"SG-1 had arrived on the planet a couple of days previous. There was evidence that the Furlings had settled there long ago. The team was only there to babysit Daniel while he investigated the remains of the great city that once stood there, taking notes of the writings that were just visible from all the weathering and damage.
They were an hour's walk from the Gate. It was a very hot day again and they all wore as little as possible without losing their dignity. The guys were all wearing their pants and nothing else whilst Sam and Vala wore shorts and small tank tops.
As they sat in the searing heat, their radio's crackled to life.
"SG-1 do you read?” came Landry's voice.
"Go ahead Sir,” said Sam, sitting up.
"I'm sending someone to keep you all in line. They should be there shortly as I have allowed them to take a bicycle to get there quicker." The team could hear the humour in his voice as he said it.
"OK Sir." Sam went to the edge of the ridge where in the distance heading their way she could see a dust cloud from the speed of the rider. "Current ETA approximately 10 minutes Sir.”
"Ok, I’ll check in later. Landry out." the radio fizzled slightly before going totally silent once more.
"I wonder who we've been stuck with now,” said Vala, who was stretched out in the dried out grass tanning herself.
"I don’t know, but I hope this someone has bought something ice cold and a good sense of humour with them,” said Cam.
"I second that,” said Sam, Daniel and Vala.
"As do I,” said Teal'c.
They sat in silence for a while, watching the dust cloud grow tantalisingly closer to them, all except Daniel who was to intent on the excavation.
A few minutes passed and then they heard the footsteps, climbing the side of the ridge, and then quite suddenly, a very out of breath Jack O'Neill appeared. Teal'c took the bike from him and then offered him a hand up the last part.
"Thanks T," he said, as he took a seat on one of the many rocks that lay littered around. He took off his pack and hat and then ran his fingers through his hair, making it stick out at funny angles. This made Sam smile.
"It's nice to see you again Sir", she said softly.
He looked up at the sound of her voice. His breath caught in his throat when he saw she was wearing the exact tank top she had wore a long time ago. He also noticed how the sun caught her eyes causing them to twinkle brilliantly, and her hair to shine with a wondrous golden glow. He could not help noticing how beautiful she looked with her skin glistening the way it did.
"Good to see you to Carter", he replied, finally finding his voice.
"So what brings you here?" asked Daniel, not even looking at him.
"Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to spend my time off with the old team."
"You're so lucky Sir. We've not had time off for quite a while", said Vala.
"Well, I’ve been told to tell you that you will be getting some down time as soon as you are done here."
"We weren’t told that," said Cam, a look of confusion on his face.
"It was decided yesterday," Jack replied, diving into his pack, "While I remember, I have some ice here." he pulled the ice box out and everyone tried to grab it at the same time and then started squabbling over who should go first.
"Perhaps I should get it out for you," said jack opening the box. A brief smile played on both his and Sam's lips as he handed her the first ice cube. It had already started to melt. When they all got their ice cubes, they all went back to what they were doing.
"So, any local's around here?" asked Jack.
Sam looked at the way he pressed his ice cube to his lips and the way he began to suck on it. He was looking at Sam with an odd twinkle in his eye. She cleared her throat and then answered him.
"There doesn’t seem to be any indication Sir". She had to look away to regain her composure.
Cam noticed the look that passed between them, and he looked at Teal'c, who nodded slightly answering his questioning look.
After an hour, Jack began to get bored. He pulled a ball out of his pocket and said,
"Who wants to play ball with me?"
"I will", said Sam a little too quickly.
"Nah I think I will stay here", said Cam.
"As will I", said Teal'c.
"I'm sunbathing", said Vala.
Daniel didn’t say anything and Jack threw the ball at him. It landed right where Daniel was tracing a piece of writing.
"If you guys want to play then go play where you won’t disturb us", he said throwing the ball back.
"Oooh look at him so shirty”, said Jack. He began to walk up the path that led away from the ruins. "Well are you coming?" he said to Sam who just watched him go. She blinked a couple of times then said:
"Yeah of course". She followed him and then together they walked until they found a new set of ruins.
"This seems a good place as any." He turned around and threw the ball to Sam and she threw it back.
"So how you been sir?"
"Yeah I’ve been ok. Just a little tired I guess."
"Yeah me too. I can’t wait to have a proper night's sleep, you know."
Jack nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. Oh and while we are here, how about losing the Sir? It's just too formal and I don’t like formal when I around my friends."
"Ok Jack." Considering the hot day, he shivered a little and Sam saw goose bumps prickle along his skin even from where she stood.
"Are you ok Ss...Jack?"
"Oh yeah I’m great thanks. I guess I shouldn't have came up here as fast as I did." He sat down on top of an alter.
"Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yeah I’m sure...well, maybe a little bit tired."
"How much have you had to drink today?" Sam approached, and sat upon the alter next to him.
"How much have you had to drink today?"
"Well the ice cube I had earlier and a cup of coffee I had before coming here."
"Here." Sam handed him her canteen. "You need it more than I do and we can always top it up with the water from the well over there. I have some purification tablets on me."
Jack accepted the canteen and gulped gratefully. When he was finished he handed the canteen back where Sam had a couple of mouthfuls. She then placed it on the alter beside her.
"Thanks Sam." This time it was her turn for the shivers and goose bumps. Jack put his arm around her and despite the heat, she leaned into him.
"It feels like forever since you gave me a hug."
"Well opportunity hasn’t presented itself until now. I think the last time we were alone like this was before you went to Atlantis."
"Yeah I missed you the whole time we were apart. I couldn’t stop thinking about you." She said it before she could stop herself.
"I missed you too Sam." He gave her a quick tight squeeze. She was about to look up at him when a huge bright blue light came towards them. They went to move away from it as a bolt of electrical energy hit them, knocking them both unconscious...
Back at the excavation site, Daniel was still busy at the altar and Vala was still sunbathing. Teal'c was, as ever, being silent and vigilant.
"Colonel Mitchell! Do you see what I see?"
Cam looked in the direction Teal'c pointed.
"Bright blue thing?"
"Indeed."
"Yeah I see it. Isn’t that the way Sam and General O'Neill went in?"
"Indeed it is." Teal'c spoke into his radio. "O'Neill, Colonel Carter do you read?"
Silence.
"Sam, General O'Neill do you read?" said Cam trying his radio.
Still silence.
"Right Vala you stay here with Daniel. Me and T are going to make sure Sam and the General are ok. They haven’t answered their radios."
"I'm sure they're fine. They're probably ignoring you on purpose", said Vala, lazily turning over.
"We're still going anyway, just to be sure."
"Ok but if you see something you didn’t want to see don’t say I didn’t warn you."
"I'll keep that in mind" said Cam. He and Teal'c began their walk along the path...
Jack woke first. He wondered why he was on the floor. His right arm felt numb and heavy, and as he sat up a little, Sam fell partly off of him, her hair half covering her face. He frowned and then he remembered they were on a planet. He also remembered the bright blue light and he sat up awkwardly and as he did, he realised Sam's legs were wrapped around his midriff, below the belt. He felt something stir within him.
'I wish I could...' he thought to himself.
"Be careful what you wish for", mumbled Sam. As she sat up, she realised where her CO was and she stood up as quickly as possible.
"Sir! What were you doing there?!" she asked looking worried, flustered and blushing.
"Hey I didn’t put myself there. I woke up there." He too was a little red and not because of the heat. "And what happened to you calling me Jack?"
"Sorry sir - I mean Jack; I’m just confused that’s all."
'Wow, it’s not like you to be confused,' he thought.
"I know. Do you remember what happened? (Jack nodded) I only remember the bolt of light heading our way, but that's about it."
"Perhaps we should get back to the others before they start worrying."
"Yeah that’s if they saw what happened."
Sam caught sight of movement and as she looked over, she saw Cam and Teal’c walking towards them.
“Hey guys!” she called to them.
They ignored her and Cam walked straight through her.
“Oh don’t tell me we’re out of phase again!” she said.
She turned and watched Cam and Teal’c, who had suddenly rushed over and bent down next to the altar.
“How did we get over here?” asked Jack, standing up noticing they were by the well.
“I don’t know but let’s go see what they’re fussing over.”
“…medical team to meet us on the way back to the gate!” shouted Cam through his radio as Sam and Jack approached them.
Teal’c was reaching down for something and when she saw what it was she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.
“What is it?” asked Jack who couldn’t see what was going on.
“We’re…we’re not out of phase.” Sam was looking rather shell shocked and Jack put an arm around her and said:
“What do you mean?”
“We’re…I think we’re dead.” Jack looked shocked for a millisecond before replying to her.
“We can’t be. I mean –“but his sentence was cut short when Cam lifted Sam’s body over his shoulders and Teal’c lifted his body up. They began to move as fast as they could in the direction of the excavation site.
When they got there, the site was empty and in the distance, below the ridge, they could see two figures running towards the gate. The sun had gone down quite a bit and it was creating a rosy glow over the terrain.
“I’d follow them if I were you” said a British voice from behind them.
They turned and saw two girls standing behind them. One had brown hair and was quite chubby and the other had blond hair and was of medium build.
“Who are you?” asked Sam, frowning at them a little.
“Well, I’m Bubble and this is my sister Squeak.” They both bowed to them.
“She is right. You should follow them or you may not be able to go back to your bodies” said Squeak with a German accent.
“Are you sure of this?”
“Yes. We have been stuck like this for about 25 cycles.”
“You don’t look that old”
“That’s because when you are here you do not age, get hungry or thirsty” replied squeak.
“I must say that I do miss my mum’s pie” said Bubble.
“Well, I’d love to stay and chat all day but your bodies are already quarter of the way to the gate” said Squeak. She and Bubble took off down the side of the ridge and Jack and Sam looked at each other before following them down.
Soon they caught up with Cam and Teal’c and their bodies, who were met by the medical team that had come through the gate. Their bodies were placed onto stretchers and then they were rushed off along the rough ground. They were only a mile away from the gate now, and the sun had disappeared over the horizon. Cam and Teal’c both caught their breaths before following the medics to the gate. Jack, Sam and the two girls also followed them.
When they arrived at the SGC, their bodies were immediately taken to the infirmary where Dr Lam gave them a thorough examination before placing them both on drips, heart monitors and she also had them attached to an EEG.
“Both of them barely have any delta waves” she said, noting the almost non-existent pulse of the machine, “and their heart rates are very low. Do any of you know what caused those burn marks on their shoulders?”
All of the team shook their heads except for Cam, who said:
“There was a large bright blue light in their direction and when we tried to contact them they didn’t answer, so me and Teal’c went to see if they were ok and we found their bodies by the alter in another set of ruins.”
“Why don’t you come up to the debriefing room and we can talk about it there,” said Landry coming into the infirmary. The team took one last look at Jack and Sam before following Landry out of the infirmary again. Dr Lam also left and headed for her office.
“So, if we’re not dead then how are we out of our bodies like this?”
“I’ve no idea” said Jack.
“Your body does not need a full consciousness to survive. Your subconscious is there keeping you breathing but everything that is you that causes your brain to emit all kinds of waves is what you are now” said Bubble.
“Did you two get knocked out at the same time?” asked Squeak.
“Yeah I think so, why?” asked Sam.
“Because it is possible that you could both read each other’s minds now” said Bubble.
“Really?” said Jack. At the same time Sam said:
“We could do that anyway sort of.”
“But this is different. You don’t have to use facial expressions to read each other’s minds now. You can hear actual words and see images that the other one is thinking about.”
“I haven’t been able to yet” said Jack.
“It will come. Unless Sam has a subconscious block in her receptors in which case she can still read your mind but you will not read hers.”
“There’s only one way to know for certain” said Jack. He looked at Sam, keeping his face blank and then she immediately went red in the face. Both the girls giggled.
“That’s a little inappropriate don’t you think?”
“So you heard what I said then?”
“Of course I did.”
“Anyway, me and Squeak can read each other’s mind’s as well. We were also knocked out by the blue light. Though, we don’t know what’s happened to our bodies” Bubble.
“What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“Let's just say that we’re not sure if they exist anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because we thought we were in our bodies and so we left them behind at the altar and went back to the village, which doesn’t exist anymore as you saw because it gets too hot in the summer.”
“Was that summer weather there where we were?”
“You are kidding right? That was winter.”
Both Sam and Jack raised their eye brows.
“If we still lived there then we would be celebrating solstice, massive party, magic lanterns that fly, competitions, spirit hunts and lots and lots of fun.” Bubble looked away but not before Sam noticed a tear slide down her cheek, landing on Jack’s unconscious face.
“Did you see that?!” asked Bubble.
“Yeah how did that happen?”
“I don’t know. It’s been so long since I could cry.”
“No I mean your tear hit Jack’s face” said Squeak.
“Oh yeah.” Bubble moved a little and placed her hand on top of Jack’s. She then picked it up and dropped it again causing it to bounce slightly and then hang off the bed.
“I didn’t go through it” she picked his hand up and then dropped it again.
“You try it” said Squeak to Sam.
Sam walked next to Jack’s bed and put her hand straight through his. Immediately she withdrew her hand.
“Why is it working for me and not for you?” asked Bubble.
“Maybe it’s because you’re not on that planet any more” said Sam.
“If that were true then you would be able to do it to, so that theory’s a bust.”
“True.”
“Who are you?” came a voice from the door.
They all turned to see Dr Lam come into the room.
“I’m Squeak, this is Bubble” said Squeak with a shaky voice.
“How did you get in here?”
“We came with Jack and Sam.”
Jack and Sam looked at each other and then Sam said:
“We never introduced ourselves how do you know our names?”
“Because we watched you play ball before you got bored” said Bubble.
Dr Lam had signalled two SF’s into the room, and they were both heading towards the girls.
“What are you doing?” asked Squeak.
“I don’t know how you got here without anyone seeing, but you’re going to have to go with these officers to a holding room until we can assess who you are. In the meantime I have to take some blood to make sure you don’t have any diseases.” While she was talking, she had put on a pair of rubber gloves and sorted out 4 needles, two with a clear liquid in them.
“I don’t think so,” said Bubble. She and Squeak put their fits up, and stood in fighting stance in defence.
“I’d just do as they say” said Sam
“I will not go like that. I can’t be held up.” One of the SF’s grabbed hold of Bubble’s wrists and she began to struggle. Squeak tried to fight the SF off of her but the other one attempted to subdue her at the same time.
“I warned you,” said Sam as Dr Lam injected the two girls with a light sedative which then allowed her to withdraw some of their blood. Then the SF’s took the two girls to the holding cell. As they got to the door, Bubble said drowsily:
“Are you coming?”
“Are you talking to me?” asked Dr Lam.
“No. I was talking to Jack and Sam.”
“They are in no condition to go anywhere. Please take them to the holding room before the sedative wears off.”
“Yes Ma’am” said the SF’s.
“Yeah I’ll go just to keep them out of trouble” said Sam, as the SF’s moved off with the girls
“In that case I’m coming with you,” said jack. They followed them along the hall towards the elevators…
General Landry was just finishing the briefing with SG-1 when Dr Lam came up.
“What is it Doctor?” he asked.
“Sir we had a couple of girls in the infirmary by General O’Neill and Colonel Carter earlier. I’ve had them taken to the holding room for now.”
“Where did they come from?”
“I don’t know. They just appeared to have come from nowhere.”
“Okay. Thanks Caroline.”
Dr Lam left and then Landry said: “Is there anything else you would like to add?”
“No sir” said the team.
“Very well. Dismissed.”
They all stood to go but as they reached the door, Landry added:
“Oh, and while General O’Neill and Colonel Carter are out of action, you are free to have some time off. You all deserve it.”
