“Sir, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, hello Carter,” said Jack, turning from his staring match with the Stargate. “What was your question?”

Sam laughed. “Why are you here? Not that we don’t miss having you around, but aren’t there more important things for you to be doing?”

“Jack?” They turned to see Daniel and Vala coming into the gate room. “What are you doing here?”

“Am I not allowed to drop by?”

Daniel looked at Sam questioningly.

“I just asked him that,” she said.

“General O’Neill?” Sgt. Harriman was standing in the doorway. “General Landry can see you now.”

“Thanks Walter. Well guys, guess you’ll have to hold that thought.” And he left the gate room.

“Huh, I wonder what that was all about,” said Daniel.

Sam shrugged, but anything she had been about to say was cut off by the gate activating.

“Unauthorized off world activation,” Walter said over the p.a.

As marines poured into the gate room the three of them ran out and up to the control room where they were met by Mitchell, Teal’c, and the Generals.

“Do we have an IDC yet, Walter?” Landry asked.

“It’s…um, it’s SG-1’s sir.”

“Hello,” said Jack. “Haven’t we played this game before?”

“You know, I was just thinking that,” said Cam.

“So what is it this time,” Daniel asked, “a note from the future, or an alternate SG-1?”

“I’d like to find out. Open the iris Walter,” ordered Landry.

“Yes sir.”

The trinium iris pulled back, showing the liquid surface of the event horizon. There was a pause and then two figures stepped through and looked around. They were young boys, no more than 16 or 17, and they were dressed in the style of the Jaffa and carried Jaffa weapons. They stepped away from the gate, but not all the way down the ramp. They seemed to be taking up guard for something. Then another figure stepped through the gate; a young woman, beautiful and fierce. The gate shut down behind her, and she glanced around.

“Ok,” said Daniel. “So option C then.”

The seven of them went down to the gate room, where the three strangers were still standing, looking completely unperturbed at the presence of the marines. The young woman looked them over and smiled as they entered.

“Jack,” she said. Her voice held a light accent, similar to Vala’s. “You look good.”

Jack looked around, as if trying to find who she was talking to. “Um, do I know you?” he asked, looking back at her.

She smiled again. “No, but I know you.” She held out her hand, proffering a folded piece of paper.

“Ha! So there is a note,” said Daniel, then fell silent as the others glared at him. Jack took the note, unfolded it and read it over.

“Well Jack? What does it say?”

“Well Daniel, you tell me.” He handed the note to Daniel, then turned back to look at the strangers.

“‘I, Jack O’Neill, give my absolute assurances that these people are who they say they are, and that they are to be trusted,’” Daniel read. “And it’s signed by Jack, Sam, Teal’c and Vala.”

“Why not us?” asked Cam.

“That’s a good question,” he said, handing the note back to Jack.

“‘Who they say they are’?” Sam said. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who do you say that you are?”

The woman smiled. “This is Jacob,” she said indicating the boy to her left. “Jacob Cameron Carter O’Neill. This is Bra’tac, son of Teal’c, and I am Kara Danielle Jackson. We are your children.”

No one moved or said anything. They all continued to stare at Kara in utter bewilderment.

“I’m sorry, you’re who?” Daniel finally managed.

“Perhaps we should continue this somewhere else?” Kara suggested.

“No, no. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how I could have a kid I don’t know about.”

“Are you from the future?” Sam asked.

Kara shook her head. “No. Look, I know the nature of your work has made you skeptical of things, so how about we go down to see Dr. Lam, and she can clear everything up for you.”

“Ah-ha, I was just about to say that,” said Jack. They all looked at him. “What?”

“Nothing sir,” Sam said with a smile.

“All right,” said Landry. “Take them to the infirmary. If you would hand over your weapons?” he asked them.

Kara nodded and the boys handed over their weapons obligingly. Mitchell motioned them to lead the way and she laughed. “I’ve never been in this facility Colonel Mitchell; I don’t know how to find the infirmary.”

Mitchell and Carter exchanged a look. “Ok, well follow me then.” They fell in behind Cameron and Sam, with Teal’c and several marines brining up the rear.

“Well? What do you think?” asked Daniel after they had left.

“You’re asking me?” Jack asked. “I’ve got nothing.”

“Jack, seriously. Do you think they’re telling the truth?”

“Well Daniel, they have to at least be partly telling the truth.”

“Why is that?”

“Because this is my handwriting,” he said, holding up the note.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Vala said with a scoff. “All you’d have to do is be good at forgery. I could do it.”

Jack turned to Daniel with his usual mischievous grin. “She’s a keeper. Now Hank,” he said, turning to Landry. “About that meeting that we were going to have.”

“Right this way Jack.”

The two generals walked out of the gate room, leaving Daniel and Vala alone.

“He said I’m a keeper,” Vala said proudly.

“He was being sarcastic.”

Her face fell. He laughed and pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. “But you are a keeper. If nothing else, you’re entertaining. Come on, we should probably go join the others in the infirmary.” And they walked out, his arm around her shoulders.

“Well, they are who they say they are. I don’t know how, but they are.”

They were all sitting in the briefing room, Dr. Lam telling them what she had found. “The older boy, Jacob, has DNA in common with Gen. O’Neill and Col. Carter, enough that he’s irrefutably their son. He also has traces of naquadah in his blood, which also helps prove that he is Col. Carter’s son.”

“But that would mean that naquadah is passed from parent to child,” Sam said, intrigued.

“At least from mother to child, yes,” said Dr. Lam. “Anyway, he also has the ATA gene which again, helps confirm his identity. The younger boy, Bra’tac, has DNA in common with Teal’c, unfortunately I don’t know who the boy’s mother was, so it’s a little tricky proving definitively if he’s Teal’c’s son, it could just be that the two have similar DNA, but I’m going to go ahead and assume that he is in fact telling the truth. Both of the boys are in excellent health, beyond excellent even. Jacob is as fit as if he was a Jaffa, and Bra’tac shows no sign of ever having a symbiote in him. I would place Jacob at about 18 and Bra’tac at 16.”

“And the girl?” Landry asked.

Lam smiled. “The girl is amazing.”

“I mean is she truly Dr. Jackson’s daughter.”

“With results like hers, all of her DNA could be saying she wasn’t and I’d still believe she was his kid.”

“Um…hi,” Daniel said, leaning forward and lacing his fingers together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s on a whole different evolutionary level. She practically an Ancient.”

There was a stunned silence. Everyone turned in Daniel’s direction, but he was just as confused. “Well, don’t look at me. Like I have any clue as to how that happened.”

“Well Dr. Jackson, it’s actually quite simple. When you came back from your time as an ascended being your physical make-up was slightly altered. Not enough to cause any alarm, but enough that you weren’t quite who you used to be. Because of that the girl is…unbelievable. And yet, I suspect some kind of outside intervention, I don’t think she would have progressed this far without help. Also, she too has naquadah in her blood, confirming that she is Vala’s daughter. I’d place her at about 23, and clearly the leader of their little party. The boys wouldn’t do anything down there unless she approved it first.”

Jack scoffed.

“You have something you’d like to add, Jack?” Landry asked.

“Nope. Just wondering what bizarro universe they come from if my kid is taking orders from Daniel’s.”

“Jack, now really isn’t the time,” Daniel said.

“You’re just saying that ‘cause you know I’m right.”

“General?” Daniel turned to Landry.

“He’s right Jack, let’s try to focus on what’s at hand.”

“Whatever.”

“Is that all Carolyn?” Landry asked.

“Yes. Now if you aren’t planning on doing anything else I think you should talk to them. Kara hasn’t said anything, but I can tell she’s anxious, and a little on edge.”

“All right, send them up.”

Dr. Lam nodded and left the room. They waited, and after several minutes the kids were escorted in by two marines. Kara sank regally into a chair at the end of the table, the boys taking up position behind her.

“Um…you can sit down boys,” said Jack.

“We would prefer to stand,” said Jacob.

“Indeed,” Bra’tac added.

Jack smiled. “Spitting image of you, eh T?”

Teal’c gave Jack his usual stoic stare. “So it would seem O’Neill.”

“So, would you mind telling us how you are who you are?” asked Landry.

Kara smiled, and they noted that it was a very similar smile to Vala’s. “You must know that this is equally as awkward for us as it is for you. You are not the people that we left behind, and some of you…well, I’m getting ahead of myself.”

“So, you’re not from the future?” Sam asked.

“No. But that doesn’t mean that time travel wasn’t involved here.”

“So, you’re from the past?”

She laughed. “Not exactly that either. I left my world through our gate and instantly came here, without going forward or backward. The time travel in this story is yours.”

“This is the part where you tell us what’s going on right?”

“You can’t bully me, Jack,” she said. “I’m used to your impatience.”

“I was just commenting on the fact that your presentation skills are remarkably like your father’s.” He shot Daniel an amused look.

