"Here," Sam discreetly passed him a piece of paper as she ran to fetch the remote for the Quantum mirror. Daniel just slipped it into his pocket, as he made his way down to the gate room. There was no time to read the note then - especially when he had been forced into a silent confrontation with this universes Teal'c. Daniel had just jumped through the stargate as soon as the wormhole stabilised. The cauterised wound from Teal'c's staff weapon hurt like hell, but Daniel instinctively knew that he had to read the note before he returned to his own universe. Carefully, with minimal use of his injured arm, he unfolded it, and stared at the clear script.
"Doctor Jackson... If we don't make it, once you've gone through the stargate, turn left. What you find in the first room on your left, take to your universe. We may not have been friends in this universe, but if what you say about your universe is true, then you won't hesitate for a second. What is there will belong to them. Whilst saving your world, think of us. Thank you, Samantha Carter. PS - leave this note in the room; you'll understand why."
His curiosity piqued, Daniel turned to the left. There was only one door as far as he could see, and he turned the handle and went inside. The whole area was quiet and unnerving. He didn't know how many had been sent to the Beta site, but he hadn't seen anyone so far. This changed as he entered the room. It was empty, with the exception of a chair, a table and a crib. Daniel crossed over to the crib, and looked at the little baby, fast asleep. A bag
was next to it, and looking in it, Daniel found baby clothes, a couple of stuffed animals and other items belonging to the child. A yawn from the crib alerted him to the baby awakening. Blue eyes looked up at him, and even if Daniel hadn't already guessed the parentage, the eyes
would have revealed the mother at least."Hello there baby O'Neill," Daniel murmured, wondering what the baby's name was, or even if it was a boy or a girl.The baby stared up at him, before starting to whimper. Daniel immediately reached in, ignoring the pain in his arm to pick it up. Dropping the note in the crib, he managed to pick up the bag, grimacing as he did so.The baby was still making small noises, as if it sensed the tragedy that had befallen its parents and its world. Daniel didn't stop to try and comfort it; only wanting now to get through the Quantum mirror and to return to his own universe.
* * *
The baby was wailing as Daniel threw the two of them through the mirror, and it was that noise which alerted his team-mates to their presence."Daniel!" Sam exclaimed, immediately relieving him of the baby. Daniel noticed how the small child calmed down in obviously familiar arms. Jack briefing glanced up at his 2IC in surprised, barely disguised admiration as he knelt down by his injured friend."Daniel, what happened here?" He asked. "Whose child is this, and where did it come from?""O'Neill. DanielJackson appears to have been injured by a staff weapon blast," Teal'c pointed out. "We should return to base."Daniel grabbed Jack, trying to ignore the pain he felt from his injury. "They're coming Jack. We're all in big trouble.""Who are coming?" Jack asked, confused. "The baby's parents? Where are they now?""No," Daniel cried, in exasperation and pain. "The Goa'uld are coming. This mirror took me to an alternate universe. The Goa'uld came and destroyed Earth. This baby's parents are dead because the Goa'uld killed them. And they're going to come here, and do the same.""Woah, rewind Danny boy," Jack told him. "Let's get you back to base so good ol' Doc Frasier can deal with your arm, and check over this little darling." He turned again to look up at Sam and the baby; the latter of which was now happily gurgling in the former's arms. Jack felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the woman he had realised he had non-military feelings for cradling achild. "Alright," Daniel conceded. "I need to tell Hammond about the Goa'uld invasion. And I need to talk to you about the baby at some point.""All in good time Danny. All in good time," Jack told him, slinging the baby's bag over his shoulder, and indicating that Teal'c should help Daniel. He took point, one hand hovering protectively behind Sam, who was still completely engrossed in the baby.Jack glanced at the baby in Sam's arms, and recoiled slightly at the familiarity of the baby's eyes. Daniel said that it came from an alternate universe... surely not? He had watched enough 'Star Trek' reruns to realise that you often had twins in alternate universes, and the baby was obviously comfortable with Sam, so; did that mean that Sam was its mother in the alternate reality?