“But sir, you said I could take a look at the other set of ruins” said Daniel.
“Yes I did. You can do that instead of taking time off if you want, but you will have to take armed back up this time.”
“Yes sir. When can I go?”
“Whenever you’re ready. SG-5 is on standby.”
“Thank you Sir.” Daniel rushed off down the hall towards the elevators, no doubt to wash and change before going off world again.
Landry disappeared into his office and then the rest of SG1 went to the locker room.
When they reached there, Daniel rushed out and straight past them not even noticing they were there. Then Cam insisted that Vala goes first. When she was inside and the door was locked, Teal’c asked:
“To what is your meaning?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You allowed Vala Mal Doran go first.”
“Oh that. It’s called manners T.”
“I see.”
“”It’s basically a gentleman’s thing. For example, if a female goes to walk through a door or pick something up at the same time then you say ‘ladies first’ and then she will either go first or she would say ‘and men just before’ in which case you then insist she goes first.”
“Thank you Colonel Mitchell, but I am well aware of the custom of this world.”
“Ahh…well that’s good then.”
“Indeed” said Teal’c as the door to the locker room clicked open…
Bubble and Squeak had been placed on the twin bunks that were in the holding room. They had been totally silent but Bubble had began to make popping sounds with her mouth.
“You know that’s kind of annoying” said Jack.
“What is?” asked Bubble.
“That popping noise.”
“Am I doing that again?”
“Yeah.”
“Yeesh I didn’t even realise. The sedative must be wearing off.”
“Maybe you should try to focus your mind on what you are doing. It’s very easy to do.”
“Says you who hums when you’re happy and don’t even realise it” said Jack smiling.
“As I recall that was only once.”
“Well there’ve been times I’ve come down to your lab and you were humming – sometimes singing – and you was so…wrapped up in your work so I didn’t want to disturb you. I stood at the door and listened. You have a very sweet singing voice.”
“What?” said Sam, colour flooding her face, as Squeak sat up straight and asked:
“Can we hear it?” Sam looked at Jack, a light anger in her eyes.
“What?” he asked innocently even though there was an odd twinkling in his eye and a smile that curved up to one side of his mouth – the smile he always gave her and her alone.
“They want me to sing for them now and I can’t sing to save my life.”
“Now that’s a lie” said Jack, “I should know I’ve heard you for years.”
“Well I haven’t sung in a long time so my voice may be a little rusty.”
“Stop making excuses Sam. Why don’t you sing something you know you’re good at and know the words to?” said Bubble.
“Ok there is one song….but…I don’t know…” Sam was blushing terribly. Bubble stood up and walked over to her, and took her hand.
“So what’s stopping you?” she asked.
“Nerves” Sam choked out, looking at Jack.
“If it makes you feel any better we won’t look” said Bubble looking pointedly at Jack and Squeak.
“I guess it would” said Sam already gaining her composure.
Jack, Bubble and Squeak turned around and then Sam began to sing after taking a couple of breaths.
“High on a hill was a lonely goatherd…”
By the time Sam had finished the chorus, they had all turned around again to face her. She was blushing bright red.
“That was brilliant!” said Bubble
“Really?” asked Sam looking more at Jack for confirmation than the girls.
“Totally!” said Squeak.
“Best version I ever heard” said Jack after clearing his throat. The girls giggled as Sam flushed impossibly deeper.
“No need to blush on my account” said Jack.
Sam blinked then turned away as Bubble asked:
“Is there anything to write on?”
“There’s usually a pad and pencil to write on over there on the table. Why do you ask?”
“I have to send a message to our people to tell them that me and Squeak are ok.” Bubble picked up the pencil and began to write on it. When she had finished, she handed Sam the note.
“Can you understand this?”
She took a look at it. It read:
‘Eway areay ayokay. Eythay areay ithway usay anday eythay illway ebay omingcay ithway usay oonsay. Romfay ubbleBay anday eakSquay.’
“No. I mean we have those letters in our language but we don’t write words like that.”
“Cool. Then there won’t be any problems with the enemy understanding it.”
“Er, enemy?” asked Jack.
“They call themselves the Pookachichi. By the way I know this sounds dumb but where is the sending option?”
“Sending option?”
“Yeah, you know. The subspace link to contact your allies?”
“We contact them through our stargate” said Sam.
“Oh you’re still doing that?”
“Yeah why?”
“Never mind.”
“Hey wait a minute I thought we couldn’t hold anything solid!” said Jack.
“You can’t,” said Squeak. “You are only your consciousnesses and you cannot interact with anything or anyone within the norm unless there are people who have been in the same situation in the past or they are still in that position. Why do you ask?”
“Because Bubble just gave Sam a piece of paper, and she was able to take it.”
“Oh yeah. Are you solid again then?”
“I don’t know maybe.” Sam walked over to the table and tried to pick up the pad of paper but her hand went through it and the table.
“That still freaks me out” she said as she withdrew her hand.
“Well I don’t know how Sam could take it unless…” said Bubble, looking around. “Yep that’s what I thought.” She pointed to the floor behind the table and her body was lying on the floor. Squeak’s body was somewhere near the corner of the room.
“Well that’s not a good thing” said Bubble as an SF opened the door for another SF to bring in two trays of food. When he saw the girls lying on the floor, he hurriedly placed the trays on the table and checked Bubble’s pulse. Then he rushed out and picked up the emergency phone and called for medical support. Within two minutes the medics had arrived and they prepped the girls and placed them on stretchers before rushing them to the infirmary. Bubble, Squeak, Sam and Jack followed them there.
“I don’t really understand how this could have happened again though” said Squeak as she went along the hall. “The blue light didn’t get us this time.”
“Maybe, you becoming solid were a way of letting you know that your bodies were still safe” said Sam.
“Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know though. I’m all confused. I’ll leave the scientific side of things to you” said Bubble.
“I always thought that a good idea” said Jack. Sam blushed red again.
“Why do you blush whenever Jack compliments you?”
“It’s not so much him complimenting me, but I think he’s forgotten I can read his minds and see his thoughts.”
It was Jack’s turn to blush at that point.
“You can still do that?” he asked looking slightly amazed.
“Yeah can’t you read mine?” asked Sam.
“No. I’ve been trying to but all I get is silence.”
“In other news, since me and Squeak are like you again, we’ll just have to send the note the old way.”
“The old way?” asked Sam as they entered the infirmary.
“Yep just watch and see,” said Bubble, folding the paper into a small square. She placed it onto her left palm and as she did, something appeared in the air next to her. It was shiny and blue and perfectly circular.
“How did you do that?” asked Jack, as the paper, along with a couple of items from the infirmary went zooming in to it. Then it disappeared into nothingness. The other people in the room were looking in their direction but decided it was nothing and continued about their business.
“Simple it is a method of – “ started Squeak.
“Ht hm!” said Bubble, clearing her throat pointedly over the top of what she was saying.
“Right, sorry. We’re taught it from a young age by our guardians.”
“Who are your guardians?”
The girls looked at each other for a second before looking back at Sam and Jack and saying at the same time:
“The Furlings and the Ancients.”
“Furlings? We’ve never met those guys. Are they as cute and fluffy as they sound?” asked Jack.
“How dare you say that about us!” said Squeak launching herself at him. He fell to the floor with her on top of him and she raised a fist. It was nearly at Jack’s face when Bubble injected something into her. Squeak fell immediately limp, but her fist still hit Jack on the chin giving him an instant bruise.
“Can you get her off of me please someone?” he asked, slightly out of breath from the fall.
Sam helped Bubble move Squeak, then together helped Jack back up on his feet.
“Thanks.”
“No problem, just don’t say things like that about the Furlings. As you can see they can be a very...touchy race.”
“I thought you were her sister,” said Sam.
“In a spiritual sense yes. We have the same tastes in most things and we kinda grew up together too. So we see ourselves as sisters. She is two years younger than me.”
“Okay. How old are you exactly?” asked Jack.
“Well, I’m 19 and she’s 17. Why do you want to know?”
“I’m just curious that’s all.”
“In that case how old are you guys?”
“I’m 43” said Sam. A slight flush of colour hit her cheeks.
“And I’m...just old” said Jack, defiantly.
“Yeah I know that,” said Bubble with a cheeky grin, “but how old?”
“Oi you didn’t have to agree with me” said Jack a small smile played around his lips at the humour. He sighed, considering it in his mind then he said, “Ok fine I’ll tell you. I’m...58”
“Wow bit of an age gap but that won’t matter. Age is just a number after all.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Jack.
“It...doesn’t matter, you have to work it out for yourself.”
“No seriously you started this conversation,” said Jack. Bubble could see slight pleading in his eyes but she still said:
“And I’m ending it. Full stop.”
“Please tell us what you meant?” asked Sam. She pouted her lip and made herself sort of look sad.
“Pouting might work on me...with a four year old but it doesn’t work with an adult.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying” said Sam.
“I know. It helps you get things sometimes, but I’ve know that if you do it to the wrong person, even as a joke, then you’d get tanned for a week and it’s that painful you can’t sit down for a week.”
“Nasty!” said Jack.
“Luckily enough it didn’t happen to me. I was sent to the Furling and Ancient Guardians for a different reason.”
“So is it abused people that are sent there then?”
“Yeah but not just abused people. Those who die of abuse, disease famine or murder are ascended to the Guardians place of honour. A place where you guys will be going to shortly.”
Both Sam and Jack looked worried.
“Oh no you’re not going to die yet. They just want to meet you that’s all.”
They both breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s good then, I don’t think I’m ready to die yet” said Jack.
“Hm. Nobody is ready to die. Oh by the way Sam there is a couple of people there I think you may know.”
“Really? Like who?”
“I cannot say, but when Squeak wakes up, the portal will open soon after and then you can see them.”
“Is there anyone I know there?” asked Jack.
“There may be a couple but they may not want to see you and they definitely don’t want to come back because they love their sanctuary so much.”
“Do these people miss us?”
“Oh yes. Quite a lot actually. Thing is though, they do not want to see you if they are not coming back because that would only make them miss you more. We were supposed to go earlier, meet you and the team on the planet then take you there, but then you split from your group and you two sat on the altar as me and Squeak did and then you were hit by the blue light.”
“Wait a minute, you told us you were there for 25 cycles.”
“Yeah and we were. Cycles equal what you call hours.”
“Really? I thought you meant years.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t stand being like that for this for that long.”
“So if you were supposed to take the team to where ever it is we are supposed to go then will there be more than one portal?”
“Yeah there should be. Best thing about it is that you will get to see who Vala is with when we are on the other side.”
“I think I have a fair idea,” said Sam.
“You’d be quite surprised.”
“Bubble?” came Squeak’s muffled and drowsy voice from the floor.
“Ah, welcome back the land of the conscious.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.” Bubble signalled to Jack and Sam to keep quiet as Squeak slowly stood up. By this time all the doctors that were around their beds had gone either for breaks or simply because there was nothing much else to do.
“Oh ok. Why was I asleep on the floor?”
“I don’t know, maybe you zonked out or something.”
“I don’t think so. I mean I don’t normally zonk –,” Squeak had turned and saw Jack and Sam standing there. “THEY’RE HERE!? They’re here and you didn’t wake me!?”
Bubble gave Squeak a small tap on the back of the head and Squeak shook a little.
“You remember now?”
“Yeah I do.” She walked over to Jack and he took a couple of steps back.
“Please don’t be scared of me. I just want to say sorry for the way I behaved and I shouldn’t have tried to attack you for that simple remark.” She extended her hand out and he shook it slowly, then rather difficultly, as Squeak gave him a hug.
She was still holding onto him after a few minutes and so he said kindly:
“Ok Squeaky I think that’s enough now.”
“Right, sorry.” She let go and then stood next to Bubble again.
“So, Bubble, you never did mention why you were at the sanctuary place” said Sam.
“Arson. Somebody set fire to my house to try and kill my parents. Killed me instead. My parents got out but they didn’t want to leave me behind. They had no choice though. A burning beam was in the way and when the fire brigade came they pulled them out of the house but by then it was too late for me. I basically choked on the fumes and suffocated before the fire got to me.”
“You remember all of this? Can you even remember what planet you’re from?”
“I just know it’s the south-eastern quadrant of the galaxy, and no, I don’t remember it. I was told by my guardian mother.”
“Oh ok. Maybe we could go and visit your real parents when we are back in our physical form,” said Sam.
“Not bloody likely!” said Bubble.
“Oi, language,” said Jack.
“Right sorry.”
“Why can’t you go see your parents? We’ll go with you if you’re scared” said Sam smiling at her and placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Because they’d have a heart attack and or they won’t believe us and say that we were lying and that I had died in the fire. You see they never found my body. They buried an empty white casket.” A tear slipped down her cheek and Sam gave her a hug which Squeak joined in and then so did Jack for the hell of it. With this many people around her it only took a couple of minutes to calm her down.
“Thanks guys,” she said breaking out of the hug.
“No problem sweetie,” said Sam, “We all need one once in a while.
Jack wiped the tears from her eyes making her smile. Her cheeks went slightly red too. He winked at her before standing up straight again.
“And how about you Squeak?”
“Huh?” she looked as though she had just came out of a daze.
“how did you end up there?”
“What are you nuts? I was born there.”
“Okay calm down Squeak,” warned Bubble.
“Right of course sorry.” She hung her head.
At that moment, Cam came alone into the infirmary and sat in a chair beside Sam’s bed. He took hold of her hand and began to talk to her.
“Sam, I don’t know if you can hear me. I should have told you this ages ago, but I couldn’t find the right words. I guess what I’m trying to say is...I have feelings for you and more than just friends. You have that particular effect on me. Anyway as you’re, in a way, already taken, I’ll just say that my feelings for you are, for now at least, put on hold. I also want you to know that I’ll be there for you, no matter what.” He lifted her hand and kissed it gently, then stood up and placed one on her forehead. At that point jack’s anger had reached a peak, and before anyone could stop him, he rushed at Cam trying to punch him. With each punch that went through Cam, he spoke a word.
“How – dare – you – try – to –confuse – her!”
“Jack stop it!” said Sam. He ignored her and continued to punch through Cam for all the use it did.
“Sir! Please stop!” she shouted at him. He stopped mid punch, and looked at her. She could see the anger slowly melting away, but it was still there.
“He hasn’t confused me sir.”
“No?”
“No sir.”
“Positive?”
“Yes sir.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“You just did sir, but sure ok.”
“Can you please stop calling me sir?!”
“Yes General.”
“Sam!” whined Jack.
“Sorry Jack. You know I like to wind you up” said Sam, flashing a mega watt grin at him.
“Much better,” he said smiling and moving away from Cam. Their eyes locked on to each other, and they stood like that for what seemed like eternity to them.
“Look, I know neither of you are kissing yet or nothing, but could you guys just at least get a room?! Then you could get rid of all that tension that’s been building up over the last decade or more,” said Squeak.
“What are you talking about?” asked Sam breaking her eye contact with Jack and looking at her.
“You two. It would be obvious how you guys felt for each other even if we couldn’t read your minds.”
“Squeak!” said Bubble, slightly angrily, at the same time as Sam spoke.
“What did you just say?”
“Oops,” said Squeak in a small voice.
“She said something about our feelings,” said Jack, dreamily.
“I know,” said Sam, “I’m talking about the bit that came after.”
“Oh.....er.....I don’t know. I kinda stopped listening after the bit about our feelings. Sam went quiet. She had started to become slightly breathless and her face had gone slightly red.
There was a bleeping noise and when they looked up, they found the heart monitor connected to Sam was the cause.
“I didn’t know that what happened to our consciousnesses also happened to our bodies,” said Bubble.