“Well, I wouldn’t know. Anyway, it’s rather a long story, so, you should get comfortable.”

There was some squeaking as they all readjusted their positions.

“Ok, shoot,” said Cam.

“Today is what?” she asked.

They all looked at her in confusion.

“That’s not a trick question, people. I really am asking. What’s the date?”

“Oh,” said Sam with a laugh. “It’s October 5th.”

Kara smiled. “Ok then. My story, or rather your story, began a week from now on your mission to P3C-295. It was just a standard mission, but things didn’t go quite right.”

“Clearly,” mumbled Cam.

“And you’re what? Here to warn us not to go on the mission?” asked Daniel.

Kara shook her head. “Quite the contrary. I’m here to tell you what went wrong, and to prevent it from happening when you go to 295 this time.”

---

The blast doors opened and General Landry came in. SG-1 stopped with their feet on the ramp.

“What’s up, sir?” asked Carter.

“I’m afraid Colonel Mitchell will be sitting this one out. Something’s come up.”

“Sir?”

“It’s best if we discuss this in my office, son.”

“Yes sir.” With one last glance at this team, Cam took off his vest and left the gate room.

“General O’Neill will be joining you instead,” said Landry as Jack came into the room. “He wanted one more trip through the gate.”

Sam shot Jack a questioning look, but he ignored it.

“You look good in your old stuff, Jack.”

“Why thank you Daniel. But it’s not complete without…” he pulled his cap out of his pocket and put it onto his head.

“Nice, sir,” said Sam with a smile.

“Very strapping,” said Vala.

“Indeed.”

Jack laughed. “You guys suck at sucking up.” He looked at the gate. “Well, shall we?”

They stepped through the event horizon and zipped thousands of light-years across the galaxy in the blink of an eye. They came out at the other end a little faster than they had entered, stumbling over their own feet.

“Now I know I’ve been gone a while, but that didn’t seem right,” said Jack, looking around.

“It wasn’t,” said Sam. “I want to check the…” she trailed off.

“Carter? Check the what?”

“The DHD, sir. But it’s not here.”

“What?”

“Look around, it’s not here.”

They all did a sweep of the room they were in, and came up empty.

“Can’t we dial manually?” asked Vala.

“Not without a power source,” said Sam, looking concerned. “I don’t understand. We didn’t notice anything on the MALP. We should have picked up on the absence of a DHD.”

“Well, we didn’t Carter. So what now?”

Sam sighed. “Well, we wait for the SGC to dial in when we’re overdue. Then we ask them to bring through a naquadah generator, and we’ll be able to dial home.”

“And in the meantime?”

“We do what we came here to do, Jack,” said Daniel.

“All right. Meet and greet. Let’s move out. Teal’c, Daniel, you’re with me. Carter, Vala, you stay here and watch the gate.”

“Yes sir,” said Sam without further thought. But Vala heaved a sigh, accompanied by a pout. Daniel smiled at her lovingly.

“Daniel, I can’t stay here, I’ll go insane. You know I don’t deal well with doing nothing.”

“You’ll be fine. I know you’ll think of something to keep yourself occupied. You always do.” He gave her a quick kiss and then left with Jack and Teal’c.

“She’s…an interesting person,” Jack said after several moments.

Daniel glared at him.

“What? I’m not saying anything bad about her. I think she balances you out well.”

“Indeed,” said Teal’c. “You are well matched.”

“Can we please talk about something other than my love life?” Daniel pleaded. “How about yours, Jack?”

“What about it?”

“Was there more to this little visit than another trip through the gate?”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Oh come on, Jack. How long are the two of you going to keep doing this? I mean, she left Pete almost three years ago, and you responded by moving to the other side of the country."

“I got a promotion, Daniel.”

“How terribly convenient.”

“Daniel, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine.”

“Oh, look, signs of civilization.”

There was smoke ahead of them. Dropping their conversation they altered their course to head towards it. What they found was not what they were expecting. The people seemed to be Nomadic, as their dwellings clearly weren’t permanent. And they had clearly never seen outsiders before.

“Um, hello,” Daniel said to the cowering group of people. “My name is Daniel Jackson. This is Jack O’Neill, and Teal’c. We’re friends; we don’t want to hurt you.”

A man stepped timidly away from his fellows and towards Dr. Jackson. “I am Praesul,” he said. “Are you one of the forefathers?”

“No. No, we’re from Earth. Who are the forefathers?”

“They are those from whom we come. They built the great ring and instructed us to serve and await their return. I am the Keeper of the Knowledge; have you come to claim it?”

“Daniel, what is he talking about?” asked Jack.

“I think he’s talking about the Ancients. The Alterans?” he asked Praesul, who nodded eagerly. Daniel gave a little laugh. “Jack, these people are descended from the Ancients.”

“Ancients?” Daniel asked.

“Now you see why you must carry out the mission,” said Kara, nonchalant at being interrupted.

“Getting a chance to meet Ancients is great,” said Sam. “But clearly there’s a catch. So why don’t we just postpone the mission?”

“Because they won’t be there some other time. They migrate during the rest of the year. In a week is their annual pilgrimage to the Ancestral Ring.”

“Ok, I think I’m still missing something,” said Cam. “Why would these people move away from the Stargate? Unless they somehow don’t know what it is?”

“Precisely,” said Kara. “Much of their knowledge has been lost through the thousands of years. One such thing was the knowledge of the gates. They know that it is important, but they don’t remember why.”

“Ok, so not going is out of the question. Clearly we need to meet these people,” said Daniel.

“If for no other reason than the cure,” Kara said.

“The cure?”

“They possess a medicine that will permanently rid the Jaffa of their dependence on Tretonin. And it only needs to be taken once.”

“Is such a thing possible?” asked Teal’c.

“Indeed,” she said with a smile.

“So tell us what went wrong,” Jack said.

“Well, General Landry dialed in, just as Sam predicted, and when he had been told the situation he sent through Colonel Mitchell along with SG-15 and a naquadah generator.”

“Hey, quick side question,” said Cam.

“You want to know why you didn’t go along in the first place.” Kara said.

Cam nodded.

“Unfortunately, I do not know the answer. I was never told. But I assume that whatever it was will still happen.”

“Right. Sorry, continue.”

“Well, Teal’c was given the cure, the Alterans gave you the Knowledge—a set of data crystals—and Sam hooked up the naquadah generator and dialed home.”

---

They all trooped through the event horizon headed for home. But something was different, an unpleasant jolt and then a pulling sensation. They fell through the other gate at an alarming speed, tumbling over each other.

“Ow!” said Jack, picking himself up and glancing around. “Um, Carter? I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

The others got shakily to their feet and looked around. They weren’t in the gate room, and they weren’t on p3c-295 either. They were standing in a clearing they had never seen before.

“Well this could be a problem,” said Cam. “What happened?”

“I think the wormhole jumped,” said Sam.

“Like that time you and Jack got trapped in Antarctica?” Daniel asked, helping Vala up.

“Ugh. It better not be like that,” mumbled Jack.

“Well, my guess is that we’re either on a planet close Earth, or a planet close to 295,” said Sam.

“And by ‘close’ you mean…?” Cam asked.

“Not right-next-door close, no. I’m talking several hundred light-years.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

“Well, on the brightside, this planet has DHD,” said Daniel.

Sam set down her stuff and went over to check it out. “Well, it appears to be working, but what’s our point of origin?”

Daniel joined her, and after several moments pointed out a small symbol. “That one.”

Sam shrugged. “Well, here goes.” She dialed the gate, but it wouldn’t lock. “Damn it.”

“Well, this could be a problem,” said Jack.

“O’Neill,” said Teal’c, pointing his staff weapon at the foliage. “There is someone there.”

“You can come out!” said Daniel. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

“I can’t guarantee that Daniel,” murmured Jack.

There was some rustling and two very ragged young men climbed out into the clearing.

“Hello,” said Daniel. “I’m Daniel Jackson and this is—”

“You are not of Ra.”

“Excuse me? Ra?” said Jack in surprise.

“Only Ra’s Jaffa use the Chappa’ai.”

“They do know he’s long dead, right?” Jack whispered to Sam.

“I don’t think so, sir.”

“Well, we should remedy that.” He stepped forward. “Ra you say? We’re old buddies. Is he here?”

“No, but our god will return soon.”

“Sure he will. Say fellas, you got a place ‘round here?”

The man who had been doing the talking nodded, and pointed back the wa they had come.

“Great. Colonel Miller, you and your team stay here and guard the gate.”

“Yes sir.”

They followed the locals down a path that opened up on a valley, at the base of which was a great pyramid.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” said Mitchell. “This place doesn’t look like a long abandoned Goa’uld world. It looks like someone’s been here recently.”

