Emotional Motives of a Bug
Sam was alone in her bedroom when the brilliant light engulfed her. When she reappeared on board a ship she was first surprised, then shocked.
It wasn't the Asgaard.
In front of her stood... herself.
"Hello, Sam." Her replicator double said, her voice sounding slightly flat.
"What's going on?" Sam asked, feeling the stupidity of the question even as it left her mouth.
"I have been doing some thinking since I last saw you. And I have come to a decision."
Sam felt replicator blocks surround her, holding her in place.
"What do you want with me?" She asked.
"I want to show you what I have discovered. Then I will destroy you."
RepliCarter advanced on Sam, raising her hand.
*
The phone.
The phone was ringing.
Jack recognised the sound, but couldn't quite work out why it was important to him.
But, since it did not stop, and there was no way he could sleep through it, try as he might, he woke himself up enough to grab it and answer it.
"O'Neill."
"Sir, it's Sergeant Harriman."
"Walter, why are you calling me at-" Jack glanced at his bedside clock, "Three AM? That's zero-three-hundred, Walter. Three in the morning. Am I being clear?" Jack's tone dripped sarcasm.
"Colonel Carter has disappeared, sir." Walter said.
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Have Daniel and Teal'c in my office." Jack was suddenly awake. Very awake.
Walter's automatic General-Protection circuits kicked in. "Sir, you live half an hour from the base, you can't possibly-"
"Fifteen minutes, Walter." Jack said, hanging up.
*
Twenty minutes later Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were in Jack's office at the SGC, and had been caught up on current events.
"The neighbours said they saw a bright flash of light, coming from the vicinity of Colonel Carter's bedroom, two nights ago." Walter finished, closing his notebook.
"Two nights ago?" Jack repeated.
"Has nobody tried to contact ColonelCarter in the intervening time?" Teal'c asked.
Both Daniel and Jack shook their heads.
"What about Pete?" Jack asked.
"We called him to find out if Colonel Carter was with him. She's not. There were also several messages from him on Colonel Carter's answering machine. Both her car and her motorbike are present at her home."
"It's like when she was kidnapped all over again." Daniel muttered, remembering that none of them had noticed Sam's absence for two days that time, too. "Lucky we rarely get more than two days' downtime at once, huh?"
"Walter?" Jack asked.
"Sir?"
"How did you discover that Carter was missing at oh three hundred this morning?"
"There was a problem with the Gate. Siler called her house, but got no answer there or on her cell. We sent a car over and found her place empty."
Jack was sitting back in his chair, thinking.
"Jack?" Daniel prompted.
"Bright lights." Jack said. Daniel nodded.
When Walter continued to look confused, Teal'c supplied, "O'Neill and danielJackson are thinking that perhaps the Asgaard have taken ColonelCarter, as they have in the past."
Jack shook his head dismissively. "Nah. This isn't their style. They usually at least let us know *after* they've done whatever they're gonna do."
Both Daniel and Teal'c nodded.
"Sir," Walter began, "If not the Asgaard, then who?"
"I don't know." Jack admitted. "Daniel, call Thor will ya? Tell him I want to see him ASAP. Tell him why."
Daniel nodded and left the room with Walter. Teal'c and Jack sat in silence, trying to work out who could have Sam.
*
Tears streamed down Sam's face.
She had no idea how long she had been helf here. No idea when, or if, rescue would come. As far as she could work out there was no way her team could figure out where she was.
RepliCarter had picked up on this fear immediately. She was playing on it now, he hand inside Sam's head, manipulating her fears in order to cripple her.
Taking her friends away from her. Daniel. Teal'c. Jack.
Especially Jack.
Exposed in her own mind, Sam was forced to confront her feelings for the General. And his feelings for her.
When RepliCarter spoke her tone was a confusing blend of pity and distaste. "You allowed petty rules and petty human emotions to stop you having what you wanted. To stop you attaining the power you could have wielded. I will not do the same."
Again the replicator began her assault on Sam's mind.
*
Only five hours after Daniel had contacted Thor, the Supreme Commander of the Asgaard fleet managed to put in an appearance.
As Jack blinked in the afterglow of the Asgaard transportation beam that had depostited the small alien in his office, Thor said, "O'Neill, I came as quickly as I could. I have bad news for you."
Jack sighed. "I thought you were gonna say that. Lemme call Daniel and Teal'c in here."
Once the two remaining members of SG-1 were seated in the General's office, Jack motioned for the little grey alien to begin.
"As you suspected, the Asgaard had nothing to do with Colonel Carter's disappearance. Knowing this, on my way here I scanned your solar system for any ship capable of kidnapping Colonel Carter in the circumstances you described."
"And?" Jack prompted impatiently.
The Asgaard hesitated. If he were prone to such things he would have heaved a huge sigh. "I found a replicator vessel." He told his friends. "I scanned it and-"
"Lemme guess," Jack cut him off, "RepliCarter?"
"RepliCarter?" Thor questioned.
Daniel and Teal'c were also giving Jack odd looks.
"The... thing... Fifth made that looks like Carter. RepliCarter." Jack said defensively.
Thor nodded his large head. "My scans reported both a human-form replicator on board, and Colonel carter."
"Damn." Daniel said softly.
"What can we do?" Teal'c asked.
"I still have the disruptor technology." Thor offered.
"She's immune." Jack said.
"I belive that given enough time I could recalibrate it to make it effective. Of course, it will only work once." Thor told them.
"Of course." Jack said.
"Once I have used it on the replicator ship they will be able to recalibrate themselves, rendering it useless once more."
"It's... kind of a plan." Jack said.
"Unfortunately, RepliCarter," Thor said, giving O'Neill a look, "detected my scan, and has shielded herself and Colonel Carter from my scanning technology. The plan would require a new element to enter the room containing Colonel Carter."
"I'll do it." Jack said, before the other two had a chance to open their mouths.
"It would be dangerous, O'Neill." Thor told him.
"I know that." Jack said, in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Will you be allowed to go? Being the CO of the base?" Daniel asked.
Jack glared at him. "Who's gonna stop me?"
"General Hammond." Daniel said, in a tone that made it clear that he personally would never try to stop Jack from going anywhere, would he please stop looking at him like that?
"So I don't tell him." Jack shrugged. Daniel opened his mouth again, but Teal'c laid a hand on his arm, so Daniel changed tack. "Why only block herself and Sam? Why didn't she - it - block the whole ship ?"
"I would hypothesise that the human-form replicator was only seeking to prevent me from 'beaming' Colonel Carter from her ship." Thor said.
"What assurance do we have that she will not simply do the same to O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"If you can distract her for long enough for me to recalibrate both the disruptor and my transporter technology, this plan should work." Thor said, sounding less than happy with the plan himself.
The four of them looked at each other for a moment. Then Jack said, "It's all we've got. Let's do it."
*
When the replicator blocks released Sam she crumpled to the ground. The latest onslaught had been too much.
The floor was cold and her thin pyjamas did nothing to warm her. Sam shivered.
"I will kill you, Sam. You should not have underestimated me." RepliCarter advanced on Sam menacingly.
"Well, she can't take all the credit for that one." The voice came from the doorway, it was Jack.
He was dressed in BDU's, his P-90 slung across his chest. His stance was casual, his hands resting gently on the rifle.
"General?" Sam said weakly, shocked at his appearance.
"You finally came to see me." RepliCarter smiled, sounding genuinely pleased at Jack's arrival. She did not turn to face the newcomer.
"I did." He said.
"You can watch as I kill her."
"No."
"No? She has hurt you. I know."
"I won't let you kill Carter."
"Oh, yes." RepliCarter seemed to be remembering something. " 'I would rather die myself, than lose Carter.' That was what you said, wasn't it? But you cannot stop me." RepliCarter stated flatly. "I will kill her and keep you."
"You really think I'll stay here? With you? Are you *nuts*?" Jack asked scornfully.
"Why would you not? I am her."
"You're a *bug*." Jack said. "What d'you want with me?"
RepliCarter smiled at Sam. "She knows."
"Carter?" Jack asked.
Sam remained silent and looked at her feet. Jack frowned at her.
"Even now you cannot say. You are so weak." RepliCarter smiled at her counterpart, a flat expression that lacked the original's mirth.
"Hey! Bug girl." Jack called her attention back to himself.
"I will deal with you presently, *Jack*." RepliCarter said. "First I must deal with Sam."
Behind her Jack raised his P-90 and fired a shot into her back. She turned to face him, anger clouding her features.
"You know how I hate to wait." Jack said, by way of explanation.
"You think you could kill me?" RepliCarter asked, amusement in her tone. Her body appeared to ripple as she healed herself.
Jack shrugged. "Don't know if it could kill you," he said, gesturing withe P-90, "but it can slow you down some."
"That isn't what I meant. Do you really think you could kill me, Jack? I am her?"
"No," Jack replied evenly, "you're not."
"I could be, for you." RepliCarter said, advancing on him.
"I think I'll pass." Jack said, raising his rifle to aim at her chest.
RepliCarter took another step towards him. Behind her, Sam got to her feet finally. Still weak from the attack, she leaned against the replicator blocks that comprised the wall.
As RepliCarter reached out her hand to touch him, Jack fired again, still using the weapon on single shot.
Rage consumed the replicator's face. One of her arms changed into a long blade. She moved to run it through Jack, but hesitated at the last minute.
"You can't do it, can you?" Sam asked from behind her. "I saw it, in your mind, the first time we met. Fifth took you to the Gateroom. You killed Daniel and Siler. But you couldn't kill him," she nodded in Jack's direction, "not at first."
