered his soul to even think of. Even with the constant reminder of his daughter.

“Up.” Jack commanded his daughter and pointed at the commode next to the sink. Obediently his daughter climbed up on the seat and turned her back to him so he could do something with her mop of dark golden curls.

Jack looked at her hair thoughtfully and started gently teasing apart the spirals and waves before taking the hairbrush gently to the ends and working his way up.

“Daddy,” Gracie said thoughtfully.

“Yes, kiddo?” Jack eased the brush through more of her curls.

“Why do you call me kiddo?”

Jack frowned sadly as images welled up from the locked portions of his memory. “Your grandpa used to call your mom that. It kind of stuck when you were little.” He answered, hoping that it was answer enough to stop any more questions but he knew it somehow wasn’t.

“You don’t talk about mommy much.” Her voice was quiet as if not wanting to make him sad again.

Jack didn’t say anything for a long time. “I miss her.” Was all he said.

“I miss her too.” Gracie said with a small frown. “It’s hard to remember her now though.”

Jack sighed a little. He wished he could forget. Maybe if he forgot, it wouldn’t hurt so much. “You were very little.”

“I think I can still remember how she smelled though.” Gracie said firmly.

“Good.” Jack said as he thoughtfully tugged half her hair into a low pigtail on the right side of her head.

“I wish I could remember her voice better.” She continued sadly.

Jack nodded. He should try to find something that wasn’t classified to give her. Somehow. And when Gracie watched it, he would make sure he was anywhere else.

“Can we go out for ice cream after school today?”

Jack’s mouth canted in amusement. She wasn’t entirely like her mom. Parts of her were wholly him. “Can’t tonight, kiddo. I have a bunch of meetings and your nanny is picking you up.”

“Nuts.” Gracie said.

Outside a horn honked impatiently.

“Sounds like my driver is here.” Jack said absently around a ponytail holder in his mouth as he tamed the other half of her hair.

“How come he honks at you?”

“Because I’m always late.” Jack said.

“But daddy, you’re a General!” She said giggling.

“Yah, even the General has to be on time for work. Go grab your coat and your school bag.” He said as he lifted her off the toilet lid.

Gracie rolled her eyes, huffed, and did as she was told.

Jack shook his head in bemusement. Just like her, he thought, avoiding even thinking his beloved wife’s name to avoid the pain it evoked.

The ride in the government issue black sedan was incredibly routine. Mostly Gracie chattered at Jack’s driver, Mitch, while Jack read through documents, half-listening to the conversation.

“Mitch, did you know my auntie Janet has a daughter your age named Cassie? You should meet her. She’s very pretty.”

“Gracie, quit trying to set Cassie up with strange guys.”

“Mitch isn’t strange, Daddy. I mean other than he’s an airman who drives a car instead of flying an airplane.”

Mitch chuckled. “How pretty is she, Gracie Lou?” He asked his boss’ daughter, using his nickname for her.

Jack sighed. “Last week, she tried to hook up Janet with one of my online chess buddies who’s stationed in Germany.” He grumbled under his breath.

Mitch chuckled again. “If it makes you feel better, Sir, my mom keeps trying to hook me up with my cousins’ friends. And she doesn’t specify that they are pretty, so…”

Jack chuckled. “Gotcha.”

“All right, Gracie Lou, this is your stop.” Mitch told her as he pulled up outside of her sprawling grade school.

“Thanks, Airman Mitch.” Gracie said with a big grin and a hug from behind for Jack’s driver before hugging her dad. “Love you, daddy.” She said to him before jumping out of the car and bounding off to school.

Jack and Mitch made eye contact in the rearview mirror with equal measures of humor. Mitch liked his boss. He liked his boss’ daughter as well. He suspected she was most of the reason General O’Neill still pushed through his days instead of retiring.

Jack gave the driver a dour smile. “It would make me feel better if your nickname for her wasn’t from a goofy Saundra Bullock movie.” Jack grumbled good naturedly.

“Yah gotta admit, boss, she’s little Miss Congeniality.” Mitch said in amusement.

Jack gave the other man a sad smile as they pulled away from the curb to head to the Pentagon. “She comes by it honestly.” He said almost so quietly Mitch couldn’t hear him.

Wisely, Mitch ended the conversation. He hadn’t been Jack’s driver when Colonel Carter had been killed in action. The nanny who Mitch strongly suspected was actually an operative for security reasons had filled him in on why their boss was often very withdrawn and more than once looked like he’d spent his night drinking instead of sleeping. But he never went into work drunk or even hung over. It was like the man just metabolized alcohol and carried on with his day.

Mitch pulled into the Pentagon parking lot.

“Just drop me at the security post so you don’t have to fight with all these other idiots getting back out of here, Mitch.

Mitch nodded. He liked that his boss called him by his name and not the nameless title of ‘airman’. Jack O’Neill didn’t have a lot to say, but he was fair and kind and cared about the people under him. From what he could gather, he’d always been this way. The overwhelming sadness that cloaked the man in shadow after his wife’s untimely death was the only thing that kept everyone but his daughter at arm’s length. O’Neill rarely went out unless forced to for political reasons.

Didn’t date and didn’t spend time with his friends whoever they were. He did go back to Colorado from time to time but he almost always went alone. His job was somehow connected to Peterson and NORAD but otherwise he just stayed at home and watched sports. The rare times he went out it was for ice cream with his daughter or even more rarely, when his friend Daniel would visit, though those visits were becoming less and less frequent over the years.

General O’Neill seemed to be existing, not living. Mitch hoped someday he could move past his heartbreak. He honestly hoped they would find someone who loved them both. Every person deserved to be happy.

“Incoming wormhole, sir.” A tech said to Walter Harriman who had just arrived at the SGC for a follow up visit per General O’Neill’s request. A request Walter much suspected was due to his effort to avoid going to this particular base unless it was an absolute necessity. The tech asked Walter what he should do, his voice concerned. They didn’t use the gate nearly as much as they once had in the past. Even with the loss of some ships and their crews, they were still a better option overall over the Gates that were limited to their specific location and had limited options when it came to ground mobility. Still, there were still planets to explore, that was why the Gate was still active and in use, and some allies like the Tok’ra and Nox preferred them over ships.

“One of ours?” Landry asked Walter in curiosity as he came through the entry from his office.

“Receiving an unidentified emergency request transmission, sir. It’s an SGC IDC... but it’s old, sir. From before the Ori incident.” The tech told his CO.

Landry thought for a moment. “Have airmen stand ready, but get ready to open the iris.” Landry ordered. An old IDC meant that whoever it was hadn’t been in contact for a very long time. They might genuinely need help or, at least, sanctuary.

“Yes sir.” Walter agreed and jumped in and toggled the SGC PA to order security to the Gate room. Moments later, they stood in the Control Room while armed airmen waited in the Embarkation Room for their unexpected guest.

Suddenly, a blue blast of energy shot out of the Gate and hit the wall across from it before an extremely shoddy Puddle Jumper lurched through the Gate, skidded down the ramp, and landed with a loud clang on the cement deck. Its hull was smoking and sparking in places not normally designed for such function.

“Close the Iris!” Landry ordered from behind to Walter whose fingers were already flying across the keyboard.

“On it, sir.” Walter said tensely.

The airmen in the room surrounding the now still but still smoking and sparking Puddle Jumper with weapons drawn and at the ready but all of them had backed away as if in mutual agreement that the vehicle had the air of one ready to disgorge its contents in explosive swiftness.

But all it did was creak and groan then pitch and lurch when one of its landing gear gave out. The ship settled with a loud clank of metal and puff of smoke that had everyone back up as close to the walls as they could manage in the now sealed room.

Everyone held their breath to see who or what might come out of the listing ship.

The main window had the blast shield down. Whether it was malfunctioning or simply for safety no one knew.

The back bay-door finally flopped open, or would have had the hydraulics been working properly. One side seemed to be entirely missing from its mechanism so it fell at an unsteady slant to the Gate ramp and settled at an odd angle against the railing the ship had bent on its way into the Gate Room.

There was another long silent pause punctuated by the sound of sparking machinery.

“Unidentified shuttle pilot, please identify yourself.” Landry said over the PA to whoever it was inside the Jumper.

Slowly everyone noticed movement by the bay-door. “I’m unarmed.” A female voice said loudly then was wracked with coughing. “I’m coming out now. Don’t shoot.”

This not being their first rodeo, no one assumed whoever it was happened to be telling the truth about being unarmed but when a slender, disheveled, and arguably dirty woman stumbled around the listing bay hatch clutching something about the size of a watermelon against her shoulder everyone stared at her in shock.

She looked up at the observation window.

“Sir.” Walter breathed. “It’s Colonel Carter.”

Chapter Text

“Get medical in here now.” Landry ordered. He looked hard at the woman below. The bundle in her arms squirmed and she bounced and swayed gently as she shushed what Landry now realized was a very small child. “Find Jackson, Mitchell, Teal’c, and Mal Doran.” Landry said almost as an afterthought.

“Sir… someone needs to call General O’Neill.” Walter’s voice was quiet as he stood beside Landry. For once, glad that he was wasn’t going to be the person to contact the general.

Landry nodded, a sick expression on his face. Whatever this was, Jack needed into the loop ASAP… he just hoped Jack wouldn’t kill the messenger that his dead wife had reappeared five years after her death. “I’ll be in my office.” He told Walter and left the control room.

Janet rushed into the Gate Room as soon as her medical team was allowed, only to be confronted with a ghost. The two women stared at each other in surprise.

“Sam?” she asked the woman, shock on her face and in her voice.

“Janet?” Sam asked her, clearly equally shocked, stilling her rocking motion.

“But you’re dead.” They said in unison.

“What year is this?” They asked each other in unison again.

Both stared at the other.

“Twenty eleven.” They both said.

They both stopped and eyed each other warily.

“I think I need to sit down.” Sam finally admitted.

“Right.” Janet agreed. “Let’s go check your vitals.” She said to her presumed dead friend and gently led her out of the Gate room.

When they reached the infirmary, Sam obediently sat on one of the beds and waited for Janet to start her tests.

“Who’s your friend?” Janet asked her kindly.

“This is Jacob, my son.” Sam said in a gentle tone as she turned the boy so Janet could see the baby she’d carried as though she was afraid he’d break. Sam’s hands shook slightly.

He had a shock of blond hair and blue eyes but there his resemblance to Sam ended. Janet didn’t have to ask Sam who the boy’s father was.

“Nice to meet you, Jacob.” Janet said to the baby in amusement as he shoved a tiny fist into his mouth and whimpered.

“I need to—”

“No worries.” Janet told Sam and pulled the curtain closed. When Sam gave her a strange look, Janet shrugged. “My Sam didn’t like an audience either.”

“How can you be sure I’m not your Sam?” Sam countered.

“Well,” Janet mused. “For starters, I watched the video of my Sam being butchered.” She said with a frown. “Also, I think I’d know if Jack was over the moon because he was a father again.” Janet said patiently. She did wonder how the General would take this development. If the last five years were any indication. The words… not well… came to mind swiftly.

“Again?” Sam asked dully. Jack had lost Charlie. Of course, he’d be over the moon to be a father again. Not registering that Janet had implied her own Sam had not wanted people watching her nurse a baby.

Janet shook her head though. This wasn’t her story to tell even if their Sam was her best friend. “You said I was dead?” Janet asked to change the subject.

Sam sighed and bit her lip while Jacob nursed. “You went off-planet with an emergency medical team. We were ambushed. You and Jack were both shot. He made it… you…” Sam trailed off with a miserable frown that migrated to her eyes before swallowing hard.

Janet nodded sagely. “That was right about the time you were dating Pete?” She’d been grazed by that blast and it had left an impressive scar but like Jack, she had survived that day. As she rarely went off planet, it was the only instance she could think of that might match.

Sam looked hard at Janet. “Yah. He um… I mean, Pete proposed a bit after that. I didn’t realize he was using my grief to manipulate me until it was almost too late.”

Janet nodded. “It never got that far here.”

“Oh?”

Janet nodded decisively. “I gave him the benefit of the doubt but when I saw how you reacted to Jack almost dying we, as in you and me, had a coming to Jesus conversation.” She told her best friend in the world.

Sam gave her a sad smile. “I wish you’d been alive to do that in my reality. It would have saved Jack and I so much grief.”

Janet nodded as she took Sam’s vitals. She had no doubt this was an actual Sam. First, because her back story clearly matched her own Sam’s and second she couldn’t fathom anyone including a nursing son into such a ruse. “Landry is going to want to debrief you.” She reminded this other Sam.

Sam nodded sadly. “I guess I have a lot to explain.”

“Well, you’ll have plenty of time to do it in. Landry wants you to write as much as you can remember down first, then the psychologist is going to want to interview you with someone from security for obvious reasons.”

“As long as it’s not Samuels.” Sam grumbled.

Janet chuckled. “No, he’s long gone in our reality. But the people we do have aren’t going to pull any punches at all. General O’Neill would never allow them to, not even for you.”

“Jack.” Sam said hollowly. “So he’s…”

“Alive and well.” Janet assured her with a small frown. Was Sam afraid to face her husband or …?

“What about the other… me?” Sam asked quietly. “You said she died?”

Janet looked down a moment. “She died about five years ago.” Janet finally said quietly.

“Oh,” Sam said almost shocked. “Oh my god… poor Jack.” She said, biting her lip. He must have been devastated.

Janet nodded sadly. “He misses her. Very much.” She said, almost as a warning to this other Sam. “He may not be the man you remember.” Because this Jack was harder, more closed off than he once was. He never smiled these days or when he did, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Losing Sam had aged him both physically and emotionally. Janet suspected Gracie was the only thing that kept him going most days.

“Janet… what… um…”

Guessing where she might be going with this, Janet shrugged. “I honestly don’t know, Sam. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Sam nodded dumbly again.

“The SF will take you to a VIP room for now. We’ll get you hooked up with a computer soon, but there should be paper and pens on the desk for you.”

Sam nodded and shifted the now sleeping toddler in her arms. “Right. Yah… sure. You betcha.” She said, softly almost to herself. Standing up, she gave Janet a sad smile and followed the SF out of the infirmary. As she left, Sam kept reminding herself that this wasn’t her world. But at least, here, she hoped that she and her son were safe.

Janet huffed a sigh and shoved her fists into her lab coat pockets after Sam left. This woman was Sam all right. But one just as lost and broken as their Jack was. As if neither could actually function well without the other.

“The Ori succeeded?”

A now much cleaner Sam dressed in standard issue patchless base blue BDUs nodded. “Yes, after Daniel was killed, there was nothing to stop them. Vala and I tried, but we couldn’t translate the clues fast enough without him. Eventually, we gave up and hid like anyone else who wasn’t willing to become a follower. We were safe at first but they knew that as long as we were alive that we were a threat. So they were looking for us. Eventually we fell back to the Utah facility, figuring no one would be looking for us there. The Ori sometimes overlooked the obvious, especially if they had to expend any energy thinking about people as individuals.” She brushed back a non-existent hair with one trembling hand before returning it to hold her slumbering son. She refused to show them any weaknesses. They had come so far to be here after experiencing more loss than any of them could ever know.

“Why didn’t anyone else come here with you?”

Sam sighed sadly as she thought of all she had lost. “I was the only one left. Over time, we lost each of them one way or another. Cam died covering everyone as we escaped from St. Louis. We’d gone there to hide after the Ori overran the mountain. Vala was never the same after Daniel died. She got… reckless… not with us, but herself. She had a chance to take out a lot of priors all at once and she succeeded… but… she died doing it.”

“And Teal’c, General O’Neill? General Landry? The others?”

Sam shook her head. “We lost Landry when we lost the mountain. Teal’c was on Chulak, trying to save his people and was executed by the Ori as an example against defiance. Jack was… he made it the longest, but I lost him too.” Sam finished hollowly, unwitting she held her son closer to her.

In the observation room above the interrogation room, Daniel stood with Cameron, Vala, and Teal’c listened in on the interview.

“She certainly looks and sounds like our Samantha.” Vala noted.

“Her grief is genuine. I believe her.” Teal’c said.

“Sure sounds like stuff we would do.” Cam agreed absently.

Daniel didn’t say anything. He just watched this other Sam hold and rock her son while she explained who and what she was to the major placed in charge of interrogating her.

“Daniel?” Vala asked.

“Hm?” He said thoughtfully without looking at Vala.

“What do you think, darling?”

Daniel frowned. Mostly, he thought, Vala should stop calling everyone ‘darling’. Especially him. Especially at work. Or ever.  “I find it difficult to believe any you would commit hari-kari because I died.” Daniel muttered almost under his breath, thinking that, at best, Vala’s feelings for him were shallow and intended for self-gain and nothing more.

“Oh really. Must you find every opportunity to be insulting.” Vala huffed at him.

“Sometimes I sleep.” Daniel said, with a shrug which earned him a screwed up face from Vala. Teal’c wisely stepped between them.

“The purpose of this is to determine if that is an incarnation of Colonel Carter… not for you to irk each other.” Teal’c said reasonably to them.

Vala stuck her tongue out at Daniel behind his back as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Janet seems to think she checks out.” Cam said to break up the argument.

Daniel nodded. “Yah. That’s what worries me.”

“What’s the verdict, people?” Landry asked when he, at last, joined them. It’s been almost six hours since the woman and child appeared and he had chickened out about calling Jack straight away. He knew he had to eventually but he wanted a read on this woman first. He remembered that Sheppard had said the not- Weir had her memories and loyalty but not her heart.

“I, for one, think it’s her.” Vala said decisively. “After all, only Sam would know I’d blew up a whole passel of Priors to avenge my Daniel.” She pronounced, ignoring Daniel’s eye-roll and Cam’s amused smirk.

“The question is, can we trust her?” Landry reminded them.

“I have yet to meet a Samantha Carter I could not trust with my life, General Landry. Even the one who was a thief was not willing to harm us according to the host Samantha of that reality.” Teal’c pointed out.

Landry considered his words. “You’ve known her the longest, Mitchell. What do you think?”

Cam looked down at the woman who had just briefly described the loss of her husband. “She came here for sanctuary, sir. Apparently the only way the Puddle Jumper would work was through her son, and babies aren’t known for being deep thinkers.” He grinned boyishly. “As I can relate, she probably only managed to get him to understand ‘safe place’ or ‘safe people’. I don’t think her priority went beyond that.” He said with a shrug.

“It does seem like the kind of thing Sam would do if she was desperate.” Daniel conceded.

Landry nodded. With the expertise of SG-1 especially with their regard of this woman, he decided to pass the videos along to Jack at the same time he would make the call so they could come up with a game plan. Best Jack doesn’t think too much of what had just happened. Afterall, the people who served with her the longest seemed confident that this Sam was probably on the up and up so he’d give her the benefit of the doubt. “All right. I’ll make the call.” He said reluctantly. There was, of course, still the matter of Jack’s personal reaction to finding out he had another child to provide for. One he didn’t personally make.

“O’Neill.” Jack said absently into the phone. He’d been told by his secretary that he had an emergency call from Cheyenne. He figured Daniel had gone missing again. He was getting better about that but it still happened from time to time.

“Jack.” Landry said to him over the land line. “Are you busy?”

“No more so than usual.” Jack replied and absently rearranged some paperwork on his desk and dutifully signed the last thing he’d read through.

“We’ve had a bit of an incident.” Landry hedged.

“Daniel?”

“No… not this time.”

Now Jack was curious. If it wasn’t his best friend, what the hell had happened? “Hank, did you break the Gate?” He chuckled. “Put Hailey on it. Jennifer is the only one that knows the Gate better than…” Jack couldn’t say it and Hank didn’t need him to. They both knew he meant Sam.

“The Gate is fine. The Gate Room needs a coat of paint and new railing.” Hank hedged. He sighed. May as well just get this over with. “I’m sending you some video files… At 0630, we received an activation which carried an encryption code. It was an emergency override reserved for extreme measures and was only given out to a handful of officers and allies. I ordered the Gate open and a Puddle Jumper came through. It was barely under control and damaged the railing when it hit the deck.” Landry explained.

“Yah, I’m watching that one.” Jack said with a frown. The videos were numbered. This one had been labeled ‘01’ so Jack had opened it first.

Hank screwed up his courage and continued. “The Jumper had two occupants. A woman and a small child, well actually, a baby.” He started to say but he head Jack suck in his breath hard. Clearly he’d gotten to the part where Sam had looked up at the control room window. Looking at her blue eyes always made his heartbeat faster. “As far as we are able to discern with medical equipment… The woman in question is Colonel Carter.” Landry finished with trepidation.

“Hank, we all watched the video. Sam is dead.” Jack said in a harsh voice. He didn’t like these kinds of tricks. Who the hell was that woman?

“She’s from another timeline, another reality.”

“We destroyed those damned mirrors.” Jack growled, annoyance barely masking his anger.

“From what she explained, she’d reversed engineered some of the tech, cobbled it together with a Puddle Jumper they had and ran it through a one shot Gate she somehow cobbled together.”

“That’s impossible. We never did figure out how Orlin did it.” Jack argued.

“Apparently this Sam had enough desperation to motivate her.” Landry told Jack.

As his own Sam had once figured out how to build a particle accelerator in three months to save his life... Jack didn’t doubt the woman’s capability to do such a thing. “What does she want?”

“Her world has been taken over entirely by the Ori. Everyone she knows and loves is dead. She just wants sanctuary.” Hank said to Jack gently. “Even if she were to make her way back, there’s no telling what her universe would look like for her. Being fugitives and all.”

Jack didn’t say anything for a long moment but when he did, it was the question Hank expected. “Who’s the kid?”

“Her son.” Hank said and fortified himself before telling Jack the next part. “Jacob O’Neill.”

Jack glowered. How dare this strange woman tumble into his life, looking like his dead wife. And with a son he never had a chance to make together either.

“Jack?” Hank finally asked cautiously.

“I’ll get back to you, Hank.” Jack said abruptly and hung up. He had paused the video on the woman looking up at the observation window. He closed his eyes and tried to gather his emotions. This was the last thing he expected today. Hell, any day! After taking a few deep breaths, he turned back to his monitor. “Who are you really?” He asked the image. He frowned deeply at the image, his eyes never wavering from the blue eyes, and without looking, he picked his phone up again and punched the button for his secretary. “Clair?”

“Yes sir?” the young airman asked her boss.

“Clear my calendar for the rest of the day and tell anyone that tries to get a hold of me that I’m not taking calls for the rest of the day either.”

“Sir, what about the meeting with the Joint Chiefs at 1500?”

“Cancel that too. Tell them an emergency came up.”

“Yes sir.” She agreed and he hung up to stare at the still image again. He rewound the video to the abrupt entrance. The skid down the ramp had been impressive to say the least. Clearly she’d had very minimal control over the Jumper apparently owing only to the baby in her arms. A baby who had clearly only grasped the concept of ‘safe’… but… was she? Would the Ori follow her here? It wouldn’t matter. Daniel had activated the Ark of Truth. It would only strip them of their power if they came here… and perhaps that’s what the safe meant. The Ori had taken everything from both of them. He felt a moment of pity for her. He understood how she felt. A decision started to form in his mind that solidified as he watched her interview.

Chapter Text

“So, how are you feeling?” Janet asked Sam kindly.

Sam looked at her askance. “Are you asking as my friend or as my doctor?”

“Oh, a bit of both I suppose.” She admitted as she sat down on the blue couch in the VIP room.

Sam shrugged and sighed. Jake was sound asleep in a crib that had been moved in. Some of the women on base had dug through their kids belongings and brought him clothing and toys. The first he’d ever had. He’d only ever known a sterile underground base his entire life. He was currently clutching a worn looking Wookie doll someone had given him. His very first favorite. Star Wars had been one of the very few movies on the shelves in that facility. It had been designed for top secret projects not childcare after all.

Jack had cobbled a crib together for their son with what he could find while Sam had worked on repairing the Puddle Jumper. The original intent being to load it with supplies and get to Pegasus. When that hadn’t panned out, they had started working out the math on how to get to a reality that possibly had lost them both but wasn’t overrun with the Ori. A not improbable situation. The Gate was a one shot. Sam had spent weeks reverse engineering Orlin’s work. Having no one to pretend for, Jack had been as much help as he could be, taking notes for her and helping with construction… until the Ori had closed in on them and he’d taken off to lead them far away from her location. He’d sworn he’d be back… and she’d known even then that it was a lie. He’d given her the best chance of survival by sacrificing himself. Her heart broke just thinking about him.

“This has to be strange for you.” Janet said gently to the woman who had been her best friend for nearly a decade.

Sam shook her head. “It’s more surreal. You’re alive. Everyone I cared about in my world are alive… but… I have no connection to any of you. I’m a stranger to all of you even though all I want to do is hug all of you desperately with relief.”

“Oh, honey.” Janet said and wrapped her taller friend in her arms. “Very few of the Sams I have met have been very different from my own Sam.” She told the other woman. “I’d be honored if we could start a new friendship together.”

Sam nodded, hugging Janet back. “I’d like that.”

“Good because Daniel has been pestering me for hours about talking to you.”

Sam chuckled. “Why am I not surprised?”

Janet smiled. “Vala has been good for him.” This admission surprised Sam. Because from what little she had gleaned from Vala and Janet, Daniel was not the same man from her world.

Daniel had changed after ascending and then returning, becoming more arrogant in Janet’s eyes. Vala popped the man’s ego on a regular basis simply by being herself. Jack had told Janet that Vala was quite a lot like how Daniel described Sha’re which might be why he fought how he obviously feels about the woman. Daniel was afraid of being hurt again. It was why it had been easy for him to be involved with her originally. Janet hadn’t wanted anything serious, then she’d had Cassie to consider, then he’d died and come back someone entirely different. The early relationship between the petite doctor and Daniel had been easy simply because Janet was nothing at all like Daniel’s dead wife. He’d loved her in his way but his feelings had never been like they had been for Sha’re or for Vala even though he was loathed to admit it. Certainly nothing at all like how Sam and Jack had felt about each other.

“He’s good for her too.” Sam said to the woman who had once been one of her best friends as she thought of the Daniel and Vala from her old life.

“Oh, I suppose but really it was you and Cam that really brought her down from the stratosphere.”

“Oh?”

Janet nodded. “Cam was the one that noticed her friendship with you was what really yanked a knot in her ass about being shallow.”

Sam chuckled. “I believe that. Sometimes Cam is downright wise.”

Janet grinned. “I will not tell him you said that.” She conspired.

“He wouldn’t believe you if you did anyway.” Sam said with a rueful chuckle. “Not if he’s anything like my Cam was.”

Janet nodded. “As much as this is an adjustment for us, it’s a bigger one for you. How are you holding up?”

Sam sighed and looked over at her sleeping son. “I could be better obviously.”

Janet nodded in understanding and squeezed her hand. “Well, you aren’t a disguised alien so it’s looking good for letting you stay.”

Sam nodded sadly. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Janet gave her an inquiring look.

Sam sighed, she’d explained it in the interview but Janet probably hadn’t watched that yet. It had only been a few hours ago. “I reverse engineered Orlin’s Gate. It was a one way ticket. Even if I wanted to go back I can’t. The Ori hold the Gate Room. Alpha Base tried storming the mountain and were slaughtered.” Sam said sadly.

Janet nodded. She wasn’t certain how effective the Ark of Truth would be for her reality at this point if the Ori had taken over entirely. Even if they found a way, gated to a different unoccupied world in Sam’s reality, everyone the woman knew was dead. She had nothing to save there. She had no home. Only death and reminders of everything she’d lost. The decision might be made to attempt to save Sam’s reality but Janet very much doubted she wanted to return there. Plus if the Ori knew about the Ark of Truth they would for obvious reasons find it and destroy it in their own reality.

Janet rolled her eyes when she heard a commotion outside the door. “I better let Daniel in before he tears the place down.” She said chuckling.

Sam chuckled too. This Daniel seemed very like her own Daniel. In some respects anyway.

“Finally.” Daniel huffed and gave the AF a dirty look for not letting him just barge in, ignoring for the moment that it was as much for Sam’s comfort as any sort of security for the delay.

Sam bit on her lip and ducked her head in a smile. “Hi Daniel, nice to see you too.” She said in amusement.

“Sam.” He said as he entered the room. “Hey, I think I figured out how we can get you back home and save your world. We can gate you to another world and go find the Ark and activate it before the Ori know what’s going on—”

Sam put up a hand. “Daniel.”

Daniel didn’t wait for her to answer and continued, ignoring Sam’s interruption. “If they killed everyone as you say they won’t think anyone is still looking for it—”

“Daniel.” Sam said a little more firmly.

“All we have to do is figure out which reality you—” He went on, not even hearing Sam’s interjections.

“Daniel!” Sam finally said sharply.

“Er… yes?” He finally asked.

“Small problem with your idea.”

“I looked at your math, Sam. We can—”

“Daniel.” Sam said patiently, cutting him off again. “My math relies on the attention span of a baby.”

“Er… what?” Daniel asked in confusion and Janet looked away, biting on a smile to keep from laughing. Said baby’s father also often had the same attention span.

“I appreciate your help but how do I convince a nine month old to go back to the place that terrified him?” She gave him a pointed look. “By the time he’s old enough to understand what we need, he’s not going to remember what he needs to in order to get there.”

Daniel looked at the sleeping baby and finally understood what she meant. “Oh.” Was all he said.

“I’m sorry, Daniel. This was a one-way ticket. I could probably find someone who will take us in if I’m not wanted here on Earth but even if there was anything to go back to on my Earth… everyone I love is gone. There’s no point in me going back. The Ori won when they killed you.” Sam said, her voice hitched, she couldn’t hide her sorrow, as she looked broken-hearted at him.

Daniel scraped his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t consider that side of things.”

“Yeah, well…” Sam’s voice trailed off as she nodded sadly. Taking a deep breath, she told him quietly. “Even with the Ori gone… they decimated the Milky Way. Anyone who wouldn’t convert was murdered.” She shook her head. “The only ones who might be left unaffected are the Nox. Without the Asgard to help us… it’s a total loss at this point.” She told him.

Daniel sighed. She was probably right. If the Ori held Cheyenne, they had access to his notes. The Ark might already be destroyed anyway. “I’m sorry, Sam. I just wanted to help you get home.” Daniel told her.

“And I appreciate that you did.” She said, squeezing his upper arm in thanks. A part of her did understand that. But a part of her, wondered why he was so hell-bent on returning her back to a universe where there was nothing left for her. “My home is gone. Everyone I love is already gone. Even if I could go back in time and prevent your death… I’d still have nowhere to go.”

Daniel didn’t answer as he finally considered that aspect. She was right. There would then be two Sams in her reality, both with a claim on that Jack… and as much as Jack had once joked about it… one of the Sams would have to bow out. He started to take great interest in the carpet. “I’m sure you staying here will be okay.” Daniel mumbled and headed for the door. “I, um… have some work to do.”

Sam and Janet exchanged a look as Daniel left.

“He’s worried about how Jack will react to all this.” Janet finally said of the giant elephant pooping in the room.

Sam nodded miserably. “So am I.” She admitted. From Janet’s account, however brief, Jack had not taken her death well at all. How he was even still alive was beyond her. Jack had been so devastated after Charlie that he’d been ready to butcher an entire planet to get at one guy. By everyone’s reaction, clearly this Jack had taken her own death equally hard. As hard as he’d taken Daniel’s first suspected death.

It was late in DC and Jack was still in his office. This was the second night in the row Jack had stayed late. He’d called Gracie’s caregiver to let her know she’d make some OT this week. He had spent much of the day reviewing the arrival videos and staring at her image. Once or twice, the image focused on the baby in her arms but not the baby’s face.

Today, he received her video interview. She was so much like his own Sam it hurt to watch. And hearing her voice talk about what happened in her world was something he tried to watch dispassionately. But her voice, slightly roughened by a slight rasp and an occasional cough, was so much like his Sam's. She’d persevered over and over as the people she loved the most were butchered by the Ori one by one. Her husband’s dying act had been to save their son in the only way he knew how. By sacrificing himself. Jack sighed. Facing the same situation… he’d have done the same.

The first call he made was to the other Joint Chiefs. First, to apologize for skipping out on yesterday’s circle jerk and then to request an emergency session with them regarding the files he was forwarding,

“Jack, we can’t just have some random alien running around the country.” Roughead told him.

“Alternate reality.” Jack corrected.

“Even so, Jack, you’re setting a precedent. She’d have to be reinstated ignoring the fact that her experiences wildly differ from Colonel Carter’s.” Cartwright reminded Jack.

Jack nodded. “I’m aware of the ramification but we were ready to do it before when Dr. Carter came though the time mirror.” He reminded them.

Schwartz scrubbed at his face, his brown hand hiding a bemused smile. “Jack, you haven’t even seen her in person. She could be nothing at all like the woman you knew.”

Everyone was being very careful to step around the matter of Samantha Carter of their own world being Jack’s five years deceased wife.

Jim Amos sighed. “Jack, while Colonel Carter was scientifically important, what’s your real motivation here?”

Jack frowned. Everyone could clearly see right through him so he may as well be honest. “Sir, with all due respect she’s been through hell and she has a son to support. One that at least genetically, I’m responsible for, assuming she’s being honest which she is. The CMO did a blood workup, He’s mine, biologically anyway. At the very least, she deserves Sam’s pension so she can support herself and her son.”

The other joint chiefs glanced at each other. It wasn’t the first time Jack had done something out of compassion not logic or military gain. In truth, Jack didn’t need Sam’s pension at all. He’d been socking it away for their daughter’s schooling.

Jack had already split off a sum to be transferred to an independent account for this other Sam to support her until she was on her feet financially.

“If we do this, no one but the people in this room and her immediate team members can know she’s not your Colonel Carter, Jack.” Gary Roughead finally reminded him. “It’s too much of a security risk otherwise.”

Jack nodded. “I understand. So will she.” Sam was smart Jack reasoned. They could just file a formal separation and go on with their lives away from each other.

Bob Gates pulled on his lip and looked around the faces at the conference table they were sitting at. “I’ll have to run it by the President today but if he agrees I’ll have the paperwork on your desk by 0800 tomorrow.”

“Thank you sir.” Jack said to the Secretary of Defense.

Bob sighed. “I’m getting old Jack. But the country owes you quite a lot. If you want to pull in a marker for a woman you don’t even know, that’s your right.”

Jack frowned. What worried him wasn’t that he didn’t know her… but that he did. On some level in spite of the dirt in her hair and the haunted look in her eyes, the woman that stepped out of that Puddle Jumper was exactly like his wife.

Which was why he was going to stay very far away from her in every way at all turns.

But it was also because he couldn’t just let the military give her a new name and shuffle her off to Buffalo to teach basket weaving. She deserved more. Her son deserved more. The son he and his Sam had never had the chance to ever have together.

“If that’s all, Jack, I’m late for a golf outing with the Secretary of State.” Bob said, clearly a dismissal unless Jack had more information or input.

Jack smiled wanly. “No. That’s all.”

“All right then, gentlemen, adjourned.”

Several of the men shook Jack’s hand and wished him luck. Jack had an uncomfortable suspicion several of them felt he should pursue a relationship with this alternate Sam. Jack wanted nothing of the sort. It would only confuse Gracie for starters. Secondly what happened if things didn’t work out? Gracie had already lived through her mom’s death. Losing her family a second time if they separated would be infinitely worse in Jack’s eyes.

Chapter Text

“Sir… it’s the President.” Clair hissed at Jack around the door with her eyes wide.

“Here?” Jack asked with a frown.

“No, on the phone, thank god.” She said to him wide-eyed.

Jack nodded. “Hold my calls.” He told her and watched as she closed the door firmly so he could take the call in private. The president was a kind man but sometimes he was a little too blunt.

“Mr. President.” Jack said into the phone.

“Jack, how the hell are yah?” The president asked him in a jovial tone.

“I’m fine, Mr. President. What can I do for you today?”

“Well, I’m looking at some paperwork that suggests I need a Ouija board and a bundle of sage.” The president said in a perplexed voice.

“Did General Gates not explain the situation sufficiently, sir?”

“No, no... I understand what’s going on. I even understand why you want to handle it this way honestly as I’d probably do the same myself.” He admitted. Jack waited without replying. “I’m granting it, Jack, but be careful. She may not be the woman you remember.” He said gently to Jack.

Jack sighed. “I don’t even intend to meet her, Sir. I just want to ensure her child is cared for properly regardless of what she decides. I was just putting the money away for Grace’s education later anyway. I’ve already made arrangements to have half of it put into an account for them to get on their feet rather than relying on the military to give her a stipend.”

“That’s very generous of you, Jack.” The president said with no surprise in his voice. “If there’s anything I can do to help either of you, just call my office.”

“Thank you, Sir. I appreciate the offer.” Jack said to the other man on the phone, now distinctly uncomfortable about this whole thing,

“Oh and Jack?”

“Yes Sir?” Jack asked the other man in unspoken trepidation.

“Don’t do anything crazier than usual.” The president said with a laugh and hung up before Jack could reply.

Jack sat staring at the phone receiver in his hand with a worried frown on his face. What the hell was that supposed to mean? He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and sighed before punching the number he’d had memorized for over a decade.

“Walter, let me talk to Hank.” Jack said tiredly into the phone when he finally got a live person who wasn’t a POG.

“Yes sir.” Walter said to Jack and put him on hold.

“General Landry sir, General O’Neill is on the phone for you.”

Hank looked up at Walter and huffed out a sigh. “Well, Walter, let’s find out how much this is going to blow up in our faces.” He said to Jack’s command chief in a resigned voice.

“Yes sir.” Walter agreed.

“Jack, how are you?” Hank tried to sound like everything was just peachy on his end.

“Cut the crap Hank, we both know why I’m calling.” Jack said dryly.

“Yes, well, I tried.”

Jack would have rolled his eyes but the other man couldn’t see him. “You should be getting a packet in a few moments, Hank. I suggest you check your e-mail.”

Hank whistled when he read the financial documents. “Are you sure, Jack? That’s a lot of money.”

Jack wanted to tell Hank the point was that he was giving the woman money so she’d have no reason to talk to him ever. “Sam earned that money not me.” He said gruffly. “It’s for her son if nothing else.” Jack looked off into the middle distance. “She’ll have to sign an NDA that no one outside of her team, us, and the Joint Chiefs are to know her true identity. That’s non-negotiable.”

“So what, you’ll just play it off that you just walked away from her when she came back from the dead?” Hank asked Jack in shock.

Jack sighed, and schooled his facial expression to hide all emotion. “People get separated all the time, Hank, especially military families involved in spec-ops. No one will be at all shocked that we’re one of thousands of failed marriages.”

Hank had to disagree on that one. People would be extremely shocked. They had been one of the lauded couples in DC during their brief marriage. Everyone wondered about the mysterious Air Force General who had the ear of the president, and his incredibly beautiful wife. After the first events they attended together, they became the mysterious couple whose intense privacy simply added to the allure. Anyone who saw them at any public function knew they had clearly been hopelessly smitten with each other. It was obvious to Hank that it wasn’t just family and friends who were going to question the return of Jack’s wife only to have him keep his distance from her. But Hank knew he couldn’t force Jack to do something he didn’t want to do. Especially not something that was clearly causing him a great deal of unexpressed emotional turmoil. Hopefully this wouldn’t come back to bite him in the ass.

“Don’t let her give you any crap about the money, Hank. It’s hers. I don’t want it back.” The implied ‘I don’t want to talk to her ever’ was obvious.

“All right. What do I do with her in the meantime?”

“Offer her a job.” Jack suggested. “I’m sure the program could use her expertise.”

This, Hank thought sourly, was going to get very awkward because Jack seemed to forget he’d need to speak to the woman directly eventually if she stayed with the SGC. Or if she went to Groom Lake... or if she went to the Utah facility, there was literally nowhere he could hide from her ultimately. By remaining at the SGC, presuming Hank gave her a job there, Jackson would meddle as would Frasier and Mal Doran. Hell, even Teal’c would probably stick his nose in, if nothing else to give all of them disapproving looks. “I’ll see what we have open.” Hank said to Jack with a sigh.

“Oh, one last thing…”

“Yes?”

“The Joint Chiefs want a complete dossier of all her missions prior to reinstating her.” Jack told the other man.

Hank sighed. It wasn’t that he didn’t agree. It was the emotional pounding it might cause the woman that bothered him… and should have bothered Jack. “I’ll have it on your desk as soon as she completes it.”

“I’m sure you will, Hank.” Jack said and hung up. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment. What a shit day. He concluded.

“They want what?” Daniel asked in shock.

“They want an entire mission detail report for my time with the SGC until I came here including what happened after we lost the mountain.” Sam sighed as she continued typing.

“And they want it when?”

Sam’s face pinched. “General O’Neill did not share that information with General Landry.” Sam said in a very careful tone.

Daniel frowned. “I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.” He said of Jack’s attitude.

Sam frowned more deeply. Sadly she did, in fact, get it. He was avoiding her plain and simple. The money had been generous. The note impersonal. The explanation for why he was doing it logical. In the end though, the message was clear. Stay away.

Vala was in the corner of the VIP suite rocking a sleepy Jake in the hopes that he would doze off so Sam could work. Sam had greeted Vala with open arms and Vala had returned the gesture. Sam had been much more cautious with Janet after their first overtures that they wanted to renew the friendship as Janet had been dead many years in her lifetime and she didn’t feel she understood as well having had a relationship with the Sam of this reality for far longer than she’d had with her own Janet.

“Why are you just accepting this?” Daniel demanded as he paced the suite.

“He’s been very generous, Daniel. It’s probably the Joint Chiefs that want to know my history not him.”

“Yah I bet.” Daniel growled.

Sam just shook her head though. Daniel couldn’t grasp that she wasn’t this Jack’s Sam and it probably hurt to even think about her if he was anything like the man she’d married. Or for all she knew they were worlds apart as people and be nothing alike other than in looks.

“Daniel, darling, could you please fuss elsewhere? I’m trying to get the baby to go to sleep.” Vala said to him with a frown.

Daniel huffed and left after glaring at her.

“Well, he’s in a fine mood.” Vala observed.

Sam nodded absently as she typed. “He’s a lot like my Daniel. He expects things of Jack that he’s not emotionally capable of doing.”

“He expects things of a lot of people.” Vala muttered.

Sam nodded and sighed. It was clear that in this reality at least, Daniel couldn’t get past how much Vala was like his dead wife and refused to let himself love her because of it. She bit her lip and told herself there was nothing at all similar to their situations. She hadn’t even met the Jack of this reality. For all she knew he was nothing like her husband at all. This Jack was bitter and cantankerous from all accounts these days. Who would want that? She had enough to deal with on her own. She realized bleakly that she had yet mourn her own husband. This Jack was the least of her problem.

Vala carefully placed the now sleeping Jacob in his crib, tucking him under covers, with his favorite Wookie toy within sight. “I should go help Daniel translate that artifact SG-13 brought back. Will you be all right here by yourself?” She asked Sam.

“Yah. Plenty to do at least.” She said with a sigh. It was worth it though, she thought. If she could prove that she had just as much military experience and scientific knowledge as the Sam of their reality had, she could step into the other woman’s shoes at least when it came to her job prospects. While she didn’t feel she could replace their Sam, she knew that if she passed muster in that regard, Jake’s security was assured.

While Vala welcomed her and with each passing hour, Daniel was more receptive of her (even though he would periodically forget that she wasn’t really his Sam), she knew she’d have to avoid old friends, of course. Cameron seemed very weirded out by the whole thing. And Janet… well with Janet, she’d been standoffish with her after their initial contact and conversations. Not because of anything Janet had done but her own Janet had been dead for years. She didn’t have that same bond. In her world, she and Jack had raised Cassie into adulthood but the poor girl had lost two mothers. She thought of the brave young woman who then died herself trying to save what little family she had left. She suspected the Cassie of this world would be very different from the one she’d raised.

It was strange. Part of herself expected everyone to be somehow different from the people she’d known in her own reality. While there were some variations… none of them were fundamentally different from the people she remembered. Everyone but Daniel was very careful not to talk directly about Jack with her which worried her. What had happened that had everyone so afraid? And was it her reaction or his that they worried about?

Sam sighed and got back to writing her account of her life story. She’d at least divorced herself from the situation enough to write Colonel O’Neill and not Jack every time she had to mention her husband. It made it easier anyway as she wanted to burst into tears every time she thought about his final sacrifice to save her and their son.

Vala did not go to Daniel’s lab. Instead she headed for the last place she’d seen Cameron.

He mumbled a hello as his head was buried in the report he was writing. Vala flounced into his office and sat primly on the chair across from him before resting her elbows on his tidy desk and putting her chin in her hands so she could stare at him across his desk.

“Did you need something, Vala?” He asked her absently. Usually Vala pestered Daniel or sometimes Teal’c. While it wasn’t entirely unusual for her to come bother him while he worked, it wasn’t entirely in character either.

“Why yes, Cam darling, there was something on my mind.” She said affably enough but Cam knew that tone. Whatever she was up to a critique of something he’d said or done was coming.

“I’m a little busy today, Vala, could you give me the short version?”

“Oh, the short version.” Vala said knowingly. “I can do that.” She agreed and didn’t say anything but stared at him.

“Great. What’s up?” Vala was silent and after a moment, he looked up. And that’s when he received the full message.

“You’re a terrible friend, that’s what.” Vala said to him with a disgusted frown.

“Uh… what?” Cam couldn’t think of anything that would make her say that. He got along fine with Daniel and Teal’c, Janet and, most of the time, Vala herself.

“You heard me, pretty boy.” Vala told him dismissively. “That poor girl nearly killed herself trying to find someplace safe and no one but me seems to give a hoot about her.”

“Uh… who are we talking about again?” Cam asked, genuinely at a loss.

Vala huffed in disgust. “Samantha! The woman you’ve known most of your adult life!” She snapped and slapped the desk.

“Vala, the Samantha I knew died five years ago. We all watched the video they sent us. She’s not coming back.” He sighed and tried to reason with her. “Look, I feel sorry for the Sam that came here. I do. I know she’s lost everything… but she’s not our Sam. She isn’t the person we knew.”

Vala gave him an icy look. “At least one of us understands what it’s like to lose everyone they love.” Vala said with an offended sniff as she stood. “A more stubborn lot I’ve never seen. The General at least I can almost understand. His heart was broken… but you… you’re just being cold hearted to someone you don’t even know simply because she looks like someone you profess to have loved.” She told him waspishly. As she got up and left his office he heard her mutter “You all are.”

She was gone before he could stop her to make her explain what she meant and he sat back down with a sigh. Vala saw things in the simplest terms. Complexity was not her normal operating speed.

Chapter Text

A couple of weeks later Jack received Sam’s extensive report. She seemed to be telling the truth and his heart squeezed painfully at how familiar the style of this woman’s writing was. He supposed he should have someone who understood the mechanics of alternate reality travel explain it to him in small words so he understood what the woman had written. She’d given him far too much credit for understanding what the hell she was talking about. Her Jack must have been smarter. He sighed. The only person he could think of in the program that would be able to explain it to him that wasn’t her and wasn’t going to completely get on his nerves was Sheppard.

“Clair?” He said into his intercom after pressing the button.

“Yes sir?” She asked him.

“Send a coded copy of the file we just received from the SGC to Pegasus. Eyes only. Have Sheppard evaluate it. Include orders to return to Earth in two days Earth time to go over this stuff with the geeks at the SGC.”

“Yes sir.” Clair agreed.

“Oh, and Clair?”

“Yes sir?”

“Make arrangements for me to fly out there as well. I’d rather have him explain it to me in person.”

“Yes sir.” Clair agreed.

Jack told himself he wasn’t going out there to see if she was like his Sam. His Sam was gone. She was just some unfortunate woman who shared his wife’s face and, staring at the pile of files that consisted of her report, similar missions as well.

He had no intention of interacting with her at all if he could at all help doing so. But he should give her the courtesy of handing over the final approval papers in person to Landry. If nothing else for appearances. And… Jack sighed. He should do the right thing for appearances if nothing else. At least, that’s what he told himself.

Later that evening in the yellow kitchen at Jack’s modest colonial, he stared at his daughter’s caretaker in suppressed alarm.

“What do you mean you can’t?” Jack asked the younger woman.

“Sir, I scheduled the flights over a month ago. I’m really sorry but I simply won’t be here.” She reminded him of the family wedding he’d signed off on her going to months ago.

Jack sighed. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“NORAD has a daycare facility, Sir. I’ll make arrangements for them to care for her while you’re busy with work. The staff should remember me and, if not, you should still be on record.”

Jack grimaced. He’d forgotten Sam had used the facility when Gracie had been little when Sam had to be at work as Marie had started as only a part time nanny originally. “Fine. Take care of it. I need to call my secretary and arrange for a second seat on my flight.”

“I’ll pack her some snacks, Sir.” She told her boss.

Jack sighed. “Right. Um… I have no idea what she’s allowed to have on an aircraft these days.” He admitted. He avoided taking Gracie with him to the Springs. The memories hurt him too much and he didn’t want his daughter to see that side of him again if he could help it.

Marie nodded. “I’ll double check with the airline.”

Jack sighed and headed for the den where he knew Gracie would either be watching cartoons or drawing. Possibly both.

“Hi daddy.” She said to him with a grin. “What’s wrong?” She asked when she saw his expression.

Jack flopped down on the worn couch. He supposed he should replace it eventually. He and Sam had bought it when they bought their first home together in DC. It was meant to be a starter home until they found something they liked better but with just him and his daughter and the basement renoed for Marie’s living area… he didn’t see any point in getting anything bigger now. The three bedroom home’s third bedroom was converted into a home office/library. He had everything he needed after all. A bed. A place to store his stuff. Hell almost half his stuff was sitting in an empty house in Colorado Springs that he never visited now. The cleaning company came in once a month and made sure everything was in good order but it had been several years since he’d darkened the door of the home he’d bought shortly after his divorce.

“I have to go to Colorado, Kiddo.”

“Neat. Are you going to see Uncle Daniel and Auntie Janet and—”

Jack put up his hand to stop her. She’d list all their found family if he didn’t. “Yah. I have to go talk to General Landry about something that happened that’s all.” He said absently as he looked at the show she was watching. “What’s this?” He asked of the red and yellow worm things acting like a couple of Loony Toons characters.

“It’s called Larva.” She giggled at the red larva yelling at the yellow larva for eating his food. “They remind me of you and Uncle Daniel.” She said still giggling.

Jack chuckled. “Yah… that tracks.” He watched for another moment before returning his attention to his daughter. “So listen, Marie has a wedding to go to when I’m supposed to go to Colorado so you’re coming with me.”

“Really?!” She asked him excitedly, grinned, got up and hugged her dad. “Are we going to stay at the house? Will I see Uncle T? Is Auntie Vala going to take me out for ice cream? Is—"

“Woah! Slow down there, killer.” He said hugging her. “Dad has to go for work so Marie is calling the NORAD daycare so someone can watch you while I’m working.”

“But daddy, why—"

“Ah!” Jack admonished her. “I have to go for work. I’ll see if any of your aunts and uncles are free after but no promises.”

Gracie huffed and frowned. “Are we at least staying at our house?” She missed her old bedroom. She hadn’t seen it in three years. They had gone out for Christmas one year after Uncle Danny had nagged daddy endlessly. The hotels had been full so they had stayed at the house. Daddy had been unhappy the entire time and they hadn’t been back to the house since.

“Sorry, Kiddo. The house is locked up. We’ll have to stay at a hotel.”

“Daddy, you have the keys.” She said giggling.

Jack gave her an amused smile. “I do but we won’t be there long enough to make all that extra work for the cleaning company. The hotel has room service.”

“Booriingg.” She said in a sing song voice.

“And internet.”

Gracie pouted but she was a fan of having her computer. “Fine. But I get the bed next to the window.”

“Fair.” Jack agreed.

“And no snoring.” She ordered him.

“I’ll plug my nose.” He promised which made her giggle.

“What do you mean I won’t be attending?” Sam demanded. Cam had come to her VIP suite to explain the final decision would be made regarding her status on this world in a few days.

He put up his hands placatingly. “It’s just a formality.” He avoided using her name. Some part of him hoped if he didn’t call her Sam, she just wouldn’t make him forget she wasn’t his friend.

Sam was pacing with a fussing, drooling Jacob. “I have every right to be there and make my case.” She snapped waspishly at him.

Cam wished Vala or Daniel had delivered this message. He’d forgotten this side of her. Dammit, she wasn’t Sam. He didn’t want to know that she had this side of her, too. “Look, I’m just following orders. If you want to be reinstated then you have to jump through the hoops. You know that… or should.”

Sam huffed but didn’t reply. She was busily bouncing a now entirely fussy Jacob on her shoulder.

Cam wasn’t sure how she intended to attend the briefing with General O’Neill with a fussy teething toddler in the first place. He screwed up his face into the expression of a man that was trying to tactfully leave an uncomfortable situation but Sam caught on and waved him off.

“Go.” Was all she said to him.

Relieved, Cam nodded and left.

After he was gone, Sam stared daggers at the open door. She’d taken to leaving it open most of the time now that she didn’t have a guard detail. Jake was too little to get away and it made it clear when she was up for company and when she was not.

Jacob wailed.

“Oh there, there kiddo. Would you like mommy to sing to you?” Softly she hummed for a moment then started singing “Twinkle twinkle…”

Two days later, Jack had Gracie in one hand and a pair of carryon bags slung over his shoulder. He’d dressed in his civvies, not wanting to draw attention to himself, especially as he was traveling with Gracie.

“That was fun, daddy. Even when my ears popped.” She was telling him.

“You hated that as a baby.”

Gracie nodded wisely. “The baby behind us didn’t like it either. You were the only one nice about it.” The other passengers nearby had ranged from moaning in despair at the wailing infant to outright muttering things like shut that brat up. Jack had smiled at the mother reassuringly and suggested she nurse the baby to help with the ear pain. The mom had given Jack a grateful smile and waved at Gracie who grinned back.

“We have to go to the car rental lot so we’ll hit the courtesy shuttle bay first, kiddo.”

“Okay daddy.” Gracie agreed, dragging her bag full of art supplies and a handful of small dolls. She’d had a bottle of bubble solution as well but the TSA agent had confiscated that because of its size. Gracie had sighed in resignation. “Can we get a bottle of bubbles?” she asked him hopefully.

“What is with you and the bubbles?” Jack asked her chuckling.

“They’re pretty.” She told him as if her reasonable explanation was all that was necessary to secure herself a new bottle of soap. “I like rainbows.”

Jack nodded. “So did…” He stared to say but didn’t finish the sentence and swallowed hard. “Who doesn’t like rainbows.” He agreed in false cheer.

Gracie frowned. She’d forgotten again not to remind daddy of mommy. There were days he was okay but for the last couple of days he’d been very careful to avoid the topic. Some days were just like that for daddy. She knew they met here in Colorado so Gracie figured daddy was remembering stuff that hurt inside because mommy was dead and daddy never got over missing her.

Jack sighed under his breath. “Major Nelson told Marie she’s missed you and is looking forward to catching up.” He said to his now pensive daughter as they came to the courtesy van queue.

“I think I kind of remember her?” Gracie vaguely recalled a blond woman with perfect bangs, a sweet voice, and big blue eyes.

Jack adjusted their bags to his other shoulder when the van pulled up. “She remembers you even though you were about four the last time she saw you.”

“Okay.” Gracie said vaguely, smiling back at him. She’d really much rather see Auntie Janet or Auntie Vala. She wondered how hard it would be to get from the daycare to the base. She knew the way because her dad had explained years ago he was right up the road and pointed between the trees to the large horseshoe shaped opening. Less reliable was her memory of the interior because she had been in as a toddler the last time she was inside but hasn’t been there since. Auntie Janet had wanted to run some tests because mommy and daddy were genetically special. She bet if she could get inside though she could find Auntie Vala. Gracie smiled to herself as she formed a plan in her head.

Glad that his daughter was clearly looking forward to spending time with some other kids, Jack’s mind wandered to his current dilemma. He had a woman who legally was his wife with a child who was genetically his son yet he had no wish to be around either given she wasn’t his Sam and that baby was wasn’t his son. The very last thing he needed in life was to get attached to either of them emotionally. Even if he were able to, he told himself. Jack couldn’t have what he wished for in his dreams and he didn’t want a substitute instead. But he also knew how it would look if he green lit her return and allowing her to take his wife’s place then washed his hands entirely of the woman. Pensively, he brushed the jacket pocket where a set of keys rested. He sighed sadly. He should have sold the place years ago but he just couldn’t seem to work up the effort. Kept telling himself one day it he wouldn’t feel like he was going to turn a corner in the place and there she was as though nothing had ever happened.

Jack smiled bitterly. This solved two problems he had.

Not well. But it solved them.

Sam paced the reasonably large suite she’d been assigned. The more she thought about it the more she wanted to give Jack a piece of her mind. Where the hell did he get off making decisions about her life without her input anyway? With Jonas or Pete, she expected that kind of heavy handed bull crap but her husband was a better man than that. She knew he had to be. It was utterly out of character for him to just never even ask what she thought or what she wanted.

But a tiny little voice in her head reminded her that making decisions about their life without her input was exactly what Jack had once done for eight long years and that the only thing that had changed was her father knocking some sense into them both on his death bed.

If it wouldn’t have woken Jake up she would have screamed.

“Hank.” Jack said with a tired sigh when the other man greeted him in the briefing room.

“Jack. Good to see you.” Hank said with genuine affection.

Jack shook Hanks hand with an unreadable expression. “Program running smoothly?” Jack asked him casually. He knew the answer already, that was why Walter had been there when the fateful Puddle Jumper had skidded into his base.

Hank nodded. “Oh, the usual, but yes. Jackson continues to find new civilizations to explore. Mal Doran continues to find criminals to exploit and Teal’c continues to be the glue.”

Jack nodded and sat down at the conference table next to Hank who took the head chair. “Sheppard should be here soon with his evaluation. Unless he finds something to be concerned about, I’m going to recommend a full reinstatement.” Jack told the other man as though the woman they were discussing were not the ghost of his wife.

“Teal’c does not believe she was one of the Sams he encountered when the team was forced to another reality with several SG-1 teams but he admits several teams were redirected to the Alpha site and hers might have been one of them.”

Jack nodded. Her lengthy report indicated as much. His own Sam had helped the Sam of that reality send everyone home. They had laughed about the Sams who had a one night stand with him before he left on his first gate missions as she had stayed home and polished off a case of beer and thrown darts at a photo of West’s head pinned to her wall all night. Stop thinking about her, he ordered himself as his heart thumped painfully in his chest.

Daniel shuffled in and headed straight for the coffee. “Jack.” He said in a slow cautious tone by way of greeting.

“Daniel.” Jack said and raised an eyebrow. Clearly, Daniel had something on his mind but when the other man didn’t elaborate and simply sat in his usual chair Jack frowned. Daniel was at least finally learning there was a time and a place for personal disagreements.

Vala entered next. “Jack, darling.” She said to him affectionately and hugged him. Jack returned the hug. Vala had been one of Sam’s best friends, Janet being the other. They now leaned on each other in their mutual loss.

“How are you, Vala?” Jack asked her kindly when she eased back on the hug.

“As well as can be expected.” She told him with a shrug, her long dark hair pulled back in a tidy French braid these days. “Cam and Teal’c should be along with John as soon as he gets here.” She said of the rest of her team. “Janet was running some tests but will be down in a jiffy.”

Jack nodded. If there was one thing he could count on Vala for, it was knowing where everyone was and what their current status was.

“How’s my delightful goddaughter?” Vala asked him.

Jack smiled slightly. “Hopefully behaving herself.” He said wryly.

Vala laughed as she sat next to Daniel. “Keeping you on your toes I should imagine.”

 “Well, she is Jack’s kid.” Daniel said in amusement.

Jack snorted and almost laughed. “Thanks.” Was all he said in amusement.

“Sorry I’m late.” Colonel John Sheppard said to the room as he entered in his Class As carrying a tablet and his cover under one arm.

Jack waved him to a seat. “Let’s dispense with the formalities today, people.” He said as Cam and Teal’c trickled in behind the Atlantis officer.

They all knew Jack would prefer to dispense with formalities on all days, especially with his former team.

His suggestion was greeted with nods of agreement as Janet came in carrying a file folder under her arm. “General.” She greeted him.

“Janet.” He said warmly. “Have a seat.” He waved at the other end of the table from where he and Hank sat.

Janet nodded and took her spot as Walter closed the door. The briefing was strictly confidential and he had his orders not to allow it to be interrupted except in the case of a planetary emergency. As such, he sat by the door himself.

Jack tapped his pen on his notepad a couple of times. If anyone was bothered by Sam not being included in the briefing that decided her fate none of them were unwise enough to say so. Finally he spoke. “John, what can you tell me about the Puddle Jumper she came in on?”

“It’s been heavily modified, sir. From a preliminary examination of the wreckage, it appears she used several Alteran and Lantian technologies together to get it to work.”

Jack hummed. “With just a baby to help?”

John shook his head. “No. From her account, it appears you, well, the other you, helped her quite a lot to rebuild the thing to accurately predict a sunspot that was going to spit out a mass ejection, then cobbled together with the circuit matrix from the reality jumping mirror so she could use the ship to change universes rather than go back and forth in time as the Jumper was designed to do.”

“Why not just fix the mirror?” Daniel asked.

“Honestly, I think the technology for the mirror was just past her ability to repair without help. Added that she knew she was running out of time. I think she just winged it.” John admitted.

Cam and Janet nodded. Just winging it was a very Sam Carter thing to do.

“She must have started to run into trouble after the other you died.” Daniel mused.

“Do any of you have any concerns about her being a threat to this base or this reality?” Jack asked them, looking at each of them in turn. Slowly one by one they each shook their heads no.

Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Hank, is it your estimation that she’s a threat in any way to this reality?”

Hank thought for a long moment. Did he think Sam was a problem? Yes, but almost exclusively to their commanding officer. The rest of his people would adjust. “I see no credible reason to believe she is one, Jack.”

He nodded. “All right then. I have authorization to recommend she be reinstated with a strict confidentiality clause. No one outside of this base aside from the Joint Chiefs, the head of the IOA, and the President are to ever be fully aware she’s not from this reality. She is not to speak of it to anyone outside of this room at any time nor is she allowed to reveal she is not the Samantha Carter of this reality.” Jack said with finality.

Daniel looked at him sharply. “Jack.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Daniel. You had your chance to make objections and you knew what was coming down the pipe if you didn’t.” Jack cautioned him.

“But Jack—”

“Daniel.” Jack said firmly. “The decision is made.” And his expression clearly indicated he’d be entirely intractable on this matter.

Daniel sighed.

“Get someone on reverse engineering what’s left of that thing.” Jack ordered Hank Landry.

Hank nodded in agreement and made a note.

The door nudged open. “Uh… sir…” Walter said looking at Jack after a brief conversation with the Gate tech that had opened the door.

“Yes Walter?” Jack asked the aging Sergeant.

Walter looked supremely embarrassed to relay the message. “Major Nelson needs to speak to you.”

Jack looked upward in resignation. What had she done this time? He wondered of his too brilliant for her own good seven-year-old daughter.

It had been ridiculously easy to sneak out of the daycare. During time she had been away, lots of the base staff had babies or toddlers now at the daycare. Gracie had played with Lt. Colonel Hopkin’s new baby girl and their older son as she vaguely remembered their parents and PJ, as their son liked to be called, apparently remembered who she was once she said who her mom and dad were. After that the workers had focused on the babies more than her who was clearly keeping herself entertained without help.

Once they stopped paying any attention to her at all about an hour into her day there, she acted like she was off to look for a bathroom and possibly a snack. She even asked one of the civilian workers where the bathroom was to keep them from looking for her for a while.

Once she was in the hallway she strolled down it as if she was just exploring the building until she got to a side door that opened to an outdoor break area for the staff. Once she was outside, it was a piece of cake to slide off into the bushes and head up the road that led to the base. Because she was already on Base property, she didn’t have to worry about additional gates. She just waited for a tram to slowly rumble up to the entrance and slipped in as it went by the guard standing off to one side waving it in. Once inside, she stuck to the wall and avoided being spotted by any of the adults.

When the elevator opened with no one in it she slipped in and cautiously pushed the last button that would take her to the last level of NORAD but the first level above the SGC. Her heart was pounding the whole time. She felt just like Harriet the Spy[1].

When the doors opened on the last level, she made sure she was flat against the wall and peeked out. The guard wasn’t looking at the elevator coming down once he realized no one was in it and she snuck out and hid against a wall until her heartrate slowed some. Gracie gulped and stared at the next bank of elevators directly across from the guard. It would be a lot harder to get into that bank and get the rest of the way down.

She squared her shoulders and put on her bravest face. She could do this. She told herself. After all. She was an O’Neill.

She did a quick breathing exercise to quell her anxiety and slide silently against the wall out of the guard’s sight. What would distract a grown-up she wondered. Her answer came in the form of the elevator coming up on its own and a pair of young airmen leaving it while laughing about some joke about basketball. They greeted the guard and while all three were distracted by last night’s scores. Gracie slipped onto the elevator and let the door slide shut on its own. She bit her lower lip and pressed a button at random. She had no idea what level to go to. She just knew she needed to go down but not all the way down because that was the place Daddy was and she didn’t want him to know where she was.

The elevator slid down level by level until the button she’d pressed at random lit up the display at the top. 25. Gracie held her breath as the door slid open but it didn’t appear anyone was around at all. She bolted out of the elevator and snuck down the hallway as quickly as she could. An open door was at the end of the hall on the right. Someone was singing in the room.

Grace’s heart squeezed tightly. That was…

Inside her suite (if you can call it that), Sam intermittently hummed and sang the lyrics to Twinkle Twinkle as she tried to rock Jake to sleep.

“‘Tis your bright and tiny spark, Lights the trav’ller in the dark, Tho’ I know not what you are, Twin—”

“Mommy?”

Turning quickly around at the little voice, Sam stared as a little girl with long curly dark blond pigtails looked at Sam from the open door. Her mouth was hanging open in shock. Then she launched herself at Sam full speed and hugged her waist with all her might, sobbing inconsolably and repeating one word over and over. “Mommy.”

[1] Harriet the Spy is a children's novel written and illustrated by Louise Fitzhugh that was published in 1964. I picked it out once as a kid because it was VERY long and I was tired of being told I was reading my books too fast.

Chapter Text

“Sweetie, I—”

Sam tried to tell the little girl she wasn’t her mommy but the sobbing child was clinging to her, crying, and hiccupping so much that Sam could only make out “missed you so much” and “Why did you leave me?” in between the girl sobbing ‘mommy’ over and over again. At a loss and trying to juggle her son, Sam patted the girl’s shoulder gently trying to calm her down.

Something made her look up at the open door. The feeling she was being glared at… and she was.

Sam’s eyes met familiar brown eyes that looked at her with nothing but hardness.

“Gracie.” He said in a stern voice. “That’s not your mom.” He said with a deep frown.

“It is! Daddy, it’s mommy! She’s been here all this time and you didn’t tell me.” The little girl sobbed.

“Gracie, sweetie, mommy died a long time ago. That’s not mommy. Come with me now.” He said, his voice still stern.

Gracie shook her head against Sam’s stomach, wrapped her small arms around her waist even tighter, and refused to let go.

“Gracie!” Jack barked.

Sam crouched a little bit. “It’s okay, honey. Go with your dad. I’ll see you soon, okay?” She tried to reassure the girl, trying to tilt the little girl’s small head and look into her eyes.

Jack’s expression just hardened even more if that was possible. Like hell, she’d see his daughter any time soon. “Gracie, go out into the hallway. Now!” He barked to his daughter in the tone that even Gracie didn’t dare disobey.

“Yes, daddy.” She choked out, squeezing her arms once more around Sam, before she finally released her and shuffled out, her head hanging in despair. Tears streamed down her little face as she wiped away her sniffles.

There was a palpable silence in the room as Sam just stared at Jack in shock. Janet hadn’t told Sam that Jack had a daughter. She’d thought Janet meant Charlie. “She’s—”

“My daughter.” Jack said firmly. His tone clear. Her presence in the girl’s life was not desired. He glared at her, ignoring the baby on her shoulder pointedly. Clearly indicating he had no desire to know anything about her son with his other self.

Sam nodded in understanding. She stood there mutely, uncertain of what she should say. There was too much information and she wasn’t ready to process any more new information at the moment.

“The daycare said she took off. I figured she was looking for Janet or Vala and guessed at the level she might be on based on her height.” Jack said as though speaking to a stranger which Sam supposed in his estimation, he was. “I apologize for the mix up. It won’t happen again.”

Sam finally spoke, stammering out her immediate reaction. “It’s… if she wants to get to—”

“No.” Jack bit out the word firmly.

Sam knew this tone. She had experienced it several times in their life together. Sam nodded dumbly. What else was there to say after all if he didn’t want her in the girl’s life?

“These are for you.” He said, laying a set of keys on the table next to the door.

Sam stared at them in dismay, recognizing the shape of the largest key. They were the keys to their house. “I can’t—”

“I’m not using it.” He told her flatly. “You’ve been reinstated. Landry has some forms for you to fill out and some instructions. You’ll need a place to stay. If you want to sell it let me know and I’ll put it up for sale.” He frowned. “Otherwise it’s yours.” He was about to turn to walk away when she blurted out brokenly.

“What will I tell people?”

He turned back. “Anything you want except the truth.” He said in an unfriendly voice and left.

Sam stood still for a few minutes after he left. She then quietly closed the door to the room and leaned her head against the door for a moment, eyes closed in dismay as she held her son who had somehow slept through the entire thing.

She stood there motionless then huffed out a sigh. Somehow she made her way back to the couch and unknowingly slowly collapsed onto the seat, and found herself crying for no apparent reason.

“Daddy, I just wanted to—”

“I know what you wanted to do,” Jack growled at her, anger seething below the surface as he tried desperately not to lose control of the situation.

“I’m sorry.” She said in a tiny voice.

“We’ll talk about it when we get home.” He told her in a voice that spoke volumes.

“We aren’t staying?” She whispered to her dad, still upset. She didn’t understand what was happening and why they were leaving her mommy behind. Why was dad so angry? Why had he said that wasn’t mommy when she knew it was?

“No.” Was all he said. God no was what he thought. He couldn’t risk her sneaking off a second time to go find her mother’s doppelganger.

“But mommy…” She trailed off at his expression. Her dad was furious with her for what she’d done. Perhaps she should wait to ask him questions after he’d calmed down a little. Gracie shrank into herself and wisely chose not to finish her question.

Jack stormed through the base back to the elevators, Grace in tow, and hit the up button. They were leaving. Now. Hank could mail the paperwork back to him or Walter could bring it back on his trip back. He’d planned on inviting his former team out for dinner. That was no longer a good idea. 

They never even went to the hotel. Jack called the airline and got their flight changed as he drove directly to the airport not a word was exchanged between parent and child. The flight home was extremely quiet and uncomfortable.

Gracie knew her dad was furious with her for sneaking off and she knew better than to bring up why her mom was at the base with a baby. And she didn’t care what daddy said. That woman was her mommy. She looked like her mommy, smelled like her, sounded like her. Felt like her. Sang the song only mommy knew all the words to. It didn’t matter that she could barely remember her mom. She knew that was her mom. But why would daddy tell her that mommy had died if she hadn’t? And why was daddy so angry that she’d found out? Was he mad because Gracie caught him lying to her?

Gracie sighed and watched the clouds go by under her through the tiny aircraft window. She never did get to see Auntie Vala or Auntie Janet. She’d have settled for Uncle Danny or Cameron.

Next to her, Jack glowered and tried to work out damage control. He couldn’t just order Gracie not to talk about what she’d seen so he really needed to convince her that the woman she’d been crying on was not her mom. Easy enough as she certainly was not the woman Jack had married. A bit harder to convince a seven year old who wanted nothing more than to erase the death of her mother. Jack’s frown deepened.

“Um… sir… Could you do something for me?” Sam asked General Landry politely from around his office door after gently knocking on it later that day.

“Sam.” He said in a friendly voice. “Have a seat.” He offered.

“I… um… I won’t be long.” She said, biting her lip. “It’s just… I can’t take these.” She said to him, holding out Jack’s house keys with a shaking hand.

Landry looked at them as if they were made of acid and did not put out his hand. “Sam reinstating you does not mean the Air Force is going to allot you housing in a timely manner. The house is legally yours. Jack never took you off the paperwork. It’s just sitting empty. He hasn’t used it in years.” He looked at her kindly. “Besides, how would it look if you didn’t live there at least at first?”

“Um… what?” Sam asked him, genuinely confused, and anxiously bit her lip waiting for the base commander to respond.

“You’re his wife, Sam, at least in name. Short of you moving to another state in another program, there’s no way you will be able to hide being Samantha O’Neill. I’d really like to keep you on. You’re still the foremost expert on the Gate. I don’t care what McKay or Hailey say. You’re the expert. I need you here.” He said simply.

“I… I want that too, sir. I know I need to pass a physical.” Janet had said her fatigue and tremors were caused by cobalt exposure that should fade with time.

Hank nodded. “Then it’s decided. Teal’c can help you get back into shape. I’m sure we can find some sort of arrangement for childcare on base until the baby is weaned.” He offered. “You used to take care of Cassie for Janet. I’m sure she would be happy to return the favor.” He said kindly to her. She’d probably want a desk job at least at first anyway. That would give them time to figure out some sort of nanny situation for her. Jack had done so for Cassie. Janet could probably get someone from the same service to help here as well.

“But the house…”

“Is yours, Sam. He wouldn’t have given it to you if it wasn’t.” Hank said with an understanding grimace. He understood her discomfort. To her, the Jack of this reality was a stranger and given he’d stormed out after finding his daughter with his dead wife earlier today… Hank could guess how their first interaction had gone. It was hardly Sam’s fault the precocious kid had found her. Gracie was probably smarter than both her parents combined and had a child’s knack for finding trouble. It would blow over… eventually. Jack would relax or they would simply play the whole thing off as a failed marriage to the public and go their separate ways.

In either case, there was nothing he could do beyond soothe this Sam’s fears that she was imposing. Jack didn’t want the house. He was just too pig headed to sell it because as much as the memories of Sam hurt him, selling the house meant letting go. And Jack wasn’t good at letting go.

Sam sighed in resignation. The packet she’d received stated flat out she was to present herself as Jack’s spouse in this reality. No one but the people of the SGC who were already in the know and the Joint Chiefs including the president and the head of the IOA are to ever know she’s not the original Sam Carter of this reality. Her military file now included redactions that noted her KIA status was originally misfiled due to bad intel and she was relisted as MIA PKIA when she was found. It was an utter fabrication Jack was supporting by giving her the house in the Springs that he’d shared with his late wife.

It wasn’t unlike him to be that level of generous though. He’d also given her half the money the original Sam of this reality’s pension had earned plus interest. The money she could at least understand. The house was such a mixed message she didn’t know what exactly to do.

Hank broke into her tumultuous thoughts. “You do know where the house is?”

“Oh. Oh yes, of course.” She said to him. She imagined it was exactly the same spot as it had the same address after all. She could find her home in her sleep.

Her home. Sam’s eyes welled up with tears she refused to shed. She closed her eyes hard until the sting in her nose stopped.

“Sam?” Hank asked her gently.

“Sorry, sir. It’s just a long time since I’ve seen my home even if it’s not quite the same one.”

Hank nodded in understanding. “Jennifer will be glad to have you back, Colonel.” He said gruffly.

“Um… sir… how much of the base actually knows?”

Hank thought for a moment. “Honestly, none of the AFs in the Gate room knew who you are when you arrived. Walter obviously, myself, SG-1 in its entirety, and Janet.”

Sam looked down at her clasped hands. “So really no one.”

“I’m afraid so, Sam.”

Sam sighed. “It’s just as well, sir.”

Hank gave her a sympathetic look.

Jack’s driver met them at the airport pick up. “How was the trip, sir?” He asked his boss cheerfully.

“Peachy.” Jack said with a pinched frown.

Mitch looked at Gracie whose expression was miserable. Uh oh. Was all he thought then wondered what could possibly have happened for his boss was that angry at the only person he never seemed to get angry at.

“Daddy…” Gracie said softly.

And then Mitch watched his boss do something he’d never thought his boss would do in a million years. Jack turned to Gracie and gave her his furious ‘not another word’ look he reserved for staff members that had royally fucked up.

Gracie sniffled and looked away, blinking back tears.

Jack’s frown deepened even more.

Mitch sat in the front seat utterly at a loss. On one hand, his boss had no business treating his daughter that way no matter what she’d done and Mitch couldn’t imagine anything at all that a sweet kid like Gracie might have done to earn her father’s wrath. On the other hand, pointing that out right now would lose him his job at a minimum and might get him busted down out of spite. Not that General O’Neill was like that but Mitch had only ever seen him this way twice now and the last time…

Mitch sighed inwardly and wondered what if anything he could or should do. The only recourse he had was possibly talk to Marie about it and see what she thought.

Sam looked at the keys in her hand thoughtfully. Vala flounced into the room and sat down beside her on the couch. “Well, at least that’s over finally.”

“Yah.” Sam said in a soft mystified voice, clearly distracted.

“Sam… those are your---”

“My keys, yah.” Sam said in an oddly hollow voice.

Vala looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. “Come on.” She finally said getting up and grabbing Sam’s arm to drag her up with her.

“What?”

“The three of us are going to go air out that house.”

“Three of us?” Sam asked confused.

“It has not escaped my notice you have been brushing Janet off lately. It’s not her fault she’s not your Janet. Now come on, get Jake ready and we’ll pop by the infirmary and go open up the house.” Vala said cheerfully.

“Vala, I’m not sure I should—” Sam started to protest, her words had no affect on Vala once she made her decision.

“Oh, nonsense. He gave you the keys, Sam. And if I know Jack O’Neill, he does exactly nothing he intends not to.”

Sam frowned. “Um...”

“Come on. If we hurry we can go grocery shopping and get you some clothes too.” She said enthusiastically. “In the meantime, they might be a tad tight but I’ve a pair of jeans and a sweater you can borrow.” She grinned. “I’d say Janet could offer you something to wear but somehow I just don’t think you fit into her clothing, darling.” She said cheerfully.

Sam smiled tiredly but amused. What could it hurt after all? The house was empty, or should be if Jack had years to move his things out of it. At best, there was probably some furniture that had been left behind and a handful of outdated magazines. “All right.” She said with a small nod.

“Fantastic. I’ll be right back with some clean clothes and Janet.” Vala said airily and popped back out of the suite.

Sam huffed a sigh as she turned to her son’s play pen. “I guess we’re going home, Jake.” She said softly to him and closed her eyes hard against the pain that thought caused her. Home had been his house only because he was there. He’d given her enough cash that she’d be able to buy a car right away. She’d put the rest of it away for Jake. Landry had offered her a civilian consultant position hinging on her passing her physicals to be reinstated. Otherwise she’d be honorably discharged for medical reasons and retain a scientific position with the SGC, just not one that would ever advance significantly, she supposed.

Jake cooed as she picked him up. He was always such a happy baby when he wasn’t teething. Sam snuggled him for a moment before changing him into the really adorable mini fatigues Lt. Colonel Hopkins had given her. Apparently she’d worked for the Sam of this reality. Sam remembered a mousy lab tech that might have been the same person but she’d eventually left the service when her science skills had not been enough to make up for her low range scores over time. Apparently in this reality at least, meeting a SEAL through the program had totally changed the trajectory of the girl’s life.

What would her life be like had the Ori not killed Daniel? She wondered for the umpteenth time. Would her Jack still be alive? She supposed so. If nothing else, she wouldn’t have been thrown into this world that had lost their Sam and seemed to be dealing with it as badly as she was having lost all of them one by one. Cam was standoffish, Daniel was polite and interested but held back. Teal’c was politely distant. Janet had offered her friendship that Sam had to admit she’d been mucking up for no logical reason. Vala seemed to be the only one whose overtures were genuine in their sincerity that Sam hadn’t been just as confused and cautious about.

She refused to think about Jack’s utter rejection of the boy who was genetically his son. The Jack of her reality would have at least wanted to meet the boy. This Jack… wasn’t anything like hers from what little she’d been able to glean. His Sam’s death had made him hard and cold to everyone around him.

Then there was the little girl. Jack had called her Gracie and Sam suddenly choked in horror. That had to be the daughter she’d… oh god, she thought, as she started to cry at the realization. She bit her lip so hard it bled. She had to be the daughter she’d lost in her reality.

Their baby. In this reality. She had survived. And she spent the last five years without her mom and a father who was apparently unable to love.

Vala returned to Sam cuddling Jacob miserably. “Sam?” She asked her gently.

Janet exchanged a knowing look with Vala. It must be really hitting home that she was alone here. “Let’s get you changed and we’ll go air out the house, all right?” She said gently to the woman who was so similar to her best friend.

Sam nodded mutely as Janet took Jake and Vala handed her some clothing.

“Come on then,” Vala said with false cheer. “Nothing brightens the day like a bit of house cleaning.”

“Whatever drugs you’re doing Vala, I want in.” Janet joked.

Sam smiled in amusement after swiping away her tears, eventually she needed time to process the latest information by herself. Mentally giving herself a little shake, she watched the two women who had been their Sam’s closest friends. She’d sometimes wondered if those two would get along. Apparently the answer was yes. “I’m just going to...”

 “Yup. You take your time.” Janet told Sam and took the baby from her to coo at him. After Sam was in the bathroom and running the shower, she gave Vala a significant look.

“I may have had a bit of a chat with her.” Vala admitted with a wink.

Janet nodded and smiled. “Thank you. I don’t think she meant to hurt my feelings.”

“No.” Vala agreed. “But just because we don’t mean to do something doesn’t mean we aren’t.” She said with a small frown.

“I’ll work on Cam.” Janet promised.

Vala nodded. “I’ll keep working on my Daniel.”

They looked at each other sadly. The one person that needed working on the most was out of their reach. Vala tilted her head. Janet’s eyes widened in realization. “Daniel.” They said together and shared a conspiratorial grin.

“Da!” Jacob agreed and both women chuckled and turned their attention to the baby.

Chapter Text

Jack had sat Gracie down in their kitchen and made her lunch before sitting down again. “Gracie…”

“Daddy!” She started to interrupt but he put up a hand.

“I know she looks like your mom Gracie but your mom died. That’s not her. It’s just someone who looks a lot like her that’s all.” He said sadly.

Gracie frowned. Her dad was lying. She knew him well enough to know he wasn’t actually telling her the truth. “Why does she know mommy’s song?” She asked pointedly.

“Uh… what?” Jack asked dumbfounded.

“Only mommy knew all the words to Twinkle Twinkle.” Gracie said with a mutinous expression worthy of her father.

“That’s not true, Gracie, lots of people know all the words.”

“But mommy was the only one who ever sang it all the way through.” Gracie said, glaring at him.

Jack frowned. His daughter had a point. Sam was the only one who sang it all the way through. “Your cousin knows all the words, too.” Jack said finally.

“Because Grandpa Jake taught her the words.” Gracie said with astonishingly accurate logic in spite of not knowing Sammy was his dead wife’s clone.

“Yes he did and Jon does too and so do I and so does Auntie Vala. Lots of us know all the words and I bet Auntie Vala sings them to the kids in the daycare when she helps out.” Jack said reasonably.

“Only because Uncle Danny refuses to marry her and make some babies of his own.” Gracie retorted with a scowl.

Jack was a bit taken aback. Where was she getting this stuff from? “Gracie, I’m sorry about what happened. You weren’t supposed to meet her because of how much she looks like your mom. I didn’t want to confuse or upset you that way.” He said sincerely.