“Of course,” said their guide. “We are Lord Ra’s favorite naquadah mine. He was here a month ago, and will return any day.”

Jack stopped abruptly. “He’s really been here?”

The man nodded.

“Could you excuse us for a minute?” He pulled the group over to the side and rounded on Sam. “Carter?”

“Well, it’s possible that we traveled back in time as well.”

“You think? So what do we do? And don’t give me that crap about not interfering. I hate this snake-head. I loathe him. I didn’t kill him nearly enough the last time we met. If I get the opportunity to kill him, I will. Save me the trouble of doing it later.”

“Sir, we can’t. We’ve already done too much.”

“Then find us a way home.”

“I don’t know how. I don’t even know how we got here.”

“Well, then, what do you suggest we do?”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“I never do.”

“We need to find a place out of the way where we can live out the rest of our lives in peace.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Jack, she’s right,” said Daniel. “You never know. We might not have to wait very long.”

“What do you mean?” asked Cam.

“We might not have gone that far back,” said Sam. “We can just wait it out. Sir?”

“All right, all right. Hey you,” he said, turning back to the locals. “Are there any other towns around here?”

The man nodded, and pointed off to the north. “There is a village up there. But they are heathens. They do not obey the will of the gods.”

“Sounds like our kind of people. All right. You guys have been real useful. You run along now. Run along.”

The men stared at them.

“Shoo!” said Jack, and they ran off for their village. ‘Huh, who knew that would work? All right, let’s get back to the gate and pick up SG-15.”

“General O’Neill! This is Colonel Miller! We’re under attack!” said a voice from Jack’s vest.

He grabbed his walkie and shouted into it, “Miller! Miller come in!”

They heard weapons fire over the radio, along with men’s frantic shouting. Then it was over, and all they heard was static. Jack opened his mouth to order a rescue when all sound was drowned out by a deafening roar. They looked up to see a Ha’tak vessel descending from the clouds.

“Uh-oh, daddy’s home,” Jack mumbled. “Ok. Take cover, keep low, and let’s head back to the gate. I want to rescue our men.”

They dissolved into the trees and slowly made their way back to the gate. They forced to halt when a troop of Jaffa came marching through, leading what was left of SG-15.

“Son of a bitch,” said Jack when they had passed. “This complicates things.”

“More so than you think, sir. If Ra uses his hand device on them—which he will—they’ll tell him everything about the Stargate program and Earth.”

“And that would be bad?”

“Yes sir, very bad.”

“Then you don’t object to rescuing them?”

“I don’t see that we have any other choice.”

“Good. Teams of two then. Daniel with Mitchell, Teal’c with Vala, Carter you’re with me.”

“What’s the plan, sir?” asked Cam.

“I’m making it up as I go along.”

“My favorite kind.”

“Keep in radio contact. And guys…I never thought I’d have to give an order like this, but…well, if they can’t be saved, make sure they can’t talk.”

The others stared at him in amazement, but they understood. They began to break up, moving in their separate ways.

“Wait,” said Vala loudly, making everyone stop. She threw herself at Daniel, kissing him so passionately that the others looked away in embarrassment.

“What was that for?” he asked—a little breathless—when she had pulled away.

“So you won’t leave me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll be back, don’t worry.”

---

“Oh my God,” said Cam. “I get it now.”

“Get what?” asked Daniel.

“Why our signatures weren’t on the note, why Kara didn’t know that she’s just like you, why she didn’t know what kept me behind.”

“We died.”

“We died. That’s it, isn’t it?” he asked her.

She smiled and nodded, but it was a sad gesture. “Yes. You were captured, tortured, and then publicly executed as an example. SG-15 never made it out, but they were killed before they could give anything away. Ra never found out who you were, you never told him anything.”

“Whoo-hoo for us,” mumbled Daniel.

“Ra never knew that there were more than Daniel and Cam. The rest of you were able to retreat to the village in the hills and live out your lives in peace. You chose to live a little away from the village so as not to alter the timeline. The result was I, and the boys here, grew up in a kind of extended family. Everyone was part of taking care of us. We learned things like math and science and all that good stuff from Sam. Master Teal’c taught us the art of fighting. Amisi—Teal’c’s wife—taught us about nature. Jack taught us, well the “important stuff,” he called it. Mostly he just taught us to be like him, and about the Simpsons. And my mother taught me how to be me.”

“Wow,” said Sam. “It sounds like you had a great childhood.”

“It could have been a little better,” she said, glancing at Daniel. “Anyway, when I was about 11 two very important things happened. We learned that Ra had been struck down for good, and I met Oma Desala.”

There was stunned silence after her remark. No one quite knew what to say.

“Between Oma and my family, I have been preparing to come here for the last 12 years. Oma told me this is what I was born for, to fix the future.”

“I’m sorry, you said Oma, right?” Daniel asked.

Kara smiled. “Yes. But perhaps that is a discussion for another time. It is a rather long story all by itself, and we have already been here some time. My brothers and I are tired.”

“She’s right Dr. Jackson,” said General Landry. “They need some rest. We’ll return to this later.”

“Hold on sir,” said Cam, leaning forward. “I’ve got a question.”

“Go ahead, son.”

He turned to Kara, looking as if he were choosing his words carefully. ‘We were on 295 how long?” he asked her.

“About a day,” she said warily. She seemed to know what direction he was headed.

“And we clearly weren’t on your planet very long before Jackson and I died, right?”

“Correct.”

“Cam, what are you getting at?” Sam asked.

He looked around the table. “Come on, no one else is thinking it?”

Realization seemed to dawn on them and they all looked to Daniel and Vala. Daniel still looked lost.

“What?”

“You know, Jackson, for being a smart guy, you’re not too bright.”

He still looked confused, and then it hit him. How, if he had died, was his own flesh and blood sitting in front of him. He turned to look at Vala, who was looking cornered. She finally sighed, shrugged and said, with an uneasy smile, “Surprise.”

“So, that whole Daniel/Vala thing was a little awkward, huh Carter.” Jack asked Sam. They were sitting in the mess eating dinner. Or rather Jack was eating, Sam was picking at her food without enthusiasm. “Carter?”

She looked up from her plate with a fierce expression on her face. “Jack, what is this?”

Jack was taken aback by her use of his name. He wanted to make a joke about the food, to pretend he didn’t understand the question, but he knew. He knew exactly what she was trying to say. “I don’t know Carter.”

“Three years. It’s been three years and you’ve done nothing.”

“Well, I haven’t noticed you doing anything either.”

“Come on Jack, that’s not fair. I’m bound by protocol.”

“Doesn’t seem to be stopping you now,” he mumbled.

She gave a sarcastic laugh. “Don’t start with me; I’m so tired of it.”

“What do you want from me Carter?”

“You know what, forget it. It’s not even worth it.” She grabbed her tray and got up to leave.

“Carter. Carter? Samantha!” He chased her out into the hallway and stopped her. “Look, I came here for one last trip through the gate.”

“I’m sorry?” She was confused by the apparent change of subject.

“I’m retiring Sam,” he said, pulling her down a side hall. “For good this time. I came here to go through the gate one more time and then I’m done.”

“So what does that mean?”

“I don’t know. Do I have to know now? Can’t it be enough that there are options?”

Sam nodded reluctantly.

“Ok. Now, can we go back to the proper way of addressing each other?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Now, I believe I saw some cake back there…”

She laughed. “You go ahead sir. I’ll see you later.”

“And Carter?” he said as she turned to leave, making her turn back. “We’ll get there. It may take some time, but we’ll get there.”

She smiled weakly. “Yes sir.”

---

Knock, knock. “Daniel?” Vala peeked her head around the door into the quarters they sometimes shared. “Daniel can I come in?”

He made a noncommittal noise that she took for a yes. She entered, closing the door behind her.

“Daniel I’m sorry I didn’t tell you yet. I just didn’t know how. We’re still so up in the air, and it’s still so early and well, the last time this happened to me she turned out to be a religious lunatic who tried to take over the universe. So I’m just a little out of sorts.”

“I’m not angry,” he said quietly.

“You’re not?”

He laughed. “Why would I be?” He came over to her and took her hands in his. “This is the happiest I’ve ever been.”

She smiled. “Me too.” Then she laughed. “We’re having a baby Daniel.”

He pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the head. “Yes we are.” He laughed again. “Yes we are.”

---

General Landry stood in the briefing room with Cam, looking down at the gate. The things that device could do never ceased to amaze him, and he said as much to Mitchell.

“Tell me about it sir. Just when I thought I had seen everything.”

“What do you make of them?”

Cam thought a moment. “They seem like the real deal. I mean, I know Dr. Lam proved that they are who they say they are, but I mean they seem like they’re telling the truth. And if they’re right about this cure…”

“I know what you mean. I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but you’ve got to admit this makes things awkward.”