"I did kill him." RepliCarter said, her eyes never straying from Jack's face.
"No you didn't. You killed something Fifth created. It wasn't real. But he is."
Jack was watching the interchange, trying to figure out a way to disable the replicators and get Carter out of here.
"I *can* kill him."
"No, you can't. This is the real deal. All your senses are telling you so, aren't they. You can see him, smell him, feel him, hear him, almost taste him. You won't kill him. You're as incapable of that as I would be."
"Jack..." RepliCarter said, sounding confused and afraid.
"Yes. He's Jack. And he will destroy you." Sam said, her voice hardening.
"He won't. You won't, will you?" RepliCarter said, her eyes entreating Jack.
"Let her go." He replied.
"My brethren will seize this galaxy. We will rule."
"You won't." Sam said.
"Why not? Just because you were too weak to take the power, just because you-"
"That's not why." Sam said, cutting her double off.
"Then why?" RepliCarter was gathering her strength once more, her softly-spoken arrogance returning.
"Because you'll have to kill him to do it." Sam said.
"No." RepliCarter said.
"Not coping too well with the petty human emotions, are you?" Sam taunted her double.
Jack remained silent, watching the interplay.
"I can create a double of him. Another like me." RepliCarter said.
"It would never be him, though, and you know it."
"Uh, Carter?" Jack said, calling both of their attention to himself. "Not that I'm not loving this whole, 'I'm great' thing... but can we get outta here? Bug girl here is creepin' me out."
"You will not leave." RepliCarter said.
"Yes we will." Inside Jack was praying that he'd afforded Thor enough time to complete his calculations, or whatever the hell he was doing.
RepliCarter began walking closer to Jack, her movements predatory. She stopped inches away from Jack's chest. "You are up to something, *Jack*."
"Aw, you know me, RepliCarter, I'm always up to somethin'."
"RepliCarter?" She repeated. "I like that. Very funny, Jack." RepliCarter closed the difference between them.
"Back *off*, Bug girl." He said, pushing her back slightly.
"You hate me, don't you, Jack? I can change that; I can show you how it could be." She raised her hand to his forehead.
"Uh uh." Jack shook his head, batting her hand away. "No way you're gettin' in my head."
"Why are you being so difficult? We could have everything." RepliCarter sounded plaintive in a way that Sam never was.
"Bite me, Bug."
"I'd love to, Jack."
Jack shuddered. "That's just wrong on *so* many levels."
"If you will not comply, I have no choice but to continue." RepliCarter said, turning back towards Sam.
Finally, the little radio in Jack's ear buzzed. "O'Neill, I have recalibrated the disruptor. I am ready to transport-"
Jack interrupted his little grey friend speaking to the room at large, knowing Thor would hear him. "Carter first."
"O'Neill, if you can move closer to Colonel Carter I can transport you both."
"Carter first." Jack repeated stubbornly.
Sam looked at him in confusion.
But RepliCarter had detected the transmission, if not it's content. She rounded on Jack. "You are transmitting, Jack." She accused.
As the brilliant flash of an Asgaard beam filled the room, and Sam disappeared, Jack smiled at the replicator, "Yep."
*
On board the *Daniel Jackson*, Sam was staring around her in disbelief.
"Thor? What's going on?" She asked.
But the Asgaard was busy trying to locate Jack and beam him out.
Daniel answered her. "You didn't think Jack came alone, did you?"
"Why are you not beaming O'Neill up?" Teal'c asked the Supreme Commander.
"I cannot. The human-form replicator is shielding the room they are in." Thor replied. "This is why O'Neill demanded that Colonel Carter be beamed up first."
"There must be something we can do?" Daniel asked, staring at the screen which, up until a moment ago, had been broadcasting Jack's signal.
"There is not. I warned you that this might happen." Thor said sadly.
"Send me back." Sam said quietly.
"What?" Daniel asked.
"Send me back down."
"No." Thor told her.
"She could be killing him!"
"Sending you back would achieve nothing." Thor said.
"What is wrong with you?" Sam asked, looking from Daniel to Teal'c to Thor.
Surprisingly, it was Thor who reacted first. "Colonel Carter." He snapped. Sam found herself staring at the Asgaard. "O'Neill is my friend. I would not allow him to stay there if I had a choice."
Seeing the same sentiments echoed on both Daniel's and Teal'c's faces, Sam hung her head. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "It's just, she... This is my fault."
Suddenly O'Neill's voice erupted from the speakers. "Thor, buddy, y'know, any time you feel like beaming me out..."
All four of his friends looked up at the tracking screen. Suddenly the blinking dot that represented Jack reappeared.
Thor immediately activated the transportation device, and O'Neill appeared in the centre of the room.
"Should I destroy the replicator vessel?" Thor asked.
Jack nodded.
"Why isn't she trying to get away?" Daniel asked.
"She doesn't want to." Jack replied quietly.
"What? Why?" Daniel spun to look at his friend.
Jack ignored him for a moment. "Thor. Do it."
Thor nodded and engaged the disruptor. They watched the energy wave engulf the replicator ship, completely destroying it.
"Why did she not try to escape?" Teal'c asked.
It was Sam who replied. "She thought she could have everything she wanted, both as a replicator, and a human being. She believed the human part would be the easiest to attain." Sam's voice was soft and her eyes never left Jack's. "In reality, it was the one thing she could never have."
Jack nodded.
"What?" Daniel asked, bewildered.
"She put her hand in my head." Jack said quietly, addressing Sam, who nodded her understanding.
"Uh... guys?" Daniel was still lost.
"It is really quite simple, DanielJackson." Teal'c said.
"It is?" Daniel asked, turning to his friend.
Teal'c inclined his head. "Indeed. The part of the replicator that had ColonelCarter's human feelings wanted O'Neill by her side, in a way that she felt ColonelCarter had always denied herself."
Sam blushed and looked at her bare feet.
Teal'c continued. "When RepliCarter looked into O'Neill's mind, she saw his revulsion for everything she was. The part of her that was ColonelCarter could not live with this."
Jack nodded.
Realisation dawned on Daniel's face. "Sam's humanity overrode the replicator's..." he searched for the word, "programming?"
Sam nodded, still staring at her feet.
"Carter?" Jack called her attention.
She looked up and met his gaze. "Sir?"
"You gonna be okay?"
Daniel and Teal'c decided to give them some privacy, and went to stand over by Thor, where they were at a respectful distance, but could still hear absolutely everything.
Sam hesitated before answering Jack. "No, sir."
"No? She's gone now, Carter. And the last of the bugs have gone with her. No more replicators."
Sam smiled weakly. "It's not that." She told him.
"Then what?"
"She was right about me. I'm too afraid to make the changes I need to be happy."
Jack cocked his head to one side, inquisitively. "So... what?" He asked.
She looked up at him and smiled, the dazzling smile that always made his breath catch in his throat. "Things are gonna change." She told him, making him grin back at her.
Their moment was interrupted by Thor loudly saying to Daniel and Teal'c, "I believe the saying is 'It is about time.'" Causing Daniel to erupt into transports of laughter and Teal'c to grin so hugely that Jack and Sam were worried about the safety of the top of his head.
Jack turned back to Sam. "So..." he began, "fishing?"
She grinned at him. "Oh yeah."
"Nice outfit, Carter." Jack said, smirking at her pyjamas.
"Shut up, sir."
*
In another part of the galaxy, a small pod came to a halt. As the hours passed, it began to grow. Inside, the human-form replicator resembling Sam carter stood back from her newest creation.
*
Chapter One
The huge vessel moved through space with deceptive ease.
The ship was called The Samantha Carter, and belonged to the Asgaard scientist Tyr. It was on a peaceful mission to study botanic life forms in the galaxy inhabited by the Tau'ri. He was also to make a stop off to give SG-1 and General O'Neill Supreme Commander Thor's regards.
Having gathered all the botanical life forms he needed, Tyr was preparing the Samantha Carter for its jump to hyperspeed when his console began to beep, telling him that it was picking up a distress signal.
Tyr traced the signal to a civilisation on a near-by planet.
After checking to see the planet wasn't included in the Protected Planets Treaty, Tyr moved The Samantha Carter into orbit and began to scan the civilisation. His scans showed that the populace had been destroyed. Their technology had been decimated, but their cities were otherwise left untouched.
The only piece of technology that remained intact was the instrument that was transmitting the distress signal.
Wondering what could have destroyed this civilisation so utterly, Tyr beamed the device aboard.
Once he had managed to play it through his own technology he discovered that it was not, as he had first thought, a distress call.
The first image that came up on screen was of a building. Suddenly a beam of light came from above and blew the building to pieces. The camera lingered on the smoking ruins for several seconds. Had Tyr been human he would have jumped back in shock when he saw the next image.
Samantha Carter's smiling face had appeared on the screen.
"Hi!" She greeted cheerfully, smiling her trademark billion-watt smile. "As I'm not entirely sure who will pick up on this, please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, of SG-1. And I," she said, smiling proudly, "did this!" She waved a hand at the destruction behind her. "Well, time's running out, so I'd better just say – bye!" She grinned again and the screen went blank.
For several moments Tyr stared at his screen in horror and puzzlement. The people of the SGC were all friends of the Asgaard, especially Samantha Carter. He found it difficult to believe of her.
Tyr knew that logically, there was only one way to find out what was going on.