Gracie glared at him. This time he was at least telling the truth, he had not wanted her to see her mom. But he was clearly lying about her mom being dead. Because she saw mommy with her own eyes. Now she didn’t believe him for a moment about that part and wondered if he and mommy had gotten divorced and had lied to her all along about it. A wheel in her head clicked into place. She’d find out the truth. “If she’s not mommy, then it’s okay for me to talk to her.” She said in a perfectly reasonable tone.

Jack sighed. This, at least, he could mitigate. “You probably won’t be seeing her, kiddo. She was only there because they needed her help on a project.”

Gracie’s mouth skewed to the side in thought. “Whose baby was that?” She asked him instead.

“I imagine her husband’s.” Jack said cautiously.

Gracie’s face went very carefully blank. “Okay.” She said as if it didn’t matter that her dad had just admitted she had a baby brother she hadn’t been allowed to meet. She picked up her lunch and stared at it without saying anything else.

Jack knew there would be further problems but he seemed to have gotten through to her. “I’m sorry I overreacted.” He told her softly. “Eat your sandwich and we’ll go to the park to make it up to you.”

“Okay daddy.” Gracie said a little more cheerfully and started to eat her ham on whole wheat with mustard and Swiss. Her favorite and from what her dad said, it was her mom’s too. But now Gracie questioned everything because her dad had lied about her mom being alive. And he was lying about her baby brother. As she slowly ate her lunch, she started to wonder what else daddy was lying about these days.

“Well… it certainly hasn’t changed much.” Vala mused as she looked around the living room of the house. It was clean because Jack paid a service to come in and dust and they had taken the sheets off the furniture per his instructions the other day but otherwise the house looked about how it always had minus a few personal items. Several photos still sat on shelves or hung on the walls. Jack’s service awards and hockey trophies still sat on the mantel where he’d placed them years ago. The same familiar couch was still in his den as was the lounge chair in his living room. Her couch from her bungalow had replaced the one that was originally there when it had been just Jack’s house.

Sam ran her fingers along the shelf. Photos of Charlie and Gracie mostly populated the space. There were some of their friends too. Something seemed to be missing but Sam couldn’t put her finger on it yet. It unnerved her somewhat however and she wasn’t sure why.

“Everything seems to be in order. Let’s go shopping and get you some food and clothes.” Janet suggested.

“Yah, um, sure.” Sam agreed absently as she looked at the shelf, still trying to figure out what was somehow wrong about it. She looked up and around the room. She loved this house. So much so that when Pete had asked her what she wanted in one she’d accidently described it to him. Had he agreed to coming to Jack’s BBQ that one time he might have taken the hint sooner and not bothered to ask her to marry him. Janet had told her the Pete of this reality never got that far because Janet asked her own Sam point blank if she genuinely loved Pete or was just using him to get over Jack.

Sam wished her Janet had survived long enough to yank a similar knot into her own ass.

“I’ve got Jake.” Vala said cheerfully, reaching for the baby carrier. “How is he this heavy?” She joked as she picked him up.

“Good eating I should imagine.” Janet fired back and chuckled.

“Don’t you listen to the mean little lady, Jacob.” Vala cooed at Jake, making Janet and Sam laugh.

“Who are you calling little?” Janet said, sticking out her tongue as she raised her chin to make herself taller. Her lack of success made all three of them laugh. “Let’s go get Sam some clothes that don’t look like she haunts the Salvation Army.” She winked at Sam. “Even if that was her look before.”

Vala chuckled. “She’s just going to get them dirty, Janet.”

“Oh I know, but she might look presentable for a few minutes at least.”

“I’m right here you know.” Sam argued good naturedly.

“We know!” Janet and Vala said together and laughed.

Later that night Jake was bedded down next to her bed in a portable crib they had bought. She didn’t feel comfortable putting him in a room alone at night yet. Oh, who was she kidding. She wasn’t okay with being alone in this house yet. Even though Vala and Janet had offered to stay the night, she knew she had to face being alone again eventually and she’d always been a fan of just ripping the band-aid off. Sam stared at the room another Sam had shared with this other Jack for a good ten minutes before she crawled into the bed that smelled vaguely of him and closed her eyes. Tears she’d refused to shed all day welled up and she was wracked with grief-stricken sobs she couldn’t control.

He’d done such a kind thing even though it was clear that he loathed to so much as speak to her. Why? Was it some bizarre form of pity? Guilt? Worry that his dead wife might haunt him if he didn’t at least provide for the child he never made? Angry that his wife was dead and she was alive?

Child… Gracie… the little girl that had hugged her and sobbed on her shirt calling her mommy. She looked like she might be about seven or so. The same age her little girl would have been. It was even the name Jack had liked. His grandmother had been named Grace. They had wanted to name her Janet Grace after Sam’s best friend.

Sam moaned with her grief. The Sam of this reality hadn’t miscarried. There was no wrenching loss in her heart for her child like she carried for her own baby. The Sam of this reality hadn’t had to live with the gutting reality that her own choices might have killed their child. She had lost a piece of her Jack that she’d never truly gotten back after that. Not even after Jake was born. He’d understood her grief though, understood how she felt. The guilt. The self torture. All the ‘what ifs’.

Jack had deeply understood her pain and never once blamed her for what happened… knowing she blamed herself more and there was nothing he could do to convince her otherwise.

He’d understood… and she’d hated that he did.

Meanwhile, late that night Jack sat on the little balcony off his bedroom, staring into darkness of the night. A half empty bottle of scotch was next to him. It had been mostly full after he put Gracie to bed. He looked blearily up at the stars and wished for the umpteenth time that he was capable of blacking out when he was drunk. If he blacked out he could forget her for just a little while. He’d have eaten a bullet years ago if it wasn’t for their daughter needing him. “Kasuf told me killing yourself doesn’t make the pain go away.” He said softly to the stars. His voice filled with grief. “It just transfers it to the people who loved you.” He finished his old friend’s words and thought of his daughter again. Maybe she could go be with that other Sam and be happy. Who knows, she would probably be better off, he mused as he took another drink.

Jack kept his personal side arm locked in a safe now because of nights like this. As long as Gracie needed him he couldn’t indulge his self-destructive thoughts. Someday, though… Gracie wouldn’t need him… and then… well… He didn’t believe in Hell or Heaven but he did believe he’d either be with his wife again or at the very least cease to exist and therefore no longer suffer this excruciating anguish that was life without her.

Perhaps… he mused as the glass finally tumbled empty from his loose fingers to the wood, his liver would save him the trouble. Jack passed out staring up at the stars his wife had loved, unnoticed tears drying on his face.

Alone in her room, Gracie thought though the entire interaction with her mother and her father’s reaction. She correctly deduced it was unlikely she’d be able to sneak out and get to The Springs where her mother was apparently living… but there were ways around that she concluded. She bet Auntie Vala spent a lot of time with Mommy. She bet Auntie Janet did too. And Auntie Vala was terrible at keeping secrets. Gracie grinned darkly.

Chapter Text

“All right. Don’t you two think you’ve taken this thing a bit far?” Daniel grumbled at Vala and Janet who had been ignoring him for days.

“Taken what a bit far?” Vala asked innocently.

Janet just shrugged. “I have no idea what he’s talking about do you?”

“Look, I’m not trying to be a jerk. I just don’t know her that’s all.” Daniel insisted, knowing full well the issue was Sam.

“Isn’t there just a lovely way to get to know people?” Vala asked Janet, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.

“There is!” Janet agreed as though she’d suddenly remembered.

“I thought so.” Vala agreed, nodding wisely.

Both women turned and stared at Daniel with a level of intensity that would make a less hardy man squirm with discomfort.

“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to… it’s just… how is that going to work in the long run?” He asked them, clearly worried about Jack’s reaction to him getting comfortable with the doppelganger of his dead wife.

“He’ll get over it, Daniel.” Janet said firmly. “He has to, sooner or later.”

Daniel frowned though. “Getting over stuff isn’t Jack’s usual way of handling things.” He reminded them softly.

“And so?” Janet said, doing a fair impression of Jack.

“Therefore?” Vala continued with the rest of what he’d have said.

Daniel sighed. They would make his life miserable of he didn’t try to change Jack’s attitude. And Jack was going to make his life miserable if he did meddle. A no-win situation. “Where is she anyway?” Daniel asked of Sam who was uncharacteristically not at the table with Vala and Janet.

“Something about going for a run?” Vala said off-hand.

“She told me she gets winded easily still after the baby and wants to work on her stamina so she’s running the track outside the dampeners.” Janet informed him. Said track being outside the complex but inside the enormous caldera it had been built into. The floor of the cave was fairly flat due to leveling performed when building the base and the guys running the fitness tests had decided it was a great place to put an indoor running track to check baseline stamina among other things. Hammond had signed off on it and Jack had approved other modifications like better lighting and the installation of work out bars at various points to cross train when your qualifications were up for review.

Daniel thought for a little bit. Probably the best way to get this other Sam to open up to him would be wait until she’d tired herself out some. “How long has she been running?”

Janet thought for a moment. “I talked to her about an hour ago in the locker room.” She offered.

Daniel did some math in his head and sighed. “I better go put on some gym shorts.”

“Can we watch, darling?” Vala asked him cheekily with her chin in her hand.

“No.” Daniel grumbled which made Janet giggle.

Daniel stalked away while Janet was still laughing.

After he was gone, Janet turned to Vala. “That was just mean.”

Vala grinned. “Oh, I know but I can’t seem to stop myself. And he does have a delicious bottom.”

Janet laughed again. “Do you suppose they will get together?” She asked Vala of Sam and Jack.

Vala shrugged. “If they do or they don’t, it’s going to be interesting either way.”

“I’m putting my bets on they end up together. In every reality we’ve encountered, they are together. I don’t see why they shouldn’t just do it again after losing each other.”

Vala considered this. “I suspect there is a certain adorable little moppet who might be on board with that idea.”

Janet sighed. “I think we should leave her out of it for now. Gary, the AF that was on duty that afternoon, said Jack stormed out, all but dragging her behind him and she looked utterly miserable. I think she’s been through enough for right now. Let’s see how this goes first, we need to get the guys to stop snubbing her then work on General O’Neill.”

Vala nodded slowly in agreement. “Oh, I suppose.” She huffed.

Janet gave Vala a sympathetic look. “I know you just want to fix things Vala, but not everything is fixable.” She said, fully understanding her friend’s motivation. She knew Vala’s reasons mostly stemmed from all the hurt she’d caused people when Qetesh had control of her body and behavior. She could never undo any of that but she could help her friends and loved ones heal… and Janet believed that was a worthy reason all by itself. Even if Daniel did call it meddling.

Janet also suspected Vala felt a bit at a loss about her own romantic entanglement and was projecting solutions to see what stuck for another couple with a similar problem.

“Your time has improved, Samantha O’Neill.” Teal’c told her with a serious nod while looking at his stopwatch. 

Sam huffed hard but she nodded in acknowledgement. “I still can’t do it with any kind of weight.”

“Improvement will require continued effort.” Teal’c agreed. “Consume water now. Your body requires liquids.” He admonished her as he handed her a bottle of water.

Sam gave him a quick self-deprecating grin. Teal’c was the only one not dancing around the subject of Jack and Gracie. He’d acknowledged her loss and told her he hoped she could one day think of him as her friend as much as she had the Teal’c of her own reality. The implication on his part being that all of them would eventually come to accept her just as they had Jonas long ago. “Thanks, Teal’c.” She said and took a long swallow of water.

She felt flabby and out of shape. She was underweight as well. Food had not been a priority the last few months other than the obvious need to provide nourishment for her son. Jack had sacrificed everything to make sure she and Jake had the best chance to survive. She wasn’t going to let him down.

“How is young Jacob O’Neill?” Teal’c asked her by way of making conversation.

Sam smiled. “Getting bigger every day. Looks and acts more like his father every day too.” She mused a little sadly.

“He would be very proud to father such a strong and healthy son.” Teal’c told her of her husband.

Sam bit her lip and figured if anyone would be honest with her about this it would be Teal’c. “Tell me about Gracie.”

Teal’c nodded as if he had expected this question eventually. “She is like her mother. Very intelligent. Very kind. She is also like her father. Very curious and very full of mischief.”

Nodding, Sam grinned a little. “Sounds like us.”

“She misses her mother very much.”

“How did she die?” Sam asked Teal’c. No one had shared that bit of information with her yet and again she knew of all of them Teal’c would be the most honest about it.

Teal’c thought for a moment and a look of profound sadness crossed his dark features. “We were not with her. She was commanding the Equinox and ran afoul of enemies of the Tau’ri. Colonel Carter was given the choice of choosing which of her crew would be tortured or be tortured herself. Colonel Carter, of course, chose herself as we all would. They removed her skin over a course of days. Her crew was unable to stop the marauders nor save her life. There were no Tok’ra on board so no one was able to heal her injuries before they became life threatening.” Teal’c frowned. “She died protecting her crew.”

Sam bit her lip in horror. They had flayed her and from what little she’d gathered apparently they had videoed the whole thing and made both her crew and her loved ones watch her be tortured for days. No wonder the Jack of this reality was so closed off and bitter. His wife had literally been tortured to death in front of his eyes.

Not even the Ori had taken things to that length with her husband. Just pronounced him a heretic and burned him at the stake where he passed out and died of smoke inhalation long before he was ever physically on fire himself. He hadn’t suffered long once he let them catch him. She hadn’t had to live the horrifying reality of watching her spouse be slowly killed over days. Just the fear of him being caught and what his fate would be when he was.

“Oh God.” Sam said in a sick voice.

“Indeed.” Teal’c agreed with her assessment. “O’Neill was never again the same.”

Sam dashed tears away. “No, I don’t know how he would be.” She looked up at the man who resembled her old friend so much. “How old was Gracie?”

“Abigail Grace was two years of age when her mother died.”

“She’s seven now?”

“She is nearly eight Earth years.”

Sam did the math… she’d gotten pregnant shortly after the breakup with Pete. Her own daughter would be almost eight now. Sam sucked in a shuddering breath. It had to be the same pregnancy. They had wanted to name their daughter after Janet but the middle name had been Jack’s maternal grandmother’s. She wondered whether this Sam had the same experience as she did on the Prometheus that led to her giving up on her feelings for Jack for a while and whether it was also so disconcerting. Finding out his grandmother had shared the name later had made her laugh when he brought it up. Even tear-stained the girl who had latched on to her legs had obviously been the same girl in her hallucination. She should have known when her mannerisms and wording had been all Jack.

“Are you well, Samantha?”

Sam nodded jerkily while trying not to cry. The Sam of this reality hadn’t miscarried. Her baby was alive and well in this reality and missed her mother… and Sam wasn’t allowed to so much as speak to her. At least not yet anyway. She had to find a way to fix that. “I’m all right, Teal’c. It’s… just a lot to take in.”

“O’Neill has now lost two families. You are a painful reminder of that loss. He does not intend to hurt you.” Teal’c told her. This he knew without even asking his friend. Jack wouldn’t have given her the house he’d once shared with his wife had his intentions been to just wash his hands entirely of this new other Samantha. If Teal’c didn’t know better, he’d wonder if O’Neill was setting himself up to be required to face this situation eventually when he was ready. Teal’c only hoped he did not wait so long to be ready that he lost his opportunity entirely as he once almost done before.

Sam sighed. “I wish I shared your confidence, Teal’c.”

“Time is our ally, Samantha O’Neill.”

And Sam looked at him oddly. That time he’d stressed her last name.

“It is time to continue our exercise regime.”

Sam sighed. “Right.” She agreed, knowing she’d get nothing further out of him at this time.

“Gracie.” Mrs. Swanson said. “Pay attention please.” Mrs. Swanson was her fourth grade teacher. Gracie had already been on the edge of being youngest in her class when she started and since she also skipped a grade early on, was the youngest in class. She was also the smartest in class and she knew it.

Gracie continued to stare out the window absently.

Mrs. Swanson sighed. Ever since her unplanned trip with her father to Colorado, Gracie had been inattentive at best. She’d started arguing with classmates and correcting anything anyone said wrong including her teachers. She’d need to call the girl’s father soon about it. Especially the acting out part. It was getting disruptive.

“Gracie.” She said to the girl kindly as she came up next to her and crouched next to her desk. “It’s time for math okay, sweetie.”

Gracie turned and frowned at her teacher. “It’s just geometry. I can do it asleep.”

Mrs. Swanson counted to ten in her head. “That may be true but it’s impolite to ignore me regardless.”

“Whatever.” Gracie huffed and opened her math book to the page where her class work was folded. Unsurprisingly, it was already finished. Jack had warned them the girl’s mother had been a math genius but this attitude problem didn’t seem to be about her being bored in math class.

Mrs. Swanson stood and returned to the head of the classroom to go over the lesson, one eye on Gracie who was again staring out the window.

At the end of class she stopped her from leaving. “Is everything all right at home, Gracie?” she asked the girl. She hadn’t heard about anything at school that would prompt this sort of behavior that Gracie hadn’t caused herself so she’s put a shot in the dark hoping to get to the bottom of the girl’s abnormal behavior.

“Everything’s peachy.” Gracie said with an eye roll.

Had she known General O’Neill particularly well, Mrs. Swanson would have recognized the warning sign that word was. As things stood, she only knew by the girl’s tone that things were not, in fact, ‘peachy’ at home. “I’ll let Mr. Gorden know you’ll be missing class today. I want you to go see Ms. Roddy.”

Gracie rolled her eyes. Ms. Roddy was the school social worker. “Fine.” She said, throwing up her hands and mulishly turned and left the classroom.

Mrs. Swanson sighed again and turned to her computer to send Gracie’s father an e-mail about a parent teacher conference.

Jack read the e-mail from Gracie’s teacher and sighed in exasperation. What the hell was he supposed to tell the woman? Yah, Gracie is mad because she thinks her mom is back from the dead and I won’t let her be in contact with a ghost.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. If only it was as simple as Sam hadn’t really died. That she’d just been MIA for five long years. If only he hadn’t seen her take her last stoic breath, refusing to give them the satisfaction of begging them to stop.

If only his daughter had stayed put at the daycare instead of trying to sneak into the mountain to find her aunts and uncles. She never would have known Sam was in that VIP suite. She never would have heard the woman she thought was her mother singing the long version of Twinkle Twinkle just like her mother had to her and when she saw the other Sam, she concluded that this was her mom without any doubt.

He wanted to commandeer the Time Jumper and prevent everything that happened the last two weeks or better yet, go back further and warn himself not to let her go on that damned mission. If his Sam had been alive, this Sam never would have showed up in his reality. They might have had another baby together themselves. Jack’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest.

Jack was brief.

“Gracie witnessed something she was not supposed to and drew the wrong conclusions about what she saw. Because of this she thinks something is true that is not. We are handling it privately as it involves an issue with national security she was not supposed to be involved in. Kindest regards, JJO, MG”

With any luck, the words ‘national security’ would make the woman back off.

“Good afternoon, Abigail. Mrs. Swanson says you are having a rough day?” Ms. Roddy said kindly as Grace walked into the office.

“My name is Gracie. No one calls me Abigail. Ever.” Grace said with an irate frown as she sat.

“I will make note of that in my files, Gracie.” Ms. Roddy said to Grace.

“Whatever. Can I go back to class now?”

Ms. Roddy tilted her head. “That depends. Mrs. Swanson seems to think there’s something bothering you.”

Gracie appraised the school social worker with gold flecked eyes. “I doubt you’re qualified to deal with it.” She said flatly.

“That wasn’t very polite, Gracie.” Ms. Roddy said calmly. “Do you think you could say that in a way that isn’t quite as rude?”

“No.” Was all Gracie said.

Ms. Roddy looked at this girl who until two weeks ago had never so much as said an unkind thing about even the school bully. She put her chin in her hand and leaned her elbow on the desk in front of her. “Is something bothering you, Gracie?”

For just a moment Gracie looked like she might cry, then her expression turned angry and then oddly enough very carefully blank. “No.” She said firmly.

“Hm.” Ms. Roddy said thoughtfully. “Everyone has bad days once in a while.” She said thoughtfully. “Sometimes it’s because something is bothering us that we don’t want to talk about yet and that’s all right. It’s really important that we don’t make everyone else unhappy just because we’re grumpy though, right?”

Gracie rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Can I go now? I’m missing art class.”

Ms. Roddy gave her a thoughtful look. “You don’t have to pretend to be in a good mood, Gracie… but please remember other people have feelings too.”

“Fine. I get it.” She said shortly and didn’t ask to be excused this time before she got up and left the office.

Carol Roddy sighed heavily. She wondered what had happened to make this normally kind, well thought of, little girl be such a sarcastic little… well… ass. Whatever it was she very much hoped they could sort things out because if not she was heading down a path her father was going to have a real problem with eventually.

Had she known the father was actually the problem not some normal kid issue with her friends, she might have made more effort.

Sam looked around the house that was nearly identical to the one she’d once shared with her own husband and sighed. It needed new drapes. Eventually she’d have to ask Jack if he was all right with her making some minor changes to the décor. Especially if he didn’t intend to live there. She stopped and looked at a photo of Charlie with Sara. The Sara of her own reality had been a kind woman. They had actually gotten along very well. She’d attended the funeral for Jack’s former father-in-law when Jack had been unable to go himself. Sara had hugged her and thanked her for being part of why Jack was the man she’d once known again. Sam had been surprised and wondered why she hadn’t simply tried to stick it out. Maybe it was fate, but Sam knew Sara was happy with her own second spouse and stepchildren.

That’s when it finally registered what was missing.

There were photos of the kids, of SG-1, of everyone Jack loved… except the Sam of his reality. There was no wedding photos, no photos of her holding Gracie after she was born. Nothing. Sam started exploring the house in the areas Jack had always put photos and it was the same all over. None of the photos of her were there. Sam bit her lip and frowned. She really hoped he’d just taken them with him to DC but some sickening little feeling made her believe that was not the case.

Why would he get rid of all the photos of her after she died?

The conversation she’d had with Daniel came floating to the surface.

“Hey.” Daniel had said to her with a smile as she rounded a turn and he casually joined her.

Sam had huffed a few breaths. “Hey.” She greeted him in return.

“You hanging in there all right? I know this has been a pretty drastic change and all.”

Sam had shrugged. It was what it was. “Everyone here is the same. I’m the one that’s different.” She pointed out after a few moments of running.

Daniel had frowned thoughtfully. “Not everyone is the same.”

Sam knew it was bait. She asked anyway. “Oh?”

Daniel didn’t respond for a while, just ran with her for a few feet until he finally said, “Jack probably isn’t the man you remember.”

“No. I imagine not. But I didn’t expect him to be anyway.” She said evenly when what she actually wanted to do was smack Daniel over the head with a rock. Why did everyone keep bringing up Jack? She didn’t need a reminder; she could remember all on her own the situation with this Jack.It was as though they somehow thought it was her job to fix him.

“He, ah… didn’t take losing you very well.”

Sam smiled bitterly. “I wish I’d had the benefit of time to not take losing my husband well.”

Daniel thought about her last few months and at least colored with embarrassment. “Sorry.”

She shook her head. It wasn’t his fault he could fit both feet in his mouth at the same time. “It’s fine, Daniel. Was there a point you were getting to?” She asked him outright.

This seemed to surprise Daniel. Possibly the Sam of this reality wasn’t very blunt or at least kinder but possibly that Sam had just never lost everything she loved either. “No, just… well, don’t take how he’s acting personally that’s all.” He finally said lamely.

“Kind of hard not to.” Sam said under her breath and ran ahead of him, effectively ending the conversation.

Had Daniel been trying to tell her something and because she was in no mood to listen to everyone coddle Jack she hadn’t listened? Was it somehow connected to why there were no photos of her anywhere in the house at all?

Sam sighed. Jake was asleep and she probably needed something to eat. She wondered if that great pizza place was still open then rejected the idea. If it was, they’d have questions she didn’t want to answer yet until she firmly had her cover story mentally in place.

It made her almost wish Jack hadn’t given her the house. Turnover in military towns was fairly high, but there could still be neighbors that might remember her. They might have questions if they knew she’d died.

Anyone that knew them from before was going to have questions. Questions she couldn’t answer and she’d never been a very good liar. The best she was capable of was telling the truth… from a certain point of view.

Sam sighed. She supposed she’d have to get used to living a lie. It wasn’t like she could ever go home.

Chapter Text

“Gracie…” Her history teacher sighed patiently in spite of the interruptions. “I realize your perspective is different because your uncle is a historian but—”

“Archeologist.” Gracie corrected with a frown.

“Archeologist.” Mrs. Kline conceded. “But we are covering pilgrims.”

“Murdering colonizers.” Gracie corrected again.

Mrs. Kline frowned. “The pilgrims didn’t murder the Indians—”

“Wampanoag. Indians are from India.” Gracie corrected.

It’s going to be an extremely long day, Mrs. Kline thought. “Wampanoag.” She conceded. “Helped the pilgrims by all records.”

Gracie smiled snidely. “And look where that got them.”

Mrs. Kline sighed. Why couldn’t this month’s unit be on Nazis? At least everyone agreed about the Nazis. “I appreciate your enthusiasm for nuance, Gracie, but the rest of the class needs to learn too.”

“They are learning.” Gracie said with a superior tone to her voice.

Mrs. Kline looked at the ceiling and counted to ten… in German. “They need to learn what will be covered on the test, Gracie.” She said and shook her head when Gracie opened her mouth to say something else.

Gracie closed her mouth, crossed her arms over her chest, and scowled.

Carol Roddy looked at the note from Cathy Kline. She sent a quick e-mail to Gracie O’Neill’s home room teacher to send her down to the office as discreetly as possible. She’d been disruptive in History class again.

A few moments later Gracie showed up in Carol’s office and sat down with a huff. “What?” She said in a sharp tone.

Carol raised an eyebrow as she got up and closed the door. “That isn’t a very polite way to address others, Gracie.” She told the girl in a gentle but stern voice.

“So?” Gracie asked sulkily.

Carol sat back down. “Gracie, up until a little over a month ago, I’d have described you as a model student.” She said patiently. “So much so that I’ve never had to so much as say more than hello to you in the halls.”

Gracie rolled her eyes.

“I want you to know anything you say to me in this office stays between us.”

Gracie flinched uncomfortably.

Carol gave her a thoughtful look. “So I’m going to ask you again. What happened?”

Gracie’s mouth turned down into a hard frown. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She said mulishly.

“Are you sure? Because it seems to be upsetting you a lot and the whole reason I’m here is to help you.” She reminded the girl gently.

Gracie looked away.

“Gracie is someone hurting you?” She asked the girl gently.

Gracie shook her head emphatically but for the first time tears welled to the surface.

“Gracie… I promise I won’t tell anyone at all what happened.” Carol said to her.

And as much as Gracie wanted to believe all grown ups are a bunch of liars she was also still a seven year old little girl who desperately needed to talk to someone about what she’d seen. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”

Carol’s eyes widened in horror. This might be worse than she thought. The state would need to be involved, of course. She hoped it was anyone but the girl’s father. “Tell me what happened.” Carol said gently and took the girl’s small hand into her own.

Gracie looked up into Ms. Roddy’s eyes and tears welled from her own. “Daddy said I can’t tell anyone.” She wailed.

Oh god, Carol thought. “I won’t ever tell your daddy you told me, okay?” She said, staring right into the girl’s eyes. Because I’m going to kill him without any explanation at all, she thought savagely.

“He’s been lying to me all along!” Gracie finally wailed and launched herself into Carol’s arms.

What? “What?” She finally asked the girl after petting her hair for a moment consolingly.

“He told me she died but she was there! I saw her!” Gracie sobbed.

Carol was confused. “Who?”

“My mom! Daddy said she died but I found her! She was at Uncle Daniel’s work!”

There were very few things that could have shocked Carol more. The first conversation General O’Neill had with the staff had been him informing them that Gracie’s mom had been killed in action when Gracie was two and that if he could not be reached to contact the girl’s now fulltime nanny.

“Why did he lie to me, Ms. Roddy?”

“I don’t know, sweetie.” She said, feeling enormous relief that the girl hadn’t been molested like she’d jumped to believing after she said she wasn’t allowed to tell. It still didn’t explain why she’d been ordered by her father not to tell anyone that her mom was alive. That made no sense.

“I just wanted to talk to her. I just wanted to know why she left us but daddy was furious and told me I couldn’t tell anyone and then he lied to me and said it wasn’t mommy but I know it was. Her hair was longer and she was thinner than I thought she was but I know my mommy.” The words rushed out now as if once she started she couldn’t stop.

Carol sighed and nodded, knowing she’d be breaking the promise she’d made.  She’d need to be extremely discreet about it, however. Whatever reason her parents had lied to her... Gracie deserved some closure.  “I’m sure your dad had good reason for keeping the truth from you, Gracie. Probably a reason he can’t explain.”

Gracie sniffled. “Like what?”

“I don’t know.” Carol admitted in all honesty. “But I’m sure they were good ones at the time.”

Gracie sighed heavily.

“Give your dad some time. I’m sure he’ll tell you the truth eventually.” Carol said, inserting some cheer into her voice.

“You think so?” Gracie asked her, her eyes red rimmed but her voice full of hope.

“I’m sure he will.” Carol said firmly. Because she was going to drag it out of him and demand his daughter be told the truth.

“I’m really sorry I’ve been mean to everyone lately.” Gracie admitted.

“It can be really hard to keep a secret that hurts our feelings, Gracie. But now I know your secret too so it won’t be such a burden.”

Gracie nodded sagely. “Okay.”

“I bet you have a bit of a headache now.” Carol said thoughtfully.

“I do!” Gracie agreed emphatically.

“Okay, go see Miss Lawrence and get some headache medicine. Then go on back to class.” She said to the girl, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. General O’Neill had dropped off pain killers for the girl ages ago because he wouldn’t be able to just leave meetings and had explained the girl’s mother had been prone to frequent headaches so he presumed their daughter might be as well.

“Okay.” Gracie agreed and got up to leave. “Thank you, Ms. Roddy.” She said softly and shut the door behind her.

Carol sat in her chair and debated about some pain meds of her own. What on Earth had he been thinking trying to lie to the girl like that? Had they gotten divorced or had she really been MIA and everyone just assumed she’d actually died? Whatever the reason, she needed to get to the bottom of the matter before the girl had any more problems related to it. And she needed to do it discreetly.

It was probably her own fault she realized as she looked sadly through the contents of the box. Some of them were broken as though they had been slammed down on a hard surface at some point. Blood coated the edge of one frame as though he’d tried to clean it up and had only gotten as far as putting it where he couldn’t see it. Every photo in the box had her in it. She was smiling in most of them. Several had others in them as well but the single constant was herself.

She wiped her nose to try to keep from sneezing. The basement was just as dusty as she remembered. The box had been on the pool table they had all played their share of rounds on. Why he’d leave it in such an obvious location was beyond her unless he’d not come back to the house since. It had certainly looked like that.

Sam went upstairs, dusting her hands off on her jeans when she heard a knock on her door. She sighed. She knew sooner or later one of the neighbors would be curious.

“Yes?” She asked the woman on her doorstep when she opened the front door.

“Sam? I didn’t believe Heather when she said she’d seen you but here you are!” The woman said excitedly.

For the life of her Sam couldn’t place who the woman was. It must be some casual friend of the other Sam. “Er... hello… um… I’m sorry, I don’t know exactly who you are,” Sam admitted.

“See, I told Heather you must have had a head injury or something because you didn’t recognize her either and it’s been so long! Sam, It’s me, Lexie. Lexie Smith. You and your husband had us over for BBQ several times many years ago.”

“I’m so sorry, you’re right. I was… well I was a POW and I’ve lost a lot of memories because of it.”

“That’s perfectly understandable and I don’t want to keep you. I brought you a Bundt cake to welcome you back to the neighborhood.” She said cheerfully. “Is Jack around?”

Sam sighed sadly. “No… he… well…”

Lexie gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry. You must know he grieved terribly for you when he thought you died. Wouldn’t even part with your car even though Bill offered to buy it. Just kept coming over and tuning it up every few months. It’s a shame you’re finally home and he’s moved on.”

Sam nodded dumbly. Her car? “Yah, It’s um… it’s been an adjustment.”

“Well, it’s good you’re home even if the circumstances are sad. I have to go get the kids from school so we’ll talk later all right?”

“Okay… yah, sure.” Sam said wistfully, not really sure what to make of this woman who remembered her yet had never been a part of her own life. Must have been someone who moved in after the Ori were defeated here.

“See you later.” Lexie said and left wearing a cheerful smile.

“Later.” Sam said thoughtfully as she looked down at the cake. It was lemon poppy seed. One of her favorites.

Sam put the cake down on the worn yellow countertop by the kitchen door and headed for the garage. The door was locked which Sam supposed made sense to the cleaning company who probably were told to leave its contents alone. She turned the lock and opened the door to discover, much to her surprise, not just her car tucked comfortably under a dust cloth… but her bike too. Sam’s mouth hung open as she stared at the vintage Indian. Her clothing and personal belongs were long gone other than her class As but he’d kept her bike and her car. Why? Why get rid of all evidence of her ever having lived yet keep something so very personally hers and from the sounds of it, keep them running.

None of this made any sense.

It was Friday afternoon. Sam planned to work the weekend which was why she’d taken today off. She pulled out her cell phone and texted Vala and Janet asking them what they had planned after work tonight and if they would like to come over.

A few houses away a situation was unfolding that would make Sam want to run for the hills but at the moment her main concern was figuring out why a man that had hidden all evidence of his wife had kept her car.

Chapter Text

It was not the only such situation brewing.

“O’Neill.” Jack said into the phone absently. It was yet another call from the school about Gracie’s ‘attitude’. He’d talked to her already and hadn’t gotten through to her. What did they expect him to do about her mouthing off exactly? Punishing her had never worked and this wasn’t a situation he could reason with her about because the only reasonable solution was to tell her the truth, and that option was not on the table.

“General, I was starting to think you were avoiding me. You are exceedingly difficult to reach.” A warm female voice greeted him.

Jack knew it was the school social worker as Clair had filled him in as to her identity. “What can I do for you, Ms…?”

“Roddy, but you can call me Carol.”

“All right, Carol, what can I do for you today?” Jack asked and thought other than ask you to take a hike or at least a flying leap.

“Actually, it’s what you can do for me.” She said and continued on before he could ask. “I’m sure you’ve gotten a few calls about Gracie’s issues at school and I wanted to discuss them with you in a more private setting than over the phone or on the school campus.”

“Oh?” Now Jack was mystified. Under other circumstances, he might have thought she was looking for a date.

“Yes, and I’d really rather it be someplace not associated with the school so our conversation can remain private.”

Jack sighed inwardly. Now what? He wondered. “There’s a bar around the corner from the Pentagon. Would that be private enough for you?”

“Does it have booths?”

Jack thought for a moment. “Probably. I’ll meet you over there after I change from work tonight. Be there at nineteen hundred.”

“Um… that’s 7 PM, right?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Yes.”

“Thank you, General. Please make sure Gracie has no idea who you are meeting or why. I’ll see you then.” She said in a rush and suddenly the line was dead.

Jack looked at the handset in his hand. What the hell had his kid done that warranted this?

Jack was definitely not in a good mood when he arrived home and went straight to his bedroom to change.

“Where are you going, daddy?” Gracie asked him as he pulled on a black dress shirt.

“I’m going out.” He told her.

Gracie looked at him suspiciously. “You never go out.”

Jack shrugged. “I am tonight.”

“Why?”

“To meet a friend.”

“Who?”

“Gracie.” He said in a warning tone.

“Are you going on a date?” She said to him in an accusatory tone.

“I am not.” He told her.

Gracie scowled. He was dressing like he was going on a date and he wouldn’t say with who. “Yes, you are.” She said disapprovingly and walked out of the room.

Jack sighed. She could think what she wanted. It wasn’t actually a date. He just didn’t want to look like he was meeting her teacher for work reasons per the woman’s request. He’d have a scotch, hear her out and come home. Gracie would just have to get over it. At this time of night, it was quite easy getting back into the core he noted as he drove through DC a few moments after he left.

He met Carol at Gray’s fifteen minutes later.

She spotted him right away. “General. Thank you for coming.”

“You didn’t give me much of a choice.” He grumbled.

“Yes, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t want any of the staff overhearing our conversation.”

“Obviously.” Jack said expressionlessly. She was an attractive woman with long dark straight hair that fell to the middle of her back. She’d dressed as though she was on a casual date as well and took his elbow to lead him to a booth. Jack felt oddly uncomfortable. As though he was doing something he shouldn’t be.

“Would you like something to drink?” She asked him politely.

“What I’d like is to know why I’m here.” Jack said pointedly but ordered a scotch on the rocks when the waiter came to the table.

Carol nodded. “All right. I’ll get to the point then.” She fiddled a bit with hem of her sleeve. “I’m not judging your situation, mind you. It’s none of my business. I’m just here on behalf of your daughter.”

Jack sighed.

“You see she’s been having behavior problems for weeks now as I’m sure you know—” She started to explain as they waited for the drinks to arrive.

Jack put up a hand. “I’m well aware, Carol.”

“Yes well… that’s not really the issue. You see I’ve tried several times to get her to talk to me about what’s bothering her.”

“Dammit.” Jack muttered under his breath as his drink came. Carol had opted for a soda.

“General, your daughter doesn’t understand why you’ve chosen to keep her from her mother for five years or why you told her she’s dead.”

Jack muttered ‘Fuck” under his breath. He should have expected this. Quick, O’Neill. Damage control. “Carol… this isn’t what you think it is.” He tried.

“Then kindly explain what it is because today I had a sobbing little girl in my arms who only told me the truth after I promised not to tell anyone and the only reason I did that was because I thought someone had molested her and I lied to her.” She said with a frown.

Jack sighed, in frustration. He couldn’t blame her really for jumping to conclusions. Half-truths were better than lies, he thought. “Her mom was killed in action… or so we believed. The reason we didn’t tell her anything about her being found is because her mom has no memory of her. She doesn’t have any memory of the last nine years or so.” Which was, he decided, at least the truth.

Carol stared at him open mouthed. “She has… amnesia?”

Jack gave the woman a sort of deer in the headlights look. “Yah.” He agreed and threw back half his scotch in one swallow.

Carol frowned thoughtfully. “So you really didn’t hide her from Gracie?”

“Not the way you think, no. It wasn’t fair to force a family on her that she doesn’t remember anything about. She’s staying at our house in the Springs. If she regains her memories in time, I’ll make sure Gracie has contact with her. It’s cruel to Gracie to spend time with a mother that has no memory of her whatsoever. The doctors are working on it but Colorado is the last home she remembers.”

“Oh… that’s so sad, general. I’m so sorry.” She said sympathetically.

“Please don’t tell Gracie what’s going on. She’s a smart kid but she’s very willful and I don’t want her doing anything to traumatize her mom or herself right now.” So back off, he thought as he slung back his drink.

“Oh… yes, yes of course!” Carol told him and patted his hand sympathetically.

Internally, Jack sighed in relief that the woman had bought this cover story. He figured if anyone else found out he’d just continue to run with it.

“So what’s up?” Janet asked Sam when she came into the house. Sam gave her a perplexed frown.

“I’ll show you when Vala gets here.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound ominous at all.” Janet joked.

Sam shook her head though. “Nothing like that.”

“Mama!” Jake demanded and tugged on her pant leg from the floor.

“Well, someone is certainly getting around now.” Janet said with delight and picked the little boy up to cuddle him.

Sam smiled. “I’ll have to get some baby gates and plug covers.”

Janet nodded. “The covers usually just draw their attention to the fact that something goes in there. Just move the furniture.” She said smiling. Jack had told them all that when Gracie started getting into things. It didn’t stop her but it had slowed her down.

Vala drove up a few moments later. “Sorry darlings! I thought everyone might be hungry and stopped and got our favorite pizza.” She announced, holding up boxes from Papa Vino’s.

“Oh, bless you!” Janet exclaimed and took the pizza boxes.

Sam smiled. She’d missed their pizza but was afraid of calling in an order because she had no desire to answer questions she knew she’d get. They had been really friendly with that restaurant since the early days of SG-1 in her own reality. She had to assume they were here as well.

Vala put the pizza on the kitchen table and took Jake from Janet. “I’ve missed having little ones around.” She cooed at him and tickled his belly until he giggled. Sam and Janet smiled indulgently. When Sam turned to get plates, Vala looked into Jake’s big blue eyes. “You’re looking more like your daddy every day.” She said to the boy too softly for Sam to hear. Janet did though and frowned sadly.

Sam turned with the plates in hand and smiled at them both. “I have a bottle of wine in the fridge if anyone’s interested?”

“Sounds lovely.” Vala said. “But I thought you were still nursing?”

Sam smiled in amusement. “I have enough milk in the fridge that if I pump and dump a time or two it won’t matter.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m thinking of weaning him soon anyway. He’s nearly a year old now.” Her voice got soft. And in a handful of short months, she’d be a widow for a year. Sam sighed and shook her head.

“I’m always up for a glass of wine as long as it doesn’t come in a box.” Vala said.

“Since when?” Janet teased her which got her a tongue stuck out in retaliation.

“Look who’s talking, Miss Will Drink Any Beer Available.” Vala said laughing.

Sam grinned at her friends. She wished Cassie could have come over too but they would have to figure out a cover story for that first. Her smile fled. Then there was the reason she’d called them over.

“Everything all right, darling?” Vala asked her.

“Yah…” Sam mumbled. “Peachy.”

Vala and Janet exchanged another look. “Wine.” Janet said emphatically.

“Right.” Sam agreed and went to the fridge to get the bottle of wine.

Janet lifted Jake into his highchair and buckled him in. “No pizza for you, mister man.” She said affectionately and handed him a small handful of fish crackers to snack on.

“Ish!” Jake announced and shoved several in his mouth at once.

Janet sighed and tried to slow him down.

“You may as well not bother. He eats like his father.” Sam said with sad amusement.

Janet rolled her eyes. “Feral, huh?”

“Yup.” Sam agreed setting the wine glasses down on the table before pouring a glass for each of them.

Vala ate a few bites of the still steaming pizza. “So…? I’m certain you didn’t call us just to chat, Samantha.” She said pointedly.

Sam nodded as she sat. Her eyebrows drew together. “Would… um… would either of you know why Jack got rid of all my things but he kept the car? And the bike? I mean I can understand my bike but why my car?”

Vala and Janet exchanged a look.

“My, er, Sam’s books are gone. Her clothing too, everything that was specific to her in this house is gone but those two things.”

“Actually your books are in the SGC Library, darling.” Vala said.

Janet nodded. “Vala and I have your novels if you want them back.”

Sam shook her head. “No that’s all right, I’ll buy new ones… it just seemed very strange for him to get rid of all evidence of his wife then refuse to part with her car.” She looked down at her pizza. “And he kept them running too.”

“You’re certain?”

Sam nodded. “They both started right up when I put the keys in.” She thought for a moment. “One of the neighbors said her husband offered to buy the car and he turned them down.”

“I saved a couple of things for Gracie if she wants them.” Janet admitted.

Sam looked sadly at her. Apparently Jack’s getting rid of every memory of his wife had not gone unnoticed by his friends.

“Sam… he never got over what happened.” Janet said softly and took her hand to squeeze it. “He blames himself for not getting there in time to save her.”

Sam sighed. She wanted to understand. She did. But it wasn’t fair to their daughter to erase her mother like this just because he hurt. What about what Gracie needed?

Vala’s phone rang.

She looked down at it and made a guilty face. “Hi sweetie.” Vala said with false cheer.

“Auntie Vala, daddy is on a date.” The nearly eight year old said in an accusatory tone.

“Er, he is? Well, that’s certainly news.” Vala said noncommittally.

“He won’t tell me who it is either and I know it’s not mommy because she’s in Colorado with you.” Gracie huffed.

“Does Marie know you’re on the phone with me, kitten?” Vala asked her.

“Noooo… She’s watching Parks and Recreation.” Gracie said, the eyeroll in her voice obvious. “She told me to do my homework.”

“And have you?”

Gracie sighed in disgust. “Yes. If nothing else to shut my teachers up.”

“That’s not very nice, Gracie.” Vala admonished her.

Sam looked up in surprise at the mention of Gracie. Vala gave her a guilty look.

“Do you have any idea how annoying it is to have to explain history to your history teacher?” Gracie asked in exasperation.

“No, but I imagine Daniel does.”

Gracie giggled. “How come you aren’t at work?” Gracie asked her.

“How do you know I’m not at work?”

“Because I don’t hear Uncle Daniel complaining that you’re on the phone in the background.” Gracie said reasonably. “Where are you?”

“Um… er… a friend’s house.” Vala hedged.

“You’re at mommy’s house, aren’t you?” Gracie accused. “I want to talk to her.” She said firmly.

“Now, darling, you know that’s not a good idea.” Vala said soothingly.

“If you don’t let me talk to her I’ll tell Uncle Daniel you’ve been flirting with Cameron when he’s not around.” Gracie warned Vala.

“Now first of all that’s not true and, secondly, Daniel would never believe you.” Vala huffed.

“Do you really want to risk it?” Gracie asked her archly.

“Fine.” Vala replied, clearly annoyed. She put her hand over the receiver and looked at Sam pointedly. “Your daughter just blackmailed me into letting her talk to you.”

Sam looked a little taken aback. That seemed a bit excessive but part of her was highly impressed that her daughter of this reality knew exactly which buttons to push. She tentatively put out her hand. Once she had the phone up to her ear, Vala made a shooing motion for Sam to seek privacy.

Once she was gone, Vala looked at Janet. “Well, that was predictable.”

“Which part? That an eight year old can blackmail you or that she’d figure out a way to talk to her mom?”

“Er, well both really.” Vala admitted and bit into her pizza. Janet chuckled.

In the den, Sam sank into the vintage secondhand couch that had always occupied the space. “Gracie?”

“Mommy! I’m sorry I cried on you like that. Daddy told me you’d died.”

“I know. I’m sorry, Gracie.”

“He’s out on a date.” She snarled the last word.

“Oh.” Somehow that statement knocked her for a loop and Sam couldn’t think of a response.

“Did you divorce daddy?”

“No, I’d never divorce him.” She said quickly, in all honesty, she loved Jack so wholly that that would never happen.

“Well, then he’s cheating on you and I suggest you do something about that because I don’t want a stepmom. They’re nothing but trouble.”

Sam laughed uncomfortably. “Why do you say that?”

“They’re always mean in the movies and my friend Julie’s stepmom buys her own kids lots of presents and never her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Mommy, what’s my baby brother’s name?”

Sam was taken aback by Gracie’s directness. “Um, Jacob.” She replied dumbly. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Grace had logically deduced who the baby was.

“You named him after grandpa? That’s really nice. I always wanted a baby brother or sister. I hope I get to see him again soon.”

“I’ll, um, see what I can do but that’s going to be up to your dad.”

“Yah, I know. Which means next to never at the rate he’s going.” Gracie said irritably.

“This is a big adjustment for him, Gracie, I don’t expect anything from him but I’ll still be here for you if he’ll let me.” Sam said sincerely. What did it hurt to love the daughter of her other self? She knew if the situation was reversed she’d want her other self to love her child if she was dead. You never get over the loss your own mother. No one knew that better than she did herself.

“Can I have your phone number, mommy? I might not get to call much because daddy is home a lot but I’ll try to call when I can.”

Sam nodded even though Gracie couldn’t see it. “Absolutely. It’s 719-555-4759.”

“I should probably go now. Marie’s show is almost over and she’ll want to make sure I did my homework.”

“You can call me any time all right?” Sam told the girl.

“Okay, mommy.” She didn’t say anything for a long moment and then… “I love you.” then the line went dead.

Sam sat staring at the phone in shock. Obviously they hadn’t told the girl the truth about who and what she was… and yet… what version could they tell her? It wasn’t Gracie’s fault she thought she’d found the mother she’d been grieving for five years over. She’d have to talk to someone about it. Not Jack. The look in his eyes during their brief encounter had said it all. She’d have to think about how she wanted to approach this. If it were her own Jack, this would be a no brainer, she’d just pester him until he listened.

But this wasn’t her reality or her Jack. Sam got up and returned to the kitchen.

“Well?” Janet finally asked after she handed Vala her phone back without a word.

Sam bit her lip. “He was on a date.” She said very softly and wasn’t sure why that suddenly bothered her so much. She squared her shoulders. He’s not mine. She reminded herself.

“She called me because her dad was on a date?” Vala asked, thoroughly mystified.

“Yah. Seems like it.”

“Be careful, Sam. I know you’re doing this from a good place in your heart but Jack might not see it that way.” Janet cautioned her friend. She knew better than anyone how much losing Sam had hurt him and she could see he was nowhere near ready to deal with this new development even if she thought it was past time herself.

Sam frowned. Everyone was so worried about Jack’s feelings. What about Gracie’s? Sam’s dad had put all the photos of her mom away too. If Sam hadn’t hid some in her room she’d have forgotten what her mom even looked like. How was that at all fair to Gracie?

Chapter Text

Jack couldn’t confront Gracie about what she’d done without breaking Carol’s confidence and that meant, in spite of thinking that her mother was back in the picture, Gracie thought he’d been on a date. And it left him feeling uncomfortably as if he’d done something wrong by meeting Carol in a bar the way he had. Frankly, this whole situation was giving him a headache.

This was the exact reason why he hated quantum mechanics. All it took was one alternate reality to screw up your life.

At least, he mused as he signed off on a report from Atlantis mentally on autopilot, Gracie was acting more like her old self at school. That was something right?

Three days later, he opened his phone bill to find several long distance calls to Colorado Springs… to a number that did not belong to anyone on SG-1. Jack growled in frustration but said nothing as Mitch drove them to her school. Sitting in the car with his daughter, he was quietly fuming. He thought he’d make himself perfectly clear.

After they dropped Gracie off, he thought hard about how to handle the situation. He looked at his watch and realized the date. He’d originally planned to send Walter to the Springs again soon. And decided that there wasn’t something he specifically needed to foster off onto his Command chief this time. His eyes narrowed. Without his daughter to interfere, he could make his point perfectly clear to that woman. He had to succinctly tell this woman was to stay away from his daughter. Period.

Having found her vintage Volvo was in good working order, Sam had opted to start driving herself back and forth to work as well tasks such as shopping. Having also found some of her knitting supplies in the basement, Sam decided to pick up her hobby again. It was something she had always enjoyed and it would keep her hands busy. Of course, she was lonely but she needed to do this for herself. She needed to get on with her life such as it was. Her top priority was her son.

Sam found out through the grapevine that General O’Neill was headed out this way again. She couldn’t bring herself to think of him as Jack this time. She asked Landry for a couple of personal days, claiming being in the mountain during store hours was making getting Jake some personal items difficult. Unaware that she had heard about Jack’s itinerary as he wasn’t yet aware of it himself, Hank signed off on her time off without preamble.

A couple of hours after her request was granted, Landry opened his email and groaned at the timing.

On the day her personal time was granted, Sam smiled, realizing she’d thwarted a direct on-base encounter with her husband. She had inadvertently discovered through Siler, who still remained in frequent contact with Walter, that apparently General O’Neill intended to handle the next scheduled SGC visit personally this time. She didn’t bother lying to herself about her reasons. The less they saw of each other the better right now. At least for her own emotional well being.

Even after realizing what had been approved, Hank, bless him, must have realized that she knew, but opted to let them sort this out in private so he didn’t cancel her leave and chose to let her off the hook on this one. For Sam, whatever Landry’s motivation was, she had the day off to do whatever she liked but most importantly… to not to come face to face the ghost of her dead husband at work.

One she was currently fairly angry with over his treatment of their daughter.

Jack strode into the Briefing room as though he owned the place which he supposed in its way, he did.

“Hank.” He said evenly.

“Jack. I’m surprised to see you again so soon.” Hank greeted his boss congenially as he tried to read Jack’s expression.  Ever since his Sam’s death, Jack avoided being at the SGC unless he was strictly necessary to the situation. But Hank privately acknowledged that the actual reason Jack was here this time was someone who could actually be giving Jack more discomfort nowadays than he was used to. For far too long, too many people including himself let Jack go on with half a life, devoting himself to work and his daughter, but what kind of life was that.

“Well, I was in the neighborhood.” Jack said dismissively.

“Well, we’re always glad to have you, Jack.” Hank told him. Most of us anyway, he thought to himself. Some mileage may vary.

Jack had also planned to visit Peterson, 51, and 52. It would be something of a loop that he hoped would also throw his daughter off the scent that the main reason for his trip was coming here specifically.

That was getting to be something of a problem. In entirely different way than her previous acting out had been, Jack thought. He almost preferred Gracie’s directionless anger. His daughter’s resolve in a situational mode was terrifyingly efficient for an eight-year-old.

Jack nodded absently and waited for Sam’s team to file into the room and subconsciously ignored the fact that he’d already mentally reassigned them as her team. Probably would have in any reality if he was honest with himself. She was still the foremost Gate expert on Earth so, of course, they were her team. Jennifer Hailey had been more than happy to resume a subordinate position as had her head technician, Lt. Colonel Hopkins.  They filed in together, their technical staff following behind, and Siler bringing up the rear as the Base technician. All of them stood uncomfortably by their chairs as Jack hadn’t motioned for anyone to sit. After a very long pause, he looked around the room and made eye contact with Colonel Hailey. “Colonel?”

“Sir?” She asked him politely. No longer as star-struck, she was still profoundly respectful of the founding member of SG-1.

“Aren’t you missing someone?”

Jennifer looked at him, her expression perplexed as she replied, “No sir.”

Jack frowned. “Where is Colonel Carter?” He asked her pointedly.

Jennifer gave him a deer in the headlights look. “Um—”

But before she could continue, Hank cut in to save her the humiliation of a dressing down she didn’t deserve. “She’s still technically a civilian.” He pointed out to Jack. “And she had earned personal time she chose to take today.”

“I see.” Was all Jack said, his expression cold and emotionless. He waved everyone to their seats and skewered Jennifer with a baleful stare. “Report, Colonel.” He said in a clipped tone.

Just after lunch, after a hectic morning of shopping with an active nearly one-year-old, Sam had dozed off after Jake nursed. He was snuggled against her on the couch when a loud repetitive banging on her front door assaulted her hearing. Momentarily disoriented, she sat up and blinked, trying to orient herself when Jack... no, General O’Neill stomped into her living room. Sam blinked in confusion, her hair and clothing disarray, as she drew her shirt closed.

“When I order a staff meeting, I mean the entire staff not the ones that feel like showing up, Colonel.” He barked at her, with one glance he took in her tousled appearance, and glared at her.

Sam frowned at him. He was going to wake up Jake. “Until I pass my physical I’m still a civilian, General, and I don’t report directly to you until I do.” She hissed as she got up and stalked to the kitchen, away from the den, knowing in his mood he’d likely follow her. As he watched Sam walk from the couch, he automatically grabbed some cushions and laid them around the baby as protection in the likelihood of him rolling over in his sleep before he joined his ‘wife’ in the kitchen.

“Civilian contractors are under the same chain of command requirements as service members.” He hissed back when he entered the room, knowing why she went to another room.

“I’m entitled to a day off and the meeting hadn’t been scheduled when I made my request.” She said pointedly as she walked to the kettle and started filling it. “Who the hell do you think you are anyway? Barging into my house uninvited!” She huffed in anger.

“It’s still my house, Sam. Both our names are on the deed.”

Sam shook her head. “I should have known you being nice had rules.” She said in disgust.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

She ignored his question though as she got down a tea bag and offered him nothing. “Why are you actually here?” She asked him, her tone sharp, cutting through whatever bullcrap excuse he’d used on himself for barging into her house.

“Why is my daughter calling you every chance she gets when I explicitly expressed that you are not to be in contact with her?” Being closer to the cabinet, Jack grabbed a mug and slammed it on the counter beside her before moving away from her.

“Why are you being such an ass?” She sneered at him as she dropped the teabag in the mug.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you!” He countered coolly, a mask fell across his features as he hid his thoughts from her.

Sam wasn’t sure if it was his tone or the look on his face but she snapped. "How could you let my own daughter forget me! I lost my Grace! How dare you take away a mother from a little girl! Do you know what that's like?” she cried, remembering that her own father had done exactly the same thing to her.

“See. That right there. If your Jack was anything like me, you’d know this is just a just waste of time. You never should have come.” He snarled back at her.

“She needs a mother, Jack. I know I didn’t give birth to her but she knows I’m her mom even if I’m not from her reality.” Sam tried to reason with him.

“What she needs is to be left alone so she can heal.” He told her, flailing his hands in frustration.

“Oh, like you have?” She asked him in exasperation.

“What I have or haven’t done isn’t your concern!” His tone had become low and furious.

“The hell it’s not, Jack. You’ve pushed everyone away, even Daniel, the only brother you’ve ever had. And for what? So you can be miserable and alone the rest of your life? Why, Jack? You still have things to live for!” She quietly shouted at him. She’d seen Daniel’s disappointed face when he’d call and Jack had little to nothing to say to him. It had made things excruciatingly awkward at work.

“The only thing I have to live for is that little girl I made with my dead wife! And I don’t need you or anyone else sticking their nose in about it!”

“Yes, because you’re doing such a great job at it!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Before Sam realized it, Jack grabbed her by her arms, his hands gripped her upper arms tightly and drew her closer to him in anger. Memories of another time he’d grabbed her in the same way during an unusually emotional argument long ago before either had realized how they felt flashed in his mind before he quickly released her, the brief contact momentarily distracted them both. Sam struggled to remember what she was going to say for a moment.

“Just what you think it does!” She retorted when she was able to gather her thoughts. “Gracie doesn’t even remember what I look like half the time. She says there’s not one photo of her anywhere in either house that she has access to. You put all of them here in a box in the basement.

“I doubt she’s lying about you having taken them all away in DC too. And it’s not like that’s just how you do things because there are still photos of Charlie and Sarah up all over both houses! I lost my Gracie but I still kept her ultrasound and I didn’t hide it where even I couldn’t find it!”

“Just because I let you live here doesn’t give you any right to rifle through my stuff!”

“You haven’t touched this house in months if not years. What the hell do you care at this point?”

“How would you like it if I just dug through your stuff without your permission?!”

“Why the hell would I care, Jack? I don’t have anything left to dig through and even if I did, you’re my husband!”

Jack looked taken aback for a moment. “Look, I did that so you could collect her pension not so we could play house. To the outside, we look like any other military couple whose marriage didn’t make it.”

“Well, that’s obvious to me, seeing as you have a son you won’t even meet.”

“He’s not my son.” Jack denied hotly.

“You once told me you were deployed when Charlie was born and didn’t even meet him until he was six months old. How is this any different?”

“I didn’t make him! Just like I didn’t make the Gracie you lost!” He said of the most recent argument with Daniel. Daniel had called him trying to get permission for Sam to see Gracie because she’d lost that pregnancy in her own reality.

Sam gasped as though slapped.

For a fleeting moment, Jack realized he’s gone just a little too far but couldn’t stop himself from continuing. “At least my Sam was smart enough to not be on base that day!”

Sam’s face ran through a range of emotions from shock to pain and then to fury. Whereas before, she’d just been passionately trying to get through his thick walls of self-protection, now she felt sick inside. “My Jack was never a monster.” She says coldly as she stalked to the door, knowing Jack wasn’t quite finished with his argument. “Gracie has my number. If you take it away, Janet, Daniel, and Vala will make sure she has it again. Assuming you don’t plan to cut her off from the REST of the people she loves just to get back at me.” She said coldly and held the door open for him.

Not thinking clearly Jack stormed out. At the last moment as he crossed the threshold, he turned. “Sam! Wait!” Jack called but it was too late. The door slammed behind her. He stood staring at the door, debating about breaking in a second time. Shook his head, rejecting that idea. How had confronting her about her cowardice and defying him turn into her making him into the villain? Jack’s frown deepened. His head hurt just trying to wrap his mind round their entire conversation.

His shoulders slumped as he returned to his rental and drove away, trying to forget how she felt when he’d held her for a very brief second. What was it about this woman undermining his reason and control?

In the now quiet house, Sam sagged to the floor against the door and sobbed. Why the hell had she given him the impression she wanted anything but to be left alone by him? She didn’t want that. She didn’t want him.

Chapter Text

An hour later, Sam had run a cold washcloth over her face and was methodically cleaning the house. She’d opted to put the photos of herself back out, at least the ones with the team and with Gracie. She left the wedding photos in the box. It wasn’t her wedding, anyway.

She was humming along to classic rock, Jake was playing on the floor of the den, when the doorbell rang. She desperately hoped it wasn’t one of the neighbors just dropping by. She doubted anyone from SG-1 had witnessed whatever led up to Jack showing up and trying to bully her. Her eyes widened in shock when she opened the door.

“Mark?” she squeaked.

“Sam! I thought they were pulling my leg, that Jack had just met someone and they thought she looked like you but it really is you?”

“Um… er… yah… it’s me.” Sam said lamely. Oh hell. What the actual—

“Sam, why didn’t you contact me?” He asked her, looking devastated. “Why didn’t any of your team or Jack contact me? I know you guys have always been close. One of you could have at least called me to let me know you are actually alive.” He said to her, his tone somewhere between an accusation and confusion but full on hurt.

“I meant to. I did… I just… I didn’t know what to say and—”

“Mama!” Jake said, crawling from the kitchen. “Mama!” He said again, gleeful that he’d found her and latched on to her leg to pull himself up.

“Sam?”

“Um… well, Mark, this… um… this is your nephew, Jake.” She scooped the boy up and settled him onto her hip. “Say hello to your Uncle Mark, Jake.”

“Da!” Jake agreed.

“Sam… he’s…” Mark gave her a perplexed look. “He’s nearly a year old.”

“Yah um… well, you see the thing is…” There was no denying Jake was Jack’s boy. Even with Sam’s blue eyes, he looked just like her husband.

“Sam.” He accused. “You’ve been home for almost two years and never contacted me?”

“It’s… complicated.” She said lamely.

“Why the hell would you let him talk you into not contacting me?”

“What? No… Jack had nothing to do with it!” Sam denied. In spite of him being an ass, she didn’t want to cause him problems with her family.

“Then… why?” He croaked.

Sam sighed. “It’s a long story. Do you want some coffee?”

“Yah… sure.”

Sam had never been an especially adept liar so she did the only thing she could think of, tell Mark the truth… from a certain point of view.

As she led the way back to the kitchen, Sam was completely confused. The brother she remembered from her reality was resentful even after patching things up with their dad.  She wasn’t sure what to do with a brother who actually cared about her like he should.

She made some coffee as Mark got himself acquainted with his nephew. Once coffee was made, they sat quietly at the table, with Jake in his highchair eating goldfish crackers.

“Mark, these last couple of years… there are quite a lot of things I don’t remember,” she began, thanking her photographic memory as her brain started to isolate points she could share. She was silent for a moment and felt Mark’s hand squeeze hers in comfort which brought tears to her eyes. She took a deep breath and began again.

“Mark, when they found me, Jack was so relieved to find out I was still alive and I… I was so relieved to see him that I didn’t tell anyone how injured I was. They released me without really checking me out. It wasn’t until two mornings later when we realized all the bruising and pain wasn’t just passing. By then it was already too late. I was pregnant again. Jack blamed himself when we found out. There was the chance that I might not even survive the pregnancy. I asked him not to tell you I was home. I didn’t want to put you through the pain of losing me all over again if I didn’t recover. Any of you. My team knew but Gracie, my family... It was bad enough Jack had to go through it.” She explained to him sadly. When her Jack had gotten her pregnant again, he’d blamed himself for endangering her in that way. She almost hadn’t survived giving birth. And then as she was trying to recover from childbirth and Vala’s suicide mission, Jake had only been a few months old when Jack made the decision to sacrifice himself to save her and their infant son. By giving them a chance to find sanctuary before the Ori closed in on them.

Mark sighed. “I just don’t understand how all this happened.” He said disconsolately.

“There were a lot of witnesses to what everyone thought was my death, Mark. No one expected me to survive and when they couldn’t recover a body everyone drew the obvious conclusion and the military had to make a decision. It’s not their fault, Mark. It’s not anyone’s fault.”

Mark looked at her for a long time, trying to gauge the truth behind her words. He knew his sister wasn’t telling him the truth somehow but given the classified nature of her job, it could just be her withholding information she wasn’t allowed to say. “Jack’s been more withdrawn with me the last couple of years.” Mark admitted. Perhaps this was why.

Sam nodded. She knew how hard it had to be for Jack to see her family and feeling responsible for her death. It would be very like him to withdraw over time to avoid dealing with his pain. Even her Jack had been like that. Especially after Daniel’s death at the hands of the Ori.

“How long did it take you to recover?”

“I’m not fully recovered yet.” Sam shrugged and continued to share the cover story. “When they first found me, I had a lot of gaps in my memory – much of which I’m still missing.” She looked her brother in the eyes. “There were  a lot of surgeries. Times that I wasn’t even sure I’d survive... Then with my lingering injuries, my pregnancy was difficult. Jake was early. We weren’t sure he was going to make it either. Gracie didn’t even know she had a little brother until fairly recently.”

“You’ve seen her?”

Sam nodded. Technically. “I talk to her nearly every day.”

“Why aren’t you in DC?”

Sam shrugged. “It’s… complicated.”

“Oh, so you finally survived and now he’s lost interest.” Mark said snidely.

Sam shook her head. “It doesn’t have anything to do with that. We’re having problems for other reasons. It happens, Mark, you know that, especially in military families.”

“Yah... I just never expected you two to become a statistic. I wonder sometimes if you wouldn’t have been better off with Pete after all.”

Sam shook her head again. She didn’t answer at first but took a few minutes to put Jake down so he could go play. “No, Mark, Pete and I weren’t a good fit. He’s a nice guy but eventually he’d have resented my job, my friends. Frankly, it would have ended badly.” She told him in all honesty because it had. Pete was a manipulator and a narcissist. Eventually he’d have become just as controlling as Jonas had. She’d seen it but almost too late in her own reality. This Mark was lucky to not have to pick sides. Her own Mark had resented her decision.

“Oh, I know you weren’t really right for each other,” Mark admitted. “He likes his women… a little more delicate flower type.”

Sam chuckled. Something like that she thought. “I appreciate the thought. We’ll be okay Mark, eventually.” She shrugged. “We’re still communicating so who knows.” If you count shouting at each other as communicating. “How did you find out anyway?”

“One of your neighbors posted on social media. I wouldn’t have even noticed except she’s a mutual and Jack never took your page down. Not that you ever used it except to post photos of the kids privately.” He said of Gracie and his own nearly grown children.

Sam nodded. That fit his current behavior, she decided as she thought of her car and bike. “I’m glad you came.” She admitted, and found she was telling him the truth.

“I’m glad I came too. I know you would have just not answered your phone.”

“Oh, um… I think Jack got rid of the landline years ago. I didn’t even try to hook up a phone. I’ll give you my new cell number though.” She said, realizing she did want to get to know this Mark better. Perhaps he was the brother she’d wished she’d had instead of the bitter one who had resented her choices even knowing that it kept him from having to follow dad into the service.

“I’d like that. I have no idea how I’m going to explain this to my wife.” He admitted shaking his head.

Sam shrugged. “You’ll think of something, Mark.”

Mark nodded slowly. “So you named him after dad, huh?”

Sam snorted in amusement. “Yah. It seemed like the right thing to do. Otherwise, he was getting stuck with Harry after Jack’s grandpa and I have a friend with that name and I don’t want our son turning out anything like him.”

“Oh?” Mark asked.

“Oh yah, he’s a real piece of work.” Sam said, chuckling thinking of Maybourne.

“Jack can’t deny that kid at all. Other than the blue eyes, he’s his ringer.”

Sam nodded and smiled in amusement. “Hopefully he’s a bit more like his sister and a bit less like his dad or grandpa.”

Mark chuckled. “Amen to that!” He said, toasting her with his coffee mug.

“Hi mommy.” Gracie said cheerfully over the phone a couple hours later.

“Hi sweetie.” Sam greeted her. “How was school today?”

“Okay. Daddy is on a business trip.”

“I heard.” Sam said evenly of the subject, trying to ignore the idea that when really she wanted to smash the man’s face in.

“He said he had to go all over but I think he’s headed for Colorado so watch out. He was in a really grumpy mood when he left.”

Sam chuckled. Well, she wasn’t wrong. “Thanks for the heads up, I’ll keep my head down.”

“How’s Jake?”

“Good. He’s been talking more. I’m trying to teach him how to say Gracie while showing him your picture.”

“What’s he gotten to?”

Sam chuckled. “Mostly gleeful shrieking.” She admitted.

Gracie dissolved into giggles. “I’ll see if Mitch can help me set up a Skype account.”

“Mitch?”

“Uh huh, daddy’s driver. He’s an airman, but Daddy always calls him by his name. Isn’t that nice?”

“Yes, that’s very nice of him.” Sam agreed, thinking back that her Jack was the same way. It was amazing how he could remember the names of most of the people who he worked with at the mountain, their kids and their pet’s names though that last one was pretty reasonable considering how much Jack loved kids and animals, dogs in particular.

“Still I would have to do it when daddy isn’t home though, because he’s still mad that I talked to you.” Gracie said sadly.

“I know, sweetie. I hope at some point he’s ready to be more fair to you about it. Try not to make things difficult for him. Don’t put anyone in the middle, okay?”

“Daddy yelled at Uncle Danny last time they talked.” Gracie confided.

“I’m sorry.” Sam said, knowing exactly what Jack had yelled at Daniel about, but she gently scolded her almost daughter. “Gracie, you shouldn’t be eavesdropping.”

“But Mommy… daddy was yelling from his office and I was doing my homework in the living room. It was hard not to hear.” Gracie said, matter-of-factly.

Sam made a conciliatory sound as she thought about the cause of that conversation. Because in trying to help the situation with Jack, Daniel had stuck his foot in his mouth with both of them.

She hadn’t told Daniel she’d lost the pregnancy that led to Gracie for sympathy. She’d done so to explain why she understood why Jack was being so overprotective. Jack hadn’t appreciated it either from the shouting and eventually hanging up on Daniel when Sam had walked in during the middle of the heated conversation. With apologetic eyes, Daniel had looked at her and confessed afterwards that he’d been trying to reason with Jack.

Gently, she told Daniel that it would be best if he didn’t try to interfere, saying, “You and I know that this isn’t the way with Jack. He needs to do things his way, even if it means, leaving him alone.”

Her self-reverie was interrupted by Gracie’s innocent question. “Do you think if I made him feel bad enough for being mean to me about you he’d get me a kitten?”

Sam shook her head and chuckled ruefully. “I think you should leave well enough alone and find something besides emotional blackmail to get yourself a kitten.” Sam admonished her.

“It would work though. Probably.” Gracie told her mom.

Sam chuckled. “It might but wouldn’t you feel bad for manipulating your dad later?”

“I might, but I’d also have a kitten.”

Sam chuckled. “I really need to limit your time with Auntie Vala and Auntie Janet. You are learning terrible habits from them.” She smiled as she said it though.

“Mommy?”

“Yah kiddo?”

“Why is daddy mad at you?”

Sam sighed. “It’s complicated, sweetie.” Realizing that was a non-answer, Sam frowned as tried to assuage the situation. “Gracie, this doesn’t have anything to do with you at all. It’s a personal thing between your dad and me. It will be okay eventually. I promise.”

“Are you getting divorced?” Gracie tentatively asked her mother, afraid of hearing the answer.

Sam sighed. She wouldn’t file but she wouldn’t refuse to sign if he made that decision for them. “I don’t plan to.” She told the girl honestly.

“Okay. Good.” Gracie said. “I love you mommy.”

“I love you too.” Sam said.

“Talk to you tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Sam said with a genuine smile.

“Okay.” Gracie agreed and hung up.

Sam sank against the couch and sighed heavily. She felt like the lies were piling up. To the daughter she’d lost in her own reality. To her brother. To her staff. But what else was she supposed to do?

Later that night, Jack fell into an exhausted sleep across town and dreamed of making love to his wife except instead of the Sam he married it was this interloper who looked and acted and smelled just like her but who didn’t share her memories… and showered with shame the next morning before leaving on his flight out of Peterson for Nevada. Ashamed that his body had betrayed his heart.

Unknown to Jack, Sam’s sleep that night was equally fitful, having nightmares of the Ori killing her husband… except the Jack in her horrifying dream had snow white hair and stars that had never adorned her own husband’s shoulders. Sam woke the next morning exhausted and upset, confused by her dreams.

On his flight to Area 51 the next morning, Jack replayed his argument with Daniel in his head, staring with unseeing eyes out of the window.

“Jack, don’t you want to at least get to know her?”

“Daniel, she’s not my Sam.”

“I know that but, even if she’s not, her son is genetically yours.” Daniel countered. “She cares about you.”

“She cares about her husband. Who just died a couple of months ago. And I’d be a shitty person to take advantage of her like that.” Jack reminded Daniel in annoyance. Let the woman grieve for crying out loud, he thought bitterly.

“Who are you protecting, Jack? Her? Or yourself?” Daniel asked him bitterly.

“You know damned well—”

“And another thing… you read her reports too. She lost her Gracie. The least you could do is let her be part of her life.”

“Her losing her baby is exactly why I don’t want her part of my daughter’s life. She never should have been on base that day.”

“She was there under your orders.”

“Yah, and that turned out just great, didn’t it?” Jack said bitterly. How his other self must have blamed himself for the loss of their daughter. How afraid he must have been when she accidentally got pregnant again. Jack couldn’t imagine any version of himself that wouldn’t be a basket case in that situation.

“Jack, would you just listen to me. She—” Daniel was all wound up, believing he understood the situation better than anyone else, including Jack and Sam.

“No, you listen to me Daniel. Stay out of it. It isn’t your business. Any of it.” He said and had savagely turned off his phone, having no idea Sam had overheard almost half of their conversation about her and felt humiliated that he’d spoken about her that way.

Jack’s thoughts returned to the present. He knew now by the things she’d said that she’d been there for at least part of that argument. He sincerely hoped she hadn’t put Daniel up to it. While it wasn’t the kind of thing his own Sam would have done. Janet and Vala however, sure. But the Sam he knew was usually more likely to just avoid personal conflict.

Jack beat down the guilt he was feeling inside. And tried to ignore the hurt look in her eyes which appeared every time he closed his eyes. He couldn’t overlook how the last few years of her life had been, losing everyone she truly loved except her young son. And then losing her husband and watching him die on live TV? He knew exactly how she felt and what she went through. He’d had to watch his wife die too.

He sighed heavily. He’d really botched this one but he wasn’t about to even attempt to make it right. If she hated him it would be easier. For both of them.

Chapter Text

“Congratulations, Sam, you passed.” Landry told her with a kind smile.

 “Thank you, sir.” Sam grinned back. “I have Teal’c to thank for most of that.”

Hank nodded. “I’m putting you back on SG-1. You and Mitchell have the same rank, is that going to be an issue?”

Sam shook her head. “No sir.” She said, still smiling. She and Cameron had gone through the Citadel together. He credited her with dragging him through his math courses in spite of her then overbearing fiancé. They were old friends who had collaborated well together as students.

“Good. It’s good to have you back, Sam.” Hank said warmly. “I know you aren’t the woman I served with but I’m sure those of us who have known you both would agree you are just as accomplished as an officer, a scientist, and as a member of this team.”

Sam nodded. “Thank you.” She said politely. She agreed that she was much better at work things more than say… personal relationships, she thought, thinking bitterly of Jack who had gone back to no contact between them and sent Walter to the mountain after his last disastrous visit.

Hank picked up the phone in his office to call in her team who had been waiting in Daniel’s lab.

Sam opened her mouth to stop him but nothing came out as she realized they had a right to be happy for her even if she did feel like an imposter.

Hank led her into the briefing room where SG-1 was now waiting. Sam watched as people started filing in with grins on their faces. Siler came in with Janet, Jennifer, and Lynn. Sam blinked back tears. She’d been friends with some of these people for over a decade, in Cam’s case even longer. Vala was the first to hug her followed by Teal’c. Eventually everyone, even Daniel had hugged her tightly and told her congratulations.

“Does this mean Jen gets her lab back?” Lynn quipped.

Colonel Hailey squeaked in protest but otherwise didn’t speak as she not so discreetly elbowed her friend in the arm.

Sam chuckled. “Yes, Lt. Colonel Hopkins, you two get control of Gate diagnostics again.”

“Yippee!” Lynn said gleefully, making everyone else chuckle.

“Well, now that that’s settled there’s a cake in the commissary… and blue Jell-o.” Landry finished.

Teal’c guffawed at that one and started herding people out of the Briefing room.

When her phone rang that evening, Sam was surprised to see it was Gracie because she knew Jack was home in DC. The SGC gossip mill was, as always on any base, rampant. Some things never changed as she thought about the bets about her own relationship with Jack before it actually happened. In fact, she suspected her reinstatement ceremony was a lot of why he sent Walter. Far too many bittersweet memories of pinning her next rank on her shoulders.

“Hi sweetie, is everything okay?”

Gracie answered her very softly. “Daddy said you were reinstated today.”

“I was.” Sam agreed in the same quiet conspiratorial tone.

“He sounded really proud of you. I better go. Congratulations, mommy. I love you.”

“Love you too, Gracie.” Sam said smiling softly.

“So…?” Cam asked Daniel while they sat at a bar together.

“So?” Daniel asked in disinterest. They had invited Sam out to celebrate but she’d politely declined. He couldn’t blame her after the way most of them had acted initially. Everyone but Vala had been cautious of her. Janet hadn’t but Sam, instead, had been overly cautious with Janet.

“How do you feel about her being back on the team?” Cam asked as he drained a bottle of beer.

Daniel shrugged as he nursed his own drink. “Technically she’s not back as she’s not our Sam.”

“Damned if I can tell the difference. If General O’Neill wasn’t being such an idiot about the whole thing, no one would notice any difference at all. She acts exactly like her, thinks like, hell she even has the same damned hobbies.”

Daniel sighed. He really didn’t want to talk about Jack’s head being up his ass. It was a perpetual state for the man and half the reason he’d thought Jack wasn’t too bright for a very long time. “It’s fine, Cam. I’m sure eventually we’ll forget she’s not Sam at all.”

Cameron Mitchell gave Daniel a flat look. “Vala’s right. You aren’t being very charitable.”

Daniel protested. “At least I’m trying.” He pointed out, glaring at the other man. “I seem to remember you avoiding her entirely.” Daniel pointed out dryly.

“Yah, well, that was before I got to know her.”

“We went through this once before. It didn’t end well.” Daniel said bitterly, thinking of Sam’s reaction to Jack kissing an alternate her. She’d been terribly embarrassed then tumbled into feelings for him she hadn’t been able to hide most of the time. At least not from people who knew her well.

“Yah well, it’s not like our Sam is alive, Daniel.” Cam pointed out. “Hey, why didn’t the girls come?”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “When Sam turned me down, suddenly they both had something to do. I assume they are at Sam’s.”

“Oh.” Cam said, not having considered they had been ditched. “Do you think Janet likes me?” He asked Daniel.

“Er… in which way?” Daniel hedged, having briefly dated Janet himself.

“Which way do you think?” Cam asked him sourly.

“Uh… like as a friend?”

“Look, just forget it.” Cam huffed. He forgot how useless Daniel sometimes was when it came to relationships. No wonder Vala couldn’t figure out how to get through his thick skull.

“Consider it forgotten.” Daniel mumbled. The last thing he wanted was to get in the middle of Cam’s love life.

“Besides, there’s always Vala.” Cam said innocently.

“She’s too fast for you.” Daniel said sharply.

Cam made a noncommittal noise and smiled into his beer. Gotcha he thought.

Not sure what to do with herself after turning down Daniel’s stiff invitation to a bar for drinks tonight, Sam decided to clean the house. She supposed she should put up some holiday decorations but she really didn’t feel like celebrating. She decided as she cleaned to just get a small tree for the living room and a box of ornaments and be done with it. It was only for Jake anyway. She had no reason to celebrate other than having survived for the sole purpose of saving her child.

“Mama?” Jake asked her once he’d toddled in from watching cartoons in the other room. She had gates up so he could only get to the den and the kitchen entrance, not the stairs or the sunken living room with what few breakables she’d relocated from around the house.

“What, baby?”

“Where da-da?”

Sam blinked at her son. Then she sighed. “He’s not here, baby.” Had Gracie talked early too she wondered? Was he bright or was that Jack’s genetics making him capable of a higher than average ability to communicate?

Jake pouted and his tears welled up.

Sam scooped him up and cuddled him. She sighed slowly through her own tears. “That’s why you brought us here, isn’t it?” She kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry, baby, dada is having a hard time with us being here. He wasn’t ready for you – either of us.” Sam sniffled.

“Mama?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Wuf you.”

She smiled sadly. “I love you too, kiddo. We’ll be okay, you know. Just you and me together. Maybe someday dada will be part of your life too.” She assured him. She hoped so, for the kids’ sakes not hers. They needed their father, both of them. But she should offer to leave if they could ever get the Jumper working again. It would spare everyone pain. Everyone but Gracie anyway.

Jake obviously had led them here because there was a version of his father that somehow needed him… but you can’t make a man like Jack face that unless he wants to.

Jake clung to her as if he sensed he’d made her sad. “Sowwy.” He told her.

She hugged him tighter. “You didn’t make mama cry, baby. Mama is just sad in general.” She told him to soothe him. She worried about how quickly he was grasping concepts. He’d be a year old soon and already grasped basic emotions and verbal concepts most kids didn’t master until they were two. She’d ask Jack if Gracie had been the same way but after the shouting match they had where she’d horrifyingly implied she wanted to be married to him well… that possibility was next to absolute zero. Even if he had put cushions around her son before their shouting match.

Chapter Text

“You didn’t honestly think we’d forget did you, darling?” Vala asked Sam a month later while poking her head around a ridiculously large gift wrapped in paper that said ‘You’re 1!!’.

Sam looked at everyone gathered at her door. Teal’c had balloons, Cameron had a cake while everyone else had boxes and bags.

“Guys!” Sam said breathlessly into the frigid Colorado January air.

Jake squealed in delight when he spotted the balloons.

“You may have one balloon, Jacob O’Neill. The rest will decorate your mother’s kitchen for your party.” Teal’c told the toddler.

“Bawoon! Bawoon!” Jake squirmed in his mother’s arms as he tried to grab the balloons.

Teal’c separated one of the balloons and gently tied it to Jake’s wrist in a loop so it could be easily removed later. Sam set him down and Jake admired his balloon that bobbed as he moved his arm.

“Tank-oo, Eelk!” Jake said to the large Jaffa with a cheesy grin worthy of his father and grabbed table and chair legs to help him navigate almost walking. Sam smiled and shook her head as he toddled over to Janet. “Annit! Annit!” He said to her excitedly pulling on her pant leg.

“What have you got, Jake?” Janet asked, chuckling.

“A bawoon!” He said and started to giggle. “Ook Aanit! A bawoon!”

Janet laughed and scooped him up, balloon and all. “You’re quite the little talker. Your sister was chatty at an early age, too.” She winked at Sam as she knew Gracie had been calling her as often as she could. “I’m not surprised and wasn’t then either. Neither of you is a dummy.” She said chuckling. “Most of the time.”

Sam grinned in amusement. She’d had her share of screw ups after all, Janet didn’t mean just Jack in this instance.

Jake leaned towards Daniel who was next to Janet. “Oook! Ook Annal! A bawoon!”

“I see.” Daniel said to the toddler. “It’s a very nice balloon.” He agreed absently of the bright red orb.

Jake shook his arm to make the balloon bob up and down and shimmy. “Annal!”

“Hum?” Daniel asked the toddler in semi-disinterest.

“Ook! Bawoon!” Jake told him insistently.