“Yes sir. I think Jackson’s really freaked out, and that man has handled everything.”

“Having a child changes everything.”

“I assume so, sir. But General O’Neill and Sam and Teal’c seem to be handling it fine. Maybe what makes it so difficult for Jackson is that he’s still actually going to have that child. I mean, she won’t be exactly the same, but she’ll still be pretty close. Teal’c’s never going to have that son, the sane for Sam and General O’Neill. Seeing the child that you’re about to have, but all grown up like that…that’d be enough to freak out the strongest of people.”

“I think the knowledge that he was not around to aid in her upbringing has to be weighing him down. Trust me; he’s wondering if she’s a better person because he wasn’t there.”

“That’s crazy, sir. Clearly that girl wishes she had had a father…” he trailed off as he realized that Landry hadn’t just been talking about Daniel. He wanted to say something, but was afraid to overstep his bounds.
“Sir…”

“It’s all right son. I understand. Now, if you don’t mind, it’s been a strange day. I think I’m going to get some rest.”

“Goodnight sir.”

“So…Oma?”

Daniel was sitting in the mess with Kara eating breakfast. She had been sitting all by herself when he came in. He didn’t entirely feel comfortable sitting down with her, but he somehow felt that he owed her. And he really wanted to hear about Oma.

She swallowed her bite of food and smiled. “Yes, Oma. She’s been amazing. She’s taught me so much about my potential, about my ancestry, and about my purpose. She told me that from the moment I was born she saw in me the same potential that she first saw in you. She was always very proud of you. And very thankful for helping her see what she needed to do.”

“Wait, I don’t understand. If you were born 20 years ago, how do you know about things that only just happened a few years ago?”

“You should know this. The Alterans who ascended aren’t on the same plane as us, meaning that they transcend space and time. They have to obey some of the rules that govern our world so they can interact with us, but the Oma that I knew when I was young is the same one you knew only a few years ago.”

“Of course,” said Daniel. “I should have remembered that. So,” he continued, trying to draw attention away from the fact that he was so uncomfortable that he wasn’t thinking straight, “what kind of stuff did she teach you?”

“How to open my mind to attain my full potential. I’ve been able to learn things faster than I would have been otherwise and can retain information better. I had within me all kinds of Ancient knowledge and power, Oma taught me to tap into that.”

“How so?” asked Daniel, truly intrigued.

There was a pause and then the fork in Daniel’s hand was suddenly flying into Kara’s. She smiled as she handed the fork back.

“Telekinesis?”

“Among other things. Sam once told me that I was like Khalek, the son of Anubis.”

“But not evil?”

She laughed. “No, not evil.”

“This is amazing, we’ve tried to find Ancients or people with the abilities, but it never goes well.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“If you’re like this does that mean my daughter will be?”

There was an awkward pause and Daniel realized what he had just said.

“Oh no, Kara, that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s ok, you’re right. I’m not your daughter; my father was a different version of you.”

“Kara I…” he trailed off. He didn’t know what to say, they were back in uncomfortable territory.

She shrugged it off nonchalantly. “It’s really ok. But to answer your question I don’t know if she will. I don’t know exactly what I would have achieved had Oma never interfered.”

“She does have a habit of doing that.”

“Hello Daniel, Kara.”

They looked up to see Sam entering the mess.

“May I join you?”

“Actually, I was just about to leave,” said Daniel, standing up. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some things need attending to. Sam.” He inclined his head to them and then left.

“He doesn’t like me very much,” said Kara. “I make him uncomfortable.”

“No,” said Sam, slipping into Daniel’s vacated chair. “He doesn’t dislike you, really. He just doesn’t know how to handle the situation, and that makes him uncomfortable, he’s used to having a handle on things.”

“I know, but I still feel bad.”

“Well don’t. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Kara smiled.

“What?”

“It’s just, this is what my Sam is really best at, cheering me up. I guess you have that in common.”

It was Sam’s turn to be uncomfortable, but she handled it well. “So, why do we have to go through with this mission if the first us were given data crystals?”

“Ah, you caught that part did you?”

Sam nodded.

“Well, my father had them on him when he was captured. Thankfully Ra never knew what they were, but the knowledge was lost. That knowledge is needed. I don’t know everything that was included in it, but Oma stressed the importance of finding it again.”

Sam shrugged. “I guess that’s good enough for me. Besides, I’m always up for another chance to go offworld.”

“Me too, I love it.”

“Wait, you guys have gone offworld?”

“Well, we needed to know what was going on in the timeline. I will say that you weren’t very happy about it to start, but you finally grudgingly came around.”

She laughed. “Sounds like me.”

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” Kara said, standing up, “I have to go find my brothers. They tend to feel a little…awkward when I’m not around.”

“Wait. Why do you call them your brothers? Is that like a Jaffa thing, or something else?”

“They are my brothers, closer than blood. They are my family, and they’re all I have left now.”

“Wait, all you have left? Can’t you go back?”

Sam looked at Kara, and the look on the girl’s face was answer enough. This had been a one-way trip.

---

“Sir?”

Landry looked up from the files on his desk to see Sam standing in the doorway. “Come in Carter. What’s up?”

“Sir, it’s about P3C-295. I know you’re still trying to make up your mind about all this, and if I could just say something?”

He nodded.

“Aside from the obvious value of the information we could gather, I feel that we have to do this for them.”

Landry didn’t have to ask who she meant, he knew. “Carter, I understand that those kids risked a lot—”

“They risked everything, sir.”

There was something in the way that she said it that made him pause.

“They risked everything,” she said again. “This was a one way trip for them.”

“They can’t go back?”

“No sir. They accepted that they would never be able to go home so that they could help us come home.”

“I’ll consider that Carter.”

“Thank you sir.”

Kara knocked on the door and then entered. The boys looked up from the table where they were sitting playing cards.

“Well?” Jacob asked.

Kara had just come back from a meeting with General’s Landry and O’Neill. General Landry had expressed his reluctance to go ahead with the mission, but had finally conceded.

“We’re going ahead.”

“Well, that’s good right?”

She shrugged. “I can’t help feeling like something’s not right.”

“That same feeling you’ve been having?” Bra’tac asked.

Kara sank into a chair with a sigh. “Yes and no. This whole thing is just so complicated. Oma had the power to just give us that knowledge, why didn’t she?”

“Kara, you know the answer,” said Jacob.

“I know, I know. The whole non-interference thing, which they don’t mind bending when it suits them.” She sighed again and put her head in her hands. “This won’t end well, I can feel it.”

Jacob came over, sat on the arm of her chair and put his arm around her. The tension seeped out of her as she sank into his embrace.

“It’ll be ok, Kara.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because we’re with family.”

“But—”

“They may not be exactly the same, but they are still family, and they’ll still do anything for us. Plus, they’re SG-1. You remember all the stories we were told. They can face anything.”

“Then why isn’t my father still alive?”

He pulled back from her and looked her in the eye. “Babe, is that what this is all about? Nothing is going to happen to Daniel.” He pulled her back into a hug. “That’s why you’re here.”

“He’s right,” said Bra’tac. “This is why we’re here, why you’re here, to put things right.”

“Everything’s going to be fine, Kara.” Jacob stood up and pulled her to her feet. “Now, we should probably start making preparations and stuff. I just know that pretty little head of yours is full of ideas and you won’t be happy until you build something.”

She laughed.

“We can thank my mother for that.”

“We can also thank your parents for my love of shooting things.”

It was his turn to laugh. “Would you like to do that instead?”

She smiled. “No, I have a better idea.”

---

“Sam! Jackson!” Cam rounded a corner after Sam and Daniel right as they stopped and turned towards him. “I’ve been looking all over for you. You have to come see this.”

“See what?” asked Sam.

“The kids. They’re down in the exercise room sparring.”

“And?” asked Daniel.

“So is Teal’c.”

They exchanged a look.

“Well,” said Sam. “Things just got interesting.”

“You coming?”

When they got there Teal’c was facing off against Jacob and Bra’tac. Jack was standing just inside the entrance, and he wasn’t the only spectator. There were half a dozen soldiers standing around and watching too.

“There you guys are,” he said as they came over to join him.

“What have we missed?” asked Sam.

“Well, Teal’c took out Bra’tac pretty easily and then Jacob gave him a run for his money.” He and Sam exchanged an awkward smile, and then quickly looked away. “Haven’t seen anything from Kara yet.”

“And now both of them are fighting him. How long’s that been going on?”

“About 10 minutes.”

There was a thud and Teal’c was down.

“That’s my boy,” said Jack under his breath.

Jacob helped Teal’c to his feet and then the boys bowed to him.

“Tek’ma’tae Master Teal’c,” they murmured.

“Tek’ma’tae,” he said, bowing back. Straightening up he turned to the corner where Kara was leaning against the wall. “Kara Jackson, do you wish to fight now?”