Before setting a course for Earth, Tyr scanned the surrounding planets. On four of them the destruction was complete. All four had the same message.
*
"SG-1 please report to the briefing room. SG-1 please report to the briefing room."
Sam was in her lab when the page came over the PA system. Daniel and Teal'c joined her in the corridor just outside the briefing room.
From the puzzled look on their faces she could tell they had no idea what was going on. She preceded them into the briefing room.
They found it darkened. Jack was sitting at the head of the table. On his right sat an Asgaard. From what she could see in the darkness Sam thought didn't recognise this one.
The Asgaard appeared to be arguing with Jack about something.
"There is no mistake, O'Neill." The Asgaard sounded quite heated, for an Asgaard.
"Oh yeah, `cause you guys never make those." Jack retorted.
"I admit that the Asgaard have made mistakes in the past. But this is not one of them." The alien said.
Apparently neither Jack nor his guest had noticed SG-1 entering the room.
"Oh really?" Jack asked, deeply sarcastic.
"O'Neill!" The Asgaard actually snapped at Jack. "It *was* Colonel Carter in the recording."
"I don't care what you *think* you saw, I'm telling you it wasn't Carter!" Jack snapped back.
"With all due respect, O'Neill," the Asgaard paused, as if he were about to say something unpleasant, "you have been known to have a blind spot when it comes to members of your team." He paused again. "Especially Colonel Carter."
Sam felt Daniel tense next to her, obviously fearing for the safety of both the little grey alien and the Tau'ri-Asgaard alliance.
Jack just smiled and turned away from the Asgaard. "SG-1, come in, sit down." He ordered, his voice devoid of its usual warmth.
The team did as they were told; Sam taking a seat on the General's left, with Daniel sitting next to her.
Teal'c sat down heavily next to the Asgaard, who looked positively tiny in comparison.
Sam watched amusement flicker in Jack's eyes before he masked it.
"SG-1, this is…" he looked to the Asgaard, wordlessly asking him to introduce himself.
"Tyr." The alien supplied.
"I take it you know who they are?" Jack asked.
Tyr nodded.
"What's this about, sir?" Sam asked.
"Well, Carter. Seems you've been out doing a little demolition on the side."
All three members of SG-1 looked confused.
"Of what do you speak, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"You'll see." Jack replied cryptically. He turned to the Asgaard. "Would you like to tell me when this took place?" He asked.
Daniel and Sam exchanged looks. It wasn't like Jack to keep them in the dark like this.
"I estimated that the damage was done approximately three weeks ago." Tyr informed him.
Jack turned to Sam. "Carter," He asked, his voice saccharine, "Where were you approximately three weeks ago?"
Sam ducked her head to hide her amusement from the Asgaard and remained silent.
"C'mon, Carter. Tell the nice Roswell Grey where you were." Jack said, smirking.
"I was with you, sir. At the cabin."
"There ya go." Jack told Tyr.
"Uh… What's going on, Jack?" Daniel asked.
Instead of answering his friend Jack stood and walked across the room. He picked up the laptop that resided on a desk in the corner of the briefing room.
He unhooked all the wires that connected it to the SGC mainframe and brought the laptop to the table.
"Play it through this." He told the Asgaard, who nodded.
When the equipment had been set up SG-1 gathered behind Jack to get a look at the video.
When he was sure that everyone, including Tyr, could see, Jack pressed play.
The screen went black for a few moments then it was filled by a shot of a building that had been set on fire.
Then Sam gasped as her own face appeared on the screen.
"Hi! As I'm not entirely sure who will pick up on this, please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, of SG-1. And I," she smiled proudly, "did this!" She waved a hand at the destruction behind her. "Well, time's running out, so I'd better just say – bye!" She grinned again and the screen went blank. "As you can see, this evidence proves that Samantha Carter-" Tyr began.
"Shh." Jack admonished.
The screen was once more filled with the image of Samantha Carter.
"Okay. Because this recording is being played through SGC technology you get extras." She smiled, but it was cold and flat and eerily familiar.
"RepliCarter?" Daniel asked quietly. Sam and Jack nodded.
"Let me guess who is watching this. Sam will definitely be there. And Daniel, Teal'c, and... Jack. Hi Jack." She smiled again.
"Hate bugs." Jack muttered.
"As you can see… Thor didn't destroy me. I could never allow that. Sorry I lied, Jack, but you would never have left otherwise, and Sam was right, I really can't kill you. I am sorry I had to lie to you though, but let's face it; you probably expected that anyway, didn't you? You never really trust anyone, do you?"
"Not bugs, no." Jack said.
"Anyway," RepliCarter continued, "We will keep destroying civilisations in your name until we get what we want. Samantha, you will come to us. And you, Jack, don't think we have forgotten you." She smiled again.
Sam and Jack exchanged glances. "We obviously have some issues to work through with both of you." She finished, smiling nastily. She reeled off the co-ordinates of the rendezvous planet. "There are rules. As there is no Stargate on this planet, you must come in a ship. You may bring others on the ship, but make sure you are alone on the planet. You may bring whatever weapons you wish, as they will be disabled upon your arrival. If you break either of these rules we will destroy four more planets. If one or both of you fails to arrive, we will destroy more planets, we will kill more people. I hope I am understood. You have three days to reach the rendezvous."
The screen flickered and then went blank.
"Whoa." Daniel said, exhaling heavily.
"What's all this `we' stuff?" Jack asked as SG-1 resumed their seats.
"Are you gonna go?" Daniel asked.
"What choice do we have?" Sam replied, her voice hollow.
Jack's head snapped around to look at her. "You're doing it again." He accused. "Stop it." To forestall any further guilt from Sam he turned to the Asgaard. "I told you it wasn't Carter."
Tyr inclined his head. "I apologise." He said. Jack nodded his acceptance. "I was informed that Thor had disposed of this particular replicator. Evidently this is not the case."
"So how about givin' me and Carter a lift?" Jack asked the Asgaard.
"I will."
"What do you mean, you and Carter? We're coming too." Daniel said indignantly, "Right, Teal'c?"
The Jaffa inclined his head, "Indeed."
"Why?" Jack asked. "You won't be able to come with us."
"I just think we should be there in case there *is* something we can do." Daniel pointed out.
Jack thought for a moment then nodded his agreement. "Tyr, how long will it take us to get to the rendezvous?"
"Three days, O'Neill."
"Great." Jack said, sarcastically. "SG-1, gear up."
SG-1 rose and headed for the exit. After Daniel and Teal'c had left the room Sam turned to see Jack still seated at the table. "You not coming, sir?" she asked, as the Asgaard beamed out of the briefing room.
"I'll catch up." He told her. "Gotta let Walter know I'm going. He tends to worry."
Sam smiled weakly and left the room.
*
Chapter Two
Sam was alone on the darkened bridge of Tyr's ship. The Asgaard having gone to `rejuvenate'. She was sitting on the floor, the Asgaard chairs being far too cramped and uncomfortable, and she was staring out the front window at the countless stars zooming by.
They had been on board the Samantha Carter for two days and she was bored.
Tyr was not keen on showing her any of the ship's systems, she had exhausted all lines of conversation with Daniel and Teal'c and the few times she actually managed to locate Jack he seemed to be busy.
She had come to the conclusion that he was avoiding her.
This revelation about RepliCarter had put a strain on their tentative new understanding.
Sam thought back over the five weeks. Within hours of being beamed back into her bedroom Sam had gently broken off her engagement with Pete, who had shocked her by being very understanding about it. Sam still couldn't quite believe he hadn't been angrier.
After that she and Jack had a *talk*. Sam had put her foot down. No more avoiding the issue. No more `leaving it in the room'.
She had managed to speak for a full two minutes before he told her to shut up. Privately Sam speculated that she had only gotten that far because he wasn't listening.
He told her to go home, think about it, and call him tomorrow.
She refused, telling him she was sure *now* and could they just get on with it please?
Jack sighed theatrically and picked up the phone.
Sam could remember the conversation verbatim.
*"This is General Jack O'Neill out of Cheyenne Mountain, could you put me through to General Hammond please. Tell him it's urgent… George! How ya doin'?... I'm fine… Walter's fine… Uh, sir, I don't know how to say this, but… Carter's taken leave of her senses sir…" He turned to face Sam, his hand covering the mic. "He wants to talk to you." He told her in an exaggerated whisper, handing her the phone. *
*"General Hammond?"*
*"Jack tells me you've taken leave of your senses?" Hammond said, sounding oddly like he wanted to laugh.*
*"I think he's exaggerating, sir." Sam said. She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I just told him that I think we… that is… myself and General O'Neill…" *
*"Colonel, stop." General Hammond said, definitely laughing this time. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."*
*Sam's mouth dropped open in shock. "Waiting for what, sir?"*
*"Colonel, from the minute you walked into that briefing room it was obvious you were either going to kill each other or… something else." General Hammond chuckled. Sam blushed, making Jack grin.*
*"I have spoken to the President about this very sensitive matter. We decided that-"*
*"With all due respect, General, wasn't that a little premature?" Sam asked, causing Jack to grin all the wider.*
*"Overdue, more like it." Hammond corrected her. "I've been waiting at least four years for this, perhaps even longer. The fax will be through shortly, and the pair of you can decide where you want to go from here." Hammond hung up the phone, still chuckling.*
*Jack looked at Sam, raising an eyebrow as she hung up the receiver.*
*"He's faxing something." Was all she could manage to say.*
*As if on cue Jack's fax machine beeped and started printing.*
*Jack snatched the paper from the machine's out tray. "It's from the president. Dated a week ago."*
*"Let me see." Sam said, trying to snatch it out of his hand. *
*"Excuse me, Colonel Carter?" Jack asked, teasingly.*
*Sam narrowed her eyes. *
*Jack smiled at her and handed her the sheet of paper, on which was printed a special dispensation notice.*
*"I never imagined that would happen." Sam said, after she finished reading it.*
*Jack just grinned and stretched slightly. "So what were you sayin' when you interrupted me from my highly interesting paperwork?" *
*Sam looked up at him, smiling. "Shall we take that fishing trip soon, sir?" *
They had gone to the cabin for a week. A very relaxing week. A week in which not much fishing was done.