Immediately, Jack moved over to his body. “She’s bruised me!” He said, looking angry.
“I’m sorry!” said Squeak running behind Bubble looking scared. Bubble put her arms around her shoulders.
“Hey don’t worry I’m not going to hurt you!”
“You’re not?” asked Squeak, nervously, looking scared and surprised at the same time.
“What gave you that idea?” asked Jack looking sorry for her.
“I...I...” she looked at Bubble, pleadingly.
“She grew up in an abusive family when she was younger and she still fears being wrong or doing the wrong thing” she said for her.
“I see. You told us you were born there,” said Sam stepping closer to her.
“Well I lied. I just didn’t want you knowing that’s all.”
“Aww, there’s no need to fear us honey,” said Sam, putting an arm around her shoulders, “and I guess I can understand and respect that.” Squeak leaned into the hug and Sam tightened the hug. Suddenly, a portal appeared out of nowhere.
“Time to go!” shouted Bubble over the whirling sound, as they all, including Cam, got sucked through it...
They all fell into a heap on the floor, closely followed by Teal’c and Vala and finally, Daniel, who still had a brush in his hand. In the not so far distance, they could hear laughter and music playing. It was sunset and the sun hung low behind some trees. Bubble and Squeak were already on their feet, helping Jack and Sam to stand up.
“Who are you?” asked Daniel looking at Squeak.
“We are Bubble and Squeak,” said Bubble.
“Hi I’m...I’m D-“
“Yes Daniel Jackson I know,” said Bubble a small smile playing on her lips.
“You’ve heard of me?”
“Oh yeah, we’ve heard of all of you,” said Squeak.
“Yes really Vala,” said Bubble.
“I didn’t say anything,” she said looking around at everyone.
“You didn’t have to. Your minds’ speak plenty.”
“So you can read our thoughts?”
“Yeah we sure can,” she said smiling, “and anyway, those villages you were excavating look something like this...” he looked towards where she pointed, and there was a huge stone village surrounded by a stone wall and a shimmering blue force shield. Daniel’s face lit up like a thousand fairy lights, eyes full of wonder.
“This is incredible,” he said, finally finding his voice.
“Come on, we’ll get you in before the shield closes for the evening,” said Squeak as she and Bubble started walking ahead of them along the path that was laid out in front of them. The team did not follow because Cam turned around and saw Sam.
“Sam? General? When did you wake up?”
“You can see us?” asked Sam looking slightly surprised.
“Yeah of course we can see you,” said Vala.
Sam attempted to poke Vala’s shoulder but her finger went straight through it.
“Do you even realise just how creepy that is?!” said Vala jumping back.
“Yeah I have a fair idea.”
“Hey are you coming or what?” called Bubble from 70 yards away.
“Yeah we’re coming!” called Sam, back at her.
“Okay has anybody got a problem with this?” asked Jack as they began to walk.
“Which of us are solid and which of us are not?” asked Vala.
“Did we not have a similar discussion about realities in the past?” asked Teal’c finally speaking.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember,” said Jack, scratching his head.
“It was some years ago, O’Neill,” said Teal’c looking at him with a slight amused smile.
“I barely remember what I did this morning T, how do you expect me to remember that?”
“That O’Neill is a good question.”
At that moment they reached the girls and all started talking at once.
“Who is solid and who isn’t?” asked Vala.
“Why are we here?” asked Cam.
“Who are we here to see?” asked Daniel.
“Are me and Jack still displaced?” asked Sam.
“Are we ever going back to our bodies?” asked Jack.
Teal’c remained silent, slight amusement playing across his face.
“You are how you were when you came here. You are here because we are arranging a treaty with your people and you shall be given boarding and nourishment whilst you’re here. You will be going to the Furling and Ancient federation of protection society, where you will meet the guardians of our sanctuary. You are still displaced and yes you will go back to your bodies as soon as you guys realise something and do something about it, which you have to work out for yourself,” said Bubble looking at each of them in turn as she answered their questions.
“Teal’c may I ask you something?” asked Squeak.
“Indeed,” he said.
“Do you have to do the eyebrow thing? Don’t you realise just how annoying it is?” she and Bubble giggled.
Teal’c just raised his eyebrow impossibly higher as Vala spoke.
“Hey leave him alone. It’s his thing that he does.”
Bubble and Squeak looked at each other and nodded before stepping in front of Teal’c. They joined one of their hands together and then their free hand they waved in front of his face.
“There. It won’t be as annoying now.” They let go of each other’s hands and began walking again giggling. They were now only a few short yards from the shield.
Everyone began laughing at once.
“What is it that you find amusing?” asked Teal’c.
“Your eyebrows,” said Vala through her laughter.
“What of them?” he asked reaching up and feeling them.
“They’re neon pink!” said Jack, laughing the entire time he said it making it almost incoherent.
“Oi! Hurry up curfew is nearly here!” shouted a girl standing at what looked like a Ticket booth within the force shield. Bubble and Squeak had already stepped through.
“Hey Honey,” said Bubble as Squeak said “Hey Sweetie.”
“Hi guys” said Honey as they gave each other a hug.
“How you been?” asked Squeak still holding onto her.
“Yeah I’m good but I have to let your friends through,” she said chuckling.
Daniel had walked into the force shield, causing it to send yellow streaks skywards, and his hair to stand on end in all directions, and was smoking slightly.
“Yeah ok then,” said Squeak, letting go and trying unsuccessfully to hide her smile.
A gap appeared in the shield and the team walked in, the shield instantly resealing after. In the distance they heard a similar sound to church bells chime 5 times.”
“Well that’s me done for the day,” said Honey, stepping out from behind her booth.
“So you guys going to introduce us then?” asked Jack.
“Oh no need,” said Honey, “I know you very well. My name is Honey.” She held out a hand and they all shook it in turn. When Daniel shook hands, sparks flew above their heads. Squeak wolf-whistled.
“Shut up Small-gate!” said Honey, blushing. They began to walk into the main part of the village.
“Who’s Small-gate?” asked Cam.
“It is me,” said Squeak.
“I was under the impression you were called Squeak,” said Teal’c.
“I am,” she said, “Small-gate is just a nickname.”
“Oh I see,” said Vala.
“Don’t tell me you don’t have them. Every planet we’ve visited so far has.”
“Oh we do have them,” said Vala.
“Thought so,” said Honey, “seeing as Jack isn’t his real name.”
“How do you know that?” asked Sam.
“I have my sources and as I’m sure Bubble and Squeak have told you, there may be some people here that you know.”
“Yeah who are they?” asked Sam, looking hopeful.
“You’ll find out soon enough Sammy,” said Honey.
“Excuse me?” asked Sam, stopping in her tracks.
“What?” asked Honey, totally oblivious to Sam’s tone of voice.
“What did you just call me?”
Honey frowned slightly as she spoke. “I called you Sammy. Why nothing wrong that is there?”
“There’ve only been three people that have ever called me that in my life, my mom, dad and brother.”
“Oh I’m sorry. What shall I call you instead then?” she asked nervously.
“You can call me Sam,” she replied, smiling at her.
“Ok then Sam it is,” said Honey, smiling back at her. They began to walk again, stepping into a hall that had many windows set high into the wall near the ceiling. The walls were white washed and hanging from the ceiling, hung with invisible wires were thousands and thousands of crystal prisms. The position of the setting sun, caused millions of rainbows to bounce around the room. The effect in itself was rather pleasing.
In the middle of the hall was a long table, similar size to their briefing table, but this one looked to be made of glass, surrounded by chairs of the same material. They were all intricately decorated with a coat of arms that had Ancient and Furling writing on a banner beneath.
“The entire set is made of 100% quartz crystal,” said Squeak.
“I bet that took some time to make,” said Vala.
“Not at all,” said Bubble, “in fact, we only have one more chair to form. Would you like to see how it’s done?”
“Yeah that would be great!” said Daniel excitedly.
“Ok then we shall leave you in the very capable hands of Spice,” said Honey, pointing to a woman standing by a huge chunk of craggy rock.
“What is your intention?” asked Teal’c.
“You may watch Spice, while we go and tell the leaders that you are here,” said Squeak. “We will then sit, be merry and fix a treaty.”
“Excellent!” said Daniel.
“You will find us quite advanced compared to you,” said Spice. The team’s attention turned to her and the three girls took this diversion to head off. Spice was holding her hands out in front of her, her palms facing the rock as though it was a fire. As they watched, the rock began to glow red.
“How are you doing that?” asked Sam, as Spice touched the rock to start shaping it.
“It is a matter of controlling your thoughts, channelling you emotions and letting them out by flowing through your arms and expelling them through your hands.”
“Dare I ask which emotion this is?” asked Daniel.
Bubble and Squeak had returned un-noticed by anyone.
“Isn’t it obvious? Heat is anger. The angrier we get the hotter the heat.”
“Well I certainly don’t want to get on the wrong side of you guys,” said Cam, a small smile curving his features.
“Is there a way of expressing love like that?” asked Vala.
“Unfortunately, no. We express our love the primitive way.”
“Er, the primitive way?” asked Jack.
“Pro-creation der!”
“Oh.” He glanced at Sam, whose mouth was twitching, as if fighting not to smile. She looked into his eyes directly. He had to look away from her and clear his throat.
“We can’t be close already can we?” Squeak asked Bubble, whispering.
“I shouldn’t think so. Something has to happen first before that.”
“Oh ok.”
“Close to what and before what happens?” asked Sam, overhearing the conversation, making the girls jump.
“Oh er, it doesn’t matter,” said Bubble avoiding Sam’s gaze.
“Come on if you didn’t want us knowing you wouldn’t have spoken out loud.”
“We didn’t. We whispered. And besides what we were discussing was a private matter between me and my sister.”
“Oh ok. Sorry I was only wondering.”
“I know. You can’t help being so wary of new races can you?”
“No that’s very true.”
“Spice, perhaps later on I can get a surprise for you,” said Bubble.
“Really?”
“Yeah I shouldn’t see why not. You’ve worked pretty hard on these.”
“Well then thank you,” said Spice smiling.
“No worries,” said Bubble.
A door creaked in the far corner of the room, as four people, 2 men and 2 women, entered. They were all dressed in the same way, a long red and blue gown embroidered with crystal droplets and gold threading. They all took their seats at the table.
The team approached and one of the males guided them to specific seats. He led Sam to a seat first, followed by Jack and there was one empty seat next to her. Sam noticed that her seat and Jack’s were a little too close and when she tried to move it, one of the females spoke.
“You cannot move you chairs they are stuck fast to the ground.”
Sam shifted a little in her seat, and her leg rubbed against Jacks. He looked at her pulling in his bottom lip in an effort not to react to it.
She didn’t look at him, knowing what it was like.
The male had placed Vala next to Cam and Teal’c, and Daniel on his own, an empty seat next to him.
When they were all seated and the girls had joined the table near the four leaders, the oldest one spoke.
“Welcome to our Sanctuary.” She wore glasses upon her face and always carried a smile, and she seemed quite bubbly the way she walked. “Whilst here, you will be protected from harm, and you will not be able to feel physical pain. My name is Mortia. This is my other associate Apple-bee, and our 2 Furling representatives, Ardanna and Chip.” They each nodded in turn as their names were said.
“It is nice to meet you all,” said Daniel, “You have a wonderful place here.”
“Thank you Daniel Jackson,” said Ardanna.
Above them, a bell began to chime and a growing chatter started outside.
“You must please join us for our evening meal,” said Apple-bee.
Everyone looked at Jack.
“Only if you’re sure,” he said.
“It is up to you Jack,” said Bubble, sitting forward to look at him whilst she spoke.
“Then sure ok, that would be great.”
“Excellent!” said Mortia, in a perfect imitation of Mr Burns from the Simpsons.
Jack and Sam exchanged looks, but didn’t get to communicate much because at that moment, the people they could hear came bustling in, carrying tables and chairs of various different materials and sizes. They were all wearing different coloured cloaks, their hoods up, covering their faces.
“Why do they all wear hoods?” asked Sam, looking around at them all, “Is is raining?”
“No. The sun sets fast here and as a result it gets cold quickly,” said Squeak.
Sam nodded and looked around at the team.
Daniel had begun a conversation with Mortia and Teal’c, Cam and Vala were listening closely. Jack looked as though he was listening, but she could see his eyes were already glazed over. She looked back at the other people, who had nearly had everything set up, and she saw Spice talking to someone, pointing in their direction, before bringing the person over to them.
“There is someone who has – no pun intended – been dying to see you Sam,” said Spice. Jack heard her and turned around. The person that stood next to Spice lowered their hood and Sam gasped in shock.
“Are you ok?” asked Jack, concern on his face.
“Yeah I think so I guess. Jack there is someone I’d like you too meet.”
Jack looked at the person standing next to Spice. She had grey hair and a few wrinkles but she was almost an exact image of Sam. “Jack meet my mom, mom meet Jack.”
“Mom?” asked Jack.
“Not yet.” she replied.
Jack chuckled. “Well, nice to meet you ma’am, I’ve heard nothing about you.”
“I know. Nice to meet you too...in person. Are you two...?”
“No mom. He’s a General and I’m a Colonel in the US Air force.”
“Really? My baby in a Colonel?”
“Yeah I got my full Colonel rank when I had command on Atlantis.”
“Wow your own command? Congratulations honey!” she spread her arms wide and enfolded herself around her daughter. Sam hugged her back as best as she could.
“I’ve missed you so much mom,” she said muffled as her mouth has covered by her mom’s shoulder.
“I missed you too Sammy.” As her mom called her Sammy, not realising just how much she had missed being called it by her, tears of happiness began to flow. Her mother held her out at arms’ length and looked at her in the face. She smiled as she wiped away her daughter’s tears.
“There that’s better isn’t it?”
“Thanks mom,” said Sam as she turned back to the table.
“So Mrs Carter – “
“Oh please call me Lauretta our Laurie for short.”
“Ok Laurie. I just want to say you have an excellent daughter and she is brilliant at her job.”
“Ah well thank you, but I think it was more to do with her father than me.”
Jack smiled at Sam as she had gone red from his compliment.
“So what else have you been up to then?” asked Lauretta.
Sam looked at Jack who nodded before she spoke.
“We’ve been trying to keep the Milky-way and Pegasus galaxies free from enemies for over a decade.”
“Oh I know that. I mean what have you been doing in your personal life?”
Sam dropped her gaze for a second before answering.
“Well I haven’t really had time for a personal life,” she said.
“I see. What about that Pete fellow?”
Jack shifted a little and Sam stared at her mother.
“How do you know about him?”
“Well let’s just say I’ve watched every mission you’ve been on, and when you was on the way to try and get the Asgard attention, you was asked by Teal’c how Pete was doing.”
“Oh. Yeah well I broke it off with him.”
“Someone else?”
“What makes you say that?” asked Sam.
“Because I’m your mom and moms know these things.”
“So how come you could only see her missions?” asked Jack.
“Because that is the rules. The only time I can see her out of missions is if she talks about me to someone out loud.”
“Really? How long do you get to see her for?”
“Up to two weeks, dependant on how often she talks about me.”
“The reason I was going to ask if you two were...you know...was because after Sam spoke about me, I saw you two kissing in the locker room I believe. It was rather fiery too, especially when –“
“MOM! Please stop it you’re embarrassing me!” she had noticed that everyone on their table was staring at her.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Hey listen where’s your dad? It would be nice to see him again.”
The entire team remained quiet. This silence seemed to emanate across the room, causing everyone else to go silent.
“Did nobody tell you?” asked Sam in a small voice.
“Tell me what Sammy?” asked Lauretta. Sam could hear the worry in her mother’s voice, but she still looked her directly in the eye when she spoke.