Kara’s eyes flickered to Daniel and she smiled. “I must warn you Master Teal’c, I have been able to defeat you for some time now.”

Teal’c smiled. “But I am a younger opponent than you are used to.”

Kara laughed as she stepped out into the center of the room. Teal’c picked up two practice staffs and threw one to her. She caught it and twirled it around expertly. They had never seen a fight be over so fast in their entire lives. It was as if one moment Teal’c was charging her, the next he was lying on the ground with his staff broken in two.

“Sweet,” said Jack.

“Just what I was thinking sir,” said Cam.

Kara helped Teal’c to his feet and they exchanged bows.

“You fight very well Kara Jackson,” said Teal’c.

“Well, I learned from the best.”

Teal’c smiled. “I believe you used several techniques that I am unfamiliar with.”

Kara glanced over at Jack and Sam deviously. “I did pick up some things from some outside sources.”

“Well, it was very impressive.”

“It was,” said Sam as she and the others joined them in the middle of the room.

Kara smiled again. “Thank you.”

The boys joined their little group and an awkward tension seemed to settle over them all.

“Well,” said Jack after a moment, “exercise like that is bound to work up an appetite…or so I’ve been told. What do you say to hitting the mess? I hear they have cake.”

The others voiced their approval of the plan, everyone except Daniel.

“I should go find Vala,” he said, and Kara’s face fell. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” And he left.

Kara sighed as she watched him go. She felt Jacob’s hand slide discreetly into her own and he gave it a little squeeze.

“It’ll be ok. Come on, let’s get some cake!”

Kara laughed. “You are so much like your father.”

“I’m not really sure if that’s a compliment.”

“You kids know I can hear you, right?” asked Jack.

Sam laughed.

“Yes Carter?”

“Well sir, you do like your cake.”

“That I do.”

“Are we going to stand around here all day talking about cake, or are we going to get some?” asked Cam.

“Lead the way.”

Kara glanced down the hallway Daniel had walked down before allowing Jacob to pull her after the others. Who knew, maybe cake would make her feel better.

---

“Daniel, you’re an ass.”

“I’m sorry?” Daniel looked up from the ancient text he had been studying to see Jack standing in the doorway.

“You heard me.”

“Ok, why am I an ass?”

“You know why,” he said as he came into the room. “All that girl wants from you is to be around you, get to know her father a little.”

“It’s complicated, Jack,” Daniel said, looking back down at his desk.

“Don’t you think I know it’s complicated? My kid’s here too, and not only is that in itself making things weird, but it drags up a whole new—or rather old—set of issues with Carter. So don’t try to tell me that you’re the only one who’s uncomfortable.”

“But you’re not still going to have that kid.”

“That’s why you’re avoiding her?”

Daniel sighed and leaned forward into his hands. “Every time I see her I think of the daughter I’m going to have and I wonder about things.”

“Like what.”

He dropped his hands to the desk and looked up at Jack. “Like maybe she’s the great person she is because I wasn’t there. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a parent.”

“Come on Daniel, of course you’re not.”

“What?”

“No one’s cut out to be a parent at first, it just kinda happens.”

“If you say so.”

“I do. And in the meantime, give Kara a chance. She’s a good kid who’s just looking for a little paternal guidance. God knows I probably wasn’t a very good mentor.”

Daniel smiled weakly. “Thanks Jack.”

“No problem. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go introduce my son to the Simpsons.”

The week leading up to the mission passed without much event. Kara spent most of her time with Sam in the lab, working on modifications to a puddle jumper that had been sent from Atlantis. The boys spent most of their time either training with Teal’c and Cam, or watching the Simpsons with Jack. He seemed to have made it his personal mission to cram 20 seasons of a show into one week, but the boys weren’t complaining.

When Kara wasn’t in the lab she spent most of her time with Vala. Of all of her “parents” that she left behind, she missed her mother the most. It took several days before Daniel joined them—awkward and uncomfortable, but still there. The day before they were to leave Kara went into the mess to eat lunch with her parents and instead found only Daniel. She was wary at first and looked around for an empty table, but he smiled at her and indicated the chair across from him.

“So…how are things going?” he asked as she slid into the seat.

She laughed. “Simple things have never been so complicated.”

He looked confused.

“Cam harassed us the other day saying if all we needed was a jumper, why all the fuss?”

“He’ll do that.”

She laughed again. “Yes, but in a way he’s right. A jumper is fairly obvious, but there are all sorts of adjustments that need to be made, and simulations that need to be run. Ancient technology is very temperamental and needs careful working with. I actually heard Sam mumble something about wishing McKay were here.”

“Really?” he asked in disbelief.

“I’m certain of it. She thought she was too far away for me to hear but, you know, advanced.”

He laughed. “She’d probably never admit it though.”

“No, definitely not. But it’s slow going, despite being fairly simple. We’re getting close, though. We don’t blow up as often in the simulations.”

“Well, that’s good.”

Kara smiled. This was nice, having a conversation with him that didn’t involve awkward pauses.

“Look Kara, I want to apologize. I behaved childishly; I shouldn’t have brushed you off like I did.”

“It’s all right, really. I understand the discomfort, this is awkward for me as well, but it must be more so for you.”

Daniel shifted uncomfortably. “That’s not an excuse. You’re a good kid, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, I mean the other me.”

She smiled weakly. “I know. Thank you.”

There was an awkward pause.

“Well look at that, we’re in awkward territory again,” she said to break the tension.

He laughed. “That’s what I was just thinking.”

They had a few moments of laughter and then Sam burst into the mess. She was breathing heavily and looked a little manic. Daniel and Kara had leapt to their feet, and they weren’t the only ones.

Same came straight to them, ignoring the others. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Me?” asked Daniel.

“No, Kara.”

“What’s up?”

“I think we’ve got it,” Sam said happily.

“You ran the simulation?”

“Yes.”

“And we didn’t blow up?” Kara asked.

“Yes.”

“Yes we did?”

“Yes we didn’t,” said Sam with a smile.

“That’s great.”

“Want to come see for yourself? I trust your judgment better than mine.”

Kara turned to Daniel.

“It’s fine,” he said with a smile. “Go play with your toys, I have some stuff I should be doing anyway.”

Kara turned to leave, then hesitated. She took a deep breath, then threw her arms around Daniel. Daniel was stunned, but quickly overcame it and hugged her back. After several awkward moments Kara pulled away, and hurried out of the mess. Sam gave Daniel an encouraging look before turning and following Kara out.

---

“We’re confident we can finish this mission successfully,” Sam was saying. They were all sitting in the briefing room, and Kara and Sam were going over the mission. General Landry looked concerned, but he nodded.

“I guess we don’t really have a choice in the matter, do we?” He glanced at the kids. “I think our decision has been made for us.”

Sam and Kara exchanged a smile.

“So we can go ahead?” Daniel asked.

“It looks that way. I have to say that personally, I am very interested to get this information. Just make sure you guys come back, ok?”

“Certainly sir,” said Sam.

Landry stood, and left the room, leaving SG-1 alone with their children.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m beat,” said Jack.

Sam laughed. “From watching TV, sir?”

“You know it. So I’m gonna turn in. Make sure to wake me bright and early for tomorrow.”

“Of course sir.”

Jack stood and left the room, then slowly the others did as well, until only Daniel and Vala were left. Daniel turned to leave, he knew what was coming and didn’t want to be there for it. They had already had this argument twice, and he knew that he would eventually bend if she kept bringing it up.

“Daniel,” she said sharply before he could get out.

He sighed and turned around. “Yes?” he asked innocently.

“I’m going tomorrow,” she said.

“Sweetie we’ve been over this,” he said sweetly, trying to keep from enraging her anger, which could sometimes be violent. “It’s not safe.”

“It’s always ‘not safe,’” she said, as if she didn’t know the real reason.

Daniel sighed. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

She shook her head. “Not likely.”

He moved closer to her and took her hands in his. “You understand the risk you’re taking?”

She nodded. “But I can’t sit around here while you go off on an adventure. I can’t stand not knowing what happens. And what if something goes wrong and you get sent back in time again?”

He pulled her into a hug. “I understand. But you’re to stay out of trouble.”

She pulled back a little and looked up at him with a smile. “Don’t I always?”

“Well, are we doing this or what?” Jack asked the next morning.

They were all standing around in the gate room, next to the modified jumper. Everyone was looking nervous, and avoiding eye contact with the others. Daniel stood very close to Vala, watching her nervously. Cam stood just inside the door, decked out in his usual off world uniform, but looking strangely out of place. He was waiting for whatever it was that had stopped the other Cam from going originally. Sam was talking quietly off to the side with Jacob, she and the boy had gotten pretty close in the week since he had arrived Kara stood somewhat apart from everyone, taking it all in.