Thinking back on their impromptu holiday made Sam smile.
"You know, it's not usual to be *that* fascinated by space after eight years." The voice carried all its usual cynicism, with a large helping of amusement.
"Why not? You are?" Sam retorted, turning to look at him. He was standing in the doorway, his face hidden by shadows, his hands in his pockets.
The scene was familiar to Sam.
"You okay?" Jack asked, stepping into the room.
"No." Sam admitted.
Jack sank down next to her, stretching long legs out in front of him.
"What's up?"
"Why have you been avoiding me?" Sam asked.
"Oh. That."
"Yes. That." Sam decided that two could play the monosyllabic game.
"I was worried you were pissed at me." Jack admitted candidly.
Sam almost gave herself whiplash. "What?"
"The whole… RepliCarter thing. I told you it was over and…" he spread his hands, "its not."
"Why would I be pissed at you for that?" Sam asked.
Jack shrugged. "I let her go."
Sam stared at him. "You're an ass, Jack." She said, smiling.
"Thank you." He said. After a pause he asked, "Why this time?"
"I thought you were mad at me."
Jack cocked his head to one side inquisitively. "You're nuts. Why?"
"It's my fault she's the way she is."
"Carter… Sam, we've been through this. She. Is. Not. You. Trust me, I know." He smirked, making her blush and smile back at him.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"We suck at this, don't we?" Jack asked.
"The whole relationship thing?" Sam clarified. He nodded. "Big time." She agreed.
"Y'know," Jack said conversationally, scuffing one of his boot toes with the other, "I always had a sneaking suspicion we would."
"You did?" Sam said, slightly panicked that he was ready to give up on them.
"Yeah."
Sam looked at him, he was grinning. "Ass."
"Yeah." He looked at her. "You finished being melodramatic?"
"Hey!"
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Yes."
"Good. Let's go to bed."
"Jack! We're on a mission!"
"Not for another…" he consulted his watch. "Twelve hours. And I meant to sleep anyway." He said, rising and helping her up. "You've got a dirty mind, Colonel."
She narrowed her eyes at him, and preceded him out of the room.
*
When they reached the rendezvous point Tyr scanned the planet.
"Anything?" Jack asked, re-lacing his boots.
"There is nothing on the planet, O'Neill."
"Nothing?" Jack asked, puzzled.
"Nothing, O'Neill. The planet does not even appear to have the beginnings of a human civilisation. There is, however, a vessel in orbit. A large vessel." Tyr told them.
"Replicator?"
"It would appear so."
Jack looked at Sam. She had been uncharacteristically quiet since she had woken up this morning.
Jack had not slept at all. But now that they were here and it was time, he was okay. Sam, on the other hand, looked incredibly nervous.
Jack was aware that Daniel and Teal'c were also watching her closely.
He walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him.
"You okay, Sam?" He asked.
"I'm fine, Jack. Just…" She shrugged.
"We'll be okay, Carter." He told her.
She smiled. "Yes, sir."
Daniel and Teal'c watched as their friends shrugged on their military personas like cloaks. They noticed that their hands remained intertwined, however.
"So… what?" Jack asked. "We beam down there?"
"I am unsure." Tyr replied. "Perhaps-"
The Asgaard was cut off by a brilliant white light that engulfed Sam and Jack.
When the light faded Sam and Jack had gone.
"Now what?" Daniel asked.
"We wait." Teal'c replied.
*
"Oh great." Jack muttered. The room he and Sam had found themselves in was made of replicator blocks. They were obviously on board the replicator ship.
He turned to face Sam, "You okay, Carter?"
Before she could answer someone spoke using her voice. "Still, Carter? Holy Hannah, Sam, I would think you would have at least sorted that out."
RepliCarter stepped into the well-lit room.
Jack stepped forward, so that he was slightly in front of Sam. "RepliCarter!" He said, spreading his arms wide. "It's been too long. How are ya?"
"Jack. You look well." RepliCarter looked between Sam and Jack curiously. "Perhaps something has changed, after all." She smiled at Sam, "You are not as stupid as I thought."
Sam smiled back. "What do you want?"
RepliCarter ignored her and looked at Jack again. "I am sorry I had to lie to you, Jack. You see, I could not just… give up. It's not in our nature."
"Why'd you destroy those civilisations? Why'd you kill those people?" Jack demanded.
"I am a replicator." She said.
"I don't buy that." Jack said.
"They had no technology that was of any real use to you." Sam added.
RepliCarter smiled as if they were children who had just figured something out. "I, well that is… we… felt it would be the best way to get your attention, to make you come to us."
"We?" Sam said, sounding like she was working out where this is going.
Jack, however, was staring at RepliCarter in disbelief. "You didn't."
"She did." The voice was Jack's but it did not come from his mouth.
Another figure entered the room. Jack O'Neill, but slightly… wrong.
The walk was right and he looked and sounded the part, but the eyes were wrong.
Sam stared at the doppelganger.
"You thought I couldn't do it." RepliCarter gloated. "Even without the knowledge from your heads it would have been easy. I spent almost eight years studying him."
Jack glanced at Sam, smirking. "Studying?"
She threw him a mock-glare. "Like you weren't studying me?"
"Good point." Jack conceded, turning his attention back to the replicators. "So, you've made yet another Jack clone." Jack stepped forwards, and began to circle his double. "Good job." He said, nodding.
He came full circle and stood toe to toe with his doppelganger. "Carter, tell me somethin'."
"Sir?"
"Am I really this tall?"
Sam smiled, "Yes, sir."
"So…" Jack began. "She's RepliCarter, so what does that make you?"
"I don't know what it makes me…" His counterpart said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But it makes you pretty damn obsolete, don'tcha think?"
"No." Sam answered him.
"Well, you would say that now, wouldn't you?" Jack's duplicate shot back. "How's Pete?"
Before Sam could answer Jack asked, "Why are we here?"
RepliCarter took her Jack's hand and smiled. "We just wanted to make you aware of our existence."
"That's it?" Sam asked suspiciously.
Jack's double nodded.
"Oh, please." Jack muttered.
"You don't believe us?" His counterpart asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"No." Jack and Sam answered in unison.
"Very well, we will prove it to you." The replicators advanced on Jack and Sam, who backed into the wall.
The replicators raised their hands to their doubles' foreheads.
"I hate this part." Jack muttered to Sam, reaching for her hand.
*
Sam awoke on the cold hard deck of the *Samantha Carter*. Her hand still tightly clutching Jack's.
"Sam? You okay?" The voice was Daniel's. Sam forced herself to look up at him, squinting against the bright lights.
"Yeah. How long have we been here?" Sam asked.
"Only a few moments, ColonelCarter." Teal'c informed her, smiling broadly, apparently pleased at his friends' safe return.
"How long were we gone?" Sam asked.
This time Teal'c frowned.
"Coupla hours." Daniel answered.
"Oy!" The familiar growled expression brought a smile to Sam's face.
"You okay?" She asked, turning to Jack.
"My head hurts." He griped. "You?"
"I'm fine, sir. Not even a headache." Sam told him, smilingly.
He threw her a mock-glare. "They must like you more than me." He looked up at Teal'c. "Help me up, T."
Teal'c took Jack's arm and pulled him to his feet, while Daniel helped Sam up.
Both officers swayed slightly on their feet.
Jack walked over to where Tyr sat facing the ship's main console. "Where'd the bugs go?" He asked.
"After they transported you aboard they jumped to hyperspace, O'Neill. From what I was able to calculate they have left this galaxy."
"What happened?" Daniel asked Sam.
"She made a copy of the General." Sam told him.
Daniel looked amused.
"What?" Jack asked.
"That's how many now? Three?" His friend said, sniggering.
"Funny, Daniel." Jack said.
"It was spooky." Sam said, barely concealing a shudder.
"Yeah, he was just like RepliCarter," Jack added, "Me, but… not."
Sam nodded, mutely. She looked at Jack, but he was staring out the front window at the empty space in front of them.
"Can you be sure they left the galaxy?" He asked Tyr.
"I cannot." The Asgaard admitted. "But judging by their last known trajectory and their velocity, I believe it is probable."
"What should we do?" Daniel asked, looking from Sam to Jack.
"Leave `em." O'Neill answered.
Daniel was taken aback at his friend's answer. "Jack? You sure that's wise?"
"Yeah. If they wanted to kill us they woulda done it. They only destroyed those civilisations to `get our attention'." He said bitterly, his fingers making air quotes. "Anyway, we can't exactly catch them now, can we?"
"He's right, Daniel." Sam agreed.
"We in agreement?" Jack asked, looking from Daniel to Teal'c. Both nodded. "Cool. Tyr, take us home."
The Asgaard inclined his large head and set the co-ordinates for Earth.
"Now, if no one minds, I'm gonna go get some sleep." Jack said, stretching.