“He died a few years ago when his Tok’ra simbiote died.” Tears began spilling out of her eyes again; tears of sadness, though these tears were nothing like the tears of her mother.
Jack put his arm around Sam’s shoulders and handed her a tissue that was a little crumpled from his pocket.
“Thanks Sir,” she said wiping her eyes then blowing her nose.
“Sam what have I said about that?”
“Right. Sorry. Jack.” She smiled. He always made her smile, even through her saddest moments.
“All these years and I bet he never knew,” said Lauretta.
Sam frowned. “Never knew what mom.”
“About my accident.”
“Of course we knew about your accident.”
“So the police told you?”
“Yeah.”
“Did they tell you exactly how I had died?” she asked twisting a piece of her hair around her finger.
“They said it was just an unlucky accident. You took the cab, because dad was late picking you up and then it crashed. We were told you were killed instantly.”
“Nope not me. I bled out slowly as well as internally. It was no accident either. The driver deliberately didn’t stop at the lights and went into opposite traffic lanes. He was lucky enough to be killed instantly in the crash. Two other people died in that crash, one of which I have been looking after as though she were my own.”
“What?” asked Bubble, sounding shocked as she picked up a goblet of drink from a passing tray. “So I didn’t die in a fire?”
“Yes you did die in a fire, just not in a house. The car you were in exploded. Your parents tried to get to you but the paramedic’s wouldn’t let them get to you and they wouldn’t let them explain. Your mother’s cry of pain as she screamed you were in the car was so upsetting… Anyway the other person that died in that crash was the brave fireman who tried to rescue you.”
“How old was I when I died?” asked Bubble. She looked scared.
“Around 5 days I believe.”
“I remember dreaming once that I was very tiny and there were strange people looking down at me, yet I didn’t feel scared. One of the women picked me up and showed me to the rest of the people in the room.”
“Those events actually happened,” said Lauretta. “You were on the way home from the hospital when the crash happened.”
“Hospital?!” asked Bubble, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Your mother had a C-section and she had to stay a few days to make sure she was healing ok. You stayed with her because every time your father came near you, you started crying.”
“Maybe it was just timing,” said Sam.
“No one day he changed his aftershave and shaved his beard and she stopped crying.”
“Cool! So I basically had a good instinct for if something was bad or not?”
“Yeah. The funny thing was when I had you here to look after, you only cried if you were hungry or if you needed to be changed.”
“And what about Squeak?” asked Jack, causing Squeak to look up.
“She doesn’t have a fixed place of residence within our sanctuary,” said Mortia.
“Why’s that?” asked Jack.
“Because she is, as we say, a free spirit. She comes and goes as she pleases. As does Bubble.”
“Yeah but she had to have had somewhere to stay when she was younger surely?” asked Sam.
“She would stay with me a lot and she still does but she preferred to be on her own. Bubble bought her out of her shell,” said Lauretta.
“But Bubble stays with mom though,” said Sam.
“Yes. As she grew up she began to find she could do things even the most advanced of us couldn’t do,” said Ardanna. “She learned to leave here and go anywhere she pleases. She taught Squeak how to do everything she does as well and then when we felt they were ready, we sent them to get you.”
“Excuse me for a minute,” said Bubble rising from her chair and leaving the table. She walked across the room to a person who was standing around looking lost. They were still wearing their hood and nobody could see who they were. Bubble began a conversation with them, whilst a new conversation started at the table.
“I will say you guys came at a very fortunate time,” said Mortia.
“Really why is that?” asked Daniel.
“Because tonight we are having a feast.”
“A feast?” asked Jack, “So you’re celebrating something?”
“Indeed. We are celebrating solstice.”
“Which one?” asked Cam.
“Spring.”
“Cool what kind of things do you do on it?”
“You shall see later. You are all to take part in it though. That is a condition of being here.”
Jack and Sam looked at each other, Daniel’s and Teal’c’s eyebrows rose, and Cam and Vala were pointedly looking at the other people of the Sanctuary.
“Is there a problem?” asked Chip.
“No,” said Jack, “it’s just that last time we participated in something similar to a solstice, Sam went a bit deluded on a drink she was given and she started taking her clothes off and –“
“Ok that’s enough!” said Sam interrupting him. She had felt a slight shift in the way he sat as he spoke.
“It would have been quite a comical scene to see I think,” said Lauretta.
“Gee thanks for the moral support mom,” mumbled Sam.
“So what will we be eating when we have the feast?” asked Vala.
“Something traditional on your planet from a country called England. Sunday dinner, with all the main meats, including: chicken, pork, beef, duck and turkey,” said Apple-bee.
“My favourite,” said Sam.
Bubble came back and flopped down in her chair. The person she bought with her sat in the empty chair next to Daniel. They still wore their hood.
“Come now you know it’s rude not to show your face at the table,” said Mortia. Slowly, the person lowered their hood to reveal a reddish brown haired woman who was familiar to them all. Everyone of the team gasped, and Daniel had gone rigid.
Sam was the first to find her voice, just as the food appeared to come from inside the tables.
“Janet?”
“Yeah it’s me,” she replied, smiling nervously. “Daniel you shouldn’t sit so rigid, it’s not good for your muscles or blood pressure.”
“I...I’m sorry...I...it’s just...”
“I understand,” she said placing a hand onto his. That’s when he did something nobody was expecting. He stood, pulling Janet with him, and kissed her full on the lips, dipping it low. Something else nobody was expecting was the ferocity in which she responded to it, kissing him back, giving all she had got.
“Wow, that’s...a little passionate don’t you think?” said Jack.
“It has been written in destiny, long before any of you were born,” said Ardanna.
“Oh I almost forgot. I have to sort out Spice’s surprise,” said Bubble standing up. She opened a portal and disappeared into it and it closed behind her.
“I still don’t get how she does that,” said Apple-bee.
“Me either,” said the rest of the people around the table.
“How do I deserve a surprise for making the table and chairs?” asked Spice.
“You don’t always have to deserve things to be given things, other than be a good friend and being there for every one of them,” said Chip.
“Indeed,” said Mortia, “that is what we do for each other. Alone we are weak, together we are strong,” she continued, showing them with strings of dried pasta.
“I’m sure I seen that in some movie,” said Jack.
“Yeah I thought it seemed familiar,” said Cam, who was staring at Daniel and Janet, who appeared to have fallen to the floor kissing.
Sam stood and moved around the table. As she did, Daniel was already beginning to bring his kisses lower, the top buttons of Janet’s shirt undone.
“I think it best if you two get a room,” she said to them, as Janet closed her eyes, pleasure written over her face.
“You know, I think you’re right,” she said, sitting up, causing Daniel to topple sideways.
“We shall save you some food whenever you are ready to eat,” said Mortia, as Daniel got to his feet, and helped Janet on to hers.
“Thanks,” she said to Daniel and Mortia, before pulling Daniel out of the hall.
Bubble returned at that moment. “Unfortunately, I was unable to bring Spice her surprise. He was unwilling to come.”
“Who was it?” asked Chip
“It was going to be the actor, Joe Flanigan, from Earth.”
“The dude that does a lot of sci-fi stuff and was in the spin off series to Wormhole Extreme?” asked Sam.
“Yep, the very same dude.”
“Jack, Sam are you not hungry?” asked Ardanna, changing the subject.
“Not really, at least I’m not. Even if I was we wouldn’t be able to eat it,” replied Sam.
“Why would that be?” asked Apple-bee.
“Well, because the both of us can not touch solid matter. Our consciousnesses are what you can see and hear. Our bodies are back on Earth in our infirmary.”
“I see,” said Chip, “but that should not make any difference here.”
“Why not?” asked Sam, “I mean like I said, we haven’t been able to touch anything solid except for the floor since we were knocked out by the blue light on the other planet, when we sat on the altar.”
“Ahh, it is a simple displacement field, which can be easily fixed but not by us.”
“Why not?” asked Jack.
“It’s as Bubble and I have been saying; you need to work out for yourselves your little problem and then, once you have done something to resolve it, you will be able to go back,” said Squeak.
“How long will that take?” asked Jack.
“Well it’s hard to say. I guess it depends on you guys really,” said Bubble.
Vala and Cam were talking to each other in low voices but they had grown slightly louder as they began to argue.
“...tell them or not?” said Cam
“I don’t know. It’s up to you. I wanted to say in the first place, but you wouldn’t let me.”
“Ok so you wanna tell them now?”
“With what do you wish to tell us, Vala Mal Doran,” asked Teal’c.
Vala flushed red slightly, when she realised that everyone was listening.
“As if you don’t already know,” she said
“I do not understand the meaning of your conversation,” said Teal’c simply.
“Okay fine. Me and Cam have been dating for a little over 4 weeks now,” she said, making Cam go a little red himself.
“I wondered why you didn’t get angry when Daniel kissed Janet,” said Sam.
“I must admit, I did feel kind of jealous, but then I’m not the only one who has feelings for someone else,” said Vala looking pointedly at Cam, who suddenly became very interested in the meat on his plate.
“Oh yeah and who might that be?” asked Squeak, pretending not to know. Sam noticed Jack’s breathing change slightly, and knew he was beginning to feel the jealous anger burn within him. She placed a hand on his upper thigh, under the table, and began to trace slow circles. Immediately, he went rigid, goose-bumps spreading automatically across his entire body from her touch.
“It doesn’t matter,” Cam mumbled.
“Come on! Vala admitted she feels, or felt, something for Daniel,” said Squeak.
“Yeah and it’s not like she doesn’t know,” said Bubble, “She was there when you said it.”
“What!? You knew?” asked Cam looking at Sam. She nodded guiltily.
“What were you doing? Trying to fool me around or something?” he asked looking slightly scared at Jack.
“No I just didn’t realise that you felt that way and I wanted to see if you were sincere. Obviously though, I’m already taken...sort of...I think,” said Sam glancing at Jack, for a split second, before looking back at Cam.
“You’re already taken? By who? Didn’t you say you didn’t have anyone?” asked Lauretta.
Sam looked a bit awkward at that point.
“Well...I like to think that I am anyway,” she mumbled.
“So you’re still free and single then?”
“Sort of...yeah.”
Jack decided to return her touch, and he began idly drawing circles on her thigh with his fingers. Slowly, he began drawing those circles on the inside of her thigh, and then slowly began moving upwards. She clamped her thighs together, effectively stopping his hand, but leaving it trapped there.
She looked him in the face and with her eyes, she said: “Not now.”
He raised his eye brows and, for the first time in a while, she heard his thoughts.
“Would you let it happen if we were on our own?”
“Maybe,” she replied thinking and smiling sideways at him.
“Gosh this is torture. You going to let my hand go?”
She released his hand and then she heard him say, “So how about asking if there is a place we can rest?”
“Insistent aren’t you?” Sam thought.
“Hey I can make it an order.” She glanced at him and saw he had a single eye brow raised.
“Okay then,” she said childishly. Then she spoke to Mortia. “Is there somewhere I can go to rest? Only I’m feeling kind of tired.”
“Yes. Bubble and Squeak will show you and Jack to your room,” said Chip with a wink.
“We sleep in separate accommodations do we not?” asked Teal’c.
“Cam and Vala will share, as will Jack and Sam. Daniel will be staying in Janet’s room. You will have your own room if you wish it.”
Bubble and Squeak stood and took Jack and Sam by the hand, giving them a tug. They stood and allowed the girls to steer them out of the hall. As the door shut behind them, somebody shouted something they could not quite hear and then everyone in the hall cheered loudly, causing the walls to reverberate with the sound.
“What was that about?” asked Sam, as the girls gave each other a high five.
“Oh nothing really,” said Squeak.
“Well if it was nothing, they wouldn’t have cheered like that,” said Jack.
“Oh that,” said Bubble, sighing in relief, “it is because we shall be having the solstice party under the stars. They have made the atmosphere warm enough for us to do it. There will also be camp fires and soups to help keep us warm.”
“Oh well if there is a party we don’t have to rest yet,” said Sam.
“Oh yes you do. You are not supposed to join the party. You have to *rest*” said Squeak, enclosing the word in air quotation marks.
“Why can’t we go?” asked Jack sounding disappointed.
“You know why,” said Bubble, glancing at him sideways with a small smile.
“No I don’t,” said Jack.
“Because, you want each other,” said the two girls at the same time. Sam looked at them in shock and Jack began to laugh.
“Is it really that obvious?” asked Sam in a low voice.
“It is, yes,” said Squeak, “We told you that before.”
“By the way Jack, did you ever tell Sam what happened in those time loops?” asked Bubble.
Sam looked at him and he looked at the floor guiltily.
“I knew that would come back to me one day,” he mumbled.
“Oh so you do remember what happened,” said Sam smiling.
“Yeah I do...some of it anyway.”
“Well what happened then?”
Jack remained silent.
“Okay, how about a compromise? You tell Sam what happened in the loops and Sam can tell you what happened when she was knocked out and thought she was trapped on the Prometheus for weeks.”
Sam went extremely wide eyed, and Jack looked at her, frowning slightly.
“You said thanks to me when you woke from that incident. What *did* you mean when you said it?”
“How did you know about that?” asked Sam, totally ignoring Jack’s question.
“Well, a friend may have been there under cover,” said Squeak.
“How? I only saw the team and my dad.”
“You’re forgetting one person,” said Bubble, “The one who gave you the idea to form the hyperspace bubble around the ship, to get you out of the nebulous cloud.”
“I still don’t know who you’re talking about,” said Sam, frowning now.
“I’m talking about a young girl named Grace,” said Bubble rolling her eyes.
“She’s from here?”
“Don’t be so surprised, but yes she was the one asked to help you through it. In the meantime, we were asked to go back in time and keep Jack and Teal’c in line when you were going through those time loops. We were also asked to record it for evidence of how good we were. Our other task was not being seen by anyone,” said Bubble.
“It wasn’t exactly hard. We were cloaked,” said Squeak.
“So what happened to these recordings?”
“I have them here on this info-pod, along with recordings of other furling interventions into your life. If we go inside I can show you them.” They had arrived at a huge circle door that had star shaped grooves in them.
“That’s a pretty door,” said Sam.
“Thanks, we made it ourselves,” said Squeak smiling.
“When the room is occupied, the stars glow. The colour depends on the blood type you have. That’s how we weed out the bad people.”
“Well, I think you should know that –“
“We know about your protein marker and Jack’s Ancient gene. If you had a simbiote in you now, you would cause the stars to glow vibrant red when you entered the room. As you don’t have one, you will make the stars glow purple. The other stars will glow yellow because of Jack’s blood type. We on the other hand turn them orange.”
“Isn’t that Ancient and Goa’uld blood mixed together?” asked Sam.
“No. The Ancient’s cannot be blended with a simbiote, as there is something in their physiology that prevents it occurring.”
“but I was blended with a Tok’ra once,” said Jack, a repulsive look on his face at the memory.
“That is different. You have the gene, but you are not an Ancient.”
“Thanks,” said Jack smiling.
“You’re welcome, but it wasn’t intended as a compliment,” said Bubble. She and Squeak giggled at Jack’s face.
“Sorry. If the stars turn blue, then we know we have a problem too.”
“How?” asked Sam.
“Because, it would be the enemy of us. The Pookachichi.”
“Oh I see,” said Sam as she and Jack followed the girls into the room. Bubble closed the door before she crossed the room and placed the info-pod into the small hole that was provided in the wall. Sam and Jack sat upon the large arm chair that was there, and squeak clapped her hands, which turned the lights out. It was totally pitch black for a moment, before an image appeared, flickering slightly. It was showing the control room at the SGC. Then the sound came as well. The siren, for the gate being activated, was wailing away in the background. Jack came in, holding a piece of paper.