Just then General Landry walked into the room, a strange look on his face. “All right, I guess this is happening. I probably couldn’t do anything to stop you anyway.”

“Probably not Hank,” said Jack, bouncing a little in his anxiety.

“Well then you have a go, but before you do I need to speak to Colonel Mitchell.”

Cam looked up at the General, then glanced at Kara. “Yes sir,” he said, stepping out into the hallway with Landry.

They watched them talk, Cam a little heatedly after a few minutes. Finally, with a sad little shake of his head Landry indicated that Mitchell could go as well. Cameron walked back into the room and straight into the jumper without saying a word to anyone.

Jack smacked his hands together. “All right then,” he said, before climbing into the jumper after Mitchell. The others exchanged looks before joining them.

Jack had settled into the pilot seat and was turning things on. When they were all in and had taken their seats he closed the rear hatch.

“I miss this,” he said. “These little jonts through the gate.”

Sam smiled. “Yes sir, but this time it’s a little different.”

“Ah, yes it is.”

She laughed as she dialed the gate.

There was the familiar swoosh and then the shimmering pool of what looked like water.

“Well, here goes,” said Jack, and he eased the jumper up and through.

************************************************

The mission went well; they were met by the people of the planet and instantly accepted. Daniel was in a new kind of heaven, getting to meet people that were descended from the Ancients. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, but Kara noticed that Cam seemed distant.

“What’s up?” she asked as she sat down next to him around a campfire. “Is it about what General Landry said?”

Cam nodded. “It’s my dad. He’s been kinda sick lately and he got worse. They moved him to the military hospital in Colorado Springs and I was supposed to go to him. That’s why I didn’t come on this mission the first time around.”

“What changed for this time?”

He sighed. “Well, I knew what we could possibly be getting into. I mean, no offense to your tinkering with the puddle jumper, but we don’t actually know if it’ll work. My dad would never have forgiven me for abandoning my team to be with him.”

Kara smiled. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Cam smiled too. “Yeah, you’re about as good at lying as your father.”

Kara laughed. “At least I tried.”

Cam put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “You know, for being related to those two,” he indicated Daniel and Vala, “you’re not half bad.”

She laughed again. “I’m not really sure how to take that, but thanks.”

“No problem.”

************************************************

“All right, let’s load up,” Jack was saying.

They had been there for almost a day, and it was time to get back. The people were moving on to their next destination, and Kara was urging them to leave. The longer they stayed there the more she began to feel that it wasn’t going to work. They settled into the jumper and Kara picked up her computer screen, checking some last minute calculations.

“We ready?” asked Jack.

Kara murmured a quick plea to Oma under her breath, then nodded.

“Well all right then.”

Sam dialed the gate, they all took a deep breath and Jack flew the jumper through.

************************************************

Their first indication that it hadn’t worked was the speed at which they came out of the gate, the second was the fact that they weren’t at the SGC. Jack quickly regained control of the jumper and set it down as soon as he could. He had barely landed before Kara leapt to her feet, opened the rear hatch and raced outside.

“Damn it!” she yelled in frustration and anger.

The others got up warily and stepped out of the jumper.

“Damn it!” she yelled again and they could hear angry tears in her voice. “This should have worked, I did everything right.”

“Kara…” Daniel started, but she cut him off.

“No, I just need to think.” She started to walk away. “I wouldn’t advise wandering off; there are Jaffa all over this planet.”

Jacob gave the others a wary look before slipping after her into the woods. He caught up to her and spun her around, enveloping her in his arms.

“Hey,” he said, pulling back from her a little, but not letting go. He took her face in his hands, smoothing back her hair. “It’s gonna be fine,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. “You’ll fix this.”

She pushed away from him. “I don’t know how. This wasn’t supposed to happen this time. Oma told me that I would fix it, she promised. This isn’t fixed. If they die…”

“It won’t be your fault, Kara.”

She took another step away from him. “Thanks Jacob, but I really just need to be alone right now, is that all right?”

Jacob nodded and she turned and walked away.

************************************************

They looked up when Jacob wandered back to the jumper, but he was alone.

“How could this have happened?” Jack asked Sam, turning back to their previous conversation.

“Well sir, I’m not entirely sure, but at this point I’m starting to expect a black hole.”

“I hate those things.”

“Yes sir. They also have unpredictable effects on wormholes, we’ve seen it before.”

“Don’t remind me,” Jack muttered.

“So what do we do now?” Daniel asked.

Sam sighed. “I really don’t know.”

They looked at her in astonishment.

“What?”

“You always have an answer,” said Cameron.

“Not always.”

Jack gave her a look.

“Ok, so maybe always. But I don’t have an answer this time.”

“I do,” said a voice.

They turned to see that Kara had rejoined them.

“You do?” asked Sam.

She nodded. “I think so. But it will require some intense modification to the jumper, and finding out where we sit in the timeline.”

Sam was looking at her curiously. “What have you got in mind?”

“I want to turn the jumper’s shield into a reverse time-dilation field.”

They gaped at her.

“Can you do that?” asked Sam, impressed.

Kara sighed. “I think so. But it’ll have some repercussions.”

“Like?” asked Jack.

“It’ll deplete the jumper’s power. When we get back to our own time there won’t be enough juice left in it to fly us back, so we’ll have to go on foot.”

“Why don’t we just fly the jumper over to the gate now?”

“Because it’s heavily guarded by Jaffa most of the time. We barely missed them coming in, I don’t think we’ll be so lucky a second time.”

“Ok, so flying it closer is out,” said Cam. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re leaving something out about walking back there?”

Kara threw him a look. “There are Jaffa on this planet in the future. A minor Goa’uld took over this planet after Ra died. He was minor enough that he managed to escape all of your valiant efforts to eradicate the Goa’uld from this galaxy.”

“Great, and just when I thought we were finally done with the snake heads,” mumbled Jack.

“Aside from those…minor complications, I believe that this can work.”

Jack nodded. “Then let’s get on it.”

************************************************

It wasn’t long after Kara began working on the jumper that they witnessed Ra’s mother ship descending from the clouds. Predictably Jack wanted to interfere, but the combined effort of his son, Sam and Kara kept him where he was. Kara was pleased that Ra had come, as this gave her a frame of reference for how long they would need to be in the field. After a day and a half she was confident that the field would work.

“You’re sure?” Sam asked her when the girl had finished up.

Kara sighed. “In all honesty…no.”

“But…”

“This is all we’ve got Sam. I won’t let this happen to you guys again.” She glanced over at Vala. “Won’t let it happen to me again.”

Sam nodded. “I understand,” she said, giving Kara a quick hug. “I trust you.”

“That makes one of us,” Kara mumbled.

She waited as Sam called the others in closer. Kara was going to extend the field slightly to incorporate some of the area around the jumper. She had inherited her mother’s loathing of confined spaces for extended periods of time, and this would take awhile.

“All right,” she said, “here goes.”

She activated the time-dilation field and watched as they could instantly see the world outside begin to speed past. With a satisfied sigh Kara set down her computer and walked outside. She moved up away from the others and sat down against the jumper to wait out the 12 hours it would take them to reach their own time. She pulled a very battered book out of her pocket and turned it in her hands. It was her most prized possession, she never went anywhere without it.

“What’s that?” said a voice.

She looked up to see Jack hovering over her.

She smiled. “Just something sentimental.”

He sat down next to her and pulled the book out of her hands. “I recognize this,” he said.

She smiled slyly. “You should, you gave it to me.”

Jack looked surprised. “I did? That was uncharacteristic for me.”

Kara took the book back and ran her hand over the cover. “I know you pretend that that he drives you crazy and that you don’t care about him, but you do. You, the other you, risked everything to get this back for me, and you never told anyone about it. There were times when you’d sit and tell me stories, and I could always tell that you blamed yourself for what happened.”

Jack shifted uncomfortably. This girl knew him a little too well.

“I never thanked you for being there for me. I know that it wasn’t really you exactly, but…”

“You’re welcome kiddo,” he said, nudging her with his shoulder.

She smiled.

“Well, I’ll leave alone with your book,” he said, standing up.

“Really, thanks Jack,” she said.

He smiled down at her, and then went to find Sam.

Kara sighed and looked down at the tattered book in her hands. She took a deep breath and opened it, looking down at the familiar handwriting. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the name on the inside cover, Daniel Jackson.

************************************************

Kara monitored the computer screen, it would happen anytime now. There was a beep and a slight shudder and she gave a weak smile. They were back in their own time, or so she hoped.

“Is it safe to go out there now?” Jack asked warily. She had warned them what would happen if they strayed across the field, and it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Kara nodded. “I think we should go now. And, well, it would probably be a good idea not to leave this thing lying around.”

“Jumper go boom?” Jack asked excitedly.

Kara laughed. “Yes Jack, jumper go boom.”

“Yessss!” he said childishly.