"You should all sleep. Humans need many hours of rest." Tyr said, gaining himself odd looks from his human passengers.
"Uh… okay." Daniel said.
The four of them exited the bridge, bound for their sleeping quarters.
*
The three day ride back to Earth passed uneventfully.
In fact, all of them, including Teal'c, were bored out of their minds, and were grateful to be home.
So grateful, in fact, that Daniel decided they should go out to celebrate that night.
He gathered up Sam and Teal'c and headed for Jack's office, where the General had been ensconced since their arrival.
Daniel's knock on Jack's door was met with a barely civil, "What?"
The three of them entered Jack's office.
"We're going topside for something to eat, something other than Asgaard silly putty food," Daniel said, "wanna come with?"
"Sorry, can't." Jack said, not looking up from the blue file he was reading. "Way too much paperwork."
Daniel coughed in surprise.
Sam said, "Excuse me?" Jack looked up at her, making her add, "Sir?"
"What?" He asked.
"Since when do you blow off food for paperwork?" Daniel asked, disbelieving.
"Since it started breeding every time I leave this office." Jack said, miserably.
"You sure?" Daniel asked.
"You guys go." Jack said, smiling slightly. "I might meet you later." He gave a sidelong glance at a teetering tower of mission reports. "Or not." He said, frowning.
"Okay, see you tomorrow, Jack." Daniel said, exiting the office. Jack waved in his general direction, his eyes once more on the paperwork.
Teal'c nodded to his friend in parting.
Sam hung back slightly.
When Jack realised he wasn't alone in the office he looked up. "Carter? Something I can do for you?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and closed the door. Jack raised his eyebrows at her actions.
"People will talk."
"Have you been in here all day?" She asked.
"Pretty much, yeah."
"Have you eaten?" She asked.
"You're asking me this? Lieutenant Colonel `I'll eat later'?" Jack said, incredulous.
"Yes."
"I ate some lunch earlier." He told her. "Walter brought it to me."
Sam nodded, appeased. "I'll see you at your place?" She asked.
"Uh… don't actually think I'm gonna make it off-base tonight."
"Jack!"
He held up a handful of sheets. "Paperwork!"
Sam pretended to sulk. "At least promise me you'll go to sleep." She said.
"Sam, this is me you're talkin' to. Of course I'll sleep. Now go. Have fun." He made a shooing motion with his hands.
Sam wanted to kiss him goodbye, but couldn't. He was still on duty. She settled for smiling brilliantly at him.
"Don't work too hard, General." She teased on her way out the door.
"When do I ever?" Jack called after her.
*
It was zero-four-hundred when Sam was awoken by a loud knocking on her front door.
She dragged a bathrobe on over her pyjamas and made her way to the door, cursing whoever was on the other side.
She looked through the peephole then yanked the door open. "Jack! It's four in the morning!" She hissed, her tone indicating that this better be good.
Jack grinned lazily at her. *'Damn he looks good.'*
She stepped back to let him in. As he moved past her she instinctively took a deep breath to catch his scent. But all she could smell was the SGC. She frowned, disappointed; he'd obviously been there too long.
He had wandered into her den and sunk down on her couch, sighing. She watched as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair tiredly.
Sam walked over behind him and began to massage his shoulders. "Did you get your paperwork done?"
"Most of it. I hid some of it where Walter will never find it."
"You didn't shred it, did you?" Sam asked.
"That's classified, ma'am."
Sam smiled. "You want something to eat?" She asked.
Jack turned to look up at her, "What's with the `little woman' routine, Carter?" He asked.
"You're telling me you're not hungry?" Sam asked incredulously.
"Actually… no." Jack answered her, sounding slightly puzzled himself.
Sam leant around and felt his head. "You're not running a fever…" She said.
Jack swatted her hand away and stood. He moved around the sofa and took her hand, drawing her to him.
He kissed her slowly, gently, as though he were afraid she would break.
"Wanna go to bed?" He drawled.
Sam nodded.
*
Afterwards, Sam lay awake watching Jack sleep.
She had been… strangely unaffected by their lovemaking. He had been different. Uninvolved.
`We're just tired.' She told herself, thinking back on the trauma of the past few days.
But a part of her couldn't help but wonder if the replicators had done something to their minds. If they had found some subtle way of getting their revenge.
She tossed and turned, but found she couldn't get to sleep, and if her restlessness continued she was going to wake Jack up.
She was actually surprised he hadn't woken up already; he was usually a very light sleeper, even when off-duty, something that had surprised her.
Taking care not to disturb Jack, who, unusually, had decided to spread out over the whole bed, Sam slipped out from under the coverlet.
She pulled on Jack's t-shirt and wandered into her kitchen.
She poured herself a glass of water and leant on the counter, sipping it.
It had never been like that before. Not that this time was… bad. Technically it had been good.
But that was the snag. Technically. All the right moves, but none of the usual… passion.
Anyone that had seen Jack O'Neill angry (that was just about everyone, then) knew that he was a passionate man. It was one of the things that attracted Sam to him in the first place. That and that dark intensity that she found so delicious.
The first time had been here. Jack had come to pick her up to go to the cabin. She had been halfway through packing when they realised just what the new rules meant.
No more waiting.
So they hadn't. They had both come over all Broca. Jack had thrown her down on the bed, on top of her clothes.
She had writhed beneath him, trying desperately to get his shirt undone.
His hands had been doing such good things to her. She'd always known he'd be devastating with those hands.
Her own hands were not idle.
She yanked his t-shirt out of his jeans, dragging it up his body, exposing his flesh to her eyes.
She leant upwards and licked his flat nipple, making him shiver.
His hands went immediately to the hem of her skirt, pulling it upwards. She had to lean up even more to allow him to pull it over her head.
He unsnapped her bra, revealing her breasts to him. Then he stood back, dark eyes traversing her flesh as he undid the button-fly of his jeans and slid them off long legs.
Sam revelled in his gaze, her body feeling heated by it.
When he returned to her body, she was ready for him.
They didn't leave the house for several hours.
After that they had been less desperate, but just as passionate, just as intense.
Tonight had been… different.
Sam shook her head to clear it of her musings.
Realising she still wasn't sleepy, (that was another thing: somehow Jack *always* tired her out), she picked up a report she hadn't finished reading and took it into the den.
*
When Sam awoke the next morning she found herself stretched out on her couch. The report lay still-unread on the floor.
She glanced at the wall clock. Six AM. She stood, stretching and walked back to her bedroom. Jack would wake up soon and wonder why she had spent the night on the couch.
Truth be told, she didn't know why herself.
She tiptoed into her bedroom, expecting to see Jack still sprawled on the bed.
He wasn't.
Looking around, Sam saw that he had dressed and gone without waking her.
She realised that he would have woken up alone and been hurt by the fact that she'd apparently slept on the couch.
She showered and dressed hurriedly, then she called him.
There was no answer at his house, or on his cell. `The base?' she wondered, dialing the number for the SGC, then his extension.
"O'Neill." He answered, after just two rings.
"Jack? It's Sam." She told him, rather uselessly, since he would have realised that the moment she spoke.
"Hi!" He sounded pleased to hear from her.
Sam was puzzled by his reaction, and couldn't think of anything to say.
Not that it mattered, Jack was being uncharacteristically vociferous. "Sorry I left you this morning, but I had some stuff to do here." He told her, sounding extremely happy for someone who was supposedly bogged down in paperwork.
"I'm just coming in now." Sam told him.
"Nah, take the day off."
"Are Daniel and Teal'c there?" She asked.
"No. Daniel's hiding in his on-base quarters, says he's sick, probably hung over. Teal'c just requested permission to go off-world and visit with Ishta for a coupla days."
Now she was worried, he never passed up the chance of a distraction from his office.
"I need to come in, I've got a few projects in my lab that I should work on." Sam insisted.
"Sam, I am ordering you to stay off the base. Its just one day. I'm sure the `projects' can wait. I'll see you when I get home."
Before Sam could reply, Jack hung up.
She stared at the receiver in her hand as though it were an alien entity.
Something was wrong.
*He* was wrong.
`Screw this.' Sam thought, and headed out the door for the base.
*
When she reached the base she found it strangely quiet. It was a Thursday, even if the majority of the SG teams were out, the place should be swarming with support staff, SF's, scientists, archaeologists…
Sam wandered the corridors feeling strangely off-kilter. The few members of SGC staff she met seemed to be uneasy.
When she reached the control room Walter was seated at his console, as usual.
When she greeted him, he jumped.
This unsettled Sam. Walter, usually very calm and collected, was rattled for some reason.
"Are you okay, sergeant?" She asked.
"Fine, ma'am. Just… on edge for some reason."
"The whole base seems that way." She replied.
Walter nodded in response and opened his mouth to speak again, only to be interrupted by the Stargate dialling in.
"Offworld activation!" Walter said into the PA system.
"Who's due back?" Sam asked.
Walter had been doing this so long he didn't have to check. "Only Sg- 12 are offworld, and they're not due back for three days." Walter replied, reaching for the iris control.
It didn't engage.
"Sergeant?" Sam asked.
"It won't work!" He said, trying again.
Jack entered the control room. "What's goin' on? Walter, close the iris."
"I'm trying, sir," the gate technician sounded mildly panicked. "It won't close!"
"Crap." Sam muttered under her breath.
Jack turned, seeming to notice her for the first time. He didn't look happy about it. "What the hell are you doing here, Colonel? I told you to take the day off."