* * *
Hammond took the return of SG-1 with an injured Daniel and a baby better than Jack had thought. Janet had been waiting for them with a number of large needles, and Jack could have sworn that she rolled her eyes when she discovered that Daniel was injured yet again. She had however been surprised when she had seen the small child in Sam's arms."Who's this?" she asked, having finished cleaning and dressing Daniel's wound."We're not sure," Sam replied, handing the child to her friend. Jack suddenly remembered the bag that was still over his shoulder."Maybe there's something in here that could tell us," he suggested, opening the bag on a nearby bed. He pulled out clothes and toys, and then his hands clutched a leather book. Pulling it out, he realised that it was a photo album."Hello, what have we here?" he announced, tracing the gold embossed boarder on the smooth navy leather.Daniel was out cold from the sedative that Janet had given him despite his protests and Teal'c had retired to perform kel'nor'reem, so only the two women were there at his side as he opened the book; Janet willingly having taken over the role of babysitter.Jack turned over the first page to reveal a birth certificate, proclaiming the registration of the birth of 'Kathryn Charlotte O'Neill.'"So, you have a name then sweetie," Janet cooed at the little girl. "Hey Kathryn." Kathryn just gurgled back, playfully trying to grab at a loose strand of Janet's hair, while Jack looked further at the certificate - more specifically where it stated 'Father - Jonathon O'Neill; Occupation - General, USAF' and 'Mother - Samantha Carter; Occupation - theoretical astrophysicist.'"She's... she's ours?" Jack asked in disbelief, turning first to look at Sam, and then at Kathryn. Sam's expression mirrored his, as she too turned to look at the baby.Having not heard Jack's stuttered realisation, nor seen the names on the page, Janet looked from one to the other in confusion. "What?"
* * *
"I've got the results back from the tests," Janet announced, hurrying into the briefing room, clutching a handful of folders. SG-1 and the General were already at the table, so she slipped into the spare chair next to Daniel, who still looked decidedly groggy from his earlier sedative."Proceed Doctor," Hammond ordered, casting a glance at the small child currently sleeping in his 2IC's arms. Jack was obviously smitten with Kathryn, and the little girl was clearly happy being with him."They confirm what we already knew," Janet replied. "This baby... Kathryn, is the child of Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter. Or their alternate selves at least."Sam couldn't help but colour as she looked at her CO. She had felt some form of attraction to him since they had first met, and had fantasised more than once about having a child with him. But now the fantasy was becoming reality, she couldn't help but feel more than slightly uneasy."Doctor Jackson," Hammond turned to Daniel, who jolted himself awake immediately. "Are you sure that this child's parents are dead?""Yes sir," Daniel replied, not wanting to look at either of his friends. "The base autodestruct sequence was set, and they would have been there when it went off. If they were still alive at that point, which I highly doubt.""And Kathryn's mother... Doctor Carter told you to take the child with you?" Hammond queried."She ah, gave me a note, General," Daniel replied. "She obviously felt that the baby, Kathryn, would have a better life in our reality.""General, we can't send her back," Jack told him."That was never an option Colonel," Hammond shot back. "It's just a question of what to do with her now she's here.""It would probably be best for her if she stayed with her parents," Janet spoke up. "Based on what Doctor Jackson has said, Doctor Carter must have wanted her and General O'Neill's counterparts to bring Kathryn up as their own." She'd had a chance to speak with Daniel alone in the infirmary for a few minutes, and they had discussed the alternate universe together, and the note. Daniel had told her that about the line "What is there will belong to them" and Janet had agreed that it couldn't get much clearer than that."Colonel, Captain," the Texan turned to the two officers. "What are your thoughts in the matter?"Jack spoke first. "Ever since Charlie died, I didn't know if I could ever cope with having another child," he began; his voice unsteady at the thought of his dead son. Daniel couldn't help but think back to how he proven to General O'Neill that he knew him, by referring to his son shooting himself. And the look on both O'Neill's and Carter's faces when the General had told
her that he had been right about his son. Daniel hadn't been sure, but it seemed to him as though the alternate Charlie may have been Sam's son as well, based on the look on her face. Especially with the reference to 'my son.' "But now I've been given Kathryn, and I see her as my second chance, as this universe is her second chance. I don't think I could cope with loosing another child, General, even if I had no part in her conception, she's mine."She'd only been his life for a few hours, and already she had her 'daddy' wrapped around her little finger, Janet thought wryly. And based on the adoring looks that Sam was sending her way, Kathryn was a hit with her 'mommy' too."I understand Colonel," Hammond replied, his voice unusually gentle. "Captain Carter?""I feel the same connection with her as Colonel O'Neill," Sam told him. "She's not mine, but she is, and I don't think I'd be able to give her away." "Very well," Hammond replied. "Both of you will be listed as Kathryn's guardians, although you'll have to sort out access and living arrangements between you. You'll also have to arrange for her to be cared for when you're off world, unless one of you is planning on leaving SG-1. Understood?""Yes sir," both Jack and Sam replied in unison, obviously eager to leave.
