I'm not quite sure how it happened. No doubt Carter could have explained, but she wasn't here. She'd jumped through the gate moments before. Daniel was dawdling as usual, I rushed back to get him as usual. I threw him through the gate, and started to go through myself. As best as I can figure, as I went through, a discharge from one of the energy weapons hit the DHD. I landed on the ramp on the other side heavily, and I fell. When I looked up, I saw General Hammond pointing a gun at me.
"Nice welcome!" I said.
He didn't laugh, which is always a bad sign.
"Who are you?" he asked... again.
I gave the same reply... again. "You know damn well who I am, Sir. I left here just a few hours ago. What's going on? are the rest of SG1 ok?"
"They're just fine. Now who are you?"
"Colonel Jack O'Neill, for crying out loud! I know about your wife, about your kids..."
"I don't have any kids. I've never been married."
Well that threw me. I looked around at Teal'c. He looked different. It was probably the thick shock of hair that did it. Now, I know I'm not so hot on the science stuff, but it suddenly clicked what had happened. Somehow, someway, I'd gone through Daniel's looking glass. I wasn't sure how, but I was in an alternate universe.
I turned to General Hammond and said, "You may not believe this Sir, but I don't think I belong here."
"You got that right!"
"No, I mean, I may belong in an alternate universe." I wasn't convincing him, I could see that. I tried again. "You see Sir, I think I may have slipped through a rift in the space-time continuum... no, damnit, that's Star Trek! What I mean Sir, is I come from another time and... where the hell is Sam when I need her? She could explain far better than I can."
"No need. I believe you."
That shocked me.
"You do?"
"Oh yes. The same thing happened to our Daniel Jackson a while back."
"Well, good."
"I'm afraid not. You see, in the world Daniel Jackson travelled to, Jack O'Neill had become host to a Goa'uld. Now how am I supposed to know you're not that Jack?"
Damn. He had me there.
"I'm sorry son." he continued. "I'm just going to have to lock you up until we've got time to deal with this. Take him away."
I started to protest, then I saw Teal'c bearing down on me. I know how strong that guy is, so I wasn't going to argue. As we left, Hammond said, "Teal'c, I don't want either Dr Jackson or Doctor Carter knowing he's here."
"I understand." he said, and took me away.
xxxxx
I paced up and down the cell. I've never liked being locked up at the best of times, and now was definitely not the best of times. I tend to get a little irritable, you may have noticed. Where was everyone? Where was I, for crying out loud? If I heard a carbon copy of myself was on the base, I'd want to see him... I mean, see me... I mean... oh hell, you know what I mean. And why weren't Danny and Carter to know I was here? If anyone could explain this alternate universe stuff to Hammond, it was Sam. Then I noticed the soldiers. There were lots of them. They were running around very fast, looking very emotionless and calm, which trust me, is a VERY bad sign. Teal'c was standing outside the door, so I called him over.
"Hey Teal'c, what's going on? Why all the ruckus?"
"I am not at liberty to tell you that."
Oh great. Teal'c was just as uncommunicative in this universe as the last one. I tried again.
"Why aren't Daniel and Carter allowed to know I'm here?"
"I am not at liberty to tell you that."
This was getting annoying. Then it hit me. The odd looks I'd had. Why Danny and Sam weren't allowed to know I was here. How Hammond had known I was from an alternate universe, and wasn't their O'Neill.
"I'm dead here, aren't I?"
Teal'c looked at me, but said nothing.
"Well aren't I?" I snapped. "And, so help me God Teal'c, if you say I'm not at..."
"Yes."
Wow. That's quite a thing to take in. Suddenly makes you aware of your own mortality.
"How did I die?"
"We were on a mission. The Gou'ald attacked. Samantha Carter was hit, and badly injured. You went back to get her. As you threw her into the gate, you were killed."
"What about Sam, is she okay?"
"She survived."
Well, it's not a bad way to go. Quick, and in a good cause. If I had to go, saving Sam's life was as good a reason as any. Best reason of all, really. I didn't get time to ask Teal'c any more questions. A soldier ran up to him and said he was needed, and he left. I got myself out of the cell. I could tell you how, but its classified. You know, 'I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you' stuff. I left to find out what was going on.
I didn't get very far. Soldiers were everywhere, and eventually I had to duck into a room and hide. Just after I got in there though, the door started to open, and I quickly ducked into the closet. Whoever it was entered silently, and went over to the closet. I thought they had found me, but they just opened one door, and reached for one of those zip-up garment bags. I scooted as far back into the closet as I could, and they didn't see me. They did leave the door open a crack though, so I could see through, and I saw whose room I was in.