“George,” he said.
“Colonel, what are you doing out of uniform?” asked General Hammond.
“Handing you my resignation,” said Jack, giving him the piece of paper.
Sam stood up. “You’re resigning what for?”
Jack looked at his watch as he took a step closer to her. “So I can do this...” he took hold of her and kissed her full on the lips, twirling her slightly so that she was sort of lying in his arms. She began to kiss him back, her hand snaking up to his head, when the image changed.
Sam was sitting on the floor of the Prometheus. She was looking ill, and tired.
“Alright Carter on your feet,” said Jack.
“I was wondering when you were going to show up,” said Sam. Jack walked into the room and sat opposite her.
“So are you going to rescue your sorry ass or what?”
“I can’t Sir, I’m too tired.”
“Samantha, I’m a figment of your imagination. You’re going to call me Sir?”
“Sorry, habit.”
Then the image seemed to fast forward a little.
“One last thing –“ the image changed to the both of them kissing on the Prometheus for a few seconds, before showing Sam once more “- never mind.”
Then the image disappeared, causing the room to go pitch black again.
“Now both of you know what happened,” said Squeak.
There was no answer, and when the girls turned the lights back on, they received a surprise. Jack and Sam were really kissing. He had a hand up her top, and the other one, trying to undo the button on her shorts.
“Could you not have waited for us to leave?” asked Bubble. They both seemed not to hear her, as Sam had unzipped Jack’s pants, and slipped them down a little, revealing brilliantly white boxer shorts. Jack had also finally managed to get his hand inside her shorts, and she was reacting to his touch rather strongly. Bubble, even though she didn’t wish to see, could not move from the spot.
“Okay they’re glued, time to scoot,” said Squeak. She took Bubble’s arm and pulled her out of the room.
“Oysh! Now I’m going to have some weird dreams...as if they weren’t weird enough,” said Bubble hitting herself on the forehead with the palm of her hand. Squeak had closed the door, but they could still hear Sam as she shouted out Jack’s name.
“Just as well this room has a sound block,” she said, shaking her head, as she flicked a switch.
“Yeah, I know they would be quite embarrassed if anyone hears them at it,” said Bubble.
“Well it’s handy because they can hear what’s happening out here but nobody can hear what's happening in there until they flick this switch.”
“Good thing too.”
“Anyways, we got a party to be getting ready for,” said Squeak.
“I’ve been waiting for this day since the last party.”
“Me too. Tonight we shall be shown our own futures.”
The girls walked away down the hall, arm in arm...
Jack collapsed next to Sam on the chair. He pulled the cover, which was conveniently placed on the back of the chair, over them both, before Sam settled into his arms, her head resting on his chest, listening to his heart beat.
“You are amazing Jack,” said Sam.
“So was you,” he replied, kissing the top of her head.
“I can’t believe we didn’t do it sooner.”
“Well, I guess, as they say, patience is a virtue.”
“Definitely.”
“Do you think we could still go to the party?”
“I shouldn’t see why not. Sounds like it’s still going on.”
“Excellent!” he said. He jumped out of the bed and started getting dressed.
“Don’t you want to wash first?”
“Why? I have your essence on me. And I like your smell.” He smiled at her, and she smiled back. He then pulled his pants up the rest of the way and done them up, then pulled on his t-shirt. Sam was still lying in the bed.
“Are you getting up or have I got to help you?” he asked teasingly.
“No, its ok,” she said, slowly standing up and getting dressed. When they were both dressed, they kissed once again.
“I love you Samantha.”
“I love you too Jack.” They were just about to leave the room when the door burst open, and instinctively, Jack stood in front of Sam, shielding her. The creature that stood there neither of them recognised, but its skin was tinged blue and it had strange owl like eyes. It was wearing enough cloth to cover itself in the right places and was also carrying a cross bow. It aimed the bow at Jack and then shot it without hesitation. The arrow hit Jack directly in the chest. As the arrow hit, the creature ran away. Jack sank to the floor, his breathing difficult and irregular. He tried to take the arrow out, but Sam wouldn’t let him.
“No don’t. It will kill you if you take it out.” She then lay him down on the floor before she ran into the hall. “Please somebody help us?!” she shouted. Then she ran back into the room. Jack had pulled the arrow out, and was now bleeding rather quickly all over the floor.
“Jack why?” asked Sam, as tears began sliding out of her eyes.
“I was dying anyway, just makes it quicker that’s all.”
“But-“
“Ah...no buts.” His voice was becoming weaker and Sam lifted him into her arms. “I...just want you...to know...there’s no...regrets and...I love...you...” he took one more breath, which bubbled in his throat, and then shuddered slightly before falling still. Sam watched the life light disappear from his eyes as his pupils dilated, his pulse stopped and he breathed no more...
Down at the party, the celebrations had been going on for some time. Everyone was sat around the camp fires, and there was music playing. Most people were dressed as snowflakes and angels, but there were two people dressed as snow princesses, Bubble and Squeak, and two as snow princes.
“See the princes over there?” Squeak asked Daniel. He nodded as he looked and took a sip of his wine. “Well they are our predicted life partners, whom the leaders think are the ones we are most suited for. Anyway, we all participate and celebrate as this is one of only six celebrations a year.”
“Wow so this is a very important thing for you then?” asked Daniel.
“Yes it’s a very…important…” Bubble had slowed her speech and she frowned a little, as she and the others became rigid around them.
“What’s going on?” asked Vala, slurring her words a little.
“It’s Jack. There’s something wrong with him and Sam is in distress,” said Squeak. She and Bubble automatically stood up and began moving off back towards the building. The team followed them, knowing that when they arrived at the room, it wasn’t going to be good news.
When they got there, the girls noticed the door, even though it was off its hinges, only had purple stars upon it, glowing feebly.
“Oh no we’re too late!” said Bubble. They looked into the room. Sam was sat on the floor, Jack’s limp, lifeless body in her arms. She was slowly rocking him back and forward, whispering his name, tears streaming out of her eyes.
“He’s gone,” she said croakily when she saw them. “He’s gone.” She kept repeating those two words as she continued to rock him back and forth, holding him as close to her as she could. Bubble and Squeak went to comfort her, tears slipping from their own eyes, whilst the team attempted to move Jack from her grip.
“No!” Sam was extremely distraught.
“Sam it’s for the best,” said Janet. “You can’t hold him forever. We have to get him home so we can bury him and lay him to rest.”
“Why now?” she asked the air, not listening to Janet.
“Because then his soul can rest as well.”
“Why did he have to go now? Why not later?”
“Because everything happens in a particular order for a reason. That is just the way destiny wrote things.” Sam began shaking. The team took the opportunity to take Jack’s body from her grasp and lay him upon the large chair that he and Sam had shared only a few moments ago. Bubble and Squeak gave her better hugs now they could and then she hugged them back, breaking down on them. The girls didn’t even mind that they were getting Jack’s blood all over their dresses. All that mattered to them at that point was comforting Sam and getting her through it. They heard a noise behind them and when they all looked in the direction it came from, they saw a great glowing orb above the chair that Jack was laid upon, only he was no longer there.
Bubble and Squeak smiled then.
“They ascended him,” said Squeak. As they watched, his light energy disappeared through the ceiling. Sam began looking hopeful.
“Will he be here?” she asked, another tear slipping from her eye.
“No unfortunately not. He will be at the other facility where your father resides.”
“Oh.” She looked extremely disappointed.
“Sam it was for the best,” said Daniel.
“Leave me alone.” She had turned her back on everyone in the room. Janet placed a hand on her shoulder but she simply shrugged it off. The team were in shock themselves and didn’t know what to do or say.
“Sam we must celebrate Jack’s life,” said Squeak.
“Please, leave me alone.” Sam’s voice shook as she spoke, but there was also a warning tone in there too.
Bubble sat next to her. “He was a very nice person and he will be again. Just please come with us and we can drink to his memory and to whenever it is he will rejoin you,” she said.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Sam shouted standing up and moving away from Bubble.
“Sam-“
“I DONT want to hear it!” she stormed out the room.
“Sam, come back!” Squeak called after her.
“Squeak, leave her,” said Bubble.
“You have your way of tracking her right?” Janet asked the girls, holding Bubble close to her.
“Of course we do,” said Squeak.
“Where is she?”
“She’s heading upwards, east quadrant.”
“She’s going for the peak where there is a huge drop below into a crevasse. It takes about a minute to get there it’s that far down.”
“How do you know?” asked Vala.
“We have a subspace link with her. Whatever emotion she feels we feel, but not as strong. It used to be the same with Jack as well but not any more.”
“And what is she feeling now?”
“Are you kidding me? She feels great pain and sadness, fear and she also feels she no longer has a reason to live.”
“You mean –“
“Yes. She is going to attempt suicide, but luckily it doesn’t work here and it won’t work for her anyway.”
“I thought you said we wouldn’t feel any pain here,” said Daniel.
“Yeah, but what we meant was physical pain. Emotional pain you will feel. That is unstoppable. Since when don’t you listen to what people say to you?”
“Shouldn’t we stop Sam before she tries to harm herself?”
“Like I said it will not work. Neither she nor anyone else here can take their own life. There are safe guards in place to stop that kind of thing, because by the time they get two thirds of the way down they realise there is things to live for and they regret jumping but obviously by then it’s usually too late. Here it’s different.”
“Would the safe guards still be in place if the person in question was in fact grief stricken?” asked Teal’c.
“Yes. They will stop anyone attempting it, no matter what their state of mind.”
“Okay, she’s there now. I’ll go and talk to her, see if I can dissuade her from doing it,” said Bubble.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” asked Janet, looking down at her.
“Yes Ma’am, as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Okay, you be careful.” Janet gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. Bubble smiled sadly for a couple of seconds before opening a portal and disappearing through it. When the portal had closed, Janet turned to everyone else and said: “Now we just wait and see if she does things right.”
“How can we tell?” asked Cam.
“Well, if she does things right, she’ll come through the door.”
“And, if it goes wrong?”
“They slide along the EM field and then through the window,” said Janet opening it.
“Don’t be too optimistic then,” said Vala.
“What do you mean?”
“Well you’re opening the window.”
“It’s better this way coz if Bubble does get it wrong, then at least there wont be any wounds and glass to clean up and we wont have to pay out for a new pane to be fitted.”
“True. What’s the currency here?” asked Daniel.
“Furainmens,” said Squeak.
“Furainmens, interesting. Can I see what they look like?”
“Sure ok then,” said Squeak, delving in her pocket and pulling out an orange money note. As she handed it to him, it turned pink and he automatically dropped it.
“Wow what happened there?” he asked. Squeak picked it up off the floor and it was orange again.
“You are human and so it turned pink. It is also the same for the stars on the door.”
“Ahh cool.”
“Very.”
Up on the highest peak, Sam was standing in the balcony, leaning right over the edge of the railings. From this point, you could see all the multi-coloured lights from the party, as well as the tantalising smell of different foods wafting upwards to her on the cool breeze. She was immune to it all, so full of grief.
She saw a small glowing light on the floor beside her and she picked it up. As she looked at it, she realised it was a tiny human, with glittering translucent blue wings.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise,” she said setting the person down on the railings.
“Do not worry yourself young one,” she said. Her voice was as loud as a normal human voice. “You are considering taking your own life, yes?”
“Yeah I was contemplating it,” Sam replied.
“I know how you feel. I was considering it myself.”
“Really? Why?”
“I dunno. I guess I hate my crumby existence. Everyone seems to forget that I exist, and they don’t include me in any of the conversations. Just because I’m different, they have to treat me that way. I’m sick of it.”
“That’s no reason to give up your life.”
“Ok then what’s your reason?”
“The man I loved for many years just died,” said Sam as more tears began prickling her eyes again.
“Did you tell him?”
“Yes and he said it back. We’d made love for the first time with each other earlier and then we were going to go to the party when he was shot in the chest by an arrow from some kind of blue creature.”
“Come now, don’t be upset. He may have died, but you must carry on living for him. Don’t let his memory go to waste. He would not try to kill himself if it was the other way around would he?”
“He may do. He wanted to kill himself after his son died.” Sam sat on the floor.
“Ahh yes but don’t you see? He has not gone forever. He will be back. That is my promise to you.”
“How do you know?” asked Sam wiping some of her tears.
“He ascended yes?”
“Yeah.”
“Well then, he shall return, just like Daniel did when he ascended.”
“It took him a year the first time he ascended.”
“But Jack will not. Granted, he is gone, but he will be back before the next year is out.”
“But how do you know this though?”
“I have travelled to the future. I have seen your life. It turns out that I don’t kill myself because I am you guardian of sorts. You only see and hear me at your highest levels of emotion whenever you’re in danger. If you see me in full human size, then you are in worse danger, and I will do my best to protect you.”
“But I just want him back now,” said Sam. She could not control her tears. The tiny female began hovering near Sam’s face and as a fresh tear fell from her eye, she caught it in a bottle.
“That could come in very handy one day,” she said putting a stopper into it and then placing it in her pocket.
“You know you resemble something some people in my home world believe in called fairies.”
“That would be because I am one…of sorts. Oh yeah I just realised I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Laila. I am an angel appointed to the spirits at birth.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m –“
“I know. Samantha Carter. We have met once before, but I looked and sounded totally different then.”
Sam looked confused.
“I was little Grace, on the Prometheus. I was there to make sure you got through the incident ok. That also happens to be the main reason I am here now.”
“Oh I see. Can everyone see you or just me? Only I don’t want to seem like I’m more nuts than I am already.”
“Just you at the moment I’m afraid.”
“Sam?” came Bubble’s voice from inside the hall.
“Well, my advice to you, for now, is to do whatever Bubble says. She is so much like Jack in the fact that she acts dumber than she really is,” said Laila.
“Okay what are you going to do?” asked Sam, as the sound of footsteps grew closer.
“You are not the only one that I have to give guidance to. There are currently 2.8 trillion people and creatures that are experiencing losses.”
“How do you get to them all?”
“Easily, I stop time.” The before Sam could say another word, Laila disappeared in a small flash.
“Sam are you okay?” asked Bubble dropping down next to her.
“I will be when I have Jack back with me,” replied Sam.
“Right, well for now would you like a hug?”
“Definitely.” Sam lifted an arm and Bubble moved closer to her wrapping her arms around Sam’s middle. Sam lowered her arm again, giving Bubble a hug back. They sat like that for a while, in total silence, listening to the distant sound of the celebration music.
After what only seemed like 5 minutes, high pitched bells rang, emanating from the party. Sam had had her eyes closed, her head resting on top of Bubble’s. She had unwillingly fallen asleep, but jerked awake, looking around her, causing Bubble to jump and wake up too.
“Sam? Are you okay? What made you jump?” she asked dozily.
“I don’t know. Was it a dream or real?”
“What?”
“Jack was here. I could have sworn I felt him here.”
“Daniel did it to Jack when he ascended. Remember when you thought there might have been a malfunction with the air conditioning? (Sam nodded) that was his way of letting you guys know, he was watching over you and that he would make sure you were safe.”
“So Jack was letting me know the same thing then?”
“Yeah, but why don’t you go back to sleep for a while?”
“Shouldn’t we be getting back to the others?” asked Sam, letting go of Bubble and standing up.
“I suppose we should but you should sleep.”
“Yeah, maybe later I will. What are those bells for?” she asked leaning over the edge of the railings.
“It is the last part of the ceremony. The Ice Princesses and Princes get officially crowned tonight and then they are separated and prepared for the next solstice, where the fairies come and decide if the Furling and Ancient leaders chose the matches well. It was mine and Squeak’s turn this year, but I guess there is always next year now.”