"Doctor Jackson, I need to talk to you about your experiences in the alternate universe, but the rest of you are free to go," Hammond told them, having pity on the new parents. "Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter, you have forty-eight hours of downtime; I suggest you use them wisely.""Yes sir," Jack grinned, rising carefully as not to disturb the sleeping child. "Coming Mommy?"Sam just rolled her eyes as she followed Jack out of the door, with Teal'c not far behind them. Janet however, hovered just inside the threshold, unsure if she should approach the subject or if her timing was right."Something on your mind Doctor?" Hammond asked. Making up her mind, Janet turned back to face her commanding officer."Sir, with Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter parenting together," she began, trying to work out how to say what she wanted to say. "They're going to be seeing more of each other in a non-military sense, and that increases the potential for... non-military feelings. There's the possibility that Kathryn may... draw them together in ways that they hadn't imagined, which may cause possible psychological problems, as I doubt that either of them will be willing to break any regulations.""Are you saying that this child may cause two of my best officers to fall in love, and that will cause problems because of fraternisation regulations?" Hammond asked.Janet nodded, trying not to think back to her own failed marriage. "The officers on this base are already disadvantaged when it comes to forming relationships with civilians, or anyone not involved in this project because of the high secrecy involved. Now Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter will have Kathryn to worry about, and any potential suitor will have to deal with a baby and another person. You saw how they looked at that baby - they're enamoured by her. Both will be spending copious amounts of time with her, and by default, with each other.""I agree with Doctor Frasier," Daniel spoke up, and Janet jumped slightly, having forgotten that he was still there. "The Jack and Sam in the alternate reality were very much in love - Kathryn is proof of that. I know that our universes aren't identical, but General O'Neill and Doctor Carter were able to have the same working relationship as Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter, despite being engaged and having children together.""Are you saying that I should just ignore the fraternisation rules for them?" Hammond asked in disbelief, as he realised that the two were ganging up on him."Not necessarily sir," Janet replied. "We don't know if they are going to want to break regulations - it's all just speculation at the moment. However, I thought that you should be forewarned in case the situation arises at a later date, giving you some time to think it over.""Of course, thank you Doctor," Hammond said, looking slightly bewildered. "You're dismissed.""Yes sir," Janet replied, casting a glance at Daniel, who just smiled sympathetically back. Although the General had thought that she had been hypothetically speaking, she had caught the looks passed between Jack and Sam, and realised that they both felt something more than friendship for each other. However, it was obvious that neither had realised it yet, although Janet felt that baby Kathryn was likely to be the catalyst.
* * *
The end...?
All feedback to little_miss_likes_to_fight@hotmail.com
Copyright Vicki Pryke 2002
Story Notes: EMAIL: little_miss_likes_to_fight@hotmail.com
SPOILERS: "There But For the Grace of God"
SEASON / SEQUEL: 1
ARCHIVE: Archive: SJ yes, Heliopolis yes. All others ask first
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my second Stargate fanfic - and once again, it's based on "There But For the Grace of God." (I have seen other episodes - honest!) I'm not sure what inspired this one, but it demanded to be written. There may be a sequel, based around the events of "Politics," so if you want to see that... Feedback is welcome - just, no flames if you don't mind. Constructive criticism is fine, but if you haven't got anything nice to say, then don't say it :-D
SPOILERS: "There But For the Grace of God"
SEASON / SEQUEL: 1
ARCHIVE: Archive: SJ yes, Heliopolis yes. All others ask first
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my second Stargate fanfic - and once again, it's based on "There But For the Grace of God." (I have seen other episodes - honest!) I'm not sure what inspired this one, but it demanded to be written. There may be a sequel, based around the events of "Politics," so if you want to see that... Feedback is welcome - just, no flames if you don't mind. Constructive criticism is fine, but if you haven't got anything nice to say, then don't say it :-D
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 ]