Wouldn't you know it. Of all the closets in all the base, I had to hide in hers. Doctor Samantha Carter stood in front of me. She looked just like my Sam, except her hair was longer, thicker, and she wasn't in uniform. She looked softer, gentler than my Sam. She also looked utterly devastated. She started to undo her jacket, and I looked away. Not that I wasn't tempted mind, but I'm not that much of a bastard. Besides, if I looked and my Sam found out, I'd get the butt-kicking of a lifetime.
When I looked back I got a shock.
She was standing there in a wedding dress. I don't know much about these things, but she looked utterly lovely in it. It had a sort of train that trailed the floor, and this soft, delicate veil over her face. I've never seen a more enchanting sight. With the veil over her hair, she looked just like my Sam. Then she raised the veil, and I could see tears running down her cheeks. She looked heart-broken, and I desperately wanted to go and comfort her, tell her it was alright. If it had been my Sam, I might have done, but how could I explain to this one why a dead man was hiding in the closet?
Then I heard a knock on the door, and someone came in.
"Oh, Samantha." he said in a pined, sympathetic voice. It was Daniel. This was good. Daniel was a good friend.
"Do you know what day it is, Daniel?" she said, and the sadness in her voice almost broke my heart.
He nodded. "Your's and Jack's wedding day." he said softly.
Now that was a shock. I know we were engaged in one universe, but that was only one. Now all of a sudden, we were engaged in a second universe? How many more universes were we together in? Was God trying to tell me something? I like Sam. I like Sam a lot. She's important to me, but she's my Captain, and I can't start an affair with my second-in-command. Hammond would split us up as soon as he knew. Besides... well, I was about to say that I don't feel that way, but I do. Late at night, when the world is silent, and its just me and my thoughts, I do think about her. I go over the day's events, and the first thing I think of is what she did, what she said that day. I'll admit, I even dream of one day just holding her, kissing her... but its just a dream. I'm sure she doesn't think of me the same way. Still, it would be nice if she did... but marriage! It never crossed my mind... well, not very often anyway.
Danny was talking to her softly.
She said, "Isn't it supposed to get better? Everyone says it gets better, but every day, it just get's worse."
"I know. People said the same about Sha're, but it didn't get any better. I just learned to live with it."
"I don't think I can. How can I live with the fact that he died saving me?"
Can't she understand that saving her life was more than worth dying for? How could I live if I had let her die?
"You were everything to Jack. If he had saved his life at the expense of yours... well, it would have been hell for him. I don't think he would have survived very long."
Thanks Danny.
"Now get some sleep." he said. "Lie down, close your eyes and sleep."
"Daniel, I don't think..."
Daniel's beeper went off, and he looked at it. Now I KNEW I was in another universe. The Daniel I knew has never answered his beeper.
"General Hammond needs me. I have to go. Go to sleep Sam!" He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left. She lay down, sobbing quietly. I hoped like hell she would sleep. I had to find out what was going on out there.
Eventually the sobbing subsided, and I risked a quick peek. She looked asleep, curled up on the bed in her crumpled wedding dress. I sneaked out of the closet, but as I passed by the bed, I looked down at her. She had fallen asleep surrounded by photographs. From what I could see, they were photos of a party, and judging by the fact that she was showing off her ring in quite a few of the photos, it was our engagement party.
I couldn't not look. I picked a few of the photos up. In one of them, I had my arms round her waist, and I was smiling adoringly at her as she laughed. It was definitely a picture of a couple in love. There were more pictures, of us gazing at each other, my staring proudly as she showed off her ring to Janet, one arm possessively round her as Daniel kissed her. We both looked unbelievably, totally happy. I looked happier than I had ever felt, even the day I got engaged to Sara. We were both glowing. Is this what it would be like, with my Sam? Would it be all happiness and joy? I couldn't put the photos down.
I was fascinated by this glimpse into a life I had never realised I could have. In the pictures, she had her hair up, so it looked like she had short hair. She looked like my Sam. It looked like my Sam and I were in these photos, hugging each other, kissing in each other, crazily in love for the whole world to see. In one of the photos, my head was bent down, and I was whispering in her ear. It was obviously a joke, because she was giggling. I'd seen my Sam look like hundreds of times. It looked just like us. It could have been us.
"Jack?"