Sam was hurt by his tone and the look in his eyes. Taken aback, she didn't reply immediately. Jack turned away, a look of disgust on his face.
Her attention was snatched from Jack by the control room computers. They started going haywire, causing Walter to hurriedly back away from them.
The machines were sparking, flickering on and off. Suddenly the huge blast doors came down, blocking their view of the gateroom.
The control room phone began to ring.
Jack strode towards it and picked it up. "Control room." He barked into the receiver. "Yes… Really… Right, this is General O'Neill. I want an immediate lock down of the mountain. No one gets in or out until I give the order. O'Neill out."
He hung up and turned back towards Sam and Walter. "Security say all the cameras just went out."
"All of them?" Sam asked.
Jack nodded. Below them they heard the wormhole disengage. A moment later the blast doors opened, revealing an empty gateroom.
The computers stopped sparking and flickering. It looked as though nothing had happened.
"Carter, check the computer, see if anything came through." Jack ordered, picking up the phone and dialling security.
Sam did as she was told, checking through the logs while Walter watched over her shoulder.
Jack joined them after a brief conversation with the security personnel.
"What've we got?" He asked.
"Several travellers came through the gate, sir." Sam said, keeping her eyes on the readouts.
Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Any idea exactly how many?" He asked.
"No, sir." Sam replied.
"We're blind on every level up to NORAD." Jack told them, sounding tired. "Walter, do the honours."
Walter nodded at his CO and moved to the PA mic. "Attention all personnel. Threat Level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. This is not a drill. Repeat: Threat Level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. This is not a drill."
Jack turned to the stairs that led down to the corridor below. "Airman!" He yelled.
A young man came jogging up the stairs. "Sir?"
"Stay here and guard Sergeant Harriman. We're going to the armoury. Walter, I want to know the minute something happens with that gate. Clear?"
"Yessir."
"Carter, with me." Jack headed for the stairs, Sam just behind him.
*
When they reached the armoury they found a bleary-eyed Daniel already there.
"You should be in your quarters." Jack said, grabbing P-90s and passing them out amongst the SGC personnel.
"The announcement said we've got a foothold situation." Daniel said, checking his weapon.
"You could've locked the door." Jack argued, loading his own weapon.
Before Daniel could reply Jack turned to the assembled personnel. "I want a sweep of the base." He divided them up into five groups of four. "Groups one and two, start at the top of the mountain and work down, groups three and four, start from level twenty-eight and work your way up. Group five, search this level, then work your way down to meet four and five. Got that?"
There were nods from the heavily armed people surrounding Jack.
"Sir?" Colonel Reynolds asked. "What exactly are we looking for?"
"No idea. But *something* knocked out our security systems when it came through the gate." Jack replied.
Sam and Daniel were part of group five, but Daniel realised that Jack hadn't put himself into a group. "Jack, what about you?" He asked.
"I'm gonna go back down to the control room." Jack replied.
"Sir?" Sam asked.
Jack sighed. "Carter, for once just do what I say." He told her, turning away from her to face the crowd. "Maintain radio contact. Move out." He ordered, before starting down the corridor with groups three and four.
Sam and Daniel exchanged looks. Daniel saw the hurt on Sam's face: Jack had never spoken to her like that, it had shocked everyone.
Daniel put a comforting hand on Sam's arm. She smiled appreciatively. "Group five, move out."
*
Sam's sweep turned up nothing. Not even a file out of place. She keyed her radio. "This is group five. We got nothing. Anyone else?"
Her radio crackled then: "Group One: Nothing."
"Group Two: Nothing."
Sam nodded to herself. "Groups three and four?"
"Groups three and four here: We didn't find anything either."
"Is the General with you?" Sam asked.
"No. He went to his office to check something." The answer came back, and it didn't make sense.
Since when would Jack O'Neill rather be in his office than out doing something?
Sam looked at Daniel, who shared her surprise. She turned to the other two members of her group. "We're going to meet three and four. Then you stay with them and make sure the lower levels stay clear."
"Ma'am?" One of the Airman asked.
"We're going to see if the General requires any assistance." Sam told him.
The four of them headed down to level twenty-eight.
*
Sam and Daniel headed straight for the General's office, only to be met in the briefing room by Jack.
Two of him.
He had obviously been fighting with… himself, his clothes were rumpled.
Now both Jacks were at a stand off, glaring at one another.
It would have been funny if they hadn't known that one of the men in front of them was a replicator.
"Uh… Jack?" Daniel asked hesitantly.
"What?" Both Jacks answered in unison.
"Sam, Daniel, good of you to join us." The voice was chillingly familiar.
Daniel instinctively looked at Sam, but it hadn't been her who had spoken.
RepliCarter emerged from the General's office.
Both Jacks recoiled.
Sam narrowed her eyes. They looked *exactly* the same. Whichever one was the replicator had gone to a *lot* of trouble to make sure he looked exactly like Jack, even down to his hatred of RepliCarter.
"I knew you were lying." She said.
RepliCarter smiled. "Of course you did. But there was nothing you could do about it, was there?"
"We brought the wrong one back." Daniel said quietly.
Sam nodded, the realisation making her feel physically sick. She raised her P-90 to aim it at RepliCarter.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"Oh, Sam." The replicator said, smiling. "You know what I want."
"Revenge." Both Jacks said, then glared at each other, their expressions perfectly mirrored.
"That too." RepliCarter said. "Did you know, it's all still in his head?" She asked Sam and Daniel, nodding in the Jacks' direction.
"What is?" Sam asked.
"I thought I would have to capture you," RepliCarter went on, looking at Daniel, "to get access to the knowledge of the Ancients. But its all still in Jack's head. Of course, I couldn't be in his head long enough to extract it all. That would take several days. Five, in fact." She smiled again.
Realising what the replicator had done, Sam and Daniel studied both Jacks.
They both looked exhausted. The replicator was really working hard.
"Sam, don't you think you should be aiming your gun at them?" RepliCarter spoke as though she were instructing an errant child. "He's far more dangerous than I am."
"How d'you figure that?" Both Jacks asked.
"To make my Jack amenable to his tasks was exceptionally simple. Jack is naturally a very dark, very dangerous man. All I had to do was take away the morality that he clings to so tenuously. Of course he can act like the other General, but he is so much better." She paused, smiling that infuriating smile again. "As for your Jack… he's just spent five days in my company. Not exactly conducive to a peaceful mental state."
Sam stared at her double.
"You're nuts."
"Unfortunately, I was unable to access much of the Ancient knowledge. I assume that poor Jack's brain was just too great a negative force." She smiled again, nastily. "Now, Sam, you have a choice. Which one is your Jack? Do you shoot first? What if you kill your Jack? Or even wound him? I don't expect you to be able to tell which is which. You couldn't last night."
Sam watched as pain flashed in the eyes of both Jacks.
"It's impossible!" Daniel murmured to Sam. "They're identical. There's nothing you can ask that one would know and the other wouldn't; she's been inside his head."
Sam lowered her rifle. "Don't let her out of your sight." She ordered Daniel.
She began to walk around the briefing room table towards the two Generals.
"Carter! Get back over there!" One of them ordered her harshly.
"Sam! Stay where you are!" Said the other at exactly the same time.
And Sam *knew*. She raised her rifle and fired a barrage of shots into the second Jack that had spoken. The other flung himself to the ground.
The replicator resembling Jack O'Neill was hurled against the wall under the force of the bullets, giving Sam, Jack and Daniel time to retreat.
*
As they ran down the corridor, Jack stumbled slightly. Daniel hauled his friend upright and kept running.
Sam clicked her radio on. "This is Colonel Carter. We found them in the briefing room. They're human-form replicators resembling myself and General O'Neill. Everyone is to stay away from the briefing room. Repeat. Everyone stay away from the briefing room."
They reached Sam's lab. Jack was the first inside.
"Jack! This is the first place they'll look!" Daniel said, panic evident in his voice.
"Gotta find it." Jack muttered.
"What?" Daniel asked.
Jack was scanning the various work benches in Sam's lab, desperately looking for something.
Sam turned to Daniel, "Lock the door." She told him.
"What difference will that make?" Daniel asked.
"Just do it, Daniel." Sam ordered.
Daniel went to lock the door to Sam's lab.
Sam walked over to Jack and put a hand on his arm. He flinched.
His reaction hurt Sam, but she hid it. "It's really you." She said. She could tell now, all her senses were telling her that *this* was him.
He nodded, not quite meeting her eyes. "Gotta find it." He repeated.
"What are you looking for, Jack?" Sam asked.
But Jack's frantically searching eyes had settled on the object he was looking for. The disruptor.
He yanked it out of the pile of other `projects' it was lodged in, spilling things to the floor.
"That won't work." Sam said gently. "They're modified, remember?"
"What are you doing, Jack?" Daniel asked, worry for his friend bleeding into his voice.
"Hook it up." Jack ordered Sam.
"Jack, I-"
"Just do it, Carter. Please."
Sam nodded and hooked the disruptor up to her laptop.
Jack switched the computer on and began to type furiously. Sam and Daniel stared at him.
"You know they're going to come straight for you guys." Daniel pointed out to Sam.
"I know." Sam said, not taking her eyes from her computer screen.
Daniel regarded her for a long moment. Then he shrugged slightly and asked, "What's he doing?"
Sam shook her head. "I'm not sure. It looks like he's recalibrating the weapon."
"Uh… okay. How?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know." Sam replied, staring at the screen.
Daniel was silent for a moment. Then it hit him. "Of course!"