“He’s going to keep telling you about it until you properly acknowledge him, darling.” Vala said from the kitchen counter where she was opening the cake box.

“Great. Just like his father.” Daniel muttered under his breath and scooped up the toddler under both his chubby arms. “Did Uncle Teal’c give you that balloon?” He asked the little boy.

“Yah!” Jake exclaimed excitedly. “Eelk, bawoon!”

“What color is it?” Daniel asked him.

Jacob screwed up his face in concentration staring at the balloon. Then he looked at Daniel and shrugged.

“It’s a red balloon. Can you say red?”

Jacob gave him a suspicious look.

“Red.” Daniel said slowly, over enunciating the word.

“Wwww…ed!” Jacob mimicked.

“Good job.” Daniel said and put him down.

Jacob thanked him by launching himself at Daniel’s legs.

“I concur Daniel Jackson, young Jacob O’Neill’s behavior is similar to his father’s.” Teal’c said with an amused smirk.

Cameron leaned over to Vala. “Did Teal’c just make a joke?”

“Oh yah.” Sam said chuckling from his other side.

“Wild.” Cameron remarked and went to the drawer to dig out some forks.

Sam moved back to the opening to the living room and watched everyone slightly mystified.

Janet joined her after a moment. “They’re trying to make up for him not being here.” She said softly.

“Yah… I got that.” Sam sighed. “It’s not like he’s my Jack.” Sam said softly.

Janet frowned and didn’t say anything for a moment, weighing her words. “No, but he’s the only father either of them have. He’ll come around eventually, Sam.”

Sam shook her head slightly. “Kids grow up without dads all the time.”

“He won’t have to.” Janet said decisively. “Whatever he’s struggling with about this, if nothing else his sense of responsibility will ultimately win.”

Sam’s frown deepened. “If he only does it out of a sense of responsibility I don’t want him around.” She said quietly but with heat. She didn’t want Jake growing up with a father who only spent time with him out of a sense of obligation. Especially as he clearly loved Gracie. Eventually both children would notice only one parent loved them both.

Janet sighed inwardly. Was the Jack of this Sam’s reality so different that he’d have never thawed? Somehow Janet doubted that. Had Jack done something when he was in town? Sam had never said anything at all about it which… now that Janet thought about it, suggested not only had he come over but that he’d somehow made things worse than they already were. “Did he drop by when he was in town?”

Sam’s face pinched in annoyance. “It doesn’t matter, Janet. Let’s just enjoy the party.” She suggested, with a wary smile.

“Okay.” Janet agreed but she still had every intention of having it out with one Jack O’Neill.

“O’Neill.” Jack grunted into the phone while he read the memo from their new chairman, General Dempsey. “Update my ass.” He muttered under his breath.

“Jack, you sound distracted.” A familiar female voice asked.

“Kerry.” He said warmly. “How are you?”

“Good. Do you have time for a semi social call?”

“How social?”

“I could use a beer.”

“Yah. Me too…” Jack said as his eyebrows drew together while he read. “Son of a—”

“Jack?”

“Sorry. Stupid pencil pushers want a book report.” He muttered. “How does Grays sound? 2100?”

“Sounds good.” She agreed. “I’ll see you then.”

Jack hung up without saying goodbye. His frown as he read the request in front of him deepened.

Later that evening, he met her at the door to Grays.

“You sounded a little distracted when I called. Is everything all right?” Kerry asked Jack in the same bar he’d met with the social worker from Gracie’s school.

“Yah… no.” He finally admitted.

“Do you need to talk about it?” She put her hand on his and squeezed. They had stayed friends. If she had hoped for more after Sam’s death, she never expressed it to him and for that Jack was grateful. He had few friends outside of the Program and that made things difficult as all of them knew Sam, and all their attempts of trying not to talk about his wife always reminded him of how he’d lost her. He’d needed a friend and she’d been there for him. That was all.

Jack frowned. By his own orders, he was going to break an oath he normally took seriously but if anyone would understand his predicament, it was Kerry. “I have a son.”

“I know. You told me about him, Jack.” She said, sipping her drink delicately. What was bothering him about this now?

Jack shook his head though. “No… another one. He’s… he’s almost a year old.”

“Ah.” Kerry said. “Well, accidents happen. Are you providing for the mom?”

Jack nodded dumbly. “Yah.” He agreed.

Kerry shrugged. “Does Gracie know?” There were few things worse than keeping siblings from knowing each other.

Jack nodded again. “She wasn’t supposed to but she’s a smart kid and found out on her own.” He said hollowly.

“Jack, you should have told her.”

“She’s been through so much. I didn’t want to confuse her.” Jack said, staring morosely into his beer.

Kerry sighed inwardly. Gracie hardly even remembered what she’d been through because, as far as she knew, Jack had gotten rid of most of Sam’s things. It hadn’t been one of his finer moments in Kerry’s opinion.

“He’s Sam’s.” Jack said hollowly.

Kerry blinked. Wait, what? “Jack… Sam is dead.”

Jack nodded dumbly.

“So, is this an alien intervention thing?” She half joked.

“No… he was made the usual way.”

“Jack, Sam died five years ago. How can you have a naturally conceived son with her that’s nearly a year old?”

“Quantum mechanics apparently.” He said sourly.

“Jack, don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?” Kerry asked him with cautious amusement.

Jack sighed and picked at the label on his beer bottle. Something she’d long associated with both him and his wife being unable to express their feelings. “She’s from another reality.” He finally said.

“Ah.” Kerry said after a long moment. “Can’t you send her back like the last time?”

Jack shook his head. “She doesn’t have anything to go back to. The Ori destroyed everything they couldn’t bend to their will. Everyone she loves but that baby is dead. The SGC is gone as are most of Earth’s leaders. Even if she could get home which she probably can’t, there’s nothing left for her there to go home to.”

Kerry listened but she watched him as he struggled through his painful recitation of what had happened to that Sam. A suspicion she didn’t voice rose to the surface. “You said you were providing for her?”

Jack nodded. “She’s staying at the old house. It’s just been sitting empty.” He swallowed his guilt over their last conversation at that very house. When she’d pointed out she was his wife and a stupid part of himself wanted the fact that she wasn’t the Sam he’d married to not matter at all.

Kerry nodded. That was a good decision. She’d be comfortable surrounded by memories even if they were of another life. “You sound very ambivalent, Jack.”

“Shouldn’t I be?” He challenged her.

“Well, that depends.” She said slowly.

“On?” He growled.

“How you feel about her as a person and not how you feel about her as a Sam.” She said simply.

Jack gave her a flat unfriendly look.

“Let’s say you’re struggling with separating her from your own Sam in your mind.” She held up a hand when he made to object. “If she didn’t look and act and sound just like Sam, what would your opinion of her be?” she asked, her voice gentle, hoping to lead him to the truth she could see plainly in his reactions.

Jack opened his mouth. Shut it, looked perplexed, then frowned. He stared at his drink with unseeing eyes.

“Jack, ask yourself this, how much of Sam being a lot like Sara was what attracted you to her in the first place?”

“So you think it’s just that I have a type?” He asked her snidely.

“I think you like intelligent, tough, kindhearted women.” She retorted.

“Like you.” He pointed out.

Kerry shrugged. “To some extent, sure, but I was never quite enough like either of them to ever do more than be a place filler for them.” She told him kindly. “I realize what I was competing with, Jack. I never even stood a chance.” She smiled and patted his hand. Even after Sam’s death, she wasn’t enough and she was at peace with that. “Jack, sometimes we can’t help at all what our heart wants. I’ve watched you struggle with your grief for five long years.” She smiled gently at him. “Give letting go of it a chance.” She suggested.

“Yah... maybe.” Jack halfheartedly agreed.

“It’s just a suggestion.” She said with a gentle smile.

Jack sighed. “So why the social call?” He asked her, changing to the topic.

“Well, remember that odd signal we got back in ‘77?”

“The Wow! signal?”

She nodded. “We’ve finally were able to triangulated it.” She said with a grin.

Jack couldn’t help but grin back. “And I suppose you want to see if there’s a Gate?”

She grinned wider.

Chapter Text

Jack groaned when he got up the next morning. It had probably been the conversation with Kerry but this time it had been dreams of him storming into the house to confront Sam 2.0 only to end up nailing her on the hallway floor. He needed to get laid. That was all. Obviously Kerry was out. She was Team Sam already.

Jack pondered the school counselor, Carol, as a possibility. She was sweet, cute, looked nothing like his dead wife which was a huge added bonus. But that might only make things worse.

The part that was bothering him about it, he mused as he brushed his teeth, was that… the thought of making love to Sam had flashed in his mind when she was telling him off. And then she’d made that off the cuff comment about him being her husband. It had dashed cold water on his libido so fast he hadn’t been able to defend his position very well afterwards.

“Daddy!”

Jack snapped out of his reverie. “Yah, kiddo?” he asked after he spit out his toothpaste.

“I lost my brush again.” She told him.

“I should check that mop on your head for it.”

“Daddy!” Gracie said giggling. “It’s not in my hair!”

Jack smiled at his daughter and wiped his face with a towel. “All right. Let’s go look for it.” He told her and strode out of the bathroom in nothing but his dress pants and a sleeveless undershirt.

After he finally found it under her bed again, he nudged her back to the bathroom so he could sort out her riot of curls.

“Can I have a kitten, daddy?”

“A kitten is a lot of work.” Jack reminded her. “You have to feed it every day, clean its litter a few times a week, and Marie and I won’t do it for you.” He said and considered last month and how a kitten would have probably have destroyed the precious delicate Christmas ornaments Sam had made their first year of marriage while she’d been pregnant with Gracie.

“I’d take very good care of it.” Gracie said in her most grown up voice.

Jack didn’t say anything for a long moment. He seriously considered telling her he might let her go visit her mom… or the woman she thought was her mom who was really her mom in another reality. He realized that in her reality, he had fucked up by having her meet him on base for some damned stupid reason only to get caught in the middle of a foothold situation that had led to her losing the baby when she was injured during a firefight. Ironically, that was their only casualty from that incident. He was thankful that he didn’t call on Sam’s assistance in this reality. His Gracie was alive and well because of that single decision.

He’d only seen glimpses of the boy his other self had fathered almost two years ago. If his Sam hadn’t died would they have another child? Did it matter?

“Daddy, you’re tugging.”

“Sorry.” He mumbled around the hair tie in his mouth. “Hold still.”

“So, can I have a kitten?” She asked him after he’d gotten one ponytail sorted out.

“Not right now, kiddo. How about we wait a little bit and see if we’ll have time for one?”

Gracie’s face scrunched up much the way his did when he was trying to figure something out and Jack chuckled a little under his breath. “We should make sure Marie isn’t allergic.” He pointed out.

“Ohhhh.” Gracie said, realizing the answer wasn’t technically no yet. “Okay.”

Jack smiled and, for the first time in years, it reached his eyes without him realizing it. “I’ll think about it, all right?”

“Okay, daddy.” Gracie chirped and hopped off the commode to go gather up her schoolbooks.

Jack shook his head in amusement. He’d half expected emotional blackmail about her mom… and then he realized it had probably been Sam that talked her out of that idea. Stop that, he ordered his wayward heart that was touched that she’d done so on his behalf knowing full well it very well might have worked.

“So, what do you suppose this one is like?” Jennifer Hailey asked Lynn Hopkins as they discussed the newest member of the Joint Chiefs staff.

Lynn shrugged. “A pain in the ass like most top brass.”

Jen chuckled. “He goes by ‘Marty’.”

“As in McFly?” Lynn says with an amused smirk.

Jennifer giggled helplessly. “You’re terrible.”

Lynn shrugged. “He’s a treadhead but he spent some time in the sandlot so he’s not an idiot… probably.”

Jen nodded. “Same time Sam was there, wasn’t it?”

Lynn nodded as she adjusted the calibration on her caliper. “He shot to the top pretty fast.”

“Sounds like someone else we know.” Jen reminded her colleague.

 “Yah.” Lynn agreed. She didn’t want to talk about Jack. She knew Jen greatly admired the man but the way he’d acted around the unknown to her, alternate reality Colonel Carter had left Lynn less than impressed with the man as opposed to his credentials as a General. She’d always liked Jack but she didn’t think he was being fair or kind at the moment and it took every ounce of her professional demeanor to not kosh him over the head as his friend.

Sam walked into the lab. “How is that refit going” She asked her Gate crew.

“We make these MALPs any sturdier ma’am, we’re going to need can openers to work on them.” Lynn quipped, her dark curly hair bobbing around her head as she grinned.

“I just got a memo from HWS. We have coordinates for the Wow signal.” She said almost smugly. “The Groom Lake team has been busy.”

“Busy avoiding Giorgio Tsoukalos’[1] phone calls.” Jen snickered.

Sam laughed. “Be that as it may, this is a good use of our resources.” She reminded them. “So we’re going to check and see if there’s a gate in or near the system. If not, we’ll contact the fleet and see who has time to go check it out.”

Sam got answering grins from the Gate team.

“Oh and um… Lynn?”

“Yah?” She asked Sam, not bothering with an honorific now that they nearly shared a rank.

“Would you mind sitting Jake while SG-1 is off-planet?”

“Sure. The kids love him. It’s no trouble at all.”

“What about that giant squid you married?” Jen quipped.

“Oh, he’s a big teddy bear.” Lynn said lightheartedly with the smile only a person in love uses when talking of their spouse. “He loves kids.”

Sam smiled. The Hopkins were good people. She hadn’t known Frank in her own reality. She supposed in hers, he’d turned down McRaven’s offer to become part of the SGC. She suspected in doing so her reality’s Frank had missed out on the love of his life. “Thanks, Lynn. I appreciate it.”

“Any time, Sam. I mean that. He’s no trouble at all.”

The couple of trips she’d gone off-world with this SG-1 had been only a day’s length, a situation that Major Nelson at the NORAD daycare had handled herself but she’d be gone for three days this time and she couldn’t expect the Major to just drop everything and stay on base for three days.

Sam’s conversation with Janet before her first Gate off-world had left her cautiously optimistic.

“Other than some cobalt still in your system, Sam, you’re fine.”

“I still get a little winded if I have to run too long.”

“That will pass eventually. You don’t seem to be having any heart problems and I didn’t detect any blood clots.”

Sam sighed.

“You found a safe place, Sam. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” The safe space had been a testing facility with, apparently, cobalt dust all over it.

“Could you check Jake again after I get back?”

Janet had nodded. “Absolutely. Bring him by as soon as you’re off duty.”

Sam bit her lip and sighed. This was the support she should have had in her own reality but the Ori had ended all that. She missed them all terribly some days. Had frequent nightmares about watching them die. She did what she’d always done however and just compartmentalized it all so it didn’t affect how she treated the versions of them she had here. What else could she do anyway? If she went back in time, she might never have her son. He’d been conceived in a moment of grief over their profound losses.

As Jack used to remind her, she knew she needed to quit dwelling on it.

Narim had once told her death and life were a cycle and that, in his society, neither was to be celebrated nor lamented. For Sam and her Jack, their grief over losing Daniel had resulted in the conception of her son. And on this world, Sam deeply suspected that this Vala would react similarly to her own, sacrificing herself in her own grief. That was why she couldn’t grasp why the Daniel here continued to keep her at arm’s length. It wasn’t like they had regulations in their way.

Jen and Lynn exchanged a look. Sam was a billion miles and several realities away again. They were used to it now. Sam’s symptoms were obviously PTSD. She’d be fine one moment and then something would remind her of something she’d experienced and she’d go quiet and withdrawn. They wanted to say something – anything – but she usually got past it herself once she distracted herself from her memories.

For Lynn, who thought the issue was due to Sam having been a POW for so long, this was possibly the only point she agreed with General O’Neill on. That Sam needed time to heal without him around to remind her of her losing all those years. She just wished the man had been kinder about it that’s all. She’d been good friends with the Sam of this reality and could read the woman fairly well. The changes could easily be attributed to Sam’s lengthy internment. Sam acted like she’d been in a fight the day after General O’Neill had shown up for an update. Lynn hadn’t pestered her about it but she knew the signs. Whatever Jack had said or done, Sam had been hurt deeply by his behavior and was trying to hide it.

“Earth to Sam,” Jen Hailey said to their nominal CO while waving a hand.

“Sorry.” Sam mumbled. “Tell me about your upgrades.” She said, shaking off her memories and getting back to work.

[1] Host of Ancient Aliens on the History Channel

Chapter Text

While Sam spent three extremely uneventful days babysitting Daniel and Vala as they translated rocks, Jack sat in consecutive sessions with the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was fairly certain he would have enjoyed almost anything else more, up to and including his father-in-law grilling him about his relationship with their daughter. Either of them honestly, but Jacob had been worse for obvious reasons, good ones considering he’d been Sam’s CO.

Later that morning, he sat trying not to go glassy eyed at the various accounts given by his colleagues. He knew this stuff was necessary but after you have battled actual space aliens, worrying about goat herders battling over the sandbox got a little bit… dull.

“Moving on, everyone.” Turning to Jack, Marty asked him directly. “Jack, who have you got that can explain how this… Gate works?”

Jack seemed to think for a bit. “I can have Colonels Hailey and Hopkins here in about a week. My other Gate expert is offworld and Hank isn’t a huge fan of leaving it unattended.” He tapped his pen.

“Who’s your other expert?” Marty Dempsey asked him.

“His wife.” Raymond said sagely.

Jack sighed inwardly. Ray had replaced George Casey as the Army Chief of Staff when Marty was promoted to Chairman and he had no knowledge of the situation with his alternate reality Sam and would need to be read in, but Jack had been putting it off as it wasn’t a priority situation.

“Well, then why don’t we have her brief us after she gets back from her mission?” Marty said jovially. “I’m sure you’d like to see her.”

Jack wanted to stab himself in the head. “Do you want Dr. Jackson too?” He said in a deceptively level voice.

“I don’t think we need your pet linguist this time.” Ray said to him.

“Right.” Jack said, his voice resigned. It was just as well. He and Daniel had argued again, this time in person when he was doing his last circuit. Daniel had some equipment he wanted to personally pick up in Utah and had met him for drinks.

“So, I assume you went to talk to her after you left.” Daniel said casually to Jack as he sipped his beer.

Jack shrugged.

“Did you at least try to patch things up before you screwed it up?”

“Nice of you to assume I screwed up, Danny.” Jack said dryly.

“So, you screwed up.” Daniel said without surprise.

Jack glowered.

“You know… other than you screwing up like usual, for a little while there, you actually were in a better mood.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means what you think it means.” Daniel countered.

“Drink your beer, Danny.” Jack grumbled, tired of this same conversation over and over.

After a while, Daniel looked thoughtful. “She’s your type.” He said softly.

“Daniel. I can’t!” Jack barked at his best friend.

“Why not, Jack?” Daniel asked him pointedly, just drunk enough to not be afraid.

“You know damned well why not.”

“Gracie needs her mom, Jack!”

“That’s not her mom, Daniel, and we all know it.” Jack snarled.

“Oh, cut the crap Jack. That’s Sam. Period. What’s your real problem with her?” Daniel asked him sullenly.

“I can’t lose her again, Daniel. It nearly killed me the last time!” Jack yelled but it came out more of an anguished sob.

After that they had both been silent for several more minutes then changed the topic entirely.

And they haven’t spoken about anything not related to the program since.

It wasn’t that he and Daniel didn’t have their differences. They disagreed on a lot of things… but Daniel thought he could just ignore minor details like he wasn’t the man she married either and her losses were a lot more recent. He couldn’t force himself on her like that, take advantage of her grief. He’d been down that road already and he hadn’t been comfortable that time either… but his own Sam had been alive and, well, when that happened… and now she wasn’t.

Jack sighed. “I’ll make the arrangements, Ray.” He said levelly, hiding his own inner turmoil. He could have Walter call Hank and set things up, put her up in a hotel room for a night. He wouldn’t have to see her at all except at the briefing. A briefing where she would be in her class As looking like the woman he’d married. Jack frowned at the mental image of her in her dress uniform. Stop it, he told himself firmly.

It was the same nightmare. The one she dreaded more than any of the others.

“Jack, no. Please don’t do this.” She begged him.

Jack looked away from her, refused to meet her eyes. “It’s the only way, Sam. They’re almost on top of us. If I do this, they might decide they already killed you. It will give you time to finish the Jumper and escape.”

Sam sniffled and flung herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his nose against her neck and breathed in as if he were trying to imprint her scent into his memory, his hand cupped the back of her head one last time.

“I’ll come back.” He promised, pressing his lips to the pulse point on her neck.

They both knew that was a lie. Then he turned to his son to hold him before he left on his suicide mission.

“You’re the toughest woman I know. You’ll be okay without me for a little while.” He said as he gathered up his son. “Take good care of mommy, kiddo. Keep her safe and come find me if I get lost, okay?” He said to their almost three month old son, kissed his downy head, and breathed deeply again as he wanted to remember his scent as well.

Jake had blinked his large blue eyes up at his father and seemed to look through him. A trick Sam had attributed to the unfocused eyesight of infants at the time.

“Daddy loves you.” He said, kissed his head a final before he handed the boy back to her and looked deeply into her eyes as they shared a final subliminal conversation. “I’ll come back, Sam. I love you.” He said and gave her a fierce, final kiss before striding towards the secondary tunnel that would dump him out far away from the base, taking the trail off of her entirely he hoped.

Her last memory of him was him determinedly tugging down his CBC as he strode away, head up and determined not to look back. When he was finally out of sight, Sam sat down in the office chair she’d nursed their son in a hundred times and sobbed inconsolably.

She woke up crying his name, momentarily uncertain of where she was.

“I sent them out when I realized what you were dreaming about.” Vala said from next to her as she took her hand reassuringly. “Want to talk about it?”

Sam choked on a sob and squeezed Vala’s hand in silent gratitude. How much more awkward would it be for the guys to see her like this?

“Thank you.” She croaked and Vala handed her a canteen with an ironic smile.

She shrugged. “I’d worry more if you didn’t have nightmares, darling.” She said kindly and took a sip herself when Sam handed the canteen back. “You should hear some of the doozies I have.” She quipped which made Sam half smile. A start, she supposed. “You… the other you… told me it was all right to have a good cry over it.” She looked off into the middle distance as if she were momentarily lost in her own memories. “It’s never easy to lose the people you love. I can’t imagine how hard it is to have them all unceremoniously replaced by people just exactly like them who don’t know you at all. We want very much to learn who that is though.” She said thoughtfully. “None of us want to replace our Sam. We want to know the Sam we have.” She smiled ironically. “Even Daniel… and he’s afraid to love anyone.” She shrugged.

Sam nodded. At least Vala seemed to understand why Daniel wouldn’t let her in even though from what Sam could see, the feelings were mutual. “Sometimes it feels like I’m being torn in half.”

“Well, you rather have been, darling.” Vala told her. “It will all sort itself out eventually though.” She said thoughtfully.

Even though he was being a pain in the mikta, Jack was thawing, even Vala could see that. It was the small things he did -- giving Sam the house; knowing Gracie was calling Sam frequently and not putting a stop to it. The man wasn’t an ogre. He just hurt and this Sam reminded him of that pain. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It just was.

“Did you want to talk about it?” She asked Sam again. Her words were gentle but not probing.

Sam sighed. “It’s the same ones over and over again. How each of you die. This time it was Jack.” She said despondently. “He told Jake to come find him if he got lost coming home.” She said sadly.

“Well, I think that boy took his father’s words literally as I’ve never known a more lost Jack O’Neill than the one I know now.” She pronounced. “Clever little lad.”

Sam smiled wanly. “We both knew he wasn’t coming home.”

“I cannot imagine him handling it any other way.” Vala observed.

Sam nodded. And a thought came to her mind – one that had come to her several times before. Perhaps the Jack of this reality wasn’t so different from her own after all. “He did it to buy me time to finish fixing the Jumper.” Sam said out loud as she stared at the wall of the tent with unseeing eyes. “They televised killing him, declaring he was a heretic. I wasted two days sobbing after that. I’d have been long gone if I could have gotten my emotions under control.”

Vala thought for a moment. “Janet once told me you spent three months, barely sleeping to build a particle accelerator from scratch just to save him.”

Sam nodded. “That happened in my reality too.”

“Well, darling I think he was just repaying the favor. I think we should all make the best of the situation as it is. Everything will sort itself out eventually.” She reiterated.

“I know. I just miss them all terribly. It almost hurts more because none of you are really any different except maybe Mark and Daniel.”

“Oh?”

“This Mark is nicer. Daniel is more bitter.” Sam elaborated.

“Fortunately for me, I happen to like a challenge.” Vala said with a grin that Sam answered with her own half-hearted amused smile.

“All clear?” Cam asked, poking his head in.

“Did you draw the short straw again, darling?”

“Daniel said he lost last time so I was ‘it’. Teal’c just pointed at the tent like I was in trouble.”

Sam snickered. “Oh no. He can’t seriously still be mad about that?”

“About what?” Vala and Cam asked her.

“Several years ago, Jack was tapped to do a black op. We had a traitor in our ranks and the only way to sniff him out was to make everyone believe Jack had changed entirely and never cared about any of us at all. He used how we felt about each other to hurt me, told Teal’c he’d been using him all along. Basically just pushed everyone’s worst button so we wouldn’t chase after him, knowing we would be so upset that we wouldn’t catch on until later. We knew someone had to try to talk to him. I was probably going to shoot him if I did it and Teal’c just flat out refused. Daniel got stuck with the task.” Sam giggled. “It did not go well.” She admitted. “He’s refused to be the goat since.”

Vala chuckled.

“The what?” Cam asked.

“The sacrificial goat, darling.” Vala elaborated.

“Oh. Okay. Can I let everyone back in? It’s kind of raining.” Cam pointed out.

Sam looked horrified as she hadn’t noticed Cam dripping, nor the sound of pounding rain on the tent. “Get in here, all of you.” She ordered.

Cam sighed in relief and motioned Daniel and Teal’c to join them inside the tent.

“I’ll take the next watch.” Sam offered and started to gear up.

“Are you sure?” Vala asked.

“It’s the least I can do for waking everyone up and making them stand in the rain.” She told them as she pulled on her boots.

“Call us if you need us.” Cam said sleepily as he crawled back into his sleeping bag after taking off his boonie hat and rain slicker.

Sam nodded and left.

“Is Samantha well?” Teal’c asked quietly after she was out of earshot.

“Just a bit of a bump. She’ll be right as rain in a bit, I think.” Vala pronounced.

“The worst ones are the ones when someone dies and you can’t do anything to stop it even in your dream.” Daniel declared.

“No, Daniel, it’s worse when you can stop it in your dream and you wake up to the nightmare instead.” Vala told him quietly then rolled over on her side facing away from him.

“She’s right.” Cam agreed, and also rolled over.

Daniel lay in his sleeping bag, thinking on that for a bit and wondered why Vala showed no romantic interest in Cam in spite of them having far more in common than she had with himself. Just then, something Jack had said twigged his memory. Jack had snarled why don’t you take your own advice at him when he’d brought up Sam recently. His situation was different though, Daniel told himself. Vala wasn’t anything like Sha’re. Not any of her good qualities anyway and honestly several of her bad qualities with a selection of her own bad qualities in addition. Daniel shook his head. No, the situation was entirely different.

Chapter Text

Walter gave her an apologetic look.

“I’ll shuffle SG-1’s schedule, Walter.” Landry said. “Sam, you have an overnight childcare service?” Hank asked her kindly.

Sam nodded. “The Hopkins can watch him. Lynn has assured me it’s a non-issue. I’ll pay her nanny extra if need be.”

Hank nodded. “Helps that the kids are about the same age.”

Sam nodded.

“All right then, I guess you’re going to DC to brief the new members of the Joint Chiefs on what we do here.”

“Yes, sir.” Sam agreed.

Hank looked at Walter.

“Everything is taken care of. General O’Neill’s secretary has a hotel room booked. She just needs to show up with her files.” He told Landry.

“Good.” Hank said thoughtfully. “She doesn’t need a laptop?”

“No, sir. The joint chiefs prefer outsiders bring encrypted drives rather than their own equipment unless you need a special program which we don’t in this case as I have all the Gate programming uploaded to General O’Neill’s office already.”

Sam gave him a mildly surprised look then considered how long the man had been the real reason the SGC systems ran well. He was a whiz at gate diagnostics and had kept Uncle George and Jack organized for well… ever.

Walter gave her a smug smile and a wink that made Sam bite her lip trying not to laugh.

Hank frowned at them which made them both straighten slightly and give each other guilty grins.

“I’ll see you in a couple of days, Sam.” Walter said to her as he left Landry’s office once he was sure the other man had no further need of him. He still had to hit Peterson to pick up some files no one wanted e-mailed anywhere ever.

“See you soon, Walter.” Sam agreed with a smile for one of her oldest friends in either reality.

“How’s the Wow! Gate address coming Sam?” Landry asked her.

Sam shrugged. “The mainframe is working on it. It’s calculating it between other functions as we lowered the priority rate for now as we don’t know what we’d be walking in to with a signal that’s roughly several hundred to two thousand years old now.” She smiled ironically. “They would literally be light years ahead of us unless they have suffered some sort of global catastrophe like a holocaust or a global pandemic.”

“It wasn’t the 2-Mass star?” Hank asked in confusion.

“As a matter of fact, no. There are several stars in that vicinity it could be from. You have to remember when they made that supposition, our assumptions were based on the system being very similar to our own. We now know that a binary system with a wider Goldilocks zone is also a viable candidate as are moons around gas giants.”

“Ah.” Landry said, not really following her.

Sam smiled in amusement. Jack would have stopped her before she would have finished the third sentence. Hank just let it go in one ear and out the other and was happy to let her ramble as long as she knew what she was talking about. No, that wasn’t true, Jack had often called her after he was off the clock and ask her follow up questions; he just wanted to slow her down and use smaller words. It had been one of his more endearing qualities really.

“Well, as long as one of us knows what you are talking about, we’re all right.” Hank told her which made Sam smile wider.

“Yes sir.” She agreed in amusement.

“Dismissed, Colonel. Have a good flight.”

“Thank you, sir.” She said with a nod and left his office.

What the devil are you up to, Jack, Hank wondered to himself after she was gone. You could have just told them no or read the new guys in yourself so they would know how not okay you are going to be with seeing her. But the more Hank thought about it the more he wondered if subconsciously Jack was putting himself in a position he couldn’t avoid.

“Did you have a good birthday, kiddo?” Jack asked his daughter at the dinner table.

Gracie nodded. She’d had a couple of friends over for cake and her dad had given her art supplies and a new video game system. “Yah…” She hesitated.

Jack suspected he knew the answer but asked anyway. “But?” He said, his tone gentle. He wasn’t going to blow up at her any more for missing her mom. It wasn’t Gracie’s fault that there was an alternate reality Sam in her life.

“Please don’t be mad, daddy.” Gracie whispered, unwilling to look up from her unfinished plate of food.

Jack winced so slightly only Sam would have picked up on it. “I won’t be mad.” He agreed, his tone still gentle.

“I wish mommy could have been here too.” She said softly, her tone even but he could hear the strain of underlying misery in it.

Jack breathed a very slow sigh of resignation. “She had to work, honey. I’m sorry.”

“I know. She told me.” Gracie admitted as she cringed slightly to see how her father would react to the truth that she’d been talking to her mom.

Jack just nodded slowly though. “I know she would have been here if she could have.” He told her. He supposed he was at least partially at fault for blowing up at Sam and leading her to conclude it wasn’t safe to call Gracie, not knowing when her dad would be home or not. He couldn’t let himself become involved in her life, but he was starting to concede that perhaps it was all right if she talked to his daughter. Gracie never needed to know what happened. By the time she was old enough for proper answers, she’d probably draw her own conclusions that her parents had separated when she was a baby and her dad had simply handled it poorly. He could live with that, even knowing she might feel resentment towards him later.

“Daddy…” She hesitated and twisted her fingers together, biting her lower lip.

“You want to go see her, don’t you?” Jack asked his daughter gently.

“Can we? Please?” she begged, her eyes bright with tears she refused to acknowledge or shed.

“I’ll see if we can work something out.” He agreed. He supposed he could invite her over when she was here. She’d be in town overnight anyway.

“Thank you!” Gracie said as she launched herself from her chair at her dad who hugged her back tightly. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” She said and hugged him harder before jumping up and starting to fly out of the room.

“Gracie, wait!” He barked, knowing it would stop her in her tracks.

Gracie skidded to a halt at the kitchen door and turned around slowly, her lip trembling.

Jack put up a placating hand. “Let me talk to her first, okay?” He asked, his tone gentle again. “I kind of made a mess of things the last time I talked to her and I owe her an apology first before barging back into her house.” Jack admitted to his daughter.

Gracie bit her lower lip and thought for a moment. “All right.” She agreed, more subdued.

Jack nodded and Gracie left the room.

Jack sat back in his chair and sighed deeply. Dammit, Daniel, he thought savagely.

Walter took one look at Clair’s arrangements for Sam and knew there was going to be a problem. He tapped his pen on his desk and picked up the phone receiver to call Jack’s secretary then put it back down again. Perhaps this problem wasn’t the problem it looked like. Jack’s mood had slowly and steadily lifted over the last few months. He’d at least achieved the withdrawn at peace behavior he’d exhibited once before when that weird blue crystal thing talked to him about losing his son. Shortly after, Jack had started to make a genuine effort to bond with his team. Walter really hoped this meant Jack was starting to accept the situation with the alternate Sam for what it was and was willing to peacefully coexist with her as she’d done nothing wrong to deserve his constant rejection.

At the very least, hopefully he’d be more open to Gracie spending time with the woman who looked, sounded, and acted like her mom. She was a smart kid and had probably already figured out how to get around her dad to talk to Sam anyway, but things would likely go a lot more smoothly in Jack’s life if he just accepted the situation and trusted this Sam to be discreet.

Walter’s phone rang on his desk. “General O’Neill’s office.” He said crisply when he picked it up.

“Haven’t you got caller ID on that thing yet?” Sylvester Siler said to him.

Walter chuckled. “Next time use your cell phone. You call me on the main line I assume its Landry.”

Siler chuckled. “Fair.” He agreed. “What’s this scuttlebutt about Sam having to head out to the puzzle box?”

Walter sighed. “The brass wants an ‘expert’ explanation and ‘you know who’ forgot to tell the new guys some minor personal details.” Walter said with a sigh.

“Normally I’d say he was playing a joke but not in this case. You better have a flight on stand-by ready for her.”

“Yah… I saw that. I think it will be all right.” Walter said in a slightly perplexed voice.

“Why do you say that?”

“He can’t not know. Marty would have sent him an e-mail. Even if he didn’t read it, he’d have subconsciously remembered.”

“You think he did this to himself intentionally?” Siler asked warily.

Walter shrugged and tilted his head as he signed a form. “Not consciously, but yup.”

“He acted like a dick the last time he was here. If I was her I’d tell him to stuff it up his ass.”

“Oh, well, yah normally I’d agree but you know as well as I do he’s going to use their daughter as his trump card.”

Siler sighed. “That’s a terrible idea. He should try apologizing instead.”

“Because he has a great history of doing that.” Walter reminded his best friend.

“Try to keep him from screwing this up worse.” Siler said in frustration.

“I’m pretty sure that’s my current job description.” Walter admitted.

Sylvester laughed. “How’s the wife and kids?”

Walter grinned. “Doing great. She loves her new job reporting on shady politicians.”

“There’s another kind?”

They both laughed.

Chapter Text

Sam walked off the ramp dragging her suitcase behind her, the rollers rumbling on the slats. She looked around Hyde Field. It looked like someone from the Army had decided they needed a separate runway for dignitaries but forgot the dignified part. It was not a pretty airport by any means but she was on the ground.

“Ma’am, your car is ready for you.” An unfamiliar airman said to her. Apparently Jack had sent a flunky.

“Thank you, Airman...” She said to him pleasantly enough. “Jamison.”

“Right this way, ma’am. You can call me Mitch.”

“Thank you, Mitch.” She said and wondered if this was the airman Gracie said was Jack’s driver. It seemed odd he’d send his own driver but then again, it wasn’t entirely out of character either. Her suspicions were confirmed when she got into the back seat of the car and one of Gracie’s novels was on the seat next to her.

“Sorry about the mess, Ma’am. The general hired a service but they called off at the last moment. I offered to come get you instead.”

Sam nodded. It seemed as if this young airman had not been informed he was picking up his boss’ dead wife. “Thank you. I could have gotten a rental.”

“Oh, I know, Ma’am, but most of the time I wait around for school to let out unless the General needs me to run an errand for him.” He said affably.

“I can’t imagine that’s very often, Mitch. The General is fairly self-sufficient.”

Mitch nodded. “You know him then.” He said with a grin. “Did you serve together?”

Sam nodded. “For eight years on the same squad and another when he became a general.”

“So you know him from Colorado then.” Mitch said happily as he merged into traffic. “He doesn’t talk much about his time there. Just that most if not all of his close friends are still stationed on that base. He hasn’t been avoiding the place like he did for a while.” Mitch blanched. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. I shouldn’t be gossiping.” He hunched in his seat a little then reconsidered and sat stiffly at attention instead.

“It’s fine. We understand why he doesn’t like opening old wounds.” She said honestly. Because she did fundamentally understand why it was hard for Jack to come back to the mountain after losing his version of her.

Mitch nodded in relief. “Yah, I mean, his wife died. He’s got a right to be unhappy about opening that wound by going there.”

Sam nodded. “I agree.” She told Mitch kindly. He seemed like a nice kid and he clearly cared about Jack’s welfare. “How’s Gracie doing?” She asked him seemingly innocently.

Mitch grinned. “I love that kid. She’s great.” Mitch spent the rest of the drive telling Sam funny stories about Jack’s daughter.

When he pulled up to the service entrance, he handed Sam a slip of paper. “This is my pager number. When you get done with your presentation today, page me and I’ll take you to your hotel.”

“Thank you, Mitch.” She told him earnestly.

“You can leave your bag in the car. I’m the only one that drives it besides the General from time to time and if I have to take Gracie home, I’ll tell her to leave it alone or put it in the trunk.”

Sam chuckled. “Okay.” She agreed and closed the door behind her, squared her shoulders and walked up to the security detail.

In the car, Mitch watched her thoughtfully. Why did the name Carter ring a bell? She was very attractive. He’d never seen any photos of Jack’s wife or he’d have had a lot of questions for his boss when he got off work. At the moment, he was more concerned with finding a parking spot in DC.

“What have you got for us today, Colonel Carter?” Ray asked her.

Sam smiled kindly at the man. He seemed nice enough in spite of the humorous conversation she’d pretended she didn’t hear her staff having about him. “Well sir, how much do you know about wormholes?”

“Probably a lot about the kind that involve fishing but something tells me that’s not the kind you mean.” He joked gently.

Sam chuckled. “No sir. I won’t bore you with the history of the Stargate. That’s on file and you can read it at your leisure or watch the video Dr. Jackson prepared for when he’s not physically able to greet new SGC staff.”

“We appreciate that,” Martin Dempsey told her.

James and Norton settled in, since they had been through this before with Colonel Hailey and didn’t feel they needed a refresher but were too polite to tell the new blood that. Jack sat at the back with the other lower ranking Joint Chief black project leaders.

“Well, first allow me to briefly explain how a wormhole works.” Sam pressed a button on the remote to start the presentation. “Time is not strictly linear. It’s affected by gravity and that’s essentially what a wormhole is. A gravity well that pulls an object from one spot to another in a seemingly minimal amount of time. It’s a little like a black hole in that it does spaghettify whatever goes into it but objects are reconstituted on the other side whole as though nothing happened at all.”

“Is spaghettify a technical term, Colonel?” John Greenert, the current naval command asked her with an amused smile.

“As a matter of fact sir, it is. Wormholes, much like black holes, stretch out molecules to such an extent that you can exist partially on planet Earth and also as far away as another galaxy… or even another reality if one ran the math models correctly.”

Jack caught her eye and gave her a warning look. Sam swallowed. Apparently not everyone here was read completely in. She drew her eyebrows together in a small apology towards him and swiftly moved on in her explanation. “The StarGate, as it’s called, generates a controlled wormhole that goes directly to the specific coordinates entered into the mainframe and opens a portal to that specific location.”

“And it’s completely safe?” Martin Dempsey asked.

“Yes sir, 98% of the time it is. There have been malfunctions but they have rarely been something that we normally control for and when the Gate has had issues, we’ve endeavored to correct for the issue so it does not reoccur.” Without planning to, she found herself biting her lip and looking towards Jack whose expression was now unreadable. “Does anyone have any more questions?”

“Have a seat, Colonel. This may take a while.” Dempsey said to her.

Sam frowned but sat in the chair next to the laptop she’d been using as a projector and folded her hands neatly in her lap. “I’m ready when you are, Chairman.”

Two and a half grueling hours later, Sam sighed heavily and went looking for a sandwich. She found one in a tired looking vending machine down a deserted looking hallway.

“Don’t eat that.” A familiar voice admonished her as she started putting change in the machine.

Sam whirled on her heel, startled. “Um…” Was all she said.

“There’s a café in the first ring.” He explained.

“I know. I’ve been here before.” She reminded him quietly, not quite meeting his eyes.

Jack sighed. “Look, I’m not good at this. You know that.” He almost dragged his hand through his hair then thought better of it. “I shouldn’t have gotten on your ass about Gracie.” He winced and looked away as though the apology hurt physically. “You didn’t have to be kind to her. Thank you.”

Sam nodded jerkily, unable to look directly at him for some reason. Feeling as though doing so might make her burst into tears at how much he looked like the man she loved, sounded like him. Apologized badly like him. “It’s fine.” She said distantly.

“Right.” Jack huffed and walked away.

Once he was gone, Sam’s shoulders sagged. The whole reason she’d sought out one of the various snack machines in the corridor had been specifically to avoid him. It was bad enough she had to be here, had to make a presentation to the Joint Chiefs with him hovering in the back like a basilisk. Did he have to go looking for her to apologize for simply being himself as well? It wasn’t like she didn’t know the kind of man he was when he was angry. He hadn’t done anything she wouldn’t have expected from her own husband under similar circumstances she mused.

The sandwich was terrible. She threw it out after two bites and paged Mitch.

“What do you mean full?” Sam asked the desk clerk, not quite believing what she was hearing.

“The hotel is entirely booked, Ma’am. I’m very sorry. We’ll be happy to refund your money or post your reservation for a later date but… well.. you see…” He waved his hand at the lobby full of cosplayers and signs… almost all of them announcing Fan-Con X-treme, the annual Wormhole X-treme! DC fan convention. Sam had never seen so many Colonel Dannings in her life. Half of them had Monroe’s hanging limpidly off his arm. After several years of circling around each other, Martin had them have a torrid and utterly against regulations relationship that culminated in their marriage in the last episode.

She’d never seen Jack roll his eyes so hard ever. She’d thought it was adorable in a dorky sort of way. There had been a couple of movies planned but the Ori had put an end to that. Apparently here in this reality, Martin was going full steam ahead and was planning a spin off series about a space base and another about a ship run wild and out of control. How a series could sustain a plot about an out of control ship was a bit beyond Sam but she didn’t write TV series episodes either[1].

Sam sighed. “What am I supposed to do?” She asked the man. “My flight isn’t until tomorrow morning.”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I just don’t know. Perhaps another hotel…”

“Don’t bother.” The clerk next to him said. “Everything is booked solid in a ten mile radius, even the no-tell motels.”

“Dammit.” Sam sighed. She turned away and paged Mitch.

“Everything all right, Ma’am? Did you need some takeout?” he asked her when he called her back.

“No, yes, that’s not the problem. I need to book another hotel room but I need a computer to do it.” She admitted. She’d traveled with only the encrypted drive for security reasons.

Mitch thought for a moment. “I have to pick up Miss Congeniality from school. I’ll drop back by the hotel after I drop her off and take you to the boss’ office. I’m sure you can borrow Clair’s desktop for a moment.” He said to her and hung up.

Sam sighed heavily. This would so obviously not end well… but the Joint Chiefs had insinuated they had several meetings planned for the day and a Senate hearing as well so he might be entirely tied up and she wouldn’t have to worry about it. He wouldn’t even know she was there.

She could hope, right?

[1] However low hanging fruit this was, I could not resist the myriad double meanings seeing as Tapping DOES in fact write TV show episode plots… and I’m certain we all know which spin offs Martin has planned.

Chapter Text

“What are you doing here?” It was a startled yelp and had Sam not known better, she’d have thought that was the slender sharp edge of fear she heard in his tone.

“I needed a computer.” She answered slowly.

“For what?!” He asked her.

Sam sighed and hunched her shoulders. “I got bumped from my hotel room. I’m trying to find another one.”

“Why the hell were you bumped?” Jack asked in exasperation.

“It’s my fault, sir.” Clair spoke up. “I didn’t realize you didn’t see the memo on the Wormhole X-Treme convention in town this week. Everything local is booked up and anyone who got a discount rate was pushed out of their reservation.”

“The what?” Jack asked, thoroughly confused.

“Didn’t Martin call you, sir?”

Jack thought for a moment. “He asked me if I wanted to be a guest speaker. I declined. Again. He didn’t say it was here in DC.”

“He probably thought you already knew, sir.” Clair said. “I’m very sorry, ma’am. I can’t find anything at all.”

Sam sighed. “All right. Let’s see if I can get my flight changed at least.” She looked up at Jack guiltily. He was standing in the middle of Clair’s office looking dumbfounded. “Thank you for lending me your driver, sir. Would it be too much trouble to have him take me back to Hyde? That must have been why my rental was cancelled when I landed too.”

“Do whatever you want.” He said throwing up his hands and crossing to his own office to close the door.

“Well, that went well.” Clair said with a ‘yikes’ expression on her face.

Sam sighed. “I can’t thank you enough for at least trying.”

“It’s no problem, ma’am. I’m happy to help. Honestly, he’s been in a relatively good mood all day. He must have been looking forward to seeing you.”

Sam blinked at the other woman in surprise. This was a good mood? What was his mood usually?

“He’s always very polite, mind you, but that’s the most he’s talked about anything not directly work related in… well… I don’t think he’s ever spoken to us about anything but work before.” Clare admitted.

Sam bit her lip. The man had entirely shut down after the death of his wife. Was that why he was handling her being in his life so badly? Was it really just as simple as it just hurt to look at her? Sam sighed. “I’m sure he’s just extremely busy if the meeting I attended is anything to go by.”

Clair stepped up to defend her boss, trying to mitigate any confusion about working with the General. “Oh, he is, Ma’am, and he’s always kind with everyone actually. Just keeps to himself that’s all. And he is our CO so it’s to be expected.”

Sam nodded.

They worked together to try to get her a flight out to Colorado. The best they managed was one to Nevada that had a connecting flight an hour later. It would have to do. Now she had to find something to occupy her time for five hours.

As if he knew her search was done, Jack walked out of his office.

“I rescheduled my flight. I have a pretty long wait at the airport but I’ll be out of your hair at the end of the night.” She told him and bit her lip nervously.

Jack frowned. “What time is your flight?”

“Er… well, midnight but it’s all right, I brought a book.” She told him hopefully. She should have brought her knitting but she’d expected to veg out in a hotel room not an airport terminal tonight. Hotels had gyms.

Jack’s frown deepened even more and he didn’t say anything for a long moment. Just when Sam thought he wouldn’t say anything at all he puffed out a small sigh. “If you don’t mind, stop by the house, Gracie has been asking about you and I know she’d like to see you.” Jack said to her gruffly.

Sam blinked at him in shock. He could have knocked her over with a feather. Had he just asked her… to see his daughter? “Uh…”

“Look, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, she asked. I just figured you might want to see her. Forget it.” He said, not looking directly at her.

“No! No I do! I just need a ride there.” She admitted.

“I can jump on the Metro. I have some things to do before I go home anyway. Seventeen thirty?” His voice was still gruff as though he was afraid she’d turn him down.

“That’s fine. I’ll be there.” She said softly.

Jack nodded. “Goodnight, Clair.” He told his secretary and left.

Clair blinked at Sam and drew her eyebrows together. “He never has people over.” She stage whispered.

Sam bit her lip. I’m not people, she thought. I’m just his dead wife’s look alike.

“Mitch, I need your help.” She admitted as she settled herself in the back seat of the car.

“Anything, Ma’am. The boss said take you wherever you need to go even if it’s to the airport instead of back to his house like he asked. He said it’s okay if you change your mind by the way.” He rambled.

Sam shook her head. “No, no, nothing like that. It was Gracie’s birthday recently. I don’t know what she’s into, but I’d like to get her a gift.”

“Ah.” Mitch said. “Well, she loves art so an AC Moore gift card isn’t a bad idea.”

Sam nodded as though that figured, Jack had been good at drawing as well. It had been the one thing he’d teased her about actually being better than her at.

Mitch thought for a moment. “I don’t know your price point, Ma’am.”

“Um, actually, if you don’t mind driving me there, I’ll go in myself.”

“Sure thing, Colonel.” He said with a grin and switched lanes so he could make a left turn towards the shopping center where the art supply store was.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come.” He admitted when he opened the door to Sam who had a medium sized gift bag in one hand, her overnight case in the other, and looked more nervous than she had the first time he’d pushed her through the Gate. Not her. He admonished himself. This wasn’t his Sam.

“I, um… I missed her birthday. Is it all right if I give her a gift?” She asked him as she stepped over the threshold.

Jack shrugged. “Suit yourself. She’ll just hound you for more later.” He almost joked.

Sam gave him a small, amused smile. “That’s okay, I—”

“Daddy, can I go over to Viv—” Grace stopped, dumbfounded at the sight of her mother in her front hall. “Mommy?” She whispered, her hazel eyes wide with surprise.

“Hey kiddo.” Sam said softly.

That was all it took for Gracie to launch herself into Sam’s arms and cling to her tightly. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!” She finally exclaimed.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d have time, I won’t be in town long.” Sam barely managed to let go of her suitcase before Gracie barreled into her. Enveloping her in a fierce hug that rivaled the one she’d received when Gracie had found her on base at the SGC.

“When are you leaving?” Gracie excitedly asked her mom.

“My flight is at midnight.” Sam told the girl as she brushed tawny curls away from her face.

Gracie grinned up at her. “Then you have five hours to visit!” she said with a huge grin. “Is that for me?” she asked Sam of the bright yellow bag.

Sam nodded with a small smile and shook the bag to make it rattle slightly against the tie-dye print tissue paper poking out of the top.

“Thank you!” She crowed as she took it and hugged Sam again before asking shyly. “Do you wanna see my room?”

Sam gave Jack a cautious look. She didn’t want to overstep. But all Jack did was make a small shooing motion with both his hands at Sam. Sam shrugged off her now rumpled dress jacket and shoes before hanging the jacket on a nearby coat hook. Her smile for Jack was grateful as Gracie dragged her off.

Once they were gone, Jack went into the kitchen and sat down and put his face in his hands. He could do this he told himself. It didn’t have to mean anything that she was here. She’d come to see Gracie.

“What did you get me?” Gracie asked excitedly.

Sam grinned. “Do you want to open it in front of your dad?”

Gracie hesitated. “I… is it okay if I just open it with you?” She asked, unable to articulate her fear that her dad might somehow be upset that her mom had gotten her a gift.

Sam’s smile faltered slightly. “Sure.” She said, her voice reassuring as she nodded.

Gracie’s grin returned however and she yanked the bright tissue away from the box inside. Her eyes went wide and she grinned. “Really?”

“If you don’t like it, I can take it back and get you something el—oof” She said as Gracie plowed into her with a tackle worthy hug.

“I LOVE it!” She exclaimed.

Sam chuckled. She’d wandered the store for quite a while trying to find something a preteen girl might like when it came to art supplies then ended up calling Janet to ask her. Janet hadn’t been sure either and had called Cassie to ask her what Gracie might like if someone wanted to get her a fairly generous gift. Cassie had suggested illustration markers. Sam had looked at the store brand and the expensive professional brand that promised refillable cartridges on their web store and opted for the better brand. Three sets nestled in the bag along with a couple of student grade pads of paper and a handful of fine-line illustration pens the clerk with rainbow hair had suggested when she was shilly shallying about her decision. Sam had spent quite a lot of money on the gift, but she figured she had several birthdays to make up for.

“Thank you, mommy!” Gracie breathed and hugged her fiercely again. “Can I open them?”

“Yes.” Sam said with a grin. “Those have replaceable cartridges and nibs so you only have to buy the markers once okay?”

“Okay!” Gracie said, grinning ear to ear as she tore open the packages. “I’m going to draw you something as soon as I can.” She stopped though and frowned. “Mommy… I don’t know what you like.” She admitted.

Sam gave her a sad smile. “I like everything. You draw what you like okay, kiddo?”

Gracie blinked and looked away thoughtfully. “Okay.” But her voice held a note of hesitation. She loved her mother but she didn’t know her like she should. Probably wouldn’t be allowed to know her either unless her dad’s attitude changed.

“So show me your room.” Sam said to break the sudden sad mood that had befallen them.

“Well,” Gracie said, “This is my bed. I forgot to make it today. And that’s the closet which you can see but over here…” she grinned. “Is my drafting table. Jon gave it to me when he went into the military because he said he didn’t want to store it.” She pointed at a vintage 1960’s iron and wood drafting table in one corner that had splotches of paint on it and a rag draped over the top with smudges on it.

Sam thought for a moment. Jon… Jack’s clone Jon? So that was different here too. Jack’s clone in her own reality had opted to separate himself from them emotionally shortly after Thor saved his life. Sam wondered what had been different about this reality that he’d stayed in touch. “That was really nice of him.”

“Uncle Teal’c bought it for him at an estate sale. He says he wants it back after he graduates but he graduated forever ago and he still hasn’t asked for it back.” Gracie said sagely.

Sam giggled. “I think he just told you that as a joke”

“I think so too. Sometimes I can’t even tell his voice from daddy’s when he calls.” Gracie admitted.

Sam snickered. I bet, she thought.

“He knows and likes to play jokes because of it.” Gracie confided with a giggle of her own.

Sam grinned. At least one of them had weathered her loss, but she supposed his clone would have separated his feelings for her long before her death as he didn’t stand a chance with her. Not with a living adult Jack in her life.

Jack watched them quietly from his daughter’s doorway for a moment. She was so natural with his daughter. As though she’d been part of her life all along. Jack closed his eyes for a moment until the worst of the pain passed. He cleared his throat to signal his presence and they both look up in surprise. “I ordered some pizza. It should be here soon.” He said to them gruffly and left before either could answer.

Once he was gone, Sam and Gracie exchanged a concerned look. Sam bit her lip. “Is he?”

Gracie shook her head. “No.” She said sadly. “But he’s like that a lot. Nothing seems to help.” She admitted.

Sam nodded sadly. This must be what everyone had meant about him not being the man she knew. This wasn’t just withdrawn. This was ongoing depression. Why hadn’t he gotten help? Talked to someone? To Daniel or Janet? Sam sighed. Her being here was probably making it worse which was odd because seeing him helped her miss her own Jack less.

Gracie was the one to break the mood this time. Sam was starting to understand her perpetual cheerfulness. It wasn’t quite an act but it was a coping mechanism. “I have something for you too, mommy. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to send it to you and I didn’t have your address yet but you can take it home with you now.” She said enthusiastically. She hopped off the bed next to Sam and started digging through a pile of paper on a shelf near her art table. “It’s here somewhere.” She muttered.

Sam chuckled. Jack had never been very organized either. She was such an obvious mixture of them both that Sam wondered how Jake would turn out. Hopefully most of their good qualities rather than bad.

“Found it!” Gracie crowed and held up a painting triumphantly.

Sam blinked in surprise. It was the house. Her house in Colorado. “Gracie…”

“Do you like it?” Gracie asked, biting her lip nervously.

“Oh, honey, I love it!” Sam told her as she examined the painting. She’d done it in acrylic and the perspective was a tiny bit off but it looked like she might have done it from a photo.

“I found that photo looking for photos of you. Daddy gave me one recently but he said I had to keep it in my room. I think Auntie Janet or Auntie Vala yelled at him.” She confided.

Sam chuckled a little. It did sound like them. Then again, it could just be Jack admitting at least to himself that she had been right. “I’m glad. I’ll send you some photos of Jake soon. He’s getting really big.” She said with a smile.

“Is he with Auntie Janet while you’re here?”

Sam shook her head. “Nope. My friend Lynn is watching him. She has a daughter almost exactly his age actually.”

“Oh! I know Lynn! PJ is the same age I am. I saw him at the daycare the day I um…” Gracie cringed. “Snuck off and found you.” She admitted guiltily.

“You should never sneak off, Gracie. It’s not safe. Your dad was very upset because you scared him and you could have gotten hurt.” She admonished the girl gently.

Out in the hall, Jack hung his head in shame. That hadn’t been his reason but it should have been. He was so wrapped up in his own feelings and fears he hadn’t considered his daughter’s at all that day. “I know.” Gracie said sullenly. “I’m sorry, mommy.”

“It’s all right, sweetie. Just don’t let it happen again.”

Jack moved away to avoid overhearing any more of their conversation. She even parented better than he did and she didn’t have eight years of experience with her, just phone calls. Jack emotionally kicked himself a few more times while he waited for the pizza. He sighed heavily.

When the pizza came, a carefully but falsely cheerful Jack called them to the kitchen for dinner. “I got you prosciutto and artichoke.” He told Sam. his eyes wary. “I, um, wasn’t sure but…”

Sam nodded. His Sam must have preferred hers that way and it was one of her favorites though she’d have added mushrooms if asked. “That’s great. Thank you.” She said with a sincere smile for him.

Jack frowned, swallowed, and looked away as if the smile hurt him. “Dig in, kiddo.” He said instead to Gracie with a smile for her that was at least genuine.

Sam took her slices of pizza and sat next to Gracie. “I’m going to hang your painting in the living room if that’s okay with your dad.” She smiled at her.

“My living room?” Jack asked in confusion.

Gracie giggled. “No daddy, her living room. In Colorado.” She dragged the last word out like her dad was a bit of a dolt.

“Ah. I see.” Jack said.

“If you don—”

Jack put up a hand. “It’s your house Sam, decorate it any way you like.” He said gently.

Sam nodded and bit into her pizza to end the awkward conversation about their houses.

“This is way better than going to Vivian’s. Thank you for coming over, mommy.” Gracie said.

“Thank your dad for inviting me.” Sam said softly.

Gracie looked at her dad with a thoughtful expression. “Thank you, daddy.”

“No problem, kiddo.” Jack said, his voice almost even.

An hour later, Gracie had been sent grudgingly to bed. She tried not to protest too much because she wanted to spend more time with Sam. It was only when Sam silently asked Jack for permission to ‘read’ to her that she went willingly.

“We should head out no later than twenty two thirty.” Jack said as casually as he could manage before they left to go to Gracie’s room. Sam nodded. It was almost 2200 when Sam came wandering back into the living room where Jack was sitting, staring absently into a glass.

“Thank you for inviting me over, sir. It was very kind of you.” She said to him.

Jack sighed. Yah. Kind. That’s what he was, he thought bitterly. “I was harder on you than I should have been, Sam. It wasn’t about you.” He said quietly.

It wasn’t quite an apology but she understood, honestly she did. In response, Sam shook her head. “It’s all right. I imagine showing up like I did was quite a shock.”

Jack sighed and nodded. “That wasn’t really it.” He said but struggled to elaborate that he’s spent years getting used to her not being there and now she was and he didn’t know how to feel about it at all. He sure as hell couldn’t tell her that either. “But you do have a pattern of just dropping into my life without warning.” He joked.

Sam gave him a startled look then chuckled when she realized he was talking about the first time he’d met the other Sam. “Well,” She said with a shrug. “You know how it is.” And smiled at him a little bit. He wasn’t her Jack… but just perhaps they could be friends at least for the sake of the kids.

“Blown up any suns recently?” He asked her.

Sam snorted in mirth. “Not since Tuesday.” She admitted which earned her an amused smile.

Jack looked out into the dark night. “I think the biggest problem is seeing you makes me miss her more.” He admitted softly to her.

Sam nodded. She understood. Seeing him made her miss her Jack as well. Like a mirror image. There but not real. Not touchable.

“With you in her life now though…” Jack said of his daughter and shrugged. Something about the way he said it made her look at him sharply.

“Jack. Don’t.” She told him in a firm voice. “She needs both of us.” She looked him hard in the eyes. “They both do.”

Jack frowned, swallowed, and was unable to escape her eyes boring into him and wasn’t sure he wanted to, anyway. A part of him wondered did she really know him – her Jack – that well too?

“Promise me for Grace.” She said to him, refusing to release him from her direct gaze until he did so.

“Sam…”

“Jack. Please.” She all but begged him. She couldn’t take losing him again even if he wasn’t her Jack. They had taken the first tentative steps to finally get along. The last thing she wanted was to take responsibility for a daughter who didn’t understand why her dad was gone.

His expression turned to surprise. Only his own Sam had ever successfully played that card. Much to his chagrin it worked just as well when it was this Sam too. “You’re stuck with me being a pain in your ass for now.” He tried to joke.

“Good.” She said with a frown and he’d have sworn she was angry at him for expressing the thought to her but why? Her life would be easier if she didn’t have to dance around his feelings every interaction.

“We should get going.” He finally said roughly.

Sam nodded. “I’ll get my jacket and shoes.” She told him and went to the hall where she’d deposited them earlier.

The ride to the airport was clear and the moon was out.

For no reason he could fathom, Jack tried one last time tonight to put some distance between them emotionally. “You aren’t her.” He reminded her regarding her effort to strong arm him emotionally.

“You aren’t my Jack either, you know.” She told him with a scowl.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Don’t I?” She asked him archly. “Who were you trying to remind anyway? My husband is just as dead as your wife is. I have no desire to replace him.” She huffed. “Our kids need both their parents, Jack.” She finally said tiredly.

Jack sighed. “Yah. I get that.” He admitted.

She gave him a dark look. “It’s about time.” She finally said and returned to staring out the window as if the conversation never happened.

Jack dropped her off and got out to get her bag from the trunk.

“I could have done that myself you know.” She reminded him archly.

He nodded. “I know.” But it was the best he could manage as an apology at the moment. Especially as his brain kept short circuiting and wanted him to kiss her goodbye. “I’ll let you know if they have any follow up questions for you.” He said instead.

Sam nodded and gave him a worried frown. “Look… about what I said…”

Jack shook his head. “I had it coming. Have a good flight, Sam.” He said and got back in the car before he did something stupid.

He drove away before she could say anything else and his last view was of her through his rearview window stoically watching him leave and he’d have sworn she looked upset.

Sam waited until his car turned the corner before turning to walk to the gate. It seemed she was always watching Jack O’Neill leave her. She sighed deeply. The visit with Gracie had been mostly successful other than their emotionally sparring like a divorced couple.

Chapter Text

On the flight to Nevada, Sam dozed and her dreams filled with her and this Jack taking the kids to the park and then out for ice cream like a normal family. She laughed at something Gracie said and Jack leaned over and kissed her.

Sam woke with a start. The nightmares she was used to. What the hell was this? “Dammit.” She muttered under her breath. One evening with the man and I start having happy homemaker fantasies. That was simply not acceptable. The man could barely stand to be around her as it was. Having spent some time with him, Sam realized fundamentally he was honestly almost exactly like her husband but the situation remained the same. He wasn’t her Jack. He loved a ghost. Even if he made a pass at her, it would be because she looked, acted, sounded like his dead wife, not because of who she was as an individual.

Sam sighed and pulled her book out of her purse. Even if she did care about him that way, it was very clear he wanted nothing of the sort from her. But her heart ached for his obvious pain. All she wanted to do was be there for him and reassure him that everything would be okay in the end.

Sam mentally shook herself. She was being ridiculous. She was letting his resemblance to her husband affect her ability to think clearly. She’d been through this with him, She’d felt terrible when another version of herself had kissed her own Jack… and yet… as much as it had hurt to watch, she’d deeply understood as well. She’d known why her heart ached even then. Had hoped, even then, that perhaps she’d have her chance to be with her Jack too. And for a brief glorious time she had. And it had been everything she’d hoped.

Was it worth getting hurt again though? Not because he’d leave her. Could she take a chance on loving him knowing the odds that tragedy might follow again? Then again mathematically perhaps them not being from the same reality changed those odds and everything would be fine?

Sam shook her head. What was she thinking even entertaining this train of thought. It was just going to get her hurt when he closed back up because she wasn’t his Sam.

She sighed. Just like her Jack would have.

But she couldn’t help but notice… he’d left that door ever so slightly cracked open when he left her at the airport. Some part of him must be feeling that tiny bit of hope as well.

And there had been the look he’d given her in the kitchen. The look that had made her want to kiss away his pain even if just for a moment.

“Hope is the thing with feathers.” She muttered to herself and forced herself to read her novel. She needed to stop analyzing this to death. She concluded.

Jack quietly let himself into the house and locked up for the night. She’d seen right through him… just like she always had… or the other her had anyway. He went and checked on his daughter who was sprawled across her bed face down. He chuckled a little to himself. Her mother slept the same way when exhausted. He wondered if this Sam did too.

Carefully he stepped in and started picking up markers off the bed. He noted the brand and raised a brow, knowing what they must have cost. He wondered if she felt like she had birthdays to make up for. He’d have to make it clear to her that she didn’t need to do that. It wasn’t like she’d been missing after all. She’d had her own Jack and her own life.

Even had that been the case, Jack would never judge her for such a thing. Any more than he’d judged his own Sam for briefly thinking he didn’t return her feelings because he’d become so cautious about showing them. Or when she’d entertained Narim’s or Martouf’s flirtations. What should have been a two to four year assignment had just dragged on. Hell, Kerry obviously cared about him, he’d almost entertained thoughts about dating her for a while and had he not been in such a dark place emotionally he might have. Now he was glad he hadn’t and wondered if she’d been right… that possibly it wasn’t that she was Sam… but that she was the things he liked in a woman. Intelligent, tough, beautiful, kind, and, yes, unafraid of him.

Jack sighed slowly so as not to wake his daughter, leaned over to kiss her cheek and gently placed her pens on the oversized drafting desk in the corner of her room. He went back and retrieved the picture she’d been working on and smiled sadly. She’d drawn the house in Colorado again. It was very similar to her painting earlier… but this time a man and woman stood in front of the house with a little girl and the man who was clearly him was holding a baby on his hip.

Jack looked at his daughter for a very long time and wondered if she was simply hoping with a child’s heart or if she had picked up on something the adults were too obtuse to figure out on their own.

He placed the drawing next to the markers. He supposed, he mused, he owed her a kitten.

Leaving her room, he opted to sit on the balcony off the master bedroom. And for the first time in a long time, drinking himself to sleep was the furthest from his mind as he stared up at the stars with a somewhat bemused expression. Hope… he thought idly… was the thing with feathers.

Chapter Text

“Someone is going to be very happy to see you.” Lynn said laughing when she opened the door to Sam. “I thought you said you weren’t coming back for another few hours though?”

Sam shrugged and tried to hide a yawn. “My hotel room got canceled so I rescheduled my flight.”

“You look exhausted, Sam. Come in and have some coffee.” Lynn said to Sam with a smile. Sam maintained the same rules Jack had. No ranks off base unless it was a formal event. Lynn suspected Sam had only sired him to death because she needed to remind herself not to act like a horny lovesick teenager in public. Not a bad policy as had anyone seen her calling him Jack might have drawn very accurate assumptions about their relationship.

“Thanks. I haven’t had any coffee since I left Jack’s.” Sam said tiredly, entirely missing Lynn’s carefully swept away surprised look.

“It’s early. Frank and the kids are still asleep.” Lynn told her, leading her into the small two-story house she shared with her husband and two children. She sidestepped a pile of toys and scooted them closer to the wall with her toe as she did so. “Good thing I’m not on base housing.” She muttered.

Sam laughed. “I don’t know how my mom did it. Jake is only one and he’s already leaving toys everywhere.”

Lynn was about to ask Sam about the red marker incident with Gracie then thought better of it as it had happened just days prior to the mission that had led to Sam’s being held as a POW and didn’t want to upset someone who wasn’t just her boss but also her friend. “Gracie had her moments too.” She said instead.

Sam nodded. “I hate not being able to remember.” She said in all honesty. She’d have rather had this Sam’s life where she didn’t lose her first baby to a miscarriage and then watched her husband and all her friends die. She was still making her way through all of this Sam’s old reports, specifically the ones Lynn had worked on. She sensed she’d been friendly with the woman over the years and she had next to no memories of her at all. This Frank who she’d married had been in charge of training on base so she decided to talk to Teal’c and see how deep her friendship with the former SEAL went as well. Right now, she could lean on PTSD induced memory loss and be vague or change the subject but she couldn’t rely on that forever.

“Gracie was a good kid… just messy like her dad. Speaking of whom, how on earth did you end up at his house? I thought you weren’t on good terms?” Lynn asked casually as she handed Sam a mug of hot coffee from the carafe on the kitchen table.

Sam shrugged, hoping she looked more casual than she actually felt. “I wasn’t going to make an issue of it, but when my hotel reservation got canceled and I had some hours to kill,” she shrugged again. “He invited me over to see Gracie.”

“Ah. That explains it.” Lynn said knowingly. Sam gave her an inquiring look. “Jack will suck up a lot for your daughter.”

Sam chuckled ruefully. “I suspect you’re right.” Her own Jack had been the same when it came to herself and their son.

PJ finally stumbled down the stairs, bleary eyed and blinked at Sam. “Hi Mrs. O’Neill.” He said absently and wandered over to the bowl of fruit on the counter.

Startled, Sam looked at the boy. “How did he?” She didn’t even know the boy and he couldn’t have been much older than Gracie.

“Frank remembers people he hasn’t seen in thirty years. They’re both freaks.” Lynn joked as an explanation for her son’s unusual memory.

“Huh.” Was all Sam said and sipped her coffee thoughtfully.

Lynn looked at her friend, realizing her current discomfort. What she must be going through was beyond what most people could handle. Being a POW for 5 years while everyone who loved you thought you were dead. Not remembering parts of your life before you were taken. Forgetting things about your own child. The grief she must have experienced thinking she’d never go home. Then coming back with a baby and trying to fit back into a life after everyone she loved had grieved and moved on. Correct that, almost everyone grieved and moved on except the one person that mattered most who just grieved. Frank said it was probably a good thing Jack had Gracie. Had he not, he’d have put serious thought into eating a bullet again.

Changing the topic, Lynn said to Sam as PJ crawled into her lap and started peeling an orange on the table in front of her. “Jen thinks the computers are narrowing down the Gate candidates for that system.”

“There can’t be too many choices.” Sam said, absently.

“No, but we’ve got it triangulating other stuff too so it’s chugging instead of churning at the moment. Honestly, it needs an upgrade again but we don’t have the budget to allot time to doing so.” Lynn admitted.

Sam smiled shyly. “I might know a guy who could argue for it on our behalf.”

Lynn grinned back. So that trip had gone better than expected. She wondered what had transpired in the O’Neill home last night but was too polite to ask directly. “I was hoping you would say that. Can I tell Jen or do you want to do that yourself?”

Sam shook her head. “What I want to do is go home and sleep for forty seven hours, but I have to be on base tomorrow morning so I guess I’m going to plunk Jake down in front of some cartoons and try to nap on the couch.” She admitted ruefully.

Lynn chuckled. “Do you want me to keep him while you catch up on sleep?”

Sam shook her head. “I may as well take him home now that I’m here. I’ve had plenty of practice at running on no sleep.”

Lynn smiled. They all had, but Sam seemed to be the local expert. “Relax and have some coffee first. He’s out cold anyway.”

Sam smiled and nodded then held out her cup hopefully. She’d already drained the first one. Lynn chuckled and poured her another mug of coffee while they waited for Jake to wake up.

A couple of hours later, Lynn found her husband in the sunroom putzing with a model airplane. Before he could start rambling about the scale or who flew the thing, she hugged him from behind.

“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” He asked her in amusement.

“Nothing.” She told him and picked up a piece of the model to look at it more closely.

“It’s never nothing with you. You’ve been pensive since Sam left. What’s up?”

Lynn sighed. “Nothing… or something. I don’t know. Is there something slightly off about this whole situation to you?”

“You mean other than Jack who has been desperately in love with his wife since he met her suddenly wants next to nothing to do with her? That part? Or that her kid looks suspiciously like him even though mathematically that’s not possible?”

“Yah, mostly that last part.” Lynn admitted.

Frank nodded. “I wasn’t on base. What actually happened?”

Lynn shrugged. “She came through the Gate in a Puddle Jumper. Looked like hell when I saw her. Didn’t recognize me from what I could tell.” She shook her head. “She seemed really confused to see Janet. I’d swear I overheard her talking to her about that time on P3X-666 when Jack and Janet were both shot and saying Janet had died.”

Frank nodded. “Well, technically she did for a minute.” He reminded his wife.

“Yes, but not in a permanent sort of way like Sam insinuated she had.”

“So, what do you think is going on?”

Lynn thought for a moment. “Right before I joined the program, there was an incident with this mirror thing that could dial up other realities like we do the Gate to other planets.”

“You think she’s from another reality?”

“I don’t know, but it would explain why she always seems slightly disconnected, wouldn’t it?”

Frank nodded. “What do you think happened that she ended up here?”

Lynn frowned. “It couldn’t have been good whatever it was. She was exposed to cobalt dust which was why it took her so long to pass her physical and she looked like hell when she got here. Like she’d been through a war.”

Frank nodded and pulled open a drawer to look for a jar of enamel. “Sounds like she took a one way ticket.”

Lynn nodded. “Another thing, they whisked that Jumper away to 52 so fast neither Jen nor I even got a chance to look at it. Like they were hiding something about it.”

Frank thought for a moment. “I’d be really careful talking about this. If she is from another reality, the brass doesn’t want anyone to know.”

Lynn sighed. “You know I’m Fort Knox with secrets.” She reminded him with wry amusement.

“Yah, but not everyone else is so we should probably avoid talking about this unless we know we are alone.” He reminded her.

“Yah, yah.” She said to him in amusement and kissed his cheek. “What are you smoking tonight?”

“Besides a cigar? Nothing. It’s freezing out.”

“Wimp.” She taunted.

“Fine, you go freeze your ass off.”

“I will, you know.”

“I know you freak of nature. I swear you and O’Neill actually like being cold.”

Lynn laughed. “No but we don’t hate it.”

Gracie sat watching her dad adjust his tie in the bathroom. “Thank you for inviting mommy over last night.” She said to him almost shyly.

Jack flashed his daughter a smile. “I saw she got you some pretty nice markers. Did you thank her?”

“Uh huh.”

“Good. Take very good care of them. She put a lot of thought into that gift.” He reminded her.

“I’m only going to use them for my extra special artwork.” Gracie said emphatically.

Jack smiled a little ironically. He’d already seen what she had in mind for special. “I can’t wait to see it.” He told her and found he meant it. Sure, it was probably just a fantasy but it was a nice and relatively harmless one. After all, he’d agreed with Sam, they needed to try to get along for the sake of the kids if nothing else.

Gracie hopped off the toilet lid she’d been sitting on when a horn beeped outside. “You’re late again, daddy!” she announced and rushed herself to get her book bag and coat.

Jack shook his head and smiled.

 “Good morning, General, Gracie Lou.” Mitch said to his boss.

“Morning, Mitch.” Jack said to the younger man who was mildly surprised to see his boss… well… cheerful. The smile he’d just gotten had been reflected in the older man’s eyes. He wondered if pretty Colonel Carter had anything to do with that?

“Daddy, I didn’t get to go yesterday. Can I go to Vivian’s tonight?”

“Did you call her and ask first?”

“Nooo… I thought I’d ask her at school.”

“Ask her at school then ask her mom before you go waltzing over there.” Jack told her.

“Daddy,” Gracie said with an eye-roll worthy of her mother. “It’s not like she’s going to mind.”

“You don’t know that. She might have a dentist appointment.” Jack said in mock seriousness.

“You’re silly, daddy.” Gracie told him but gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll ask.”

“Good girl.” Jack said absently and stared out the window at the other traffic.

Mitch watched this interplay with mild interest as he drove. What interested him more was the bemused expression on his boss’s face. An expression he’d never once seen on the man, not even when he’d taken Agent Johnson out for drinks.

“Daddy?”

“Yah, kiddo?” Jack answered her absently.

“Can mommy visit again soon?” She asked him.

Jack’s face shifted admirably from daydreaming idly to damage control mode fairly quickly. “Ah… we’ll talk about it later, Gracie.” He tried but there was no bite in his voice at all, just chagrin.

Mitch kept his facial expression carefully neutral. Mommy? As in dead since Gracie was two years old mommy?!

“You had fun last night, too.” Gracie reminded him as the car pulled up to the curbside drop off for school.

“I said we’d talk about it.” Jack’s voice was becoming an embarrassingly defensive squeak.

“I’m just saying.” Gracie said in a sing-song voice as she shut the door.

A moment later she opened it again, hugged her dad fiercely and announced, “I love you Daddy.” And popped back out of the car, slammed the door, and took off for school without a backward glance.

Jack sat there with a slightly perturbed frown for a moment until he caught Mitch giving him a speculative look. “I suppose you have some questions.” Jack said with a resigned sigh.

“Sir, I would love to be able to say no I don’t, but we both know that would be a lie.” Mitch admitted.

Jack rubbed the spot on his forehead between his eyes. He waved a hand invitingly regarding the myriad of questions Mitch might ask. The kid had a non-disclosure already. Now he’d have another one depending on what he asked.

Chapter Text

Jack had popped off an e-mail to Gracie’s school social worker just in case she ended up talking to her about her mom coming to visit. Mostly explaining that Sam was still having memory problems but was hiding them well from her daughter. He wouldn’t be out to Colorado for a couple of weeks. He figured it would be close to Easter so it would be a nice gift to Gracie to take her to see the woman she had no clue wasn’t really her mother. Jack supposed in the end it didn’t really matter anyway. They would have to find some version of the truth to tell his daughter but for the life of him, Jack couldn’t figure one out. He’d talk to some of the Joint Chiefs, see what they thought.

After Daniel’s rude remark about not being able to invite Sam to Christmas because of Cassie, he decided to let Janet know it was okay to tell her what was going on and let Cassie decide for herself. The kid wasn’t going to blab considering she was from another planet and no one knew about it except for the jokes she sometimes made about feeling like she was which, let’s face it, what teenaged girl didn’t feel like she was from another planet sometime?

“Sir, the president is on the phone for you.” Clair told him over the intercom.

Oh hell what now? Jack thought. “Put him through.” A few seconds later, his direct line to the president rang.

“Jack. How are you?”

“I’m fine, sir. How are you?”

“I’m doing just great. I hear Colonel Carter was in town to explain the Stargate project to my newer members of the Joint Chiefs?”

“Yes sir. She explained the project and how the Gate works to them. Most of them had fairly intelligent questions.”

“Good. That’s good to hear. Listen, I need you to get an update on the Wow! signal status. Find out when we’ll know if the planet has a Gate or not, if we have to send a ship, and if so how long that will take. That sort of thing.” The president told Jack.

“Um… sir, the project is still classified. We can’t just make a press announcement.”

“It is, but we could leak that we might have made tentative contact with a tight beam transmission we’ve been openly working on.” The president said sagely.

“Sir, we should make contact prior to doing that. I’m sure you’ve read the files. Some societies are benevolent and some are not, and we’ve met a lot more not than I’d like. I’d hate to get everyone’s hopes up only to have another interstellar war happen.” He said reasonably to his boss.

“Right, right, but what if they are more like the ah…” Jack could hear the president going through his notes. “The Gians.” He finished.

“The Nox?” Jack asked in surprise. “Sir, most of the civilizations with the technology level of the Nox have a strict ‘don’t give technology to the humans because they are still little kids’ policy.” Jack smiled. “It’s not one I really disagree with in retrospect either.”

The stuff Thor had gifted them would give them a jump but it all had math puzzles designed to keep anyone but the hyper intelligent from accessing the stuff and so far they hadn’t found a way to record any of it on any other device without the puzzles either. Sam had rather sagely suggested to him that they simply do the homework Thor gave them and stop griping about it. Of course, then she had died and without her innate knowledge of the program, some of the math puzzles were just beyond what humans had a handle on yet. The Icarus Project had given them another jump ahead but no one knew where or when the Destiny would ultimately end up and he’d be long dead before it popped back out into regular space by Jack’s estimation.

The president chuckled. “I for one would like to be a kid in a candy store.” He said to Jack.

“I don’t disagree, sir, but I’m sure you’ve read the files. We should proceed with caution even if they did technically reach out first. They probably did so at a period like when we did around the sixties thinking contact might be a fun way to get to know the neighbors.”

This time the president outright laughed. “I imagine a lot of that optimism stemmed from ignorance and illicit substances, Jack.”

Jack chuckled in return. “Sir, you sound like an old friend of mine putting it that way.” He sighed. “I have a small request.”

“Oh?”

“It’s in regards to Cassandra Fraiser.”

“I’m not familiar with that name, Jack.”

“She’s the little girl we brought back from PX8-987, Hanka as the natives called it.”

“What about her?”

“Well, there’s an issue, sir. Sam Carter is her godmother. Apparently she was in her own reality as well. I’d like clearance to tell Cassie the truth. She’s not going to believe Sam was a POW because she knows we retrieved the body.”

“Can’t you tell her we were lied to?”

“Respectfully, sir, she can keep a secret. No one knows she’s not from Earth that isn’t in the program.” Cassie liked to make jokes about feeling like an alien to cover dumb mistakes she made talking about her past but that wasn’t the same as telling people she actually was one. And Daniel had pointed out that it was unfair that Sam had to stay home alone with her son last Christmas because Cassie wouldn’t understand being uninvited to the annual SG-1 Christmas party.

The president thought about it for a long while. “Tell who you need to, Jack… but only who you absolutely need to. Only if they will raise a bigger stink voicing suspicions or it’s necessary for their job.”

“Agreed, sir.” Jack said thinking of Kerry.

“As long as we understand each other. How is she by the way? Adjusting well?”

“As well as can be expected, sir. She’s passed her physical and has access to her full commission at this time.”

“And how did things go with her visiting your daughter?”

Jack frowned in surprise. How had he? “Uh, well sir. Gracie was very happy to see her mom.”

“Good. That’s good. Glad to hear it.” There was a smile in the man’s voice that mystified Jack. “I have a meeting with the Chinese Prime Minister in fifteen. Keep me appraised, Jack.”

“Yes sir.” Jack told him on automatic pilot. After the president hung up, Jack leaned back in his chair. He supposed he could head out to Colorado earlier than planned and check up on the progress with the Wow! signal. Gracie might like to see her mom and he had just been thinking about doing just that before the president had called. Jack blinked a bit at that. Some part of him was starting to accept that right or wrong, Gracie thought of this Sam as her mom and he’d come to accept it as truth.

Jack sighed and shook his head. His heart decided to do a happy little tap dance in honor of the event. Oh, knock it off. He admonished his wayward organ. What the hell do you know anyway?

A few days later, Sam ignored the pounding headache she had as she sat at her lab table, staring blindly at the monitor in front of her. Landry had let her know that Jack expected an update on the triangulation for a Wow! signal Gate. The mainframe was still plodding along so Sam was trying to speed along the process a bit by doing some of the math herself but the headache was making it impossible to think.

Vala walked into Sam’s lab unannounced. She stopped short at Sam’s grey pallor. “Samantha?” she asked Sam in surprise. “You look like death warmed over.” She said with concern for her friend who was huddling on her lab stool as though she was freezing.

“I’m fine.” Sam croaked. Then coughed.

“Samantha, darling, you are not fine. Come on. Off to the infirmary we go.” Vala said, dragging her best friend up off the stool physically.