“Oh I’m sorry if it was my fault,” said Sam as she pulled Bubble into a hug.
“Na, it wasn’t your fault. We only have destiny to blame for this.”
“Yeah I guess, but we really should be getting back to the others now,” said Sam heading for the door.
“One more thing,” said Bubble, looking up at the star-filled sky, “No matter where you are in the galaxy, Jack’s star will always wink at you until the day he is due to come back.”
“They all blink at some point or another because of the planets and space debris cutting out the sunlight briefly, but even then, all of that would have happened hundreds, possibly thousands, of years ago, considering the light from the sun takes up to 10 light years just to get to our nearest star. Some of those we see up there now could have died long ago, but the light of those stars are still visible to us because of the time distortion.”
“Oh that is so the theoretical astrophysicist in you coming out. You can tell Jack’s star, because it is the biggest and brightest one in the night sky, minus the moon of course, which isn’t really a star, but just a piece of rock that orbits the planet, lit by the sun’s rays. What’s strange is that you can be on any part of the planet and look up at the moon and you will always see the same side of it because it doesn’t spin.”
“You’re pretty good with this space stuff,” said Sam, a weak smile lifting her features.
“Thanks. I’ve always been interested in space. When I was 10, your mum bought me a telescope, and I used to focus it on my home planet. It was such a cool telescope, because I could zoom in as far as the surface and watch people going about their daily routines. I found my parents after I dreamed about them. I have two little brothers and a dog back there.” I thought you didn’t know where your home planet was,” said Sam.
“I wasn’t sure totally until I located my family, seeing them come out of their house.”
“Ah, what planet are you from?”
“I was born on your planet Sam.”
“You’re from earth?”
“Yeah, weren’t you listening when your mum told you I died in the same crash she did?”
“Oh yeah, I forgot. Me and Jack was…having our own conversation.”
“Ah, yeah that. Something about if you were alone you would allow him to do something and then you said that you wanted to have a rest.”
“How do you know about that?” asked Sam, totally shocked.
“Everyone at the table heard the conversation. The leaders made your thoughts audible us all. That’s what your mother shouted to everyone else in the hall, only she said that destiny will be fulfilled any time soon, and that is why they cheered.”
“Why did everyone have to know? Gosh mom is so embarrassing.”
“Yes, but she cares for you and she was happy that you were happy. It was also something your father wanted, the first time he met Jack. He knew you two liked each other that way even before he had the Tok’ra Selmac to confirm his suspicions. He knew you’d end up together one day.”
“I could see he didn’t look very happy when I said I was going to marry Pete, now I know why. He kept dropping very subtle hints, but I used to pretend that I didn’t hear them.”
As they were talking they had slowly began making their way back the star room.
“There you are,” said Janet, practically running up to her best friend and giving her a hug. Bubble and Squeak gave each other a greeting hug too. “We were about to come up and find you,” Janet continued.
“Yeah well we had some things to sort out and we fell asleep for a while too,” said Bubble.
“Well whilst you were on the peak, we’ve had a discussion and we have decided that it is best we go back to Earth for now, and come back at another time, when we feel we are ready. The leaders here also agree and they said that as long as General Landry is ok with it, Bubble and Squeak can stay with us until we come back,” said Daniel.
Bubble and Squeak looked eagerly at Sam.
“I totally agree with that,” she said, “I don’t think I could manage to sort the treaty right now anyway.”
“Is everybody ready?” asked Squeak.
“Ready for what?” asked Vala.
“Our ride of course. There is only one way in or out of this planet.”
She and Bubble formed another portal.
“So, you ready or what?” asked Bubble.
“Yeah,” said the team, except Teal’c who said his usual, “Indeed.”
“Got everything Janet?”
“Yes I do!”
“Good.” The portal began to suck them all inside…
They landed in a heap on the infirmary floor. Sam disentangled herself easily from everyone else, and stood up. She noticed all the beds were empty, except for one, where a charcoaled Siler lay, apparently unconscious.
“Yowch he got fried pretty good,” said Vala, standing up next.
“Where’s my body gone?” asked Sam.
“You’re in it,” said Squeak, who was standing by the medicine cabinet.
“What?”
“You and Jack realised the thing that kept you the way you were and when you got together, your consciousnesses came back to your bodies – or rather you bodies went back to your consciousnesses,” said Bubble.
“I see. At least it’s warm in here.”
“Probably coming from Siler,” said Squeak. She and Bubble giggled slightly.
“I hadn’t really noticed the cold because of the thermos in the body art glitter,” said Bubble, flashing the glitter in the dull light.
“Same here really,” said Squeak.
Dr Lam came in at that moment, just as the rest of the team finally untangled themselves from each other. She stopped dead when she saw them all standing there.
“When did you all come back?” she asked, slowly backing away towards the emergency button.
“About a minute ago,” said Cam.
“I came in to check on Colonel Carter and General O’Neill, because both of their heart rates had gone up, and they both seemed to hyperventilate and then before we could do anything, they just disappeared.”
“That would be because they realised what they had to do for them to go back to their bodies,” said Vala, “Is General Landry around? Only we have something we need to tell him.”
“I’ll call him,” said Dr Lam changing trajectory towards the phone.
When she reached it, she dialled a couple of numbers and after a couple of seconds she spoke.
“Yes Sir, SG-1 has come back with the two girls, and they also have an extra, though General O’Neill is not with them…yes Sir…yes Sir.” She put the receiver down. “He says he’ll be down in a minute. In the meantime I’m going to need to make sure you’re ok Colonel Carter.”
“You will find she is in shock, and you may find her heart rate and blood pressure a little higher than usual, but that’s to be expected, under the circumstances,” said Squeak.
“Why what happened?” asked the Doctor.
Sam was staring blankly ahead of her now. She looked in no condition to talk. Dr Lam took her by the arm and led her to the bed, sitting her down on it, taking the pen light out of her pocket and shining it into Sam’s eyes. Then she checked her heart rate and then wrapped the soft part of the pressure machine around Sam’s arm, before turning it on. When it had done its job Dr Lam wrote the numbers down.
“Well, your pressure and heart rate are a little spiked, but I recommend you get some sleep and then I will try again tomorrow.”
Sam wasn’t listening. She couldn’t hear much around her. Dr Lam then went back over to the rest of the group.
“Who are you, the one standing by Daniel?”
“Oh, I’m Janet. Janet Fraiser.”
“As in Dr Fraiser?”
“The one and the same,” she said smiling.
“But you died didn’t you?”
“My body died, but my soul remained intact. It was collected and taken to the Furling and Ancient Sanctuary, as was my body. They mended the wounds and then placed me back into my body.”
“Right,” said Dr Lam. She went back to the phone and picked up the receiver. “Security to the infirmary,” she said. She put the receiver down and as she did, a few SF’s came in, aiming their weapons at the group.
“Now hold on just a second,” said Vala stepping forward.
“Ma’am stay where you are,” said one of them.
“Is this really necessary?” asked Daniel, looking alternately between Dr Lam and the SF’s.
“Yes until we can be sure you are who you say you are and then we will release you,” said Dr Lam.
“It’s all protocol,” said Cam.
“And how are you supposed to prove who we are?” asked Squeak.
“By doing blood tests,” said Dr Lam, “as well as questions that only the real SG-1 would know the answers to.”
“you already took our blood though, said Bubble.
“Exactly, I can compare your blood to the results I received earlier, which I haven’t had a chance to check yet.”
“And you will find they match, 100% with no discrepancies or errors,” said Squeak.
“Humour me.”
Janet sniggered, but quickly stopped when everyone, except Sam, looked at her.
“Something funny?” asked Cam.
“Nothing really, but I remember saying those exact words to Colonel O’Neill and Teal’c one time.”
General Landry came in at that time, and the team stood up straight, but Sam remained sat on the bed, not even noticing he was there.
“Ah, good to see you all back safe and sound,” he said.
“Thank you sir,” said the team.
“Where’s General O’Neill?” he asked, looking at the two girls imitating the team, “Oh and at ease.”
They all relaxed the way they stood and then from the bed Sam spoke.
“He…didn’t make it.” A tear began to slide down her cheek. Bubble and Squeak each took hold of her hands.
“What do you mean?” asked Landry, looking confused.
“He, er…he died Sir,” said Cam, clearing his throat in the middle of talking.
“What? Are you joking around with me?”
“No Sir,” said Daniel.
Landry now looked sincere when he saw their sullen faces.
“Sir, permission to go to my quarters?” asked Sam quietly.
“Granted,” said Landry.
“Thank you Sir,” said Sam. She was just about to stand up when Dr Lam spoke.
“But Sir, I haven’t tested their blood yet to make sure they’re who they say they are.”
“So take some of Colonel Carter’s blood and then she will go, but for now, I will have to assign an SF guard to her.” He turned to the SF’s still holding their weapons at the team and said “Stand down.” They all lowered their weapons and left except for a young looking, brown haired female, who stood by Sam’s bed.
Dr Lam put some gloves on and extracted a test tube of her blood and then Sam left. As Dr Lam withdrew blood from the others, they all began another conversation.
“Does General O’Neill have any immediate family to contact?” asked Vala.
“Only us,” said Daniel. Bubble spoke at the same time. “Not yet.”
“So he only had SG-1?” asked Cam.
“Pretty much yeah,” said Daniel.
“Indeed. O’Neill placed Colonel Carter as his next of kin I believe.”
“Oh yeah, he did,” said Vala. Everyone looked at her, and she explained. “Sam told me one time, and she also said that she placed him as her next of kin too.”
“Right well I should probably get back to my office. I have a memorial to arrange,” said Landry. As he turned to go Janet spoke up.
“Sir if I may speak?”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s probably best not to have a memorial for General O’Neill, because he will be coming back at some point.”
“And how do you work that one out?”
“Because when he died, he ascended Sir,” said Squeak, her head bowed.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth, and not meddling with my mind?”
“Because it was recorded,” said Bubble.
“What!? You mean someone was sick enough to tape him dying?” asked Sam, totally outraged, standing by the infirmary door.
“No,” said Bubble, “Summer Sunn didn’t turn off the visual and audio reference to the room. It was still running when he died.”
“You mean someone recorded –“
That would have been deleted from the mainframe, but there is a copy on here for you to watch whenever you want to hear his voice again, at least until he returns anyway,” said Bubble, handing her a small device. “I hope you have the means to interface this to your technology systems?”
“Can I have a go at connecting this to my laptop Sir?”
“Okay, but if there are any viruses or spy ware on that thing that copies any files, then please don’t send a request to me for a new laptop,” said Landry.
“Yes Sir. Permission for the girls to come with me?”
The girls looked slightly surprised. He stood for a moment, studying the two girls, dressed almost identically in their snow princess outfits, before answering.
“Yeah, okay, but they are your responsibility.”
“Thank you Sir. Come on girls.” She and the girls left the room, and when they got outside, Sam put her arms around both of them as they walked.
“Wasn’t she going to her quarters?” asked Daniel.
“That’s what I thought,” said Landry and Cam at the same time.
“Me too,” said Vala, frowning.
“As did I,” said Teal’c.
“Right well, I have a couple of phone calls to make, Teal’c you go to Carter’s lab, keep an eye on things there, Mitchell and Vala I want you to go to Colonel Carter’s quarters and Dr’s Jackson and Fraiser I want you to go to General O’Neill’s guest room.”
“Yes Sir,” said everyone before they all left.
In Sam’s lab, she Bubble and Squeak were attaching wires to the tiny device, linking it to the laptop.
“That should hopefully do it. Your technology is very similar to our earlier creations,” said Squeak.
“Really?” asked Sam.
“Is this an L.C.D screen?” asked Bubble.
“Yeah I believe so.”
“Cool I haven’t seen one of these since I was little,” she said poking it.
“Please don’t do that, you’ll ruin the screen.”
“Right, sorry.” She put her hand down on the desk, and that’s when Sam noticed for the first time, the ring that Bubble was wearing.
“Where did you get that?” she asked pointing to it.
“It’s my mum’s ring. Apparently, it was found on my body, stuck between the blankets.”
“I have one identical to that,” said Sam, pulling out a small chain from under her t-shirt. Upon the chain, were two rings, one was a gold wedding band and the other an engagement ring, with a fair-sized diamond in it.
“Wow, that’s weird. Is yours inscribed?”
“No, why is yours?”
“Yeah it says my princess in it.”
“That’s cute,” said Sam. The laptop bleeped at that point. “Good, looks like your little device is compatible with the inferior technology of this race.”
“What?” said Bubble. Before she realised what was happening, Sam pinned Bubble up against the wall by her throat.
“We need a way to spread our data spores within your systems. You have now provided us with that means,” she said, hissing the words out.
Bubble was struggling to breathe, and Squeak ran to the door.
“Help! We need some help in here!” she came back in, followed by two SF’s, who when they saw the situation, they withdrew their weapons and aimed them at Sam.
“Ma’am, release the girl, or we will be forced to fire on you.”
Sam ignored them.
“I am Okarhi of the Pookachichi. Just know that no matter how hard you try, you will never stop us delivering our pay load into your systems. That day will come, and that day is today!” she lifted Bubble off the floor by her neck, her face a dark red, slowly growing purple.
One of the SF’s opened fire on Sam, and she fell to her knees, causing Bubble to crumple to the floor, coughing and retching. The other SF went to the phone and called for a medical team to come up. As he put the receiver down, Teal’c came into the room.
“What has transpired here?” he asked.
“Well Sir, Colonel Carter was holding the young lady by her neck and she would not let go. She wouldn’t comply with our orders to let her go. We gave her a warning, but to no avail, so we had to shoot her Sir,” said one of the SF’s.
“I see. Are Colonel Carter and the young one ok?”
“We don’t know. We’re waiting for the medical team to get here,” replied the SF, just as they arrived. They pushed Teal’c and both the SF’s aside to get to the patients.
“It’s...not...Sam,” said Bubble, still gasping for breath.
“I don’t know what creature this is Sir,” said the medic, “but it’s definitely not human.”
He lifted a peice of medical swab and showed it to Teal’c. On it was a bright blue sticky substance. “I just took this from her wound.”
“Attend and dress the wounds and bind its hands together,” said Teal’c.
“Yes Sir.”
“What manner of creature is this?” asked Teal’c, looking around for wrist restraints.
“It’s a Pookachichi. They are and have been an enemy of our sanctuary for a very long time. They don’t believe we should allow people who have died before they should have should go there,” said Squeak.
“I see. Does anyone have any wrist restraints?” Teal’c asked one of the SF’s.
“No sir, but I do have hand cuffs,” he replied handing them over.
“Thank you airman,” said Teal’c placing the hand cuffs onto the fake Sam’s wrists. “Take it to the infirmary and get Dr Lam to treat her wounds,” he continued to the medic.
“Yes Sir,” she replied. She and one of the other medics placed fake Sam onto a gurney they had bought with them, and wheeled her out of the room. The other two medics were attending to Bubble.
“Yeah, I’ll b-be f-fine,” she said
“Your breathing is irregular and rough and your heart rate is high. I want you to come back down to the infirmary with me where you can get some proper treatment. You can’t carry a tank of oxygen around with you,” said the male medic, placing an oxygen mask on Bubble’s face. She took a few grateful breaths, before pulling it off again, and slowly standing up, using the wall for support.
“See, told you I’m ok,” she said. Her words were slurry, her face flushed and her eyes were unfocused.
“No, you’re not,” said the medic, noting the symptoms. He and the female medic took hold of Bubble just in time as she fell to the floor, unconscious.