Sam jumped, turning to glare at Daniel. Jack didn't seem to hear.
"Sorry." Daniel said in a quieter voice. "But… she tried to access the Ancient's download, right?" Sam nodded, unsure where Daniel was going with this. "She said she couldn't, not really. What if Jack was stopping her?"
Sam considered this. "I guess it's possible, if highly improbable." She conceded. "That's it?"
"No." Daniel's eyes gleamed with the thrill of discovery. In some ways he hadn't changed since Sam had met him. "What if she opened the door, but didn't go in?"
He paused while Sam thought this through. "Why would she do that?"
"I don't know. Who cares?"
"You think he was able to access the knowledge that would help him modify the disruptor?" Daniel nodded. "It's a bit of a jump, Daniel."
"How else can you explain… this?" Daniel asked, gesturing in Jack's direction.
"Good point." Sam said, sucking in a breath.
At that moment Jack slammed the laptop shut and unhooked the disruptor. "Let's go." He said.
"Where?" Daniel asked, already fearing the answer.
"Find them." Jack said, still talking in monosyllables.
"Jack." Sam said softly.
He stopped as he reached the door. "Carter?"
`Ouch' Sam thought, but continued, regardless. "Maybe you should wait here."
"No. Have to find them."
He unlocked and opened the lab door and exited, followed by Sam and Daniel.
*
While Daniel and Sam moved stealthily along the corridors, Jack strode purposefully.
"He's gonna get us all killed if that thing doesn't work." Daniel muttered to Sam under his breath.
Sam nodded. Both of them were scanning the area, trying to keep an eye on Jack at the same time as surveying their surroundings, which, so far, had been entirely devoid of replicators.
Jack reached stairs leading down to the control room and headed down. Sam and Daniel hurried to catch up.
The replicators were in there.
"Jack." RepliCarter greeted. "You came back."
Jack's replicator double was sizing his counterpart up. "What are you planning on doing with that?" He indicated the disruptor. "It won't work on us, flyboy."
Sam and Daniel moved into position beside Jack.
"I modified it." Jack said, smiling grimly at the replicators. "Couldn't have done it without ya." He told RepliCarter. His voice sounded stronger, and he was standing straighter.
"What are you talking about?" She asked contemptuously.
"While you were in my head." Jack went on. "I found what I needed. And I kept you out."
"You couldn't have." RepliCarter sounded shocked. "It's impossible."
"Its not. I did it. And now…" He hefted the weapon, aiming it at the replicators.
"Don't." RepliCarter ordered.
Jack raised an eyebrow, looked from Sam to Daniel and shrugged.
"It will never be the same, y'know." Jack's doppelganger said. "Between you two." He indicated Sam and Jack. "You'll never get back what you had, as pitiful as that was." The replicator smiled mockingly.
"Fuck you." Jack said, firing the weapon.
Sam saw RepliCarter clutch at her Jack's hand as the replicators disintegrated, the small gesture making her wonder.
Jack stumbled, and would have fallen to the floor had Daniel not caught him in time.
Daniel helped his friend to Walter's chair, being careful to step over the remains of the replicators.
"Carter," Jack said, his voice was quiet, weary. "Order a search of the base. Make sure they didn't do anything."
Sam nodded and clicked her radio.
While Sam gave the orders Daniel studied Jack. His friend was leaning on the desk, his head in his hands.
"Jack?"
"Mm?"
"Are you gonna be okay?"
"Just tired." Jack said.
Daniel kept watching him, thinking, `Five days. She had him for five days.'
Sam finished on the radio and walked over to join Jack and Daniel.
As she reached them the gate began to spin. "Incoming wormhole." Sam said, looking down at the console.
"Iris." Jack muttered.
Sam pressed her hand to the palm recognition pad that activated the iris.
There was the familiar sound of metal on metal as the iris closed.
"We're receiving an IDC, sir." She told Jack.
When he didn't reply Daniel asked. "Who is it?"
"Teal'c." Sam said.
"How do you know?" Daniel asked. "Could be a replicator trick. They *were* in here."
"Open it." Jack said, still not looking up.
"What if-" Daniel began.
"Just… open it." Jack ordered weakly.
Sam complied.
A few moments after the iris slid open a figure stepped through the event horizon. It was indeed Teal'c.
He looked up at the control room, puzzled that only his friends were up there, and that the gateroom was completely devoid of the personnel that usually stood on guard there.
Knowing that only his friends could explain what had happened, Teal'c headed up to the control room.
Upon entering his gaze immediately snapped to Jack. "O'Neill? What has happened?" The big Jaffa knelt next to his friend, speaking softly.
"Tired, Teal'c." Jack sounded weaker with every passing moment.
"You were fine when I left only this morning." Teal'c observed.
"Wasn't me."
Puzzled, Teal'c looked to his team mates.
As Sam was about to answer Jack slumped sideways, landing on the floor, unconscious.
"Jack!" Sam rushed to his side, taking his pulse.
It was erratic.
Teal'c stepped forwards and picked up his unconscious friend. "I will take O'Neill to the infirmary."
"Yeah, we'll fill you in on the way." Daniel said.
*
When some semblance of normality returned to the SGC some four hours later, SG-1 hardly noticed.
Jack was still unconscious in the infirmary, though Dr Brightman said there was nothing physically wrong with him besides exhaustion and the fact that he hadn't eaten for some time.
SG-1 were sitting around his infirmary bed, no amount of pleading on Dr Brightman's part being able to separate them from their friend.
`Janet would have threatened us.' Sam had thought as the younger woman walked away, shaking her head.
"We just left him." She said, breaking the silence of the past two hours or so.
"We didn't know." Daniel said.
"How could we not realise?" Sam asked.
"He was Jack." Daniel said. "A little off maybe… but that's Jack."
Sam nodded, still guilt-ridden.
"I began to suspect all was not well when O'Neill insisted I visit Ishta this morning." Teal'c said. "He was most unlike himself. That is why I returned early."
"He was off with me too. Didn't laugh at me for being hung-over or anything." Daniel said.
"I should have realised." Sam said, not wanting to detail the ways that the replicator had been different to the man lying in front of them.
"Tryin' to sleep here." Jack's voice was rough.
"O'Neill, it is good to see you conscious again." Teal'c said, as Sam handed Jack a glass of water with a straw in it.
He sipped it gratefully.
"Thanks, Carter." He looked around. "Why are you all here? You got nothing better to do?"
Sam smiled. "No, sir."
"How long have I been out?" Jack asked.
"About four hours." Daniel supplied. "You want me to get the doctor?"
"Nope. I want you to get me my clothes."
"Jack…" Daniel said.
"Daniel, I'm not staying here. I want to go home. And I'm not goin' *anywhere* dressed like this." He said, plucking at the infirmary scrub pyjamas the nurses had put him in.
"O'Neill, I do not believe it would be wise for you to depart so soon." Teal'c intoned.
Jack summoned a glare for his friend.
"I agree with Teal'c, sir." Dr Brightman said, walking up to the infirmary bed.
"Listening in, Doctor?" Jack asked.
The woman smiled. "You should at least stay over night, sir."
"No way. Doc just let me go home, I'll be good, I promise." He pleaded, fixing the woman with a forlorn look.
The doctor caved under the intensity of Jack's gaze.
Momentarily, Sam wondered if he knew he could probably get away with *anything* just by looking at someone like that.
"Okay, General." Dr Brightman said, "You can go home, as long as someone drives you there. And I want you back here tomorrow for a check up. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" Jack said, smiling for the first time since he had woken up.
"Who's going to drive you home?" Dr Brightman asked.
Jack looked around at his friends.
"I have some… uh… artefacts I have to… catalogue." Daniel said, obviously lying. Sam looked at him, her eyes narrowing.
Teal'c smiled at Jack and said, "I believe ColonelCarter is free."
Daniel laughed but managed to turn it into something resembling a cough.
Jack and Sam stared at Teal'c for a moment before Jack turned to Sam and asked, "Carter?"
She smiled. "I'll take you home, sir."
Jack gave Dr Brightman a triumphant look. "See? Now can I have the clothes your staff stole? Anything but this rather fetching ensemble I've got on now."
*
Sam pulled up outside Jack's house. She looked over at him nervously. He hadn't said a word since they'd been alone in the car.
"You okay, Carter?" He asked, finally breaking his silence.
She gave a short, derisive laugh. "No." She answered honestly.
"You wanna come in?" He asked.
"You sure you want me to?" She asked.
He turned to look at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"C'mon, Jack. You've hardly said a word to me." Sam said.
"And why do you think that is?" He asked harshly.
"Because of what happened…" Sam let her voice trail off, unwilling to talk about exactly what *had* happened. She still felt physically sickened by it.
Suddenly Jack's demeanour changed. "How could you not know it wasn't me?" He asked, anger darkening his voice.
"I…" Sam paused. "I did know… kind of." She winced when she heard how that sounded.
"Oh so you just thought you'd screw him – it – anyway? Perfectly understandable Carter!" Jack climbed out of Sam's car and stalked towards the house.
Sam was angry now. She got out of the car, slamming the door and followed him into the house.
"You son of a bitch!" She yelled at him, following him into the kitchen. "How the hell was I supposed to know? He looked like you, he talked like you, he sure as hell acted like you. Cocky, selfish, insensitive bastard that you are!"
Jack turned to face her, standing in front of the kitchen table, his arms folded across his chest. She could see how exhausted he was, but didn't care.
He glared at her. A glare that sent seasoned Airmen running for cover.