“I’m fine.” Sam tried to protest but started coughing uncontrollably.

“Right, well, we’ll let Janet decide that, shall we.” Vala told her firmly and pulled her weakly resisting friend along.

“But I need to finish—” Sam trailed off, mumbling.

Five minutes later, Sam huddled on one of the medical beds in Janet’s domain. “You know the routine, Sam. Were you feeling all right when you came in this morning?” She asked Sam kindly as she took her blood.

Sam nodded dumbly. “I just felt cold about an hour ago. I thought my iron was just low.” She mumbled.

Janet hummed. “Well, I can see why you might have thought that at first, Sam, but when you started feeling worse you should have come down here.” She admonished her. “I’m pretty sure you have the flu. I’ll check your blood work to make sure it’s not something else, but I’m sending you home. Vala can drive you. One of us will bring your car by later.”

“I can drive…” but Sam’s tone was petulant and didn’t convince Janet one bit. She looked at Vala who nodded and helped Sam back into her BDU shirt.

“Come along.” Vala said encouragingly. “I’ll ring the daycare and have them get Jake ready too. You can go home and have a nice rest.”

“But I need to…”

“You need to go home and rest. That’s an order, Sam.” Janet said sternly.

Once they were in the hallway, Sam continued to try to protest. “But I outrank you.” She said of Janet who was no longer in ear shot.

“You can remind her later.” Vala said consolingly as she dialed the NORAD daycare and let them know she’d be coming to pick up Jacob O’Neill to take him home as his mother wasn’t well.

Jack smiled in amusement. He’d had to swear Gracie to secrecy that they were coming to Colorado. He wanted it to be a nice surprise for Sam. During the weekend, Gracie had finished her new drawing as well as another painting. This one of planets and stars. He’d dropped her off at the daycare with very firm instructions that if she snuck out this time he wouldn’t bring her back. Suitably chastised, Gracie had agreed solemnly that she would not take off and went off to find the Hopkins kids and her baby brother who they had both assumed would be there today as Lynn was scheduled to be at the follow up meeting the science team thought was going to be a conference call.

Jack realized he was actually looking forward to this visit. They had come to a sort of an agreement last week and were able to be civil to each other even over the phone. It was a start. Sam had even called the house phone on Saturday and gotten him instead of Gracie and they had an almost normal conversation.

He’d even concocted a plan. He’d breeze in for the meeting, say nothing of Gracie, possibly have a meal with his old team, Sam included and then act like he was heading out, but really he’d be waiting at the daycare with Gracie until Sam clocked out and came to get Jake. It would give him a little time to get to know the boy… his boy, he supposed. In a way.

He’d even bought Jake a little Easter basket with a fluffy bunny and age appropriate treats in case one of them couldn’t get away for Easter. If they could… he was putting serious thought into making it a family event unless she planned to go to Mark’s. If she was and Gracie wanted to go he’d let her, he would just suck it up as he doubted he’d be very welcome in the Carter household right now.

Jack entered the briefing room to startled faces. “Sorry I’m late.” He said affably and headed for the head of the table next to Hank. When he sat though, he looked around in confusion at Sam’s science team, Jen, Lynn, Bill and Jay, were there. Conspicuously absent was Carter. Jack frowned in confusion. “Where’s Carter?” He asked them.

But this time instead of guilty looks he got confused ones.

“Anyone?” Jack asked them, slightly perturbed that she had ditched him again. He turned and gave Hank an arch look but Hank looked equally mystified. He picked up the receiver for the phone on the conference room table and asked his chief of staff where Colonel Carter was.

Several minutes later, Hank was even more perplexed. She hadn’t signed out but no one had seen her in hours.

Jack’s frown was becoming worried when a disheveled looking Vala popped into the briefing room. “Oh, sorry, I just wanted to let the Gener….al… Jack?” She asked in surprise when she actually looked at who was sitting next to Landry. “Um, I don’t suppose you’re looking for Samantha, are you?” She asked hopefully.

Jack’s cell phone rang. He almost ignored it but it was Gracie.

“Make it quick kiddo, daddy is in a meeting.” He said and put a finger up for Vala to wait to talk.

Vala huffed a little and crossed her arms but remained silent.

“Jake isn’t here. daddy. Auntie Vala took him home. She said mommy is sick.”

Jack looked at Vala expectantly. “Something you need to tell me?” He asked her with a brow raised. Turning back to his cell, he told Gracie he knew and to stay there until he came for her.

Vala motioned him to join her outside the briefing room. Once he’d joined her, she quietly told him. “I took her home. She appears to have what you call the flu.” Vala provided.

“How long ago was that?” Jack asked.

“Er, earlier this morning but I just got back as she wasn’t at all herself so I made her a pot of tea and tucked her in.” She said, a worried expression working its way into her eyebrows.

Jack nodded. “Is she all right?”

“No, not really.” Vala said with a worried frown. She’d come in to ask Landry if she could take the rest of the day off to stay with Sam and the baby actually.

Before she could voice her plans, Jack nodded. “I’ll go check on her once I’m done here. Thanks for keeping an eye on her.” He then said to her, his eyes conveying his gratitude that she’d taken care of Sam for him.

Vala nodded. “Call me if you need anything.” She told him sincerely and disappeared.

After she left, Jack returned to his seat and looked around the table. “All right, people, let’s make this quick, I apparently have somewhere to be.” He told them as he checked his watch to confirm the time and didn’t see any of the surprised looks on the faces of Sam’s team. When he looked up, their expressions were carefully blank as he pointed at Jen to begin.

Chapter Text

Two long hours later, Jack was on his doorstep of the vintage Craftsman, keys in hand and Gracie by his side. He’d just check on Sam, make her a cup of tea, he told himself. He’d changed into his BDUs after the meeting figuring he may as well be comfortable but his civvies were all packed in the rental. They would get the luggage out later. It wasn’t a priority at the moment.

When he poked his nose around the door though, he was greeted with the sound of a wracking gasping cough and a wailing baby.

“Gracie—”

But she was already on it. “I’ll get Jake. You find mom.” She said without preamble and followed the sound of her brother’s cries.

“Carter” He called out cautiously. She probably couldn’t hear him, she was coughing so hard, so he followed the sound to the den where he found her leaning miserably on the corner of a wall clutching her stomach as she tried not to vomit.

“Sam!” He said, his voice full of concern.

Sam looked up and didn’t even have the energy to be angry at him for letting himself in before the hacking cough overtook her once again.

He walked over to her and brushed away her hair from her forehead and pressed his lips to her temple. She was burning up. She looked at him with shock at his gentle kiss, but then started coughing again.

Jack tried to mask his concern but he wasn’t successful. He took off his jacket and threw it on a chair, then turned and scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the den to the stairwell.

Sam tried to protest but couldn’t stop coughing long enough to tell him to put her down as he started up the stairs, cradling her against his chest. He didn’t do it anyway until they reached the bathroom off the master bedroom where he deposited her on the toilet seat and then turned to the shower on full blast as hot as it would go.

Sam leaned weakly against the wall, huddled on the seat and watched him dumbly as he dug around in the cabinet under the sink. He mumbled “knew you were there” and pulled out a jar of petroleum rub.

Jack seemed to debate for a moment about the situation as he frowned looking from her to the shower to the bottle of mentholated rub. “Strip.” He told her.

Sam blinked at him incredulously.

“You need to open up your airways or you’re going to end up with pneumonia.” He explained. “Which, from personal experience, is not fun.” He admitted to her. When she continued to look at him as though he’d lost his mind, he huffed a sigh as his shoulders sagged. “Do you need me to turn around?” He asked her dryly.

She finally managed a nod and Jack turned on his heel and faced the door. He struggled with the concept that she hadn’t figured out he could see her in the mirror even from the angle he’d turned to but she was so delirious with fever that it didn’t register. He watched as she stood up slightly and slowly tried to work her way out of her base uniform that she still had on.

The water was going to be cold by the time she struggled out of that uniform he concluded. Sighing, he turned around and started unbuttoning her shirt for her. She stood dumbly in front of him after a weak struggle to bat his hands away and cried in frustration.

“Stop that.” He admonished her gently. “You need help.”

“I don’t!” She huffed as she stared miserably at him.

“You know, I’d almost forgotten how stubborn you are.” He said as he gently pried her arms out of her shirt. When she tried to stop him from drawing off the black t-shirt under her BDU, Jack frowned. “Look, I’m sorry I’m not your Jack but I’m still a Jack. You need my help so stop being so contrary and just let me help. You’ll feel better after a warm shower.” His tone was sharp, hiding his concern.

Sam bit her lip and nodded as she turned her head away, tears gathered in her eyes.

He helped her into the shower once she was down to her bra and panties and slathered her with jelly on her back and chest to help her labored breathing improve. The steamy bathroom had helped some. He was hoping the eucalyptus and hot water would give her some relief. He stayed on the other side of the shower curtain but didn’t leave just in case she ran into trouble again.

When she finally turned off the water that had started to cool, he wrapped her in one of the huge fluffy towels he’d bought when he was single and started gently drying her off. “Feel better?” He asked her.

Sam sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry.” She said hoarsely.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for, Sam. Some guy you hardly know comes into your house without asking and makes you take your clothes off, I’d protest too.” He said as he rubbed at her shoulders with the towel.

Sam smiled weakly and tried to laugh at his joke but ended up coughing instead.

Jack held on to her until it subsided and scooped her up again and carried her to the bed. “Do you have some sweats? If not, I left some here you can wear. They’ll be a little big on you.” He noted critically that she’d just started to gain back some weight and this would set her back weeks in recovery.

“I…” she blushed. “I’ve been wearing yours actually.” She admitted shamefaced.

Jack chuckled. “Some things are a multiversal constant then.” He said affably and went to the dresser to dig something out for her to wear that would keep her warm. “Layers.” He decided and pulled out a tank top for her, a pair of leggings, an old Citadel sweatshirt, and basic training sweat bottoms that had been shortened at some point in the past by his own Sam. He considered finding her another bra and panties and opted against them. If she needed another shower it would just be another layer to deal with and neither would keep her perceptively warmer. When he turned around, she was lying on the bed, curled into a ball, her teeth chattering in spite of the warm towel and having just had a steaming hot shower.

“Dammit.” He muttered. “Sam, I need you to get out of that wet underwear so you can get into something warm.” Then sighed. She was in no shape to do it herself. He’d have to help her again. Without any attempt at preamble, he lifted the towel away from her hips and tugged the damp pair of definitely not military issue panties she had on off. She let out a soft squeak of protest but otherwise didn’t stop him.

He tossed the panties on the floor, currently indifferent to them in the face of his task of getting her warmed up. When he reached for her bra though, she scooted back from him. Jack frowned and resisted the urge to bark her name at her. “I’m just going to help you with the clasp in the back, Sam.” He told her gently and none so gently flipped her over to do it.

She needed to get warmed up now not later when she got over the reality that he wasn’t her husband. She yelped a ‘hey’ in protest but didn’t have the strength to stop him which told him everything he needed to know about the situation. Sam in top form could easily overpower him. He’d trained her himself. He imagined her Jack had done the same. He doubted he was that different from the guy. None of the Jacks Daniel had encountered had been fundamentally different from him. Only the Sams seemed to have any consistent variation and it really seemed to depend on if she’d joined the military or not.

He could have ordered her to comply with him taking off her clothes but he really didn’t want to press that advantage as it would just make her feel coerced and him slimy for doing so. If there was going to be any sort of chance at them getting along for the sake of their kids, he couldn’t do that to her. Even if it was expedient.

At the back of his mind was the thought that at the end of the day, she was still legally and even biologically his wife. She turned around and stared at him, uncertain of what to say.

“Sam, honey, if I don’t get you into something warm and dry, you’re going to end up in the ER.” He admonished her as he grabbed the tank top he’d gotten out for her and slid it over her head and pulled her arm gently through one arm hole while she held the blanket against her chest. He almost laughed at her attempts to hide her body from his eyes. He scoffed internally at her actions, as if he’d never seen Sam Carter’s breasts ever in his life.

Sam sighed and looked away but let him tug her other arm into her tank top then swiftly tug it down by the sides, making a point of not brushing his knuckles anywhere. This was not the time for him to see if he had the same effect on her as she was starting to have on him. The sweatshirt was next and for a moment she sat with the towel pooled across her lap as he bunched up her leggings to slide them over her legs and told himself it was no different than the hundreds of times he’d dressed his daughter in tights. That in mind, he all but lifted her off the bed and tugged her leggings up over her hips under the towel with seemingly zero interest.

Sam stared at him in confused shock. She hated that it bothered her that he seemed to feel nothing about dressing her. She may as well be a rag doll for all he seemed to care beyond not hurting her. The fact that she had no idea of her current effect on him was a testimony of how worried he was.

Jack refused to think her tears were anything but frustration at needing his help. “There.” He said once she had on sweatpants and warm socks. “Get under the covers. I’ll go make you a pot of tea so you can get warmed up on the inside.” He said, searching her eyes to make sure she’d be all right for a few moments. “I’ll check on the kids too while it brews.”

“Kids?” she asked in confusion at the plural.

Jack smiled sheepishly. “Yah, um, surprise?” He shrugged. “I brought Gracie for a visit but it looks like you need a caretaker more than a day at the park with your kids.” He said and turned to go.

Sam blinked as her heart thudded and not just from the fever. He’d said ‘your kids’ as though he had decided she had a right to be part of Gracie’s life. Sam sniffled. How did she juxtaposition this information with the man who had just impersonally undressed and redressed her like she meant nothing at all to him. It made a terrible sort of sense she supposed. He was willing to share Gracie with her for Gracie’s well-being, might even be kind to Jake for the same reason… but she wasn’t his Sam. He had no reason to be anything but his normal level of kindness towards anyone who needed his help.

In the hallway, Jack paused and took several deep calming breaths to steady him. Gave him some time to will the beginnings of a not entirely unexpected erection away before he went downstairs. Moments later, Jack headed down the stairs and into the kitchen to make tea when the cell phone on the table rang. Without thinking, he picked it up and hit the green answer button on the screen. “O’Neill.” He said tiredly into the phone.

“Jack? I’m so sorry, I thought I called Sam.” A familiar female voice said to him.

“Uh…” Jack looked at the phone. “Sorry, I answered Carter’s phone without thinking.” He admitted and tried to figure out who he was talking to.

“It’s all right. Hey while I have you what’s going on? PJ said Vala came and got Jake early today. I figured you were here and wanted to surprise Sam but then Gracie showed up without Jake. Is everything all right?”

Jack finally registered who he was talking to. It was Lynn Hopkins, Sam’s staff member. “Everything is fine. Sam wasn’t feeling well so Vala took her home and got Jake too so we didn’t have to double back for him later. Vala let me know before our conference earlier.” He said of the staff meeting they had both attended.

“Well, I hope she feels better soon. She didn’t look too great this morning when I talked to her but she told me she was fine at the time.”

“That sounds like Carter.” Jack agreed.

“Do you need me to come get the kids so Sam can get some rest?” She offered.

Jack smiled a little. Lynn was a lot more laid back than the girl he’d met years ago who was often snippy with the other staff and kept nearly everyone at arm’s length. “I’m going to call Gracie’s nanny and have her fly out to help with the kids while I take care of Sam. We should be all right.”

“Okay.” She agreed. “I’ll bring over a pot of bone broth for her in a couple of hours. There’s a nasty flu bug going around. I hope you and Gracie got vaccinated?”

“We did. I don’t know about Jake though.” Jack admitted. Sam had probably caught it because most of the time the naquadah in her system interfered with her producing antibodies for viruses. She usually didn’t need them as she fought off illness well but it had stymied Janet more than once that she’d be inoculated against something only to show minimal to no antibodies a month later.

“Let me know if you need anything, okay?” Lynn asked him again.

“I will.” Jack reassured her before hanging up.

In the Hopkins house, Frank raised an eyebrow at Lynn who stared at her phone when the call was disconnected. “How’s the boss lady?”

Lynn gave him an odd look but didn’t answer.

Frank turned his head sideways. “Something up?”

“Okay, so this is a little weird. I called her cell phone… and she didn’t answer.”

“Uh, Schultzie, you were literally just taking to someone.” He pointed out.

“Yah, that’s the weird part.” She said, smiling briefly at his pet name for her. “It was Jack.”

“Jack? As in our boss Jack?” Frank asked, his nearly white eyebrows drawing together.

She nodded vigorously. “Sam has the flu and he’s over there taking care of her and both the kids.” She said to him in a perplexed voice.

“This is starting to read like some really cheesy fan fiction for WX.” Frank observed.

Lynn giggled. “It really is. I hope she’s all right.”

“Well, if anyone is going to make sure she is, it’s Jack.”

Lynn nodded again. “Even if we’re right about what happened.”

Frank nodded slowly. “Honestly, I think he’s sweet on her.”

“What is this? The nineteen fifties? Who raised you, Hopkins? Jimmy Stewart?” She said laughing.

“Hey, I didn’t hear you complaining.” He admonished her in amusement.

“You can’t hear eye rolls, Rambo.” She teased.

Chapter Text

Jack returned to the bedroom where Sam huddled miserably under the blanket. He set the tea down on the dresser. He looked around and went back out into the hallway and retrieved the heavy winter comforter stashed in the hall closet.

“Here.” He told her as he dragged it over the bed and settled it around her before going back for the tea and sitting on the side of the bed. He brushed his fingers across her temple gently and found her fever had not abated yet she felt like she was freezing. Never a good sign. “Drink this. I’m going to get you some pain meds to get that fever down.” He explained as he handed her the mug of hot tea and resisted the urge to kiss her temple reassuringly like he had when he’d gotten to the house.

Sam blinked at him, heard what he said but not able to entirely process what was going on. Her head was throbbing still and the fever was making her struggle to stay coherent. She almost swore he’d called her ‘honey’ at one point but that was absurd.

When he came back, Sam was sitting, still holding the mug of tea. It looked like she’d at least sipped at it which satisfied him that she wasn’t totally out of it.

“These should help.” He told her as he sat down next to her on the bed and gently placed four pills in her hand. He looked at her expectantly until she obediently lifted her hand to her mouth then took a sip of tea to swallow them.

Jack just nodded when she’d done as he’d told her and got up to start tidying up the room. He started with the wet clothing and towel on the floor and headed for the bathroom to retrieve her uniform. He shoved everything in the laundry chute to the basement in the hallway figuring he could handle it all later. He went back to the bedroom and sat next to her again. “You going to be okay in here? I should go check on the kids.” He explained.

Sam nodded.

“Good.” He tucked the blankets up higher around her. “I’ll get you something to read once you’re feeling up to it.”

“Thank you.” She tried to croak but she gasped and coughed as she said it.

“Ah! No talking. That’s an order, Colonel.” He admonished her but he was smiling slightly as though saying it amused him.

Sam watched him leave the room and sipped her tea again. She frowned and stared at her mug. He’d made her favorite. Of course he had. Sam let out a very slow sigh. This would almost be nice if she didn’t feel so terrible.

Jack headed downstairs to check on the kids and found a nearly in tears Gracie bouncing a crying Jake whose tears were falling on her small shoulder.

“Daddy, I think Jake is sick too.” Gracie almost wailed, upset that she couldn’t sooth her little brother herself.

“Give him here, kiddo.” He said soothingly to her as he took Jake from her. “He’s probably just tired. Did your mom say anything about him being weaned yet?” He asked hoping it had been brought up. If not Vala or Janet might know.

Gracie shook her head and gave her father a worried look. “Is mommy okay?” She asked.

“She’s got a pretty bad bout of the flu. She needs rest and fluids pretty much in that order. Mrs. Hopkins is going to bring over some soup for her in a little bit so listen for the doorbell. I texted Marie while your mom was in the shower. She’ll be here tomorrow so we just have to muddle through for a few hours.” He reassured her, brushing a quick kiss to the top of her head.

“I’ll e-mail my teachers and tell them I need my class work for the next few days.” She told him.

Jack smiled ironically. Leave it to Sam’s kid to figure out they were staying for a few days at least and be responsible enough to think of staying on top of her homework too. “Good thinking.” Was all he said about it. “Go grab something to eat. If I know your mom, there’s at least peanut butter and jelly in the kitchen.”

Gracie nodded enthusiastically and left the den for the kitchen in the front of the house.

Jack looked down at the little boy in his arms who was staring up at him with a teary quizzical expression. “So you’re Jacob.” He said to the boy.

“Dada.” Jake whimpered and buried his face in Jack’s chest.

“I suppose so now, yah.” Jack agreed with a sad sigh. “I guess it doesn’t matter much that I’m not the dada you remember.”

Jake looked back up at him as though he understood and Jack got caught in the boy’s eyes that were so like his mother’s on his own face. “Gracie says you don’t feel good.” He said gently to the boy.

Jake answered him by promptly vomiting all over Jack’s BDU shirt.

“Guess that answers that question, huh, buddy?” Jack said with a sigh. “Let’s go get a shower, kiddo.” He told the boy and cradled him on the almost clean side of his shirt. He’d have taken it off but then he’d have to carry a sick toddler and a dripping with vomit shirt. If Jake was going to throw up again, Jack didn’t want it to be on the couch even if it had seen better days.

Jack went to the stairs and called to Gracie in the kitchen. “Grace, I’m going to go jump in the shower with Jake. He just barfed all over me.” He yelled.

Gracie actually laughed and popped her head out of the kitchen door. “Told you so.” She said, taking a bite of her sandwich, looked at her dad and brother and pronounced “Ew.” And her head disappeared back in the kitchen.

“Looks like we’re on our own, buddy.” Jack said to the boy and continued up the stairs. “At least your mom hasn’t barfed on me… yet.”

“Sowwy.” Jake told Jack miserably.

Jack chuckled and shook his head. “It’s okay, buddy. Your mom has barfed on me too. So has Uncle Danny.” He said chuckling at the memory of a very wild new year’s party at Walter’s house one year. “At least you probably won’t fight me getting you in the shower, huh?” He asked the boy as he headed for the bathroom off the hallway, not wanting to wake Sam if she was asleep.

He left the bathroom door open so he could hear her if she called to him. He started by sitting Jake on the toilet lid and started unsnapping his pants and onesie, ignoring the vomit. Once he had the baby undressed, he started on himself. Shortly after Jack took Jake to the bathroom, Sam rolled over and was staring idly down the hallway where Jack and Jake undressed. She gaped softly to herself in surprise when her eye caught on to the fact that she had a full view of Jack O’Neill stripping his clothing off in the master bathroom. Holy Hannah was all she could think as she observed the broad expanse of bare flesh facing her. He had picked up a little weight but he was still in incredible shape. Scars crisscrossed his back and did nothing to ruin the delicious shiver she got watching him undress. When he pulled down his shorts, Sam gulped again and looked away guiltily, hoping he hadn’t heard her. She knew she shouldn’t be watching him. His heart belonged to someone else.

Her cheeks flushed with shame but the image of Jack’s bare body wouldn’t be easily erased. It was one thing to love Gracie… it was another to lust after someone else’s Jack. She needed to just… not think about it. In the shape she was in, she wouldn’t be doing anything about her thoughts anyway and he clearly wasn’t even thinking of her that way at all she concluded, shamefaced at how impersonally he’d undressed and redressed her.

There’s your answer right there. Her brain admonished her wayward feelings. This is entirely one sided so just… get over it like you usually do with a crush. And that’s all it was, she told herself. A little crush on a man that looked like the husband she’d lost far too recently to be having lustful thoughts about another man. That was all. She could do this, she thought, after all, she’d had years of practice.

In the bathroom, Jack was utterly oblivious to the turmoil in his old bedroom as he focused on the boy in front of him. “Are you ready to take a shower, kiddo?” he asked the boy.

“Yes.” Jake said remarkably clearly for his age. Gracie had talked early too. He remembered being shocked that she could pop out two and three word sentences at barely over a year old. Sam had reassured him their daughter was just a bit advanced and that she’d also talked early which he heartily believed. He stole a glance down the hall into the bedroom but she was on her side facing away from the door.

Just as well he decided as he had forgotten you could see right into this bathroom from the bedroom and he’d stripped his clothing like the only witness was his wife. Not that Jack had ever been shy about his body ever in the first place. Somewhere there was an old Christmas card of him at the beach in his late teens crouched looking for seashells wearing nothing but sunlight. Jack smiled slowly in amusement. He hadn’t thought to bring any clean clothing with him when he undressed. If she was awake, she was getting an eyeful for sure. He decided to at least wear a towel and hope Jake didn’t kick it off him.

Jack picked up the boy who leaned into his shoulder and yawned sleepily. “Dada” He said contentedly.

Jack kissed the top of the boy’s head and told himself that was water from the shower he felt on his cheeks as he stepped into the tub. Jack brought the boy around once he was sure the water wasn’t too warm and let it sluice down over both of them, washing the vomit away.

“Seepy.” Jake said with another yawn.

“Yah, me too kiddo.” Jack agreed and snuggled the boy close. He’d missed having a baby around. His heart lurched in his chest the same way it had when Charlie and Gracie had been born and he held them for the first time. Well, hell, he thought. That wasn’t supposed to happen.

Jake looked up at Jack. “Guess we just have to deal with this huh, kiddo?” Jack asked the boy.

Jake patted his cheek and Jack smiled at him gently.

“You get away with a lot, don’t you?” Jack asked the boy chuckling. And how could he not with that grin and those eyes. They would need to stay on top of that because this kid was going to have everyone wrapped around his finger in about three seconds just like Gracie had. “All that time I worried about Sam falling in love with your sister and I should have been watching out for my own heart huh, buddy?” He said to the now content boy against his chest. Without realizing it, Jack had started rocking the boy back and forth gently while he hummed ‘Here Comes the Sun’. When the water started to cool again, he turned it off and wrapped them both in a towel and dried the boy off as quickly as he could.

“Try not to barf on me again okay, buddy? I only have so many clothes here.”

Jake was half asleep and just cuddled against him. Jack smiled softly as he kissed the boy’s forehead. Jake was running a fever too. He wondered what time it was and who he could talk into bringing them some baby Tylenol. Lynn was coming over anyway. He took the boy with him, snuggled against his chest to go get his phone off the kitchen counter.

“Daddy. Why are you undressed.” Gracie asked giggling from the kitchen table.

“You were right. Jake is sick too. I’m going to call Mrs. Hopkins and see if she can bring me some medicine for him.” He told her as he picked up his phone.

“Is mommy asleep?” She asked while she doodled in her sketch pad.

Jack nodded. “She was the last I checked. I gave her something earlier to take her fever down too.”

“Good. You should eat, daddy.” She admonished him.

Jack chuckled ruefully. “Now you sound like your brother’s namesake.” He said, chuckling. “I’ll eat when I have a minute to myself.”

“I’ll make you a sandwich. It will be in the fridge.” Gracie told him and went back to her drawing.

“Okay, mom.” He said with a small laugh.

“Someone has to be the mom today.” She said but there was no rancor in her words. She was used to taking care of her dad when he needed it.

“Thanks.” Jack said sarcastically to his daughter and turned to go back up the stairs phone in hand. When Lynn picked up, he almost sighed in relief. “You haven’t left yet, have you?”

Lynn made a soft humming noise. “No, I was waiting for the broth to cool some. Why? What’s up?”

“Can you stop at the drug store?” He pleaded.

Lynn chuckled. “Let me guess. No one was prepared for vomigeddion?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s going around on the base. I think one of the kids had it and gave it to everyone. PJ caught it two weeks ago. He’s fine now.” She said distractedly like she was wrangling a squirmy toddler.

“Thanks, Lynn, I owe you.”

“You know you don’t, Jack.” She admonished him. “Does Sam have anything to read? Does Gracie have enough things to keep her occupied? I could bring over some picture puzzles for her.”

Jack blinked. “That would be great actually.” He admitted.

“Make sure you sleep when they do, Jack. You won’t be any good to them if you wear yourself out.”

“Have you always been this big of a nag?” Jack joked then laughed when he heard Frank’s voice in the background yelling ‘yes!’ emphatically.

“You’ve heard from the expert.” Lynn quipped. “As soon as I put Rini down for her nap, I’ll hit the drug store for you and be over right after. Just… hang in there.”

“Will do.” Jack agreed and hung up. Jake, he noted, had fallen asleep on his chest. Jack’s smile was soft. So this was their boy? Awfully damned cute if he did say so himself. He went to the bedroom and dug around for a t-shirt and sweats with Jake on his shoulder. Realizing he had to change somehow, he gently placed the boy on the bed next to his apparently sleeping mom. Apparently because Jack suspected she was faking. “Stay there.” He murmured to the boy and turned to drop his towel and pull on a pair of shorts then swiftly step into his sweats and shirt.

“Hope your mom is okay with me going through your stuff for some clothing, buddy.” He said to the sleepy toddler once he’d turned around, now dressed. He’d taken chances not diapering the boy right after his shower but the toddler seemed content to wait. “I didn’t see a potty. We should get you one, huh?” He said softly as he picked the boy up again. “I bet you’d like using the potty like a big boy.”

“Dada… want boo.” Jack said sleepily.

Boo? What was boo? Jack wracked his brain. Sam had still been breast feeding last he knew. Gracie hadn’t remembered her mom saying Jake was weaned. “We’ll have to see if there’s any milk in the fridge, buddy. Your mommy is in no shape to nurse you right now.” He said gently as he left the room with the boy. Sam’s dresser had only her own clothing. He’d check Gracie’s former room.

He hit the jackpot. There was a large pile of diapers stacked on the changing table and clothing in the toddler dresser. “All right, now we’re talking.” Jack crowed quietly, not wanting to disturb Sam. She might be faking sleep but at least she was resting and that was something. She needed her space. He’d had five years to mourn his wife, she’d only had months to mourn her husband. It wasn’t at all fair of him to pressure her… and then he wanted to slap himself in the head for doing exactly what Danny had suggested. “I hate when your uncle Danny is right.” He told Jake softly. “We should get back at him for that, huh?” He said in a singsong voice as he dressed the boy he was quickly starting to identify as his son in his heart.

When he returned to the kitchen, Gracie was still drawing. “Can you let Mrs. Hopkins in when she gets here, kiddo? She’s bringing some stuff for you to do this week as we probably aren’t leaving for a while and you know how Auntie Janet is about quarantine.”

“Contain, contain, contain.” Gracie agreed. “Okay.”

“Thanks. I’m going to see if your mom has some breast milk in the fridge or some formula. Jake is hungry and I don’t think he’s going to have an easy time keeping anything down.”

“Yah, PJ said he barfed everywhere.” Gracie said, gleefully emphasizing the last word.

“Thanks for that graphic description.” Jack said with a chuckle.

Gracie shrugged and grinned. “Daddy?” she said with a small frown.

“Yah, kiddo?”

“Is the reason you were mad at mommy because you weren’t sure if you were Jake’s daddy or not?”

“Uh…” Jack honestly had no idea how to answer that one with anything that would come off as honesty from him.

“Because if you were, he looks just like Charlie except with blue eyes.”

With quite a bit of relief, Jack nodded agreement. “He does look like your older brother.” Jack agreed.

“Is that why you stopped being mad at mommy?”

Jack turned away so Gracie couldn’t read him. “Something like that.” He agreed and hoped she’d drop it.

“Did you tell PJ’s mom to bring pizza? I’m hungry.”

Jack chuckled as he pulled a bottle of breast milk out of the fridge. “No, and I think that’s a bad idea. Remember how much smells bothered you when you had the flu?”

“Rats.” Gracie grumbled.

Jack chuckled as he warmed up the bottle slowly in the microwave. He knew you were supposed to use a water bath so it didn’t lose antibodies but frankly Jack didn’t care at the moment. He needed to get calories into the boy more than he needed to be crunchy. “We can have pizza when your mom and your brother are feeling better, all right?”

Gracie sighed dramatically in the way only an eight year old can. “Oohhhh kaaayyy…”

“Atta girl!” Jack said cheerfully as the microwave beeped. He swirled the bottle gently to even out the temperature before testing it on his wrist and offering it to Jake. “Here yah go, buddy.” He said gently to the boy who tiredly latched onto the bottle and began sucking contentedly. “Let’s hope you can keep this down, hm.”

“PJ says he barfed everywhere too.” Gracie said again, conversationally.

“I wish your buddy PJ had told us that a little sooner.” Jack quipped.

“He would have if we’d gotten out here two weeks ago.” Gracie said matter-of-factly.

“I’m sure me not showing up for work would go over very well with the president.” Jack agreed.

“Oh, what does he know? He’s just a lawyer.” She joked.

Jack had to laugh but he did it quietly. “He’s a very smart lawyer.” Jack said in defense of a man he otherwise liked.

“He’s nice too. I bet if you told him you wanted to take a vacation to see mommy he’d let you.” Gracie pointed out.

Jack frowned as he thought about that. Come to think of it, she was probably right. He wasn’t going to push things though. They had a long way to go before he could tell her this had anything at all to do with them and not the kids. “Probably but your mom doesn’t have as much latitude.”

“I bet you could bully Uncle Hank.” Gracie suggested.

Jack grinned. She was right, he could. “That wouldn’t be very professional of me to bully someone because you want a vacation.” He pointed out.

Gracie thought about her conversation with her mom about the kitten. “Now you sound like mom.” She pouted.

Jack chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment, kiddo.”

Jake had fallen asleep while working on his bottle and Jack juggled to catch it before it dropped to the floor.

“Good catch, daddy.” Gracie said giggling at his fumbled but successful attempts to not drop the plastic bottle.

Jack flashed her a grin. “I still got it.” He quipped and put the half-finished bottle back in the fridge. “He’s out. I’m going to go check on your mom.”

Gracie nodded.

In spite of the situation, her dad seemed happier. Gracie wasn’t sure if it was being home with mom or holding Jake even though he was sick but whatever it was, she liked having the dad she dimly remembered back, at least for a while. Time would tell if he’d stay this way or slide back into being unhappy all the time like he was before. Thinking about it though, his mood hadn’t improved until she’d stumbled upon her mom and at first her dad had been super mad. Shouldn’t he have been happier when she came home? Jake looked just like Charlie so that wasn’t it. Mom hadn’t been running around on dad. Or if she had whoever it was wasn’t Jake’s dad at all.

She couldn’t figure it out. The math just didn’t work and she was afraid to ask her dad. Even if she did he most likely wouldn’t tell her anyways and then he’d be angry at her again too. Whatever had happened things had really only changed that day she’d snuck onto the base. But why?

Unaware of his daughter’s thoughts, Jack tried to lay Jake down in the crib in Gracie’s bedroom. The toddler bed was still in there. Sam must have decided to just keep it for when Jake got older. Gracie could sleep on the couch in the den for a few nights. He’d sleep on the floor in the hallway between the kid’s room and the master bedroom in case either of them needed him in the middle of the night.

When he tried to put Jake down though, the boy clung to him and whimpered. That figures, Jack thought with a sigh. “All right, I guess you can come too since you’re already sick anyway.” He told the boy softly and headed for his bedroom where Sam had pretended to sleep while he changed.

Sam had rolled onto her side facing the dresser again and Jack could tell she was genuinely asleep this time. He pressed the inside of his wrist to her forehead and noted her fever was down but not gone. She’d need more medication when she woke up. His phone jangled in the pocket of his sweatpants. Jack rolled his eyes and hoped Jake would accept the comfort of being next to his mom while he found out who wanted his ass now.

He placed the boy gently in the middle of the bed next to his mom and fished his phone out of his pocket, keeping one hand on Jake. “O’Neill.” He murmured into his phone.

“Jack.”

“Daniel.” Jack said patiently, figuring Daniel would pester him with nonsense like he usually did so he was a bit surprised when that wasn’t the direction the conversation went.

“How’s Sam?”

“Sleeping.”

“Ah.”

“Was there something you needed, Daniel?” Jack asked quietly so as not to disturb Sam or Jake who both looked fairly miserable even asleep. Sam’s eyes were red like she’d been crying.

“Yah, uh… well…. Vala is sick too.” Daniel finally managed to get out.

“Well, she did drive them home.” Jack agreed,

Jake took that moment to open his eyes and wail “Dada!” piteously at him.

“Come here, buddy.” Jack said soothingly at him and put out his arms for the boy as he sat. Jake crawled into his embrace and buried his head in Jack’s shirt.

On the other end, there was a pregnant pause while Daniel digested Jake calling Jack ‘dada’.

“Cat got your tongue, Danny?”

“What?” Daniel’s voice registered surprise. “No, no.” He demurred. “Just… ah… look could you bring some cold medicine by or something?”

“No can do, Danny. Jake is down for the count too. I’m not taking him outside unless I really have to. Page Janet.”

“What am I supposed to do with her?” Daniel huffed.

“I don’t know, Danny. Try being nice for a change or something?” Jack groused and hung up on his best friend. He had his own romantic problems to sort out. He had no desire to be in the middle of Daniel’s.

Daniel looked over at the now sleeping Vala who had miserably begged him to leave not moments before claiming he’d just as soon she died anyway.

His eyebrows drew together in frustration. Why would she think he didn’t care about her anyway? He went out of his way to be nice. They got along fine at work as long as they didn’t talk about anything personal; she could just be so grating some times.

Daniel scowled and put his fists on his hips trying to decide what to do. He supposed he could call Janet and have her take care of this situation so he could get work done. But Janet had patients that were in need of actual medical care not someone to take care of them because they had an annoying bout of the flu. He threw up his hands and left the room.

Chapter Text

Sam woke to snoring. Very familiar snoring at that. She rolled over with a groan and found herself face to face with her son… and her… well, she supposed her husband. Apparently at some point, both of them had ended up on the bed, Jake between them.

She blinked at Jack for a moment. This was the first time he’d looked at all relaxed since she’d gotten here. She started to reach out to stroke his cheek when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Gracie was standing in the bedroom doorway. Sam rolled back over to look at her.

“Hi mommy.” She whispered. “Jake is sick too. Daddy is really tired. Mrs. Hopkins brought over chicken soup. Do you want some?” She said hopefully.

Sam almost said no then realized Gracie needed to feel useful. “Yes please.” She whispered hoarsely.

“Okay. I’ll warm some up and bring you some medicine too.” The tawny haired girl offered and disappeared from the doorway.

Sam smiled a little wistfully. Whatever faults this other Jack might have, being bad at parenting wasn’t one of them. Gracie was kind, sweet, gracious, and helpful. Jack had done an excellent job raising her on his own. She’d suspected he would be, and deep down, she knew it was one of the reasons she’d hesitated about kids with Pete but had been enthusiastic about them with Jack. In spite of the tragic death of his son, he was a good father. She’d seen it in his interactions with Skarra, Cassie, and numerous other children he’d interacted with.

Gracie returned shortly with hot tea, a mug of soup, and a bottle of pills rattling in her pocket. She put her finger to her lips as Jack and Jake were still both sound asleep. It was a bit after twenty one hundred.

Sam nodded and accepted the mug of soup after she’d sat up and repositioned herself. “I need a shower.” She murmured after a sip of soup. She had been sweating in her sleep and felt gross.

“Showers are great.” Gracie agreed as she sat down on the bed next to Sam, checked on her baby brother then returned her attention to her mom. “They get you clean, they’re warm.”

Sam nodded in agreement as she sipped her soup which was quite good.

“There’s one kind of shower I wouldn’t like though.” Gracie continued.

Sam was about to stop her in case she was going to tell an off color joke not realizing it was impropriate for her to do so when Gracie pronounced proudly, “Meteor showers.” Sam snorted in amusement.

“Yah. It’s full of rocks and it would hurt and probably leave you all dirty too.”[1]  Sam chuckled until she started to cough.

Gracie took the mug from her and patted her back until the coughing stopped. “Okay?” she asked her mom.

“Yah.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told a joke.” Gracie looked chagrined.

Sam shook her head and smiled. “It was a good joke.”

Gracie grinned and looked suspiciously like her father when she did so. Sam suspected the girl was doing her best to cheer her up, just like Jack always had. “Mrs. Hopkins makes good soup.” She announced.

“She does.” Sam agreed.

“I made the tea. It has lemon and honey and some of the elderberry syrup you had in the fridge.” Gracie said. “I looked it up online.”

Sam smiled. “Good job.” She told her.

Gracie waited quietly for Sam to finish her meal. “I’ll stay here and make sure Jake doesn’t roll out of the bed if you want to go to the bathroom or take as shower.” She offered once Sam placed her mug down.

Sam looked at her son. Jack had his hand on the boy’s bottom protectively. She smiled softly. “I think they will be all right. Go get some sleep, Gracie. I’m going to go right back to bed after I go to the bathroom.”

Gracie gave her a dubious look but shrugged with an ‘if you’re sure’ expression on her face before leaving the room, taking the empty mugs with her.

Honestly Sam felt fairly awful but she didn’t want Gracie feeling like she had to mother her as well. It was obvious she did so to her dad.

Jack snorted in his sleep and Sam had to stop herself from giggling. Gracie had said Jake was sick too. Jack seemed to have things under control for the moment though in spite of his being out cold so she gingerly got up slowly and made her way to the bathroom to take something for the fever she’d started to run again and some cough medicine. Once she accomplished that she navigated back to the bed and laid down facing her son and the man who so deeply resembled her husband. He didn’t act exactly like him but Sam wondered for the thousandth time if the trauma of losing her had made such a difference in who he was now? Jack had told her once he’d rather die than live without her. Had this Jack said the same thing to his Sam?

She fell asleep watching them with a thoughtful frown on her face.

Two hours later Jake’s shriek of pain woke them both up.

Jack was startled but responded immediately by rolling to pick the boy up and try to soothe the crying toddler who was trying to shove both hands into his mouth.

“Jake.” Sam said in concern, her voice still raspy, as she sat up in bed.

“Ach, I think he has an earache. I’ll give him some medicine and take him downstairs so you can get back to sleep.”

She shook her head. “You’ve been up with him all day. I’ll take him.”

Jack shook his head though. “No, you’ve been sick all day. I can run on a couple hours of sleep. Lie back down, Colonel. That’s an order.” He said in his command tone but a crooked smile marred the effectiveness of said order.

“Jack, I can—”

“I said no, Sam. You won’t be any good to him if you make yourself more sick. I can sleep tomorrow when Marie gets here.” He explained.

“Oh…” Sam mumbled. She’d forgotten the nanny was coming. “If you’re sure.”

“I am. Get some rest.” Jack said over the wailing toddler and left the room to seek out acetaminophen for the boy’s earache, gently bouncing him on his shoulder and using his most soothing voice to tell him he’d be all right just as soon as daddy could find the Tylenol.

Sam started to slip back into sleep very quickly but her last coherent thought was ‘daddy’?

At about oh four hundred next morning, Sam felt a bit better but suspected that was the rest and the drugs talking so she eased herself out of bed carefully. Jack had not returned and she wondered if he’d put Jake to bed and finally crashed on the couch since he’d have no reason to return to her bed that she could fathom. She decided a cup of tea would help her get back to sleep and headed quietly down the stairs to the kitchen, encountering no one else up. Jake was not in his crib or in Gracie’s old toddler bed that she’d opted to keep rather than buy another.

She found them on the couch in the living room, both passed out. Jake was lying comfortably in Jack’s arms as he held him tight, one arm securely around his back and one hand supporting his bottom. Jake had one hand under him and the other stretched out, his little palm against Jack’s cheek. Jack’s expression was one of clear and obvious exhaustion even in sleep. She sighed softly. Sorry that they were putting him through all this just because he was a kind man who felt sorry for the mirror of his dead wife.

She went to the side table and pulled the afghan she always kept under it out and gently covered them both, leaving Jack’s long bare feet free in case he woke and needed to get up in a hurry. She worried at her lip with her teeth for a moment as she watched them sleep for a few minutes. She sighed once before returning to the kitchen to make the tea. The kettle would be too loud and she really only needed one cup so she ran water into a mug and stuck it in the microwave instead.

She noted someone had started a picture puzzle on the table and once her tea bag was steeping she wandered over and sat down to fiddle with it a bit herself. She could hear Jack snoring as he slept on the couch in the next room and she smiled a little sadly. This was what her life was supposed to be. Not the horrors she’d faced as the Ori picked off her loved ones one by one. Not this Jack’s wife being brutally murdered by space pirates and the only thing that had kept him alive for years was the knowledge that his daughter needed him.

She sighed and bobbed her teabag in her mug absently. They had both gotten the raw end of the stick in life. Uncle Irving had often told her, bubelah, life isn’t always fair. Well, life certainly had not been fair to either of them she mused as she sipped tea and pondered the puzzle pieces before her. Not even a little bit. Absently, she tried to fit a piece, decided it wasn’t the right one and set it aside to ponder the puzzle again. The next piece she found fit though in a different spot. Sam’s tea had gone cold which was a sign she should probably drag herself back to bed. She checked on the boys one last time. They were still sacked out together on the couch. Sam smiled softly and headed back to the stairwell.

Two hours later, Jack was woken by another wailed ‘dada!’ followed by the now very familiar sensation of his son’s vomit all over him. Again. He sighed deeply. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s get cleaned up again.” He said as he stood and was surprised to find a familiar afghan Sam had knitted years ago wrapped around him. When had? He smiled softly. If his immediate concern wasn’t Jake, he’d go talk to her about this… thing.

But Jake was wailing inconsolably about having thrown up again so Jack carried the boy wrapped in the now puke covered blanket upstairs on his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go get a shower.” He said gently to the boy who was clearly miserable and running a fever again.

When he got to the bedroom, Jake was still wailing and Sam sat up, disoriented for a split second before she started to get up.

Jack waved her back down. “I’ve got it. He threw up again. We’re going to take a shower. Aren’t we, buddy?” He cooed at Jake. “A nice warm shower and get all that nasty puke off.” He continued and disappeared into the bathroom. “Sorry about the afghan.” He turned back and gave her a smile which made her heart jump, momentarily distracting her. “I’ll wash it tomorrow.” He promised and the door clicked shut.

Sam rolled her eyes and smiled in amusement before laying back down and falling asleep to the sound of running water and Jack’s pleasant baritone singing Frankie Valli and missing the high notes by a mile.

The sun was flooding a sliver of the floor where the curtains weren’t entirely closed when Sam woke to her entire body aching. She groaned miserably.

“Good morning to you too.” Jack said in concerned amusement from the other side of the room where he was changing his shirt.

Sam blinked at the sight. Holy Hannah, the man was ripped. Frantically, she tried to quell the depth of her attraction.

“How are you feeling?” Jack asked her, his voice slightly muffled, from under his shirt, oblivious to her sudden physical reaction to the sight of his bare back.

She swallowed convulsively. “Uh…”

“I’ll take that as like crap still.” He joked gently as he tugged his shirt in place. “Not barf this time, just messy toddler breakfast. It seems that yogurt requires supervision.” He quipped as he came around the foot of the bed and gently placed the inside of his wrist against her forehead. “Still too warm. Better than when I checked you after my shower though.” He said thoughtfully. “Throat hurting any?” He asked.

“Um… no?” She said cautiously.

“Good. I’ll make you some toast and eggs then.” He grinned at her and left the room.

Sam blinked in confusion. What on earth was that all about? She wondered.

Downstairs in the kitchen while he got out the ingredients for Sam’s breakfast, Jack was humming the same Frankie Valli song he’d been singing to Jake last night. He was mildly distracted from this undertaking when Marie entered the kitchen from the living room.

Marie had arrived early that morning, shortly before 0500, and had slept on the floor in the den with Gracie. Jack had been concerned but she’d brushed him off with the comment that it was a lot nicer than the conditions she’d slept in when she was in Kosovo.

“Mornin’, boss.” She said with an amused smile at his busy breakfast preparations. “How’s the patient?”

“Still looks like crap.” He admitted, turning back to the stove.

She poured herself a coffee, and nonchalantly said as she started to sip from her mug. “Surprised you didn’t bring Mitch out too.”

Jack shrugged. “No point really. I don’t need a driver out here to navigate the traffic and handle getting Gracie to school. He could use a vacation anyway.”

She nodded. “It’s also easier if he doesn’t find out the actual truth.”

Jack sighed. “Yah.” He agreed. Shortly after they arrived at the house and saw what was happening, he’d called his daughter’s caretaker and explained who this Sam actually was and why he was asking her to come to Colorado. Marie had understood the situation. She knew more about Jack’s previous job than any of the other staff, having been with him the longest since she was Gracie’s caretaker before the Sam of this reality had died.

Watching him now though she wondered if he realized how telling his mood was. She opted to keep the knowledge that this was the first genuine smile she’d seen on his face in years. She supposed he’d figure it out eventually. “Gracie has Jake. He’s still miserable but I gave him enough medicine to make him not care.”

Jack nodded as he poured eggs into a pan. “I’ve had two showers in twelve hours. Hopefully, he keeps the yogurt down.” Jack mused.

“Doesn’t help that he’s a preemie.” Marie agreed.

“How did you know that?” Jack wondered, knowing that it was a relatively unknown fact about the baby.

“He’s too small for his age.” Marie said with a shrug. “I also might have hacked her service record.” She admitted, referring to the cover story.

Jack chuckled as he folded eggs. “You could have just asked.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” She joked and put two slices of bread into the toaster for him. “Are you all right with all of this?” she asked him while she poured herself more coffee, voicing her concerns even after telling herself to mind her own business.

Jack’s shoulders slumped imperceptibly as he looked out the kitchen window. “I won’t say it’s not an adjustment.” He admitted slowly. “But letting her stay here was the right thing to do and much as I hate to admit it, letting her be part of Gracie’s life is too.” He said softly.

Marie nodded, hoping he understood his motives. “I’ll go watch the kids. Go take care of your wife.” She told him as he slid eggs onto a waiting plate. “Offer her some of the strawberries.” She suggested, referring to the carton of them she had observed earlier when she’d arrived famished.

Jack gave her a perplexed look then nodded. “Sure, she likes strawberries I bet.” He agreed and headed for the fridge.

Marie smiled and shook her head as she headed for the den. The man was already halfway in love with the woman and clearly had no idea what was going on yet. Since her arrival that morning, she saw the difference between this man before her and the man she had known for the past five years. There was a warmth and gentleness to him that she had only seen demonstrated to his daughter.

“Hi Marie.” Gracie said to her nanny as she joined her charge on the couch. “Jake is asleep.” She announced very quietly and put a finger to her lips.

Marie nodded. She hoped Gracie hadn’t overheard any of the conversation in the kitchen. As far as she knew, Gracie knew the cover story that Sam had been MIA PKIA and found injured years later. Now, she suffered extreme memory loss and that her parents were just having some marital troubles due to her mom’s gaps in her memories and being apart for five years.

How would you explain to a kid her age about quantum mechanics anyway? Arguably Gracie was a genius level intellect but that didn’t mean she’d be understanding about her mom not really being her mom. After how she’d taken finding out her mom was alive in the first place, it would be the ultimate betrayal for her to discover the woman she now loved was never biologically her mom.

“What are we watching?” Marie asked the girl quietly, in an effort to not wake the toddler passed out on the couch next to her.

“I donno. Mommy doesn’t have a lot of cable channels.”

Marie chuckled. “I don’t think TV is your mom’s thing.”

Nodding, Gracie grinned. “She likes motorcycles and house plants.”

Marie smiled. Jack had kept Sam’s plants alive for years. As if he was pouring all the love left for his dead wife into those plants and their daughter. The only things that still connected him to her. She realized she was happy for him as long as this Sam returned his obvious feelings.

“Marie?”

“Yah, kiddo?” Marie said absently, falling back on Jack’s pet name for his daughter.

“Jake is a year old.”

“Uh huh.” Marie agreed. Uh oh. She thought.

“I know he was early but even then that means mommy was home a year and a half before I found out.” Gracie said with a troubled frown.

Marie sighed. “I really think you need to talk to your dad about that.”

Upstairs Jack had finally stopped humming the horns section of the Frankie Valli song stuck in his head and tried not to give Sam an amused smile. She was trying valiantly to rearrange her pillows so she could sit up but didn’t have the energy to accomplish the task. His amusement turned to concern when her coughing fit started.

“Hey, let me do that.” He admonished her gently as he put the food down on the dresser and headed for the bed to stop her frustrated wiggling that was exacerbating her cough.

“I can—”, she started to protest but she was cut off by another coughing fit that had him sitting on the bed and pulling her to him so he could gently pound on her back.

“Hey, easy.” He told her as her body shook. “I’ve got yah.”

When she finally let out a long slow sigh, he loosened his hold on her shoulders. “Better?” he asked her hopefully.

Sam nodded dumbly as she looked up at him and was startled by what she saw in his eyes. Hiding her discomfiture, she looked over at the plate of food hopefully.

“I made you eggs and toast. The strawberries were Marie’s idea. There’s tea in the cup.” He explained as he got up to retrieve the plate.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

Jack nodded absently as he put the food on the nightstand on top of her book and started rearranging her pillows for her with the ease of muscle memory and long practice. “So far Jake kept down his breakfast but we stuck to yogurt with a little jam in it.” He explained as he helped her ease back against the pillows. “You need to eat.” He finished gruffly. It had not escaped his notice that when he’d held her she’d been more bones than muscles. A sign that she might have passed her physical but she still wasn’t in full fighting form.

Sam sighed. It smelled really good. She didn’t even care if he’d put beer in them honestly. Right now, doing the smallest things were a massive effort. She would try though… if for no other reason the look he’d had in his eyes when he’d looked at her.

Jack looked around the room thoughtfully until he remembered he’d stashed the breakfast tray in the closet. He ignored the tight feeling in his chest he got that it had been a gift for his wife when she’d been pregnant with Gracie. Sam needed it now so he went to the closet and grabbed it and then settled it across her lap before putting the plate and mug of tea on it and sat by her feet, looking at her expectantly.

Sam looked at him thoughtfully. She’d seen the flash of pain cross his face and correctly figured it was due to thoughts about the other her. She often had similar flashes of her own like when she’d found his acoustic guitar in the downstairs hall closet.

Once he’d managed to coax her to eat as much as she possibly could, Jack suggested she take another nap. He was handling the kids just fine with Marie’s help so Sam thanked him and laid back down to rest. The medicine helped but it left her feeling exhausted.

“No.” She whimpered. “Please.”

Jack poked his head into the bedroom in concern. He’d just put Jake down for a late morning nap and heard Sam’s frantic cries in her sleep. He pursed his lips. His own Sam had been prone to nightmares too.

“Jack!” She sobbed in her sleep.

That motivated him to launch himself into the room and gather her up in his arms. “Shh. I’ve got yah.” He murmured into her ear as she clutched at him reflexively. “It’s just a dream, Sam.” He said hugging her. “Just a dream.”

Sam’s eyes finally opened and she shook. “They’re all dead.” She sobbed. “All of them. Even you.” She wailed and cried even harder in his arms.

Jack just held her making soothing noises as he rocked her gently. What could he say? She’d lost everyone she ever loved. He realized now that even if they could get her back home, she had nothing to go home to and doubted she’d ever want to. He buried his face in her neck as her shaking subsided and just kept holding her.

“I’m sorry.” She said miserably when her tears finally stopped.

“For what?” He lifted his head to look at her with a perplexed frown. “You can’t hold it in forever, Sam. I don’t expect you to.”

Sam sighed and scrubbed at the rim of her eye with her sleeve. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just hard. Everyone here is almost exactly who I remember but not quite.”

Jack nodded. “That’s what Danny said about the alternate realities he went to too.”

Sam gave him a jerky nod and surreptitiously massaged her temples.

“How about I get you a cold washcloth for your face?” Jack asked her gently. “And something for the headache.”

“Yah… okay.”

He nodded and got up, his hand lingering on her neck for a second before letting her go entirely.

Sam sighed softly when he was in the bathroom. Being held by him had been so familiar. So right.  His embrace and his scent had always been calming. They had held each other countless times after nightmares over the years, even just as teammates. It shouldn’t make her so aware of him as a man. He doesn’t think of you that way, she reminded herself. By all accounts she had heard, he’d spent the last five years trying to drink himself to death. The last thing he wants is a shadow of a memory.

When Jack returned with a washcloth, Sam’s emotional barriers were as firmly in place again as she could manage given the situation. When he gently wiped her face and then placed the cool cloth against her forehead, she managed a grateful smile and a whispered thank you.

Jack nodded absently and helped her get settled again before leaving, partially closing the door behind him.

[1] I have no idea where he got this from but my 8 year old recently made this joke to MKH.

Chapter Text

“Daddy?”

“Yup?” Jack replied absently, not looking up from the monitor.

“Why didn’t you tell me that they found mommy?” She asked him with an annoyed frown. She decided that her anger at him outweighed her fear of reprisals from her father.

Jack swallowed before answering. He was surprised this hasn’t come up earlier honestly but perhaps being around her little brother longer has made Gracie plot out the math a little more thoroughly. He turned to look at her as she stood in front of his desk, arms folded across her chest, with a look very reminiscent of both Sams. He was thankful that he had thought about his answer long before she voiced her question.

“Well, the thing is, kiddo, we weren’t sure if mommy was going to make it. I didn’t want to put you through the stress of losing her again. And then we discovered how severe her memory loss was especially with parts of her life before she was taken.”

Grace was silent for a moment. Jack could see her mentally analyzing his explanation. Her shoulders relaxed as she concluded his answers were at least mostly truthful. But the inevitable curve ball question he should have expected but didn’t want to popped out of her mouth.

“Daddy, Jake is a year old.”

“Yah… um… people do stupid things, kiddo.” He looked at her across the desk and motioned her over. Reaching his side, she leaned against him and looked up into his eyes. “When they found your mom, she seemed fine. I took her home but she started having health problems the next morning. Prisoners of War are often not treated well by their captors. Apparently, her internal injuries especially her head injuries were more severe than we thought, but by then it was too late. Jake was already conceived, and we didn’t know it at the time. It took me a whole ‘nother day to convince your mom to even get checked out.” This was almost the identical story he had given to Mitch, just in case Gracie confided in the younger man instead of asking him directly. Gracie knew how babies were made. He and Sam had agreed that wasn’t something you protected kids from knowing about.

“There were problems,” Jack paused and considered what to say” “the internal injuries she had were threatening the pregnancy. We were monitoring both their health but we still almost lost both of them when Jake was born prematurely.”

“She almost died? Jake too?”

“Yah.” Jack said heavily, recalling Sam’s report of her experiences and the later in one of infamous earlier encounters. He recalled Sam had explained in her report that the birth had been difficult with only Jack and Vala to help her to deliver and it had taken Vala using a Goa’uld healing device to keep her from bleeding out. Jake had been premature and incredibly fragile. Vala had finally broken emotionally and hatched a plan to kill as many priors as she could manage before they killed her. The story had been gutting. Even written in the form of a mission report.

Gracie seemed to think about that for a long time. “Mommy doesn’t like to talk about it either. She gets a really scared look in her eyes.”

Jack nodded slowly, trying to will his daughter to believe this version of events. “Yah, your mom was really scared. She didn’t think she’d survive; she didn’t think Jake would survive. It’s why she was still so thin a few months ago when you found her.”

“She’s okay now thought, right? And Jake is, too?” Gracie asked in concern.

Jack huffed out a small sigh. “I won’t lie. But I’m a little worried about her getting the flu like this. Her immune system is still low and she hasn’t gained back enough weight in my opinion or Auntie Janet’s but your mom is tough, and she loves us. She’ll be better in a few days. You’ll see.”

Gracie adopted the same troubled frown Jack often saw in Sam’s face when she wasn’t sure about something, Her dad was telling the truth, mostly anyway. She could tell he was hiding something, but she knew he couldn’t tell her anything about where her mom had been or why because it was classified. “I heard her crying.” She admitted to her dad.

Jack nodded sadly and sighed again. “She was having a nightmare about what happened to her.” He told her.

Gracie’s troubled frown softened into pity. “Was it like one of your nightmares, daddy?”

“Yah.” He admitted. “A lot like one of them.”

Gracie bit her lip.

“I went to her as soon as I heard her and held her until she was okay again.” Jack reassured his daughter.

“Okay, good.” Gracie said and a small smile returned. “Do you think mommy might like to play a game of chess with me after she gets some rest?”

“I think she’d like that a lot, kiddo.” Jack said with a smile as he ruffled her tawny curls.

Three mornings later, Sam was up and moving around again and Jake seemed on the mend as well. Sam sat in the den playing chess with Gracie when Jack came back from grocery shopping, Jake in tow. Jack had taken him to give Sam some quiet for a little bit as Marie had things of her own to take care of.

“Ladies.” He said jovially. “Anyone want to help unload or is this a serious game of kicking butt?” He joked.

Sam grinned up at him. For a moment, their eyes locked and neither looked away. Silently they had a conversation just like they had a thousand times before with another version of the other.

‘You okay?’

‘I’m fine. Getting better. Don’t worry. I’m not doing too much.’

‘I’m not worried.’

‘Okay’.

“Give us a minute.” She said out loud before returning her attention to Gracie. She arched a delicate brow at the move Gracie was about to make on the board. “Are you sure?” She asked.

“I know that trick, mommy.”

“Rats.” Sam said with a grin.

In the doorway of the den, Jack chuckled. Jake who had been hanging off his leg started and jabbering. “Dada! Dada! We go stowe?” He asked with a bit of a lisp.

Jack laughed. “No, kiddo we just got back from the store.”

“Adin, dada!”

“But we got everything!” Jack insisted swinging him up, making the little boy squeal in delight.

“Adin, dada! Go to stowe, adin!”

Jack laughed and made motor sounds while held Jake out like an airplane to distract him.

“Airpain!” Jake shrieked in delight as they left the room.

“They sure are noisy.” Gracie observed.

“Boys usually are.” Sam agreed with a fond smile for the man and the boy.

Gracie noted her mom’s expression and hid a smile. Whatever problem her parents had been having since her mom’s return, it seemed to be resolving with time. “Should we help them?”

Sam chuckled. “Yah… I suppose.” She said in mock reluctance.

“She’s not well enough for us to leave yet sir.” Marie told her boss the next day in the small office that led to his observation deck.

“I know.” Jack agreed in annoyance. “But the idiots on the hill want my ass back in DC ASAP per the CIC.” Jack quipped in an annoyed voice.

“To do what? The same thing you could do here? Stare at them while they say idiotic things about subjects they aren’t educated in?”

Jack flashed the nanny a grin. “Have I told you how much I appreciate your entire lack of tolerance for crap, Marie?”

“Yes sir, several times.” She agreed with an answering grin.

“Hell, I don’t know what their beef is. All I know is I’m leaving my ‘not especially well enough to take care of herself let alone an active toddler’ wife alone in Colorado.” He grumbled.

“Do you want me to stay behind?” She kept her counsel to herself that he’d started to think of this alternate reality Samantha Carter as his wife.

Jack frowned. He did. But Sam would likely brain him for even suggesting she needed a babysitter. “Yes… but no.” He admitted.

Marie smiled in dry amusement. “Do you want the kids to check up on her?”

“God no. I don’t even know if she knows about that whole… thing.” He said of the situation his clone was in. He wasn’t even sure what his status had been in her life. She hadn’t mentioned it in her report nor brought it up with anyone that he knew of which suggested in her reality at least, the kid had gone off to live his own life for some reason. Or he’d been one of the very early victims of the Ori.

“You have to tell her sometime. Eventually she’s going to find out you stayed in contact; worse they will find out and you know how they both are.”

“Yah, well we made them so I think I can figure out their motives.” Jack agreed sarcastically.

Marie blew out a huff of breath signifying better him than her to deliver that ticking time bomb of data to either party.

Jack shoved his head into his hands and raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to have to rely on Cam and Danny to make sure she doesn’t push herself too hard.” He said, realizing that Daniel would be utterly unsuccessful at this task and Cam not much better. He knew he should have asked Vala and Janet but neither woman was available, with Vala recovering herself and Janet being running ragged at the Infirmary because of this flu outbreak and their usual plethora of injuries on and off base.

“Good luck with that, sir.” Marie advised dryly.

“Yah. Thanks.” Jack agreed sarcastically.

She flashed him a grin. “I’ll pack up Gracie’s things.”

Jack nodded and went back to his paperwork, wondering why the hell he couldn’t just stay in Colorado where he belonged. Where he can try to work things out with Sam, see if there was anything more there than the memory of a lost spouse to build on.

He had a very strong suspicion there might be.

He wasn’t even especially shocked to find himself feeling this way. It was one hundred and ninety percent of the reason he’d stayed far far away during that whole multiverse Sams thing several years ago. Aside from the crazy assortment of situations, most of which she had ended up with him in, his Sam had almost kissed Martouf for some reason. Truth be told at that time, they had been struggling with being separated but he hadn’t thought it was that bad. Jack shrugged it off. That was the past and it had nothing to do with the current situation of him being deeply attracted to a woman who happened to share everything with his dead wife including a particular mole and the freckle beside it on her bottom.

If it had only been just the physical resemblance to her, he could have let it go. The trouble was she had Sam’s big heart too and her strength of spirit and her adorable moments of shyness. And try as he might, there was the same physical reaction to her presence (even the thought of her presence) that was missing from his life for the past six years.

Part of him felt this would only end in pain.

But a bigger part of him didn’t care about that pain. Just like it hadn’t last time. Just then, Gracie walked in on him absently tapping his pen on his note pad, lost in thought.

“Marie says we’re leaving.” She accused him.

Jack blinked and came back to Earth. “Yah.” He confirmed with a sigh.

“I don’t want to go.” She said with a mutinous scowl.

“Me neither, kiddo, but the President says he needs me back in DC. Your mom is feeling better. With a little more rest, she should be fine, and I’ll have the team and Auntie Janet check on her.”

Gracie’s face settled into a canted scowl, and she harrumphed.

Jack fought a chuckle valiantly. There were times this kid acted exactly like him. And refusing to leave a man behind had become the family mantra. “I agree, but something tells me I won’t be able to convince your mom to fly back to DC with us to finish getting better where we can keep an eye on her.”

Gracie didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I hate that you’re right.” She finally announced as she whirled on her heel and left the room.

Jack leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest. Having Sam come home with him was a dangerous prospect in any case. There wasn’t an extra bed. His back wouldn’t tolerate their worn-down couch for more than a night here and there and he wouldn’t make her sleep there either. Maybe it would be better for them if she didn’t come to DC. While he’d seen glimmers of her attraction to him, he needed to feel her out on that aspect first, not just take advantage of her grief. And that reminded himself of what was the biggest issue - he was afraid of hurting her and of being hurt by her rejection. He suspected she might be physically attracted to him but when it came to romantically, she may not feel that way about him at all, he reminded himself.

-----------

The next morning was bright and sunny which made Jack’s mood worse. It should rain, be cold and miserable out not birds chirping cheerfully on budding tree branches. He and Marie were loading the last of the bags in the trunk. He’d drop off half of them at the UPS store and ship them home. It was still cheaper than taking them on the flight. Gracie had left some art supplies behind but had elected to retrieve some of the things from her room that Jack simply couldn’t fathom why she might even still want. He shrugged it off as he had other fish to fry this morning.

One of which was the woman who was washing dishes in the large yellow kitchen she’d once described as her dream kitchen to a man she didn’t really want to marry in her own reality. Thank God, it had never gotten that far in his own. “Sam,” he said softly from the doorway. “I said I’d take care of that.”

She nodded jerkily, standing with her back to him. “I know but you had so much to pack up and you’ve been taking care of us for days.” She said in a strained voice, trying not to show just how upset she was that they were leaving.

“Hey…” He said softly and almost called her to him but thought better of it. Instead he crossed the kitchen floor to lean against the counter near her in such a way that if she wanted to continue to make work for herself she’d have to look at him. “I’d stay longer if I could.” He said gently.

She nodded and looked back down at the dishes, placing her hands on the edge of the sink, and gripping it tightly that her knuckles turned white. “We… um… we should work out some kind of arrangement. I’d really like to see Gracie more.”

Jack sighed. Had she been afraid he’d say no? “I’d like to see Jake more too.” He agreed. Hoping this meant she’d come out and see him in DC or he’d be welcomed here.

“I’ll have a custody lawyer draw up some papers.” She said in a strained voice.

“We don’t need a damned custody lawyer, Sam.” He snapped and walked away from her. If that was all she thought of him, well—

“Jack… I—“

“Forget it.” He snapped, not wanting to hear the rest of that sentence and immediately left the room.

Sam sagged in defeat. She just wanted some time with the daughter she’d never had the chance to know until now. Why was he being so heartless about it? It was obvious they came off as a separated couple. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him to hold up his end, it was just a legal matter – covering the what ifs.

Jack glowered as he finished packing the car. Marie gave him an inquisitive look but the deepening scowl made her hastily retreat behind her position as employee.

When she came out to help, he acted as if nothing was wrong in front of Gracie though to avoid any questions from his precocious daughter.

“Dada!” Jake yelled at him from the open front door.

“Who let you out on the porch?!” Jack jokingly admonished the toddler.

“I did, daddy.” Gracie said, giggling from behind her brother.

“Ready to go yet?” He asked her as he scooped up the little boy, closed his eyes and hugged him, breathing him in.

She sighed and said reluctantly. “Yes.”

“You can call her as soon as you get home.” He assured his daughter.

“It’s not the same.” Gracie complained.

“I know, kiddo.” Jack agreed. “Go give your mom a hug. We have a flight to catch.”

“Yah.” Gracie agreed and trudged back into the house as Jack followed carrying Jake.

“I’ll miss you, little buddy.” Jack told the boy. “Son.” He said softly into the boy’s hair.

“Dada?” Jake asked him.

“Dada has to go to work for a while, but he’ll be back to see his Jakey real soon, okay?”

“Otay.” Jake agreed.

“Otay.” Jack said emphatically back with a grin.

“I’ll miss you, mommy.” Gracie said to Sam when she found her picking things up in the den.

“I’ll miss you too, sweetie.” Sam agreed and hugged the girl tightly after sitting on the couch so she could bury her face in her daughter’s neck and memorize the smell of little girl. “Call me as soon as you get home, okay?”

“I will, mommy!” Gracie agreed, gave her one more fierce hug then fled before she openly cried.

She got up and cast a worried frown the girl’s way. She stopped in her path when Jack appeared with Jake in his arms.

“She’ll be all right.” Jack assured her and held out Jake to her.

Sam nodded and looked into his dark eyes, willing him to see she cared. She just wanted the assurance that the kids would have legal protection if something happened to one of them. Especially her.

“I’ll make sure she calls.” Jack said to her gruffly.

“Thank you.” Sam said, looking down in defeat when the only response he had was his cold Colonel expression. “Have a safe flight.” She told him hollowly.

“Thanks.” He said tersely and turned to walk away.

“Dada?” Jake asked in confusion.

“He has to go back to work, kiddo.” Sam told the little boy as Jack left the room. Sam trailed behind, looking despondent.

“Dada.” Jake called out and reached for Jack as he was putting on his jacket. “Dada!” He wailed.

“C’mere, buddy.” He said softly to the boy and took him back from Sam to cuddle him hard. “You take care of mommy for me, okay?” He said to Jake softly.

Jake blinked tearfully up at him, and Jack kissed the boy’s forehead. “I love you, Jakey.” He told him and handed the boy back to his mom. “I’ll see you soon. I promise.”

Sam couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat.

“Take care of yourself.” He told Sam gruffly and turned and left through the front door.

Gracie was sitting in the back seat waving sadly at Sam. Marie was in the passenger seat. She had already said her goodbyes. Jack got in the car without looking back until he pulled out of the driveway when he watched Sam sadly waving to Gracie as they drove off.

Chapter Text

“So why don’t you just talk to her about it?” Daniel asked him.

“Now why dah yah gotta be like that, Danny?” Jack whined at him while he signed off on a report from Pegasus. His Minnesotan drawl giving away how much the situation was genuinely bothering him.

“You can’t tell me you honestly think she really meant it that way, do you?” Daniel pressed.

“If she did or she didn’t, it come out that way, Danny. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”

“I don’t see why you’re mad anyway, You were the one that… ohhh…” Daniel paused for a moment and ignored Jack’s inward ‘here we go’ sigh. “I was right, wasn’t I? As soon as you spent time together you started falling for her, didn’t you?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Jack grumped at his best friend who he was unlikely to hide this sort of thing from anyway. He knew Daniel was wrong. Because it started the second time he saw her when he touched her that first time and recognized a physical attraction was there with the woman who wasn’t his wife.

“Sure, it does. It means you could be happy again.”

“Who says I’m not happy?” Jack feigned.

“Right.” Daniel said sarcastically. “So happy you were trying to drink yourself to death until a couple of months ago?”

Jack didn’t say anything.

“She’s been moping since you left. She thinks she hurt your feelings but doesn’t know how to approach you about it.” Daniel offered up.

“She didn’t hurt my damn feelings.” Jack objected.

“Did.”

“Didn’t.”

“Did.”

“Daniel.” Jack barked.

“I’m right.”

“You’re not.”

“I am.” Daniel reiterated. “And you’re mad that I’m right, so just talk to her.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do, Danny? Show up on her doorstep with flowers?”

“Well, for starters…”

Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why do conversations with you always give me a headache?”

“Because you’re pigheaded?” Daniel suggested.

“Speaking of pigheaded, how’s Vala?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say she’s pigheaded so much as— “

“Daniel.” Jack huffed. “I meant you about Vala”

“You’re one to talk.” Daniel muttered over the phone.

“Takes one to know one.” Jack retorted.

“Point.” Daniel agreed but didn’t offer any information.

It was just as well; Jack’s actual motivation had been to shut Daniel up about Sam not necessarily to dig into the trainwreck that was Daniel’s unresolved feelings for the former host on his team.

“Have you been making sure she eats?”

“Vala never forgets to eat.” Daniel observed.

“I meant Carter.” Jack reminded his best friend.

“Oh, yah, well, Teal’c has mostly and Cam when he remembers. Vala has tried to get her to go out, but she mostly mopes now and says she’s too busy, which, we both know is a bald-faced lie.”

Jack had been afraid this would be the result. It had always been her coping mechanism throughout their pre-relationship. Had he been too harsh with her about a custody agreement? What was she the most afraid of?… that he’d meet someone, and she’d have to fight to see Gracie? Fat chance, Jack thought as he sighed heavily. He always knew that Sam Carter was his one and done. And this one slipped into that role without any problems. Even if things didn’t work out he wasn’t going anywhere.

He supposed he should straighten this out on his next trip out. He flipped through his calendar to see when he or Walter was next scheduled to make the rounds. It was a week from now and Gracie had finals so she wouldn’t expect to go with him. Perfect.

“Jack?”

“What?” Jack asked absently.

“I said we should get together next time you’re in Colorado and figure out how to handle this.” Daniel prompted him with the comment he’d made while Jack was lost in thought.

“I’ve got it handled, Danny.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’ve got it handled. I also have a meeting with the armchair party in twenty, so I need to let you go.”

“The chairman of the house is not an armchair party, Jack.” Daniel said with a chuckle.

“You knew exactly who I meant though.” Jack pointed out and hung up.

Jack tapped his pen absently then finally sent Sam an e-mail to her private address. “We need to talk.” Then he hit send before he could chicken out. Had it even occurred to him that one starts breakup proceedings with those exact words he might have reconsidered them even if they weren’t involved but Jack had never had to dump anyone ever in his life. He’d only dated casually before Sara who had divorced him then carried a torch for Sam for eight years before they married only to lose her in a deployment.

Sam saw the address pop up and her heart thudded in her chest when she read the short missive. She closed her eyes and squeezed away the threatening tears. She didn’t have time for this. Clearly, he’d picked up on her budding feelings and wanted to nip them in the bud. Fine. She’d get it over with. Like ripping a band-aid off, she replied. “Do you want me to call?”

An hour later, she got a reply. “No, I’ll be in town in a few days. We can talk then.”

“Okay.” Was all she could manage to respond with before burying her face in her folded arms and called herself a fool as she cried. Thankful that she was alone in her lab.

“What did you do to her?” Daniel demanded of Jack when he met him at Peterson.

“Do to who?”

“You know exactly who I’m talking about, Jack.” Daniel told him sarcastically.

“I didn’t do anything?” Jack asked, clearly confused.

“Well, you had to have done something because she went from mopey to acting like someone killed her puppy if she had a puppy.”

“Well, she’s got Cam.” Jack observed.

Daniel swallowed a laugh. He was too annoyed with Jack to let him distract him with humor. “Jack, you’ve got to fix this.”

“Why me?” Jack whined.

“Because you made this mess.”

“Fine. Fine. I’ll fix whatever the hell I did.” Jack groused in agreement.

“She found out which day you would be here specifically and took the day off by the way.”

Jack swore. “I told her not to do that shit.” He fussed.

“Yah, well I told you it was your fault.”

“Dammit.” Jack snarled and clammed up the rest of the drive to the Cheyenne base.

He’d finished things up with Hank and had begged off going out with his former team, claiming the need to catch an early flight back. Daniel and Teal’c had both given him knowing looks. The drive to his old house filled him with trepidation.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d come.” Sam admitted to him when she opened the door to his gentle but insistent raps.

“Why would you think I wouldn’t?” Jack asked her. “May I come in?” He didn’t let his voice betray his anxiety or his annoyance that she’d again avoided him at work.

Sam nodded and shrugged as she backed away so he could come in. It was his house after all. “I might have talked myself into thinking you said what you did to snap me out of my headspace so we could solve the problem.” She admitted.

Jack sighed. That did sound like him… but he’d never said anything to her he didn’t absolutely mean. Especially when it came to their relationship. “Do you have any beer?”

“Yah… there’s some Guinness in the fridge.”

He knew she didn’t drink it which meant she’d bought it specifically for his visit today. “I’ll get it,” he said as he flung his jacket over the back of a kitchen chair. The beer was in the spot he almost always put it in when he’d lived here. He filed that bit of information away as he wiped the neck of a bottle on his sleeve and twisted off the cap. “Want anything?”

“I’ll take a coke.” She said of the diet cokes he’d always left right next to his beer long before they ever talked about how they felt about each other in another reality or this one. For all she knew, this Jack and Sam had navigated the fear of getting caught by realizing Hammond had no interest in reporting them at all.

Jack snagged a can and slid it across the table at her as he sat down. His fingers drummed on the table almost absently but Sam played the piano too. Jack was casually noodling out the movements for She’s Always a Woman by Billy Joel and Sam almost choked on the emotion he evoked. Her Jack had never played that for her, but she could see why this Jack might feel that way about herself as opposed to his own Sam. She had unwittingly put him in an uncomfortable situation after all.

Jack’s hands stilled and wrapped around his bottle almost guiltily. He cleared his throat. “I thought about what you said about the kids.” He finally said.

“Oh?” Sam asked, not looking at him from where she stood, but death gripping her can of Coke.

Jack tilted his head back and sighed at the ceiling. “As much as I hate to admit it, you were right. The kids need both their parents, even if they don’t understand the situation.”

Sam stared at him. That was it? That was all he’d come over to say? Of all the insufferable… but she squashed her thoughts down hard. She couldn’t force him to care. Letting her be a part of Grace’s life, being part of Jacob’s life was at least a start. “All right.” She agreed.

“We’ll have to draw up some custody agreements like you suggested. I’m sorry I blew up at you about that. I didn’t think about how things looked only...” He cleared his throat. “Anyway. if you’re going to work at the SGC, you can’t be in DC… and you needed to nurse Jake until he’s weaned.” He said thoughtfully. “I don’t want Gracie missing school, but I have no issue with her spending time with you in the summer.” He frowned. “I get Christmas and Easter.”

Sam nodded. “Well, I can live with that for now. We can renegotiate as needed?” She bit her lip as she mused on the idea. She’d see how things went before she suggested any sort of joint holidays. She had a feeling she was lucky to be getting as much as she was out of this.

Jack frowned at her thoughtfully. “Sure.”

“Okay.”

“It’s dead.” Jack said with an arched brow.

“What?” she asked him, startled.

“That can of Coke you have been strangling this whole time. It’s dead.” He smiled at her a little. “If you need something that looks a little more like my neck, I could probably get you a voodoo doll or something.” He suggested.

Sam blinked at him a couple of times then looked down at the can that she might have crushed had it not still been sealed her knuckles were so white. “Oh.”

Jack chuckled.

Sam huffed a sigh.

“Relax, Sam.” He suggested.

Sam blinked at him. Did he seriously just tell her to relax?

“You’re a little tense.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open. She wasn’t always quick on the uptake but at this point even she could figure out he was flirting with her. Why was he flirting with her? He didn’t feel that way. Did he?

“Anyway, I still have a flight to catch so I had better get going. Thanks for the beer.” He said and saluted her with the bottle.

Sam nodded dumbly. So that was it. He gave her the silent treatment for weeks then says he agrees and leaves after weirdly flirting with her. Sam couldn’t figure out at all what his motivation was at this point.

Meanwhile, Jack had gotten up and put his jacket back on. “I’ll call when I’ve got the paperwork ready unless you want to handle that?”

She shook her head. “No, that’s fine.”

“Good.” He gave her a thoughtful look. She might not return his feelings, but he’d found he cared and because he did, he didn’t want her to worry. “I’m glad I’m getting the chance to know Jake. He’s a sweet little kid. I’m sorry I was a jerk about it at first.”

She blinked at him, huffed out a sigh and bit her lip. “Yah, um, I feel the same way about Gracie.”

“Good. She really loves you, Sam.” He told her and looked away so she wouldn’t notice that was starting to extend to him as well.

“Thank you for understanding.” She said softly.

Jack nodded firmly. “Yah well I’m not always the brightest bulb in the box but Danny nagged me until I figured it out.” He joked as he opened the front door. He turned at the last moment. “You know you’re welcome to come to DC to see Gracie any time you can, right?”

Sam looked at him in mild shock. “Thank you, that’s…”

“Don’t say it’s kind of me, Sam. You’re her mom.” He said with a disappointed frown and shut the door behind him.

Sam blinked back tears after he left. He’d made her think he was going to cut contact then turned around and offered her shared custody on the condition that she did the same and even flirted with her. He couldn’t possibly have feelings for her, not after grieving for his wife as deeply and as long as he had. That was just insane… and yet… a tiny flutter of hope flared to life in her heart. It was too soon after losing her own Jack, she still cried herself to sleep some nights missing him. But who would understand that more than this Jack did? And she’d be a liar if she said she wasn’t attracted to this version of Jack. They were so much alike and yet the subtle differences made it impossible to mistake him for the man she’d been married to.

Chapter Text

Vala loitered in Sam’s lab and Sam really couldn’t help but feel amused that the person on her team the most like Jack was also the one who did the most Jack thing on the team, which was to say, fiddle away time they didn’t genuinely have. “So, why are you hiding from Daniel today?” Sam finally asked her pointedly without glancing up from her calculations.

“Now why would you say that, darling?” Vala feigned.

“No reason.” Sam said with an amused eyeroll. “You just aren’t spending much time with him these days. All the translating work is in his lab.”

“All the moody archeologist is in his lab as well.” Vala said sourly.

“Ah.” Was all Sam said in reply. A few moments later, she said the first thing that occurred to her “I didn’t think that bothered you.”

Vala shrugged. How did she explain what had happened when she’d had that Earth flu? That Daniel had taken care of her and refused to take no for an answer. “Do you think I should get an apartment?” Vala blurted out.

Sam gave her a startled look. “Why do you ask?” she said, clearly confused.

“Well…” Vala huffed. “It has been called to my attention that I avoid intimacy.”

“Ah.” Sam said, knowing exactly where that comment had to have come from and likely why.

“Never mind that I can’t get my heart broken if there’s never any chance to explore what’s going on.”

“Is that what he said or what you think?” Sam observed.

Vala folded her arms and sank her head into them on Sam’s lab bench. “If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn’t be trying to figure out if I need my own place.” She said miserably from between her fingers.

