Homerun by Jackie W

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Story Notes: Email: jackiesfic@aol.com

Season: Season 6, after Prophesy

Sequel: In Demand, Momentum, Epidemic, See Jack Run, Classified, Prelude, Discoveries,Under Surveillance, and T-Ball

Spoilers: minor ones for Prophecy and Cold Lazarus

Archive: SJD, yes. Anyone else, please just ask.

Author's Notes: First of all, this has absolutely nothing to do with Baseball. As a point of reference, 'The Simpsons' is currently in its 14th season. Also, I didn't have time to go back and watch Prophesy again, so if it wasn't the power relay that zapped Sam, please forgive the error.

As always feed back craved!

Homerun

Sam hoped that the third time really would be the charm. Twice before she had scheduled a lunch date with Jack's ex-wife Sara, only to have unexpected missions get in the way. This time, with her arm still in a sling from the injury she had received from the power relay overload, she was restricted to light duty for a week. Since Hammond had promised the Academy that she would come and lecture as soon as she had any free time, she was going to make good on that promise, and have lunch with Sara. She had to admit that she was a bit nervous, but she was also anxious to gather a few details on Jack's life before they had met.

Sara was also a bit nervous. Her fiancée, Will was extremely impressed with the woman that Jack had married, going so far as to call her brilliant. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of work they were doing in that mountain that teamed up a super intelligent astrophysicist with a Special Ops trained soldier like Jack. If that incident five years ago was any indication, it was something straight out of a sci-fi movie.

She had decided to arrive early, and try to catch the last hour of Major Carter's morning lecture. Will had told her to stop by his office and he would join her as his morning class ended at 10:30. When they entered the lecture hall it was packed, with the only open seats being in the back two rows. Obviously the Major was a popular lecturer.

The morning's topic was on the board. 'Quantum Theory'. Sara was clueless, but Will seemed excited. They settled into seats and listened as questions and answers were tossed about. Suddenly Sam picked up a marker and drew a line on the board.

"Think of this line as your life to-date. Several years ago, you made a decision to join the Airforce and attend the Academy. If you had made a different choice you would not be sitting in this lecture hall today. According to Quantum Theory, that decision point caused an alternate universe to be created that parallels ours, but differs in ways caused by your decision," she explained as she drew a line off of the original one towards the right end at a slight angle. She moved to further to the left along the line and added several more lines angling off the original. "Other decisions you or your parents made during your life caused other alternate universes. Perhaps you lived in a different house and attended a different high school. You made different friends. You could even have died in one of these multi-verses," she continued.

More questions followed. Formulas and reference materials were written on the board. Most of it went over Sara's head. But she understood the basics. The idea was mind boggling, and a thought occurred to her. Were the Jack and Charlie that she had encountered all of those years ago some sort of alternate reality versions of her husband and son?

Sara and Will waited while Sam chatted with a few lingering students. Then Will stepped forward and enthusiastically congratulated her on a great lecture.

"I wish I could have sat in on the entire morning. What I heard was fascinating."

"Thank you professor. It seemed to be received well. Sara it's good to see you. I hope I didn't bore you to tears," Sam said with a smile.

"Not at all. I won't pretend to have understood it all, but the idea of parallel universes is intriguing," Sara replied, saving her real questions for when they were alone at lunch.

Shortly, Sam and Sara were seated at a restaurant a couple of blocks from the Academy, sipping iced tea. Both were finding it difficult to begin the conversation. Finally Sara questioned Sam on her injury.

"Oh, I had a little disagreement with electricity. Jack keeps telling me electricity will win every time. But in my work I always seem to be taking apart things that like to give me a jolt," Sam said with a chuckle, glad she didn't have to lie about how she had been hurt.

"So what is the topic for this afternoon?" Sara inquired. "More Quantum Theory?"

"No, something a little less theoretical," Sam replied. "This afternoon we take on Black Holes."

"Less theoretical, but no less confusing," Sara said with a grimace. "Actually, I was wondering just how theoretical the alternate universes really are," she continued. "After all, I've seen a Jack and Charlie that were definitely not *my* Jackie and Charlie."

Sam Carter's eyes widened. Sara was certainly no fool, even if she was off base on this one. "They weren't from an alternate reality, I *can* tell you that Sara," she said after checking that no one was within hearing range.

"Oh. I was sort of hoping that maybe Charlie was alive out there in some parallel universe," Sara said with a sigh of disappointment.

Sam wished she could offer the woman the comfort of confirming that thought, but settled for saying, "Maybe he is, Sara."

Sara nodded. "Jack was a great father, when he was around," she acknowledged. "Have you two talked about having children?"

Sam Carter blushed, but answered truthfully. "Yes, we have. We would both love to have kids. If everything works out we probably will soon."

Sara decided to let it go at that. She smiled at Sam, and with an evil glint in her eye said, " So. I suppose you want some good ammunition to use on Jack."

Sam chuckled. "I can use everything you are willing to tell. The man absolutely loves to keep secrets."

An hour later, Sam's head was spinning with information. She had thought before that Jack O'Neill had seen way too much death during his lifetime. She hadn't known the half of it. Both of his parents had died before they were 60. His father had had a heart attack just before Jack met Sara. His mother died of cancer a year after they married. His one sibling, a sister named Colleen, had died in a car crash just after Charlie was born, leaving behind a husband and a two year-old daughter. Jack and Sara had been close to their niece until Charlie's death. Sara still talked to her occasionally. Megan was eighteen, and about to graduate from high school in Chicago. The only other living relatives that Jack was close to were an Aunt and Uncle. They lived in Minnesota, and Sara said that according to the Christmas cards they still exchanged that Jack stopped in occasionally to see them when he was up at his cabin.

After imparting all of the family background, they had started in on the fun stuff. Exchanging tales of their favorite embarrassing Jack O'Neill moments. Sara had loved the story of the day Sam had met Jack, and how he had reacted to having a scientist on his team. Sam had found Sara's recounting of Jack's first attempts at diapering and bathing Charlie endearing. She had laughed when Sara told her that Jack had originally injured his knees trying to impress her with his skating abilities, only to be brought down by a five year-old crashing into him. But the piece of information that Sam was storing away for future use was the knowledge of Jack's old Airforce nickname. Twenty years ago, when Sara had first met him, his Airforce buddies had dubbed Jack 'Homerun' because of his legendary success with the ladies.

Sam didn't think she would ever be able to watch The Simpsons with her husband again. Because of course his buddies had shortened the name. Jack O'Neill was the original 'Homer'.

The end.

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