Kara laughed again. Sam came into the jumper looking curious.

“Are we good?” she asked.

Kara nodded. “We should get going. We’ve got a ways to walk and blowing this thing up will draw attention.”

“We’re blowing up the jumper?” Sam asked.

“Yeah,” said Jack with a playful grin.

Sam laughed. “I’ll go tell the others to gear up. We should probably have more than enough C4,” she added with a smile.

Kara grabbed her pack and her P-90 and followed Sam out into the clearing. The others were suiting up, except for Sam and Mitchell, who were attaching explosives to the outside of the jumper. When they were done they came back over to the group, handing the detonator to Jack.

“Shall we away?” he asked.

They all moved out, heading back for the gate. Jacob made his way over to Kara’s side and slipped his hand into hers. She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

When they had made it almost back to the gate Jack pulled put the detonator. “Anyone order a diversion?” he said slyly, before pressing the little red button. A profound explosion came from the direction of the puddle jumper, and they all dropped to the ground as they heard Jaffa racing past them.

“Psst,” whispered Jack. “I think they bought it.”

“Yes sir,” said Sam, stifling a laugh. “But nevertheless I think we should lay low until we get to the gate.”

“Agreed,” he said, taking a quick look around. “Let’s move out.”

They all shuffled along from bush to bush, trying to keep hidden. Jack stayed close to Sam’s side, Daniel to Vala’s, but neither of them would have admitted to trying to protect them. They got to the clearing around the gate and stopped.

“Well this can’t be right,” said Jack, looking at the unguarded gate. He thought for a moment. “Ok, I want the majority of you to stay here until I give the signal. Daniel, you come with me and dial the gate.”

“Wait,” said Kara, catching Daniel’s arm. She grabbed a stick from nearby and etched a symbol in the dirt. “That’s our point of origin.”

“Thanks,” he said with a smile.

“No problem.”

Jack and Daniel looked around warily before creeping out into the clearing. For a few moments it seemed that things were going their way, and then staff weapon blasts came out of nowhere. Cameron, Vala and Sam had their guns up in record time, firing into the brush. Teal’c, Bra’tac and Jacob were firing their staff weapons with gusto. Jack had set himself up to give Daniel the cover he needed to get to the DHD, but things were going to start going downhill quickly.

Sam and Mitchell slid down the hill and took up positions near Jack, moving slowly closer to the enemy. Kara couldn’t think, all she was focused on was the image of her father out there so exposed to enemy fire. Before she knew what she was doing she was sliding down the hill and inching to his side.

“Kara!” he yelled over the weapons fire. “What are you doing here?”

“Somebody’s gotta watch your back.”

He frowned, but nodded, turning back to the DHD. He finished dialing and they heard the gate forming. He turned to the control on his wrist and inputted the IDC, then grabbed his radio and called to the others.

Kara heard the staff weapon before she even knew someone was there. The world seemed to slow and she turned to see and energy blast hurtling toward her father. She didn’t think, she just reacted, hurling herself in front of him. The blast hit her in the stomach with such a force that it drove her to the ground.

Daniel turned fluidly and fired his gun into the Jaffa, who went down. He turned to Kara, scooping her up in his arms, ignoring the mass amounts of blood spilling over him. “Hang in there Kara,” he whispered. “Jack we gotta go!” he yelled.

Jack turned to say something smart and saw the figure in his arms. “Oh God,” he said. “Get to the gate!” he yelled to the others, before racing over to Daniel’s side and helping him pick up Kara. With her supported between them they raced for the gate, not even pausing to see if the others were coming.

Please God, Daniel thought, let us not be too late. Please let us not be too late.

Daniel paced back and forth across the hallway outside of the infiramary. Vala sat in a chair near the door, eyes watching him restlessly. Teal’c and Bra’tac were standing against the same wall. Sam and Jack were sitting against the other wall, Jacob between them. It wasn’t until they had seen the agony on the boy’s face that they realized just how close he and Kara were.

Mitchell came walking up, looking concerned. “Anything?”

Daniel shook his head. “Dr. Lam hasn’t come out yet.”

“Well, the techs are going over the data from the planet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so excited,” he tried at a humorous tone, but it died out. Taking a deep breath Cam slid down to a sitting position against the wall to wait with them, Daniel resumed his pacing.

“She knew this was going to happen,” Jacob mumbled, barely audible with his head in his hands.

Sam rubbed his back comfortingly. “Why do you say that?”

Jacob sat up. “She knew something was going to go wrong, maybe not this precisely, but she knew.” He gave a humorless laugh. “She knew and I didn’t do anything.” He leaned forward into his hands again and fell silent.

After what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes, Dr. Lam stepped out into the hallway, looking grim. Vala stood up and went to Daniel, grasping his arm tightly.

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do. She damaged far too badly internally. I’ve made her comfortable, that’s all I can do.”

Vala turned her face into Daniel’s chest and cried. He stroked her hair while looking at the doctor. “You’re absolutely sure? Don’t we have a hand device lying around somewhere that we can use?”

“Even if there was Dr. Jackson…I don’t think she would let us.”

“What?”

“She seems to have accepted her fate. All she wants right now is to see you.”

“All of us?”

She shook her head. “Just you Dr. Jackson.”

Daniel stepped back from Vala, holding her at the shoulders and looking into her eyes.

“Go on,” she said, wiping her eyes.

He leaned forward and kissed her chastely, an act of comfort.

Inside the infirmary it was cold. He knew it was just his imagination, the knowledge of all the people he had known who had died here, including himself. He took a few deep, steadying breaths before walking the length of the room, to the bed at the very end of the row. Kara sat in the bed looking perfect. She seemed so fine that he was sure Dr. Lam had made a mistake, but getting closer he could see the pain in her eyes, and knew that it was the truth.

He sank down in a chair next to the bed, avoiding eye contact.

“Is this how we’re gonna spend my last moments?” she asked after several minutes of silence. “You sitting there, refusing to accept this?”

He looked at her, a slight quirk of a smile playing across her face.

“It’s not funny.”

“Oh, I’m not laughing about the dying part, I’m laughing that it’s taken me dying to bring us together.”

She was making him feel uncomfortable, because she was right. Things had been awkward between them, and he’d only realized just how much she’d come to mean to him since seeing her bleeding in his arms.

“Look, I asked you to come in here because I knew what you wanted to ask me.”

He looked at her confused.

“Don’t play dumb, you’re not very good at it. Ask what you wanted to ask.”

He sighed. “Fine, why did you do it?”

She smiled at him. “Isn’t it obvious?”

He shook his head.

“I lost my father before I even knew him, I didn’t want her to lose hers,” she nodded to the infirmary door behind which was Vala. “Not when I could help it. Besides, having me around would just have made things weird. It’s better this way.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Look, I don’t have much time left and I want to see the others before I go, so here.” She reached over to the bedside table and picked up a battered old book. “I know you kind of already have one,” she said, handing it to him, “but this one is a little different.”

He opened it to see his own handwriting. “My journal?” he asked, astonished.

“Jack managed to rescue it for me.” She flipped the pages to about halfway through. “Here’s where it gets different.”

Daniel looked at the handwriting that was both familiar and not. It resembled his, but was enough different to let him know it was hers. “Thank you,” he said, looking back at her. She had tears in her eyes.

“You’re welcome. Now, I need to say some goodbyes.” She took a deep breath.

“Do you want them all at once?”

She thought for a second. “Could I maybe speak to Jacob first?”

Daniel nodded.

In a few moments the boy was sitting on the bed next to Kara, Daniel, not being asked to leave the room, was standing near the door.

“Hi,” Kara said timidly.

Jacob glared at her. “You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?”

Kara shrugged, then winced. “Maybe.”

“Damn it Kara.”

“Look, I didn’t ask you in here to argue, I wanted to apologize. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, sorry that I’m leaving, but before I do I want you to know…”

“I know,” he said in a softer voice.

“No, I have to say it.” She took a deep breath. “I love you. And nothing’s ever going to change that.”

He smiled at her.

Daniel was taken aback. He suspected, based on the boy’s reaction, that theirs was a much deeper friendship, but he had never imagined.

Jacob brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her, a reflection of the kiss Daniel had given Vala moments before.

“You can let them in,” Kara said when Jacob had moved off the bed to the chair, but still holding her hand.

The others all crowded around the bed; Daniel was holding onto Vala and Jack reached out subtly and took Sam’s hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

“Guys,” Kara said. “Don’t look so somber, please. I’ll be around.”

They looked at her in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked.

“You don’t think Oma would have me do this without some kind of insurance policy, do you?” She closed her eyes and smiled, a faint glow seeming to emanate from her. “Thanks guys,” she said quietly, “for everything.”

Jacob let go of her hand and stepped back, enveloped by his parents’ arms. The light around Kara grew, until it was so bright they could barely look directly at it. And then it rose into the air and disappeared, leaving and empty bed.