Sam nodded sympathetically. “He has a place. He could always invite you over, so this isn’t entirely on you.” Sam pointed out.

“Should I call him on that?”

Sam shrugged. It might work or it might cause another fight. You never knew with this Daniel. Hers had come back changed after being ascended but this version seemed almost bitter. She wondered if it was something related to his experiences with the Ori.

“I believe I’d rather have your romantic problems than my own.” Vala observed. “A readymade family you have no memory of sounds a lot easier to deal with than a man who has you confused about how he feels about you.”

Sam hummed noncommittally. She had no idea how Jack felt about her. He ran hot and cold depending on his mood and she didn’t dare trust herself regarding his feelings one way or the other as she’d badly misread the situation with her own Jack enough times in the past. Once they opened up, it was easier but for all intents and purposes, she and this Jack were back to square one except with the addition of children who were completely oblivious to the fact that one of their parents wasn’t who they thought it was.

“Daniel complains about him being pig headed a lot.” Vala mentioned after a moment.

Sam snorted in amusement. “He’s one to talk.”

“I tried to get him to leave me alone when I was sick.” Vala admitted, thinking of the conversation with him, accusing him of not caring about her and his denial of such. “I really don’t understand that man.” She said sadly.

Sam nodded. She knew the feeling. “Sometimes I think you being too much like his wife is what’s holding him back. He told Jack a long time ago that Sha’re never took him seriously, treated him like he was funny instead of like a hero.” Sam shrugged. “Everyone he’s dated since has either buttered him up or been timid.” She hummed, “Well, everyone that I met in my reality anyway.” She amended.

“I suspect it’s been that way here as well, darling. I can’t imagine ever wanting that in a partner. I had quite enough of it as a host.” She said emphatically.

Sam nodded. She imagined Vala had. “You could try ignoring him.” Sam suggested.

“How would that help?”

It wouldn’t but it would relieve Sam of the burden of listening to both of them lamenting the situation she hoped. “My Daniel was fairly contrary.”

“Oh… I see. If I ignore him, it might make him think he has to work for it if he wants anything from this.”

Sure. Sam thought sarcastically. “It might.” Sam agreed.

Vala appeared to think about it. “I suppose it would work better than avoiding him.”

“Yes, it would.” Sam agreed and she thought would mean Vala would do something besides loiter in her lab chatting while Sam tried to figure out aspects of quantum mechanics.

“Sam, why did you give Vala such terrible advice?” Janet hissed at her under her breath in the commissary where they sat.

“What? I don’t know. I just wanted her to stop hanging out in my lab all day.” Sam yelped.

“God, you spend too much time with Jack if you thought that was a good idea. No wonder you two took eight years and a near death experience to figure things out.” Janet griped.

“That’s different. Jack and I had to tiptoe around the regulations until his promotion out of my COC.” Sam defended herself.

“Might I remind you that in this reality, you guys got a dispensation by sending you off to Nevada for six months so you could get married while he was recuperating from being shot full in the chest.”

Sam sighed heavily.

“Why didn’t you dump the cop when you realized then?”

Sam shook her head. “He wouldn’t talk to me about it.” Sam admitted, referring to Jack.

“Well, that’s no reason to punish Vala for being a pest.” Janet said pointedly and sipped her coffee. This Sam was so afraid of being hurt now that she clearly didn’t see what was obvious to everyone else. That Jack was just as smitten with her as her own reality’s had been. And Janet had no doubt that Jack and Sam were a universal constant. If they met when they were both single, they ended up together. Because the sparks flew the second, they laid eyes on each other every time.

Sam looked uncomfortable so Janet relented. “What are you doing about Easter?”

Sam looked at her in surprise. She’d found the basket for Jake shortly after Jack and Gracie had returned to DC but she hadn’t even gotten the chance to thank him. “I suppose I’ll send something to Gracie.” She mused.

Janet nodded. “Why don’t you come over to my place and spend some time with Cassie and me?”

Sam gave her a startled look. She’d been excluded from Christmas because of Cassie.

Janet grinned. “A certain General sweet talked the president into allowing disclosure as required when he realized his nanny needed to be read in, I think.”

Sam choked on her Jell-O. She hadn’t put any thought into Marie knowing the truth, but she supposed it might be at least a little necessary as apparently she’d been the nanny from the time Gracie was an infant and would know what had really happened to the other Sam or have a very good idea. “Er… so Cassie knows?”

“Not yet but she will. I’ll tell her what’s going on tonight actually. I was waiting to talk to you first about it.”

Sam nodded dumbly. Something she was finding herself doing more frequently than usual. “What… er…”

“I’ll tell her the truth actually. There’s no reason to lie to Cassie. What did you tell Mark?”

Sam swallowed and looked guilty. “I told him I have amnesia.”

Janet started to chuckle.

“What?” Sam asked her, confused.

“That’s what Jack has been telling everyone too. You two should make sure you have your stories straight. This could go really badly if one of you talks to the wrong person.” Janet said in amusement. All it would take is one of them giving a wrong time frame or wrong series of events to cast doubt on the entire story even if they had each come up with the same harebrained conclusion.

Sam gave her a horrified look that Janet tried valiantly not to laugh at. “I’m sure it will be fine, Sam.” She reassured her oldest friend. “Just make sure you two get your stories straight before Mark calls him.”

Sam nodded. She hadn’t asked Mark about Easter yet. Janet was right, she should talk to Jack, and make sure their stories didn’t very too much from the other’s in case one of them ran into someone who knew an entirely different version of the cover story. It was Radar Telemetry all over again but probably slightly less believable.

Sam would ponder Easter the rest of the day. On the one hand, going to Janet’s would be the simplest route. But Mark was bound to invite her to his place, and she had little in the way of excuses to not go. Especially as Mark knew it was unlikely she’d be spending Easter with her husband and daughter. Sam sighed. The problem was that was exactly who she wanted to spend Easter with even if things were strained between them.

“I’ll have to think about it.” Sam said reluctantly.

“Well, the offer stands. I think we should get together anyway and have a girl’s night.”

Sam nodded. She wondered if Lynn could sit but she felt possibly Lynn might want to come. She wasn’t sure how Frank felt about watching two babies.

Vala chose that time to wander into the commissary. “There you two are.” She said with a grin.

Sam smiled up at her as she sat.

“Did I hear something about a girl’s night out?”

Janet nodded. “I was thinking the three of us, Cassie…”

“What will we do with dumpling?” Vala asked.

“Can Lynn sit at night for non-work reasons?” Janet asked Sam.

“Honestly, I’d really like to invite her. The… well it seems like the other me was good friends with her.”

Janet looked concerned.

“Jack told me we could tell people as needed. If anything becomes an issue, I’ll just come clean.” Sam reassured her friend.

“Oh… a little birdie told me a certain General would be in town next week for an overnighter and I bet you his Simpsons DVD collection he’d be delighted to see Jake when he’s not throwing up for a night.”

Janet laughed. “That solves that problem. Invite Lynn and Jen too if you want. We’ll make fun of men and watch terrible movies. It will be like old times.” Janet said with a grin.

Sam grinned. That did present a tidy solution and she could finally thank him for Jake’s Easter basket he brought over when she was too sick to care.

“Now that that’s settled, what have you and the General been telling people?” Vala asked.

Sam looked down in her lap.

“They’ve been telling everyone she has amnesia.” Janet told Vala dryly.

Vala looked at Sam incredulously. “Well now I’ve heard everything.” Vala quipped.

Sam shook her head and blushed but chuckled. “I panicked, okay?”

“I’ll say.” Vala agreed and gave her a cheeky grin before hugging her. “It could be worse, darling. You could have told people you were trapped in a... what’s that thingy… a time dilation.”

“Daniel gave her a dictionary as a joke gift last Christmas.” Janet supplied.

“Ah.” Sam said in understanding.

“Well, it’s not my fault Tau’ri isn’t my first language.” Vala huffed good naturedly. “Why if I hadn’t stolen an Asgardian translator, I’d still struggle to understand you lot.”

Sam and Janet dissolved into giggles.

Sam had e-mailed Jack that night to ask if he’d like to take care of Jake the night he was in town so she could have a girl’s night at Janet’s. Then as an afterthought had asked him if Janet telling Cassie about the not amnesia thing was allowed.

Jack had reassured her that he’d be delighted to watch Jake for a night, not to hurry home and by all means let Cassie know what was going on or he’d never hear the end of it from Daniel.

Sam had chuckled at that last part. Things almost felt normal between them, or as normal as they could get anyway considering she was from a dystopian reality and his youngest child was sired by a different him.

The next morning, she went into work with a smile on her face after dropping Jake off and telling him he’d see dada in a couple of days. Jake had been over the moon and shrieked ‘dada’ at the top of his lungs the entire commute and had still been doing it when she left the daycare. Sam felt sorry for Major Nelson as it was unlikely he’d let up any time soon.

“So?” Vala asked her in her lab an hour later.

“So?” Sam replied in a cagy tone.

“What did he say?” Vala pressed.

Sam shook her head and smiled. “He’s fine with it. Said he’d be delighted actually.”

“Well, I’m glad he picked that word and not ‘peachy’.”

Sam chuckled. “Jack O’Neill in all realities has a tell.” She quipped and went back to working on her calculations.

“You would know, darling.” Vala said in amusement and left the lab.

Sam blushed. It wasn’t like she was paying attention… was she?

Chapter Text

A week later, Jack stopped by her lab and knocked politely before poking his head in to see if she was busy, something he’d never done in her own reality. She wondered if this Jack was more careful or simply acted cautiously because she wasn’t his Sam?

“We still on for tonight? I got big plans for hockey and beer with my boy.”

Sam laughed. “Sir!”

“Kidding. Kidding.” He grinned. “Sort of. I’m still having a beer. Short stuff can have apple juice.”

Sam shook her head in amusement. “Better, sir, and yes, everything is all set up. I have the number for the pizza place out in case you forgot the number.”

“No home cooked meal? I worked hard at… something.” He finished vaguely with an absent wave of his hand.

Sam shook her head. “I’m sure you did, sir, but sorry, we’re having delivery at Janet’s too. If you’re really set on home cooking, there are leftovers in the fridge.”

“Nuts.” Jack grumbled. “Oh well.” He said, shoving his hands in his shirt pockets, having opted to wear a base uniform rather than his class A’s for the day.

“Sorry, sir.” She said in amusement, trying to hold back a grin.

“I guess the boy and I will just have to muddle through.” He said with a vague shrug. “What was his name again? I think it was Bobby? Joe?” He asked her with feigned confusion.

Sam laughed. “Please stop.” She begged him, still laughing. “I really do have work to do. If you are done for the day though, you could pick him up from the daycare and take him home?” she suggested.

Jack’s eyes lit up. “You’re sure?”

Sam nodded solemnly. “You’re… um… you’re listed as one of his emergency contacts. I um… thought it would be a good idea. Just in case… well, you know.” She finished lamely trying not to say ‘if I died’ out loud.

“I hope you don’t plan to ‘well, you know’ any time soon.” He said to her thoughtfully. “I’d miss you.” He admitted in a soft voice.

Sam gave him a startled look.

“I’d better go.” He told her, rapping his knuckles on her lab table twice. “What’s his name and I will be waiting for you at home.” He joked, walking away. Just as he was about to cross the threshold, he turned his head and told her. “Don’t forget to eat something.” And was gone before she could reply.

“Okay.” Sam breathed. That had been… something. She thought as her heart raced at his words. He’d said home as if… no, she needed to squash that. It was his house long before it was ever hers. He said it out of habit not because of anything he might feel about her.

Sam huffed out a sigh and reminded herself for the millionth time that she wasn’t his Sam.

“Good afternoon, General, what can I do for you?” Major Nelson asked Jack in some confusion.

Jack grinned at her. “Just here to pick up my son.” He told the head of the NORAD daycare facility located at the edge of the compound. It was the first evacuation point and could double as a temporary command center if the mountain was ever taken control of by outside forces and had been at least three times in Jack’s memory. It was why it was run by Air Force personnel instead of civilians. The locked rooms in the building were coms and a munitions dump that had no weapons, just bullets.

 “Is Colonel Carter all right?” She asked him, slightly concerned.

“Oh yah, she just has plans for the night, and I got done early for the day.”

“That’s nice. Did you bring Gracie?” She asked.

Jack chuckled. Gracie had caused enough trouble at the daycare for the time being. “I’m doing laps this trip and the Utah base doesn’t have a daycare to put her in. I didn’t want her spending all day alone in a hotel room. Besides she’s in the midst of the horrors of the dreaded mid-terms.” He quipped.

“She’s probably happier at home then.”

“Yah. I thought about leaving her here, but I’m headed straight back to DC after Utah, so she’d have had to fly home by herself and her mom and I aren’t comfortable with that idea yet.”

Jean nodded. “Perfectly understandable. Corie, could you go get Jake for General O’Neill? He’s taking him home today.”

“Yes ma’am.” The young airman said to his CO and took off to find Jake.

Jean chuckled. “I was expecting you actually.” She said to Jack with a cheeky grin.

“Oh?” Jack said somewhat surprised. It was short lived when Jake toddled around the corner shrieking ‘dada!’ over and over again as he ran full tilt towards Jack.

Jack laughed and picked him up to swing him around. “I swear you’re bigger!” He told the boy and tucked him against his chest for a cuddle.

“Do you have a car seat, sir?”

Jack nodded. “I pillaged Carter’s car before I left the lot.” He said, with a conspiratorial grin. He’d kept her keys on his car ring. He hadn’t been able to part with the thing and was glad this Sam had a piece of her life left even if it was bittersweet for him.

Jean chuckled. “Well then, enjoy your evening, boys. What do you have planned?”

“Oh, a couple of bottles of something or other and endless hockey.” Jack quipped as he started to walk away. “I’m not sure if it will be me or Carter dropping him off in the morning.”

Jean smiled. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow then if it’s you.”

“Indeedly doodly.” Jack joked as he walked out of the facility.

Jean watched him go in amusement. There had been some scuttlebutt that the General and the Colonel were having marital problems after her miraculous return from PKIA, but judging from his behavior tonight, she’d assess those as cleared up.

Jack heard Sam thump through the mud room off the garage muttering ‘shit’ over and over.

“Jack?” She called.

“In here.” He said with amusement. He looked down at his watch. “They won’t care if you’re late, Sam. It’s just a hen fest at Janet’s.” He assured her.

“They’ll pick on me.” Sam muttered.

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle. “So, what else is new?”

“Very funny, sir.” Sam snarked at him as Jake barreled into her.

“Mama!” He shrieked gleefully.

“The kid has one volume.” Jack observed with humor.

Sam flashed him a grin as she picked Jake up and gave him a quick cuddle. “Funny. His dad was the same way.”

Jack gave her an abashed grin. “Ouch.” He said, without any heat.

Sam chuckled.

Jack got up and retrieved Jake. “Go get ready for your night.” He told her as he took his son.

They made eye contact and Sam’s eyes widened at the warmth in his eyes. He shouldn’t be making her feel this way, shouldn’t be looking at her this way but he was, and she felt like a deer in the headlights, unable to look away.

Jake saved them both. “Dada! Wan fwoot woops!” He demanded in his father’s arms.

Jack tore his eyes from Sam’s and looked at the boy with a grin. “Froot Loops, it is kiddo!” He said with a laugh and headed for the kitchen.

Sam puffed out a discombobulated sigh and headed for the stairs. Now she’d really be late she supposed and probably never hear the end of it either.

Cassie opened the door and just stared at Sam.

“Hey Cass.” Sam said softly, only to have the young woman launch herself into Sam’s arms.

“I don’t care. I don’t care that you’re not the Sam from my reality. I’ve missed you so much.” She said in a voice choked with tears.

Sam hugged her back fiercely. “I’ve missed you too, Cass.” She said softly against the girl’s light auburn hair.

Cassie finally pulled back slightly. “When can I meet Jake?” She asked insistently.

Sam chuckled. “Jack is watching him tonight. Are you going to be in town a couple of days? We could go to breakfast tomorrow?”

“With Uncle Jack?” Cassie asked hopefully.

“Um…” Sam sighed. “I… um… I don’t know his schedule actually.”

Cassie gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s complicated, isn’t it?”

Sam huffed a sigh. “Yah.”

Cassie grinned. “That’s okay. It was when I was little too.” She chuckled. “Come on, everyone else is in the den.” She said, grabbing Sam’s arm and dragging her forward. “Lynn was late too and showed up with a hickey on her neck.” Cassie looked pointedly at Sam’s neck. “No hickey. At least you won’t catch crap for that.”

Sam couldn’t help but laugh. Gone was the overly serious teen who tried too hard to be an adult. She liked this Cassie better honestly. “Why would I have a hickey?” She protested as she followed Cassie to the Den.

“The question, Auntie Sam, is why would you not have a hickey when your husband is a huge hunk of man meat.”

“I told you that in confidence!” Vala protested as they entered the room.

Janet waved her off with a pish-posh sort of gesture. “She’s just mad that no one makes eyes at her like that.”

“I am not.” Vala huffed good naturedly.

“So how’s Daniel?” Lynn asked Vala pointedly with a wicked grin.

Vala blushed furiously.

Everyone looked at her in shock. Vala was not the blushing kind.

“Spill.” Jen Hailey ordered Vala from her spot on the couch. Her long blond hair was down and hanging over her shoulders.

“Er… well… there’s nothing to tell really.” Vala tried to backpedal.

“Right.” Janet said. “Show of hands. Who thinks Vala’s pants would literally catch fire right this moment?”

Five hands shot up.

Vala cringed a little. “So why were you so late, Samantha?” She asked, deflecting.

Sam tilted he head and arched an eyebrow in a fair imitation of Teal’c. “Not the same reason Lynn was.” She said with amusement.

Everyone cracked up at Sam’s remark. Sam winked at Vala when she caught her eye. Vala nodded her thanks. She knew they would get on her again, but she could regroup for a moment and not be on the spot.

The conversation swirled from topic to topic while they waited for their food to be delivered. They had opted for the same pizza place Sam had left the number for Jack to use.

Sam suspected Cassie had been sent to let her in specifically so they could talk alone without Jen or Lynn hearing anything. She could tell them the truth, but she’d prefer not to if she didn’t need to.

An hour later while everyone is yelling at the bad acting in a random rom-com Janet had rented for the night, Sam caught Vala in the kitchen. “So, what did happen?” she asked her dark-haired friend.

Vala sighed. “Well, Samantha, I could ask you the same thing.”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked, pretending valiantly not to understand exactly what Vala meant.

“I know the look in your eyes when something happens between you and General Hotness. What happened?” She pressed.

Sam closed her eyes and shook her head. “Nothing.” She admitted, trying not to let her disappointment show.

Vala frowned while she considered Sam’s words. “Oh.” She said sadly.

Sam shook her head though. “Vala, he’s still grieving for her. I can’t do that to him. It’s only because I look like her. It’s her he really wants.” She insisted softly.

Vala frowned. She didn’t think that was the case at all. First of all, Jack had five years to grieve. But most of all, Jack could tell them apart. Anyone who knew both women could easily tell this Sam from their own Sam. Jack was falling for this Sam and falling hard. Sam just didn’t want to see it because she’d have to admit she was falling too if she did.

“Well, if you really want to know… Daniel kissed me.”

Sam gave her a speculative look. “He kissed you or you kissed him?”

“What’s the difference, darling?”

Sam frowned pointedly. “You know damned well.” She waited for an answer but saw Vala hesitate so she asked directly. “So which was it?”

Vala’s face settled into a loopy little grin. “He kissed me. Totally out of the blue, mind you. I was telling him to stop being an ass about a translation we disagreed on, and he just leaned over and planted one on me.”

“Oh, really?” Sam drawled.

“I believe he was simply trying to shut me up, but I think your General has gotten into his head for some reason because after I heard him mutter ‘dammit Jack’ under his breath.”

Sam and Vala looked at each other for a long moment and started to laugh.

“Do you suppose them egging each other on to avoid their own situation is just making things worse for both of them?” Sam asked Vala.

“Oh, I suppose it is, darling, but quite honestly, if it gets either of them to stop being so pigheaded, it’s worth it in my estimation.”

Sam bit her lip and said nothing. She logically ought to disagree, but her heart refused to play along.

“We should get back in there before they notice and send out the posse.” Vala observed.

Sam nodded mutely and walked out of the kitchen.

“Samantha.”

“Huh?” Sam said, turning back around.

“Your plate?” Vala reminded her of the dish on the counter with now cooling pizza on it.

“Right.” Sam huffed.

Sam came home much quieter than she had left, assuming Jake and Jack were probably both asleep as it was well past 2 am. She took her shoes off very quietly and put her jacket on the hall tree. She’d planned on talking to Jack about Easter before she left but she’d been running so late she’d utterly forgotten about it.

“Hey.” His voice came softly from the end of the hallway.

She looked up and met his eyes. They had that same warm look for her they had earlier. “Hey.” She replied just as softly. “Um, I meant to thank you for Jake’s gift. I was still a bit out of it when you left it and I didn’t even notice it until you were already gone.”

“That’s all right. He was a big fan of the stuffed animal apparently.”

She grinned. “He was a bigger fan of the chocolates.”

“I bet.” He agreed.

“Um… speaking of that, I um, I haven’t talked to Mark yet but what are your plans for Easter this year?”

Jack leaned against the wall, arms crossed against his chest. “Oh, the usual. Just about nothing.”

Sam gave him a sad smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It isn’t your fault.”

She shook her head. “I… I was thinking we could possibly have Easter here and um… invite Mark’s family?” She said hopefully.

Jack thought for a moment. “Let me see what the boss has on the agenda. There’s some formal shindig I try to get out of every year around this time. I’ll see if ‘Family Easter’ does the trick.” He said with a grin as he moved towards her.

“Oh.” She said with regret. He may not be able to come at all in that case. “All right.” She said softly in disappointment.

“Sam.” he said, now inches from her.

“Jack?” She asked him, getting lost in the depths of his eyes again.

Instead of answering though he gently placed his hand on the side of her face and tilted her chin up so he could give her lips the lightest of brush with his own. He paused and did it a second and third time when she didn’t resist his actions.

Jack lifted his head and looked at her thoughtfully. “I should go.” He could lie and say he had an early flight or that all his stuff was already at the hotel, but he knew she’d know he was lying. He wanted to take that gentle kiss much further and he could tell she wasn’t ready for that just yet.

“Oh.” Sam said in a breathy but deflated tone.

He gave her an amused sort of smile. She hadn’t quite kissed him back, but she was awfully close to being disappointed that he hadn’t pressed his advantage. “Jake is asleep. I’ll call you and let you know what my itinerary is when I get back to DC.” He said softly and turned to put on his coat, so he didn’t see the look in her eyes. The part of him that he referred to as his internal dumbass wanted to turn back around and press her against that wall and kiss her until she was trembling with need for him in his arms. And then do all the things to her that had filled his dreams the last few months.

But mixed with her longing had been fear and that’s what stopped him. He wanted her full and enthusiastic consent. And perhaps he’d misread things. “Get some rest.” He said softly over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

Sam leaned against the wall with a soft woof of discombobulation. He’d kissed her. And it had felt right. More right than it should have, she thought as she closed her eyes against the sting of tears. She wasn’t supposed to feel this way about him. The stupid regs she could have lived with, but this Jack’s heart belonged to another her.

That night, she fell asleep wondering what it would feel like if this Jack O’Neill finished that feather light kiss with something more insistent.

Chapter Text

Jack sat bouncing his knee absently while he stared off into space. He heard something that sounded like his name and tore his wandering thoughts away from what the hell he was supposed to do about the fact that he’d fallen in love with a woman that looked and acted exactly like his dead wife, but who clearly was not his dead wife even though she was actually his dead wife—

“Jack!”

“Sir.” Jack snapped automatically and sat up straight.

“I’m sure you are mentally going over the math models for the new experimental spacecraft schematics, but I need your attention on more mundane matters.”

Jack cleared his throat. “Well, as I’m sure you know—”

“Jack….”

“Sir?” Jack asked in the tone of voice of a boy who’d been caught red-handed stealing cookies.

“The Spring Gala is in about two weeks. I’m honoring combat veterans, Jack. I’d like both you and your wife to attend.”

“I’ll, ah, have to ask her about her plans, sir. She said something about going to her brother’s.” Jack demurred, pulling Sam’s request out opening a blatant attempt to get out of wearing anything resembling a tux.

The president seemed to consider this. “Tell you what… talk her into coming to the gala and I’ll make sure you both get a long weekend off to see Mark and his family in California.”

Jack frowned. It was rather telling that he’d knowing Sam’s brother’s name. Which meant he’d already anticipated Jack’s objections and had arranged for Sam to have the time off. “I’ll speak to her about it, sir. I’m not sure she has anything to wear.” He frantically scrambled for another excuse.

The president nodded. “I’ll have my wife get her in touch with a couple of designers she likes.”

“We really can’t afford that kind of—" Jack tried again, knowing that he could well afford it on his salary thought the rush job fees might have him eating ramen for a few weeks.

“Jack, it’s my treat.” the president gave Jack a pointed look, unswayed by his excuses.

“Yes sir.” Jack’s tone was resigned.

“Cheer up, Jack. Your wife looks beautiful in a cocktail dress.”

Jack sighed. While true, that was far from Jack’s thoughts. He was more concerned about her reactions to his most recent overtures. Sam’s reception to him kissing him had been telling. She wasn’t ready to play house with him just yet and this wasn’t fair to her, but he’d been maneuvered into a corner by a very shrewd constitutional lawyer.

“Let me get this straight… you’ve been invited to the White House for a -- what is it called?”

“A gala.”

“Well, I suppose that’s a kind of ball isn’t it and the queen—”

“First Lady.”

“Whatever.” Vala waved off the distinction. “Has offered to have you fitted by one of her personal designers… and pay for it for you.”

“Yup.” Sam said, popping the P as she stabbed at her meal.

“And you don’t want to go?” Vala asked her incredulously.

“It’s not that I don’t want to go… it’s just…”

Vala gave her a sharp look. “Samantha, spill it.” She ordered.

Sam’s shoulders sagged as she sighed and stared upwards. “He kissed me.”

“The president?”

“What?” Sam asked startled. She chuckled in spite of knowing Vala did that intentionally. “No, Jack.”

“And?”

“Um…”

“Oh, do not tell me you pushed him away.” Vala denied.

“Well… not exactly?”

“What the devil does not exactly mean?”

Sam bit her lip. “I um…”

“She panicked. That’s what she did.” Janet supplied as she sat down on the other side of Sam and stared her down while pointedly popping a French fry in her mouth. “Didn’t you?”

Sam looked down shamefaced.

“Oh Sam.” Vala sighed in resignation. “Whatever are we going to do with you?”

“I’m sorry. I know I’m a mess.” Sam admitted.

“Well, at least you’re a hot mess, darling.” Vala said with amusement.

Janet smirked. “That’s not what it means.” Turning to Sam, she asked her directly. “Do you want him to kiss you again?”

“Janet!” Sam hissed at her as she leaned forward. “We’re at work.”

Janet casually stole another fry off Sam’s plate. “And discussing your husband.” She pointed out, reminding this Sam that her marriage to the General was no longer any kind of secret at all.

Sam sighed as her shoulders sagged. “It’s not that I don’t want him to… it’s just…” She shook her head. “Can we talk about this later?” She asked them, mentally adding preferably never because how do I explain I think he’s just kissing a ghost when he kisses me.

Vala and Janet exchanged a look. “Whenever you’re ready, darling.” Vala assured Sam, patting her hand affectionately.

Sam didn’t really trust either of them in the slightest to drop this, but she’d mastered avoiding topics for years with both of them and was reasonably confident that she’d have things sorted out in her head before they had a chance to grill her like a fresh kabob. Or barring that, find something to hold over them to ensure their silence.

Jack sat in the family room nursing a beer while he absently watched a soccer game from somewhere in South America.

Gracie came out of her room with her sketching board and a handful of pencils and illustration markers and was quietly drawing her father while he watched TV. She wondered about the resigned droop to his eyes and mouth and wondered if he’d had another disagreement with her mother.

“Daddy?” She finally asked, her curiosity overcoming her tendency to avoid difficult subjects.

“Yah, kiddo.” Jack answered, not taking his eyes off the screen.

Gracie thought for a long moment. “Do you still love mommy?”

Jack turned slightly and gave her a startled look. Caught off guard, he answered her truthfully. “Yah, kiddo, I do.”

“You should tell her.” Gracie said emphatically as she changed the lines around her dad’s eyes in her drawing to reflect the moment of softness, she’d seen there the second her dad thought about her mom.

“You think so?” Jack asked, still surprised.

“If you don’t, she might forget again.” Gracie pointed out.

“She just might.” He agreed sadly and went back to watching the teams battle over a black and white ball on the expansive green field.

He’d been sitting there wondering about her reaction after the fact. She was being very… professional with him, like she used to be when she was afraid other people might see she had feelings for him… but it wasn’t quite the same this time and he couldn’t put his finger on it and that was bothering him because generally he could read Carter like an open book.

Gracie continued to watch the play of emotions across her dad’s face. She noticed his beer eventually grew warm without him having had more than a couple of sips. Almost as if he’d held it for comfort rather than a desire to drink anything. Gracie knew her dad drank too much some nights. He did it when he was struggling with nightmares and nights when he couldn’t stop missing her mom. But he’d done it less the last few months. At least as far as she could tell anyway.

She was worried though that her dad might slip back into that behavior if he didn’t work things out with her mom. It never occurred to her that at eight years old this shouldn’t be something she should have to worry about or even be aware of.

She should call mom she decided. But not while dad was home. He didn’t get mad about her calling mom like he had for a while, but this was the kind of conversation she needed to have privately when he wouldn’t overhear it.

“What’s up, kiddo? Everything all right?” Sam asked Gracie, noticing the time of day she was calling.

Gracie sighed.

“Uh oh.” Sam said in feigned amusement. “That sounds ominous.”

Gracie sighed again. “Did you and dad have a fight?”

Sam’s face screwed into a perplexed frown. “No. Why?”

“He’s acting weird again.” Gracie blurted out. “Like all depressed and stuff.” She said, her tone clearly frustrated.

“Weird how?” Sam asked as she corrected Felger’s equation on the computer.

Gracie blew out a breath. “I don’t know. I think he thinks you’re mad at him or something.” She tried to quantify.

Sam hummed in response. “Tell yah what, kiddo. Your dad has that formal dinner thing the president wants me to attend. I’ll talk to him while I’m there, okay?” She smiled. “I promise I’m not mad at him.”

“Okay.” Gracie said reluctantly. The dinner was four days away. “Did you get a dress?”

Sam chuckled. “Apparently one is being delivered to me. Someone flew out yesterday to get measurements and color preferences.”

“What?” Gracie asked incredulously. “That’s what rich people do.”

Sam chuckled. “Yes, well a rich person apparently is paying for it.” She said of the conversation she’d had with the First Lady who had refused ‘no’ as an answer.

“Wow.” Gracie paused for a moment then blurted “What color did you pick?”

Sam grinned. “I went with peridot.”

She had to take the phone away from her ear to save it from the squealing. Chuckling, she waited until Gracie calmed down.

“So, you really didn’t have a fight with dad?”

“No, sweetie, I really didn’t. Whatever is bothering him I’m not the reason this time.”

“Okay, good.” The girl said decisively. “I have to go. Love you, mommy.”

“Love you too, kiddo.” Sam said chuckling and hung up.

Gracie sat in her bed bouncing with glee. Marie walked in on her giddy reaction to her mom’s dress color.

“What has you so wound up?” Marie asked in amusement.

“Mommy’s dress for the gala is going to be peridot.” She said grinning.

Marie gave her an amused look, unsure of the significance of the color. “Oh?”

Gracie grinned. “Daddy’s most favorite color ever is peridot.”

“Ah.” Marie said in understanding. The General had been out of sorts the last few days, but it apparently had nothing to do with his wife or if it did it was him misreading the situation and that would soon be cleared up. “Did she send you a photo?”

“Uh uh. I don’t think she knows what it looks like.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s being designed for her like a rich lady.”

Marie grinned. So, the rumors were true, The First Lady had offered one of her designer’s services. Sam would look even more stunning than usual. She wasn’t sure what the color of the dress had to do with anything but apparently it was a good thing though she would have picked blue or possibly Kelly green to offset Sam’s vivid blue eyes and peach tone skin.

Chapter Text

“Holy cow, Auntie Sam.” Cassie said of the dress Sam was trying on for the first time over Skype so Cassie could see how it looked. Sam had called her earlier looking for an honest opinion and Cassie had suggested a video call instead.

“Holy cow is right. I hope it’s not chilly.” Sam lamented of the gauzy confection that barely seemed to cover her even with its demure length and the semblance of sleeves.

Cassie giggled. “What did Uncle Jack think of it?”

Sam’s face fell a little.

“He didn’t like it?” Cassie sounded surprised. Sam was clearly in the master bedroom in DC but now that she thought of it, she hadn’t seen or heard Uncle Jack in the background.

“No, no... it’s just…” Sam stammered. Jack was nowhere to be found actually. He’d been pulled into a meeting and put his phone on do not disturb so whatever it was had been fairly serious. But it also meant she hadn’t been able to let him know her flight landed or that she’d gotten here safe.

“I’m sure he’ll be home soon, Auntie Sam.” Cassie reassured her. “And he is going to love that dress.”

“You think so?” Sam asked, now unsure if the overt appeal to his taste was a bit too obvious and would make him think she was trying too hard.

“Oh yah.” Cassie said with a grin. “Big time.”

Sam’s expression was still uncertain.

“Has Gracie seen it?”

Sam’s grin returned. “Kind of? She hasn’t seen it on me yet but she was here when it was delivered by the courier. She had the same reaction you did.” Sam said, chuckling.

“I’m surprise she’s not in there with you losing her mind.” Cassie mused.

Sam laughed. “Marie convinced her to entertain her little brother while I get dressed so Jake doesn’t get something sticky on me.”

“A wise woman.” Cassie mused. “Did you show mom and Auntie Vala yet?”

Sam shook her head. “I was hoping to get some photos for them tonight actually.”

Cassie grinned. She had better get photos tonight because Cassie couldn’t see how in the world that dress wasn’t going to be damaged in Uncle Jack’s haste to remove it tonight. And as an added bonus, she got a full bird’s eye view of her uncle’s first reaction as he came through the bedroom door.

“Sorry, I’m late. Those damned stuffed shirts were trying to avoid going at all tonight and—” Jack’s jaw dropped open for a brief moment before he thought to close it and swallow hard. “Wow.” Was all he managed to say when he got a good look of Sam in the dress.

She whirled at the sound of his voice and looked at him across the room, her worry swiftly turning to amusement.

“Close your mouth, Uncle Jack, you’ll catch flies.” Cassie called out helpfully.

With one hand, Sam reached behind her and closed the lid of the laptop pointedly.

Jack grinned ear to ear. “That’s quite a dress.” He said in appreciation as his eyes swept from the top of her head and down to her toes and back up again. Despite its demure lines, it left nothing of her figure to the imagination. Finally his eyes settled on her cleavage.

Feeling self-conscious, Sam shrugged, refusing to cover her chest with her arms. “I really didn’t have much to do with the design. I think the First Lady was the one that picked it out.”

Jack’s grin broadened. “Remind me to thank her then.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Then he blinked when he realized he was staring at her. “Crap. I need to get ready. Do you still need to do your makeup? Hair?”

Sam had brushed out her now shoulder length light blond hair and clipped it with a glimmering rhinestone encrusted clip into a low tail with tendrils free around her face to frame her cheeks. “I’m just about ready. I just need to remember where I left my shoes.”

“Do they look as spectacular as that dress? Because… wow.” He said again.

Sam dimpled and blushed. “You’ll have to decide yourself.” She told him and turned to find the shoe box that had been dropped off with the dress.

Jack went to the closet to grab a clean shirt and another pair of dress slacks. He really should touch up his jacket but that meant taking all the damned fruit off the front which was a pain in the ass. “Sam, could you…?”

Sam put out her hand already knowing what he was asking. She’d mastered the knack of just pressing the sleeves and wrinkled spots on a dress jacket out of necessity. “You’ll need to take it off first.” She said to him in amusement. “Unless you want me to steam press all of you.”

Jack chuckled. “I’ll pass. Sounds too much like what happened in that crazy mind stamp town under the ice.”

Sam nodded slowly, not sure what to make of a memory they shared of Jonah and Thera but didn’t.

Realizing he might have made things awkward a little, Jack frowned as he shrugged out of his jacket. “The iron is in the hall closet. Top shelf.”

Sam nodded as she took his jacket from him. In her reality, they had only had the house in DC for a little over a year before all hell broke loose. But today, she had time to look around the house and she realized that Jack hadn’t changed things much after he’d lost her it seemed, other than to remove anything personal that made his pain worse like photos and treasured knick-knacks.

Jack cleared his throat in discomfort and headed for the walk in closet to retrieve a fresh shirt, pants, and tie. Sam took that opportunity to leave the bedroom to find the iron and set it up. The ironing board should be hanging on the wall inside the closet, the iron on the shelf next to it. She took down the board and opened it and went to the hall bathroom to fill the steam reservoir. She ran into Gracie on the way back through the hallway.

“Wow, mommy, it’s even prettier on!” Gracie gawked and stood back, afraid to touch the delicate fabric of her mom’s dress.

Sam grinned as she admitted. “I know. I think it’s the prettiest dress I’ve ever owned.” Sam’s tastes in dresses had been basic black for years because she thought she was terrible at accessorizing. She didn’t have anything to wear with this dress either but the dress was so lovely on its own that she probably didn’t need anything beyond the matching green hair clip she’d threaded at her nape to help hold back her hair.

“Do you want me to iron daddy’s jacket?” Gracie asked.

Sam shook her head. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’ll do it.”

Gracie looked down at the ink stained hand she’d proffered. “Yah, probably a good idea.” She agreed with an embarrassed smile.

“Abigail Grace, never ever be ashamed of using your hands to work or create something.” Sam admonished her daughter as she held out her own scarred and rough hand as an example. “I didn’t get as far as I did in my life trying to be pretty. I got there by working hard and being smart, just like you are.”

Gracie gave her mom a shy smile. Only mommy had ever called her by her full name when she wasn’t angry for something Gracie had done. Why did she remember that suddenly? Her eyes welled up a little.

“Hey.” Sam said, her tone worried.

Gracie shook her head. “It’s okay. It’s just you haven’t called me Abigail Grace like that in forever, you know, and it just kind of hit me is all.” She sniffled.

“Oh, sweetie.” Sam said sadly, with regret.

Gracie shook her head again. “You were the only one allowed to.” Then she fled before she cried more and ruined her mom’s dress with tears because her mom wouldn’t hesitate to hug her when she’s upset no matter what she had on.

Hearing a commotion in the hall, Jack’s head popped out the bedroom door as he watched as Gracie fled down the stairs. “Everything all right?” He said, looking from his daughter’s rapidly retreating back to his concerned looking wife.

Sam sighed. “I made her cry.” She said softly with a worried frown and bit her lip.

“What? How?” Jack asked, mystified.

Unsure of what she said or did, Sam stood there looking bewildered. Sam huffed. “She was being silly about her hands being dirty and I admonished her to never be ashamed of hard work... and then I called her by her first and middle name.” Sam blinked. “I don’t know why I even did that. Honestly, we’d planned to name her after Janet but it just popped out.”

Jack nodded. “You… she was the only one that she let call her that. She always preferred Gracie from everyone but you.”

Sam gave Jack a worried frown.

“It will be all right, Sam. Gracie can be a little moody but she’s not mad or even genuinely upset.” He said, leaning against the hallway wall beside her.

“I can’t imagine where she gets that from.” Sam teased him shyly, hoping Jack was right. She went back to positioning his jacket on the ironing board to hide her reaction.

Jack gave her an innocent look. “Uh, dad obviously.”

Sam burst out in laughter. “Okay, that’s fair.”

“Hey, don’t laugh too hard, you’ll ruin your makeup.”

“Crap!” Sam exclaimed and shoved past him to get to the bathroom mirror to assess the damage.

Jack grinned and shook his head. “It’s the little things.” He said softly to himself in amusement.

Moments later, she came back out and gave him an arched look for his teasing her which earned her a droll grin from him and nothing more. Sam shook her head in amusement as she settled the sleeve of his jacket on the sleeve board to touch up. The spray bottle of water she’d always kept handy had been in its correct location as well. Somehow Jack, her organizationally challenged husband, had willfully chosen to keep things exactly as she liked them.

It was touching and telling in its way. He’d never gotten over her. Not even a little bit. Sara had once told her she was happy Jack had found a better match. Sam hadn’t really understood what the other woman meant at the time. She did now. Jack had always been an attentive lover and a good husband but losing her hadn’t been like when Sara had left him apparently.

Daniel had said Jack didn’t seem to regret the end of his fist marriage the way he should have given the situation. He felt like what kept them together was their son and thought that even though Jack professed to have been happy while married that eventually divorce would have been in their cards either way. Especially after meeting Sara himself. He couldn’t deny Jack and Sara had a lot in common but there just weren’t the sparks he’d seen around Jack and herself from the start. Even divorced couples still have a kind of spark he’d explained, at least ones that had once been in love but Daniel suspected Jack’s love for Sara had been more about well this girl likes me so why not?

Sam shook her head. Why was she worried about this stuff anyway? Because you’re thinking about getting into his pants that’s why. She admonished herself. That’s why you keep sniffing his jacket every time you move it to iron a new spot.

When Jack returned her cheeks were still pink from that self admission but he chalked it up to the steam iron she was using. “We should make sure we have our story straight.” He said in a low voice.

Sam nodded. “I’ve been insinuating that I have PTSD selective amnesia.” She said with a shrug as she slid his jacket off the sleeve board so she could tackle the wrinkles on the side at his waist.

Jack nodded. “That’s pretty much what I’ve told people too. There might be some guests who know you that you didn’t meet in your reality. You should probably stick close tonight and let me greet people.”

“Everyone is going to notice that.” She pointed out.

“Yah.” He agreed with a sigh. “Got any better ideas?”

“Not even in the slightest.” She admitted.

Jack flashed her a smile. “Bullshit our way through it, it is then.” He said without preamble or regard for grammar.

Sam giggled softly and shook her head. “Hopefully we’re such an oddity no one notices any gaps.”

“Well, we are that.” He agreed with amusement.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Something had changed between them, he noted. Something for the good. His smile deepened when her eyes dilated in response to him staring into them. As he leaned in though, Jake toddled up the stairs at full speed, his sister hot on his heels.

“Jake, wait! Stop!” She called out to him. But toddlers don’t follow directions well on a good day.

Jack whirled, laughing, and scooped the boy up, turning him away from the hot iron. “Oh no, you don’t. Mommy’s dress is too pretty for sticky little boy fingers. Only daddy gets to touch.” He admonished the toddler with a kiss on his cheek.

Jake laughed.

“Oh my god! I thought for sure he was going to get food all over mommy’s pretty new dress.” Gracie said in a huff. Marie was hot on their heels.

“Not everyone escaped Jake’s fingers.” Gracie noted, trying to recover her breath.

Jack looked down at the pudgy hand clutching his shirt sleeve.

“New shirt.” Jack announced in general, handing Jake back to Marie.

Marie and Sam exchanged an amused look. Jake’s meal had apparently involved catsup. It would never occur to Jack to just leave his jacket on for the night either.

“Come on, mini Jack. Let’s get your hands washed before you decorate a wall or something.” Marie said in amusement.

Jake leaned over Marie’s shoulder as she walked away with a bouncy Gracie by her side. “Bai mama!” He said gleefully.

“Bye kiddo.” Sam said laughing and went back to pressing Jack’s jacket with a bemused smile. She’d have sworn Jack had been about to kiss her.

Jack put his hand out for Sam after he exited the black sedan and walked around the back of car to the other side. As she stepped out, Jack clearly admired his wife’s legs. Mitch smiled to himself, knowing that he was seeing a different version of his boss tonight.

Mitch would park it in the designated lot then go hang out with the other drivers until alerted that his boss wished to leave. By the glances Jack and Sam were giving each other, Mitch wasn’t sure if he’d be called early or at the end of the event after the staff left as the gala was at a swanky hotel with a separate room for the staff of the patrons to cool their heels and have a soda.

Hotels meant hotel rooms. Assuming the General and his wife could afford the fare, they might just opt to spend the night.

Mitch shrugged. He liked Colonel Carter actually. When he arrived to pick them up at the airport, she’d asked him to call her Sam and had apologized for the earlier deception when she hadn’t let on she was the General’s wife.

As General O’Neill had explained Sam had several very large gaps in her memory, she hadn’t wanted to impose or presume. Now that Mitch thought about it though, it did explain why General O’Neill had been so deferential to her from the start and why the Colonel had clearly been feeling him out from go.

Mitch settled himself against a wall and watched the other drivers for a while. He knew very few of them as he generally only associated with Jack and Jack’s immediate staff. Smiling to himself, he admitted that he knows the guy that runs the closest deli to the Pentagon real well though.

“’Sup?” A mop haired young woman in a tuxedo said to him.

Mitch glanced at her. “Just cooling my heels.” He answered, straightening his Air Force uniform which he always wore when on duty.

“Didn’t know chair force guys weren’t all zoomies.” She observed.

Mitch bristled then let out a breath. “I’m not an officer. I’m security.”

“Driving around some General?”

“Something like that.” Mitch agreed. General O’Neill could certainly take care of himself. There was a rumor he’d been kidnapped once right off the streets of DC while taking a jog but that was probably just a rumor.

“Sounds boring.” She said to him.

“You would know as we pretty much have the same job.” Mitch pointed out to the woman.

“Rude.” She observed in a snarky voice and stalked away.

Mitch smiled a little. He’d learned from the best after all.

Chapter Text

“James,” Jack said to the DoD head of the Marine Corps. “You remember my wife Sam?”

James Amos smiled at Sam. His face settled into puckish dimples as he did so and Sam smiled back. “It’s been a while, Colonel. I hear you are recovering well?” he asked in his warm deep voice. He was one of the few service people tonight who were as decorated as Jack himself.

“Um, yes, yes thank you, Sir,” Jack and James exchanged a look. They had pulled Jack into a session so that everyone more or less had the same story. Officers had wives who had questions and the Secretary of Defense had wanted no accidental screw ups. Everyone was to treat Sam as though her cover story was absolute fact. Especially as there was no realistic way the First Lady could be read in.

“Good to hear it. Must have been hell.” He said of what happened to her without alluding that he knew who she truly was. “I’m sorry you went through all that and I’m glad you’re safe now.”

“Thank you, sir.” Sam said politely.

“Jim is fine. No ranks tonight. Just ignore the fruit.” He said with a flash of a grin.

Sam grinned back. “Thank you, Jim. I’m glad to be safe here as well.” Jack’s hand was on the small of her back and he squeezed gently in reassurance.

“We’re all happy Sam is home safe. I intend to keep her that way this time.”

“Good luck with that, Jack. As I recall, your wife has almost as much perchance for trouble as you did at her rank.”

Jack gave James an innocent look that made James chuckle.

After Commandant Amos completed his pleasantries, Sam snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed it in two gulps. Jack grinned as he snagged her empty glass away and started leading her to the bar.

“Let’s get you something else.” He murmured.

“The champagne is free, Jack.” She pointed out, looking at the top shelf pay bar.

“Mm hmm, and so is your tongue when you drink too much of it.”

“Oh.” Sam said, blushing. So that was also true here too.

He shook his head though in admonishment, “If there weren’t four hundred random civilians here, it would be a nonissue.” He grinned. “You know how I hate paperwork.”

Sam snorted in mirth. “Oh, that’s the reason.”

“You betcha, shnookums.” He said with a grin.

Sam giggled and shook her head.

“Mid or top?” He asked her with an amused smile when they reached the bar.

“Hm?” She answered, her mind still preoccupied by her previous thoughts.

“I’m flattered, but you’re probably thinking about math.” He joked of her vague reaction.

Sam blushed. Was she so obvious tonight that he immediately thought that’s what she had on her mind? “Actually—”

“What will you and the lovely lady have tonight, General?” The bartender cut in.

“Scotch,” Sam said firmly as she turned away from Jack’s thoughtful expression. She planned to shotgun it.

“And you, sir?”

“Highball.” Jack said, amused at Sam’s discomfiture. By her reaction, she had not been thinking about math. Interesting. Jack grinned. Very interesting. And no Danny to muck things up. This could be a very, very good night.

“Coming up.” The tuxedoed bartender said to them cheerfully and turned around to complete the order.

“So,” Sam said, her voice a little high.

“So,” Jack drawled back.

“Um…” Sam bit her lip nervously. His seductive low timbre of his voice was causing somersaults to her insides.

Just then, the bartender provided Sam a welcome distraction when he returned with their drinks. She reached for hers and took a quick sip and relished the burn of the first swallow.

Oh yah. A very good night. “Let’s get this dog and pony clusterfuck over with.” Jack said. “Feels like the Snake Pit all over again.” He elaborated at Sam’s enquiring look.

Sam hummed in agreement.

Jack guided Sam around the room, greeting people he personally knew and warned Sam quietly when she was supposed to remember them as well and why before they reached her to share their feelings on surviving being a POW. He also warned her to be politely distant with Jim.

“Why, he seems lovely.” She asked in confusion.

“We’re trying to get ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ repealed.”

“Oh, good.” Sam said, thinking of Major Lawrence who couldn’t talk about her girlfriend at all in mixed company or she’d lose her job.

“Amos is fighting it tooth and nail. Doesn’t think ‘those’ people belong in the military. His words.” Jack said with a deep frown.

Sam sighed. “That is so disappointing. He seemed so nice.”

“Yah. For a bigot.” Jack said unhappily.[1]

Several minutes into the gala, the President took the podium.

“Friends… and associates.” He paused and looked pointedly at some of the members of congress that balked him. There were several chuckles even from those that were in political opposition to him. “As you may know, this year’s gala event is dedicated to those proud warriors who have served their country, sometimes in missions so classified I can’t even tell you why they have that medal of honor on their chest.” He said this with a grin for Jack who rolled his eyes in amusement. “That said, all proceeds donated tonight will be sent directly to an independent veteran’s fund to augment VA hospitals across the country.” He said smiling. “Please be generous when you sign those checks tonight. Our veterans are counting on you.” He said with a grin and stepped away from the podium.

A moment later, the President and First Lady made a bee-line to Sam and Jack who had resigned himself to being cordial to his current boss.

“Jack.” The tall black man said to Jack with a polite nod. “And Sam. It’s good to see you tonight.”

“Yes, well, undomesticated equines and all.” Jack quipped dryly.

The First Lady chuckled. “How are you, Jack?” She said warmly and held out her hand which Jack took and held for a moment. She liked Jack quite a bit even though he was uncomfortable with being friends with the boss.  The tragic death of his wife at a young age had touched her heart. When she’d been recovered, having been a POW the entire time, she’d been delighted for the charismatic General who lost his spark with her loss.

“Oh, you know me, always busy.” Jack demurred.

“You know I was just telling Michelle as we walked over that it’s high time you took a family vacation, Jack. How does the week after Easter at your brother-in-law’s sound?”

Sam blinked in surprise. She’d told Mark they couldn’t make it because of this event. They planned on staying in DC over the weekend, taking the kids to the Easter egg roll, and possibly hitting the Smithsonian while everyone else was in church. “That’s… um… thank you.” She finished.

The First Lady grinned. “You look stunning tonight. I knew I had the right designer for you when I saw the dress on you.”

“It’s a gorgeous dress. I can’t thank you enough for your generosity.” Sam said. “You look as beautiful as always.” And she did. The First Lady, known for her fashion sense, had worn a floor length cream colored off the shoulder gown that made her skin seem to glow in the scintillated chandelier light.

“I’m rethinking not having sleeves. It’s chilly tonight.” She said, glancing at Sam’s sleeves with envy.

Sam shrugged in amusement. “Well, they aren’t exactly designed for warmth.”

The President chuckled. “I cleared your schedule, Jack. You have the week after this off. As do you, Sam. You can fly out to California directly from DC.” He said warmly.

Jack gave Sam a measured look. They would have to talk this out, see how they intended to present their situation to Mark.

Sam returned his look with concern. It wasn’t the situation with him she was worried about. “I don’t know if Mark has any time off.” She finally said.

Jack nodded slightly. She had a point.

“Oh, that’s all taken care of actually.” The president said with a charming grin who had been amused by the couple’s unspoken conversation.

Sam looked at him with no small amount of surprise.

“A little birdie might have told me his boss was very excited to get a call from the President to personally ask for a week off for Mark Carter as his military hero sister would be in town. I discouraged him from attempting to throw you a parade.” He said with a chuckle.

Sam looked alarmed.

The First Lady patted Sam’s hand affectionately. “We heard that you hadn’t had much time to see your family since your recovery. We wanted to change that if we could.” She said gently.

Sam nodded. “That’s… Thank you.” She finally got out.

Jack grinned. “She means that. Sam isn’t usually at a loss for words.” He winked at Sam.

Sam gave him a lopsided smile that made the First Lady laugh.

“Time to go make the rounds.” The President said in a resigned tone.

“Oh, you love it. Don’t pretend otherwise.” His wife admonished him as she took his proffered elbow. They bickered companionably as they walked away.

“That was…” Sam started and unable to come up with anything better. “Wow.” She finished.

Jack nodded. “Yah, he’s just… like that.”

“I see.” Sam said somewhat mystified that the President would go to such lengths for someone that wasn’t one of his direct advisors.

Checking the nearness of the guests around them, Jack just shrugged though and asked in a low voice. “How do you want to handle things with your brother?”

Sam looked up at him thoughtfully. They weren’t really together but it might be helpful for the sake of appearances to her family if they acted like they were. On the other hand, given their initial encounter Mark knew they were having problems and she hadn’t spoken to him directly about that since as she’d never been close like that with the Mark of her own reality.

“If we offer to get a hotel room, it won’t be as much of an issue.” She finally suggested. The pull out bed at her brother’s wasn’t especially big and Jack was not a small man.

Jack frowned for a moment. He supposed it wasn’t fair to put that kind of pressure on her in front of family anyway. “Probably a good idea anyway. If Jake gets tired and fussy, we have someplace to go that’s a little more quiet for him.”

Sam nodded in relief. They could get separate rooms or at least two beds so the kids could each sleep with one of them and not have to deal with any awkward sleeping issues. The realization that she wanted to deal with the sleeping issues in a way that probably wasn’t appropriate crossed her mind and she squashed it. “You aren’t mad?”

Jack shook his head. “I’ve been with him during a crying jag. Unless you want your brother to hate us all, it’s better if we have someplace else to take him.” Jack quipped.

Sam giggled. He had a point. Jake howled worse than his father when upset and as a toddler that happened frequently. “He does remind me of someone when he’s upset...” She said to Jack in amusement over the top of her drink.

“Cute.” Jack said but flashed her a grin.

Sam’s return smile was impish.

“Was your nickname ‘Trouble’ as a kid by chance?” He asked with a chuckle.

She shook her head smiling. “No. It was ‘Crash’.” She admitted.

Jack’s grin widened. “We should go back and change that.”

“We don’t use time travel for playing around.” Sam recited primly.

Jack chuckled though. “Gotcha.” He smirked at her.

Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head. Sometimes this Jack O’Neill was exactly like the one she’d married.

He took her hand and tucked it into his elbow before leading her to a table to put down their drinks. At her inquiring look, he just smiled and led her to the dance floor where a live band was playing a slow waltz.

She smiled in surprise. Her Jack’s knee had been far too damaged to dance with her for any length of time. He’d been due for surgery on it when the full scale Ori war had broken out on her own Earth and died having never getting around to getting it fixed.

“I figure you’ve missed some things…” He looked searchingly at her. “And might want to make some new, happier memories... but let’s stick to slow stuff. My knee isn’t quite up to swing dancing,” He finished. He hoped her Jack had done some of these things with her before he’d died. It would be a real shame if her only memories of him were frustration and tragedy.

She bit her lip and looked at him in surprise when he swept her into the waltz. She knew he cared after all. He wouldn’t have stayed and taken care of them when everyone had the flu if he didn’t. He was going to a great deal of effort to make her feel like this could be something real and not just a facade. It was nice to know they had some things in common. It felt like coming home from a long deployment where you had grown in different directions but still felt the same.

They moved well together. When the next song’s tempo increased, Jack kept up. Disco had been at its height of popularity when he’d been a young man. Dancing had been a social requirement for his generation and he hadn’t forgotten.

They made such a striking couple dancing together that several of the other attendees stopped and pointed them out. Among them, Darleen Greenert who smiled and pointed them out to her husband then turned to the wife of one of the other combat veterans being honored that night to explain how much more comfortable Jack seemed at these functions with his wife at his side again. He was even smiling, she noted. Jon, her husband, pointed out that no one had seen him smile like that in years.

Kerry Johnson, who had come with a friend but carefully avoided the O’Neill’s because she suspected she made this Sam uncomfortable, smiled thoughtfully while she watched them dance. She debated about saying hello but this Sam had been decidedly cool with her when they had bumped into each other at the Pentagon during Sam’s last visit and Kerry wondered what had happened between herself and Jack in that Sam’s life that made her so guarded. Her cool tone had suggested Kerry had possibly been an interloper, something that Kerry regretted as she genuinely liked and respected Sam. She turned towards her companion and silently concluded that it was unlikely she and Jack would be going out for drinks again any time soon.

On the dance floor, Jack and Sam were oblivious to these speculations. They only had eyes for each other. He put serious thought into kissing her after their second dance wound down but hesitated, not knowing if she was ready for that step and didn’t want her to feel pressured. Especially not in public.

As they danced, Sam realized she’d have to broach the subject herself after how badly she’d botched things the last few months. Her feelings for this man had flowered into more than she had ever expected was possible. When she looked into his deep brown eyes, she no longer saw her dead husband at all. She just saw a man whose name was also Jack.

They stood staring at each other for a moment on the dance floor. “Ready for that drink?” He finally asked her.
“Yup.” She agreed a little too quickly and tore her eyes away from him before she did something foolish in her opinion like kiss him in front of an entire room full of strangers that knew another her.

He gave her a lopsided grin though, as if he knew exactly what she was feeling.

To cope with the revelation that he genuinely cared about her and not just because of who she looked like, Sam ordered another drink and another after that. It wasn’t the wisest choice, but the alcohol took the edge off and made her less likely to react to Jack’s flirting with running away in terror of her own feelings. But the alcohol gave her courage and by the end of the night, she was flirting back as though this had been her reality all along.

“Jake was really happy to see you.” She told him while they sat at one of the tables scattered around the ball room later that night.

“I was happy to see him too.” Jack said, chuckling. “Especially not while throwing up on me.”

Sam shook her head in amusement. “It wasn’t the best introduction.” She agreed.

“Yah, well, what can you do?” He shrugged philosophically and gave her an amused smile.

Sam chuckled. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He seemed genuinely confused.

But Sam didn’t know how to quantify how to explain it was for loving his son regardless of how he came to be. “For being you.” She finally said.

“Who else would I be?” Jack asked, playing along with a confused look.

Sam chuckled. She’d made him uncomfortable with the compliment and he’d fallen back on his standard self-effacing reaction. Her Jack had never seemed to know what to do with being appreciated either. She adored both of them for it. For thinking kindness was the default.

“No really. What did I do?” Jack asked her in wonder.

Sam grinned at him. It was his smile he realized and he grinned back helplessly. Oh yah. He was a goner for sure he realized and found that didn’t worry him even in the slightest.

“Let’s just say you have been unusually charming and leave it at that.” She said, still grinning.

“Well, that’s nothing.” He demurred. “You should see me when I want something.”

Sam laughed helplessly. Jack O’Neill was a universal constant. No matter what universe. When he looked away, Sam frowned thoughtfully. He had to have done something to convince the ‘mirror’ Samantha he was nothing like her husband to make her go home she suddenly realized. She had never asked her own Jack. She’d had no reason to suspect anything at the time.

“Jack?”

“Yah?” He asked, returning his attention back to her.

“Will you answer honestly if I ask you something personal?”

Jack gulped. “I’ll try.”

Sam nodded, good enough she supposed considering he was now wary of what she might ask. “When the alternate Samantha from that other reality kissed you… why did she say you were nothing like him?” She bit her lip. “You see, it’s just… well, when you kissed me, um, honestly, it felt just like it always had.” She tumbled on. “That’s why I was so upset, you see and—”

Jack put up a hand to stop her, now understanding why she’d been so cool with him after. “I wanted her to go home, Sam. She would have needlessly complicated my life because of how she felt.”

“Because you didn’t think of her that way.” Sam conjectured.

“Correct.” Jack agreed. He paused and glanced around. No one was paying attention to their conversation which was good. Even if they were they would likely have difficulty discerning what they were discussing without being familiar with the course of events. “I already had feelings for my own Sam… and Samantha was pregnant with a child that would have been genetically mine. I’d have been obligated to provide for her and the baby and I didn’t want that. Sam would have understood… but it also would eventually have driven a wedge between us. I didn’t want my taking care of Samantha to ruin what I already had, knowing she had her own people to go home to even if her me was gone.”

Sam looked at him wide eyed. She’d had no idea he’d felt like that for her so early on. Sure they had slept together but he’d played it off as just sexual stress relief just as she had at the time. But did that mean he felt that way about her now or had his kiss being so much like her own Jack’s been his way of telling her?

Jack smiled sheepishly though. “Your Jack probably just didn’t kiss her back either. That’s all.”

“Oh.” She said, blushing a little. Was she that readable or did he just know her that well? “Um…”

Jack chuckled and decided it was time to change the subject. “To lovers past.” He said warmly as he held up his glass.

“Indeed.” She agreed, mimicking Teal’c.

“Please never tell me if you slept with Teal’c… or Danny. Like… ever.” He pleaded with a cringe.

Sam giggled. “Never in a million years.”

“Good.” He said then thought. “Wait! Do you mean you’ll never tell me in a million years or you never—“

Sam laughed. “Jack.” She admonished him, still laughing.

He grinned sheepishly.

They ran into the President’s Chief of Staff towards the end of the night.

“Bill.” Jack said pleasantly.

“Jack, how the hell are you?” Bill Daley said to Jack as he took his hand. “You remember my wife, Bernie?”

“Of course.” Jack said with a smile and tilted his head at Sam. “This is my wife Sam, Bernie.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you finally.” Bernadette Daley said to Sam. “We were so relieved to hear you had been found and are recovering from your experience.” She said warmly to Sam.

Sam nodded but didn’t elaborate. “Thank you.” Was all she replied. The less information she put out there the less likely the gossip mills would compare notes. At least on that.

“What’s this I hear about you leaving us, Bill?” Jack asked the older, balding man.

“Well, I thought I’d give running for Governor a shot.” He admitted.

“Does the boss know?”

“Know? He about kicked me out of the office when I told him.” Bill admitted.

Jack chuckled. “I get the same routine when I threaten to retire.” He admitted.

“Do it anyway. Enjoy your kids.” Bill suggested.

Jack gave him a considering look.

The Gala was winding down and about a third of the guests had already left. “We should go soon.” Jack told Sam.

“He hates these things.” Bill observed to Sam.

“That’s why I drink at them.” Jack replied good naturedly.

Sam, who had drank her share for the same reason tonight, shook her head and smiled in amusement. “We promised the kids we’d take them to the Smithsonian tomorrow.” She elaborated.

“As always, she’s right. We should get going.” Jack reiterated. They said their goodbyes to the Daley’s and moved towards the exit. “The First Lady is right. That’s a hell of a dress.” He said in admiration for her gown as his hand guided the small of her back through the thinning crowd.

Sam tried to ignore the pleasant hum that passed through her entire body every time he touched her that way. Ignoring it wasn’t helping much. Even with his hair having gone white, he was still one of the most handsome men she’d ever met. She’d had a similar effect on him though. She’d watched him swallow hard right before that single word... ‘wow’. If she didn’t know him better, she might not have realized the effect she’d had but while he wasn’t her Jack, Sam really suspected that nearly all Jacks were fundamentally the same.

The more she thought about it though, it didn’t really matter. Even being deeply similar, he was his own person separate from the man she had known. The effect he was having on her tonight wasn’t because of who he looked like or the alcohol. It was him.

[1] General James Amos was later known to backpedal on this but that was probably to save his job as he made several enemies in the ranks by openly opposing it.

Chapter Text

Mitch had driven them home in companionable silence. Each lost in their own thoughts. Mitch noted that the energy between them in the silence was even more charged than earlier in the evening. He supposed if he hadn’t seen his wife in weeks he’d be pretty antsy too. Provided he had a wife, the young airman mused.

They thanked Mitch for driving them tonight outside his normal schedule and headed inside. The house was quiet. Marie had sent the kids to bed hours ago. Jack and Sam had both drank more than they planned to in an effort to quell their nerves at spending an entire evening around the other without the buffer of work or the kids.

Jack’s original plan had been for Sam to take the bed and he’d sleep on the couch, but that didn’t feel all that appealing now that he was home and he remembered how lumpy that couch had gotten over the years. To his surprise, it was Sam that brought up a more logical solution.

“Jack, you don’t have to sleep on the couch.” She said softly as he gathered up his pillow.

Jack looked at her across the bed.

“It’s a big bed and… um… look it’s not like we haven’t already slept in the same bed.”

Jack nodded. So she remembered him crashing on the bed in exhaustion when she’d been sick. He honestly hadn’t been sure. “As long as you’re all right with it.”

Sam nodded reassuringly. “Let me go get ready for bed.”

“Oh, yah, yah sure.” He agreed and made a waving motion at the bathroom door where her nightgown hung on a hook next to his robe. He wasn’t sure what to make of the situation but his mother had taught him to never question a woman’s wisdom, especially not when it came to his personal comfort. If she was willing to share the bed, well… he’d share the bed.

While Sam puttered around removing her makeup, Jack quickly pulled off his monkey suit and hung it in the closet. It would need to be cleaned and pressed again but right now, it was at least put away. Down to his boxers and a white t-shirt, he slipped under the covers on the side he’d claimed when they first married and kept long after losing the Sam of his reality.

When she returned in her yellow cotton knit nightgown that left her neck and arms free but fell almost to her knees, Jack was already in bed under the covers and snoring. The long night had caught up with him and he’d all but passed out once his head hit the pillow.

Sam shook her head in wry amusement at his snoring and crawled into bed herself. It was just as well she supposed. They could talk about what was going on between them tomorrow, or the next day for that matter. They needed to feel each other out first before either committed one way or the other.

She felt so warm. Sleepily, she tried to drag her nightgown over her head and noticed the motion was stopped by a long, sinewy arm. Just Jack, she thought foggily and wiggled against his arm to get her nightgown off. Jack grunted in his sleep in protest and tugged her closer to him again when she finally wrestled it off.

Turning around, she grinned in amusement and nuzzled his cheek.

He blinked awake sleepily and gave her a knowing smile before claiming her mouth with his own.

Sam hummed contentedly against his mouth and kissed him back, her hands roaming his warm skin of his sides under his t-shirt. Her leg wrapped over his hip, drawing him against her and Jack growled his agreement when their hips met through the thin fabric of his shorts.

His mind was hazy with sleep but Jack slid his hands down her soft silky back. This woman that he’d wanted for months now, that he’d fallen in love with despite their situations, wanted him, even if it was just for tonight. It would have to do if that’s all he got, but he wasn’t worried about that part right now. She was tasting the skin of his neck, sliding her tongue slowly over his earlobe and Jack found himself completely ready for her. The fingers that had been exploring the contours of her back slid over her side and down her belly. “Sam.” He said softly.

“I want you, Jack.” Was the only verbal response he got. Her hand traveling down his side to his back and then to his rear to rake her fingernails against the sensitive skin by his tailbone was really all the answer he needed. More awake parts of his mind might have questioned if this was just the alcohol talking for either of them but Jack’s hazy awareness made him think he was probably just dreaming the whole thing which meant he could fulfill his desire without consequence.

Sam felt Jack press hard against her pelvic bone through his shorts and smiled when her words made him tug at his shorts to free himself. Not bothering to remove his t-shirt he pulled her against him and claimed her mouth again as his fingers stroked the inside of her thigh on their way to their inevitable destination.

The Jack she had married had always made sure she was ready. He was too big to not do so without hurting her and knew it. This Jack was no different in that respect. His fingers slid through her curls and elicited small gasps and groans when he slid them inside her and ran his thumb over her clit in lazy circles until she was pressing hard against his hand and begging him to grant her release.

She whimpered when he kept her teetering on the edge. Then he kissed her, swallowing her strangled cry when he finally sent her over.

“Jack.” She groaned breathlessly when he released her mouth. “Please.” She asked him, knowing he’d know what she wanted from him.

“Are you sure?” He asked, remembering how sore the Sam of his reality had been after having a baby. But Jake was over a year old, his sleep-fogged brain reminded him.

“Yes, Jack.” She told him, looking sleepily into his eyes. “Please. I need you.”

Without rolling, he pulled her hip against his and used his now slick hand to nudge himself into position before sliding slowly into her.

Her fingers threaded into his hair and he smiled at her as he guided her hip slowly back and forth. He was in no hurry. If anything, he wanted this to last as long as he could manage as he was fairly certain the Sam he knew, while interested wasn’t quite ready to become his lover yet.

Hazy with sleep, Sam accepted his lead and enjoyed the delightful sensation of him sliding slowly in and out of her. She closed her eyes and just rode the sensation until she felt his weight shift over her slightly and his strokes became shorter and faster. His fingers slid down their bodies until he reached his target and sent her tumbling over into bliss a second time.

Jack groaned against her shoulder as he spilled inside her and kissed her neck, holding her against him.

“Love you.” She mumbled sleepily against his shoulder while he held her, coming down from his orgasm.

Jack smiled and tilted his head to look in her eyes. “Love you too, Carter.” He said but it was obvious she’d already fallen back asleep in his arms before he finished the words. Jack chuckled a little. He knew she had to be exhausted from working, her flight, and the long party they attended where her nerves were tested. He wouldn’t flatter himself that his gentle lovemaking had worn her out like that.

Moments later, Jack drifted off as well, still wrapped around Sam.

It was predawn when Sam woke again. She’d had the most fabulous dream she thought with a smile as she snuggled against Jack’s shoulder, her legs tangled with his.

Sam blinked. There was a lot more of her skin touching him then there should be… and she felt… oh god, had they?

Jack mumbled something groggily as he tugged her back against him. Deep brown eyes looked up into hers thoughtfully moments later. “Good morning.” He rumbled.

“Um… morning?” Sam was now extremely aware of feeling sticky in certain places.

Apparently he was too because he frowned at her panicked expression. “I should go start breakfast. Gracie is up with the chickens.” He told her.

“Yah, um…”

“Feel free to use the shower.” He suggested with a slight grin as he rolled out of bed in nothing but his t-shirt.

Sam dove under the covers in embarrassment as Jack strolled casually to the bathroom to relieve himself. He snagged his shorts off the floor on his way by.

“Oh god.” Sam muttered and bit her lip. What the hell do I do now? She wondered.

Jack came out of the bathroom moments later and passed her without a glance, wearing a tatty bathrobe. Sam shook her head and fled to the bathroom after he closed the bedroom door behind him.

Fifteen minutes later, she came downstairs to Jack humming while he prepped the kitchen for pancakes. The electric griddle was already warming up and he was mixing batter from memory. Several rashers of bacon lay on a piece of butcher paper on the cutting board, waiting to be thrown into the huge heavy cast iron frying pan that had been his grandmother’s.

She coughed softly from the kitchen doorway to get his attention.

Jack half turned while he added an egg to the batter and smiled a bit at her. She’d showered as he’d suggested. He was glad. Had she smelled like sex all day, he wouldn’t have been able to keep his hands off of her. “You okay?” He finally asked her, trying to sound casual.

Sam nodded uncertainly. Unlike him, she’d dressed for their day out already in jeans and a light sweater.

Jack didn’t say anything as he placed bacon in the frying pan.

Sam just stood on the other side of the kitchen, watching him uncertainly.

Finally, after the bacon wasn’t occupying all of his attention, Jack poured out several measures of batter onto the waiting griddle then turned and looked at her across the light green kitchen and made the decision to be cautiously honest.

“I don’t regret what happened last night, Sam.” He told her firmly before she could get it in her head that he thought this was all a big mistake. “I just think we should be discreet about this until we know for sure we’re both doing this for the right reasons.”

Sam bit her lip.

“I don’t want to confuse the kids.” He reasoned.

Sam nodded. “You’re right.” She agreed softly.

“C’mere.” He said and held his arms open. She crossed the last couple of feet of kitchen and let him hold her. Slowly her arms came up around his waist as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m not strictly opposed to the idea but we forgot to use protection last night.” He said with a small frown. He was getting a little old for another baby but Sam wasn’t. “It’s too soon after Jake and everything else your body has been through.”

She shook her head. “Janet put me back on depo shots as soon as I was cleared for Gate travel.” She told him.

“Ah.”

“Jack?” She asked him, lifting her head.

“Yah?”

“I wasn’t thinking about him last night.” She confided quietly.

He smiled softly. “I wasn’t thinking about her last night either.” He admitted.

Sam smiled shyly back. Just perhaps they could make this work after all.

A tinkling giggle came from the hallway.

“I think we’re busted.” Jack said softly against Sam’s ear.

“And you two burned the pancakes when you were too busy kissing!” Gracie announced from the hall.

Jack whipped around and saw she was right, smoke rose from the pancakes already on the griddle. “Gah!” He swore and swiftly turned off the smoking griddle and flipped the burned ones into the sink. “Who wants to go out for breakfast?” He asked in general.

Sam shot up her hand. Gracie yelled “Me!” From the hallway. Jake was apparently with her and announced “Dada!”

Jack chuckled. “All right, team O’Neill, get your coats.” He announced, gave Sam a quick peck on the lips and moved the griddle to the sink so he could wash it later. The bacon was done enough and he pulled the pan off the burner to cool while he quickly transferred sizzling strips to a waiting pile of paper towels on a plate.

“You… um… should probably get dressed.” Sam suggested with an impish grin.

Jack looked down at his worn robe and his large bare feet sticking out of the bottom of it. “Huh.” He said and shrugged. “I suppose there’s a limit to casual dining.”

Sam giggled which made Jack grin. Nothing was resolved yet but at least she wasn’t beating herself up about it.

“After breakfast, we need to go buy a stroller. I thought to get a car seat but forgot how much of a slog the Smithsonian is with a toddler in tow.” He admitted.

“They rent them.” Sam suggested.

Jack nodded. “We need one here anyway.” He pointed out. “Assuming you’ll be visiting a tad more often?” He asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Sam blushed. “I’d like that.” She admitted.

“I’d like that too.”

Chapter Text

Jack stretched contentedly on the couch, his legs on the coffee table with a kid on either side of him, both passed out. They had bought a ridiculous number of books at the Smithsonian souvenir store and Gracie had won the argument for seeing the art exhibits as she could look at aircrafts any old day according to her.

Sam was fixing them a late lunch while Jack fiddled with his phone and soaked up the fact that he had his kids both cuddled on him at the same time.

When Sam came in with a small pile of plates with several ham sandwiches perched on top and a bag of chips in the other hand, Jack gave her an absent smile and returned his attention back to whatever he was doing on his phone.

Sam didn’t take it personally. Tomorrow was Easter and honestly no one at the Pentagon ever really took a day off.

Jack glanced at her, his attention on her and not his phone, gave her a brief smile and sucked in his cheeks for a moment. “You like opera, right?”

Sam nodded. Not as much as he did but she always enjoyed the lush, beautiful music when she’d gone with her Jack and Cassie a couple of times. Her Jack was determined that Cassie’s knowledge of culture needed to expand beyond pop boy bands. “Sure.” She agreed as she transferred one of the sandwiches to the bottom plate and set it on the end table on the other side of her slumbering son.

“Good.” He said absently and continued fiddling with his phone.

She gave him a perplexed look but he did not elaborate. Gracie mumbled something in her sleep and scooted down further into her dad’s lap, making Sam chuckle quietly. “Should I wake them up?”

“Nah, they’re fine. They had a busy morning.”

Sam was inclined to agree. They all had. “Did you want something to drink?” She asked him as she transferred two more sandwiches to individual plates.

Jack shrugged. “There’s some iced tea in the fridge.” Sam gave him a curious look. Any other time he’d have asked for a beer. Or coffee. Jack finally noticed her staring at him in curiosity. “What?” He asked her, looking more confused than perturbed.

She shook her head. “Nothing. Just surprised you want tea.”

Jack shrugged. “The other you got me into one I actually like. I only drink it in the spring and summer. It’s kind of fruity.” He admitted with a self-deprecating grin.

“Oh.” Sam said and smiled in amusement. Some things her Jack had liked had rubbed off on her over the years as well, especially phrases and taste in music. She put down the now sorted out plates of sandwiches and bag of chips and went back to the kitchen to get his tea. She would bet she knew the exact one. Sure enough the familiar red of hibiscus tea greeted her when she looked further than the deli drawer. She had thought it was fruit punch for the kids honestly. Not that Jack was above powdered fruit punch either.

She poured him a glass and without much thought added two teaspoons of honey to it for him. When she brought it back, Jack was smiling at something on his phone. “How does The Magic Flute at the Kennedy Center sound?”

“Lovely.” Sam said with a smile. “Let me know what night and I’ll see if Landry will give me some time off.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary.” He said grinning.

“Jack, don’t take advantage of your friendship with him for favors.”

But Jack just chuckled. “It’s tonight.” He explained at her annoyed look.

“Tonight?” Sam yelped. “Jack, I don’t have a dress. Well I do, but it’s not appropriate for the Opera and—“

Jack shook his head. “Marie will be up in a little bit. I have something I need to show you.” He said sadly with a soft sigh. He took a sip of his tea and pulled it back mid-swallow. He stared at it and then at her. The other him had drank his tea exactly the same way apparently.

Sam looked at him inquiringly but he shook his head and they waited in silence for Marie to join them while they ate their sandwiches, both of them ignoring the noisy bag of chips, not wanting to wake the kids.

A few moments later, Marie showed up in the small living room from her basement apartment. “Sir?” she asked him in inquiringly.

Jack huffed another sigh. “I know it’s your day off but could you watch the kids for an hour or two? I… we have something we need to go do.”

Marie gave him a small almost imperceptible nod. Her boss wasn’t exactly happy right now and she hated to see him backslide like this after weeks of almost being his old self again.

“And also tonight, too. We’re going to the Opera.”

“Not a problem.”

“I’ll pay you the OT.”

Marie shrugged though. “Don’t worry about it. You guys go do… whatever it is you need to do.”

Sam looked from Jack to Marie, clearly perplexed. Jack didn’t say anything though, just carefully moved each child until he could ease out from under them and stood slowly. “It’s still chilly. You’ll want your jacket.” He suggested as he headed for the hall closet.

Sam followed him, still mystified. She glanced back at Marie but the other woman just shrugged. She could hazard a guess, but Jack didn’t exactly tell her everything, only things that were specific to Gracie’s, and now Jake’s safety.

Sam sighed inwardly. She had no idea what this was about and Jack’s current mood indicated it was something she should be concerned about.

Silently they got into Jack’s personal car, one that he rarely used except on weekends when Mitch had the day off. Sam tried not to look at him since he was clearly distracted by their destination. The drive to wherever Jack was taking her was quiet. When she tried to ask him, he just shook his head and said it wasn’t far and frowned in that way that had always made her concerned for how he was feeling at the moment.

They pulled up in front of an environmentally-controlled storage facility just outside the DC city limits, and Jack eased the sedan to a stop at the back of one of the buildings. Jack rarely drove except to get groceries since he preferred to stay home during non-work time and Mitch usually drove for him with a Pentagon-assigned car. Jack sat staring out the windshield wordlessly for a moment at the door to a unit. “Right.” He finally muttered under his breath and got out of the car. Sam followed him silently.

He searched among the keys on the ring in his hand and found the correct and one, then started to put it in the lock of one of the units and stopped. Not sure what to say about what Sam was about to see, he huffed a sigh – the sound clearly expressed his sadness. “I’m not an ogre, Sam. It just hurt too much seeing her everywhere.” He told her, not looking at her. Then he frowned and put the key back in the lock and opened it. “I thought after a while I could put some of it back, but… the longer things were the way they were, the less I could handle the idea.” He shook his head and grabbed the handle for the gate. “Anyway, it’s yours if you want any of it.” He said cryptically and raised the gate.

Sam gasped. Not quite certain of what she was seeing.

Inside were her belongings. Books, clothes, personal items, some furniture including her mom’s piano. Everything perfectly arranged and labeled as though she had just been deployed and didn’t want to waste money on a home she wasn’t living in.

“I, uh… I cleaned out the house in the Springs, but when I got back, I just couldn’t let go of any more of her.” He said, his voice filled with grief. “So I packed it all up and called a service and… well, here we are.”

Sam moved forward and looked around wordlessly, partially in shock, but also in deep understanding. She probably would have struggled with letting go of his belongings too. This explained the Indian and her car. Had he gone in that garage and just been unable to sell or give away anything else of his Sam?

“Oh Jack.” She said sadly but he shook his head, avoiding her eyes.

“There’s probably something you could wear for tonight. We, uh, we used to go to the theater fairly often when she could get away to DC. Taking every chance we could to spend time together. If not, we can hit one of the malls or a shopping district. You probably know which stores better than I do.” He rambled.

Sam bit her lip. “No, no this is fine.” She looked at him until he finally returned her gaze that he’d been avoiding entirely. “I’m sure there’s something here, Jack.” She said firmly.

Jack nodded and his face relaxed a little with relief. “You’re sure?”

“Well, no, we might have been different sizes but that’s easy enough to check. Where did you pack her evening gowns?”

“There were only a few. Janet made her get rid of that black one she always wore… to literally everything. Not that I minded the view but Janet ribbed her about looking like she only had one nice dress and…” Jack suddenly realized he was rambling again.

Sam giggled. She vividly remembered that dress. She had also worn it to literally everything and her Jack had also loved the ‘view’ as it almost entirely exposed the curves of her breasts and back, two things he admitted he was most fond of. It had been Cassie who had suggested she retire it from circulation however when she couldn’t find any photos of formal functions without Sam in it and several where she’d worn it on a date with Pete. She’d said it was bad ‘mojo’ to keep wearing it after she’d dated Pete in it and Sam had grudgingly agreed Cassie might have a point.

“I’m sure there’s something here, Jack.” She said to him softly. Yes, these were technically another woman’s things but that other woman had been her, just a different her of another reality, and had the situation been reversed she hoped she’d want whoever the new Sam was to have something of her life back even if the memories were sad.

Jack nodded jerkily. “Right, well, if I remember correctly I put all her fancy stuff in the back here.” He said leading the way through the small unit to a two barred garment rack covered by a large sheet that had clearly once been one of the ones Jack had used at the house in Colorado. He tugged at one side and revealed about a dozen cocktail dresses suitable for a night at the theater or opera. 

Sam moved forward and looked at the dresses, checked the tags. They would be a little loose on her because she was still what Janet had referred to as ‘concerningly thin’. A few still had their store tags, clearly bought in anticipation of future events but never worn. Sam frowned sadly that the other Sam had never gotten the opportunity to wear these. But it also meant Jack wouldn’t have memories of things he did with his wife when he was with her either.

Looking through the dresses, she realized that there were a few items that she had selected in her own life. And much of style that she preferred. Finally, she chose a dove grey handkerchief hem challis dress that was crusted with sequins. The neckline wasn’t especially modest which was fine with her. There was a black lace shawl on the shelf under the dresses as well as a pair of silver floral print stiletto heels in a familiar kraft paper colored box. While not an overly expensive one, they must have been a splurge. The leather shoes did not match the dress but these shoes weren’t made to match anything. They were statement shoes. Sam shook her head in amusement at herself. It was the kind of thing she’d buy while out with Vala shopping, then put away for that perfect event which had usually meant a night out with Jack at some point.