Immediately, the medics replaced the oxygen mask and placed her onto the other gurney they had bought with them. Squeak was crying silently as they all left the lab for the infirmary and Teal’c kindly placed an arm around her shoulders, giving her a slight bit of comfort...
Cam and Vala had arrived at Sam’s quarters. Vala knocked once. They heard a muffled, “come in,” and then they stepped inside. Sam was lying on her bed, head on the pillow, and she appeared to be wearing nothing under her duvet.
“Oh, sorry Sam, I’ll wait outside if you prefer,” said Cam.
“No it’s ok, you can stay, but if you do, do you mind shutting the door?” said Sam.
“Sure ok.” Vala closed the door and Cam sat in a chair, where Vala then sat on his lap.
“So what have you come about?”
“We just wanted to make sure you’re ok, you know, after what happened and all.”
“Ah, well I’m doing well thank you. I am also a little tired,” she replied, sounding oddly cheerful. Cam and Vala looked at each other.
“Well we can go if you like,” said Cam.
“No, no it’s ok. I appreciate the company.”
“So how do you feel about General O’Neill?” asked Vala.
“Yeah he’s pretty good looking, but then he’s not really my tea pot,” said Sam staring at Cam. She then lifted the duvet, and stood up. She was wearing a small strapless dress with white stilettos.
“Wow!” said Vala. Cam’s mouth fell open. “Are you going out tonight?” continued Vala, slapping Cam’s mouth shut, causing him to bite his tongue.
“Ouch!” he said.
“Stop catching flies then.”
“I was thinking about going out,” said Sam, “You want to come with me big boy? Only it’s been like, forever since I’ve seen any action,” she asked Cam.
Vala immediately stood up between Sam and Cam.
“Sam have you been drinking?”
“Not yet but I plan to.” Sam tried to get at Cam, but Vala pushed her away.
“Sam get a grip!” she said
“You get a grip!” said Sam, pushing her back, which made her land on Cam’s thighs. He grunted a little in pain.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” asked Vala totally outraged now.
“Oh get out of my way!” said Sam, shoving Vala aside. She then perched herself on his knees, trying to undo his trousers, whilst he was struggling to keep her away.
“I don’t think so missy!” said Vala, pulling her off of Cam. “I think you should go back to the infirmary and get checked out again.”
Sam stood up straight, bringing herself to her fullest height, which wasn’t much taller than Vala. “And I think, you should SHUT UP!” She then punched Vala in the mouth.
“Oh I see. You’re going to play like that, are you?” asked Vala wiping blood from her mouth.
“Yeah, what are you going to do about it?”
Something flashed across Sam’s eyes, an odd red colour.
“That it not natural,” said Vala. “Cam go get-“ but Sam punched her in the mouth again even harder and this time, Vala sprayed blood from her mouth, as her head was spun, covering anything in its path with blood. She glared at Sam when she looked back around.
“Right that is it!” Vala launched herself at Sam and they both began having a full on fight. Cam was torn between staying and watching how it turned out and getting help, but eventually his better judgement won, and he tried to go, but he fell down because Sam had grabbed hold of his ankle at the same time as fighting Vala. He managed to wriggle out of her grip, and then pulled the door open, calling for the SF’s help. They rushed in, pulling Vala and Sam apart from each other and restraining them both behind their backs.
“What’s been happening in here,” one of them asked, noting the blood by Vala’s mouth and the huge shiner that she had given Sam.
“I don’t know. One minute we were talking fine, the next, she starts going all weird,” said Vala, out of breath, “and then before I know it, she’s punching me.”
“You deserved it!” spat Sam, the red colour more prominent in her eyes. She then kicked the SF in the midriff, broke her restraints and tried to launch herself at Vala, but the SF that was holding Vala shot her once, causing Sam to hit the floor with a loud smacking thud.
“Call for a med team!” said the SF, who was recovering from his hit. The SF guarding Vala, went into the hall and called the medics up to Sam’s room. Cam released Vala and held her in his arms. She held him back and then he began to rock her slightly. He watched the SF as he checked if Sam was ok. She was lying at an odd angle on the floor, in a huge blue blood puddle, where she had been bleeding out. She still had her eyes open and she was still breathing, but her breath sounded gurgled as she spoke.
“I am Oskiniah. We will get our memory spores into your data bank, if not today, in the near future. Know this. No matter what you do, we will infiltrate, we will win.” She screamed, in a high pitched, gurgling kind of way, then fell silent, moving no more.
The SF closed her eyes.
“Well there’s one thing for certain,” said Cam, “she definitely ain’t human.”
“Well done prince of the obvious,” said Vala, looking down upon the fake Sam with disgust.
The medics arrived and placed the fake Sam onto a gurney before covering her over.
“Are you ok ma’am?” one of the medics asked Vala.
“I’ve been better, but I’ll live, thank you.” She tried to smile, but her face was too sore.
“Why don’t you come down to the infirmary and get those abrasions cleaned, and ice packs on the swelling and bruising?” the medic suggested.
“Yeah I think it probably best,” said Vala, looking up into Cam’s face.
She and Cam took hands and walked behind the gurney as the medics wheeled it down to the infirmary...
Daniel and Janet had reached the guest quarters. They could hear a small sobbing noise, and they knew Sam was in there.
“Who’s going first?” asked Daniel.
“You can if you like,” replied Janet.
Daniel knocked on the door and the sobbing noise stopped. Then, a bunged up , muffled voice said, ”Come in.”
Daniel opened the door and walked in, followed by Janet, who closed the door behind her. Sam was sat on the bed, rocking backwards and forwards, hugging some of Jack’s clothes, that had clearly been worn. Every so often she would sniff it.
“They still smell like him,” she said. “I’ve done this before you know.”
“No, I didn’t know,” said Daniel calmly.
“Yeah, when he was away for those three months on the planet with Laira, I’d come in here every day just to smell him. It seemed to help me, get me through the rough times. When he left the base for Washington, I nicked his duvet and pillows before the cleaning staff got in there, and I tell you I had some good nights’ sleep before they had to be washed.”
Janet sat on the bed and took hold of one of Sam’s hands. She winced and breathed in sharply in pain. Janet noticed there was bright red blood slowly oozing from a fresh cut on Sam’s knuckles.
“How did you do that?” she asked.
“I hit a wall.”
“Sam, why did you do that?” asked Daniel.
“I guess I thought physical pain would cancel out emotional pain, but I was wrong.”
“Right well you know we’re going to get this x-rayed, right?” said Janet.
“I don’t want to,” said Sam, acting slightly childish.
“I know honey, but I don’t want you in any more pain than you already are.”
“I’ll be fine,” said Sam defiantly.
“Ok then, I order you, as your doctor, to get this x-rayed and treated.”
“Oh, ok then,” said Sam, sighing.
She slowly got to her feet, and Daniel and Janet took hold of her, to make sure she didn’t run off, and together, they walked to the infirmary...
In the infirmary, Bubble was still unconscious.
“Are you sure she’s going to be ok Doc?” asked Squeak.
“Yeah she’ll be fine, she just needs to get her oxygen sats back up and she’ll be as right as rain. She’s going to have that bruise around her neck for a while though.”
“But there’s nothing right about rain, except it waters the plants,” said Squeak looking worried.
“It’s a figure of speech, it means she’ll be as she was before,” said Dr Lam, placing a hand on Squeak’s shoulder.
“Ah, I see.”
At that point, two medics, an SF, Cam and Vala came into the infirmary, the two medics pushing the gurney with a covered body on it.
“What happened?” asked Dr Lam rushing over, pulling on rubber gloves.
“She tried to beat me up,” said Vala, as Dr Lam sat her on a bed. One of the medics was already bringing over ice packs and a bowl of clean water and cotton wool balls.
“Thank you,” said Dr Lam to him.
“It’s not really Sam,” said Vala, as Squeak pulled back the covering and saw what looked like Sam laying there.
“Not another one!” said Dr Lam.
“Another one?” asked Cam. Dr Lam pointed over at one of the occupied beds, where there was another Sam, but it was beginning to look like itself. Sam’s features were slightly distorted by blue and green shiny scales and yellowing fanged teeth stuck out from its mouth.
“Put the dead one over there and we’ll send it to autopsy later,” said Dr Lam to the medics.
As Dr Lam finished cleaning Vala’s wounds and took her gloves off, Janet and Daniel Came in with Sam. Janet was holding a small file and Sam had her wrist wrapped in a bandage, and some small cuts on her knuckles which had been cleaned up.
“And what, may I ask, has happened to you?” asked Dr Lam.
“I hit a wall,” Sam mumbled.
“Okay, take a seat and I’ll check it out.”
“With respect Dr Lam –“
“Please call me Caroline.”
“- Caroline, I’ve already taken the liberty to have it x-rayed and bandaged up as you can see.”
“Oh, ok. So what was wrong with it?”
“She dislocated her wrist and two fingers, and had a couple of abrasions on her knuckles. I put it into the correct support for her and cleaned the wounds.”
“Ok, thank you,” said Caroline.
“You’re welcome.”
They heard a slight moan and then a cough as Bubble began to wake up. Sam went over to her bed, along with both doctors and the rest of the team. Caroline checked Bubble’s vitals and then decided it was ok for everyone to crowd around. Sam went to stroke Bubble’s head, but when she saw who it was, she scrambled away as fast as she could, nearly falling out of the bed on the opposite side.
“Leave me alone!” she said, coughing slightly from behind the oxygen mask. The heart monitor that was attached to her was beginning to bleep really fast.
“It’s ok I’m not going to hurt you,” said Sam, looking confused and moving around the bed towards her. The heart monitor got even faster and Squeak put an arm around Bubble’s shoulders, where Bubble literally cried with terror.
“Please don’t let her near me, please!”
“Don’t worry honey, this is the real Sam. The one that did all that to you is over there,” said Squeak.
Bubble looked at where she had pointed.
“But, that’s Pookachichi,” she said, already calming down.
“Yeah, they found a way to duplicate Sam and they have done it twice. I don’t even know how they got here,”
“Don’t forget they have invisibility.”
“Oh yeah, and any betting it was them with the blue light at the old village.”
“Possibly, I mean it was the same colour as their blood after all.”
Sam reached for Bubble’s hand, which had an I.V. line in it, but she moved it away from her.
“Please Bubble. I lost Jack I don’t want to lose you too, or you Squeak,” said Sam, noticing that she looked a little jealous, “I am the real Sam, I promise you.”
“Prove it,” said Bubble.
Sam showed her the injuries on her hand, the blood staining the bandage a little.
Bubble stared at it, fear and anger disappearing from her face, replaced by guilt and embarrassment.
“I’m sorry Sam. Can you forgive me? Just that –“
“Of course I can silly,” said Sam smiling. She held her arms out and Bubble walked into them, where Sam wrapped them around her giving her the best hug she had had in a long time.
“I love you mum,” Bubble whispered.
Sam pulled back pretty quickly. “What did you just call me?” she seemed a little shocked.
“What?” asked Bubble frowning.
“You said I love you and then you called me something.”
“Oh that. Well, I said I love you like a mum. I guess the “like a” part of it went a bit silent.”
“Ah, ok then.”
General Landry came back into the infirmary at that point.
“Ah Colonel Carter, I’m glad to find you here. I’ve spoken to the president and he has agreed that the girls can stay with you until we go back to get the treaty sorted.”
The girls cheered, Bubble having taken off her oxygen mask.
“I will ask you to keep an eye them though, make sure they don’t get into any trouble.”
“Yes Sir, thank you.”
“Well you know what that means?” said Squeak, smiling.
“Shopping!” said Bubble.
“Eat fast food!” said Squeak.
“Beach!”
“Park!”
“SWINGS!” said the girls together, with a high five.
“Wait a minute, how do you guys know about all that?” asked Daniel.
“We’ve been told about it all. When we heard about the swings, someone made us some out of metal chains and thick bits of rubber, and then hung them from the trees for us. They eventually had to build enough to accommodate all the children, especially the ones from Earth. They then soon had to make some for the adults too,” said Squeak.
“Really? So you guys sort of started off something there then?” asked Daniel.
“Yeah, I mean we like the to and fro motion of it, and it relaxes us, helps us think and focus on our goals, helps us to think a problem through and solve it.”
“Wow, maybe we could have done with that sometimes,” said Vala.
“Well, let’s just say, if the humans of earth did it more often than they do, then they would be more technologically advanced than we are.”
“That would be something to marvel about,” said General Landry, ”being more technologically advanced than two of the most advanced races in the universe.”
“Certainly would. Imagine how much it would cost to buy advanced stuff, all the calibrations, all the-“
“Blah blah blah,” said Bubble, smiling.
“Exactly,” said Cam, “we don’t always need or want to hear big lists and long scientific words or statements, half of which we don’t understand and –“
“Okay, okay I get the picture,” said Sam,
“Good maybe you could stop using it in briefings too,” said Vala.
“Or maybe you can go and learn the meanings of those words,” said General Landry. “Colonel Carter, when you have a minute, could I have a private word with you please?”
“Yes Sir,” she replied. They walked out of the infirmary and when they were outside, Sam leaned against the wall.
“Before Jack joined you on the mission, he put in a request at the Pentagon. They granted it a couple of days ago,” said Landry.
He handed Sam a piece of folded paper. On the top of it was an official looking crest, and underneath it was a small piece of writing, which read:
“To: General J O’Neill
From: The Joint Chief’s of Staff
Re: Request
In response to your request, we have met and decided that you shall be granted it. Hope you have a great retirement, and hope that the reason you’re doing it works out ok. Good luck.
The Joint Chief’s and the President of the United States.”
“He retired?” asked Sam, who couldn’t believe what she had read.
“Yes, he said he needed to do something that was way over due, and that he should have done years ago.”
“But Sir, how did you get this?”
“The Joint Chief’s sent me a copy when they found out he had died and they ordered me to show it to you. You see the reason he retired, was so that he could be with you.”
Sam breathed a sigh of relief.
“Is there something you didn’t tell me in the mission report Colonel?” asked the General.
“I haven’t had the chance or been in the right frame of mind to write one yet Sir,” said Sam.
“No you’re right, of course not. Sorry. Bring it along as soon as you feel ready to do so.”
“Yes Sir,” she replied.
“Dismissed.”
Landry watched her go back into the infirmary, before sighing sympathetically for her and then walking away.
When Sam entered the room, Squeak was still by Bubble, but the team were in a huddle, talking.
“ – feel so sorry for her. She keeps losing people that are close to her. First her Mom, then Martouf, then Narim, then Janet, then her Dad and now Jack. We have to do something to make her happier and to look towards the future.”
“We could go to the club that’s just opened in town called The Star Zone,” suggested Vala.
“Na, she won’t be in the mood for clubbing,” said Janet.
“Yeah very true,” said Daniel. “When I lost Sha’re I didn’t really want to be around anyone. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that maybe she was coming back.”
“Which is exactly how I feel,” said Sam, making the group jump and disperse a little.
“Hey Sam everything alright?” Daniel asked kindly.
“I could be better, but at least I won’t be in for a court martial,” she said, handing over the piece of paper.
Daniel took it and opened it, and everyone else crowded around him to read it.
When they finished they all had huge smiles on their faces.
“Now this really is something to celebrate,” said Daniel.
“I don’t feel like celebrating,” said Sam. “Why?” she sighed, looking at the ceiling.
“Why what?” asked Janet, looking concerned for her friend.
“Why didn’t he tell me he was retiring?”
“He wanted to surprise you,” said Bubble quietly.
Sam looked at her and Bubble seemed to look slightly nervous.
“How do you know?” she asked softly.
“Because in the temporary time his mind was open, I questioned him about it and he told me to keep quiet. He said he would tell you if the request came through.”
“You knew? You knew and you never said?!”