---

“Sir!” Sam ran down the hallway to catch up with Jack. She was still mulling over the events of the day; the events of the week. All of it seemed a blur, but she knew what she had to do.

“How can I help you Carter?” Jack asked.

Sam looked up and down the hallway. Though there was no one else there she still felt awkwardly exposed. She took Jack by the arm and pulled him down one of the side hallways.

“Carter?” he asked.

“You said we’d talk about it later. This is later Jack.”

He sighed, he’d been afraid of this. “Sam, maybe now isn’t the best time…”

“Sure it is.” She thought for a second. “That boy needs us Jack; he needs us to be there for him. I saw the way you looked at him; it was the same way I looked at him. I’m not scared anymore.” She knew she wasn’t being entirely coherent, but she didn’t care. “I’ve been running from you for almost 12 years. Well I don’t wanna run anymore. I want it all. I want you, I want that boy, I want your stupid cabin with the lake with no fish, I want to live my life.”

“Sam,” he tried to say, but she wouldn’t let him get a word in.

Finally, more to shut her up than anything, he grabbed her and kissed her. Kissed her the way he’d always wanted to. She was stunned for a moment, but then she was kissing him back. It looked like she would finally get everything she’d ever wanted.

---

“I missed you dad,” Cameron said. “I’ve had a strange week.”

“Wanna tell me about it son?” his father said.

Cam sighed. “I can’t, you know that. But I just wanted to say thanks.”

“For what?”

“Just for everything you ever did for me. I’ve witnessed a lot about family lately, and I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciate you.”

His father smiled at him. “I know son, I know.”

---

Teal’c and Bra’tac stood in the gate room as the stargate activated. Teal’c gave his son an encouraging look. It was not as strange for him as for his teammates, but the sudden arrival of a new son had had its effect.

They turned to the gate at the sounds of boots on the metal. The gate shut down behind the two men, who stepped forward.

“Tek’ma’tae Master Bra’tac,” Teal’c said to the older Jaffa, clasping his arm in welcome.

“Teal’c, it is a pleasure as always.”

“Indeed.”

Teal’c turned to the other Jaffa. “Rya’c,” he said fondly, taking his older son in a hug.

“Father,” Rya’c said. “It has been many months.”

“That is has. How is Kar’yn?”

“She is very well. We await our first child.”

“So Bra’tac told me,” said Teal’c proudly.

“Is this him?” asked Bra’tac, stepping forward to where the younger Bra’tac stood.

“Yes,” said Teal’c. “This is Bra’tac. I believe his friends call him Bray, which might be less confusing.”

“Indeed,” said Bra’tac.

Rya’c stepped forward somewhat warily. “I am Rya’c, brother.” He clasped Bray’s hand in the usual Jaffa greeting.

“I have often heard of you,” said Bray, returning the greeting.

Teal’c smiled, pleased to see his sons getting along so well.

Bra’tac turned to Teal’c. “I am pleased that your son will be joining us, but can we not entice you to join him.”

Teal’c shook his head sadly. “I feel I am still needed here among the Tau’ri.”

Bra’tac nodded. “Well old friend, there is much needs attending to. I regret that our visit has to be so short, but Rya’c and I must return to Chulak.”

Teal’c nodded. He took Bray off to the side as the date was being dialed. “I am sorry for the pain that you must be feeling at the loss of Kara Jackson. If you wish, you could delay in joining your brother.”

Bray shook his head. “I will be fine.”

Teal’c smiled. “I have become quite fond of you,” he said in a manner unusual for him. “I am glad you are a part of my life.” He pulled the boy into a hug. Letting him go they walked back to where Bra’tac and Rya’c stood waiting.

“Tek’ma’tae Teal’c,” said Bra’tac. “Until we meet again.”

Teal’c watched as his sons walked away from him and smiled. He knew they were going to turn out fine.

---

Daniel sat in his lab, flipping absentmindedly through the pages of the journal. He didn’t know how to feel. For one there had been the unusualness of witnessing someone else experience what he had experienced when he ascended, and then there was the obvious emotional stress of watching someone he cared about die.

There was a knock on the door and he looked up to see Vala standing there, looking radiant. “How are you doing?” she asked him.

He sighed, looking back down at the journal. That was an interesting question. He was about to open his mouth to respond, when his eye caught on a passage.

Today’s the anniversary. Mum’s really down, like she is every year. It’s hard to see her like this, especially this year, when I know that I’ll be seeing him, and she won’t. I know that she wants nothing more than to be celebrating her life with him every year, not her life without him. And it’s hard at times, as I see her wondering. Wondering if he really loved her the same way she loved him. She’s afraid that if none of this had happened, they wouldn’t have stayed together, that he would have gotten bored with her. I know he loved her, I’ve read his journal. But she doesn’t know, and how do I make her believe me…

“Marry me,” said Daniel suddenly, looking up from the journal.

“What?” asked Vala, taken aback.

“Marry me. I love you, and after everything that’s happened this week I want to make sure you know that…in case anything happens. So, what do you say?”

Vala smiled. “Of course.”

9 months later

The gang was all gathered in the hall; Jack and Sam sitting next to each other with their fingers entwined, the rock on Sam’s finger glinting in the fluorescent light. Jacob and Cam sat on the floor playing cards. They had become pretty close over the months, the older man treating the younger like a little brother. Generals Landry and Hammond sat across on the other side of the hall, chatting nonchalantly. Teal’c stood by, stoic as usual.

The door to the infirmary opened and Daniel stepped out, clad in scrubs and looking thrilled. “She’s beautiful,” he said proudly.

The others had gotten to their feet when Daniel opened the door.

“Can we see her?” Sam asked.

“Of course.”

Daniel led them back into the infirmary, to the bed where his wife was holding their child. He sat down on the bed next to Vala, brushing his fingers across the little girl’s sleeping head.

“She’s beautiful,” said Sam.

They stayed in the infirmary for awhile, keeping the happy family company, but after awhile it became clear that they needed their rest.

“We’ll go now,” said Sam. “You should sleep.”

“Besides,” added Jack. “We’ve got to go get the kid ready for school.” He tousled Jacob’s hair lovingly.

“Oh that’s right,” said Daniel. “Starting college in the fall, how exciting.”

“Good thing he takes after his mom, or I never would have been able to afford it.”

Daniel laughed. “Well, have fun. I’m sure we’ll see you before long.”

The others expressed their congratulations once more before leaving the infirmary.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” said a voice after they had left.

Vala and Daniel looked up to see Kara standing in the corner, an eerie light emanating from her.

“Kara,” Daniel said, surprised.

“I told you you’d see me again,” she said with a smile. “I see you have a healthy little girl.” She said, taking a step forward.

He nodded. “I hope you don’t mind, but we didn’t name her Kara, not her first name anyway.”

Kara shook her head. “I didn’t expect you to name her after me.”

“Well, we did name her after you, sort of,” said Vala.

“Her name is Peyton Kara Jackson,” said Daniel. “Peyton means warrior, which her big sister definitely is.”

Kara smiled. “Well, I’m happy to see that you are all fine.”

“Can’t you stay?” Daniel asked, sensing the closure in her voice.

“Sadly no. And I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”

“Why?”

Kara laughed. “I um, wasn’t very good at playing by the rules. Oma says I’m too much like my father for my own good.” She glanced at Daniel, who was smiling. “I chose to take that as a compliment.”

“So what’s going to happen?”

“I don’t know,” she said in a tone of voice that said she was lying. “But I’ll be around, just maybe not right away.”

She stepped back as if to go.

“Wait,” said Daniel. “Thank you.”

She smiled.

Daniel glanced down at his daughter, and when he looked back up she was gone. He sighed, turning to Vala and kissing her on the forehead. Vala yawned and Daniel took Peyton out of her arms, letting her settle back into her bed. He sat down in the chair next to the bed, smiling down at the gorgeous little bundle he was holding.

“Thank you,” he whispered again.

And he could have sworn he heard, as if a whisper on the wind, “You’re welcome.”

A lone man walked through the mountainous area not far from his home. He had just finished an archaeological trip and was headed back. Suddenly there was a flash of light and something appeared on the path ahead of him. He quickened his pace to reach the person, for that was what he realized it was. He pulled the blanket out of his pack and threw it over the figure and rolled her over. She was young, and looked faintly familiar, but he was sure he did not know her.

“Are you all right?” he asked her, hoping that she could hear him.

She stirred and opened her eyes, looking up into his.

“Are you all right?” he asked again.

She shook her head. “Where am I? How did I get here?”

“Well, I was hoping you could tell me that.” He helped her to her feet. “As to where you are, you’re on Langara, in Kelowna. What’s your name?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Well, my name is Jonas Quinn and I’ll take care of you.”