Jack meanwhile was staring at the boxes morosely. His expression would be hidden from nearly anyone but she knew the look on his face from past experience. The ‘mask’ didn’t work on her anymore, hadn’t for far longer than she’d liked to have admitted. He was second guessing his decision to pack all this stuff up. Sam wasn’t sure if he was regretting having not gotten rid of it though or regretted putting it all away so it wouldn’t hurt him directly. Everything was extremely clean which suggested to her that he was coming here and cleaning it. He hadn’t entirely let go.

Perhaps he’d been right to take things slow. Make sure what happened last night wasn’t just their shared grief over the loss of their spouses. Or was he just afraid of losing her again so he was protecting himself emotionally? Some of both perhaps?

“This one is fine.” Sam said decisively of the silver dress.

“There’s a garment bag in the box to your left.” Jack said in a heavy voice.

She turned to him. “I can call a cab and go buy something, Jack. You don’t need to—“

“Yes, I do.” He said with finality. “Tell me if the situation was reversed that you wouldn’t be doing exactly what I’m doing right now.” He said pointedly, pain evident in his voice.

Sam nodded. He was right, of course. She’d loaned some things to the alternate Samantha after all herself simply so the other woman had something to wear. Of course, she’d want another her to have her things so they continued to be valued. Some part of Jack must have hoped some day something exactly like this would happen. Or… he simply was just terrible at letting go. He had, after all, stored all of Daniel’s things in his garage the first time he ‘died’. “I’m sorry.” She said softly.

“Don’t be.” He said, but his tone was only sad.

Sam sighed and found the garment bag and gently put the dress and shawl into it. Jack grabbed her shoes and locked up the storage unit, paused and pulled the key off his key-ring before holding it out to her.

Sam looked at the ring then up at him, her heart pounding in her chest.

Jack sighed and snagged her free hand, lifted her fingers, and wrapped them around the key. “I have another at home. This one is yours now. Feel free to grab anything you need. Mitch knows where to go if you need stuff when I’m at work.” He explained.

Sam continued to look at him wide eyed.

“What the hell am I going to do with all that stuff anyway.” He quipped gruffly but with a small ironic smile and turned away to stand outside the unit.

Sam pursed her lips and tilted her head. He did have a point. She shrugged, locked the unit, and followed him, hanging the bag in the back seat hook before getting into the passenger side.

“I figure we can go someplace nice for dinner before the opera. Nothing super nice as it will require reservations, and I don’t exactly have the clout of a well known stuffed shirt to get a same day reservation at any place swanky, but there are plenty of four star places we could go.” Jack scratched Grey’s off his list immediately. He’d entertained at least two other women there already and word might get around to her that he had done so. He didn’t think she’d hold it against him but he wasn’t hedging his bets either.

“That would be nice.” She agreed. And it would be, she realized. He was fundamentally the same man she’d known. She was likely fundamentally the same as his Sam. There was a reason they had clicked right away in every reality so far. She supposed it was because they recognized something in each other. Something profoundly symmetrical. They always complemented each other’s strengths.

No matter how different that reality was, and in this case they had made all the same decisions right up until her miscarriage. She didn’t know if Gracie made the difference between Daniel’s death or not and she honestly didn’t want an answer to that at all. She didn’t want the death of her only daughter to be the reason Daniel died. She didn’t think she could take that.

His hand hesitated on starting the car. Jack looked at her with a questioning gaze. “We okay?” Jack asked, concerned by her vague tone.

“Oh. Yah. It’s not that.” Sam said absently.

“Then?” Jack asked, his tone still concerned.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just wondering if a bad decision of mine is what caused Daniel’s death and ultimately everyone else’s too.”

Jack looked down for a moment then directly at her until she returned his gaze with trepidation. “I spent most of two years wondering if I could have prevented Charlie’s death. I never figured out the answer, Sam. All it did was make me miserable.”

Sam nodded. She didn’t need to ask what changed. It had been Daniel and to some extent herself and Teal’c that had gotten him to face the fact that some things just happen with no meaning. Or if they did, well, he never would have been on West’s radar as an expendable asset for that first trip through the Gate had he not been suicidal in the first place. He’d told her he wouldn’t have been there had things been different. At least in her reality anyway. The one where Pete had proposed to her shortly after Janet’s death anyway.

She looked up at him thoughtfully. Had he ever had that conversation with his Sam? “The you I know told me you wouldn’t have been part of the SGC if Charlie hadn’t died.”

Jack nodded sadly. “Probably not. And then Daniel probably would have died and Teal’c would still be a slave. As hard as it is to admit, his death had a purpose. West tapped me because he considered me damaged, expendable. Someone else in the same position might not have made the decisions I made or Daniel might not have been able to get through to him. If I could go back and save his life I would, but not at the expense of Danny or Teal’c’s or yours.” He said with a determined frown. “Besides, losing Gracie wasn’t the only change. It could have been Janet’s death in your reality, or for that matter us not getting together at the right point or something not related to us at all.”

Sam sighed. “I suppose.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Sam. You were on base on my orders. If anyone was to blame, it was me.”

Sam shook her head. “Don’t do that to yourself.” She admonished him, knowing him thinking he’d caused the death of two of his children would send him on an emotional spiral he’d struggle to come out of.

“Hard not to.” He told her in a serious tone then frowned and looked down for a moment. “Let’s shelve this for now, okay?” He asked her, worry in his eyes that he was ruining the day with the heavy topic.

She nodded. “Yah, tomorrow is Easter.”

“Right. Did you get their baskets together?”

Sam shook her head.

He chuckled. “Looks like we need to go grocery shopping while we are out then.” He admitted ruefully.

Sam chuckled. “I know where to get Gracie’s Easter gift.”

“Art store.” They said together and chuckled.

In the end, they overspent on both kids and a trip to the mall didn’t help where Jack bought Sam a bracelet while she was in another department getting him a new tie to go with his light grey suit. They didn’t plan to go to church on Sunday but a day of rolling eggs on the White House lawn was in the picture. It was late afternoon when they came home tired but in better moods than they left in. It was time to get ready though so the kids were encouraged to go have dinner in the kitchen with Marie while Sam and Jack got dressed.

Chapter Text

Jack watched Sam covertly during the opera. The production company had opted to go very over the top with set design and costuming and she was clearly entranced. She sat forward in her chair, fascinated by the elaborate bird costume on the singer playing Tamino. Her nose scrunched up cutely how silly it is for the guy to agree to the Queen of the Night’s terms. He chuckled to himself inwardly. Leave it to Sam to enjoy the performance by critiquing a plot he knew she had to know. He couldn’t imagine himself not taking her to the opera. His grandmother had been very firm about him and his cousin being ‘cultured’ as she described it. A condition passed down by his great grandparents who had been well to do in a time when most folks had struggled to survive in the wild west.

During the intermission, they wandered back out into the main vestibule to search for snacks. “Someone sure likes gold.” Sam observed in amusement at the unrelieved gold of the room. There were touches of red in the theater itself but mostly everything was painted a mustard yellow or gilded. Some of it both.

Jack chuckled. “If snakeheads built a theater…” He quipped which made her giggle.

“I cannot begin to imagine how terrible Goa'uld theater would be.” She laughed.

Jack grinned. He loved making her laugh. She had such a joyful tinkle when she was tickled by something he said. She looked beautiful. The silvery dress floated around her legs in an ethereal haze that didn’t seem to have an ending point. Like smoke. He frowned a little, worried their budding relationship was like her dress.

“Jack?” She asked him softly, noticing the shift in her mood.

He shook his head. “Nothing to worry about.” He said and slipped her hand through his elbow. The show is about to start.” He observed of the orchestra warming up audibly.

She nodded but gave him a thoughtful look. He’d looked… worried for just a moment.

“What?” Jack asked her in very much the tone he’d have used on Daniel for the same curious stare.

“Nothing.” She demurred.

Jack shook his head in frustration. Some things just didn’t change apparently. They walked back to their seats for the second half of the opera. The snacks had been pretty typical. Bacon wrapped tidbits and assorted patés on tasteless crackers. Nothing to write home about. He’d have been happier with pizza and beer but sadly operas did not offer such fare. He’d at least gotten her to laugh at his mangled pronunciation of hors d'oeuvres. He’d tried three times before she’d giggled helplessly.

They enjoyed the rest of the music together and, by silent agreement, chose not to discuss whatever had soured the mood for a moment while they mingled with the other attendees. It was gone now and they were walking to the car and laughing about Jake picking up the word ‘bollocks’ from Vala recently and using it consistently when frustrated.

They were still laughing about it when they got back to the house and loudly shushing each other due to a couple of glasses of wine making them a little less self-aware. Jack grinned and pulled Sam against him just inside the doorway to give her a tantalizing kiss before his lips trailed down her neck.

Sam groaned. “Jack, we need to get the kids’ baskets out and hide the eggs.” She told him reluctantly.

“Tomorrow.” Jack mumbled against her neck. “Can’t put the dyed ones out anyway.” He reasoned.

“I’m not getting up at 0500 to put out baskets and candy.” She giggled and swatted at him. “Come on. We’ll get it done now and then we can go to bed.”

Jack leered at her. “Yes, ma’am.” He agreed, saluted her, raised an eyebrow, and looked down as he was clearly saluting her in other areas as well.

Sam slipped off her shoes, picked them up, and smothered a giggle as she headed up the stairs with her finger on her lips as she glanced over her shoulder at him.

Jack huffed a little in resignation. As much as he wanted to press his advantage, he knew it was the champagne talking and should probably cool things off a bit.

They worked quickly together to arrange the kid’s baskets and hide the non-perishable eggs. Jack would put out the rest of them when the kids got him up in the morning. Gracie knew the rules. You played with dad’s Gameboy until the ‘all clear’ was called. He’d always told her so he could get out his camera but of course it was to quickly place a dozen eggs. Never in hard spots. They had lost eggs for weeks sometimes when Jack had started making things challenging so the hard boiled ones were always in obvious spots with candy and money filled eggs in more difficult locations, and the wood eggs Gracie had painted herself over the years in even more unique spots.

Sam had had a great time hiding them once Jack explained his methods. They had then quietly gone back upstairs to get ready for bed, grinning foolishly at each other having enjoyed hiding eggs for the kids as much as they had the opera if not more.

As Jack took off his suit jacket, he looked at Sam thoughtfully and considered their evening. “Sam.”

“Hm?” She asked absently as she tucked her shoes back into their box before putting it under the bed for safe keeping. A terrible habit that irked him when he’d been married to the Sam of his reality but which he now found endearing as it was such a Sam thing to do.

“I um… I don’t expect anything.” He finally finished, unable to look at her.

Sam looked at him thoughtfully before crossing the room to him. “Jack?”

“Look, I know last night just kind of happened but that doesn’t mean I expect anything just because it did.”

Sam tilted her head a little and smiled at him in amusement. “What if I do?”

“You do?” His expression was charmingly surprised as though he’d expected her to decide they were one and done.

Sam gave him a coquettish smile. “Jack. I want you.”

Jack swallowed hard. “You’re sure?”

“Oh yah.” She agreed, her grin getting wider.

“I mean if you change your mind at any point, just let me kn—” He was cut off by her lips claiming his as her hands slid over his shoulders to the back of his neck, holding him close while she lightly raked her teeth on his lower lip.

Jack groaned in submission and kissed her back, his hands moving of their own will to hold her against him as he tilted his head to deepen their kiss.

The only sound heard after that from either one of them were the soft sighs and moans of delight lovers make when they don’t want to wake the kids.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, content in their post-coital bliss.

Jack had a contented smile on his face. His wild dreams had come true. She was in his arms. She wanted him. And he loved her. Gracie was right, he thought just as he dozed off. He should tell her how he feels.

Chapter Text

They were awoken very early the next morning by the tinkle of childish giggles.

Jack groaned and pulled the covers tighter over Sam and himself. They were tangled together, her head on his shoulder that was numb now that he thought about it and his usual morning reaction to needing to use the john was pressed between her legs. Sam snorted a giggle when he tried to shift and instead got them both turned on.

“Daddy, it’s Easter!” Gracie wisely called from the hall. Jack had closed the door but had not locked it last night. Gracie knew a closed door meant privacy though.

“Is your brother up?” Jack called out, hoping the answer was no.

“Dada!” Jake screeched.

“Guess that answers that.” Jack grumbled, scrubbing his hand on his face in tired frustration. Sam distracted him by nipping the spot on his shoulder where she’d left a bite mark last night stifling a scream of release when he’d tossed her over the edge of ecstasy without so much as a how do you do.

“They’re excited, Jack.” Sam admonished him.

“I know. I know. But do they have to get us up at…” He looked at the clock and groaned. “It’s 0500, Sam.” He whined. “Go back to bed!” He yelled at the door.

“We don’t want to!” Gracie argued then giggled. This was clearly a familiar game.

“Please go back to bed?” Jack whined.

“Easter! Easter!” Gracie started chanting. Eventually Jake joined in with ‘Eether! Eether!” Which just made Sam burst out laughing.

Jack rolled on top of her and claimed the peak of one of her breasts in his mouth and flicked his tongue expertly over her nipple until she gasped and her hips pressed into his on their own. She moaned his name.

“I have much better things to do with my time than hide eggs.” He said as his fingers began exploring between her legs.

“Go back in your room, kids. We’ll be up in a bit.” Sam called loudly and then whimpered in pleasure when his talented fingers found what he was looking for and spiraled her into pleasure.

Jack chuckled against her breast. “Told yah.” He said as he slid into her and claimed her mouth with his own, not caring if either of them had morning breath or that Sam’s mascara was smeared down the side of her face.

Half an hour later, they lay together snuggling, Sam’s fingers idly tracing patterns in the dash of hair on Jack’s chest, her leg flung over his.

“That was nice.” He said as he nibbled his ear.

Sam hummed happily but pulled away a little. “If we don’t go hide the rest of the eggs soon, they will go feral and eat us.”

“The eggs?” Jack asked in confusion.

“No, the kids.” Sam said laughing.

“Hmm… but you taste so nice.” Jack said thoughtfully and nibbled the sensitive spot on her neck that was guaranteed to make her hot and bothered.

“Jack.” She moaned.

“That’s better.” He said with a happy grin and his fingers explored the skin of her belly.

She giggled though. “We need to stop.” She sighed.

“Rats.” Jack grumbled good naturedly. “Your flight isn’t until Tuesday, right?”

Sam nodded. “I have to do some prep work for the next gate mission.”

“Yah, that Wow! thing.” He agreed.

Sam nodded.

“That gives me all of tonight to seduce you again.” He said with a grin.

“I believe I seduced you.” She admonished him.

“Not this morning you didn’t.” He disagreed.

“Daddy, we want to hunt for eggs!” Gracie yelled from the other side of the door.

Jack’s shoulders sagged and Sam giggled. “Come on, General, we can play hide the Zat gun later.” Sam said while laughing and rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Jack leered at the view of her nude figure crossing the room as she swished her hips in invitation.

And what kind of moron would turn down an invitation like that? Jack got up and followed her. After all, he needed to brush his teeth too.

On the other side of the door, Gracie rolled her eyes and looked at her brother. She’d heard her parents’ laughter and kissing noises. “Gross.” She told the toddler.

“Gwose!” Jake agreed and they both giggled.

“You know the rules. Stay upstairs until I… we call you.” Jack admonished his daughter in the hallway after they had finally gotten dressed in casual clothing for the day. Sam was downstairs, hiding the last of the eggs and had on a pair of wool slacks and a knit blouse, nice enough to walk the South Lawn while the kids rolled eggs but by no means looking overdone. Jack had on black jeans and a flannel cambric shirt. The closest he was willing to dress up considering they weren’t church goers and had breakfast planned for home. He’d made a strata yesterday before they left for the opera and it was currently baking in the oven.

“We could have looked for eggs an hour ago.” Gracie argued with an eye roll.

Jack gave the girl a hard look that made her raise an eyebrow, testing her father’s seriousness. He shook his head. “Your cousin wasn’t much older when she started mouthing back at me either.” Jack grumbled. “Dial it back. I want your mom to have a nice day.” He admonished her gently.

Gracie thought about it for a moment and guilt briefly flashed across her small face. “Okay, daddy.” She said quietly.

Jack nodded. “Thank you.” He said, ruffling her hair. “Gracie, we don’t get to see your mom much. I’m trying to fix that but if we act like jerks she’s not going to want to visit us very often.” He gave her an embarrassed lopsided smile. “Trust me, I already tried that one on her.”

Gracie giggled. “She didn’t like you very much when you did that.”

“No, she did not.” Jack agreed with a rueful grin. “So let’s be on our best behavior. She has plenty of time to learn you’re just as cantankerous as your old man when riled.”

Gracie giggled. “Uncle Daniel says you act like a bear someone woke up from hibernation.” She supplied.

“That’s pretty accurate.” Jack agreed, hugged her before he turned to go down the stairs. “Make sure your brother stays upstairs too. I know he’s little, but mom is still trying to hide eggs.”

“Okay daddy.” Gracie said agreeably.

Jack tugged one of her curls affectionately and headed down the stairs.

“What was that all about?” Sam asked him quietly.

Jack grinned and shook his head. “A preview to puberty.” He admitted.

“Oy.” Sam said, mimicking one of his oft used expressions.

“Oy indeed.” Jack agreed. “Everything all set?”

“Yah, eggs are hidden, food is in the oven. Baskets are artfully arranged. Gate techs are on full alert.” She teased.

Jack snorted. “Got it.” He looked to the stairwell and yelled, “All right, kids, come on down!”

“Woo hoo!” Gracie hollered and was joined by Jake’s gleeful shrieking as they made their way down the stairs at the fastest speed Jake could manage scooting backwards which was fairly fast.

Sam smothered a giggle while Jack snapped photos like a pro. Gracie unsurprisingly grabbed a basket and instead of looking for eggs for herself, led Jake to ones he could easily find with minimal prompting. His gleeful crow of “Eggie!” Every time he snatched one up made everyone laugh. It took Gracie several tries after the first egg to get him to relinquish it to the basket and go look for another egg but once he got the hang of it, Gracie started digging around for the harder eggs to find.

Once Jake realized the plastic eggs had candy, he ignored the others and opened up anything he could find including the contents of his sister’s basket.

“Hey!” Gracie said to him, her legs tangling in her long green nightgown with a plume hatted orange cat in boots on it.

Before she could snatch at him though, Sam got between them and distracted Jake with a marshmallow chicken. “He’s one.” She reminded the girl.

“I know.” Gracie sighed, an image of a long suffering older sibling. “He’ll grow out of it.”

Sam giggled. “Probably not, but he won’t understand why he’s being yelled at right now. Wait until he’s your dad’s age.” She suggested which made Gracie giggle helplessly.

“Mommy, that’s silly.”

Sam grinned then looked pointedly at her basket. “You haven’t found at least three eggs.”

“Did you hide them this year?”

“Most of ‘em, yup.” She agreed as she sat down on the couch next to Jack.

“Sweet!” Gracie exclaimed and went in search of the missing eggs.

“He’s going to be so wired.” Jack observed, waving at Jake who was shoving chocolate in his face now.

“Yah, well, you only live once.” Sam said with a shrug then cringed when she realized what she’d said.

Jack, though, took it in stride. “I don’t place that bet on Danny.”

Sam bit her lip and snorted. “Of course.” She agreed.

Jack smirked. It might take Gracie a while to find the last couple of eggs so he patted Sam’s knee and got up to check on breakfast.

Jake got up and toddled over to Sam, hands outreached. “Oh no, you don’t.” Sam admonished him and picked him up, holding him away from herself. “You keep that chocolate to yourself. Let’s get you washed up.”

Jake wiggled, trying to free himself, and Sam sighed and walked more quickly to the kitchen and deposited him on the counter next to the sink.

“Looks like he’s been playing in the mud.”

Sam shook her head. “Or worse.” She agreed.

“Oh, let’s hope he doesn’t go through that phase.”

Sam gave him an inquiring look.

“I missed most of it but apparently Charlie liked to draw on the walls.”

“Ew.” Sam agreed.

“Yah, Sara had a lot of opinions on how that wasn’t anything from her side of the family.” Jack said with amusement. “I don’t think she ever knew just how stuffy mom’s side was.”

“You… well, you know, you never really talk much about your family.”

Jack nodded. “Never had a big family. My grandma was an only child. She died when I was fairly young. My grandfather Harry was a real character.” He shrugged. “Mom died of breast cancer when I was a kid. Dad drank himself to death a couple years later. I grew up too fast even living in the woods of Minnesota.” He bent over the oven to get their breakfast out while Sam washed Jake’s hands. “Met Sara while I was in flight school. She wasn’t a fan of the black Ops stuff. Said it made me moody.” He chuckled ruefully. “Like that was any different than I was before.”

Sam nodded silently.

“Harry died a couple years before Charlie. He’d have been heartbroken.” He sighed. “Moved back to Chicago to be closer to Sara’s family. For all the good it did us.” He said morosely.

“You always called your grandfather by his given name.” Sam observed.

“Yah, he never much bought into being called grandpa. Said it made him feel old so when Bub and I started calling him Harry one day he didn’t correct us and it just kind of stuck. No one was going to say anything anyway. It was just us at that point.”

“Is he still around?” She asked of his cousin who she’d met in her reality.

Jack nodded. “Somewhere. We don’t talk much. Both of our jobs are highly classified. We drifted apart over the years when we ran out of things in common to talk about besides hockey.”

“Sounds like me and my Mark.”

“Yah, I think I like this Mark better than the one you described to Danny.”

“Mine had a lot of hang ups.”

Jack nodded in understanding. “I know the feeling.” He agreed.

Sam chuckled softly and shook her head. “Yah. Me too.” She agreed.

They smiled a little shyly at each other. It felt like they were doing everything in reverse order here, but their courtship had been so opposite of normal it seemed right somehow that they would have to navigate falling in love with each other while already married to other versions of themselves who they could never bring back.

“I’m sorry about everything that happened to bring you here you know. It wasn’t fair.”

Sam sighed. “No. It wasn’t. Thank you for trying.”

Jack nodded a couple of times. It had come out wrong, but he understood what she meant. He’d been a real ass about this at first because he’d been terrified he’d fall in love with her. He had anyway. He was still terrified and for the same reasons but he learned last time to hold on to what he had because you didn’t know when it would be gone someday. “Thank you for not giving up.” He said of her finishing the jumper and coming here. He hadn’t known he needed her until he did.

Sam nodded in response. “I made a promise.” She explained to him.

“Yah.” How many times had promises to Carter kept him alive? He’d lost count.

The oven beeped at them, startling them both out of their conversation. Sam handed Jack the oven mitts and moved away so he could work. She decided she may as well be useful and pour the orange juice so she went to the fridge to get it out. “Hey, do we need butter?”

Jack nodded. “The rolls can bake while the strata cools. It’s close enough in temperature that if I change the time a little, they should be okay.”

“Why do I get the feeling you eat a lot of half-baked rolls?” She teased him.

“Very funny.” He said with a grin over his shoulder. “I’ll have you know I usually burn them instead.”

Sam laughed. “Now that I believe.” She agreed.

“Is breakfast ready?” Gracie called from the other room.

“Did you find all the eggs?” Jack shouted back then smirked at Sam.

“Nooo.”

“Then I guess you don’t get breakfast, little Easter Bunny. Hop to it.” He called out.

Sam stifled a giggle as Gracie groaned. “Oh, let her eat, Jack.”

“It needs to cool for ten minutes anyway or it’s going to fry off the roof of her mouth. She won’t die.” Jack gently admonished Sam.

Sam shook her head. She supposed it kept Gracie occupied at least.

“If you set the table, I’ll start cutting this bad boy up.” Jack suggested.

“All right.” She agreed and went to the silverware drawer first.

Jack noted that she knew which drawer to go to. So she’d gotten to spend at least some time with her own Jack here before the Ori destroyed her life. He felt better knowing she had happy memories to go with the sad ones of him. He didn’t want Sam to forget the man she married. Any more than he wanted to forget the Sam he married either. But it didn’t change how he felt about this Sam or how he hoped she felt about him.

He wanted this to work for them, not just because of the kids either now. He’d fallen and if he was honest with himself, he’d fallen hard and a lot faster than he should have for her. He watched her while he divided up their breakfast, steam pouring out of the knife cuts he’d already made. She had her hair pulled back in a low ponytail. The Air Force had relaxed its restrictions on women’s hair length and Sam had never really liked her hair short anyway. She’d grown it out as soon as they had kicked the touching your collar rule and never gone back. This Sam he suspected simply didn’t have access to a hairdresser for two years and on finding out she didn’t need to cut all her hair off had opted not to. His Sam had always kept hers braided, however. It was one of those odd little things that made it easy for him to tell them apart.

“Every place is going to be packed today so I figured you might want a quiet afternoon at the house while the kids watch movies?” He asked her.

“Yah. That would be really nice actually.” She flashed him a smile.

Jack grinned back. “We can kick the kids outside if they get too loud.” He suggested.

Sam laughed. “I am not sending a one year old outside unattended.”

“Gracie can watch him.” Jack said affably.

Sam laughed and shook her head. “Great parenting skills there, Jack.” She teased.

Jack shrugged with a smile. “It was worth a shot.” He said with a glint in his eyes, giving away his real motivation.

They walked holding hands while the kids rolled eggs and occasionally themselves on the south lawn of the White House. Jack laughed when Gracie’s pigtail got caught on a chicory stem poking out of the grass and she grumbled in protest.

Sam leaned against his shoulder. “So I know how we figured things out on my end. How did you two finally get things figured out?”

Jack thought for a moment while he watched the kids. “Things pretty much came to a head when Janet and I were shot. You were dating that cop and I was miserable, but you kept coming to see me while I recovered and it was the only time I was at all happy. When Janet’s temporary replacement told me I had six weeks minimum recovery, Janet confronted me.”

Sam gave him a shocked look.

Jack just shrugged. “She told me I’d lose you if I didn’t get my act together. I pretended to not understand but she threatened me with the big needles if I didn’t knock it off.” He said with a sad smile.

Sam squeezed his hand in sympathy.

“Apparently she asked you some pretty pointed questions as well.”

Sam nodded. “Yah, Vala and Janet told me she asked me if I was dating Pete because I liked him or if I was just trying to get over you.” Vala had gotten the story second hand but had been more than happy to relay her version.

“Came right out and said it, huh?”

Sam turned pink. “Honestly, Jack, my Janet never would have done that.”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “Don’t be so sure. It was her almost dying that motivated her to stick her nose in.” He shrugged. “Either way it worked out both times. Just took you a little longer. I imagine I was being difficult about the whole thing anyway. Probably thought you were trying to make me jealous or worse, thought you just didn’t love me anymore.” He admitted.

“That would never happen.” She said quietly.

“Yah. Same.” He agreed about his own feelings for the Sam he’d known. “You’re a pretty tough act to follow, you know.”

She gave him a startled look.

“I tried to date.” He said with a sigh.

“Kerry.” Sam supplied.

“Not seriously. I realize now she was interested but… she just couldn’t hold a candle to the woman I’d loved for over a decade.” He nodded thoughtfully to himself. “I wasn’t ready. She understood. We became good friends.”

“You dated her when I was engaged to Pete.” She admitted of her own reality. Knowing he’d know what she meant.

“That explains your tense reaction around her.”

Sam sighed and nodded. “I didn’t blame you. It’s just…”

“You thought if I loved you, I wouldn’t date even if you weren’t available.”

“Pretty silly, huh?”

He shook his head. “Pretty understandable. I couldn’t figure out why you’d date the cop unless you weren’t in love with me anymore.”

“Did um… did the other me ever tell you about Prometheus?”

“The hallucinations? Yah.” He looked at her a little sadly. “After Janet rode our rails about communication.”

Sam chuckled. “I kind of mixed up a sure bet and a safe bet in my head. Thinking you were a safe bet because I could safely bet that I didn’t have a snowball’s chance to be with you.”

“Ah.” He agreed with a thoughtful look. “And let me guess, I said I was a sure bet.”

Sam nodded. “You’re the only one that uses that expression which is probably why I picked up on it for an imaginary conversation.”

“And you thought I meant loving me meant you wouldn’t get hurt.”

Sam nodded.

“Well, you were kind of right.” He said with a small grin.

“Kind of, yah.” She agreed, laughing.

“I’m glad you guys worked it out. Even if things kind of spiraled into Plan F.”

Sam laughed. “Oh yah, we were well into Plan F.”

“Daddy, what’s Plan F?” Gracie said as she topped the hill from rolling down it, Jake who had gleefully tumbled after her in tow.

Sam and Jack just looked at each other and started to laugh. “We’ll tell you when you’re older.” Sam said still laughing.

“It probably won’t be half as funny when I’m older.” Gracie grumped.

Jack swung Jake up into his arms. “Come on, guys, let’s go gorge ourselves on malted eggs and popcorn.” He suggested.

“I am all for that.” Sam agreed.

Chapter Text

“Got all our chickens crossed and our T’s hatched?” Cam asked Sam, leaning on her lab bench.

“Landry says we are a go. We just need an embarkation window that matches their daylight cycle.” Sam told him.

“Good. I’m bored.”

Sam laughed. “Perish the thought that Cameron Mitchell is bored.” Sam said in amusement.

“You going to your brother’s after we get back?”

Sam nodded. “Yah, Landry signed off on it.”

“I heard the president kind of bullied him.”

Sam laughed. “I heard that too.”

“Sounds like things are going pretty well between you and Jack?” He finally got to the point of his questions.

Sam blushed and ducked her head. “We had a nice Easter.”

“By that reaction, I’d say very nice.” He chuckled when she blushed even more. “Hey, don’t sweat it. One of us should have a romantic relationship.”

Sam gave him a concerned look. “Are they at it again?” Sam asked of Vala and Daniel.

“Can we lock them in a room please?” Cam begged.

Sam laughed. “No. Even if Daniel and Teal’c threatened to do so to Jack and I.” She said, still laughing as she shook her head. “We could try getting them drunk and just let nature take its course?”

“There is nothing natural about those two.” Cam grumbled.

Sam’s shoulders shook with mirth. “That’s not nice, Cam.” She admonished him. “True, and funny, but not nice.”

“Yah yah.” He grumbled and picked up a small piece of equipment that she swiftly retrieved. Cam grinned. He did it because Jack wasn’t here to do it himself. “Let’s have a party when we get back.”

“A party party or an SG-1 team night?”

“How about a combo deal with your lab team and SG-1? Family too.”

Sam nodded. “That sounds great.”

“I’ll plan it. You supply the house.”

Sam laughed. “I knew there was a catch.”

“We can’t fit everyone in my tiny condo.”

Sam nodded. “Not without a shoehorn, no.”

“What are we discussing?” Valla asked as she strolled into Sam’s lab.

“A party at Sam’s. I was thinking a BBQ for her lab team and SG-1, family friendly.”

“That sounds lovely.” Vala agreed. “General Hotness has a lovely smoker he never gets to use here.”

Sam laughed at Vala’s nick-name for Jack. Cam just rolled his eyes. He was half the guy’s age and all the women on his team and in his life made eyes at the old married General and never at the young hot Colonel.

“If you two are done, we need to plan our trip to P4X-173…” He reminded them that they were, in fact, at work.

Vala made a dismissive gesture. “That’s your and Daniel’s job.” She said in a bored tone. “Sam and I are in charge of saving your butts.”

“Ouch.” Cameron said.

Sam gave Vala an amused smirk. “It’s tradition.”

“Double ouch.” Cameron said and staged a strategic retreat.

Vala laughed as he left. “That was far too easy, darling.”

Sam nodded in amusement and went back to work.

“Was the ball fun?”

Sam flashed her a grin. “Yup.”

“You aren’t going to tell me anything, are you?”

“Nope.” Sam agreed, her grin widening.

“Never mind, I can tell by that smile what went on.” Vala said sagely and was rewarded with a blush. Vala laughed. “Thought so.” She said in amusement.

Landry stood at the top of the metal stairs leading to the briefing room in front of his office. “God speed.” He told SG-1, keeping the tradition George Hammond had started over a decade ago and Jack had continued.

The MALP had revealed an advanced society slightly beyond their own, more like the Tolan but not quite as advanced as the Nox. They had greeted the mechanical mule with caprinic smiles on their lightly furred faces.

Cameron saluted him and SG-1 turned as a group and walked through the event horizon.

On the other side, they found themselves in an idyllic sylvan glade. “For an advanced society, they haven’t made this a central place in a city?” Vala asked in confusion as they stepped forward.

“The Nox don’t. Theirs is in the middle of a field and their city floats above the trees.” Daniel reminded her. “Any society sufficiently advanced to that stage doesn’t really need the Gates anymore.”

“We’re advanced to that stage and we still use the Gates.” Vala reminded him cheekily. “Really I wonder if they are advanced at all. They could have had some kind of catastrophe that put them back into the middle ages.” 

Sam nodded. There didn’t seem to be any large cities anywhere in the vicinity of the Gate at all. And yet the people who had spoken to them had indicated they welcomed their visit. They were, however, nowhere to be found and Sam was starting to wish she had one of those tricorders from Star Trek right about now.

“We may as well take the path and see where it goes.” Cam said to the others.

“I concur, Colonel Mitchell.” Teal’c said to him from his left.

“All right, people, let’s head out. You first, Sunshine.” Cameron said, waving Daniel forward.

Daniel gave him a sarcastic sneer but started forward at the lead. Mere feet away from the Gate, everyone on SG-1 collapsed unconscious.

Moments later, several four foot tall, long-faced beings wearing simple linen tunics surrounded them with scanners. They began talking quietly in a language punctuated by bleats.

“They carry weapons.”

“Their society is primitive. They fear others more powerful than themselves.” Another replied.

“Are they a threat?”

“I am examining their memories and thoughts.” The one in a green tunic with an insignia on it replied.

“Well?” The tallest asked impatiently. Its tunic was a mottled orange and brown.

“Their intentions are curiosity. They survived a war and wish to avoid more by making allies with other planets.” The green dressed creature said, its left ear twitching in approval.

Large hazel eyes with bar shaped irises looked down at the four strangers. “Awaken them.” The orange and brown dressed being said.

“They have Asgardian translators. They will understand us.”

“Good. They are from a protected planet. They must have survived the Goa’uld as well.” Another being, this one dressed in blue and its thin fur nearly white in color, making it seem to glow in the dappled light.

Cameron woke with a groan. “What the hell.” He grumbled as he sat up. “Why did you knock us out?” He asked the beings around them.

“Our apologies. We mean you no harm.” The Orange clad being said. “For your safety and our own, we incapacitate visitors temporarily to assess their motives.”

“Huh? Assess our motives?” Daniel asked, sitting up with a shake of his head.

“Those you know as the Nox hide with invisibility. We prefer to simply assess the threat. Had you been one, we’d have dialed your Gate address, sent you back then locked you out.”

“That wouldn’t have stopped the Goa’uld.” Daniel pointed out.

The green dressed being sighed. “This we know.”

“So you fought off the Goa’uld?”

“We did but the cost was high. Many Hircine were slaughtered at their hands.” It paused and looked at Teal’c who wasn’t yet awake. “How is a Jaffa living without its infant Goa’uld?” it asked.

“Funny you should bring that up. We were kind of hoping to trade technologies with you.” Daniel said and before they could object he raised a hand. “Only things safe for our technology level. The Asgard entrusted us with their knowledge before their sacrifice. We have to work puzzles before we can open up the more advanced stuff.”

“The Asgard were wise beings. Their trust in your species speaks well of your people.” The green dressed Hircine said.

“Say, why aren’t Sam, Vala and Teal’c awake yet?” Cameron asked.

“Our technology effects some species in different ways. Those who have been a host sometimes take longer to awaken as do the Jaffa.”

“Yah, well even if that did make sense, shouldn’t they be waking up by now?” Cameron asked pointedly.

The Green dressed Hircine exchanged a look with the one in orange. “We believe they will awaken soon.”

“Okay, we’ll just sit here until they do.” Cameron said, his mouth in a firm line.

“As you wish.” The orange-dressed Hircine said and motioned for the blue clad one to come forward.

“I am Katzika, leader.” The small being explained. “This is my first in command.” Nodding its head to the orange clad Hircine. “Geit.” It gestured to the blue clad Hircine. “And Conde, my science leader.”

Daniel nodded to each of them. “I’m Daniel. This is Cameron, our team leader. That big fellow laying there is Teal’c and that’s Vala and Sam.” Daniel said, frowning in concern that while Teal’c was at least moving like he’d wake up soon, Sam and Vala were still entirely unconscious. He wasn’t about to admit he was a little more worried about Vala to himself or anyone else either.

Daniel observed the beings in front of him. They did look genuinely concerned. Their small two fingered hands had a stunted thumb, all of which were topped by thick almost bovine nails. Their ears tended to twitch and flip depending on their body language and he wondered if he was missing entire parts of the conversation not having flappy ears of his own to twitch.

They all had a coating of hair that wasn’t quite a pelt but was more hair than any average human. Conde was beige, Geit was a light slightly mottled brown that complimented its orange and brown tunic. He couldn’t discern genders yet. Their faces were long and they had large very mobile tongues that added a nuance to how they spoke that Daniel couldn’t duplicate. “So, ah, did you encounter the Ori as well?” He finally asked in an effort to take his mind of his worry for Sam and Vala.

Katzika nodded sadly. “They called us…” It looked both sad and mortified at the same time. “Demonic animals.” The Hircine confided. “We hid from them. They killed us when they could find us… and then they stopped coming.”

“We, um, my team and the people we work for found a device that made their followers stop believing in them. That’s where their power came from. Once that was gone, they were just ordinary people.”

Katzika nodded and gave Teal’c a relieved look as he started to sit up. “Ah, the Jaffa awakens.” It said with obvious relief.

“Yah, but Sam and Vala aren’t waking up.” Cameron pointed out, his tone edging into anger.

“If you come with us, we can monitor them medically and help the process.” Conde suggested.

“I’m not sure I trust you to do that.” Cameron growled.

Daniel gave him a sharp look. “You can wake them up?”

“Oh yes. There is a simple stimulant that should awaken them both shortly after administration.” Conde assured them, its ears twitching nervously. “We should proceed soon however.”

“Why?” Cameron asked pointedly.

“It is rare but there are some that struggle to awaken. It is best not to leave them in such a state.”

Daniel and Cam exchanged a pointed look. The Hircine had better fix this or Jack was going to rain hell down on these short fuzzy long-eared beings.

“Everyone please hold still.” Conde said and before anyone could object they were surrounded by the white light of a transporter beam and found themselves in some kind of medical unit with soothing neutral browns and greens in soft shades on everything. “You may stay while we awaken your friends.”

“Like I’m leaving.” Cam said as he got up from what was now the floor instead of a dirt path.

Geit sighed and looked away.

The Hircine used a small device to levitate Vala then Sam to low beds that were slightly too small for them. Once situated it then lowered something that looked to Daniel like a heat lamp over each of them. A strange lavender glow emitted from it and the Hircine appeared to hold their breaths collectively as they glanced around nervously, ears twitching.

Daniel had moved near Vala and gave any of the Hircine a speaking look if they came near. “How long will it take them to wake up after this?” He demanded.

“Not long.” Conde reassured him but he noticed its ears were twitching faster.

Daniel glared at the small aliens in general.

Geit let out a small bleat of satisfaction when Vala let out a low groan of protest finally.

“Bloody hell, I feel like someone knocked me in the head.” She complained as she squeezed her eyes hard at the odd purple light.

Everyone ignored Daniel’s woof of relief as he took Vala’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “They knocked us out for safety reasons.” He explained.

“Well, what about our safety?” She objected which made Daniel smile in amused relief.

“Why is Colonel Carter not awakening?” Teal’c said with a deep frown.

Everyone turned to Sam who was still effectively unresponsive.

“We… do not know.” Conde admitted, its eyes going wide in concern. “Is there some difference to her physiology than your own? Even a former host should have awakened.”

“Daniel,” Vala said softly.

“No, there’s nothing different. Why isn’t she waking up?” He demanded angrily.

“Daniel,” Vala said more insistently.

“What?!” Daniel snarled at her, his voice filled with anger and fear in equal measure for Sam.

Vala gave Daniel a very firm look. “There is a difference.”

“That can’t be it.” He insisted.

“May we ask… what is the difference?” Conde asked Vala politely.

“Sam is from an alternate reality from our own.” Vala explained.

Conde thought about that for a long moment then turned to Geit. “Is it possible?”

“I do not know. We have only ever had this happen once very long ago.”

“It’s happened before?” Cam latched on to that. “Were you able to fix it?”

Geit shook it’s head. “We were not.” They said sadly, then added, “But their companion was able to reverse the issue.”

“Who was their companion?” Daniel demanded.

“It would do you no good.” Geit informed them sadly.

“No.” Vala moaned. That meant it was the Tolan or the Asgard or some other species that had been wiped out by the Goa’uld or Ori… or even possibly the fabled Furlings.

“Their companion was a Lantian.”

“A…” Daniel paused. “An Ancient?” he asked in shock.

“We do not know how they achieved their cure.” Geit admitted. “And there are no Lantians left to ask.”

Daniel, Cam, Teal’c and Vala exchanged a look. “We know one.” Vala, Daniel, and Cam said together.

Conde looked at them in shock. “Do you know where to find them? You must take your companion to them quickly.”

“Oh yah, he’s going to be very invested in how this turns out.” Daniel said cryptically.

Chapter Text

While Sam lay in the infirmary hooked up to every probe Janet could think of, Hank Landry was on the phone to DC.

“Waddaya mean I need to go to Colorado?” Jack complained, tucking the phone under his chin.

“Jack… there’s been a problem.”

Jack’s blood turned to ice. No. This could not be happening. He’d finally found peace at losing his wife and only because of this new other Sam filling the empty place in his heart. “Hank.” He said, his voice hollow with fear, grasping the phone with a hand that didn’t shake only because it had gone white from how hard he was holding it.

“It’s Sam.” Hank confirmed.

Jack closed his eyes, swallowed hard and ignored the contents of his stomach attempting to rejoin him for a return visit. When he could speak, he told Hank, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“It’s bad, Jack.”

“I understand.” Jack said, his voice empty, as he hung up the phone. For a few minutes, he couldn’t move. His only thought was of the woman who currently held his heart. And then he thought of his daughter – who just found her mother. He knew he’d have to bring Gracie so she could say goodbye.

“Clair.” With a shaking hand, he pressed the button and spoke into the intercom for his office.

“Sir?” She asked. His voice had hardly been recognizable.

“Cancel my meetings.”

“Uh, how many of them, sir?”

“All of them.” Jack said hollowly.

“For how long, sir?” She asked him, her voice soft with worry for how he sounded.

“Indefinitely. And page Mitch to come pick me up.”

“Yes sir.” His admin replied quietly, her voice subdued. The call had been from the Colorado unit in the mountain. That could only mean one thing. “Oh no.” She moaned quietly under her breath. “Not again.” Please be alive Colonel Carter, she silently begged the universe while she dialed Mitch’s pager.

The ride to Gracie’s school was silent with tension. Jack texted Marie to pack clothes for all three of them and catch a flight to Colorado. He’d reimburse her when she got there and pay for the extra baggage. He and Gracie were going to catch the next C130 he could find and fly out to Peterson directly and just rent a car to go directly to the SGC.

Mitch kept looking in the rear view mirror when Jack wasn’t looking. The general, in his assessment, looked ashen. They were going to pick up Gracie but he’d given no indication she’d been hurt so it had to be Colonel Carter. Mitch’s heart sank. Other than seeming to miss her, the General had been in high spirits this past week after she’d left. He’d taken them to the President’s Gala and then the opera and, in both cases, they had been clearly happy in each other’s company. He wanted to ask if she was going to be okay but it was pretty obvious by his demeanor that either the General didn’t know or she’d been killed.

When they pulled up to the school, Jack gestured for Mitch to pull up to the office door and he silently left the car and walked stiffly to the door without a word.

Mitch swiped at the tears welling up in his eyes. He’d liked Sam so much. Liked her even more because she’d made General O’Neill genuinely smile for the first time at someone besides his daughter. Was there someone he should call? Someone who would make sure the General didn’t do anything rash? Because now he had two kids to be there for.

Jack walked up to the main desk and cleared his throat.

“Can I help you?” The secretary asked, surprised to see the General standing there.

Carol Roddy just happened to come out of her office just at that moment. “General O’Neill. It’s good to see… you…” Her voice trailed off when she saw his expression. “Can we help you with anything?”

Jack nodded and swallowed. “Please have someone get Gracie from class. Have her teachers send her their lesson plans. I… I don’t know how much of it she’ll get done.” His body stiffened. “We have to go to Colorado immediately.”

“Do you know how long you will be out of DC, sir?” Carol asked gently.

“No.” Jack said in a stiff voice.

“I see.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “Do you need to sit down?” She asked kindly.

Jack’s jaw tightened. “I need my daughter. Her mother needs us.” He said, through his clenched jaw, barely in control.

Carol nodded at the secretary who picked up the phone to call one of the school clerks to go retrieve Gracie from class. After the secretary hung up the phone, Carol looked at Jack again and frowned sympathetically. She had no idea what was holding the man together or whatever had happened but she had a sinking sensation what had caused this abrupt change back to the man she had met was terrible.

Gracie bounded through the office door with a smile until she saw her father’s body language. “Daddy?” She asked softly.

Jack’s frown deepened.

“No!” Gracie yelled, understanding whatever happened it had to be about her mom. “Daddy!” She pleaded.

“She’s alive.” He said hoarsely. Barely, he thought. And I don’t know for how long. He closed his eyes against the pain as Grace barreled into him and hugged him with all her might.

“It’s not fair!” She cried.

Jack let out a slow ragged sigh. “I know.” He agreed, unwilling to reassure his daughter about anything at this point.

Carol gave him a sympathetic look he looked away from. He didn’t need her pity. He needed a miracle. “Have a safe flight.” She said softly to them both.

Jack snorted through his nose. “Thanks.” Was all he said before leading a very subdued Gracie out of the office and to the waiting car.

Jack strode through the SGC directly to the infirmary after his arrival. Vala had met him up top and taken Gracie to a VIP room. They would be staying on base until Carter’s condition improved or deteriorated beyond hope.

“Sir.” Janet greeted him as he strode into the infirmary.

Jack’s purposeful strides faltered. “Where is she, Janet?”

“In an isolation room. Standard protocol.” She explained. “Follow me.” She instructed and headed towards the back of the infirmary. Not forgetting for a moment that Sam’s father had died in an isolation room just like the one Sam was in now. Would it make things worse for Jack seeing her that way? She had no way of knowing and no way to change the situation.

Sam laid on a medical bed, electrodes hooked up to her to monitor her heart, lungs, and other functions.

Janet scooted the chair in the corner closer to Jack and he slumped in it as he took Sam’s hand.

“I’m sorry, Carter.” He said heavily as he closed his eyes against the pain he felt.

Janet discreetly left the room.

“Auntie Vala, I want to know what’s wrong with my mom.” Gracie insisted.

Vala had been informed to tell the girl nothing, but that was hardly fair at all. She wasn’t a baby like Jake, who was asleep on the guest bed in the VIP suite that Jack would be joining his daughter and son in at some point hopefully.

Vala sighed. “She’s in a coma.” She finally explained.

“Why?”

“You know I can’t tell you that, darling. There was an accident. She didn’t wake up. We don’t know what to do for her.”

“I want to see her.” Gracie insisted.

“I know you do.”

“Now, Auntie Vala.”

Vala however gave her a stern look. “Your father needs some time alone with her first. There’s plenty of time.”

Gracie frowned deeply at her mother’s best friend then realized what Vala meant. “We’re here to say goodbye to her, aren’t we?” She asked, her eyes welling up.

“I don’t know that for sure.” Vala tried.

“But everyone thinks she’s going to die.” Gracie said with finality and whirled away to the corner of the room and plopped down, arms curled over her knees and sobbed.

Vala looked sadly down at her hands. She and Daniel had already held each other and cried. If Jack couldn’t revive Sam… well…

After giving Jack a few minutes alone with Sam, Janet returned with a small beige furred being with long ears, oddly shaped eyes, and a long face. “This is Conde. The medical specialist for the Hircine.” Janet explained.

“Did you do this to her?” Jack demanded in a low growl, anger simmering below the timbre of his voice. He gave the being a glare that would normally cause anyone to shake in their boots.

Conde looked down, its face filled with shame. “It was not our intent. Something has gone wrong.”

Janet spoke up, knowing that she needed to explain this to Jack herself. “The Hircine told me that being a former or current host sometimes makes it harder to wake up. They don’t know why Sam specifically can’t wake up.”

“What are your theories, doc?” Jack asked Janet, ignoring the small being next to Janet, never taking his eyes off Sam or letting go of her hand.

“My assessment is it’s either due to Sam’s exposure to cobalt recently or that she’s not technically from this reality.” Janet said gently to him. She had no idea yet if Daniel was right, that Jack might be able to revive her.

Jack nodded slowly. Both could be factors or neither. What the hell did he know? He wasn’t a medical doctor.

“This has happened once before.” Conde fretted and knotted its long fingers together. “Once before, a former host could not wake up. His companion revived him when we could not.” The furred creature in a blue tunic said to Jack hopefully.

“That doesn’t do me much good right now.” Jack said impatiently.

“I am told you carry within you the blood of the Lantians.” It said, its bar shaped irises going wider.

“I don’t have any control over it.” Jack said in frustration. Years ago, he’d saved Bra’tac, sure, but he’d had his head sucked at the time for crying out loud. He had no idea how he did it and, when Janet had done follow-up test, the most he’d been able to do was get his fingers to glow dimly. And it had given him a hell of a migraine just doing that.

Conde lowered its eyes and made a soft bleating noise of despair. “Please try. It was never our intent to harm any of you.”

Jack whirled on the creature. “Yah no one ever intends to try to kill Carter. It just kind of happens.” He snarled.

Janet nudged the Hircine behind her and started backing out of the room. “We’ll give you some time alone with her.” She said softly and closed the door behind her.

“We truly did not intend to harm her.” Conde insisted.

Janet tilted her head. The door was thick but she could still hear Jack’s hoarse sob on the other side of it. “We know… he knows. She’s his wife and he loves her very much. They were separated for a very long time and only recently found each other again. This is hard for him, Conde.”

Conde tilted it’s head. “What does this word… wife, mean?”

“His spouse, his mate.”

Conde nodded. “The Hircine mate for life as well. I understand his grief. He must at least try to heal her.” Conde said, having settled in its mind which gender was which among these strange nearly furless beings.

“I know. And he will. Soon.” Janet agreed. “Let’s give him a little time to get over the shock first.”

“ Frasier Janet of the Tau’ri is wise.” Conde said to her.

“Thanks, Conde. I think you’re pretty sharp too.”

In the isolation room, Jack was talking to Sam.

“Okay, Carter, so the little fuzzy thing says I can fix you or should be able to at least.” He told her as he put his hand on her chest. “So… here goes.” Jack closed his eyes and put all his will into begging Sam to wake up for several moments.

After a while, Jack cracked one eye to see if there had been any change at all. Sam had not moved. His hands weren’t glowing. Nothing had happened.

“Dammit.” He swore softly. “I knew that wasn’t going to work.” He groused. “Now what?”

He stared at Sam, holding her hand for a very long time.

Chapter Text

“All right, Conde, what exactly did your Alteran guest do to wake their companion?”

“Lantian.” Conde corrected Janet.

“Lantian.” Janet replied with a pointed look that she did not want the alien to become distracted.

Conde thought for a moment. “I would need the archives to know for sure. May I return to my people and retrieve them? It would be quicker than relaying the information.”

“I’m not sure I’m on board with that idea.” Landry told Conde. “Colonel Carter is in grave condition in our infirmary because of something your technology did to her. How do we know you aren’t going to just leave and lock the Gate behind you?” He asked pointedly.

Conde looked down at its long fingers resting on the table and tapped them a couple of times, making small clicks on the wood. “It is possible I could contact my mate, Ziege. He is also a, what you call, scientist and may assist me.” It said, looking hopeful.

Well, at least we know the gender of one of them, Janet thought dryly. “Can you relay what you need to know through the radio system on the MALP to him?”

“Your technology is yet crude but effective. Although hidden, there is always someone near the Astria Porta to monitor it. That is Geit’s task this turning. It will be someone else’s task next turning.”

“So Geit can fetch your mate, Ziege, so you can talk to him?”

“Yes.” Conde said, drumming its nails thoughtfully as its ears twitched. “I understand Colonel Carter’s mate’s distress. I, too, am distressed by this outcome.” It admitted.

“I’m glad you care, Conde. We just want you to fix this. Colonel Carter is a valued member of my staff and has children to raise.” Landry gently reminded the being that this didn’t just affect Jack.

“I shall endeavor to find a resolution as quickly as possible.”

Landry nodded and pressed a button on the intercom. “Miller, dial up P4X-173 so Conde can communicate with their people about Colonel Carter’s condition.” He ordered the Gate Tech.

“Yes, sir.” The Airwoman by the name of Miller replied. Conde looked to Landry for direction and he made a shooing motion.

Conde got up, nodded politely, and left the room.

“I’ll keep an eye on her, sir. I might be able to relay additional information about Sam’s condition to Ziege as well.” Janet replied thoughtfully.

“You do that, Lt. Colonel.” Landry thought for a moment. “How do you know what gender that one is?”

Janet smiled in amusement. “Mandatory scan and blood work. She totally understood the necessity as they do something similar to visitors themselves. She’s biologically female.” Janet shrugged. “By our measures anyway.”

“Good to know. I can’t tell just looking at them.”

“No one else can either.” Janet told him, her tone indicating gentle amusement. “They don’t seem to have much in the way of gender markers.

Landry nodded. “Or everyone met only one gender. While you’re at it, relay everything they need on cobalt exposure in humans you have to them. They might be sufficiently advanced to be able to counteract the effect if that’s what caused Colonel Carter to fall into a coma.”

Janet nodded.

“Dismissed, Lt. Colonel.” He told her.

“Yes sir.” She said and got up and left.

Hank sat for a long moment thinking. They didn’t even know if the Hircine would be useful allies yet. He’d have to send another team once Sam recovered. Assuming she recovered at all. They could be so far past humanity that their attitude would match the Nox. Tolerant, but not helpful generally speaking. But the way the Alterans had handled things was one hundred percent why the Nox had such a hands off approach to other societies. Even the Asgard had been only cautiously optimistic and had given humanity hoops to jump through before they could implement their more dangerous technologies.

“Carter, you can’t just lay there sleeping.” Jack told his wife in a conversational tone. “I know you can hear me because your monitor goes haywire every time I talk.” He stroked her hand gently. “Your kids need you, Sam.” He squeezed her fingers and said thickly. “I need you, Sam. I can’t lose you again.” He closed his eyes against the tears but they squeezed out anyway “I love you, Sam. Please wake up.” He pleaded softly.

“It will take a moment.” Geit was telling Conde.

“That is as well.” Conde said to Geit. “Tell him he will need to take notes.” She said, her voice bleating slightly indicating amusement.

Geit moved away and Conde looked at Janet. “Geit is very reliable.”

“I hope so.” Janet replied evenly.

“Why is your Astria Porta underground?” She wondered out loud.

“To protect it… and to protect us.”

Conde nodded. “When the Ori came, we read their intent and held them for questioning. They attempted to persuade us into following their ways. Our race is old, almost as old as the original four races. We were still at the level you are now when the Alterans and Lantians chose ascension. They should have warned us of their sibling’s intent to destroy.”

Janet sighed. “Yah, Daniel said something of the same effect. Just keeping the Ori ignorant wasn’t enough.”

“Daniel is wise.” Conde agreed. “Knowledge is power.”

Janet nodded. Spoken like a true scientist. “One of my staff is bringing me literature for you on cobalt poisoning.”

Conde nodded. “What is this ‘cobalt’?”

“It’s a metallic element. It’s silver unless you get it hot, then it turns blue. We use it to make pottery and aircraft parts. It makes humans very sick if they are exposed to too much of it.”

Conde thought for a moment. “How was Colonel Carter Sam exposed?”

“Respiratory. They took sanctuary in a decommissioned Air Force base underground. It was an advanced testing facility but it had become contaminated during use. They had no way of testing the air, and she had no idea until she arrived here and we ran medical tests on her because she was shaking all the time and was unable to focus.”

“Was General O’Neill affected as well?”

Janet nodded. “Probably but we have no way of knowing. The General she knew died at the hands of the Ori.”

“Your Vala said she is from another reality?”

Janet sighed. Ordinarily she wouldn’t give an unknown alien race access to classified information but in this case it might mean life or death for Sam. “Sam’s own reality was overrun by the Ori after they killed the Daniel she knew. There was no one able to stop them at that point. They ran, hid, fought back but eventually it was down to Sam, Jack, and Vala. Vala left on a suicide mission while Jack and Sam worked on combining a reality mirror with a time jumper.” Janet explained.

“Reality mirror?”

“The Alterans left a lot of tech just lying around. One of them was a mirror like device that could open a portal to other realities.”

“To what purpose would one want such a thing?”

“I’m with you on that.” Janet agreed. “It mostly just caused trouble so we shut ours off and damaged it so it couldn’t be easily turned back on. Sam said they had a similar experience but she had time to cobble it back together enough and attach it to an Alteran shuttle craft that was originally designed to travel through time as well as space.”

“You said the General O’Neill of this reality is not the one she was mated to?”

“No. He sacrificed himself to give Sam and their baby a chance to escape.”

“And yet the General O’Neill of this reality deeply loves the Colonel Carter Sam of another reality.”

Janet nodded. “In every reality we encountered, they were together. The Asgard thought they might be a kind of pivot point.

“Or perhaps their offspring are.”

Janet nodded in agreement. “That’s pretty likely too. Jack is very intelligent and carries the Alteran genes and Sam is exceptionally intelligent for a human. The combination resulted in a hyper intelligent daughter with more control over…” Janet paused. “Conde, Jack can’t control his abilities unless he’s been directly exposed to Alteran repositories that tend to take over his mind entirely but Gracie used to be able to guide her abilities on instinct as a toddler.”

Conde gave Janet a sharp look. “Where is their offspring now?”

“Vala has them both in a VIP room.”

Conde gave Janet a confused look.

“It’s a visitor accommodation on base for people who have the clearance to be here but we want to be comfortable and preferably not under foot.” She explained.

“If I explained what she needs to do, could their offspring awaken Colonel Carter Sam?”

“I don’t know Conde, but we could try.” Janet said, feeling hope for the first time since Sam was brought back three days ago in a coma from Conde’s home world.

“Ma’am, we’re getting a radio response from P4X-173.” Airwoman Miller informed Janet.

“Your name for my world is very strange.” Conde observed.

“The P means planet followed by its position from your star and a unique alpha numeric modifier to indicate which sun it orbits.” Janet said by rout. Sam had certainly drilled it into her enough over the years.

“What does... ex mean?” Conde wondered.

“Um, I think it indicates if you have a moon or not. Planets without moons don’t have tides and generally no life.”

“Actually, ma’am, it indicates if it’s gravitationally similar to Earth. Unlivable planets get a coded slash attachment indicating why added and are locked out of the Gate computer.”

“I stand corrected.” Janet observed. Conde nodded.

“May I speak to my mate, Airwoman Miller?” Conde asked politely.

“Hold down this button when you want to talk. He should be able to hear you just fine. The MALP doesn’t require you to hold any buttons down once I open the communication lines.” She explained.

“Thank you.” Conde said politely, having discovered humans liked a thing called ‘good manners’ from Teal’c.

“You asked for my assistance?” a somewhat tall Hircine wearing a light purple tunic asked her.

“Ziege, my mate, are you prepared to take notes?”

“I am.” He agreed.

“Excellent. My patient has been exposed to Kobalus. She is also from a reality not our own. These may be factors. Archiater revived his companion who was Tok’ra. We need Shanyan’s notes and observations after his conversation with Archiater regarding the matter.”

“I will gather what you need and one of us will bring it to you.” The yellow furred Hircine smiled. “Do the Tau’ri treat you well, beloved?” He asked her.

Conde’s ears twitched. “I am at work, spouse. Please be polite.”

Ziege just grinned however. “I miss you. I will contact you soon.” He said and disappeared.

Janet chuckled.

“I apologize for my mate. He is… exuberant.”

Janet just smiled. “No need to apologize.” Her eyes twinkled. “He reminds me of Jack without a filter.” She admitted.

“You have known General O’Neill Jack for a long time?”

Janet nodded. “We met a couple of decades ago when I was a med student at Walter Reed, it’s a military medical center. The NICoE specializes in traumatic brain injuries and Jack had hit his head when his chute failed to open on time. When the CMO was killed here, he remembered me and recommended me for the position.”

“It is good to have friends.” Conde agreed. “Better to have kind ones. I am glad his current behavior is based in fear for his mate.”

Janet nodded. “Jack has lost a lot of people he loves. The Sam of this reality died a few years ago. He’s been better recently because of the Sam we have now being here. They are a lot alike, but not really the same. He knows she isn’t the same person. Jack just has a type.” Janet said, amusement in her voice.

“Ah. Yes. Katzika prefers dark furred mates. She likes the contrast.” Conde said with a bleating little giggle. “But they must also be… I do not know your word for this kind of humor. Slightly mean but without ill intent?”

“Sarcastic.” Janet supplied.

“Yes. Sarcastic.”

Janet smiled. “Sounds like your leader would love Jack.” She chuckled. “His hair wasn’t always white.” She supplied to explain the similarity that was lacking.

“General O’Neill Jack is very old then?”

Janet shook her head. “No. His hair went prematurely grey but stress finished off the process. When we met, his hair was very dark.”

“What is an en eye see oh ee?”

“Oh. It’s short for National Intrepid Center of Excellence. I served my internship under Colonel Winchester.”

“We have a similar school for our people to learn how to care for the sick.”

“We have many schools that teach medicine, only a few of them are run by our military. Other countries have their own medical programs.”

“Other... countries?”

“Nations, groups of people who define themselves by the land area they grew up on.”

“My people once did that as well. As we learned to cooperate instead of fight one another, we discovered we did not need such things nor wide ranging leaders.”

“How do you pass laws?”

Conde shrugged “Someone suggests something needs to be changed and we agree to vote upon it as a people. If most agree the law changes.”

“My country works in a similar way, the leader is a figurehead who can enact policy but the law is written by our elected senators and congress people.”

“It is something like that on my world as well.”

“Do you have space travel?”

“Do you?” Conde countered.

“Touché.” Janet said with a laugh. “Yes.”

Conde nodded. “We have explored our solar system and those near it. My people do not need a great deal of resources as we once did. The planet closest to ours has little in the way of resources but is excellent for farming. Our machines take care of the plants, rotate the soil so it does not become dead. We mine asteroids for our metals.”

Janet thought for a moment. She imagined the Nox did something similar. You couldn’t feed a planet of people without such things after all.

The StarGate whooshed to life again. “Ma’am, we’re getting a signal from P4X-173.” The airwoman Miller cut in.

Janet made a bring it sort of hand motion and the young woman pressed the button she’d shown Conde. “We are ready when you are.” She told whoever was on the other side.

Ziege’s yellow furred face popped into view. “I have Archiater’s notes, beloved. Would you like me to join you?”

Before Conde could answer however, Katzika’s face popped into view. “I will bring them.” The pale furred Hircine said firmly.

“Yes, Ducari.” Zeige deferred and gave Conde what Janet assumed was a warning look.

“We await your arrival, Ducari.” Conde said demurely, her ears twitching.

Janet was starting to figure out the ear twitching thing was an emotional cue. It meant humor or sometimes distress. Conde’s ears had twitched nonstop since her arrival with SG-1 until Sam was hooked up to monitors and Janet had assured the small being that Sam was in no immediate danger.

“So what does Ducari mean?” Janet asked conversationally while they waited for Katzika’s arrival.

Conde tilted her head. “It is a bit like ‘General’ or… ‘leader’.”

Janet nodded. That makes sense. She’d noted that even given their first names, Conde was calling people by their rank first which suggested a formality towards strangers. Their natural language must work very much like many of Earth’s Asian cultures that switched the order of how names worked and Jack had joked, talked like Yoda.

Katzika walked through the Gate and looked around the disembarkation room. “Primitive.” It pronounced and moved down the ramp towards where it saw Conde. A pair of airmen blocked its path.

“Let the Hircine up.” Landry said over the intercom. Still not sure what gender any of them were though he suspected Katzika might be female as well.

The guards stepped back and the blue tunic clad being huffed in exasperation as it headed up the stairs.

Janet and Conde exchanged a look. The Hircine leader was asserting its position of power. Janet had no idea why and Conde either didn’t know or was unwilling to speak of it where the pale furred leader might hear.

“Conde.” Katzika said to its subordinate evenly.

“Ducari.” Conde replied with a differential nod of her head. “This is Lt. Colonel Frasier Janet. Her status is similar to my own and answers only to General Landry.”

Katzika looked around. “Is this General Landry?” the being asked of Airwoman Miller.

“That’s Airwoman Miller. “Janet said. “She is one of our Gate technicians.”

“Where is your dialing pad?” she asked imperiously. Gone was the friendly demeanor she’d previously shown SG-1.

Janet waved at the console. “You’re looking at it. Could we see the information on your previous experience with Alterans please?”

Katzika gave Janet a flat look. “How am I to know if your people are capable of using this information without making things worse and blaming us?” It asked pointedly.

“She won’t because medical officers have no reason to blame others for their own mistakes... and I’ve never known Dr. Fraiser to make mistakes in the first place.” Hank said pointedly as he entered the Gate control room just off the briefing room.

Katzika sniffed, unconvinced.

“Ducari… Lt. Colonel Fraiser Janet has taken a similar oath as I have. She has no reason to lie.” Conde admonished her leader.

Katzika gave Conde a disgusted look. “Forgive me if I am not convinced by primitives playing with technology beyond them.” The leader said flatly.

Conde rose slightly from her seat as if to admonish her leader further when Janet put a hand on her arm. “I’d like to look at your data please, hopefully it will shed some light on how to help Sam.”

“Yes, of course. If you will excuse us, Ducari.” Conde said stiffly to her leader.

“Do as you will.” Katzika said and turned away to look at the Gate as it shut down.

“Why don’t I give you a tour of the facility?” Landry suggested, trying to ease the obvious tensions between the two Hircine.

“I expect the rest of this facility looks much like this?”

“Not all of it.” Landry demurred.

Katzika gave Landry a long suffering look. “If you please.” It said and waved its hand imperiously.

Laundry snorted an amused huff.

“You must excuse Katzika. She fears outsiders intentions even when she had read that of our representatives.”

“It’s understandable. Your people have been through a lot just like mine have.” Janet demurred. “Let’s look at this information and see if we can find something to help guide Gracie through this.

“I agree.” The small Hircine said emphatically. “The sooner Colonel Carter Sam is awake the sooner we can put this unfortunate event behind us. While your technology is behind ours, you may have access to medicines we have not yet discovered. Each society tackles medicine in a different way, and we have been surprised by even some of the most lowly of beings.”

Janet nodded. “Us too. One gave us one of the best analgesics we’ve ever encountered and we still can’t recreate it in a lab.”

“I am certain once Colonel Carter Sam is awake once again, Katzika will feel less pressure to be unfriendly.” Conde demurred.

“I sure hope so.” Janet said quietly as Conde spread out Ziege’s notes in front of her.

“We did not have access to your written language. I will translate for you.” She offered.

“Thank you, Conde. Mind if I take notes?”

“The Nox pride themselves on their excellent memories. The Hircine pride themselves on their excellent record keeping skills.” She said imperiously which made Janet chuckle. The Hircine while barely humanoid in appearance, behaved wholly in a human way.

Conde read through Ziege’s notes herself once before reading them out loud for Janet to make notes. When she was done, she frowned. “I would have preferred Ziege to have brought these as he would have read the entire record and might have insight to add.”

“We could call him?” Janet suggested.

“This is a good decision.” Conde agreed and they left the infirmary for the Gate area.

Oblivious to Janet’s efforts, Jack was slumped over Sam’s bed, his chin resting on the safety rail while he frowned at her sadly. “Want to try that waking up thing yet, Carter?” He asked her.

She was stable. She just couldn’t seem to come out of it. Janet had told him that she was mostly exhibiting Delta waves, whatever that meant.

Jack stroked her cheek and closed his eyes, willing her to awaken.

Sam’s head turned to his hand and his eyes flew open. But other than a brief blip on the monitor, she was still out.

He sighed. “Not as smart as the other guy. He probably could have gotten you awake too.” Jack said sadly and stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

“You said she could control her abilities?” Conde asked Janet.

“When she was a toddler, yes. Jack made her promise not to use them though. It’s been hard enough on him having to have a live-in bodyguard for her. If it ever got out that she was capable of things most people with the genes aren’t, she’d be in constant danger.”

“Has Alteran physiology become so rare in humans?”

“No, well it had been but one of my colleagues discovered how to implant the gene into non-Alteran descendants. The trouble is few of them are above the turn on the lights variety.”

“That is unfortunate. Aside from their hubris, the Alterans were a wise and good people.”

“Pretty sure Daniel might disagree at this point.” Janet said softly.

“We’re receiving a radio signal.” Major Collins said to Janet.

“Thank you, Major.” Janet told him.

“He’s still here.” Geit told Conde as soon as it saw her.

Ziege filed the small screen. “I suspected you would need further information. Our little ones are grown. The policy is not necessary in our case.”

“Yes, but we all agreed on this long ago.” Conde told him. “Was there anything on brain wave patterns?”

Ziege looked at a small electronic pad in his hand. “I will check.” He said absently and tracked his eyes across the surface quickly. He sighed. “The only note about it was that the patient gained a heightened level of brain activity immediately prior to waking.”

Janet nodded to herself. “We call that Gamma waves. Sam probably spends half her life in that state given her occupation.” She also remembered a particular three month slog of begging Sam to sleep and Sam desperately choosing to remain awake to build a particle accelerator to save Jack instead.

“Is this offspring of sufficient intelligence to understand what we are to ask of her?”

Janet nodded thoughtfully. “We haven’t had her tested but she’s extremely advanced intellectually for her age.”

“May we speak to her now?”

“Let’s talk to Jack first.” Janet suggested. He may or may not be all right with Gracie attempting to use her abilities again. She seemed to have forgotten about them and he may want to keep her ignorant in spite of the outcome.

“That is wise.”

They went to the isolation room Sam was in, knowing Jack would be there no matter what.

“Jack.” Janet said softly to him.

“I tried, Janet. She moved but I don’t know if it was because of me or she just moved in her sleep.” Jack said in a subdued, defeated tone. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“Actually, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about, sir.” She replied softly and waited for him to raise his eyes to hers. “We need your permission to allow Gracie to help you. Conde believes she can instruct Gracie on how a Lantian revived a Tok’ra in the past.”

Jack’s frown deepened. This was a can of worms he’d deliberately closed years ago. “What does she need to do?”

“We think she needs to reach Sam inside her mind and bring her out.” Janet explained.

“She can do that?” Jack asked incredulously.

“There’s really only one way to find out sir.” Janet told him.

Chapter Text

Jack had refused to leave Sam’s side so Janet opted to have Gracie brought to them in the infirmary.

“You are the offspring of General O’Neill and Colonel Carter Sam?” Conde asked Gracie. She’d been instructed not to speak to Gracie about Sam not being from her own reality. Conde suspected the child would discover that soon on her own if Ziege’s notes on Archiater’s companion were suggesting what she believed they might.

“Yah, that’s my mom and dad.” Gracie said to the small alien that was the same size as her. She knew her mom and dad had strange jobs but she didn’t know that meant ‘alien’ strange… until today. The creature in front of her had very sparse thin fur, two fingers and a thumb on each hand, long ears that twitched periodically and a long protruding face as though its ancestors had been some sort of hoofed beings.

“Good. I am in need of your assistance.”

“My assistance? Why?” She asked. She was just a kid. What could this weird furry thing need with her?

“We are unable to wake up Colonel Carter Sam after using our scanning equipment to know that she and her team posed no threat. I believe you are capable doing so however.”

Gracie gave the furry thing a suspicious look. “Have you tried shaking her?” She asked archly.

Janet tried desperately not to laugh. Gracie was certainly her father’s daughter.

“Shaking does not work.” Conde said in confusion which made Janet struggle even harder not to laugh.

She took a deep breath and intervened before this got too far out of control. They already had to deal with Gracie now knowing her parents spent most of their days talking to the supporting cast for Star Wars. “Conde’s people have tried everything within their power, Gracie. What we haven’t tried yet is something that is only within your power.”

“Mine?”

“Your father passed on some very special genetics. Genetics you share with him that might be able to help your mom.” Janet said.

“I haven’t seen her since we got here, Auntie Janet.”

“I know, sweetie. She’s been asleep and your dad has been very worried about her. He won’t leave her side. That’s why Auntie Vala has been with you and Jacob.”

“Marie got here yesterday too so Auntie Vala could work.” Gracie reasoned.

Janet nodded. She wasn’t surprised. The kid’s caretaker was also their bodyguard. “Good. Your mom has been in a kind of coma. Under certain circumstances, your dad’s been able to heal people with his mind but he doesn’t have very good control over it. We think you might.”

“With our guidance.” Conde inputted.

“How?”

“We will explain how it was done last time and have you try to duplicate the result.”

“Okay.” Gracie said, drawing out the word and side eyeing Conde as if she might be slightly touched in the head.

“A being who shared genetics with your male parent revived his companion by touching the other on the head and looking into their mind. Once they achieved contact, they were able to make the other think about something complex that forced them into awareness.”

Gracie frowned for a moment before replying. “So think really hard at mom then make her do a math problem?”

“If you think that would work.”

“I think making her think about dad is a lot more likely to wake her up.” Gracie said sagely.

Janet snorted on a laugh. “Whatever helps.” She agreed.

Gracie shrugged. “It won’t hurt her, right?”

“No.” Conde and Janet said together.

“Good so if it doesn’t work, the only person who will hurt more is dad.” Gracie concluded wisely.

Janet frowned. She hated that Gracie was right. “Let’s give it a shot, okay?”

Gracie sighed. “Yah.” She agreed fatalistically. “Wait! Does Jake have the same gene?”

“He does.” Janet agreed. “But he’s not even two yet, Gracie.”

“He’s really smart though. I might be able to help him and two of us might have a better chance. Daddy too.” Gracie argued.

Janet considered it. Jacob had been the one that ultimately brought Sam to this reality. It may well be worth a shot. She turned to the nurse behind her. “Have an airman bring Jacob O’Neill down here.” She ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” The nurse agreed and left her work to do as she’d been instructed.

Shortly after, Marie showed up carrying Jacob who reached out to Janet. “Mama?” He asked her.

“Yup. We’re going to go see your mama right now.” Janet assured him.

Gracie put her arms out to take her brother and looked him in the eyes. “We have something important to do, Jakey.” She told him.

“Do?”

“Yes. We’re going to wake up mommy okay?”

“Otay.”

“It won’t work to jump on the bed or be loud though.” Gracie continued, still holding the baby’s attention much to everyone’s astonishment.

Jacob’s little face scrunched up in confusion.

“We’re going to be really loud inside her head.” Gracie explained. Jake did not look convinced. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you.” She said comfortingly. Then she looked at Janet. “Where’s my dad?”

Janet smiled faintly. Gracie had made her decision. She got up and led her very short parade to the isolation room where Sam lay. “She’s in here.” Janet said quietly.

At the sound of her voice, Jack’s head jerked around. When he saw Gracie carrying Jake, faint but guarded hope joined exhaustion and worry on his face. When he saw Conde follow his daughter however, his expression grew stormy. “Janet…” his voice low with warning.

“I got it cleared first, Sir. We needed her help and there was no other way.”

“This is going to be a nightmare of paperwork and meetings.”

“It won’t be any worse than when we brought back Cassie.” Janet demurred but Gracie picked up on what Janet had to mean right away.

“Cassie is from outer space?” She yelped.

Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes. “See?” He pleaded. “This is exactly what I meant.”

Janet started to wave off his concerns when Gracie laughed a little. “That makes a lot more sense.” She said now giggling. “Can I tell her I know?” She asked her dad wide eyed.

“No.” he said.

“We’ll talk about it.” Janet tried.

“Nuts.” Gracie said as she lowered her eyebrows. “Who else is from outer space?” she demanded.

“Gracie…” Jack’s tone was a warning.

“Yes sir?” she asked him meekly.

“Focus.” He admonished her in a gentle voice.

“Okay, but after we wake up mom I want to know who else is an alien.” She said with a tilt of her chin that instantly reminded Jack of the girl’s mother.

“Sure thing, kiddo.” He agreed, amused in spite of himself.

“Come.” Conde said to Gracie when she reached the side of the bed opposite Jack. “Stand here and place your hand upon her head like so.” Conde demonstrated where Gracie needed to put her hand.

Janet lowered the safety rail on that side so Gracie didn’t have to struggle to reach and Gracie put Jake on the bed next to Sam.

“Mama!” Jake shouted and patted Sam on the chest with his little fist.

“I told you that won’t work, Jake.” Gracie said absently as she tried to follow Conde’s directions.

“I think perhaps all of you together might achieve better results.” Conde told Jack. “I have observed the monitor when you attempted to awaken Colonel Carter Sam on your own. Perhaps had we had better instructions, you might have accomplished this task eventually but with many of you, success is more assured.”

Jack frowned thoughtfully, still holding Sam’s hand. “I hope so.” He said in a resigned tone.

“All right, here we go.” Janet said once Gracie took Jake’s hand and placed it on her mom’s cheek with her own.

“Close your eyes, Jakey.” Gracie said to her little brother softly and closed her own.

“Now focus on looking into Colonel Carter Sam’s mind.” Conde directed them.

She wandered through memories lit so brightly they appeared white if you didn’t look at them directly. She’d lost track of any sense of time. Sometimes she could hear Jack and called out to him when she did but he never found her.

Some of the memories were sweet, especially the most recent. Some brought her to her knees in grief.

Something told her to turn around.

“Gracie?”

“Hi mommy.” She gave her mom a little wave.

Sam wasn’t sure if this was a manifestation of her imagination or Gracie was genuinely inside her mind. She reached out and touched Gracie’s shoulder. It felt solid. The memories had not. “Gracie.” She said with relief and hugged her tightly. But then she frowned and looked into the girl’s eyes. “I’m glad to see you, but I’m afraid now you’re stuck here too.” She said to the girl in a resigned voice.

“Conde says I can lead you out.”

“Conde?”

“Uh huh. She’s a Hircine. Did you know Cassie is an alien? I mean it explains so much but still. Are you guys just lying to me all the time about everything?” She asked her mom in amused exasperation.

Unbidden, the memory of herself and Jack working on the time jumper together formed around them. Gracie looked around in confusion.

Sam willed it away only for it to be replaced by one of her screaming in pain on a concrete floor in labor and then one of Jack saying goodbye to Jake.

“Mommy… what are these memories of?”

“It’s… it’s nothing, Gracie, just things I need to forget.” Sam said, trying to will away the memories but the next one that appeared around them was Sam climbing out of the Time Jumper to a shocked SGC and then her being questioned about her real identity.

The next one was Sam sobbing brokenly in Gracie’s room in Colorado but the room was decorated like it was for a baby and Sam was holding a black and white ultrasound photo.

Gracie looked up at Sam. “Who are you really?” She asked Sam suspiciously.

Sam sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “I’m Sam Carter. I’m just not…” She sniffled and plopped on the misty ground. “I’m not the Sam Carter that gave birth to you. My Gracie died before she was born.” Sam admitted.

Gracie frowned at Sam. “Why did you lie to me?”

Sam sighed. “It was easier. I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone the truth.”

“Who made you lie?” Gracie demanded.

Sam bit her lip. “The Joint Chiefs for the most part.” She shrugged then looked up into Gracie’s eyes. “I love you, Gracie.” She told the girl who was clearly upset and angry about this revelation.

“Daddy?”

Sam shook her head. “It wasn’t his decision. He didn’t want us to meet because of it. I think deep down he knew it wasn’t fair to keep the truth from you.”

“Keeping the truth from me seems to be his MO.” Gracie said snidely. “Does everyone but me know Cassie is an alien?”

“Cassie was orphaned as a little girl. Her whole planet was murdered and they made her into a bomb. Like me, she had nowhere to go.” Sam said sadly. The images of those events flickered around her unbidden.

“You lied to me, mommy.” Gracie said, her voice full of hurt. “Everyone lied to me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Sam looked away.

Gracie squared her shoulders. “Come on.” She said firmly and took Sam’s hand.

Sam looked at her in confusion.

“I promised.” She explained. “But I don’t want to see you again. You’re a liar.” And her eyes blazed as she looked into Sam’s.

Sam nodded sadly in understanding. “You don’t have to.”

“I made a promise.” Gracie said firmly again and started walking forward waving off Sam’s bitter memories and ignoring the ones she’d made since.

Sam followed meekly. Gone was the sweet girl who had loved her wholeheartedly. She’d betrayed her trust and that was a sin Gracie simply was unable to tolerate. Sam’s heart broke but she understood. She had often felt that way about her father’s choices as well.

Gracie turned and looked up at Sam, eyes still alight with anger. “I suggest you consider how you plan to tell daddy you don’t want to see him anymore.” She said in an angry tone. That ought to get this woman who pretended to be my mom thinking pretty hard Gracie thought.

She was right. Sam’s face went ashen as she realized without Gracie’s consent to be in her life, any chance of happiness with Jack was over. She’d make it look like it was her decision not Gracie’s. It was her own fault for lying to the girl after all. Sam’s heart welled with grief at the prospect

At that moment, Gracie turned to her and yelled, “Wake up!”

Sam blinked in pain. Even the low light hurt her eyes. She swallowed a couple times and Saw Jake inches from her face. She hugged him fiercely with her free hand. Jack was still clinging to her other hand. She looked over at him warily and he sagged in relief. When she looked to the other side though, Gracie’s expression was stony.

“I want to go back to my room please.” Gracie said stiffly, stepping away from the bed.

“Not until I check you out, young lady.” Janet said firmly and nudged her out of the room, knowing by both Sam and Gracie’s expressions something had gone terribly wrong.

Conde smiled and patted Sam’s shoulder, her ears wiggled happily. “I am glad to see you awake, Colonel Carter Sam. I will return to my people now. We need to calibrate our scanners to avoid this occurring a third time.” She said firmly and left the isolation room. Leaving Sam and Jack alone with Jacob.

“Welcome back.” Jack said to her warmly.

Sam’s stomach rolled sickly. “Was that um…?”

“Our new friend from P4X-173? Yap. They call themselves the Hircine. That one is Conde. There’s another one wandering around named Katzika. She doesn’t seem to like us as much, but we’re pretty primitive compared to them.” Jack said conversationally, waiting for Sam to get her bearings.

“Jack, we… we should…”

Jack shook his head though, placing a loving hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her face gently. “You need to rest. I have paperwork to file and we need to send SG-17 out for a follow up with the Hircine. See if we can salvage any of this.”

Sam sighed and closed her eyes. There was plenty of time to break his heart, she supposed.

“I’ll take Jake back to, Marie. Get some rest, Sam.” he said gently as he stroked her hair away from her face, then pressed a soft kiss against her temple.

“That’s all I’ve done is rest.” She complained. But Jack had already taken Jake out the door.

“All right, your blood pressure is fine as is your pulse.” Janet said to Gracie who sat on a hospital bed with a mulish expression on her face. “Want to talk to me about what happened?”