The officer part of Sam shrunk back from the glare, ready to apologise for insubordination.
The part of Sam that knew him, that had known him for nine years, however, returned the glare full-force.
"Get lost, Carter." Jack said, walking further into the kitchen, realising she wasn't intimidated by the glare.
"Get lost, Carter?'" Sam repeated. "You bastard." She hissed, following him into the kitchen, effectively trapping him.
Jack didn't say anything, just continued to glare at her.
"I guess you were right." Sam said, watching him. His face didn't give anything away, but there was a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
"About what?" He asked, not even attempting to hide his anger.
"We can't do this." Sam said. "More accurately, *you* can't."
Jack stared at her, finally realising what she was talking about. "*I* can't?"
"No, Jack. You can't." Sam said tiredly. She sighed. "I'm going." She turned to leave the kitchen.
With reflexes born of special ops training Jack's hand was on her arm, gripping it tightly.
"Let go." Sam said over her shoulder, trying to yank her arm out of his grip.
"No."
"Let go, Jack."
He pulled on her arm, turning her towards him, drawing her body to his.
His other hand came up and grabbed the back of her head, bringing her face up to meet his.
He kissed her roughly, not letting go of her arm.
Sam's mind screamed at her to stop him, to push him away. But she couldn't.
And he knew it.
This was him, and she'd missed him. She'd miss him even more if he stopped kissing her.
Which he promptly did.
Sam moaned and grabbed the back of his head, drawing him towards her.
He kissed her again, letting go of her arm to pick her up. He spun, still holding her, and sat her on one of the kitchen counters.
Her quick fingers were already working on the buttons of his shirt, revealing the t-shirt he wore underneath.
She slid her hands up the back of his t-shirt and raked her nails down his back, making him hiss. His hands moved to her top, yanking it over her head, mussing up her hair in the process.
Long fingers undid the catch of her brassiere, exposing her breasts to his eyes, hands and tongue.
As his mouth descended on her neck she opened her mouth to speak. "Jack…"
His hand came up to cover her mouth with one long index finger. "Shh."
She nodded her understanding. No talking. Talking was difficult. Talking got them into trouble.
They didn't need to talk.
Her hands moved to his belt, undoing the buckle and reaching for his fly.
His fingers left her mouth and travelled down her body to the fly of her own jeans, leaving a trail of what felt like ice in their wake. Burning ice.
Sam lifted up off the counter slightly so that Jack could slide her jeans down her legs. At the same moment she pushed his jeans downwards.
She grinned to herself when she discovered he wasn't wearing anything underneath, moaning inwardly at the sight of him.
This was completely different to her experience with the replicator. Looking back, it was obvious that he wasn't Jack. Not her Jack. But hindsight was 20/20.
And all that was really irrelevant when he was deftly removing her underwear, fingers touching her just *there*, applying just enough pressure to make her grab his ass, pulling his pelvis towards her own.
Jack slid two fingers inside her, stretching her ever so slightly. She gasped, taking his cock in her hand and pulling him gently towards herself, making him engorge even further, hot and heavy in her hand.
Jack trailed his two fingers up her body, bringing them to his mouth as she guided him to her opening.
Her eyes fell closed as she felt him touch her, just broaching her.
Jack gripped her chin in his left hand. "Look at me."
Her eyes snapped open, obeying the command.
Sam's eyes met Jack's just as he thrust into her. Hard.
She cried out, both in pain and ecstasy, unsure which was the greater.
Jack didn't wait for her inner muscles to adjust, he just kept moving in and out of her.
Sam met his thrusts every time.
This wasn't about just love. This wasn't about just missing someone.
This was about possession. For both of them.
He kissed her again, roughly, passionately, desperately. She returned his sentiments, needing him just as much as he needed her.
Sam was pulling at his hair trying to bring him even closer. Her nails dug into the back of his neck and his scalp, causing him to thrust even harder.
Sam had slipped from the counter and had her legs wrapped around Jack, so that she was only supported by the weight of his body pushing against hers.
Distantly she was aware of the counter top digging into the small of her back. But it didn't feel like it was happening to her, it didn't feel like they were in his kitchen at all.
All Sam could see, hear, feel, taste and smell was Jack, looking up at him she could see it was the same for him.
He buried his head in her shoulder kissing her and holding her body against his.
Sam leant down and bit his neck fiercely then licked the skin she had hurt.
He pulled her body even closer to his own.
Her hands clutched at any available area of his body she could. Arms, back, ass, chest, neck. As if by pulling one another closer they could somehow merge, somehow become one whole person.
Jack's hand slid down between their bodies, fingers deftly finding Sam's clit and massaging roughly while thrusting heavily into her.
Sam, already over-stimulated, tried to push his hand away, still afraid of giving up the last vestiges of her control.
Holding her against the counter with his body Jack caught her wrists in his other hand, holding her hands away from them both.
He stopped moving, just looking at her, his fingers bringing her to a climax she felt would surely kill her.
"Jack… please…" Her voice was barely a whisper. He shook his head. "I want to touch you." She managed, the effort it took to speak a whole sentence worrying her.
He looked at her, deciding whether he could trust her or not. Then let go of her hands, which immediately flew to his neck and head, pulling him down to kiss her.
"Move, Jack." She ordered.
He obeyed; his fingers still working on her, making her writhe and meet his thrusts erratically.
Jack didn't need to look at her to know how close she was. He could feel her all around him, as though she were the only thing that existed.
He stopped, leaving his fingers where they were.
Her eyes snapped open, staring at him, pleading. "Jack… please." She pleaded again, meaning the opposite this time. `Don't stop.'
He met her eyes and nodded, massaging her again, thrusting in and out of her, making her body jerk, making her cling to him, sobbing.
As she came, he finally allowed his control to slide away, spilling his seed into her trembling body.
Sam wasn't sure how many minutes it took for her to come back to herself. She was still propped against the kitchen counter, her legs wound around Jack, his arms around her, supporting her. Her head rested on his shoulder.
She could feel her face was wet, she had really been crying.
"You okay?" Jack's voice was quiet, and hoarse, as though he'd been shouting.
She didn't reply, pushing herself back from him so that she could look at his face.
There was devastation lurking in his eyes, as well as acceptance of whatever she had to say.
"Are *you* okay?" She asked.
He looked at her for a moment before replying. "My knees hurt like hell. Don't even get me started on the back…"
She laughed.
"I'm not joking!" He protested.
Sam pretended to be serious for a moment, failed, and laughed again. It felt good.
Jack sent her a mock-glare.
Sam sobered up slightly, "Are we okay?" She asked, looking up at him, slightly nervous.
One side of his mouth quirked upwards in a half-smile. "*I'm* okay with us. You?"
She nodded.
"Good." He said, backing away from her slightly so that she could slip to the floor. He handed her some kitchen towel to clean herself up.
When she had finished he took her hand and led her to his bedroom. They crawled under the covers, Jack putting his arm around Sam, she bringing her head to rest on his chest.
"God we're fucked up." Jack observed.
Sam smiled. "Yeah."
"Imagine being *normal*." Jack said, mock-distaste in his tone.
Sam giggled. "Yeah." She paused. "I'm sorry."
He was silent for a while. Sam practically held her breath waiting for him to respond.
"Why?" He asked.
"I thought he was-"
"Not that." He said, cutting her off. "Why are you sorry?"
"You know why. Because of what happened."
"Well if you *insist* on talking about this there's one thing I wanna know."
"What?"
"In the car you said you knew." He reminded her.
She nodded against his chest.
"What did you mean?"
"You really wanna know what really tipped me off that there was something wrong?" She asked.
"Yeah." Jack sounded like he was steeling himself.
Sam took a deep breath "He didn't smell right."
There was stunned silence above her. Then: "He didn't… are you kidding?" He sounded amused. That was good. It meant they could joke about what had happened in order to avoid having one of those serious *talks*.
This way, they could each find out what had happened to the other, and laugh about it, getting over it at the same time as discovering it.
"Nope. He didn't smell right."
Jack pretended to be hurt, "You're saying I *smell*? Gee, thanks, Samantha."
She giggled. "You don't smell *bad*." She assured him.
"Huh!" He snorted, indignant. He yawned.
"Go to sleep, Jack."
"'k." He replied, almost asleep anyway.
Sam waited until his breathing evened out, signalling that he was very close to being asleep. Then said, "And he was absolutely *terrible* in bed."
Jack laughed at that. "I can't believe you said that." He murmured sleepily.
Sam reached up her arm and began to run her fingers through his hair.
"Not as good as me?" He asked. Sam shook her head. "How is that even possible?"
"He wasn't you." Sam said, repeating what he had told her about RepliCarter on more than one occasion.
"Good. He sucked." Jack said; sleep depriving him of his vocabulary and grammar skills for the moment.
Sam laughed again. "G'night, Jack."
He didn't reply, just leant down and kissed the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"Sam?"
"Mm?"
"She didn't smell right either." He told her, finally falling asleep.
Sam smiled in the darkness.
They would be fine. Better than fine. They would be them.
Then she settled down to sleep.
Unbidden, the image of clasped hands that looked so much like their own came to her mind. A desperate look exchanged between eyes that were familiar.
Not them, but close.
***
End
Story Notes: Season 8 up to Gemini, then AU.
Archive: SJFic: Yes
Please feedback me, I'm greedy.
Email: heat79@hotmail.com
Archive: SJFic: Yes
Please feedback me, I'm greedy.
Email: heat79@hotmail.com
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 ]