Oh no. I'd been so wrapped in the photos I hadn't seen her wake up.
"Jack?" she said again. She was staring at me with such joy on her face.
What the hell could I do now?
"Jack!" she cried, and flung her arms round my neck. "I know you're not real." she said. "I know I'm dreaming or hallucinating, but let me dream just a little while longer."
So I did. I held her close, and tight, and buried my face in her neck, and I dreamt she was my Sam. I was willing to let the dream continue as long as she wanted.
"Sam, get away from him!"
It was Daniel. Damn it, that boy has REALLY bad timing.
"Sam, it's not out Jack. He's from an alternate universe."
She pulled away from me, with such a look of pain and betrayal on her face that I had to say something.
"I'm sorry." I said. "I just couldn't explain. I should have done, but..."
I was trying to think of an excuse, but what the hell. Why not tell the truth for once.
"But you were thinking of your Sam." she said softly. It seems Sam can read my mind in any universe. "Is she still alive?" she asked. "Do you love her? Are you engaged?"
I couldn't lie to her. "Yes she is, I'm not sure, and no, we're not.".
I expected an argument, but she just smiled. "So like my Jack." she said, then turned to Daniel. "Daniel, this is fascinating. How did it happen?" She looked happier. Science always makes her happy.
"I don't know." he said seriously. "I do know that the Gou'alds are sending signals through the gate that open the iris. We've been over-riding them, but we need your help."
"Alright." she said, then turned to me. "Unhook me, will you?"
"Pardon?"
"You don't expect me to fight the Gou'alds in a wedding dress do you? Unhook me, then go. I'll be there in a minute."
xxxxx
When we got to the control room, Hammond was there, and he did not look happy. "What are you doing here?" he said.
"Umm, Sir?" Daniel said. "I think we need all the help we can get right now."
Hammond looked at me, and nodded. "Take this." he said, giving me a gun. "If you betray us, I'll kill you myself."
"They're trying again!"
The iris was opening and closing rapidly. I was suddenly aware of Sam beside me, working frantically. She was muttering something about the signal, and what it was doing. She kept on working, and the iris closed, and stayed closed, none too soon, judging by the thumps from the other side. "Well done Doctor."
"They'll try again Sir. I do have an idea though." And she started to explain something to him... don't ask me what, it went so far over my head I didn't even see it. I only tuned back in when I heard her say, "And I may have a way to send Jack back Sir."
"What way?" I asked.
"Well, as far as I can tell, you were thrown here because there was a massive energy surge when you got sent through."
God, she looked exactly like my Sam when she talked science, all glowing and bright-eyed. Sometimes I don't even listen to Sam when she explains stuff, I just watch her face.
"So all I need to do is write the program, and connect the power source to the gate and we should be able to send you back!" she finished.
"Sounds good to me." I said.
"Then I'll get started."
xxxxx
Half an hour later, she was almost done. She was connecting the power source when the gate suddenly spun round and locked, very quickly. Before any of us could move, Jaffas had walked through and grabbed Sam. I leapt forward, but there was no way I could get down there in time. The Jaffa's had killed the other soldiers, and locked the gate room. She was being dragged towards the gate. I wished it had been my Sam, she would have put up one hell of a fight. This one tried, but she had never been trained, and she couldn't escapre the Jaffa's grip.
"Close the iris!" I cried, but it just opened again, to let the Jaffa through with Sam.
"Use Captain Carter's plan!" I yelled, and although the technician looked at me strangely for calling her captain, he did as I asked. The iris closed, but it was too late. She had gone. It had all happened so fast, I couldn't believe it.
I turned to go down to the gate room, but Hammond stopped me.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To get Sam back Sir!"
"That's negative Colonel. You're going back home."
"Sir!"
"Jack." Daniel said. "We'll get her. I promise. Just go back and stop this from happening to your Sam."
So I went back. It was painful, but I arrived in one piece. I stood on the ramp, and as Daniel came up to me, I said, "Am I in the right universe THIS time?"
"What?"
xxxxx
It turned out I was in the right universe. Daniel had pinned me in the infirmary, and was cross-examining me about the other side.
"Well," I said, "The Gou'alds were coming through and Sam had to figure out a way to stop them."
"Did Captain Carter do it?"
"Oh yes. Only she wasn't Captain there, she was Doctor."
Daniel looked at me. Sometimes he has the most disturbing gaze, like he can see what you're thinking. He suddenly said, "Were you two engaged in that universe?"