“No.” Gracie said with a scowl.

“Do you want to talk to your dad?”

“No.” Gracie replied even more firmly.

Janet sighed. She’d been afraid Gracie would not take this well after how she behaved when she thought Jack had lied to her about her mom.

“I’ll have someone take you back to the VIP room with your brother.” Janet said in a resigned tone.

Gracie’s face went stony. “He’s not my brother” She informed Janet and got off the bed. “And I know the way back.”

“Well, you aren’t roaming unescorted, young lady, so you can just cool your jets right there until an airman is available to take you to your room.” Janet said firmly, ignoring Gracie’s outburst about Jake. She’d calm down once she had time to think about things Janet surmised. It was just the shock.

“Fine.” Was all Gracie said and stood stock still, arms crossed over her slender chest while she waited.

Oh boy. Janet thought. Jack was in for a very rough couple of weeks.

Alone in her isolation room, Sam sat forward and crossed her arms over her knees and dropped her head on her forearms before silently sobbing. Everything had fallen apart. She had no hope Gracie would relent. She was too much like her father. You had to have empirical evidence that the situation was not as he understood it for Jack to ever relent and Gracie had her dead to rights. She’d lied. They had all lied. The only reason Cassie had been so understanding was because Cassie had gone through almost the identical thing Sam had. Everyone she loved was dead too. But Cassie had never pretending to be anything but an orphan.

Sam’s life was a lie. Even her relationship with Jack was built on a lie.

It had all come crumbling down because of one ill-fated mission.

Chapter Text

Unaware of the situation going on above him, Jack sat in the briefing room with Hank and the two Hircine representatives waiting for SG-17 to join them.

“I am pleased that your mate will recover,” Katzika said evenly to Jack.

“Yah, I bet.” Jack grumbled under his breath. “Thank you.” He said louder and more politely. “To prevent a second occurrence of this, I’m sending a different team back with you. One with no Jaffa or former hosts on it.” Jack told the small being dryly.

“There is so little your primitive society has to offer us, General O’Neill.” Katzika told Jack in an officious tone.

Before Jack could bristle, Conde cut off her superior. “I believe that decision lies with my staff, Ducari Katzika. We are the experts on technology.”

“I see nothing here of value but if you wish to waste your time in such a manner, Conde, I cannot stop you from doing so. Proceed with your negotiations. Marduk knows I cannot care less.”

“Thank you, Ducari.” Conde said as though she’d not been insulted. Directing her attention to the senior military officer, she told him. “I would be pleased to discuss an exchange of information.”

Several hours later, Lou Ferretti[1] was getting ready to go to P4X-173 in the locker room with the male half of his team.

“We’re really going back there after what they did to Colonel Carter?” Major Elek Szandor asked him in a lightly Slavic accent giving away his Hungarian origins.

“We’re really going back and we’re going to play nice when we do.”

“Yah, that’s bullshit.” Captain Peter Smith grumbled from the bench where he was adjusting his vest.

“Lots of things are bullshit, Smith. Doesn’t mean we don’t follow orders.”

“Bullshit gets teams killed.” Elek reminded Lou of what happened to the original 17.

“Well, let’s not do that then.” Lou suggested to him as he stood. “The girls should be ready by now. Let’s hit the armory.” He said to end the discussion.

“I can’t believe we are seriously going back there after they almost killed Colonel Carter. She’s got two little kids.” Captain Becky Cole said to her civilian teammate.

“If I was General Landry, I’d tell General O’Neill to stuff it.” Sara Lang agreed. “They better hope they don’t do anything else stupid.”

Captain Cole nodded in agreement.

“All right, everyone, as you are all aware, negotiations with the Hircine will continue now that Colonel Carter has recovered from the incident. Colonel Ferretti, your team will join Conde and her mate at the Hircine city to discuss science exchange. Ms. Lang, you will take point as your team’s scientific specialist.”

“Yes sir.” Sara agreed.

“I don’t need to remind anyone that we don’t want any more incidents.”

“Sir?” Smith said, raising his hand.

“Yes, Captain?”

“With Colonel Carter recovered, why isn’t SG-1 returning to P4X-173?”

“That’s an excellent question, Captain. While the Colonel has recovered, Doctor Fraiser wants to keep her under observation as she was the most affected but it also had an adverse effect on Teal’c and Vala mal Doran.” Landry explained. “That’s far too high of a percentage of a team to make me feel comfortable.”

“How do we know that won’t happen to us, sir?” Becky asked him pointedly.

“It’s specific to having been a host one way or another. As none of you have been one, all of you should have no difficulties at all.” He gave them all a pointed look. “I know your loyalties, people, but keep your opinions on this to yourself. Normally speaking being a host to a Goa’uld is a bad thing.” Landry reminded them. “Go assemble at the Gate. Dismissed.” He told them and stood to indicate the briefing was over.

SG-17 joined Conde and Katzika at the base of the Gate. “Ma’am,” Lou said to the blue tuniced fuzzy being next to him.

“I am told your Colonel Carter Sam has recovered.”

“She has, ma’am.” Lou replied, standing at parade rest while a gate technician called out which chevron was locked.

“We will correct the coding error that led to her injury.”

“We appreciate that, ma’am.” Lou said formally, ignoring the cold tone of the long eared being next to him.

Katzika’s ears twitched but she made no reply.

“Chevon seven activated.” Airwoman Miller called out and the Gate kawooshed to life. When it settled into a docile blue pool of light, Lou put out his arm. “After you.” He said to the beings from the planet they were heading to.

Katzika raised her head imperiously and marched forward, her toenails making clicking sounds on the Gate ramp as she went.

Lou and Elek exchanged a look. Elek raised an eyebrow and Lou just shrugged. Neither knew what was eating at the long eared Hircine and neither honestly cared. They had a job to do regardless of their feelings on how SG-1 had been treated on P4X-173.

Gracie sat on the couch ignoring Marie and Jake. The airman had dropped her off and Jack had shown up shortly later with the boy with a concerned glance in Gracie’s direction but decided not to deal with the girl’s mood at the time. Jake wanted to stay with Jack but Jack needed to get back to check on Sam before seeing Landry. After his father left, Jake started to get fussy so Marie went to put him down and hoped Grace would be in a better mood… soon.

“The science lab team brought you some DVDs.” Marie said conversationally. “Some of it is more Jake’s speed but there are some old Jim Henson movies in here too.” Marie said cheerfully, ignoring Gracie’s mood. She hadn’t been filled in but she had to assume Colonel Carter was still unwell and Gracie was simply upset that things were not going well.

“Thanks.” Gracie said in a surly tone.

“How about I put in The Great Muppet Caper? You like that one.” Marie said and didn’t wait for Gracie to answer.

It was just as well because Gracie did not reply.

When she re-entered the main sitting area, Marie really wanted to ask the girl if her mom had taken a turn for the worse but if she had, she didn’t think the conversation would go well at all and Marie wasn’t really sure she was equipped to deal with a hysterical preteen.

Instead she sat at the desk while she did paperwork and kept one eye on Gracie.

A few hours later, Jack went to the VIP suite again to check up on the kids. Gracie’s reaction after Sam woke up concerned him. He’d been able to observe them, had even called out to Sam but he couldn’t quite reach her the way Gracie had. He wondered if it was because he wasn’t as strong as Gracie or it had more to do with Sam not being from his reality. It could simply be Gracie’s age. Younger minds are more flexible. Either way, he’d only been able to watch while holding Jake as Sam and Gracie talked in mumbled tones he couldn’t make out. But he’d seen her body language and expression. Whatever had been said, Sam had gone from relief to hurt and grief very quickly.

Stepping into the room, he heard Fozzie singing in the background and chuckled to himself. Bosco must have dug out the kids movies for them. “Hey kiddo.” He said to the back of Gracie’s head.

Gracie, however, ignored him.

Marie looked up from her computer and gave him a worried frown.

Jack raised an eyebrow and she shrugged.

It wasn’t as accurate as he and Sam, but he got the gist of it. Marie didn’t know what was up either.

“Sir, if you’ll be here a while, I’d like to go have dinner.”

Jack nodded. “Sure.” He told her.

Marie got up and gave him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder as she headed out. This was probably one of those conversations, she didn’t need to overhear.

Jack walked over to the couch and plopped tiredly on it. Jake was playing on the floor banging some wood blocks together and Jack smiled at him in amusement for a moment before turning to Gracie. “So that was something.” He said, conversationally.

Gracie stared mutely at the TV, purposely ignoring her father.

“I couldn’t hear what you were talking about in your mom’s head. What happened?”

“Nothing.” Gracie muttered, her tone belying her short answer.

“Yah, I know that trick, kiddo.” He said with amusement. “Did you guys have a disagreement? Your mom is pretty upset too even if she won’t admit it to me. Want to talk about it?”

“She’s not my mom.” Gracie said firmly. Anyone else would have taken that comment as the anger it presented itself as but Jack only heard the heartbreak she refused to acknowledge.

Jack frowned but didn’t reply right away. Tough conversations had always been Sam’s wheelhouse. And having Sam handle this wasn’t going to happen judging by Gracie’s attitude. “She loves you, Gracie.”

“She lied to me.” Gracie said biting her lip. “Everyone lied to me.” Fury clouded her voice. “Even you lied to me.” She shouted at him. “Again!”

Jack looked down and sighed. He had. “Gracie, I’d love to never have to lie to you but my job involves national security. You learned things today that only a handful of people on the planet even know. Things you can’t ever tell anyone.”

Gracie laughed bitterly. It was a disconcertingly adult sound from an eight-year-old. “Who’d believe me.” She said hollowly.

“There is that.” He agreed.

Gracie crossed her arms over her chest, a petulant pout on her face. “I want to go home.”

Jack sighed. He glanced at his daughter and wondered at the change in his child. He carefully considered what his options were. “I can’t leave yet.” Sam wasn’t fully recovered for starters. And he had to deal with the fallout from this mission.

“I don’t care. I want to go home. Today. Now.” She insisted.

Jack nodded sadly. She needed time to think. If she had some time to cool down, she might be more logical about this whole thing too. Right now, she was responding like a betrayed little girl who just found out the woman she thought was her mom never was at all. It was like Cassie and Jolinar all over again. He sighed. “If that’s what you want.”

Gracie gave him a startled look. She’d been expecting him to fight her, argue that she had to stay. But he was just accepting this like he didn’t even care. Like her feelings didn’t matter. “You only care about her.” Gracie accused.

“That’s not true, Gracie.”

“It is!” she shouted, jumping up. “You don’t even care if I leave!”

“I can’t leave because until your mom is better, there’s no one to take care of your brother.” Jack said evenly. ”I don’t need to remind you I have responsibilities to the rest of her team either.” He admonished her gently.

Jake had turned his head at Gracie’s loud voice and whimpered.

“Gracie, you’re scaring your brother. Please don’t shout.”

“He’s not my brother!” Gracie shouted at Jack.

Jack’s jaw firmed into a disappointed frown. “I’m not going to argue with you about this, Gracie. If you want to go home you may. I’ll join you when your mother is well enough to take care of Jake. That’s final.” He said, getting up and scooping up the now fussing toddler. “Your brother didn’t do anything to you, Gracie. You might want to remember that.” He admonished her as he opened the door to leave the room.

Gracie stood gap mouthed as her father just shut the door on her without a backward glance, taking Jake with him.

Jack took Jake back to his old bunk room. It had never been reassigned or cleared out because Jack did sometimes have to stay here on base still and he refused a bigger berth simply because the idea of boxing up all the books he’d acquired made him cringe.

“Dada?” Jake asked him.

“What’s up, buddy?” He asked his son. It didn’t occur to Jack to use a baby voice or speak to Jake on his level as a toddler.

“Mama?”

“Mama is doing better. She’s awake now thanks to you and your sister.” Jack frowned. “I wish I knew what they talked about. Your mom was close to tears and Gracie is mad at everyone. You know what I think?” he asked the boy who gave him a comically inquiring look as though he was genuinely interested. “I think your sister found out you and your mom came from another reality and she’s really upset about that. I don’t think she understands that none of that matters because your mom is the same person she would have been here too. Sure she went through some really rough stuff and that’s made her change as a person but she’s still my Sam and she always will be.” He told the boy with a soft smile. “And you’re my son.” He told the boy and pulled him in close for a hug. “Don’t ever forget that, Jacob. Your father loves you more than you’ll ever know.” He kissed the top of Jake’s head. The other Jack in Sam’s memories had loved this boy just as much Jack thought. He’d died for him.

Jake cuddled closer, wrapping his arms tightly around his father’s neck. Jack chuckled at Jake’s attempt at comforting his father. Just old enough to understand ‘sad’, Jack thought bitterly.

“So what do you think we should do about your sister?”

“Sissa!” Jake said gleefully.

Jack chuckled. “Yah, she needs to learn to just accept the cards she’s been dealt because trying to change things just makes you miserable.” Jack agreed. “You’re a smart little guy.” Jack said with a grin. “What do you think we should do?”

Jake babbled something incomprehensible and Jack had to laugh. Jacob spoke so well for his age Jack sometimes forgot he was still a baby. “I wish I could agree but I’m not sure I follow you, buddy. We need a translator.” Jack thought he probably needed a translator for Gracie too. He didn’t want to argue with her. He wanted her to calm down and be rational. He hoped the flight home would help but he doubted that. Gracie would end up going around him just like the last time when she’d snuck around behind his back until she’d gotten her way.

Jack wondered if the basis of her anger was actually at herself for creating a fantasy in her head about her family or something else. He frowned. It’s what he would have done in her shoes and she was more like him than he’d like to admit. Especially when it came to being obstinate.

He’d talk to her when he got home. That would have to wait. No matter how hurt Gracie’s feelings were, they didn’t take priority over Sam being physically injured at the moment. And right now he didn’t trust Gracie’s mood. He should probably separate the kids. He didn’t think she’d hurt Jake intentionally but if she acted out he might be collateral damage. He didn’t want her to have to live with that kind of guilt.

[1] Louis Ferretti became leader of SG-17 in 2002 after returning from his tour at Groom Lake as per ‘STARGATE SG-1 Kali's Wrath’ Keith R a DeCandido published by Fandimonium/UNKNO 2020 – all additional team members referenced are my own imagination as I have not read the book.

Chapter Text

Lou Ferretti was a pragmatist. He always had been. He knew his team well enough to know they had taken the incident with SG-1 personally. He’d been the only one of them to actually serve on an incarnation of SG-1 effectively twice before taking over SG-2 for Kawalsky. He’d left and gone to 51 for a while but it just couldn’t hold a candle to field work. His wife had understood even though she had no idea what in the hell he did for the Air Force these days. They talked about other things.

Lou figured his team had no intention of acting on their feelings so they should be in the clear. Jackson had explained the tech was supposed to read your intent and, well, none of them intended to cause a problem. Even if they were gunning for a fight. They were professionals. You put your feelings on a back burner and you got the job done. They did it with the Russians all the time. They had even done it with the Goa’uld when the flunky level ones had realized they really needed to deal with Apophis and later Ba’al.

So no one was more surprised than him when the Hircine knocked them out to be scanned and, had he been awake to do so, he’d have been even more shocked to learn some members of his team at least were entertaining active thoughts about hurting their diminutive hosts.

Sam had washed her face and squared her shoulders. Janet said she could sit up but she’d kept her on the monitors. She’d asked about Sam’s bout of tears but Sam had chosen to demur on the subject, not when she had to explain to Jack why things just wouldn’t work out for them… without giving him Gracie as her reason. She should have told the girl the truth from the start. Let Gracie decide if she wanted a doppelganger of her mother intruding into her life.

If she stayed around though, Jack would always be trying to get through her defenses. Maybe she could go off-world. Find someone that needed her help rebuilding after the Ori and Goa’uld devastated their society. There were certainly plenty of those to choose from.

Sam was so lost in thought she didn’t even see Jack open the door to the right of her. “Knock knock.” He said softly. He’d left Jake with Vala, explaining that Gracie needed a little alone time. Vala had suggested taking the boy to the onsite daycare but Jack had disagreed, wanting to keep the kids close for now, at least until he could get Gracie a flight home.

“Is this seat taken?” He asked her of the empty chair next to her bed that he’d occupied more than not the last few days.

Sam just shook her head though and looked away.

Jack sighed a little at his joke falling flat. “How are you feeling?” He asked once he’d settled and adjusted his fruit so it wouldn’t poke him. Leaving DC so quickly meant travelling in his Class As and with everything that had happened since he got Hank’s call, changing out of it had not been in his thoughts, with more pressing matters on his hands. He’d rather wear a set of BDUs but he was here as a noncom so the monkey suit stays.

Sam had no idea if he had really heard any part of the conversation with Gracie. She didn’t know that Jack been a silent observer of the meeting and realized something significant had occurred. She was honestly just glad for the layer of professional distance his dress uniform gave her.

“Sir.” She said softly.

Jack waved off her honorific. “I’m not here as your CO, Sam.” He admonished her gently. “I’m here as your husband.”

Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. Seeing her reaction, Jack sighed as he realized she was starting to build walls again. An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Jack decided he needed to take that first step.

“I’m trying to figure this out since neither of you seems to want to actually talk to me for some reason. A situation that is entirely out of character for either of you by the way.” Jack said in a conversational tone. “So far I’ve figured out Gracie learned you aren’t the mom that gave birth to her and she’s not taking it well. You apparently know that she knows and now you think you need to emotionally distance yourself. Have I got things right so far?”

Sam huffed and blew a wisp of bangs out of her eyes only to have it frustratingly settle right back between her eyes where it had been prior.

Jack absently reached over and ran his fingers through her hair, forcing the stray lock back in amongst its fellows. Sam frowned then bit her lip, closing her eyes in an attempt to control herself. When she finally opened them, her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. As one tear slipped out, Jack’s thumb gently brushed it away.

“I’m not giving you up, Sam. I’m not giving Jake up either. We’ll figure something out. She needs time to cool off. One of us can talk to her when she’s over the shock.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sam looked down and nodded miserably. He was right. She hoped.

“In the meantime, she asked if she could go home for now. Marie is getting them a flight out as soon as she can schedule one.”

Sam gave him a sharp look. “You sent her home?” She asked, misery in her voice, clearly upset of Gracie being alone at this time.

“I’m not going to force her to stay. It will just make her more angry.” Jack reasoned, having no idea Gracie might want exactly the opposite.

“Everything about my life is a lie.” Sam said tiredly. “Even this.” She waved her hand vaguely between them.

Jack gave her a sharp look. This attitude he understood. The ‘I can’t win so why bother fighting it’ attitude left over from her father’s constant bending her to his will. Jack had loved his father-in-law but he’d be a liar if he were to say he didn’t find fault with the man. He realized early on that every one of Sam’s hang ups and maladjusted decisions were a direct result of how the man had raised her after Sam’s mother’s death. His own grief shouldn’t have been an excuse for bad parenting, Jack fumed. After the death of his wife, Jack went to extreme effort not to do the same with Gracie.

Sam sighed sadly, misreading Jack’s anger. “We can’t go back to the way things were.” She said, in a soft voice.

Jack raked his hands through his short hair. He’d let it grow out a little bit the last couple of months, but it was still incredibly short. “This will blow over, Sam.” He started to say but an airman appeared in the doorway and knocked on the door.

“Sir, Ma’am, your presence is requested in the briefing room ASAP.”

Sam looked up, startled.

“Stay.” Jack ordered her.

“Respectfully, sir, General Landry requested both of you.”

“I’ll have one of the nurses help me get dressed, sir. Go.” She told Jack.

He frowned at her for a long moment before leaving without another word. What in the hell could Hank need them both for anyway?

Entering the briefing room, Jack noticed that Daniel, Teal’c and Vala were already there with Hank. Cam was absent, having joined Jen Hailey and Lynn Hopkins on another team on a day’s mission to another planet.

“Where’s Sam” Hank asked Jack.

“She needed to get dressed. Janet hasn’t released her yet.” Jack gave Hank a speaking look. They would discuss this later. Sam wasn’t physically or emotionally ready to be out of the infirmary yet although the latter was entirely due to their daughter and had nothing to do with work. Hank didn’t know that however and Janet had indicated to him that Sam’s vitals were stable.

“Dr. Jackson, what do we know about Hircine culture so far?” Landry turned to ask Daniel as Jack took a seat the table.

“Well, they seem to be a lot like the Nox socially. While Conde was dealing with Sam’s condition, Katzika and I discussed their society and religious beliefs. They follow Marduk who was fathered by Ea. Apparently, there is some overlap with human religious beliefs at some point. Marduk is known as Bel in Mesopotamia and is their creation god who happens to look a bit like... well… a… um, a goat.” Daniel admitted he didn’t get the laugh he expected and realized under the circumstances he shouldn’t be surprised.

 “Anyway, Marduk and his cousin Yeshu overthrew their fathers and created the land for the Hircine to live on.”

“And how does this help us, Danny?” Jack asked him caustically.

“Well, I was getting to that, Jack.” Daniel huffed at him. “Marduk is the patron of wisdom but he’s also a thunder god so he holds a very similar position as Thor.”

“So Marduk could have been Thor in disguise?” Sam said as she came in.

Daniel nodded. Sam was moving slowly but on her own accord. Janet hadn’t elected to follow her into the briefing room though it was obvious an airman had been assigned to accompany her to the door.

“He could be, yes. But the Hircine are familiar with the Asgard and know they sacrificed themselves, I’m sure through various information channels across the galaxy. They do trade with other planets for goods, medicine, and art.”

“So, not as paranoid as the Nox but not as uptight as the Tollans.” Jack conjectured. Daniel nodded. “All right, so why are we having this little party?”

Landry sighed. “At 0900 today, SG-17 was sent through the Gate with our guests. When they did not contact us on schedule, we opened a channel.”

Jack rubbed his face in frustration, knowing what was coming.

“They are being held hostage.”

Sam’s head whipped around. “Did they say why?” She demanded. Then remembered where she was and that this wasn’t Jack. “Sir.” She added contritely.

Landry sighed, put a consolatory hand up and explained. “Apparently, they objected to the opinions some of SG-17 had about your recent injuries.”

“But it was a mistake. Conde told me what happened. It was the combination of being a former host and the cobalt left in my system.”

Landry nodded. “Speaking of which, you are off rotation, Colonel Carter. Dr. Fraiser is concerned you might develop a blood clot and doesn’t want you off world until she can thoroughly assess your medical status.”

“So how do we get them back?” Jack asked Daniel.

Daniel sighed. “The problem is the Hircine laws are very clear. If your first party comes through and has ill intent, they just kick you back and lock you out.”

“Daniel,” Jack said in a warning tone.

Daniel sighed. “But if subsequent parties are found to be in enmity, they will be tried for their intended crimes and potentially executed.”

“What?!” Sam demanded. “Why?”

“Because Lou’s team has a grudge about being set up after what happened to Mansfield and Elliot.” Jack said in frustration.

“Lou would never be that way, Jack. There must be a mistake!” Sam said in horror, turning to Jack with fear in her eyes.

“No, he wouldn’t, but can you really say that for the rest of his team?”

Sam thought about Lou’s team. Since she was allowed back in the field, she had worked with all of them at some point. 17 went out with 1 on several diplomatic missions, especially when Daniel wasn’t available. Sara Lang was an expert in linguistics and diplomacy. There had to be some mistake.

Jack watched the play of emotions on Sam’s face and realized she was getting close to the edge of panic. “Carter!” He barked.

She looked up, wide eyed at him. He’d never once called her that.

“Just… stop.”

“I can’t let everyone I love die again. I just can’t.” She choked out at him, wrapping her arms around her body, in an attempt at self-protection.

Realizing that Sam was about to fall apart, Jack abruptly stood up, ignoring the looks of Landry and the team at the table. “Office. Now!” He ordered her and walked to the door to Landry’s office and held it open until she meekly followed him in, then shut it firmly. With one hand, he closed the blinds to the conference room to ensure their privacy.

“Sir, I can’t just—”

“Carter!” He barked again. “You can’t save everyone. All... by... yourself… and you don’t need to this time. You aren’t alone.” His tone gentled once he had her attention.

She nodded dumbly in jerky little movements. “I know, Sir, but—”

“You don’t have to save everyone yourself, Sam.” He told her again gently. “You aren’t alone.”

She stared at him wide eyed and miserable but all he did was return her worry with a gentle reassuring look. “C’mere.” He said softly and put out his hand.

With a soft sob, Sam flung herself into Jack’s embrace and clung to him.

“I’ve got you.” He murmured gently into her hair as his face buried itself in her neck. She wasn’t his wife, but he’d be hard pressed to tell where his Sam ended and this one started.

“You called me Carter.” She said softly against his shirt after a while.

“Yah.” He agreed, almost sadly.

“You’ve never called me that.”

Jack sighed. He had. He was sure he had… but he might have only done so when she was out of earshot. “Let us help you, Sam.”

She nodded silently against his shirt.

“Hey…”

She lifted her eyes to his. Jack slowly lowered his head and their lips were millimeters apart when…

“Jack!” We really need you to get back out here.” Daniel yelled through the door.

Jack’s face firmed into the emotionless mask Sam was so intimately familiar with from her own husband. Daniel and his impeccable penchant for interrupting at the wrong moment. “Be right there, Daniel.” He called back and sighed. He looked at Sam again. “We’ll talk about this more later, Carter.” He said gruffly and brushed past her to open the office door.

Sam followed him out.

“We’re getting a radio call from P4X-173.” Landry told them both.

Jack waved Sam to her seat before sitting himself and folding his hands on the table to keep him from destroying the pen on his notepad.

“To whom do I speak?” Came the imperious voice through the speaker.

“I’m General Landry, the leader of this facility, and I have with me my direct supervisor, General O’Neill and the members of SG-1 who you’ve met.”

“I am obligated by my society’s conventions to inform you that a representative may attend the proceedings and, if they so desire, plead their case.” The impersonal voice of Katzika informed them. “I am also obligated to inform you that said person must bear us no ill will or they too shall be tried for criminal intent to harm.”

“We understand.” Landry told her.

“You have two of our cycles to appear before our court of law.”

“We’ll be there.” Landry agreed.

“Uh… sir, she cut off the feed.” The airman’s voice came over the speaker.

“That’s all right, Airwoman Miller.” Landry told her. “Close the Gate.”

“Yes sir.” She agreed and clicked off.

“Sir, it should be me. I’m the cause of this mess.” Sam told Landry.

“Carter, absolutely not.” Jack said firmly.

Sam gave him a mutinous look.

“Janet hasn’t signed off on you medically and there’s no guarantee that damned scanner thing won’t put you back into another coma.” He said and his eyes bore into hers. He didn’t think he needed to remind her that he would most likely not have the assistance of their daughter this time.

Sam opened her mouth to object and Jack put up a finger. Sam snapped her mouth shut and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Daniel and I will go.” Vala said hurriedly before anyone else could. “He might be able to get through to them and, if not, I can always try charming them or, at the very least, pick the locks.” She suggested.

“That thing affected you too!” Daniel objected.

“Yes, darling, but not as much and they claim to have fixed it. What better ammunition for their release if their faulty technology is hurting people, suggesting our people have every reason to take exception to their nonsense.” Vala argued.

“She does have a point, Dr. Jackson.” Landry stated.

“Absolutely not. I won’t allow it.” Daniel blustered. She’d scared the crap out of him last time.

“Overruled, Danny. I think Vala can help you win the case. She’s going.” Jack interjected.

“Oh, so it’s all right to keep your wife home but not—”

“That’s enough, Daniel.” Jack said sharply to his best friend, before the guy blabbered out his feelings in a briefing instead of on a date like you were supposed to. “Sam has legitimate medical reasons for why I won’t allow her to return to P4X-173 beyond their scanner thingy. Janet is worried she might have a blood clot. There is no such concern with Vala.” Jack said to him firmly as though Daniel was acting like a child.

“I don’t like it.” Daniel grumbled.

“Well, I don’t like it either but my only other diplomat is being held hostage so figure it out.” Jack snarled.

Daniel glowered at Jack.

Jack’s return expression highly suggested Daniel not test his hypothesis if he didn’t want to gauge the results.

Daniel’s expression matched Sam’s in mutiny but he nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

“She’s taking it far too literally.” Ziege told Conde while they observed the team members of SG-17. He was in charge of the team that monitored their mental states.

“It is her choice to do so.” Conde replied, hiding any infliction from her voice that might give away her personal opinion.

“It is a bad choice.” Ziege said emphatically. “She’s wrong anyway. They didn’t intend violence. They simply do not trust us which I cannot blame them for in the slightest after what has happened.”

“I was not allowed to speak to the offspring of General O’Neill and Colonel Carter Sam before we left. Lt. Colonel Fraiser Janet explained that she cannot legally give consent so they would speak to her about her experience then pass the information along to us.”

“If Katzika gets her way, we will never gain that information. It will be lost. The Tau’ri will cut contact with us if she has them convicted, they will likely do so for us being barbaric. You said they only kill in self-defense.” Ziege asked her.

“That was the read I got off of each of them, yes. They have killed, but only to prevent more death.” Conde said with a nod as she scanned the human’s vitals.

“And what if after they are tried, these ones also do not wake up?”

“I would like to hope that the offspring will help revive them also.” Conde said in a resigned tone, her ears drooping in dismay.

“This is wrong, Conde.” Ziege said. “Very wrong.”

“We’ll bring them back, Sam.” Daniel said to her in the gate room. “I promise.”

“Don’t worry, darling. We have this handled.” Vala said to Sam with a heartfelt hug.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” Back from his side mission, Cameron advised Daniel but gave Vala a warning glance.

“So don’t act like you or Jack. Got it.” Daniel said sarcastically.

“Cute, Sunshine.” Cam said with an annoyed frown but he wasn’t actually mad. Just worried for them both. The Hircine had been willing to allow two members of the original party return to P4X-173 so Cameron and Teal’c would also be staying behind. They had been told this was a legal matter and that bringing military back up for diplomatic issue would be an insult to the Hircine people. As if holding the members of SG-17 hostage wasn’t one already.

“Stay safe. Both of you.” Sam said to Daniel and Vala. “Bring them home.”

“We will, Sam. I promise.”

Sam sighed and stepped away as the Gate flushed into activation. Daniel and Vala walked through without looking back.

“Think it will work?” Cam asked Teal’c as he waved at the closing Gate.

“It would take a miracle.” Teal’c intoned in his deep voice.

In spite of herself, Sam snorted in amusement.

Jack and Hank stood on the stairway and looked at each other and just shook their heads in exasperation. “He’s my punishment, isn’t he?” Hank asked Jack of Cam.

Jack gave Hank a wholly innocent look. “It was him or McKay.”

“All right, so he’s a consolation prize.” Hank demurred with a shrug.

Jack glanced over the railing and made eye contact with Sam. She looked miserable. Gracie wasn’t taking her calls and hung up if Jack called her and handed the phone to Sam. He’d tried to reassure Sam but he knew his daughter. She was obstinate. It would take more than a simple apology to smooth this over and somehow Jack just didn’t think a kitten would solve this problem either.

“You will rest here.” A dark grey furred Hircine in a pink tunic named Koza said to Daniel and Vala.

“We’d like to see our people.” Daniel told the Hircine.

“That will not be possible.”

“How am I supposed to build their defense if I can’t talk to them?” Daniel demanded.

“That is not my concern.”

“Well, it sure as hell is my concern!”

“Daniel, darling, I’m sure we can find someone to help us sort this out.” Vala said soothingly to Daniel as she put a hand on his arm. “She’s just an office clerk.”

Daniel gave the pink dressed creature a hard look. “Find someone who can get us answers.” He said firmly.

“I shall endeavor to meet your needs.” She said and scurried out, her toes clicking on the floor.

Daniel whirled around in anger and slammed his fist on a table. “This makes no sense.” He complained.

Vala sighed and sat on a low bench. “I’m afraid it does, Daniel.”

“What do you mean?”

“We embarrassed them.”

“So?”

“So, it appears Katzika is under some social pressure to save face.”

“That makes even less sense.”

“Daniel, darling, just because a society has moved past nations and wars does not mean it has moved past politics. Why, look at the Tollans.” She suggested as an example.

Daniel sighed and sat on the bench, facing Vala, put his elbows on his knees, fisted his hands and propped his chin on them. “I hate that you’re right.” He grumbled.

“I am certain once we can speak to Louis, we’ll get this all sorted out.” Vala tried to reassure Daniel. She wasn’t sure it was working frankly speaking.

Gracie sat in class. She was studious but disengaged, as though she had decided none of this mattered any more but she had to accomplish it like an achievement in a video game.

Her teachers were mystified. They asked how her mom was and the only response they got regarding the matter was ‘peachy’. As none of them knew what to make of the matter and General O’Neill was still in Colorado taking care of Gracie’s mom, none of them quite knew what to do or say about the odd shift in her behavior especially if her mother was all right.

When she went home alone with Mitch because her dad was still in Colorado with that woman, Gracie didn’t talk to him either. Not that Mitch didn’t try. He also texted General O’Neill about it but his boss had only replied that Gracie and her mom had a disagreement and he’d talk to her when he got home but right now her mom needed actual physical care and Gracie was only mad that she’d been wrong about something.

General O’Neill had not elected to expound further on the matter so Mitch tried every night and every morning to get Gracie to talk to him. He was unsuccessful.

The problem, Gracie finally decided the Friday after she’d come home, was that she had been invested. That she’d wanted Sam to be her mom so she just ignored any logic that she couldn’t be. But Sam had never once contradicted her assumptions and had actively encouraged her to believe the lie. And that was just unforgiveable.

About the only person she trusted at this point was Marie and not because she’d told her the truth, but because she’d never voiced an opinion on the matter either way. She knew Marie had probably been ordered to lie about everything.

As for her dad, clearly his allegiance belonged to his ready-made family. But that would change. He’d see who she was eventually and then he’d reject her too. Gracie just had to wait and pretend everything was just fine. But she would not under any circumstances be talking to her again.

“Mr. O’Neill, I really must insist you take me seriously on this matter.”

Jack sighed. “Look, Sam had to keep something from Gracie for national security reasons and she found out about it. She’ll get over it.” Jack insisted.

“But if it’s something that—”

Jack cut off the nosey school counsellor. “It’s private and it doesn’t even concern Gracie. She just found out someone she knows isn’t who she thinks they are, that’s all.” Jack said firmly in a voice that anyone in the miliary would pay heed to. “If you don’t mind, I have meetings, Ms. Roddy.”

“Yes.. yes of course. I’m sorry to have troubled you.”

Jack clicked off his cell phone and tossed it onto his desk then buried his head in his hands. It was a nicer office than his old one and between the two divisions as his cover was checking up on NORAD when he was here but honestly he couldn’t care less. A nicer office, a cruddier one. It was all the same to him. How did he get the school off his back? Gracie was a reasonable kid. She’d come around on this one.

With Marie gone and Vala off world, Sam had opted to put Jake back in daycare during the day which, while Jack would prefer she spend some time recuperating, he understood why she felt she should not. Daniel and Vala weren’t being allowed back to the Gate for check-ins for now, but Jack had at least been glad when Daniel had informed him that Vala had woken only shortly after he had, complaining of a headache but without any other harm to her. He was glad mostly for Daniel’s sake. He liked Vala just fine, but he knew where Daniel’s heart was on this one. Not that Jack could blame the guy. After all, it took him long enough to figure it out

There was a polite tap on his door. “Sir?”

Jack looked up as Janet poked her head in. “Everything all right?” He asked her, concern in his voice.

“Yes, I’d just like Sam to get some rest and if you don’t go home, she won’t either.” Janet pointed out.

Jack looked down at his watch. It was 1930. Well past when Sam should have collected Jake and gone home for the night. “I’ll get her.” He said as he tidied up his already immaculate desk. “Lab?”

“Probably.” Janet agreed. “Oh, and sir?”

“Yes, Major?”

“Get some rest yourself, sir.”

“Yes, mom.” Jack said sarcastically.

Janet shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Jack chuckled. “Want to join us for dinner?”

“No thank you, sir. Spend some time with your wife and son.” She said with a soft smile. She knew they were having some kind of problem and her being there would just delay the conversation they clearly needed to have with one another.

“Well, don’t come over for desert unannounced.” Jack said with an eyebrow wiggle.

Janet shook her head and laughed softly. “I will take that under advisement, General.” She closed the door grinning.

He leaned against her door jamb just watching her for a moment. She looked tired. Like she was pushing herself too hard. Since being released from the infirmary, she had spent most of time with her science team after Daniel’s and Vala’s departure, a somewhat successful attempt of avoiding him and the need to use work to avoid thinking about issues, he realized. He smiled sadly. Some things, he thought once again, were a universal constant. “Carter.” He said to her softly, not wanting to startle her mid-thought.

She blinked and sighed when she heard his voice. “Sir.” She said in the measured tone of a Sam Carter trying to hide her feelings.

“Come on. It’s well past time to go home. Let’s go grab Jake and get some dinner.” He suggested.

She shook her head. “I’m not very hungry, sir.”

“Well, I’m starving and I bet Jake is too.” Jack said to her firmly. He wasn’t going to negotiate with her and he wasn’t going to pick up Jake and eat cold pizza on the couch while she stayed at work either. “We both need some rest.” He continued. “In a real bed.”

Sam’s shoulders slumped slightly. She just didn’t have the strength to fight him right now. “All right.” She agreed reluctantly.

“Great. I’ll meet you topside. We’ll go and get Jake and decide on dinner on the way home.” He said cheerfully and left whistling.

Sam stared at the door where Jack had just been. She shook her head as though to clear it of confusion and, by rote, started shutting down her computer systems. She was still somewhat perplexed by Jack’s demeanor over the past two days as she rode the elevator from 19 to 25. Even though they had each used their own quarters the last couple of days, he always remained close by, ensuring she wasn’t overextending herself.

She could have asked Landry to allow her to continue to use the VIP room as her own quarters weren’t especially big on that level but she got the distinct impression Jack wasn’t going to let that one fly. It was almost as if he’d figured out if she got too comfortable staying on base she’d continue to do so even when Janet wasn’t making her. But if the Sam of this reality had been much like her, he was probably right she surmised.

She had to figure out a way to make him understand things just wouldn’t work out with him. Somehow. Worrying her lower lip with her teeth, she rode the elevator up to 12 where she had to switch elevators to get to the surface.

“Night, Colonel.” One of the airmen on the changeover floor said to her casually as she transferred elevators. Lost in thought, Sam nodded absently to the young man.

Safely in the other elevator, Sam fought the urge to hit the stop button and go right back down to her lab. Jack could take Jake home. She could text him, right? She cursed herself for being a coward. Just get it over with. He’ll be fine. It’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to him after all.

Chapter Text

“So what’s our plan of attack, darling?” Vala asked Daniel casually over their breakfast. They had not been allowed to see their missing team nor meet with anyone who could better explain the situation to them.

The room they were in was well appointed in earthy colors and wood surfaces. It had low slung furniture and someone had found them a bed that was long enough for Daniel’s height so he didn’t have to curl up into a pretzel just to sleep. They had only been given one bed and neither had bothered to correct the assumptions of the Hircine regarding their marital status.

Daniel sighed, shrugged, and put his chin in his hand. “They used ‘Marduk” casually as an epitaph.” He mused.

“I don’t recognize that Goa’uld.” Vala said thoughtfully as she spread something that seemed to be avocados onto a piece of toast.

“Well, in human history, he was the patron creator god of Babylon. He was originally a farmer’s god named Asarluhi represented by a spade. He also presided over justice, compassion, healing, rebirth, fair trials, and well, thunder.”

Vala bit into her toast. “Sounds like Thor.” She said, around her toast.

“It does, doesn’t it?”

“Do you suppose it was?”

“No, they mentioned the Asgard… so Marduk had to either have been a different Asgard or they chose to never tell them.”

Vala hummed thoughtfully. “Thor and Zeus were probably the same guy.”

Daniel nodded. “We think so, yes, and Jupiter. There’s no way to ask them and no way to check the Asgard records right now.” He scratched at his chin absently. “But I think in this case if it was an Asgard, it’s a different guy.”

Vala gave him a skeptical look.

“Mostly as the Asgard revealed themselves so Marduk wouldn’t be treated like a god by them at this point I don’t think.” Daniel mused, half to himself.

“So that takes us back to was Marduk a Goa’uld?”

“I don’t think so actually.” Daniel said lost in thought. “I think he might have been a Tok’ra.” He finally said thoughtfully.

Daniel and Vala looked at each other. “And the Tok’ra wouldn’t have corrected them.”

“And it would explain why the same god appears in Babylonian history.”

“I’ve never known a Tok’ra to take a non-human host.” Vala said.

Daniel frowned, tilted his head, and shrugged in a single motion. “If they would take an Unas, I don’t see why they might not take a Hircine.”

“And develop an unfortunate messiah complex. What happened to this Marduk anyway?”

“Well,” Daniel paused and then answered thoughtfully. “Asarluhi might have been the Tok’ra or the host. Which would explain the name change. His father was Ea, sometimes known as Enki which implies ‘king’ or ‘master.’ He was a water god. Usually the male was fresh water and the female consort was salt water.”

“Well, that’s rude.” Vala said.

“Not really. It had to do with the birth waters being salty.”

“They tasted it?” Vala gave Daniel a horrified look.

“The Greeks brushed their teeth with urine.”

“I think I’ve lost my appetite.” Vala said with a grimace.

Daniel chuckled at her discomfort. “Let’s see, his wife was Sarpanitu or Nanaya depending on who you ask, typical harvest and fertility goddess unlike Shekenah who was El’s consort and was their wisdom and healing goddess.” He mused absently. “I’d hazard El and Ea were brothers or possibly the same guy. Marduk’s son with Nanaya was Nabu and he was the patron of scribes and wisdom.”

“Their son grew up to be a librarian. Well, I suppose that beats crucifixion.”

Daniel nodded agreement. “Anyway, Marduk was a real go getter. Apparently, he just worked his way up the god ranks until he was the primary god of all of Mesopotamia. Even defeated the chaos goddess Tiamat.”

“Her I remember.” Vala said darkly.

“No surprise there, she was the salt in the sea.”

“Oh she was salty all right.” Vala said darkly.

Daniel flashed her a grin. “She was a leviathan.”

Vala chuckled. “That’s a very nice way of saying she was quite fat, darling.”

Daniel tried not to laugh and mostly succeeded. “Anyway, she doesn’t really matter much in this as far as I can tell. Some scholars say she’s Nammu who was Ea’s consort but Nammu was a wisdom fertility goddess like Shekinah. More likely she’s the Sumerian goddess Innana. We both know her as Ishtar.”

Vala made a face. “I hate her.”

“Yah, so did the Sumerians after a while. Most of them turned to El’s consort for leadership after the events of Gilgamesh.”

Vala gave him a bored look. “Is Inanna Shekenah?”

“Well, she is the goddess of war and sexuality.” Daniel said thoughtfully.

“That doesn’t sound like Shekinah.” Vala pointed out.

“No. It really doesn’t. Anyway, he disappeared during the Persian invasion around 485 BC. Alexander the Great tried to restore the city of Babylon but died before he finished. By 141 BC, Babylon was a deserted ruin and Marduk wasn’t heard from again.”

“Well, that’s a depressing ending.” Vala said dryly before eating a couple of grapes, having forgotten her earlier disgust.

“Most of the belief system revolved around the god being a golden statue physically in the temple so they used to get stolen a lot. After Xerxes stole Marduk’s, Babylon was just never the same after that.”

“So, how does you knowing this help us here?”

“Well… if their legends are similar up to Marduk being lost, I can possibly appeal to them in the name of Nabu to free our people.”

“That’s assuming they aren’t using this Nabu fellow to excuse their deplorable social skills.”

Daniel sighed.

Sam worried at her sleeve while Jack drove her through the complex grounds to the daycare on the outside edge of the compound.

Jack pretended not to notice and remained cheerful the whole drive, making small talk about how much Vala was probably driving Daniel up a wall right now and the unlikely chance that they might have to rescue the two just like old times.

Sam smiled wanly so Jack went in to pick up Jake and brought him out to Sam who couldn’t seem to muster the energy to react beyond half smiles and lip biting.

Jack let Jake hug Sam for a moment before extracting him and buckling him into his car seat behind the driver’s side. He laughed at Jake’s running monologue that he couldn’t really comprehend and he wasn’t sure if it was Jake trying to string too many words together or if his toddler lisp just made him incomprehensible anyway.

And Jack was relieved that Sam at least talked to Jake even if she seemed reticent with him.

On the drive home, he stopped at the little burger drive-through Kawalski had found for them all those years ago and ordered a Swiss and mushroom, a deluxe, and three milk shakes, one of them being an extra small for Jacob who was still happily gurgling in the back seat having not a clue what had gone on when he’d been involved in waking Sam up.

Jack could feel her withdrawal from him the moment she woke up. He figured Gracie had said something hurtful to Sam, but Gracie was a kid. Kids say crappy stuff to their parents when they get mad. Sometimes that crappy stuff just hits a nerve. He’d had years to adjust but Sam had had mere months. Unsure of how to approach the monsters in the room at first, he had make sure she ate then remind her that things would get better. Sam may think he wasn’t concerned about what happened but he was busy strategizing to ensure that he would have both his daughter and wife when whatever this roadblock was … was gone.

Once home, Sam went through the evening rituals as though on autopilot. She fed Jake, ate, took a shower, and then put Jake to bed. It was only when Jack came out after his own shower to find Sam getting fresh sheets out for the guest bed that he finally decided he needed to make something clear. “I’m sleeping in my own bed tonight, Sam.”

Sam nodded, her lips firm before speaking. “They were for me.” She said to him, avoiding looking at him, as her visceral reaction to him came to the fore.

“You’re sleeping in your own bed too, Sam.” He moved into her personal space, wearing only a brown towel wrapped at his hips, and put his hands gently on her shoulders. “Sam.”

“It’s fine, I can just—” Her voice squeaked in response.

“Sam,” he said more firmly. “I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.” Gently, he tilted her chin up so she’d look him in the eyes and his expression made her heart skip. “I need to hold you. Even if we don’t do anything else, Sam, I need you tonight.”

She had spent the last few days in the infirmary and then in her quarters with Jake at night having moved the crib there as she wasn’t comfortable taking up a VIP suite even if things were cramped and had suspected Jack would disapprove of her camping out on base indefinitely anyway. Jack had either slept on base or come home alone. Only Janet’s reprimand that Sam wasn’t really getting any rest had motivated him to finally push the issue.

“Come to bed.” He asked her softly.

Sam nodded and turned her head away, refusing to break down in tears over this again. She’d already cried herself to sleep the last three nights on base.

Jack kissed her forehead gently and took the sheets out of her hands and put them back on the shelf. He ignored her despondent sigh and entwined his fingers in hers and led her back to their bed. “I still need to brush my teeth. Go ahead and get in bed and get comfortable.” He suggested and turned back to the bathroom, grabbing a pair of boxers out of a dresser drawer on his way by. He didn’t actually need to brush his teeth. He just needed Sam to relax and she probably wouldn’t if he stood there staring at her.

A few moments later, he crawled into bed next to her and looked at her laying there stiffly for a moment. “C’mere.” He said softly to her. Sam didn’t resist as he gathered her against him and kissed her hair. “Relax, Sam. Everything will be all right.”

Sam started to shake her head but one of his long fingers touched her lips to stop her from voicing her heart breaking declaration. “Trust me.” He said softly and settled into the bed with her gently cradled against his chest. “Go to sleep. Things will look better in the morning.” He suggested.

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes but didn’t argue with him.

“I love you.” He said softly and didn’t wait for her to answer before he dozed off.

Sam lay there a long time biting her lip as silent tears coursed down her cheeks into her pillow, relishing the embrace of the man she loved and had to give up.

Chapter Text

“What if we just go in there and explain to them that humans don’t usually act on the stupid things going on in their brains.” Vala suggested.

“Oh yah, that will work great.” Daniel said sarcastically to her over lunch.

Vala scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue at him. “Well, I don’t see you coming up with any better ideas.” She pointed out.

“Yours have always worked out so well.” He said dryly.

“Oh, ha, ha. If I wanted a Greek chorus, I’d have hired one.” Vala said snidely.

“I’m surprised you even know what a Greek chorus is.” He said evenly.

Vala threw a roll at his head.

“Hey!” Daniel objected.

“Jack is right. You’re insufferable.”

Daniel scoffed. “He’s one to talk.”

“Why, Daniel, it’s almost like you get along with him so well because you’re more alike than either of you might like to admit.” Vala countered.

Daniel sighed. “Let’s not do this right now, it’s distracting us from our objective and it’s just going to lead to sex anyway.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Normally it’s not but we have priorities, Vala, and we’re at work.” He reminded her.

“Oh pooh.” She huffed.

When Sam woke the next morning, the other side of the bed was empty. She sighed. She supposed she needed to get used to waking up alone. She needed to contact some of Earth’s allies. See who needed her help, who wanted her help. In spite of Jack’s reassurances Sam wasn’t very hopeful about Gracie’s opinion. She’d felt the girl’s hurt and anger. She knew exactly what it felt like to be betrayed by your parent lying to you. Her dad had done it all the time. Made promises he didn’t keep. Told her things to make her feel better only to find out the truth wasn’t anything like she’d been told. Sam was not a stranger to that feeling of betrayal and it had taken a long time for her to forgive her father and even longer for her brother to do so. Her own Mark had only done so for his kids to know their only living grandparent. Otherwise she suspected when dad had gone to his house hat in hand, Mark would have likely slammed the door in his face.

She couldn’t say anything to Mark. She’d write him a letter that she was going to work for the people dad had been working for and she wasn’t sure how often she’d be able to get away as they were rebuilding after a local war. Then, over time, she’d just be a memory. He’d probably contact Jack trying to find out what was going on and Jack would promise to pass along the message if they made contact. And he would. She knew he would.

Her next concern was Jake. Jack had sacrificed so much for his son, had even instructed him to find him again if he got lost. Sam wondered if Jacob might be better off with Jack. Depending on where she ended up, it might not be safe for him and there was a high probability neither Hank nor Jack would let her take Jacob with her anyway. Technically, they had no right but legally they both did… and Sam wasn’t so sure being with her was safe for her son anyway. Disaster seemed to follow her from world to world.

And, if she was honest with herself, Jack needed his son. The 180 degrees change in him from the man she met had obviously started with bonding with their boy a few months ago after her trip to DC. Jake would be safe here with his father, she decided. She was slightly worried about Gracie but perhaps if she gave the girl the impression that she’d abandoned Jake, Gracie would sympathize with him more.

I’ve become a terrible person, Sam thought morosely. Jack had always asserted that she was nothing like the Replicator doppelganger of herself but Sam knew better. That person was always under the surface, justifying the means by the ends. Come to think of it, she knew exactly how to keep Jack from chasing after her. By using the exact same trick he’d once used on her himself. By the time she had thought to question it, Jack had been long gone.

He’d get over it. Get over her. She was just the ghost of the woman he loved anyway, she reminded herself. If she left him hurt and angry enough, he’d finally move on, date Kerry or someone else who wasn’t a giant ball of problems for him like she’d always been.

---------

Jack wiped Jake’s mouth with a washcloth. “Try to get some on the inside, son.” He suggested with a chuckle.

“Dada!” Jake squealed and shoved his hands into his oatmeal then popping one hand into his mouth with a gap toothed grin.

“Pretty good oatmeal huh, buddy?” Jack had thinned Jake’s way down with milk, added a bit of jam and some cinnamon for flavor.

Sam hadn’t come down yet and Jack’s suspicions were clashing with reason. Reason said Sam would see he was right. But Sam and reason when it came to emotional matters sometimes didn’t live in the same zip code. So he put himself in his wife’s head and thought about what she might be cooking up.

“We better keep an eye on mommy.” Jack said quietly to Jake as he ate his own oatmeal. “She’s sneaky and might try to run away on us.” He said in a conspiratorial tone. He needed to get through to her before she did anything rash that he couldn’t easily fix. And that meant proving Gracie would just get over it. He’d go back to DC tomorrow and sit his daughter down. That should solve the issue. But he better talk to Hank first and make sure he knew Sam was about ready to bolt. He better talk to Janet too. He would say Vala but she was dealing with the whole hostage thing with Danny. Hopefully, they could smooth things over and get their people back. Jack didn’t care about whatever else humanity had to gain from the Hircine at this point. A paranoid ally was worse than no ally at all. The Tok’ra had been nothing but a headache and Jack was almost glad they had been all but wiped out during the Goa’uld war. There were a couple he’d liked and a few he’d tolerated but there were several he’d never miss at all.

“Dada!”

“Yah, buddy?”

“Gaysee?”

“Your sister went home to have a snit.” Jack said conversationally. “You’ll see her soon. I’ll talk mommy into a visit and they will talk and have a good cry and that will be the end of that.” Jack said with a smile.

“Gaysee mad.”

Jack chuckled softly. “Gracie has too much of her grandfather in her.” He wiped the boy’s mouth again. “He was a stubborn old cuss. You’d like him.” Jack said grinning. And Jacob would have loved his namesake as well. Not for the first time Jack regretted the loss of his father-in-law. The man had called in favors so they could get married without Sam being punished. Of course, Jack threatening to retire for good during a war had driven the point home succinctly. He’d been hoarding his money for years. That’s why the house in Colorado was paid off in full. Selling Sam’s bungalow had gone to the down payment on the house in DC.

Jack mused that the best course of action would be to go home to Gracie and act as if nothing had happened at all. Gauge how Gracie acted. If she’d calmed down, he’d give Sam a work related reason to come out to DC and the two of them could sit down and have a talk about what had happened. Better yet, maybe they should just skip that and go directly to the hug part and brush it under the rug as the Carters seemed fond of doing. Jack personally didn’t think ignoring problems made them go away but it had been a hard won lesson when he’d almost lost Sam to that idiot cop. Thank god for Janet verbally walloping him in the head.

Sam finally came down the stairs looking very reserved. Jack sighed inwardly. He’d been right. She was trying to figure out how to extract herself thinking that would somehow help.

“Good morning.” He said cheerfully. “There’s oatmeal or I can make you some eggs and toast.”

Sam bit her lip. “Oatmeal is fine.” She said softly as she made her way around the breakfast table and past Jack.

He caught her fingers at the last moment and waited until she met his eyes. “I love you.” He reminded her.

Sam nodded shakily. “Yah.” She mumbled, unable to tell him how she really felt. That her heart was breaking in two all over again.

He saw it in her eyes though and didn’t release her fingers. “Sam. I mean it.” He said firmly to her.

She nodded again and tugged her fingers free.

Jack’s lips firmed into a frown as his jaw clenched. He had to get through to her. Somehow.

Chapter Text

Conde looked around the hallway carefully. No one was around. Doctor Jackson Daniel and Vala were not under arrest. They were just being encouraged not to snoop which they seemed to be going along with at least for now. But she needed to get them information so they wouldn’t go into this blind.

She knocked very softly on their door before opening it only to have to avert her eyes in embarrassment. The Tau’ri were entwined on their small for them bed clearly engaging in marital relations. She ducked behind the partially opened door and said very loudly, ‘Ahem!’

Daniel let out a groan of frustration while Vala laughed. He’d finally gotten bored enough while waiting that he figured they had some time to kill anyway and now they had a visitor to ruin the mood.

“We’ll pick this up later, darling.” She said in amusement, attempting to straighten out her clothes.

“Yah.” Daniel agreed with an annoyed huff as he rolled off the bed and looked for his discarded pants. He was starting to understand why Jack had thrown so many shoes at him. “Just a minute.” He called out. It was probably that timid little secretary Koza again. She and Vuohi, a tan, rather tall Hircine who usually wore red had been bringing them meals and any messages from the Ducari. Most of them being you will wait in answer to ‘when can we see our people’. But it wasn’t a mealtime so what was going on?

When they were finally at lest somewhat decent though Vala’s hair was in obvious disarray and Daniel’s shirt was on inside out, Daniel cautiously swung open the door.

“It is I.” Conde said softly. “May I enter?”

“Uh… sure..?” Daniel said, not actually sure of her motives.

“Can we see our people?” Vala asked, with hopeful concern.

Conde shook her small head and her ears twitched. “That cannot be allowed yet but I have done what I could.”

“Done what you could?” Daniel repeated, his tone a mix of confusion and exasperation.

“Yes!” Conde agreed excitedly and handed Vala something that resembled a tablet. “Before I left your planet, one of your scientists gave me a lexicon so I could translate things to your language.” She said excitedly. “Lt. Colonel Fraiser Janet suggested it.”

Daniel nodded. That sounded like Janet. Or at least Sam suggesting it first but Sam had still been recovering from her experience when the Hircine left.

“These are the transcripts of each of your friend’s mind scans.” She said hopefully and then her eyes twinkled with a conspiratorial light. “And these…” She said, flipping the screen to another view. “Are the observations of the Ducari who reviewed them.”

“Well, now that’s bloody useful.” Vala said with admiration. “Does it say who said what?”

“It does and I have added descriptions of each so you might determine who best to appeal to when the time for trial comes.”

“And when is that exactly?” Daniel asked in frustration though he was thankful the small furred being had gone to such lengths to help them.

“Tomorrow afternoon.”

“Can we see them before that?”

She sighed. “Only for about what your people refer to as an hour right before the trial. Nothing more is allowed.”

“So let me get this straight.” Vala said, perturbed. “Your Ducari get a whole week to talk to each other about how they plan to dispose of our people but we only get an hour?”

Conde nodded sadly. “I do not like this law either. I shall petition to have it amended but that would do us no good for our current problem even had I begun when they arrived.

 “Why not?” Daniel demanded.

“It takes many cycles to change a law. Everyone must think and agree that the law is wrong as it is now.” She said simply.

Daniel sighed. “Bureaucrats.” He grumbled and scrubbed at his hair.

Vala gave him a warning look. “Thank you, Conde. I know it’s hard to go around those in charge to make things right.” She said softly.

“You may keep that. I should go. Do not let the others see you have it. Keep it under your personal belongings.”

Daniel nodded. She had clearly stretched some rules to do this. “It’s not going to be picked up as a blip if we use it?”

“Everything inside is stored on the main drive and I have disabled the open connection. So long as you do not attempt to restore it, you will be safe.”

“Well, that’s lovely. Thank you.” Vala said sincerely.

Conde nodded. “I should go. Good luck, my friends.”

“Thank you, Conde.” Daniel said to her, putting out a hand to shake in thanks.

Conde put out her long digits and tentatively grasped Daniel’s hand. Daniel shook it gently and she smiled in amusement then put her free hand gently over his and cupped it with the other. “No matter the outcome. You have friends here, Doctor Jackson Daniel.” She said softly and left.

“So this seems to be under control here. I think I should head back to DC for a couple of days.” Jack said to Sam in a conversational tone while she picked at her oatmeal at their breakfast table. Jake was shoveling Cheerios into his mouth contentedly. “Gracie has had a couple of days to calm down.” He reached over for her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’ll talk to her, Sam. Everything will be fine in a couple of days.” He tried to reassure her.

Sam looked at him sadly, disbelief stared back at him.

“Hey, I know what she said hurt you but she didn’t really mean it, Carter. She loves you and was just hurt that we didn’t tell her the truth, that’s all.” And she’s overreacting quite a bit but that’s a different thing, he thought.

Sam sighed and her shoulders slumped. Hurt didn’t begin to describe Gracie’s fury that Sam had felt inside herself. She envied the inability Jack had to connect directly like that. Probably had Gracie been forced on him he’d have felt it too. It wasn’t just… anger. It was betrayal. And Sam knew herself you didn’t just get over that. It had taken her brother twenty years. And he hadn’t been much older than Gracie at the time.

“Just don’t do anything drastic or make any long reaching plans without talking with me about it first.” Jack said gently, catching her eyes with his own and forcing her to return his gaze. “This too shall pass.”

“Like a kidney stone.” Sam muttered.

Jack nodded. “Or childbirth.” He finished the old team joke. “Hey, trust me, Carter. I raised her. Okay?”

Sam nodded jerkily. “I’ll try.”

“Try not. Do.” Jack joked in a fair impression of Yoda that made Sam snort with mirth in spite of herself.

“That’s better, Eat your oatmeal. We have to be at work in an hour.” Looking over at his son, he added. “After we change… that.” He observed of the various bits of food covering their son.

Jack tiredly threw his travel duffle on the couch and plopped down next to it himself. Gracie would be at school. He’d warned Hank and Janet not to let Sam under any conditions go off-world without his expressed say so. Now he just had to deal with his daughter.

He texted Marie to come up when she had a moment. Marie had a lot of spare time during the day when Gracie was at school so she worked as a data analyst when she wasn’t directly supervising Gracie. He knew she probably reported on him to the CIA but he’d accepted the compromise for his daughter’s safety and he’d take that over the NID anyway. At least you knew what you were getting with the CIA. As a colleague once crudely quipped to him, he wouldn’t even fuck with the NID with someone else’s dick. Not even Harry’s and Harry probably deserved it.

Marie came upstairs and frowned at her boss’ exhausted expression. “Everything all right?”

“Yah.” He said tiredly. “Carter is fine. It was touch and go until the furry little guys explained to Gracie how to wake Sam up.”

Marie nodded. “That’s more or less what I got from Gracie.”

“How has she been?” Jack asked.

Marie knew that for the loaded question it was meant to be. “Quiet. Withdrawn.” She admitted. “She’s putting on a good game face but she’s still upset about what happened.”

Jack nodded and pulled on his lip thoughtfully. “It probably didn’t help that I sent her home and stayed to take care of Carter.”

Marie shrugged. It wasn’t her call and it wasn’t one she could honestly argue with him about.

“Damn it, Carter needed me. Gracie didn’t. Not physically anyway.” Jack growled and slouched further into the couch. “It’s been a hell of a week. I’m going to go take a nap before Gracie comes home from school. I can work from my home office today. That way I’m here when she gets home.”

“Yes sir.” Marie agreed.

Jack forced himself off the couch. His BDUs were rumpled from his long flight as he’d left the SGC directly for Peterson and caught a C-130 back. He dragged himself up the stairs, leaving the duffle on the couch. He’d catch hell from Carter if she knew he was being slovenly but right now he didn’t even care about the shower he needed. He’d spent most of the flight back to DC trying to figure out how to get through to his hardheaded daughter and was no closer to an answer than he’d been when he left Colorado.

He loved them both but if he was honest with himself his daughter was acting like a brat. He’d spent the last couple of days trying to reassure Sam who was clearly freaking out and he wasn’t sure if Sam was overreacting or if he was missing something obvious… or if Gracie had taken a chapter from her father’s play book and was pretending everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t.

He didn’t have time for this crap. He had an entire team in danger, two of his not best negotiators on the project of rescuing them (although Vala could be an asset here; she was very good at keeping Daniel focused), and a wife who, had she been a pet he’d have described her as a nervous shedding golden retriever at the moment. Not exactly a flattering image but she wasn’t acting like herself about this either. It was almost like what had happened to her had made her afraid to hope.

Chapter Text

Gracie sat at lunch, her food ignored. She was doodling in her sketch book with a ball point pen.

“What are you drawing?” Val asked her.

“Nothin’.” Gracie mumbled, shifting her hand to cover the image so her friend couldn’t see what was on the page.

“Looks like worms eating a dead body.” Val said with a giggle, peeking over Grace’s hand.

Gracie smiled meanly. “Yah. It kind of does, doesn’t it?” She very carefully put a little patch over the pocket of the dead body and wrote in tiny letters… Carter.

Daniel stood with Vala in front of SG-17. Lou was to his immediate left, the rest of SG-17 gathered behind them. They exchanged a look, Daniel’s expression bleak, Vala’s cautiously less bleak. They had gotten their hour. Daniel had come well prepared with what information he had memorized so Conde wouldn’t face repercussions. They had spent the previous day reviewing the files and the hour chat with the team had been well spent. Vala had somehow convinced each member of the team to be honest about their thoughts when they came through the Gate and had tutted at them like a disappointed mother hen.

A lanky Hircine named Pah sat in the middle. Daniel wasn’t certain if the table was laid out by order of importance, if Pah would be their spokesperson, or if it was more of a round table sort of thing. So far none of the twitchy eared Hircine had addressed them.

Finally one of the Hircine made an odd bleat to get everyone’s attention and motioned for everyone to sit. The chairs were low stools with Daniel and Vala in the center with their charges and several spectators behind them. Some of them, Daniel suspected, might be witnesses as they were Hircine Daniel had met though it could also simply be curiosity.

“Kinda short on furniture, donthca think, Dr. Jackson?” Lou asked him.

Daniel sighed and shrugged before shaking his head. Sometimes dealing with Lou was like dealing with Jack. Irreverent and sometimes combative when diplomacy would be more conducive. “Their house, their rules.”

“I don’t like these rules.” Elek muttered, his L’s coming out like V’s.

Lou gave the Major a shushing motion. He got to make wisecracks because he was a Colonel.

“Do the accused have anything to say to us before proceedings?” One of the Hircine on the low dais in front of them asked Daniel and his party.

“Yes. The accused does.” Lou piped up but Daniel cut him off.

“No, your honor, we do not.” Daniel’s words were emphatic.

Lou gave him a speaking glance but Daniel gave the other man his sternest frown. Jack was bad enough. Lou’s heart was in the right place and Daniel knew without a doubt that he’d plead on behalf of his team who had done nothing worse than be upset that Sam had been hurt. But in all honesty, it wouldn’t help them right now and it might even hurt their case.

“You know what... I changed my mind.” Lou finished.

The Hircine on the dais gave them confused looks complete with ear twitching and incredulous bleats but chose to ignore the outburst for the time being. “We will proceed then.” Another one said.

Daniel was curious about how this worked. It didn’t seem to matter which one of them you addressed as they may not be the one that answered anyway. Nothing indicated they were psychic so perhaps they simply had already come to an agreement about this ahead of time, which was fairly bad for SG-17.

“Tau’ri, known as SG-17, you are accused of violent intent towards the Hircine. While all of your team’s thoughts were problematic, three in particular were most dangerous. Their thoughts ranged from violent to horrific.”

Daniel nodded thoughtfully and pulled out a piece of paper that detailed Major Szandor’s thoughts when he gated over. Vala had carefully reminded him what he’d been thinking and gotten him to elaborate while Daniel took notes. Daniel’s shorthand was fairly incomprehensible to anyone who didn’t know how to read it so his word for word transcript across the top written in Russian shouldn’t be an issue. Janet had not given the Hircine a Rosetta stone for any language but American English.

“Yes, er, unless the Ducari object, I’d like to present Major Elek Szandor’s observation on his thoughts.” He hadn’t been given a lot of direction on how to proceed so he’d decided to just go in the order of whom he’d talked to when they were woken up and finish with Lou.

“Proceed, Doctor Jackson Daniel.” One of the Ducari Hircine said to him.

“Elek, do you recall what exactly you were thinking when you walked through the Gate?”

Elek scratched at his now unshaven chin thoughtfully. “I was thinking about our team, the mission. Many years ago, trusting the wrong people got the previous members of this team and some Tok’ra all killed. I thought if they pulled any crap on us, I wasn’t going to give them the chance to kill us.”

Daniel thought for a moment. “So your feelings were based on self-defense?”

“Not just myself. My team too. We don’t leave anyone behind.”

Daniel nodded. Jack had been second in command on base for long enough that all the teams had adopted the ‘no one left behind’ motto as their personal mantra. He looked at the Hircine who had the most strenuous objections to Major Szansor’s thoughts. “So it’s fair to say prioritizing your team’s safety isn’t directly a threat assuming there’s no ill intent on the part of your host?”

“Course not. I don’t kill people just to kill them. That’s what the Goa’uld do.” Elek said in disgust.

“Thank you, Major.”

Elek nodded, knowing a dismissal when he hears one.

Daniel pretended to peruse his notes but none of the Hircine made any sort of indication that they wished to cross examine the lanky dark haired Major. “Captain Becky Cole?”

“Yes?” She asked him, her chin rising slightly but her demeanor otherwise calm. Becky was fairly certain she didn’t need to call Daniel sir. He was a civilian and other than being a member of SG-1 didn’t technically out rank her as he was linguistics division not military. Even if he was the senior advisor for the program.

“Could you describe to us what you were feeling and thinking when you came through the Gate?” Daniel asked her with a small frown as he went over his notes. Hers had been one of the more damning transcripts.

“I was angry.” She told him.

“About?”

“About Colonel Carter. She’s got two kids at home and because of someone’s stupid mistake based on outdated intel she could have left those kids with just their dad.”

Daniel wasn’t sure if the Captain knew Jack was the father of said children or not so he elected to leave that alone. “You don’t think Colonel Carter’s spouse is capable of taking care of their children?”

“Oh, I’m sure he probably is. I’ve never met him, but children need their mother. Do you know the statistics on kids who grow up without a mom?”

“Er, no, and I don’t know that we need to go over them at the moment, just that they are concerning.”

“Oh, yes. Children without mothers are susceptible to depression, low self-esteem, and the incident rate of ending up with abusive partners later in life nearly triples for kids that lose their mothers too early.” She explained in spite of Daniel’s suggestion not to.

Daniel narrowed his eyes. “Sooo?”

“So, the idea that these people would put a mother in danger like that just made me furious.” She finished candidly.

“And you were thinking about this as you came here?”

“I was. I didn’t see any point in coming back here after the way they treated Colonel Carter.”

“You didn’t want to be here.”

“No, but Colonel Ferretti makes that call, not me. I’m just here to watch his back in case he gets himself in the hot seat.”

“What did you intend to do if there was an issue?” Daniel asked her.

“Force them to let us leave.” She said firmly.

“Even if you had to shoot your way out?”

“Sure if they started firing on us first, we’d have to.”

“And had they simply blocked your path to the Gate?”

“That’s what fists are for, Dr. Jackson.” She said to him pointedly.

“And you’ve never had an occasion where you resorted to violence when diplomacy was available?” He asked her in curiosity, figuring if he got it out there the Hircine couldn’t accuse them of glossing over her reaction.

“Diplomacy doesn’t always work. But I’m not the CO, so I don’t make that call.”

“So you were willing to shoot your way out but only if ordered to.”

“That’s what I said.”

“Would you have done so without being ordered to?”

“Not unless the Colonel was dead, Dr. Jackson.” She said with a pointed look.

Daniel glanced at the Hircine named Keci who had in particular been shocked by Becky’s fury at his people. “It should be noted that overall having served with others like Captain Cole, it is highly out of character for one to disregard training and orders. Even Colonel Carter who frequently disregarded orders when necessary, did not fire on nonviolent protests. Even when angry at those involved. I personally know Colonel Carter is entirely capable of killing when being fired on. I also know she’s hesitated to fire on a combatant who is not committed to harming her or those she’s charged to protect. Would you assess your own reactions as similar, Captain?”

She nodded. “I’ve been ordered shoot to kill and done so… but I’ve never fired on anyone who hasn’t raised a weapon at me or my team.” She agreed.

“Would you?”

“I can’t imagine anything that would make me. No matter how upset I was.”

“Thank you, Captain Cole.”

She nodded.

Daniel gave the Hircine Ducari a curious look but none of them spoke.

Chapter Text

Jack was lost in thought trying to figure out how to word ‘over my dead body’ politely to an e-mail he’d gotten from the NID about some tech the SGC had secured a few months ago when he heard the front door open. Show time, he thought and let out a slow breath.

Gracie stomped up the stairs in the way only a child that thinks there are no parents at home could manage. Judging by the sound of her steps, Gracie was heading towards her room but she had to pass by his office to do so. Just when she was near his office’s doorway, Jack called out, “Did you have a good day at school?”

Gracie stumbled to a stop in his office’s doorway and stared at him in shock.

“Your mom and brother are in Colorado.” He said conversationally.

The emotion that flitted across Gracie’s face was so fleeting had he not been staring directly at her he might have missed it. She covered it quickly with indifference but he saw the moment of hurt that her mother clearly had not come home in spite of Gracie’s behavior.

“I thought we’d go get some dinner and watch movies tonight. Unless you have other plans, that is.” He said as though he hadn’t just caught her exposing her real feelings on her mother.

After the brief moment of shock (she refused to admit to disappointment, even to herself) Gracie couldn’t figure out what her dad’s angle was. That woman was staying in Colorado and he didn’t seem to care. Did that mean he’d seen her for who she was and washed his hands of her? It couldn’t be that easy. He was up to something. He had to be. But what exactly? She made her face a false mask of cheer, a trick she’d learned from her own father who excelled at faking people out himself. “Sure. Sounds great. Can we have popcorn?” She asked him hopefully.

“Absolutely, kiddo.” He agreed.

Gracie turned away as she nodded. Confused about why she had a huge lump in her throat suddenly.

“Everything okay?”

“Yah.” She croaked and fled to her room as quickly as her legs would take her.

In his office, Jack smiled to himself. Told you it would be all right, Carter. He thought in satisfaction. We just have to give her a few days to calm down.

“Captain Smith, can you go over how you were feeling when you gated to P4X-173 for me please.” Daniel asked the next member of SG-17.

“Sure.” He gave Daniel a pointed look. “I thought the whole thing was bullshit.” He said frankly.

“Er… in what way?”

“In every way, Dr. Jackson. They are too advanced to want to trade with us and it’s pretty clear anything we do with them as allies is going to be hampered by them being so paranoid they almost killed one of our most decorated officers.” He elaborated.

“Almost killed sounds a bit extreme.”

“She couldn’t wake up without intervention. She may as well have been dead if they hadn’t figured out her kid could revive her. What if General O’Neill hadn’t passed on the Ancient gene?” He asked pointedly.

Vala made a ‘yikes’ expression. If there was anyone on 17 who didn’t know Jack was married to Sam, they did now.

“I see your point.” Daniel agreed and gave Vala a warning look. “Would you have acted on those feelings?”

“Sure if they threatened to harm us.” He answered.

“They kept you under for quite a while. Doesn’t that make you angry?”

Peter thought for a long moment and scratched at the light brown bristles on his chin. “A little, yah.” He agreed.

“What do you intend to do about it?” Daniel asked him.

“Well mostly I plan to talk Colonel Ferretti into leaving this dump behind and never coming back to be honest.”

“So you don’t plan to harm the Hircine?”

“Not unless they try to harm us first.” Peter growled.

“Do you feel they have?”

Captain Smith huffed. “No. Not yet.”

“So no one here is in danger from you?”

Peter gave him a speaking glance. “If they were, they would know it by now.” He pointed out.

Daniel nodded. Captain Smith had been one of the most openly hostile thoughts in the list. “I’m glad to hear it, Captain.” He said and looked at the team linguist. “Sara?”

She looked up at him. “Yes, Daniel?”

“Were you angry and upset when you went through the Gate?”

“Yah.” She huffed. “But Lou said march, so I march.” She replied dryly.

“Did you voice any objections to him?”

“We all did.” She said honestly. “After we got our orders, Becky and I went to see him together in his office to tell him what a load of crap this was.”

“I see.” Daniel said and pointedly did not make eye contact with Vala who was trying not to laugh. More than once Sam and Vala had ganged up on Cam in a similar fashion. “What did Colonel Ferretti say?”

“He told us to suck it up.” Sara admitted. “It was General O’Neill’s orders you see.”

Daniel nodded. “And as a rule we don’t buck General O’Neill’s orders?” He asked.

“Not if you want to stay on the teams, you don’t. He’s a real nice guy and all but he expects our best and not to let our feelings get in the way of the job.”

Jack had to shoot Sam himself so Daniel supposed Jack might have a point. “What was your CO’s assessment?”

“Oh, he agreed that it was total bullshit but he’s served with General O’Neill longer than anyone else in the program. So he figured if the General said we needed to be here, we ought to come.” She shrugged. “He told us we could all bitch about it in our reports later if we wanted. Pardon the expression.” She said, coloring slightly when she realized she’d quoted Lou word for word.

“I don’t believe our hosts care as much about our cursing as our own, Sara.” Daniel said in amusement. “Did you have any intention of harming the Hircine when you arrived?”

She shook her head. “Nah. I just wanted to know who the heck they thought they were that’s all.”

“Thank you, Sara.” Daniel had cross examined everyone but Lou at this point. “Colonel Ferretti?”

“Dr. Jackson.” Lou replied in a cool impersonal tone.

“Tell me what you were thinking about when you crossed through the Gate please.”

Lou huffed, his lean face screwing into a thoughtful expression. “I was trying to figure out how much trouble I was going to face on the other side, you know? I had a full team of people who did not want to be here; some of them were downright hostile about it. I know they would act professionally but I didn’t know if the Hircine would.”

“Do you feel they did?”

“I mean, I don’t know how professional it is to knock people out and accuse them of being violent when they just wanted to protect each other and were rightfully mad that Colonel Carter got hurt, but they didn’t technically hurt any of us. We just all lost a week of our lives taking a really nice long nap.” Lou finished sarcastically.

“So you hold no ill will towards our hosts?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Lou admitted. “But I sure as hell don’t plan on actually shooting them unless they start problems.” Lou finished.

“Colonel Ferretti, what is your overall experience level with the Goa’uld?”

Lou barked a short laugh. “Extensive.”

“Would you say you can assess how the average Goa’uld lord would behave?”

“Oh yah, snake heads are as predictable as broken clocks. You can pretty much guess how the next one will act based on the last one you had to kill.”

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. “And is it your experience that Goa’uld lack... shall we say… creative thinking?”

 “Ba’al was the only one with any imagination. If a Goa’uld thought something, generally they did it no matter how cockamamie.” Lou agreed.

“Would you say, in general, you could expect that same behavior from say... the Tollan?”

“If they were here? Nah. They’re more like us. They go through a bunch of ideas then just do the one they think will work out for the best even if it’s crap.”

“You say like we do?”

“Sure. You know. Plan A, Plan B, Plan C….” He grinned at Daniel. “Plan F.”

Vala studiously looked at the ceiling.

“I get the idea.” Daniel said, choking just a little trying not to laugh.

Lou smirked as Daniel took great interest in studying his documents.

Once Daniel finally had himself under control, he continued. “In general, you would say your team wouldn’t just do the first thing they thought to do?”

“They had better not.” Lou growled.

“Why do you say that?”

“Dr. Jackson, pardon my French, but you of all people know exactly how much crap I’d catch if I didn’t have control of my team. I’d shoot one of my own myself if I thought they were a danger to the mission.”

Daniel nodded swiftly. Lou had threatened to shoot him more than once actually. It had been many years ago but Daniel had not forgotten. “So the possibility of any of them acting on any negative impulse on their own would be about…?”

“In the negative numbers. As in I’d be negative a member of my team if that were to happen.” Lou said emphatically.

“Thank you, Colonel.”

“You’re welcome, Doctor.” Lou said then flashed him a conspiratorial smile that was so swift only someone looking directly at him at that moment would have seen it and Daniel was blocking the view of most of the Hircine leaders at that moment.

Vala though, sighed in exasperation and blew her bangs out of her face.

Daniel turned without expression back to the Ducari. “I know you called this trial in good faith but I hope on further explanation you can agree that their thoughts did not genuinely reflect their intent towards your people and, in reality, only stemmed from concern for the safety of each other.” He finished.

The Ducari looked at each other but didn’t speak for a moment.

When one of them did, it left Daniel gaping in shock. “We have seen nothing to prove your point.” The one in the middle said.

Jack sat with his long legs stretched out and on the coffee table, wearing socks so he didn’t have to scrub the table after. Sam would have noticed and admonished him. “How’s the movie, kiddo?”

“Good.” Gracie said, clearly absorbed in the plot.

Jack nodded.

“Yah know… my favorite part about these kinds of movies is the hero always does the right thing even if they screw up at first. I can relate to that.” He said conversationally. “Mostly just because they are a good person.”

Gracie’s expression didn’t change to the snide smile her face attempted to curl into. Oh, I’m doing the right thing, she thought. The sooner she disappears from our lives, the sooner he’ll see that too, she concluded.

Chapter Text

 “Are you kidding me?!” Vala asked as she popped up in a state of aggravation. Daniel tried to grab at her arm but she shook him off and advanced on their twitchy eared hosts. “None of this would have happened had it not been for your own stupid mistake.” She pointed out, pointing at Katzika in particular. “And now that you’re embarrassed, it’s easier to brush us off as… as… barbaric when, in fact, the lot of you are the ones at fault.”

She made eye contact with them in turn. “Yes you. All of you. You sit there judging us but none of you fixed Samantha. No… you left it to someone else and when she accomplished what you could not, you blamed our people for being rightfully upset for noticing.” She huffed as she paced the floor, oblivious to Daniel sitting with his forehead in his hand and Lou grinning ear to ear.

“They were at least nice enough to try to get over their feelings because at least your scientists have an ounce of sense. But it’s clear the rest of you are just thick as bricks.” She admonished them. “You should all be ashamed of yourselves.” She huffed.

“Uh… I think that’s enough, Vala—” Daniel tried to tell her, hoping he could regain control of the situation.

“I’m not finished.” She announced and whirled on the Hircine again. “You!” She pointed at Katzika again. “You were downright rude to General Landry but did we lock you up? No. We treated you like the guest you were even though we could clearly tell you thought very little of us. And honestly I didn’t see the Asgard pick the lot of you for the fifth race even though you’re supposedly so much more advanced than us.

“Why do you suppose that is? I’ll tell you why. It’s because they saw that we think past our baser instincts and don’t just act on impulse. Your intent reader doesn’t pick that up because it can’t. You aren’t superior to us. You just have fancier toys.” She bristled.

She stood for a moment, both hands in fists at her side, chest heaving in ire.

“Um… are you done?” Daniel asked her.

“I bloody well am.” Vala announced with a huff and plopped on a seat next to him, her arms crossed under her chest.

Daniel looked at Vala with an odd mixture of admiration and confusion. She’d made a valid point even if it did wind them all up in a brig. “Uh… what she said.” He finally said.

“I second that.” Lou said and matched Vala’s body language.

“I miss you.” He said when Sam finally picked up the phone on the third ring. She had debated about letting it go to voice mail but knew he’d either keep calling or start texting instead.

“I... I know.” Sam finished lamely. She’d wanted him to go back to DC and now regretted him leaving. She needed to end things with him but she couldn’t make herself say the words.

Jack smiled in amusement. He knew she was trying to figure out how to distance herself. She’d done it for years when they weren’t supposed to have feelings for each other. It hadn’t worked then either. “Things went pretty well today. The flight back was boring.” He’d texted her when he hit the ground but she’d only replied with a thumbs up symbol. He’d had to chuckle. She was so afraid of saying anything at all to him right now.

“Yah, um, they usually are.”

“Heard back from Danny and Vala yet?”

“No. We don’t know what’s going on but I think we’d have heard if it was anything bad. Conde slipped us a message that the trial was today.”

“They’ll be fine. Daniel has talked us out of worse before.” Jack said reassuringly.

“He’s talked us into worse too.” She reminded him which made Jack chuckle. Jokes were good. Jokes meant even if she was trying to convince herself she needed to move on, she didn’t actually want to.

“Yah somehow I just don’t miss spending my evenings in prison cells with him. On the other hand, I do miss my cuddle buddy.” He said warmly.

Sam sighed softly. “I just hope they pull this off. I don’t know if we’ll have time to rescue them if this goes sideways.”

“Have a little faith, Carter.” He admonished her in an amused tone. “I have to go play at the puzzle box tomorrow and its late here. I’ll let you go. Try to get some rest, give Jake my love, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He told her softly. “I love you.” He reminded her again and hung up before she could reply.

Sam stared at the cell phone in her hand and bit her lip hard trying to stop the flow of tears rolling down her cheeks. Why did he have to be so sweet? If he’d just go back to being a jerk, this would be so much easier.

In his bed, Jack smiled in amusement. You won’t get away from me that easily, Carter. Not after worming your way into my heart the way you did for a second time. He was confident now that Gracie hadn’t meant what she said. She still loved her mom. He just needed to give her a little time to cool off and miss her that was all.

If he’d known how much his daughter had contemplated ridding herself of her mother, he’d have dug a bit deeper but her moment of weakness had given him a false flag.

Down the hall from him Gracie wrote in her diary.

Dear Diary… Daddy came home today. She didn’t come with him and he didn’t say a thing about her. I felt really hurt for a second but then I remembered she’s a big fat liar and she’s not my real mom. When I’m a grown up, I am never EVER going to lie to my kids about anything. Not even Santa Claus.

She’ll come crawling back though. I just know it. She’ll think she feels sorry for lying to me and try to apologize. Like that’s going to help. Well, it’s not. I’m never speaking to her again and if she DOES come back, I’m going to tell her how much I hate her.

Gracie told herself the tear stains on the page were angry tears and slammed the small book shut. She absolutely was not hurt even one little bit that Samantha had not come home with her dad. She didn’t need a fake mom. Lots of kids didn’t have moms and they were just fine.

She told herself that the hollow ache under her breastbone was heartburn from too much popcorn and Sour Patch kids.

She spent the night tossing and turning trying to rid herself of that ache, refusing to examine its cause.

“Hey mom.” Cassie said brightly over the phone.

“Oh hey Cass, everything all right?”

“Sure. I don’t call just because something happened.”

Janet chuckled. “No, but you do have a pattern.”

Cassie laughed. “Okay. I see how you are. Fine. I got See’s chocolates when I went out to visit Uncle Mark and I guess you just don’t want them.”

Janet was surprised. “Why did you go see Sam’s brother?” She asked in interest. Cassie had systematically adopted every relation SG-1 could boast over the years. Not that there were many but she’d decided since the team was family then all siblings and such were aunts and uncles as well. Mark had just rolled with it, knowing she was an orphan and he genuinely liked Cassie anyway.

“He called me and asked if something had happened. I guess Auntie Sam and Uncle Jack were supposed to go out to see him and neither showed up. He figured it was a work thing and didn’t want to bother them. He called me to make sure it wasn’t anything more serious.”

“Huh. I wonder why he didn’t try calling me or Daniel first?”

“Probably because he figured if they were tied up with work, you both might be too whereas I’m just at school spinning my wheels learning useless things I won’t need when I become a famous movie star.” She joked.

Janet chuckled. “How honest were you so I can let Sam know what fabrication you came up with this time?” Cassie had been known to embellish the story enough that Mark couldn’t make heads or tails of what had really happened. And knowing their jobs were classified he would generally just assumed Cassie was messing with him because she either didn’t know or couldn’t say.

“I said fuzzy little aliens kidnapped her and made her take a really long nap and she just forgot.”

“Oh, my god, Cassie, you didn’t!” Janet said laughing.

“It made Uncle Mark laugh.”

“Oh, I bet.” Janet agreed drolly. “Well, at least you didn’t have to lie.” She said, chuckling.

Cassie giggled. “How is Auntie Sam anyway? Recovering well?”

Janet sighed. “Yah, I suppose.”

“Uh oh.” Cassie said, knowing that tone from her mother. “What happened?”

Janet debated for a moment, not wanting to worry Cass but knowing the girl also had some right to know after the request Jack had made to her. “She’s having a rough time. Gracie found out the truth and got upset with her.”

Cassie didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Oh.” She finally said, her tone filled with worry.

“Yah. Jack is worried Sam might try to take off.” Janet admitted.

“You don’t think she would, do you?”

“I honestly don’t know. It’s not like Sam to run from a problem but she’s been through so much and she’s lost everything once before already. She may not react a way we think she ought to and Jack seemed really convinced Sam was thinking about taking off.”

“All because Gracie was mad?”

“I don’t think she was just mad, Cass. It was like she felt betrayed.” Janet said tiredly.

Cassie sat and thought without saying anything. “Um… mom?”

“Yah, baby?”

“Can I borrow enough money for a flight to DC?”

“I could probably shuffle things around but why don’t you use the emergency card your Uncle Jack gave you if you want to go out to see him.”

“Because I think it might be better if he didn’t know I was coming.” Cassie said thoughtfully as she logged into Google to look up flights.

“Cass…” Janet warned.

“Mom, I have a really bad feeling about what’s about to happen… because I think Gracie feels exactly like I did when that thing happened.” She said of Nirrti messing with her genetics.

“You weren’t especially kind.” Janet remembered.

“Yah, and I felt that way because I felt like everyone was betraying me even though you weren’t.” She agreed.

Janet sighed again. “I’ll transfer the money to your bank account now. It should show up by the morning.” She finally said as she walked to the PC in her bedroom. “Are you sure?”

“No, but I don’t want to be right and have not done anything, you know?” Cassie explained.

“I suppose that makes sense in a way.” Janet agreed. It would leave her short of cash for a bit but she could eat on base for a while. “Just be careful, Cass.”

“I’m always careful, mom.”

Janet chuckled. “Sure you are.” She teased.

“Hey! It was one time!” Cassie countered in a matching tone, clearly an argument they had rehashed a thousand times about her early teen antics.

“I love you, Cassandra.”

“I love you too, mom. Take care of Auntie Sam for me.”

“I will.” Janet agreed.

“When I get back, I’ll bring you the candy… assuming my roommates don’t find it first.” She admitted.

Janet chuckled. “Go to bed, young lady.” She admonished her daughter.

“Nag nag nag.” Cassie teased and hung up.

Janet sat thinking. Had Cassie picked up on something that all of them had missed? Jack was convinced Gracie would cool off. Sam was so wrapped up in her own pain she wasn’t a reliable witness. But Cassie had been her closest confidant since Gracie was a small child and possibly knew Gracie better than anyone else… and Janet just realized that she hadn’t told her daughter that Gracie now knew Cassandra was from outer space.

Janet pursed her lips and breathed hard out her nose as her shoulders hunched and fell. Things were going to get very, very interesting around here very quickly and she wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to be in the middle of any of it.

Chapter Text

Vala sat with her eyes screwed shut and her fingers crossed on both hands. The Hircine had been talking to one another in soft voices for over half an hour. Sometimes their voices rose above a whisper and they all looked over at SG-17 and their representation but other times it hushed down to almost nothing and they huddled in a ball of twitching fuzzy ears.

Finally a silence fell that was longer in duration than any other and the Ducari turned as a group and resumed their seats.

“We wish to examine Doctor Jackson Daniel under probe. Is this satisfactory?”

“Oh, well, I suppose you think you’re giving him some kind of choice.” Vala said querulously but Daniel put a hand on her upper arm and rubbed his thumb gently in a soothing gesture.

“No, it’s all right. I’ll answer any questions you have. We have a similar method where our people give their oath to tell the truth. I suppose this is the same only more so.” He said in a cautiously agreeable tone.

“It is.” One of the Ducari said as a small machine was wheeled into the room having been signaled somehow by the Ducari facing them. “You will not need to touch it nor it you. It simply tells us if you speak your own truth or not.”

“Sounds fair.” Daniel agreed.

“We will ask you questions we know the answer to first to establish when you speak truth.”

Daniel nodded his understanding. He could technically fool an Earth lie detector as could anyone else on SG-1. They had all been trained in the proper techniques to do so but Daniel decided he had no way of knowing if this worked the same way and, even if it did, it may not serve his purpose to lie anyway as they had not so far.

“What name do you go by?”

“Doctor Daniel Jackson.” Daniel replied.

“And what is your occupation, Doctor Daniel Jackson?”

“I’m an archeologist who specializes in linguistics.” He said evenly.

“And do you have a family name?”

“Er, a what?”

“A name of affection only family calls you?”

“Yes.” Daniel said warily. “Did Jack put you up to this?” He asked the Ducari, wondering if somehow Jack had pulled the little furry creatures into one of his elaborate practical jokes.

“We will ask the questions. What is this family name?”

Daniel huffed out a sigh. “Spacemonkey.” He admitted, cringing internally.

“I thought Cameron called you Sunshine?” Vala asked him.

“That too.” Daniel admitted in a resigned voice. Behind him, Lou was snorting trying to hold in his mirth.

“We have established our baseline.” One of the Hircine said.

“Ask away.” Daniel said, still cringing internally about all of SG-17 knowing of Jack’s silly nickname for him.

“Do you hold the Hircine in any way responsible for what befell Colonel Carter Samantha?”

“I do.” Daniel admitted to shocked gasps from some of the aliens.

“Would you do us harm because of this?”

“I would if I thought you did it intentionally.” Daniel admitted.

“Why?”

“Because she is my teammate, my friend, and the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister.” He admitted.

“Do the members of your team feel the same way?”

Daniel glanced at Vala. “My own team, yes, well, except Jack but he’s in love with her so that’s different.” Daniel admitted.

“What of the team you sent after?”

Daniel thought for a long moment. “They know Sam pretty well. We all work really closely together… but that’s more of a working relationship. With the exception of possibly with Lou, Colonel Ferretti, he’s known her as long as I have.”

“You have not answered the question.”

“I know, but it’s not an easy yes or no answer. All of us are incredibly loyal to each other even if we don’t necessarily like each other sometimes. It’s kind of like a family. My team are… my siblings for the most part; other teams are my cousins. I’d sacrifice myself for them. They would sacrifice themselves for me or any of the rest of us. It’s what we do.” He said with a shrug.

“You would knowingly face death if someone of your other team came to harm?”

“I have before. I’m sure I will again.” Daniel agreed. He didn’t know what the swirling lights meant to the Hircine nor did he particularly care. He was telling the truth either way.

“Do you believe the team you sent after would have willfully harmed the Hircine?”

“Had you given them cause, yes.” Daniel said evenly.

“And what if we had not given them cause?”

“Then no. No matter how angry they were about the accident they would have acted professionally.”

The Ducari exchanged looks. “We have made a decision.” The Hircine announced.

Several members of the audience leaned forward, as well as SG-17, Daniel and Vala.

“In this matter, we find ourselves in agreement with Doctor Jackson Daniel. The Hircine are at fault and will pay to the Tau’ri reparations for our error in an amount to be later agreed upon.”

“Did we just win?” Lou asked incredulously.

“Darling, I think we just won the Marduk lottery.” Vala said with an amused grin.

“The what?” he asked her in confusion.

“We’ll tell you later.” Daniel said out of the side of his mouth.

“We acknowledge this may be asking much of your people but we invite you to a communal meal to celebrate the resolution of this matter.” Katzika said stiffly, clearly having been out-voted.

“We’d be honored.” Vala said brightly.

“Uh, can we contact our people first please?” Daniel asked before things got any more chaotic.

“You may do so at your leisure.” Pah told him with a toothsome grin.

“So that’s that then. Apparently Katzika was trying so hard to save face that she ended up having to eat crow instead.” Daniel finished his report to Landry in the briefing room. Vala sat next to him and 17 loitered around the table.

“Does anyone else have anything to add?”

“Er, yes sir. Conde would very much like to study some of our tech to see if she can help us proceed forward in medicine and mathematics.” Sara Lang told Landry.

Hank nodded. “Make the arrangements. Put Lt. Col. Hopkins on as lead. That will free up Colonel Hailey.” He said thoughtfully.

“Yes sir.” Lou agreed. He’d pass the message along as ranking officer at the table.

“Anything else?” Hank asked.

Several people shook their heads.

“Good. I expect to see your formal reports on my desk at 0900 Tuesday. Go home and get some rest. Dismissed.” He told them.

There was a unison of ‘yes sir’ around the table and they waited for Landry to stand before they started shuffling their papers together.

Jack had called her every day since he went back to DC. Sometimes during his lunch hour. Other times from home but every day he’d reminded her he loved her and Jake and missed them both.

Every day it cemented in her heart the fact that she needed to find a way to tell him this was over. Somehow. We can’t keep going on this way. She admonished herself. He only thinks he loves me because I look like his dead wife. She told herself savagely. How she felt about him wasn’t even a factor, she reminded herself. It’s just a stupid crush. She lied to herself over and over again, hoping beyond hope that if she told herself that enough that eventually she’d believe it to be true.

She wasn’t even slightly surprised when she was called into Landry’s office a few days after SG-17 returned to discuss the Wow! signal outcome. Jen and Lynn had also been summoned.

“Have a seat, ladies.” Hank said pleasantly to them with a fatherly smile and sat himself after bustling around the office for a few moments.

The three sat down in the guest chairs in front of the desk.

“Now then, we’ve made contact, had a couple of unexpected bumps, and, apparently, due to an impassioned plea on the part of Ms. Mal Doran, made a strategic alliance with an advanced race of people. Have I got that right so far?”

Sam nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Good. Now one of you can go explain it to the Joint Chiefs.” He said, looking directly at them.

“Um… I was scheduled to go off-world with SG-3 in two days.” Jen reminded him.

“I have that collaboration project with Area 52 going on.” Lynn pointed out.

“Well, Sam, it looks like you’re going to Washington.” He said to her.

Sam sighed inwardly. “Of course I am.” She said evenly, keeping her face blank while internally her thoughts were in turmoil.

Guilt had led Lynn to the lab door of Colonel Carter. She knew she could have spared Sam by going to DC herself. She also knew her friend shouldn’t be spared this time. Even if she did feel terrible and had fudged how important her input for her project was.

“Everything okay, boss?” Lynn asked Sam with concern as she poked her head through the door. Colonel Carter had been off her game since she’d been revived. There were probably some people who hadn’t noticed but Lynn had known the original Sam almost as long as Sam’s offworld team had and she had a good read on this version because of it.

Sam made an absent humming noise. “Peachy.” She mumbled.

Lynn raised an eyebrow then dragged a stool over next to Sam, who sat at her work bench, and plopped her elbows on it. “What happened?” She had a good guess but it might help Sam to talk about it.

Sam sighed and finally looked at Lynn. “You’re as bad as Daniel some days.”

“Thank you.” Lynn said.

“It wasn’t a compliment.” Sam grumbled.

Lynn flashed her a grin. “I know. Come on, what’s eating at you? It can’t be that bad.”

Sam shook her head though. “It doesn’t matter. It was stupid of me to…” Her voice trailed off. She turned her head away, willing the tears not to fall.

Lynn’s mouth canted to the left and her eyes tracked upwards. This Sam was even worse than the original one. “Yah know, it’s funny. PJ told me the last time he e-mailed Gracie she was in a snit. Something about everyone lies to her.” She gave Sam a speaking look. “Anything I need to worry about if I watch the kids for you?”

Sam sighed and put down her precision screwdriver. “She’s upset with me because I didn’t tell her the truth.”

“About the whole not from this Earth thing.” Lynn said sagely. At Sam’s sharp look, she grimaced in embarrassment. “Oops. Wasn’t supposed to admit I knew that.” She gave Sam a chagrinned look. “My bad.”

Sam shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Half the base saw me arrive. I don’t know why they thought it might stay a secret.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Lynn asked Sam gently.

Sam leaned back from her work and stared off into the middle distance for a little while. When she spoke, it was in a faraway voice as though she was reciting something that she wasn’t entirely sure was real anymore. “They killed Daniel first. It was like dominoes after that. It was right after I’d miscarried the baby that would have been Gracie. Things got harder after that. Vala and I tried to put the clues together but we weren’t… Daniel.

“We gave up and ran while we could but they picked us off one by one until the only ones left were Vala, Jack and myself… and the baby I was pregnant with. After Jake was born, Vala just kind of… snapped, I guess. Losing Daniel had devastated her. To help us get away, she created a diversion… and then it was just Jack and the baby and me. We ended up at an abandoned R&D base. We decided to cobble a Jumper to a reality mirror and shove it through a Gate made of left-over parts.” She sighed. “Eventually Jack made the same decision Vala did.”

“And you’ve been carrying all this guilt around since.” Lynn surmised gently.

“Shouldn’t I?”

Lynn shrugged. “You didn’t invite the Ori over for a visit. That was more or less Daniel and Vala’s faults. And they died trying to fix it.”

“For all the good it did.”

“So what does this have to do with why Gracie is mad?”

Sam sighed and looked down at her hands. “Gracie was convinced I was her mom from the start. She snuck onto base from the daycare and found me. Jack tried to tell her the truth but she didn’t believe him. After a while we agreed it was best if we just let her believe that I was her mom. Obviously, she wasn’t cleared to be told the truth.” Sam said bitterly.

“And because of whatever the Hircine did, Gracie found out anyway.”

“Yah.” Sam agreed tiredly.

Lynn looked at her friend and her heart broke at the despair on the other woman’s face. She couldn’t imagine the hell she had suffered, losing everyone except her son. Then end up in a world where the baby she lost was a child who lost her own mother. Then, as if it was an unwritten rule, she fell in love with the Jack here. And now her daughter who could have been hers was mad at the world… and her current world was her mother.

“When you… she died, Gracie was still a baby really, not much older than Jake is now. She didn’t really understand you were gone forever. By the time she did, enough time had passed that it wasn’t really a focus for her… until she started noticing her friends had moms. That’s when Jack stopped bringing her with him to visit as much. That’s also when he tried to clear out the house.”

Sam nodded wordlessly.

“He took her loss really hard. Distanced himself from everyone, even Daniel. Gracie is pretty smart. She knows losing her mom changed her dad somehow.”

“Jack thinks I should just talk to her.”

Lynn nodded slowly. “What do you think?”

“I don’t want to hurt them. They have been through so much already.”

“So have you.” Lynn said gently. “Kids get over stuff, Sam. PJ didn’t talk to me for a month once because I took his PlayStation away for not doing his homework. Being the bad guy is part of parenting, Sam.” She smiled softly in amusement. “And now I sound like my dad.” She chuckled. “I should probably apologize for how I acted when I was thirteen to him.”

Sam chuckled a little. “I wasn’t exactly understanding towards my dad either.” Sam admitted.

“Well, you had more reason than average.” Lynn agreed. “Do you know there are times I remember being furious at my parents and now, for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you why on Earth I was that mad. I’m pretty sure if they remember and told me I’d think I was being an idiotic little kid.”

“This is a little bigger than getting caught sneaking out.”

“Is it really though? In the grand scheme of things, you only told her what she wanted to believe in the first place. And she was genuinely happy for the first time because she didn’t have to take care of her dad or worry he was drinking himself to death.”

Sam gave her a sharp look.

“Gracie grew up too fast.” Lynn said with a shrug. “We all saw it but you can’t tell Jack anything he’s not ready to hear.” She sighed. “Trust me. I tried.”

“He told you to mind your own business, didn’t he?” Sam said, amused in spite of the situation.

“He wasn’t nearly that polite but yah.” She chuckled. “We didn’t take it personally. None of us did. We knew he was hurting. And then hurt becomes an old companion and you just… sort of learn to live with it.”

Sam nodded slowly.

“I’d hate to see Jack go back to the painfully grieving man I’ve known the last five years. I really like having the boss I met years ago back. He’s a lot funnier for starters.”

Sam chuckled.

“I think he’s right. Try talking to her in person. He was probably trying to dummy up some bullshit reason for you to go to DC for work. But now you have a legitimate reason. Take advantage of it.”

Sam let out a slow shaky sigh. “Yah, you’re probably right.”

“Of course I am.” Lynn said with an amused grin. “Just like I know Daniel is probably going to propose to Vala soon.”

Sam snorted in amusement. “Helen Keller can figure that one out.”

“Yup and I read braille like a champ.” Lynn said with a grin as she got up. “Don’t forget to sign my requisition forms before you go.” She said cheekily over her shoulder as she left.

Sam shook her head and chuckled. She wished she’d known this Lynn in her own reality. She might have helped her stay in the program.

Chapter Text

“Does anyone have any questions?” Sam asked the members of the Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs assembled in the large chamber designed to give everyone a clear view of whomever had the floor.

Several hands shot up.

“Yes sir?” she pointed at a rear admiral for the Navy.

Sam scrubbed at the bridge between her eyes.

“Are you all right, ma’am?” Clair asked her.

“I’m fine. Just tired.” She admitted to Jack’s admin.

“Have a seat, Colonel. I’ll get you some coffee.” She offered with a smile.

“Thanks, Clair.” Sam said appreciatively. She really did need some coffee. She’d flown in on a domestic red eye so she could bring Jake. She grabbed a rental and then dropped Jake off at Jack’s before driving over to the Pentagon to give her presentation. It was going to be a longer day than she had originally expected. When she arrived at the meeting, she had been told that she needed to have a private session with the President and his advisors in three hours after they also reviewed her report and presentation.

Jack came in scrubbing at his hair in tired frustration. While she had been grilled by his superiors, he’d been grilled by their superior. He reminded himself once again that he genuinely liked the president as a person and it wasn’t Jack’s fault the guy was a little obsessed with the plot to Star Wars. His eyes lit up when he saw Sam sitting tiredly in a chair drinking a cup of coffee.

“How was your flight?” He asked her, fighting the urge to take her into his arms for a proper greeting.

“Jake still hates flying.” Sam said tiredly. “And I can’t trick him into a milk coma like I could when I was nursing him.”

Jack chuckled. “You’ve got a couple of hours to rest and I have paperwork to do. Go take a nap on the couch in my office; you look like you need it.” He told her.

Sam gave him a concerned look and bit her lip.

“The blanket, the… er… one you knitted is in the closet on the bottom shelf. I have to go deal with the DoD.”

“I’ll get you up in enough time to be prepared, Colonel.” Clair offered before turning a contrite face to her boss. “I’m sorry, sir, I should have thought to offer the couch when she got here.”

Jack flashed his admin a smile in appreciation before turning to his wife. “Go rest, Carter.” He suggested. “That’s an order if it needs to be.”

She gave him a confused tired frown. “Yes sir.” She finally said and went into his office and closed the door.

“Is everything all right, Sir?” Clair finally asked Jack.

Jack nodded. “It’s been a rough few weeks and we haven’t seen each other in days. She’s just tired.” He said softly.

Clair nodded. It wasn’t her place to say anything.

“How was your day, Gracie Lou?” Mitch asked Gracie when she got into the back of the sedan.

“Okay I guess.” She answered sullenly.

“Your mom and little brother doing all right?”

Gracie huffed out a sigh. She couldn’t tell Mitch what she knew. It’s not like he’d believe her anyway. So she lied. Because her dad hadn’t mentioned either of them at all since that first conversation when he came home. “They’re fine. She’s coming out to visit as soon as she can get some time off from work.”

Which, Gracie figured, was probably actually true and when she did come, Gracie was going to tell her exactly where to go.

“I bet you and your brother are both looking forward to that.” Mitch said with a smile.

“Sure.” Gracie said absently. Inwardly she seethed. It wasn’t Jake’s fault Sam was a liar, but they were a package deal. It wasn’t like she’d just drop him off and walk out of their life. If she did though, then her dad would still be happy because he’d have Jake and she’d be happy because she’d be free of a fake parent.

She did love her brother, she supposed. It wasn’t his fault his mom was a fake and a liar. Without input form anyone wiser, Gracie thought her arguments were very reasonable.

“Ma’am,” Clair said, shaking Sam’s shoulder gently.

Sam blinked awake and looked up at the sturdy airwoman who was Jack’s admin.

“You asked me to get you up before your next meeting.”

Sam nodded slowly. “Thank you. Is there a bathroom I can freshen up in?”

“At the end of the hall, ma’am.” She said helpfully.

Jack’s office was in a small crowd of lower level DoD administration offices. He was one of the higher ranking officers in the block but most knew to leave him alone unless there was an emergency as he didn’t trouble himself with day to day operations of other divisions. Few if any of them even knew exactly what it was Jack did. Only that his admin was competent and his Command Chief who had a broom closet sized office of his own across from General O’Neill’s even more so.

“Thank you.” Sam said, still somewhat jet-lagged from her long flight and even longer debriefing. She hoped Jake was at least having a good time with Marie. She’d rented a car at the airport because there was too close of an overlap of getting Gracie to school and her meeting at the Pentagon. She’d deliberately designed her arrival at the house after Jack and Gracie left for school. She wasn’t ready for a confrontation right before her meeting. She hoped Jack was right and that Gracie had just needed time to realize Sam had never meant to hurt her.

As Sam freshened up, she worried about Gracie’s lack of communications. Something just didn’t add up. Jack said Gracie was acting normally. But if she was, she probably would have called Vala or Janet or even herself and she had not. Sam had tried to call Cassie this morning but gotten her voicemail. Marie had briefly said Gracie seemed fine, was getting her schoolwork done, and wasn’t acting out.

And Sam just somehow couldn’t believe after the way Gracie had reacted that a few days away from her that it wasn’t that big of a deal.

So like a coward she’d avoided her daughter this morning. Marie had given her a rather knowing look this morning when she took Jake from Sam but the younger woman hadn’t said anything. And Sam had been too embarrassed to ask even though Marie probably knew better than anyone if Gracie really had calmed down or it was just an act.

Gracie kicked off her shoes in the hallway and headed for the kitchen to make herself a snack. The house was quiet. Marie was apparently downstairs which wasn’t super unusual. Her hearing was freakishly good. Gracie had never gotten away with anything in her life that she could remember.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that she missed the diaper bag on the couch. Not that Marie needed it. She had dropped it there on her way downstairs. When Sam had called her to ask her to watch Jake, she’d gone to the General’s office where Jake’s crib was set up and grabbed diapers and clothing for the boy. She had paperwork to do and didn’t want to lug an expensive piece of government hardware up the stairs so they went back to her basement apartment. It was far easier to put Jake in the port-a-crib next to her desk and entertain him with old musicals on the TV behind her.

Humming along to a quartet of neighborly busy bodies critiquing the town librarian, she didn’t even hear the front door open and close. She could have put in surveillance equipment for Gracie and the General’s protection but the house was old enough that she knew every squeak of every floorboard. Unknown to Gracie, she could also hear everything that went on thought the central heating ducts behind the drop ceiling of her downstairs apartment. Jack knew of course but it was his house. Of course, he’d know the security issues.

In her room, Gracie had turned on her stereo and popped in a Maroon 5 album that she tried to pretend wasn’t bought by that woman when she’d expressed interest in the band. It wasn’t fair, she decided, that… that woman pretended to be so nice just to get her to like her.

When the song Makes Me Wonder played, her face pinched with pain. Liars don’t care about you, she admonished herself. They just do things for themselves and take advantage of people.

What Sam might have to gain by doing so wasn’t a direction Gracie wanted to explore so her anguish continued to crystallize inside of her.

“Mr. President.” Sam said politely.

“Please come sit down, Colonel Carter.” The president said in a jovial manner and waved at the blue couches on the other side of the large desk that dominated the Oval Office. Secret Service men and women discreetly stood watch at the doors.

“Thank you, sir,” Sam said and walked over to the couch.

“I’m deeply sorry you had to cancel your trip to your brother’s. How are you feeling after your ordeal?”

“I’m fine, sir. Once I woke up, I was groggy for a couple of hours but after that there were no major ill effects.” She told him, trying not to think about the fallout from the results of the cure.

“Glad to hear it. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Just water. Thank you.” She looked around the mostly empty room. “Um, sir, I was expecting your advisors.”

The president waved his hand in dismissal. “I already had your husband in this morning to talk to them. I actually wanted your personal opinion on the Hircine.”

Sam nodded and accepted the bottle of water a Secret Service agent wordlessly handed her. “Honestly, sir, you should have had Daniel or Colonel Ferretti then. I didn’t interact with them directly as I was out cold.”

The president chuckled. “What are your impressions of their technology?”

Sam nodded. This she could get behind. “Sir, they have some interesting tech. Their numeral system is a base six so their way of approaching hyperdrive for instance is unique and closer to the Asgard. Their R&D people are interested in an exchange as they know we have the Asgard’s schematics on a lot of technological advances.”

“I’m surprised that they knew the Alterans and aren’t further along technologically.” The president observed and took a sip of his own water.

“The Goa’uld had a lot to do with that, sir. They were hunted like animals, some of them being kept as pets if they were captured alive. Some of them suffered worse fates.” Sam said darkly. Conde had told her about the ones who had escaped and had stories as horrific as the ones Jack probably had about Ba’al.

“That’s… unfortunate.” The president said softly, looking down at his hands, having guessed what Sam was referring to. “As you know, our priorities with the program have shifted. While I know there are and will be other enemies to Earth in the galaxy, the major threats have been eliminated. Our main priority is no longer ‘big honkin’ space guns’.” He said with a chuckle.

Sam grinned back and the president suddenly knew what had drawn Jack to this woman in the first place. Jack’s taste ran to extremely intelligent anyway, as he had no interest in women he couldn’t have a conversation by the president’s observation, but when Sam’s smile had lit up the room and made him want to smile back, he realized Jack had been just as drawn to the light that just seemed to emanate from her. His own wife had a similar effect when she smiled and he understood what had made Jack fall in love with this woman in particular.  

“All right, get what you can out of them. Offer them anything within reason of what we have. I’m sure you know what’s not open for negotiation.”

“Yes sir.” Sam agreed.

“I hear your R&D specialist figured out your identity on her own.” The man said to Sam with a cagy smile. Sam gave him a concerned look that he waved off. “It’s just as well; she’s due for a promotion and I think I know just the job for her. How is her husband enjoying semi retirement?”

Sam chuckled. “He really likes the pay bump, sir.”

The president laughed as he agreed. “I imagine he does.” Civilian contractor pay was exponentially higher than military pay and they didn’t need two housing stipends.

Chapter Text

“How was the thing?” Jack asked Sam when she finally reappeared in his office later that afternoon.

“I had a very strange one on one with him in the Oval Office.” Sam said in a perplexed voice.

“Yah… he does that.” Jack mused as he signed a form. “Everything go all right otherwise?”

She nodded and sat in the chair in front of him. “I suppose so. He told me to give the Hircine anything they wanted within reason.”

“Well, they are more advanced than us if only by a few hundred years. The Goa’uld hunting them probably didn’t help. I’m only going to be a few more minutes and Mitch can take us home.” He said absently as he thumbed through a stack of files and pulled the one he was looking for to match it to the form he was reading.

“I… um… actually I rented a car.”

“What for?” Jack asked her, his tone confused

“Well… you see… my flight got in right about the time you would have taken Gracie to school.”

“Ah.” Jack said. “I can have a service come get it.”

She shook her head. “I’ll just drive it to the house. No need to go to extra effort.” She said casually.

Jack’s expression turned perplexed for a moment then cleared. “All right, it’s your gas money.” He said in a joking tone. “I’ll see you at home then?”

“Yah. Sure.” She agreed. Her heart was pounding though as she left his office and made her way to the parking structure. She didn’t think she would be getting a warm welcome when she got there. A small part of her suspected she might be gone by the time he got home as well.

Cassie sighed as she went through security again. She was past annoyed. She’d been ‘flagged’ probably because she looked like a teenager flying by herself. Not for the first time did she consider telling these TSA goons that she was an alien from outer space and she’d fry them with her eyeball lasers if they didn’t back off. The idea made her giggle to herself and she decided she better stop that or they were going to think she was crazy and then she really would have to explain herself.

“Name?” the agent asked her in a bored voice as he looked at her Nevada driver’s license.

“Cassandra Fraiser.”

“Occupation?”

“Student… er… cashier?”

“Age?”

“Twenty five.” Cassie said, blowing her bangs out of her eyes tiredly.

“Why are you flying to DC?” The agent asked her in a bored voice.

Cassie laughed humorously. “I’m trying to save my aunt and uncle’s marriage before their kid ruins everything?” She said honestly.

The agent looked at her rather incredulously.

“Really.” She said with a hopeful chirp.

“Are you transporting any firearms, liquids, or other banned paraphernalia?”

Cassie strongly resisted the urge to tell the agent she’d once had a bomb inside of her. Sometimes Uncle Jack’s sense of humor having rubbed off on her was… a problem. “Not since I was eleven.” She quipped.

The agent sighed. Got a live one today. All these kids think they are comedians. “Agent James will give you a pat down.”

“Oh goodie.” Cassie said sarcastically and followed directions to stand with her arms slightly out so the female agent could do her job of groping random strangers.

“Have a nice day, ma’am.” The TSA agent said as she collected her bags. Cassie casually flipped them off once she was too far away from them to stop her.

“Assholes.” She muttered.

Sam pulled up to Jack’s small house on the skirt of DC proper and sat in her car biting her lip. She could do this she reminded herself. She was a decorated Air Force colonel not some terrified cadet.

“Yah right.” She muttered to herself and got out of the car.

Gracie was lost in thought when she heard the front door open. “Hey dad!” she called down the stairs.

She was doodling in her sketch book at her drafting table and didn’t turn around when she heard someone sit down slowly on her bed.

It wasn’t until there was a soft cough behind her that didn’t sound like her dad that she finally turned around. She smiled, thinking it was Marie until she saw the blond hair of the person who had pretended to be her mother for months. Her eyes clouded with hurt and anger. “Get out.” Her voice full of disgust and anger.

“I just want to talk.” Sam said evenly to Gracie. She’d seen the moment of happiness in her daughter’s eyes be instantly replaced with hate when she realized who was in the room with her.

“I don’t want you talking to me. You aren’t welcome in my room. You aren’t welcome in my home.” Gracie snarled.

“I just need you to listen.” Sam said softly, not quite pleading but definitely resigned.

“Why should I listen to you?! You’re a liar! I hate you!”

Sam sighed. “That’s fair. I did lie.” She admitted. “But I never meant to lie to you, Gracie. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

Gracie let out a brittle little laugh and raked one of her expensive art markers down the drawing she’d been working on, breaking the nib. “I don’t care why. Who cares if you’re sorry. You’re sorry you got caught, that’s all!” She shouted, her words convey far more hurt than anger.

“That isn’t true.” Sam said, her voice soft with heartbreak. She’d been right. Gracie had been play-acting so everyone would leave her alone. She hadn’t actually stopped being angry. She’d just compartmentalized just like both her parents always had.

“I. Hate. You!” Gracie snarled. “And I never want to see you again!” She shouted.

Mitch had dropped Jack off and drove away. He glanced quickly at Sam’s rental, smiling as he could guess who’s it was. Walking up the front steps, he opened the door and could hear Gracie shouting at Sam from the doorway. He bounded into the house and took the stairs two at a time, forgetting his bad knee. He barely saw Marie appear from her basement apartment. Marie was thankful that Jake was still asleep in his port-a-crib downstairs.

Jack easily beat Marie up the stairs, not knowing Sam had already left the room and he’d passed her hiding around the corner when he’d run through the house. Marie stayed on the first floor, knowing that she couldn’t help the situation, and went back to stand at the top of the stairs to her apartment, keeping an ear out for Jake.

“Where’s your mother?” Jack demanded when he reached the room and there was no sign of her.

“Arlington Cemetery. The same place she’s been the last six years.” Gracie replied rudely.

“Gracie!”

“Who cares. Gone. And good riddance. She’s not even a real person.” Gracie said in disgust.

“I loved your mother more than anyone else. I know who she is. Sam loves you the same as she did. She’s your mom.”

“She’s not real! She doesn’t belong here!”

“Dammit, Gracie, I raised you better than this.” Jack shouted at his daughter.

“You don’t even care that she’s not really mom.” Gracie shouted back, her face mottled with unshed tears of hurt and frustration.

“That’s not true and you know it.” Jack heard a familiar noise below and bolted out of the room.

At that moment, Gracie realized, with horror, that her dad loved the fake Sam more than he loved his own daughter. That he wouldn’t push her to accept this lie if he didn’t.

Jack ran down the stairs but he was too late. Just as he reached the front door, Sam’s car was pulling away… but Jake’s bag was now on the floor in the hall. Had she just left… alone?

Jack looked around in a panic when he realized that she’d left without Jake. Where was he?

Marie realized who Jack was looking for and quickly answered. “Sam said she had to run an errand. Jake is asleep in a port-a-crib in my office downstairs.”

Jack looked up at the stairwell where his daughter stood, his expression stormy. “She left.” Was all he said before grabbing his coat and his keys and hurried out the door.

Marie looked from Jack to Gracie, wondering what on Earth had happened. She’d suspected Gracie was still feeling resentful but this was a bit extreme even for an eight-year-old.

Outside Jack jumped into his rarely used sedan. He needed to think. Where would Carter go? Snorting in frustration, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he rarely used. “Dave?”

There was a confused answer on the phone and Jack elaborated. “It’s Jack O’Neill. I’ve got a situation. I can’t do anything about commercial flights but I need you to delay anyone trying to get out on a military carrier or out on the commuter carriers. Or more specifically, Colonel Samantha Carter O’Neill.”

Jack sighed as he listened. “Look, I’ll pull rank if I need to. Just don’t let her leave until I get there and can talk to her.” Jack asked the other man. Dave probably didn’t have any pull with the big carriers but one call to the local airfields that specialized in short hops would keep Sam on the ground.

When he gained grudging agreement, he hung up and started the car. Please don’t do anything stupid, Jack begged the universe at large regarding his wife.

In her room, Gracie watched her father pull away and savagely ripped her drawing out of her sketch book. She hated both of them right now.

She heard something that she shouldn’t have heard. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to figure out why she shouldn’t be hearing what she did.

Gracie got up and headed down the stairs to find Marie coming up with Jake.

“She just left him?” Gracie demanded in outrage. She snarled her disbelief and stormed back up the stairs. She could add heartless to liar, she supposed. Unaware Sam’s last act had been to grab a small photo album full of recent photos of them as a family out of Jake’s diaper bag.

Below her, Jake burst into tears at his sister’s loud tone and Marie tried to soothe him.

Jack drove as quickly as he could through DC to Hyde Field, the nearest small airport to their house. He relaxed when he jumped on 495 and floored the pedal, hoping none of the Maryland state cops that patrolled this stretch were interested in pulling him over. He really hoped Sam had opted to take Eisenhower Avenue in her emotional state. He hoped against hope she just wanted to cool off and he was wrong about her heading to the airport to take the first aircraft she could get to take her back to Colorado and away from him.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew it was her that had changed his life. Her that had brought him out from wallowing in his grief. Not because she looked or acted like Sam, that had started it, but it was herself as a person. She had the same ability his own Sam had to get under his skin and make him see the good in the world again. He figured that was why it was so hard to watch her crumble under the weight of Gracie’s hurt and anger. The Sam he knew would have taken it in stride… but the Sam he knew hadn’t lost every single person she loved either. He knew it couldn’t possibly be the same for her because they weren’t quite exactly the same people she’d known. She’d told him Daniel was more bitter. Janet was still alive and Cassie was different because of it. Mark… dammit… they had promised to see Mark and hadn’t even called him to apologize. At least he hadn’t. He hoped Sam had thought to do so. He should do it himself anyway. As soon as he sorted this current mess out with his kid.

Jack huffed a sigh. Why had he kept telling himself Gracie would get over the shock? Clearly, he’d been lying to himself because he only wanted to deal with one problem at a time. And he’d picked the wrong problem obviously because had he gone home and been more concerned with his daughter than his wife he might have… no. He realized now that just would have played into Gracie’s hands and Sam would have bolted all the sooner.

He was furious with his daughter over this. She knew what it was like to lose someone she loved. How could she watch Sam lose everything and have no compassion for her? He’d raised her better than this. Where had he gone wrong? His anger turned to anguish as he considered his daughter’s behavior might be his own fault. He’d failed to teach his daughter something fundamental about compassion and this was the result.

Jack’s hands wrapped around the steering wheel in a death grip. He’d fix this. Somehow. He just had to get to Sam before she did something drastic that was all.

Cassie pulled up to her uncle’s house, exhausted and irritated at afternoon rush hour DC traffic. She’d had to switch flights twice to actually get here on such short notice. But she’d just had this gut feeling that she needed to talk to Gracie before she did something stupid and awful she couldn’t fix.

She noted the sedan wasn’t in its usual spot as she used her key to let herself in and she mused that Uncle Jack and Auntie Sam were pretty forgiving parents. She just needed to get Gracie to see how things really are instead of how you think they are when you are a dumb little kid who thinks everything revolves around yourself.

The house would have been quiet but a sobbing Jacob was being bounced in Marie’s arms while she made soothing sounds at the boy who was wailing for both of his parents.

“What happened here?” Cassie asked, her tone confused even though she could guess. Uncle Jack’s car was gone. Uncle Jack’s car was literally never gone.

“Hurricane Gracie.” Marie huffed.

“Where’s…?” Cassie waved at the general direction of the driveway to indicate she meant the adults not the moody preteen who had caused this mess.

“Sam took off. Jack went after her. He must have some idea where she’d go.” Marie said over Jake’s whimpers, still trying to soothe the boy. “Mommy and daddy will be back soon, baby. Everything is all right.” She lied to the boy. In truth, she had no idea when they would be back or if Jack would find his wife before she succeeded in getting out of town.

Cassie nodded. There was nothing she could do for them right now. She just had to pray Uncle Jack caught up with Auntie Sam and talked some sense into her through her grief and hurt. “I’m going to go deal with the eye of the storm.” She said with a firm expression.

Marie sighed and nodded. Someone had to and right now the only thing Marie wanted to do was shake her for being insensitive and stupid. The actions of one little girl had made at least three people upset.

Cassie mounted the stairs with a determined stride. It was time to beard the lion in her own den.

The clerk looked at Sam’s ID. “I’m sorry, ma’am, flights out are restricted.” She said apologetically.

Sam ground her teeth. “Restricted how?”

The girl colored slightly. It had just come down the pipe moments before the Colonel showed up. “Uhh… you’re on a no fly list, ma’am. I’m terribly sorry.” She said with a wince.

Sam growled. She’d deliberately come here instead of Andrews so he couldn’t do that… but Jack had old friends in aviation. Older than her own... and he was not above pulling rank.

“Dammit!” She cursed. By the time she got to Dulles or Reagan, he’d have her on a domestic no fly list too, she bet. Courtesy of being buddies with the DoD stooges.

“I really am sorry, ma’am.” The clerk said.

Sam stomped away from the courtesy desk. She’d planned to charter a flight out on a commuter out of the DC area then either drive or fly back to Colorado. It looked like she would be driving all the way back instead. As she wasn’t expected back for another two days anyway, Sam figured she could floor it and only be a little bit late. What should have been a three hour flight would now be a full day of driving if she didn’t stop to rest at all. She’d have to get gas no matter what. She could find a crappy motel somewhere on I-70 and crash for six hours.

Sam shook her head and laughed humorlessly to herself. He’d always been thorough. She shouldn’t have expected any less.

Chapter Text

Jack spotted Sam’s rental and let out a sigh of relief. He could be wrong though. She was smart and if she really wanted to lose him, she’d ditch that car in a heartbeat. He just had to count on her not thinking clearly enough to do that but he didn’t dare risk it.

With a determined stride, he marched his way through the parking lot to the door for the Washington Executive airport where she’d have most likely gone to get an unscheduled flight out of town. There were always commuter pilots trying to pick up a quick buck and Sam knew that. Chopper pilots too and she wouldn’t have been picky about the destination as long as it got her away from DC, he mused.

He’d check first at the counter. He squashed the fear in his heart as he walked into the airport. It served him no good at the moment and would distract him. He quickly looked around his surrounds and didn’t see her familiar blond pony tail or anyone with her hair at all. He guessed he would have to flash his credentials to get them to tell him where she’d gone then figure out if he could catch up with her or call in another favor. If he was lucky… extremely lucky, they had flagged her name and no one was letting her go anywhere just yet.

Cassie stood in the doorway to Gracie’s room and looked around in wonder. Gracie’s back was to her. She was picking up the artwork she had destroyed. A marker lay on the floor, capless and missing its nib. There was a broken photo frame on the floor. Face down. It looked like it might have been stomped on.

Cassie sighed slowly. “Grace.” She said firmly, not bothering to gentle her tone for the girl who obviously needed a knot jerked in her rear for her attitude.

Gracie whirled around.

Cassie crossed her arms under her chest. “Care to explain this?” She asked in a dry tone.

Gracie wanted to shout at her cousin but she’d run out of anger and now all she had left was the grief causing it. “They lied to me.” She said in a hoarse voice.

Cassie’s mouth canted to the side and she bobbed her head in acknowledgement as she leaned on the doorframe.

“He loves her more than he loves me.” Gracie said throwing up her hands.

“Well, duh.” Cassie said unsympathetically.

“Thanks.” Gracie said snidely.

“Aren’t you a little old to not know why your dad loves your mom more than he loves you?”

“Ew! Gross.” Gracie said, momentarily distracted from her anger at Sam. “She’s not my mom.” She said petulantly.

Cassie shoved off the doorframe and went to the unmade bed and sat in the very spot Sam had. “So what?” She asked pointedly.

“She’s been lying that she was for months now to me and everyone else has too!” Gracie tried to explain her logic but all Cassie did was look at her with disinterest.

“What difference does that make?”

“You don’t understand!” Gracie insisted. “She lied to me.”

“Yah, I get that part. I just don’t care.”

“Why are you on her side?!”

“I’ve been lying to you for almost a decade. How come you aren’t mad at me about that?”

“What?”

“Mom told me you found out I’m not actually kidding when I joke about feeling like I’m from outer space.”

“That’s different!”

“Doesn’t seem different.” Cassie said with feigned disinterest and picked at the chipped polish on a fingernail.

“If it was your mom, you’d understand!” Gracie cried out, throwing up her hands again.

“Huh. I might. But I don’t think I’d be a giant brat about it if my mom showed up from another reality where everyone but her died and she just wanted a small sliver of her old life back. Janet’s feelings might be a little hurt. I could probably work it out. They probably would actually like each other now that I think about it.” Cassie said while never looking up from her fingernail. “You did see what happened, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean?” Gracie’s tone was guarded.

“When I came here. You saw that? Mom said you had to go into Aunt Sam’s mind so I figure you saw some stuff but I don’t think you really looked at it or you wouldn’t be acting like such a jerk.”

“I saw she wasn’t from this reality, that my real mom is dead.” Gracie said.

“Oh, I see, so you looked at those parts but you didn’t think about why she came in the first place, huh?”

“What difference does it make? She could have gone anywhere.” Gracie said in disgust.

“Huh? Okay, let’s talk about how I got here then.” She made herself comfortable on the bed and then looked at the young girl to see if she had her full attention. “There was this crazy alien that decided she hated your mom and dad so much she killed everyone on my planet except me to get to them. She rightfully figured your mom could not just leave me there alone. She was really dedicated to the concept so I’ll give her that. She tried to kill them a few times.

“Anyway, my mom, Janet, that is, figured out the crazy alien chick put a bomb in me and I couldn’t leave the planet safely without blowing everyone in Colorado to smithereens. They gave me drugs to knock me out and your mom and dad took me to an abandoned missile silo. Then your mom carried me down the elevator shaft alone while Uncle Teal’c, Uncle Daniel, and your dad stayed at the top. Except I started to wake up and had no idea what was going on and your mom refused to leave me to die alone.” Cassie gave Gracie a pointed look. “I wasn’t anybody to her except a scared kid and she loved me enough to be willing to die for me.”

“So. That’s this reality.” Gracie said with a mulish scowl.

Cassie huffed a sigh and rolled her eyes. “You dummy. That’s happened in nearly every reality where your mom is in the Air Force and she survives the initial Goa’uld invasion. Including the version of the mom you currently know. That’s how multiverses work. For the most part, they are pretty much identical as long as they stay on the same branch. Like a Mandelbrot Set[1].” Cassie said in exasperation.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gracie said, her tone still annoyed.

“It means your mom is always your mom, you dummy. Literally every universe that she survives long enough to be this old, she’s your mom.”

“That’s dumb.”

“Is it? Because in every reality, your mom saves my life. Every single one of them. And in spite of how much I wanted them to, they aren’t my parents. They had no reason to want to sacrifice their lives for me other than love. Because adults literally don’t care if it’s their own kid or not. Do you know where your dad was when your mom brought me up? Standing at that stupid speaker where he would have died too if I had actually blown up like I was supposed to.” Cassie gave Gracie a disgusted sigh. “Don’t you get it yet? None of that stuff about being from another reality matters. What matters is that she’s loved you like her own from the start and you threw it back in her face like it meant nothing to you.

“If I was your dad, I’d be pretty ashamed of you right now. All Aunt Sam did was love your stupid butt and you paid her back by making her miserable… after she’s lost literally everyone she loves including your dad. You made her feel like Jake was better off without her.”

“But it’s the same people.” Gracie insisted. “You said so yourself!”

“Sure it’s the same people… except all of us are just a tiny bit different than the people she loved so she’s having to learn to love us all over again including your dad and you sure threw a monkey wrench in that.”

“She left.” Gracie said defensively. “And she left Jake here!”

“Yah, well, can you blame her when she thinks she can’t be with your dad because you’re such a self centered little brat?”

“I’m not!” Gracie said hotly and blushed.

“Then stop acting like one.” Cassie said, her eyes burning with purpose. “And it might not matter anyway. Aunt Sam is really good at going to ground. That’s why she’s the one that survived.”

Images Gracie saw in Sam’s head and had refused to examine rose in her mind. The woman who had come into her life shuddering with grief as the people Gracie loved most died around her in horrific ways. She saw her father holding Jake, barely out of infancy and whispering come find me before walking away to his death. Vague flashes of her earliest memories surfaced. Of her father’s profound grief… the same grief she’d seen in Sam as the people she loved died. Gracie felt ashamed. All Sam had wanted was the people she loved back… Most of all Gracie’s dad… and Gracie had ruined everything.

She’d fix it she decided determinedly.

“Mitch said he picked her up at Hyde Field last time.” Gracie said cautiously.

“Assuming she tried to fly out.”

Gracie thought for a moment. “I know the make and color of the car she rented and I think I saw the numbers of the license plate. If she’d turned it in it, would it be available for rental?”

Cassie went over to Gracie’s desk and hit the power button on her Gateway. “Either way we’re going after her.” She said firmly. “Even if I have to drive your stupid butt all the way to Colorado to do it.”

Think, O’Neill. Think. If I was Carter and I just got told I couldn’t fly out of here, how would I over-think this? Jack’s face screwed into a thunderous frown and he scrubbed at his hair in frustration. She’d probably consider a commercial flight but she probably thinks I have enough pull to just put her on the no fly list. His eyes tracked around the reception area of the airport. Washington Executive wasn’t much to speak of. It was a couple rows of hangars on either side of a single runway designed for little commuter jobs. There aren’t many places she can go and she’s going to recognize your car the second she sees it.

Dammit, where the hell is she? He knew there wasn’t even a car rental on this shithole runway. But there was a ladies’ rest room and Carter hated people seeing her cry. He strode purposefully towards the nondescript doors with a placard over it stating ‘restrooms’ and lounged on the wall between them… and waited.

“How long will it take us to get to the airport?”

Cassie blew her bangs out of her eyes. “Depends on the traffic.” She growled.

“I really am sorry, Cass.” Gracie said in a small voice.

“I’m not the person you need to apologize to.” Cassie told the girl next to her in the passenger seat of the late model rental she’d picked up at Reagan airport when she’d landed. It had been the only one she could afford on the money her mom had forwarded after the expense of switching planes twice.

Gracie sighed and tears rolled down her cheeks, having finally realized the hurt she’d caused. “I really screwed up, didn’t I?” She asked softly.

“Yup.” Cassie agreed, refusing to pull her punches. Uncle Jack should have had this talk with his kid days ago she figured, but it wasn’t Uncle Jack’s fault that his kid was being an idiot. She was just a Carter through and through. It was the same garbage Uncle Mark had pulled on Grandpa Jacob until their reconciliation a few years before he passed. But Cassie didn’t think she had twenty years to fix it because mom had said Uncle Jack was really worried Auntie Sam would just take off. And she had.

If Sam did manage to evade all of them, Cassie was using her emergency credit card to put her idiot cousin on the first direct flight to Colorado and driving her to the Cheyenne base herself. She’d pay back Uncle Jack somehow. Her degree was almost done. She could write her own ticket at that point.

“Do you think she’ll forgive me?” Gracie asked in a small contrite voice.

“You don’t actually deserve it but yes.” Cass said staring at the cars ahead of her on the interstate.

Gracie looked down into her lap as tears plopped onto her hands.

“My mom forgave me when I acted really stupid and self centered.” Cassie finally grudgingly explained.

“What did you do?”

Cassie frowned. “Doesn’t matter. I acted like a little jerk and really hurt her feelings. She rescued my dumb butt anyway.” Cass’s smile went lopsided. “You got really lucky to have a second chance with your mom. You should have realized that when you found out the truth.”

“Did you?”

“I did once I realized the truth.” Cass said as she switched from 495 to the Branch Road highway. “Our parents work on classified stuff. There’s no way that they can’t lie to you about it. You should have already known that anyway.”

“I met a lady that looked like a goat.” Gracie interjected.

“See! Exactly! How in the heck do you explain goat people?” Cassie said throwing up a hand. “You can’t. And you can’t tell your kids that’s what you do either.” She said of their parent’s reasoning. “So there’s going to be stuff you’re just going to have to get over being lied to about and stuff you can’t talk to other people about at all, all right?”

“Yah… I get it.” Gracie said mulishly.

“I didn’t say you had to like it but cut them some slack. I’ve had to lie for fourteen years. Do you know how many boyfriends that is?”

Gracie snorted in amusement in spite of herself. “A lot.”

“Going somewhere, Carter?” Jack asked Sam’s retreating back casually. He’d been standing so still by the door that she’d swept right past him.

She whirled around. “I…” Her expression was guarded but he could see the misery in her eyes.

“Come home, Sam.” He implored her softly.

“I… I can’t.” She replied, biting her lip. “I’ll have the lawyers give you primary custody of Jake. I—”

Jack advanced on her a couple of steps but she backed away the same number of steps so he stopped. “I’m putting Gracie in therapy, Sam. She can’t spend her life dictating other people’s futures just because things didn’t go the way she expected.” He ignored the thing about Jake for now. That was panic talking.

Sam shook her head.

“Sam, we need you. Jake needs you.” He forced her to look in his eyes by sheer force of will. “I need you, Sam. I’m barely alive without you.” He said to her softly. “That’s not good for the kids.”

Sam furtively looked around for a means of escape. “You don’t need me, Jack. None of you do.” She pleaded.

“You’re wrong, Sam. All of us need you. There’s been a Carter-shaped hole missing in our lives for five years. None of us really recovered. Not Danny, Cam, Teal’c, Janet, Cassie, none of us.” He laughed bitterly. “Least of all me, Sam.” He huffed a sigh. “This isn’t a Korean soap opera, Sam. You don’t need to sacrifice yourself. Come home.” He pleaded.

“I can’t do that, Jack, it will just hurt Gracie more. You saw—”

“What I saw was my spoiled kid throwing a temper tantrum. One I should have nipped in the bud when it started. But I gave her too much credit because I keep forgetting she’s eight not thirty,” Jack said bitterly. “So every time she actually acts eight, I’m caught off guard and have to play catch up. I plan to have a very long talk with her about her behavior in general lately.” Jack growled in annoyance. “She’s a kid, Sam. Kids are idiots. Even ridiculously smart ones.” She looked slightly less like she was about to bolt so he took a cautious step forward.

Sam didn’t retreat this time but she did shift her overnight bag so she could hold it in both hands by the handle. A physical barrier between them.

It was a start he supposed. “Let’s go get some coffee somewhere and talk okay?” He asked her softly. “I promise if you still want to go back to Colorado I’ll arrange the flight myself.”

“I…” Sam worried at her lip, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t like he’d actually kidnap her. Just try to talk her out of doing what she knew she needed to do. Had been struggling to do for days now because she had hoped in a tiny place in her heart that Jack had been right about Gracie eventually being reasonable.

“It’s just coffee, Sam. I promise.”

She looked him in the eyes. As far as she could tell, he was telling her the truth. “All right.” She sighed.

Jack let out a slow relieved breath. For a moment there he really thought she’d just bolt past him and flee into the night. “Come on, there’s a place off Branch Ave called House of Cheesesteaks.” He said with a grin. “It sounds awful which means we’ll probably like it.”

“Okay.” She said, her voice thready with nerves.

[1] The Mandelbrot set (/ˈmændəlbroʊt, -brɒt/) is the set of complex numbers ∫c(z)=z²+C for which the function does not diverge to infinity when iterated from  z=0, i.e., for which the sequence ∫c(0), ∫c(∫c(0)), etc., remains bounded in absolute value.

Chapter Text

Cassie looked around the parking lot. “You said he took his car right?” she asked her younger cousin with a troubled frown.

Gracie nodded. “He did. He left right after mom. She had a red Escort.” She looked around. Neither car was here.

Cassie swallowed and pulled her phone out and with shaking fingers texted Jack

-just got in town. wanted to see Sam. Marie said you aren’t home?-

There was a long pause.

-Went out for cheessteaks. If you are still on the road, meet us at House of Cheessteaks[1] on Coventry Way.-

Cassie woofed out a sigh of relief. “They went to get food.”

“Seriously?” Gracie asked incredulously. She’d mentally built up this fantasy of running to her mom in the airport crying and hugging her. Arguably the airport in question’s tarmac was nothing at all like an airport ought to look for a tearful reunion in Gracie’s opinion. It looked more like a seventies era bowling alley had died in there going by her dad’s old photos. How was she supposed to draw that later?

She thought guiltily about the mean pictures she had drawn of her mom lately and vowed to dispose of them as soon as she got home. Before her mom ever saw them. Assuming Cassie was right about Sam forgiving her.

“Come on. Your dad is probably trying to talk her out of doing something stupid.” Cassie grumbled and led Gracie back to her rental.

“Do you just think everyone is stupid?” Gracie challenged.

Cassie smirked. “Have any of you looked in a mirror?”

“This car smells weird.” Gracie grumbled, deciding not to give Cassie any more ammunition. Cassie snorted. It smelled like stale pot. She wasn’t about to tell Gracie that.

The inside of the restaurant was floored in red and grey tile stripes that faded to a loose scrumble of the two tile colors as you reached the seating area. A brick wall was painted with graffiti style art of Philadelphia. Jack looked at the menu on the wall for a moment. “Hungry?” He finally asked her. He was sure she’d noticed he’d tailed her all the way to the restaurant rather then lead in his own car. Could she really blame him though?

Sam looked thoughtfully at the food. Was she? There was still a hollow place in her heart where she needed to convince him this would never work out. This time it was Gracie; next time it would be something else.

“Sam.” Jack said to her in a firm tone.

“Um…”

“We aren’t breaking up, Sam. Even if you take off on me, I’m not signing anything.” He said in an unusually conversational tone. “Two cheesesteaks, two coffees, a large fry, and some hot sauce please.” He told the cashier.

“For here, sir?”

“Yah. Sure.” Jack agreed and gave Sam a pointed look.

“Um... yes?” She agreed.

They moved off to the side so other people could order although at the moment the restaurant was empty. Sam looked down at her hands while they stood waiting for their food.

Jack stared up at the ceiling counting to ten then doing it again in Arabic and again in Alteran. Concluding it wasn’t helping him reel in his patience about this situation, he finally just started talking.

“I suppose I could plead with you but somehow I don’t think it will make any difference. What’s actually bothering you, Carter?”

Sam looked up, her expression startled. How did this man she’d only known months see right through her just like her husband had? But it hadn’t really taken the Jack of her old reality that long to see through her either. He’d simply been plagued by his own self-doubts at the time.

She didn’t answer him, struggling for the words. But apparently, this Jack felt he had nothing to lose. “You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you?” She asked him.

“Tell me what’s going on in that usually brilliant national treasure head of yours and I might.” He said agreeably.

Sam huffed a sigh. “Every time we’re together the world ends.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“It does. The realities Daniel went to and the—”

“Sam, the only world that ended when I lost her was mine. Everything else kept on going like it was supposed to.” He said firmly. “And for all the losses you suffered, you’re here and you saved Jake. He can grow up in a world without religious nuts trying to take over.” Jack thought for a second, waved his hand dismissively. “Within reason and none of them have magical powers.” His hand reached out and covered hers lightly, his thumb caressing the back of hers gently. “My point is, Sam, that you have never been a quitter. Why are you letting an eight year old make you give up?” His tone was more curious than angry and that’s what finally broke through.

“Because my dad used to do the same stuff to me and I hated it, Mark hated it, and the Mark I knew took twenty years to forgive dad and even then he only did it for his kids not himself.”

“So?”

“So I’m just going to make her miserable, Jack.”

Jack huffed. “Again, so? She’s a kid, Sam. She’ll get over it.” His eyebrows lowered. “Look, if she’s going to hate you anyway why don’t we just get married. That way she can tell everyone you’re her wicked stepmom and someday her real mom is going to come back for her from outer space.”

Sam stared at him open mouthed. “What?” She choked out incredulously.

“You heard me, Carter. Let’s just get married…” He thought for a moment. “Again.” He amended.

“That is literally the most unromantic proposal I’ve ever received.” she choked but her voice was filled with amusement. “Besides, we’re already married.”

He looked her dead in the eyes. “I’m not talking about the legalities here.” He said in a low voice. His eyes saying what he struggled to convey with his words. That he loved her wholeheartedly.

“Look I—”

“Mommy!”

Sam whirled to the door in shock just in time for Gracie, still dressed for school, throw herself at Sam and bury her face in Sam’s jacket while blubbering incoherently about being sorry and not to leave.

Sam looked shocked for a moment then wrapped her arms around the girl and held her, murmuring soothing words.

Cassie strolled in behind Gracie and stood next to Jack with a smirk on her face, facing Sam and Gracie.

“Your doing, I presume?” Jack asked her with an arched brow and a vague hand wave at his daughter and wife hugging.

“You betcha, snookums.” Cassie said, her smirk deepening.

“Do I want to know?”

“It’s probably best if I didn’t tell you.” Cassie said, unrepentantly of revealing government secrets and bullying an eight year old.

“Right.” Jack huffed. “Hungry?”

Cassie brightened considerably. “Yah.”

“Pizza or cheeseteak?”

“Dealer’s choice.”

“Uh huh. And how much is this costing me?”

“Well, I did take three flights to get here so if you could pay mom back for that when you get a free moment that would be great.”

“Why am I paying this and not you?”

“Well, I did save your marriage.” Cassie pointed out.

“So you did.” Jack flashed her a grin and went to order two more cheeseteaks, another order of fries and a couple of sodas. While he waited, he texted Marie and gave her an update.

A few feet away, Sam was smoothing Gracie’s curls away from her tear stained face.

“I’m sorry, mom. I was so mad that you hadn’t told me the truth that I didn’t even think about what kind of trouble you would get into if you had.”

“It’s all right. Believe it or not, I understand. My dad was a General a good part of my life and had to lie to my face about a lot of things. Mark used to get really upset with him about it. I tried to understand but it always hurt.”

Gracie looked into her mother’s eyes and could see nothing but the truth reflected in them. She flung herself at Sam again and pressed her face against Sam’s coat.

“Hey, as long as you have your mom’s attention, Kiddo, remind her she didn’t answer my question.” Jack called over to Gracie.

“Question?” Gracie asked in confusion then turned to her mom who for some reason was blushing.

“He wasn’t serious.” Sam tried to say dismissively.

“Wasn’t serious about what?”

But Sam’s color just brightened more and she ducked her head.

Jack put his hand up to the side of his mouth and said in an overly loud stage whisper. “I asked her to marry me.”

 “You asked mom to marry you?”

Jack just grinned in reply.

“You said yes, didn’t you?” Gracie demanded of Sam as she rounded on her.

“Well—”

“Oh my god! Tell him yes!” Gracie ordered Sam.

Cassie cracked up. Jack grinned and moved closer to Sam. “What do you say, Carter? Want to give a washed up old zoomie a chance?”

“You are not washed up!” Sam said hotly as she turned to face Jack who was smirking in amusement at her for taking the bait. The next look he gave her however made the blush to her cheeks deepen.

“Answer the question!” Cassie called out then dragged Gracie into it and they started chanting ‘answer’ over and over until Sam started grinning and couldn’t take it anymore.

“All right! Yes.” She grinned. “Jeeze. Are you happy now?”

Jack laughed, grabbed her, and twirled her around. “Ecstatic.” He said as he looked warmly up into her eyes then lowered her just enough to press a firm but emphatic kiss to her startled lips.

“Order up!” The proprietor of the diner yelled over their laughing and shouting.

“Food! Yes! I’m starving!” Gracie said enthusiastically and she and Cassie grabbed the steaming beef sandwiches off the counter and took them to a table. “Gross.” She muttered of her parents still kissing affectionately a few feet away.

Cassie chuckled. “Get used to it.” She suggested.

“You are still in big trouble, young lady.” Jack said to his daughter and pointed a fork at her after he’d sat down next to Sam.

“I know.” She said contritely and her chin dipped in remorse.

“But we’ll talk about it when we get home. In private.”

“Okay.” She agreed meekly. She was probably going to lose her video game system or worse.

Sam caught his eyes. Don’t go too hard on her, she pleaded with her expression.

Jack nodded minutely. If Sam had forgiven their daughter, he’d let her off with extra chores.

[1] Yes I know this restaurant wasn’t open in 2011 but I hadn’t been to DC in a REALLY long time so I’m going with a current restaurant as little dives like this have existed always.

Chapter Text

Sam had been called back to the Pentagon by the Joint Chiefs and she wasn’t exactly certain why. It had been two days since the conclusion of her fight and subsequent reconciliation with Gracie.

Jack discovered Cassie’s flights had been one way, and had told her to stay for a few extra days until a more reasonable price for a trip home came up. He wasn’t too worried about her job. She was working on her thesis in micro-biology and, if things went according to plan, Jack didn’t think Cassie would care very much about her job at the grocery store anymore.

Sam waited nervously outside the conference room she’d been asked to go to. It had doors on either side so literally anyone at all could be in there waiting for her. Mitch had driven her and Jack to work. Jack had parted ways with her before he went to his office and wished her luck. She had a suspicion he knew exactly what was up but was choosing not to tell her or simply wasn’t allowed to.

A young captain poked his head out. He had an oddly amused expression on his face. “They’re ready for you, ma’am.” He said to her politely.

Sam just nodded and followed him into the conference room and stopped dead in her tracks. Sitting at the table was her husband who she’d actually expected. Sitting with him was the President who she had only half expected but also General Landry who she had not been expecting at all.

“Sirs.” She said politely as she snapped to attention and saluted the President smartly then gave Jack a ‘what’s this’ look.

His only reply was a twinkle to his eye that somehow he managed without changing expression.

“At ease.” Landry told her after exchanging looks with Jack.

“Have a seat, Colonel Carter.” The president suggested with an enigmatic smile.

Sam nodded and sat at the end of the table and folded her hands in front of her. “What can I do for you, Sir?” She asked him, not certain how to handle this.

“I believe I’ll let you gentlemen lead this discussion.” The president said.

“Yes sir.” Jack agreed and gave Hank a speaking glance.

Hank Landry shrugged as if to say it wasn’t his bailiwick.

Jack discreetly rolled his eyes then gave Sam an amused sort of look. “I bet your wondering why I’ve called you all here.”

“What Jack is trying to say is… we specifically requested you because we have several announcements.” The President cut in. He’d forgotten how swiftly things often got out of hand when Jack was dealing with being in charge.

“Yes Sir?”

Landry cleared his throat. “Colonel Carter… Sam… I’m being promoted.”

“That’s wonderful, Sir. Congratulations.” She told him warmly.

“Yes, well, it’s a little complicated. You see the person whose position I’m taking is stepping down… and I’ll need a replacement.”

Sam nodded. “Colonel Ferretti and Colonel Mitchell have both earned it if you are looking for suggestions.” She said helpfully.

“Yes, they have… but they have both turned the position down.” Landry’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “Something about paperwork from Colonel Ferretti and I believe Mitchell’s words involved his dead body.”

“Ah, well, I’m sure you will find someone.” She answered. There were several viable candidates at the SGC to choose from not to mention those from satellite programs connected loosely to the Stargate program or they could go further afield as they had with Landry though in that case, Jack had known the man personally for years.

“We already have, Colonel.” Jack said warmly. “Or should I say… General Carter.”

Sam’s mouth hung open for a moment before she had the sense to snap it shut. “Me?” she squeaked. “But… I’m not qualified. I mean I am but not really. I’m not actually from this reality and I missed so much of what should have been missions. I saw how much work the other me put into advancing.” Sam stumbled to a halt and looked from one man to another and couldn’t understand why her.

“Colonel Carter, you have vastly underestimated the opinions of the DoD if you believe your time spent escaping the Ori wasn’t equivalent to what the original Samantha Carter faced in this reality. I can have General Dempsey confirm this for you, but I assure you the offer is real. The Stargate program is moving away from a military venture into a scientific one. However, I don’t believe we have eliminated all potential threats caused by its existence. If I don’t appoint a scientifically motivated General to the position, the NID is going to choose a civilian for me. I don’t believe that’s in the best interest of the program.” The President said with an enigmatic smile.

“Oh. Um… could I have some time to think it over, Sirs?”

“Absolutely, Colonel. You have some time until the position for General Landry opens.” The President said with some amusement.

Sam looked around the table and noticed all three men had conspiratorial smiles. Her eyes tracked to Jack’s and asked him a nonverbal question that emphasized she was suspicious of him in particular.

His answering look was innocent. Far too innocent to be convincing.

“Well then, take your time thinking this over. Hank, why don’t you join me for a drink? I believe Colonel Carter and General O’Neill have some things to discuss privately.”

“Of course, Sir.” Hank said, a little mystified that the President wanted to have a drink with him.

After they both left, Jack waved Sam back into her seat and loosened his tie before taking off his jacket and tossing it over the chair the President had vacated with a soft clink from his medals.

“Jack, if I take the position, I won’t be able to come to DC very often.” She finally voiced her concerns.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s going to be much of a problem.” He reassured her.

“That’s easy for you to say. You aren’t the one that’s missed out on most of your daughter’s life.” She huffed as she slouched in her seat dejectedly. They still had lost time to make up for after all.

She and Gracie had worked on reconciliation after they all went back to the house and at one point in their long conversation, Gracie had tearfully admitted she’d damaged a couple of the markers Sam had given her. Sam had then shown her that you could replace the nibs but Gracie was expected to work off the cost to which she readily agreed. All that would be undermined if she spent almost all her time in Colorado running the SGC while Jack was here in DC. She didn’t want to lose any more time with her family.

Jack just sat and grinned at her.

“What are you not telling me?” she asked him suspiciously.

“You won’t need to come out to DC unless the Joint Chiefs order you to.”

“Jack?” Her tone was a warning. It was too soon for him to play cagy games with her.

“I’m retiring.” With those words, Sam realized that Hank was taking on the mantle of Head of HWS. She stared at him. Was he doing this for her? For their family? His next words confirmed her thoughts. “I want to spend time with the kids and I can’t do that here.”

“But…”

“I’m not quitting entirely I know I’d get bored. I’ll stay on as a civilian consultant just like Catherine did, bounce from Utah, Nevada and the Springs as needed but, for the most part, I’ll be stationed in Colorado. With you.” He said, holding her eyes with his own.

Sam looked at him in awed shock. “You’re sure?”

Jack nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, Hank will need me. The job has gotten too big for just Walter to handle. But I won’t have to maintain an office here. In fact, it would be counterproductive to be stationed in DC when my work is on the west side of the country.” He grinned. “Don’t think this is over the Gracie thing either. This has been in the works since before your little trip to P4X-173.”

“Jack… I don’t know what to say.”

He chuckled. “Say you love me.”

Sam grinned and shook her head. “I do. I really do. But why all the cloak and dagger?”

At this point, he sighed. “Because we’ll have to sell the house here and probably the one in Colorado and get something bigger.”

“But you love that house.”

“I love the memories I made there… and we might be able to compromise.”

“Oh?”

“There’s no reason to pay Maryland property taxes if we don’t have to so selling the house here makes sense. But the house in Colorado has been paid off for years. We could rent it to Cassie… assuming she’s interested in the new scientific expansion planned for the SGC?”

Sam laughed. “I think she’d like it better than bagging cantaloupes.”

“See, that was my thought too. Why is a smart girl like Cassie bagging fruit for a living?”

Sam laughed.

“She can start as soon as she finishes her thesis. I’ll cover her rent and living expenses until she does.”

“You better not tell Janet that.” Sam admonished him.

“It will be our secret. I’ll hide it in a requisition.”

Sam shook her head in amusement.

“Oh, and I told Hank you would be here a little while. I want to go over some stuff from the last mission anyway. And we need to put the house up.”

Sam nodded. “What did you need me to explain?”

“Okay, in the simplest terms possible… what the heck is this?” He asked her shoving a printout at her.

Sam looked at it for a moment, made a couple of thoughtful faces then looked up at him. “I have no idea.” She admitted.

“Some genius you are.” He complained with an amused smile.

Chapter Text

Two weeks later, Sam sat on the living room couch discussing what Gracie should sell versus what she should just donate of her things as she’d be combining two bedrooms of stuff. For the moment, they were going to live in the Craftsman Jack had bought after his divorce and with four of them … well face it, the square footage wasn’t getting any bigger.

Marie sat across from them, Jake passed out on her lap.

“Are you sure we can’t convince you to come too?” Sam asked the younger woman. Sam was working with Landry to make the transition of power go as smoothly as it had from Uncle George to Jack all those years ago.

Marie smiled and shook her head. “Sorry boss, my real job is still with the other guys. I was able to do both but I was never expecting this to be a full time gig. Gracie will be safe in Colorado. There’s a lot more security options out there for you that don’t require a specialist.”

Sam smiled. Marie had obligations here. “There’s offices in Colorado. The FBI has one right up the road in Denver.” Her eyes were twinkling.

Marie snorted derisively at the mention of the FBI. “I’m good.” She said but smiled, knowing Sam was just teasing her.

Jack was putzing in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast.

Gracie smiled sadly as she sorted through some magazines she’d been stowing under the coffee table. “I’m going to miss you.” She said sadly. “Airman Mitch too.”

Marie smiled. “You’ll still see me now and again. Your parents will have to go to DC and your dad has my number. Everyone would feel safer if you had eyes on you when they do.” She gave Gracie an amused smile. “Someone familiar with your tricks.”

Gracie smiled in embarrassment but nodded. As long as the cat was out of the bag, her dad had explained her nanny had actually been her bodyguard all these years which was why she always had paperwork, because watching Gracie wasn’t her full time job.

“But you won’t need a bodyguard in Colorado. First because there’s enough people around you there that it shouldn’t be an issue but secondly because with your dad no longer running HWS you won’t be a political target.”

Sam nodded. “The president is making a fairly large production of him stepping down to retire.”

“That’s for your safety as well, Ma’am.” Marie reminded her.

“Oh, trust me, I know.” Sam said with a short laugh. She’d certainly been kidnapped enough just because she was part of the Stargate program. Now she’d be heading it up.

“I think I’m just going to donate them all unless you think Jake would want any of it?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to pass on your American Girl magazine subscription.” Sam said with a chuckle. “But save the issues of Highlights.” She thought. “Unless you want to drop those off at the Daycare by work?”

Gracie thought. “They could use some new stuff. You might want to just mail them though. We’re going to have two houses of stuff.” She repeated her dad’s words as to why she had to decide what she’d let go of both here and in Colorado.

“We could have a garage sale.” Sam mused. Behind her the front door opened. “How many people have a key to this house, Jack?” She called out to Gracie’s giggles.

“What the hell is this? A familiar male voice said from the door. “Why did I have to find out through the rumor mill that you’re getting married? Did you knock her up or something?”

“Jon?” Sam said in surprise. Gracie had told her a while back that Jon had given her the drafting table she used but Sam hadn’t considered he might be more than a casual part of her life as Jack hadn’t indicated so much as once that he’d spoken to the younger man recently.

“Jon!” Gracie exclaimed and squirmed around so she could kneel on the couch and hang over it.

“Hey, kiddo.” He said absently and turned back to Jack. “And why the hell is there a for sale sign outside?” He said flailing his arms. “Isn’t this house good enough for her or does she have a brood of kids to accommodate?” Jon groused.

“No, just the two.” Jack mused from the kitchen where he’d been washing dishes and packing them. Sam snorted. Jon hadn’t seen her yet obviously. She did debate about getting up but part of her was enjoying Jack sparring with a twenty three year old version of himself who clearly felt he had every right to criticize his older self’s life choices.

“Well, that’s just great. What are you going to do with three kids at your age? You knocked her up, didn’t you?” Jon accused again.

“Not that I know of.”

Gracie whirled to Sam. “Are you pregnant?” She asked her mom excitedly.

“No!” Sam yelped. “At least I don’t think so.” She said with here eyebrows drawn together with worry.

Marie chuckled. “It would serve you right if you were.” She said quietly.

“You’re fired.” Sam hissed at her jokingly.

Marie grinned.

“We’re moving back to Colorado.” Jack told his clone.

“What the hell for?” Jon asked him.

“Well, Sam’s job is there.” Jack said, seemingly utterly oblivious to the fact that Jon didn’t know who the intended bride was.

“Sam? For crying out loud, old man, couldn’t you have at least found someone with a different name?” Jon snapped.

“Would you two stop? God, you just both have to make it weird every time we visit.” A female voice said from the doorway as it opened.

“Sammy!” Gracie exclaimed and bounced excitedly on the couch.

“Hey squirt!” A young blond woman said cheerfully to Grace then saw the woman sitting next to her and her jaw dropped in shock.

Gracie looked back at her mom whose face wore the identical open mouth shocked expression. “What’s wrong?” She asked, wondering why her mom and cousin were shocked by each other. Didn’t her mom have a younger cousin with the same name? But come to think of it, they looked an awful lot alike and that just couldn’t be that much of a coincidence because mom and Uncle Mark looked nothing alike and Uncle Mark didn’t look all that much like the photos of grandpa either other than going bald early.

“But you’re…” The younger Samantha, Gracie had addressed as ‘Sammy’ stammered at Sam.

“How did…” Sam said at the same time.

Jon whirled and saw what Sammy was staring at. “What the hell is that?” He yelped and pointed at Sam looking back at him and Sammy.

“Hey! Don’t talk to my mom like that!” Gracie said defensively, standing up on the couch cushion, her hands fisted at her waist.

“Gracie.” He said slowly in the gentle tone Jack tended to use right before he shot someone next to you. “That isn’t your mom.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, we’ve already done this part.” Jack interrupted. “Jon, this is Sam—”

“She’s from another reality where everyone died.” Gracie finished. “And she’s my mom.” She said, her chin coming up and her eyes hardening just like her father’s did.

Jack smiled in amusement at his daughter.

Jon looked from Sam to Sammy to Gracie then Jack and frowned at his doppelganger.

“When did… that happen?” Sam asked Jack, pointing at Sammy. Her eyes still wide with shock.

Jack crossed to Sammy and enveloped her in a fatherly hug. “It seemed like a good idea at the… time…” He got a perplexed look on his face. “Something you need to tell us?” Jack asked her in a perturbed tone.

Sammy affected a genuinely badly unlikely guileless expression.

Gracie however kept looking from one adult then to the next.

Jack had whirled on Jon, however. “I can’t believe you accused me of knocking up my own wife when you bring her over here and pretend I’m not going to notice.” Jack accused him.

“Notice what?” Gracie stage whispered to Sam as she plopped back to her knees but still leaning over the couch so she could observe everyone.

Sam frowned and shrugged. “I mean… unless she’s…” Sam gave Sammy a searching look that Sammy blushed under.

Sam started to giggle.

“What’s so funny, mommy?”

“She’s pregnant.”

“Damned right she’s pregnant and I can’t believe you two! She’s only twenty one, you idiot!” Jack shouted at Jon.

“Oh, leave him alone. He’d just gotten leave from his first deployment. It was my fault and an accident.” Sammy said in exasperation.

“You’re getting married.” Jack informed his clone.

“Shouldn’t I have a say in that?” Sammy huffed.

Jack and Jon turned to her as one and said, ‘No.” At the exact same time.

Sammy fumed.

Sam still seemed perplexed about having a mini me. Gracie noticed and thought for a moment. “Mommy. Did you have a cousin who looks just like you in your reality?”

“No, Gracie. I did not.” Sam said.

“Sam and I are renewing our vows in Colorado after we move. Everyone will be there anyway so you two are getting your act together immediately after.” Jack ordered them.

Jon thought for a moment. “Why does Gracie know that’s a Sam from another reality?” he demanded of Jack.

“Because she deserved to know.” Sam cut him off and gave him a warning look. “Just like she deserves to know who the both of you really are.” She said firmly as she turned to Jack and gave him a pointed look. If they wanted Gracie to trust them again, it was time to be honest with her.

“She’s right.” Sam’s clone said. “I’m Sammy by the way, we thought it would be easier even though—” They looked at each and grinned.

“We hate that name,” they said together and laughed.

“I gathered that.” Sam told her. “When did this happen?”

Sammy shrugged. “I suppose that depends on how things went in your timeline. He was moping in high school and that one,” she pointed at Jack, “decided the cure was you… or me rather.” She said with a dimpled grin. “I’m physically two years younger than him and still in college.”

“Speaking of which, do you have any idea how much this will derail your academics?” Jack asked her, his annoyance clear in his tone.

“Uh… duh.” Sammy said in a fair impression of Cassie. “It doesn’t matter, Jack. They will tap me for government work the second I finish my doctorate anyway. The least I can do is actually enjoy my twenties this time.”

“By getting knocked up by this idiot?” Jack groused.

Sam couldn’t help it. She started to giggle. “Jack, stop, please.” She said laughing. Was this how ridiculous she and Jack had looked to dad? No wonder he was always exasperated with Jack. She waved her hand helplessly.

Gracie was still bouncing her eyes from one person to the next, trying to follow the course of the conversation.

“Your dad had me cloned.” Sam finally told her daughter.

“Cloned like… Star Wars?” Gracie asked in awe, looking from Sam to Sammy.

“Pretty much, yup.” Sam agreed, popping the P at the end.

“Does Uncle Mark know?” She asked them, eyes wide.

Sammy chuckled. “He does actually.”

“He does?” Sam said in surprise.

“Yah, there was a thing… Jack decided it was safer if he knew, especially after we lost… well... the other you.”

Sam nodded. That might explain why Mark was sometimes cagy about family stuff.

“He’s kind of how we found out you guys are getting married.” She said, squinting her eyes in a cross between cringe and apology.

Sam canted her grimace to the side and nodded sagely. “Yah that sounds like Mark. He never could keep a secret.” Sam said. “So you don’t have any plans to use dad’s name at all do you?”

“Huh, why?” Sammy asked having missed the part where Jack said he had two kids.

Sam pointed at the passed out toddler on Marie’s lap. Marie wiggled her fingers in greeting and gave Sammy an amused smile.

Sammy’s eyes lit up as she saw the boy in Marie’s lap. “Really?”

“Yah. He was kind of an accident too.”

“Well, so was Gracie.” Sammy said in amusement. “How are you all going to fit in that little Craftsman?”

“Mommy and daddy are going to buy a new house together.” Gracie said and made room for Sammy to sit down.

Jack and Jon had moved their argument to the garage.

“Should we go separate them?” Sam asked in concern.

“Nah, they won’t actually hit each other.” Sammy said with a shrug. “We’d have found out sooner but I was at school and Jon was deployed so when he got home and talked to Mark all hell broke loose.”

Sam chuckled. “Why is he like this?” Sam asked of Jack withholding information for his own entertainment.

“The real question is why do we love that idiot?”

Sam laughed. “No idea but it keeps happening.”

“I met goat people.” Gracie told Sammy.

“Yah did, huh?” Sammy asked the daughter of her original self.

“Yup. They seemed nice. Are you really a clone?”

Sammy nodded. “Jon and I both are. He was an accident.” She said with an amused smirk.

“That seems appropriate.” Gracie announced.

Sam and Sammy laughed.