"No we were not! As a matter of fact, I was dead in that one."
"Oh." Daniel's the only person I know who can say a thousand things with just 'Oh'. I really shouldn't have said anything. I had to tell someone though, it was just eating me up, and he's my best friend. Don't tell him I said so though.
"As a matter of fact, we had been engaged before I died. Today was going to have been our wedding day."
"What!" That wasn't Daniel. I turned around. Sam was standing in the doorway. She looked fairly... shocked.
"Ahh Captain." I said, trying to gauge her reaction to this being our wedding day.
"Colonel..." she started.
"Look Captain." I said. "Sam. I know we need to talk about it. I know this raises issues that have to be resolved. I know you think this is just a matter of physics but..."
"Actually Sir, I was going to say the Gou'ald are attacking."
"Oh." Daniel rushed off, and Sam was about to join him, when I suddenly remembered. I remembered Sam being taken, Sam in trouble, Sam gone for good. I remembered Daniel telling me to stop this happening to my Sam.
"Captain Carter, stop!" I shouted. "Don't go to the gate room."
"But Sir, they need me."
"Sam." I said, not sure how to tell her. "In the other universe, she went to help. They took her. She couldn't fight back and they took her. She's probably infested by now. I don't want the same thing happening to you."
"Sir, I'm a soldier. It's my job..."
"No!" I shouted, suddenly panicked at the thought of seeing it again, seeing it happen to MY Sam. "I saw them take you! I couldn't follow! I will NOT allow that to happen again!"
She looked at me strangely. If she had any idea of what I felt for her before, she knows now. I don't care. If it'll save her, I don't care.
"Sir." she said gently. "Forewarned is forearmed. I'll be..."
"No. Stay here Sam. Get away. Don't die."
"I won't die, Jack. But I have to help."
She turned to go. Even faced with the prospect of her own death, or worse, she goes to help her friends. I didn't expect any less from her. It makes me love her all the more. There. I've admitted it. I love her. Now I have to save her.
When I got to the control room, she was working frantically on the computer. I got a sense of deja vu. Any second now she would go down there, get taken, go forever...
"They're coming through!"
The iris was opening slowly.
"Sir!" Sam cried. "Did my counterpart think of anything that could help us?"
"I'm not sure." Damn it, I can't remember all that science stuff! The iris opened a little more.
"Think!" she yelled. "I know there's a way, but I can't work it out. I just need a little!"
"Ok. She said something about a signal, and bouncing it off the other side, and it closing the iris."
"Yes!" she yelled. "They're overriding us from the other side. If I send the signal to close THROUGH the gate, it might bounce off something on the other side and close the iris. They wouldn't be able to override it because it came from their side!"
"Now would be a good time!" Daniel yelled, and I can see why. The gate was open, and they were beginning to come through. Sam's fingers flew across the keyboard.
"Sending signal." she muttered. I held my breath for a second, and then the iris started to close. Yes! She managed it! Now there's the Sam I know and love.
"Close the blast doors! How many got in?" I yelled.
"Only one." Daniel said. There was a sound of gunfire, then a staff weapon, then gunfire again. I opened the blast doors again. "Well, now there's none." Daniel continued, looking at the dead Jaffa on the floor.
I relaxed, and turned to Sam. "Well done Captain." I said.
"Well, if it hadn't been for you, I'd never have managed it." she replied, smiling.
Thank God, I suddenly think. I've saved her. She's not dead, or
dying. But then I realise. She saved herself as much as I did. We did it together. Together. I like that.
She leaves, but as she passes me, she looks up and says, "Some wedding day, Sir."
End.
Story Notes: FEEDBACK MBIRKY@HOTMAIL.COM
CATEGORY S AND J ROMANCE
SPOILERS THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD
RATING PG
ARCHIVE; HELIOPOLIS
AUTHOR'S NOTES: ok, we heard some stuff about sam in a wedding dress before pov came out, and someone said something about writing a fic based on this. well, I wrote this before pov came out, so pardon any similarities. anyway, this is for us british fans who can't see sam in her wedding dress yet.
CATEGORY S AND J ROMANCE
SPOILERS THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD
RATING PG
ARCHIVE; HELIOPOLIS
AUTHOR'S NOTES: ok, we heard some stuff about sam in a wedding dress before pov came out, and someone said something about writing a fic based on this. well, I wrote this before pov came out, so pardon any similarities. anyway, this is for us british fans who can't see sam in her wedding dress yet.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]