“I’m sorry, but I was sworn to secrecy, so I couldn’t say anything.” Bubble’s head was hung low. “He made me promise not to say anything, and I keep all promises and secrets that would have a good outcome.”
“A sign of a true friend,” said Janet smiling.
“Indeed,” said the others.”
“Do you think he’s watching over me – us?”
“Yes Sam. You remember when Daniel ascended?” asked Janet. Sam nodded. “Well he looked over you all keeping you out of danger of sorts.”
“I still don’t remember that,” said Daniel, frowning.
Squeak crossed the room and tapped him on the back of the head.
“Ow, what was that for?” he asked.
“Whinge bag, It was only a slight tap,” said Bubble laughing.
“Don’t you remember now?” asked Squeak.
“No I don’t,” he said rubbing his head.
“Oh, maybe it only works on us then,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders, before going back to Bubble’s side. Then, the two of them became very still, their breathing became very slow, as did the bleeping on Bubble’s heart monitor. Their faces were void of any emotion, their eyes just staring into space.
Dr Lam came over, and shined a light into their eyes, and neither of them responded to it.
“Can you hear me?” she asked them.
“Clearly,” said Bubble.
“Crystal,” said Squeak.
“How can you be awake with a heart rate so slow and also be responsive?”
“We do this on many occasions, to conserve energy, to replenish it, or to save air for others who cannot do this practice,” said Squeak.
The heart monitor began bleeping faster until it reached a normal rhythm again, and both girls looked around at the others.
“We are sorry if we scared you,” said Bubble to Dr Lam.
“That’s ok, but please don’t do it again.”
“Ok I won’t. I’m guessing it’s not normal for you guys to do it then.”
“No. If you can do that, why didn’t you do it when the creature was trying to kill you?”
“Because I didn’t have enough oxygen stored in my system to start the process.”
“Ahh I see.”
“Yeah but during the whole time we’re doing it, we are breathing as well, just not as often, which sort of helps keep us awake,” said Squeak.
“Sounds cool,” said Daniel.
“It sounds a little like kel’noreem,” said Teal’c.
“It is sort of,” said Bubble.
“It’s not safe for humans to do,” said Squeak.
“But you’re from Earth. Bubble died the same time as my mother did.”
“Doesn’t make us human though,” replied Bubble.
“Well, what are you then?” asked Daniel.
“We may look human, but both me and Bubble are in fact Furling with Ancient ancestry,” said Squeak.
“You’re Furling?” asked Sam.
“Yep, there is Furlings hiding among many populated planets. Our only duty really, is to simply collect souls of the unfortunate ones and send it, along with their bodies, through the portals to our sanctuary in the stars, where the soul savers replace the souls into their bodies after fixing any major problems. Then they go through therapy and rehabilitation, which comes after they feel they are ready to face the world again,” said Squeak.
“Bubble are you okay?” asked Dr Lam noticing her face had gone slightly pink.
“Yeah I’m fine,” she replied. “There’s something we have to show you that’s all, that we normally keep secret from other races. You see at the party we never got the chance to stretch out like the others like us there.”
“What do you mean?” asked Vala and Cam at the same time.
Bubble and Squeak looked at each other and nodded. They cleared a space in the middle of the floor then stood double their arms’ length apart from each other. From what appeared to be nowhere, huge wings spread out translucent, but the light reflecting on them was making them shine rainbow colours, and the reflections were bouncing onto the walls.
“You see, essentially, Furlings are fairies. We come in different shapes and sizes.”
“I know,” said Sam. Everyone looked at her in surprise, so she continued. “Before Bubble came to meet me, I talked to one, who said she was Furling. She convinced me not to jump, and I convinced her not to either.”
“Really?” what was her name?”
“She said it was Laila.”
“Ah, one of the guardians, that explains a lot. But they should not be trying to harm themselves...unless that is their ruse,” said Squeak.
“Maybe,” said Sam, “she was very convincing.”
“That’s how they’re supposed to be. Anyways can we get out of here now?”
“If Dr Lam says it’s ok then sure ok. I must admit, for some reason I fancy pizza,” said Sam.
“That’s unusual, you don’t normally eat pizza,” said Daniel.
“I know. I think a chicken one, with red and green sweet peppers and a little bit of onion and garlic would be nice right now.”
“Sounds yummy!” said Bubble and Squeak.
“Yeah it is. I had it when I was little.”
“Dr Lam, do you mind taking my vitals etc, so that we can go please? I will say I feel bloody brilliant though,” said Bubble.
She checked her temperature, heart rate and breathing, as well as her sats.
“I’d say you were free to go, but take it easy,” said Dr Lam on completion.
“Yay!” Bubble, went to walk forwards, but found herself being pulled back by the wires.
“You’re still attached to the heart monitor and IV” said Dr Lam smiling slightly. “Sit on the bed and I will disconnect them for you.”
“Okay,” said Bubble, looking slightly embarrassed. As the doctor removed the IV, Bubble winced, and gasped a little. Then she removed the sticky pads on her upper chest. Dr Lam stood back, and Bubble stood up.
“Shall we change before we go?” asked Squeak, “You know, just to fit into the world?”
“If you like,” said Sam.
The two girls pulled out a device each and placed them together. A visual display came up as it spoke.
“Greetings Bubble and Squeak, what would you like today?”
“The latest Earth style range of clothing please,” said Bubble.
“Coming right up,” said the device.
Then the image changed, showing lots of different sets of clothing. They touched the ones that they wanted and the clothes automatically appeared on them. The image flickered as the device spoke again.
“Excellent choice, and may I compliment you both.”
“Thank you Tech that will be all.”
“Very well, until next time.” The image disappeared, and they took their devices away from each other. They were wearing similar things. Each of them wore black and pink high-tops, black trousers and a pink and black t-shirt. The only difference was that Bubble wore a black jacket with multi-coloured stars on it, and Squeak wore a similar one, but it had multi-coloured hearts on it instead.
“Yep, you two will fit right in,” said Vala.
“Sweet!” said the girls giving each other a high five.
“Ok come on then, let’s go. Maybe we can catch a movie or something.”
“Yeah that would be great!” said Squeak as she and Bubble followed her out of the infirmary.
“Boy has she got her hands full with them two,” said Vala grinning.
“Indeed,” said everyone...
9 months later.
Sam, Bubble and Squeak were all sitting on the sofa in Sam’s house, watching an episode of Sanctuary on the TV, whilst eating a bowl of popcorn between them.
“Look Sam, you have a twin, but she has brown hair instead,” said Squeak.
“Yeah and she’s not fat either,” said Sam, rubbing her tummy, which was rather large and round.
“For crying out loud, how many times have we got to tell you? You’re not flipping fat,” said Bubble.
“Well what do you call this then?” asked Sam pointing to her swell.
“It’s called pregnancy Sam,” said Squeak, “And you know it.” She got up and went to the fridge, where she pulled off a little picture and handed it to her. She took it and peered at it, stroking the little face and smiling. It was the still image of an ultra-sound.
“Yeah, that’s my baby.”
“Yep, shouldn’t be too much longer before they’re born,” said Bubble.
“And you can work on your figure again...at least, when you’re not too tired anyway,” said Squeak plonking down again, next to Sam.
“It’s going to be strange not feeling it move within me anymore though.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“I hope so,” said Sam sighing.
“You will be,” said Bubble, stroking Sam’s bump. As she did, she felt a kick.
“Yeah that’s right, your sister Bubble is right here.”
“Sister?” asked Sam, tilting her head sideways and raising an eyebrow.
“Well, yeah. I mean staying here, I’ve seen you as my mother and you make a great mum, let me tell you.”
“Aww that is just so sweet,” said Sam, putting her arms around the girls’ shoulders. “I guess I’ve see both you girls as my daughters in a way since you’ve been here, and I’m so glad that I haven’t been on my own.”
“We would never leave you alone,” said Squeak.
“I’ve noticed,” said Sam smiling.
Sanctuary finished on the TV as Bubble spoke again.
“Do you mind if I go to bed now though? Only, I got the feeling we’re going to have an early morning.”
“No, no that’s not a problem. I was thinking about going to bed myself anyway.”
“In that case, I will too,” said Squeak. She stood up and turned the TV off. When she turned around again, Bubble had helped Sam stand up.
“Good night mum,” she said, giving Sam a hug.
“Good night Squeak,” said Sam, giving her a small kiss on the forehead. Squeak had reached the living room door when she spoke again.
“What time do you want the alarm set?”
“7am should be fine thank you.”
“Ok then. Night.” Squeak disappeared down the dark hall way as Bubble gave Sam a hug.
“You know you’ll be awake before then don’t you?” she then walked away before Sam could ask any questions. She heard the guest room door shut, with a small bang, and waddled into the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass of water from the filter jug in the fridge and drank it down very fast. She put the glass into the sink and then trudged off to her bedroom. She closed the door, brushed her teeth in the en suite, and then awkwardly climbed into bed, and turned the lamp light off that was on her bedside table. She lay her head on the pillow and almost instantly fell to sleep...
She felt the bed shaking as somebody, climbed upon it, pressing themselves up against her, their hand tenderly coming to rest on her foetal swell. She could smell a very familiar scent, one that haunted her for years, drove her crazy and sent her over the edge when she smelt it.
“I’ve missed you,” said a very familiar voice.
“I’ve missed you too,” she replied, stroking his hand. She went to turn around, but he protested.
“Shh, don’t disturb the baby.”
“But – “
“Shh, no buts.”
“When did you get back?”
“I’ve been back about an hour. It was nice to watch you sleep.”
Sam smiled as he kissed her gently once on the side of the neck, and as his lips touched, she closed her eyes.
“I love you Jack,” she breathed as goose bumps shivered through her body.
“I love you too Sam. Now, why don’t you go back to sleep for me?”
Sam’s eyes began to droop as she spoke. “I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t.”
Sam held on to his hand as she allowed the sleep to come over her once more…
As she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on her back. She was feeling cold and thought that was what woke her, until she caught a scent of coffee and pancakes. She checked the time on her digital clock: 6.05am. As she went to get up, she remembered something from the night before, and quickly turned her head, but found the bed empty, the pillows didn’t look like they had been used, and that side of the bed didn’t even seem to have been slept in. she sighed deeply to herself as she stood up, feeling disappointed that it was only a dream.
She padded out of the room, and along the hall, and as she did she called: “I thought I told you guys not to…use…” she reached the kitchen, and instead of finding Bubble and Squeak at the stove, she found a very familiar figure wearing nothing but very tight-fitting boxer shorts. She smiled hugely as he turned around and got a better view of him.
“So I didn’t dream then,” said Sam. She couldn’t believe this was real.
“Nope, not a dream. Come here sweet cheeks.” They moved closer, and wrapped their arms around each other, both of them smiling. Sam nestled her head in his shoulders and he kissed her neck. She leaned back a little and they stared into each others eyes.
“Gosh I’ve missed those beauties,” said Jack, before they began to kiss deeply. They only broke apart because something hissed on the stove, and the smell of burned pancake filled the room. Sam opened the window and let the tiny bit of smoke out before the alarm went off as Jack took the pancake off the stove.
“Sorry Darlin’ but its kinda ruined now.”
“That doesn’t matter. I like it slightly singed,” she said smiling, “and besides, I’ve got what I wanted.”
“Mum I thought you were good at cooking,” came Bubble’s voice. Jack quickly pulled an apron around him.
“Yeah it’s not my cooking honey,” said Sam.
“Okay, how much time has passed since I died?”
“9 long, hard months. Wasn’t you watching over me?”
“Yeah I was, but you have no perception of time where I’ve been. Though I must admit those times I did see you I watched you very closely.”
“Yeah? How close?” asked Sam.
“Close enough to know that you can still have…fun even when I’m not around to help you out,” he replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Ahh, I see. Well I only had fun, as you call it, whenever I could have sworn I felt you, which is why I did it.”
“Mum, what do you mean it’s not your –“ began Bubble as she stepped into the kitchen and saw Jack so close to Sam.
“Oh my – SQUEAK GET IN HERE QUICK!” she shouted excitedly. Squeak came running up the hall.
“What? What’s the prob…lem? Jack?”
“Yep I’m back,” he said with a smile on his face. The girls smiled hugely at each other and then nearly knocked Jack over in their rush to hug him. He gave them a hug back and when they were still holding on 5 minutes later he said: “Ok, ok that’s enough now girls, come on.”
“Sorry,” said Bubble as she and squeak let go and stood back, “it’s just that we’ve missed you too.”
“Aww, ain’t that cute?” he said to Sam.
“Yeah. I was thinking about asking for them to have full residency here on Earth if they wanted it. They’ve been so good to me these past few months and I kinda see them as my daughters – our daughters.”
“Yeah I got that impression when Bubble called you mom,” said Jack.
“So do you think it will be ok?”
“I wouldn’t mind, but we’d have to see what the Furlings and our government say first.”
“Yaaaaaaaay!” cheered the girls.
Sam gasped in pain, holding her bump, and then a loud splat was heard as her waters broke.
“So that’s what you guys were waiting for,” said Sam just before another wave of pain came, causing her to sit down on a chair near her. “Jack they’re coming,” she shouted through gritted teeth.
Jack had already picked up the phone and was half way through dialling a number before Bubble shut his phone.
“Not them. She has to have the babies on base.”
“What?”
“Just get one of those military ambulances and get it to take her back to the mountain!” shouted Squeak, as Sam screamed in pain again, getting louder.
“Whatever…you do, do it…fast,” said Sam through one of the contractions.
“Okay baby, wait a little longer please?”
“They’re already 4 days late,” said Squeak, as Sam squeezed her hand a little.
“Yeah I need a military ambulance at Colonel Carter’s residence immediately,” said Jack into his phone. “Notify Dr Lam and Dr Fraiser…yeah…ok then.” He hung up the phone then continued. “They’ll be here in 5 minutes.”
“I’ll go wait by the door,” said Bubble running down the hall, throwing the door open, letting it swing on its hinges.
The ambulance crew arrived and wheeled Sam to the ambulance.
“Who’s going with her?” asked one of the medics as they loaded Sam onto the ambulance.
“Squeak can. I’ll go with Jack in the car.”
“Really?” said Squeak and Jack at the same time.
“Well yeah, I mean we all wanna be there and me and Squeak can’t drive.
“Ok then, we’ll be right behind you,” said Jack to the crew, picking up Sam’s car keys. Squeak climbed into the back of the ambulance with Sam and they pulled away as Bubble and Jack jumped into Sam’s Volvo, pulling away before the car doors were even closed properly…
They arrived at the infirmary, at the SGC, and Sam was already in a hospital gown, out of breath, sweating and swearing at people. Squeak was also in pain from Sam squeezing her hand so hard. Dr Lam handed Sam a gas and air breathing tube and Sam began to breathe it in.
“I have…to…puuuuuush!” said Sam, screaming in pain again.
“Not yet Colonel, you’re only 4cm dilated,” said Dr Lam.
“But I have to push now,” said Sam as Jack took squeak’s place. She stood by Bubble watching, by the door.
“Your hand going to be ok?” asked Bubble.
“Yeah, I’m sure it will. I will heal it as long as Sam doesn’t need to crush it again.”
Bubble laughed. “She won’t. She has Jack now.”
“Yeah, true.”
As they stood there, a commotion started up outside, and they could hear Daniel having a loud argument with on of the SF’s that guarded the infirmary.
“She’s our best friend we should be allowed in there!”
“I’m sorry Dr Jackson, but Colonel Carter requested only General O’Neill and the two girls with her.
“But that’s not fair!” said Vala, “She’s known them less time than she’s known us.”
“I’m only following orders,” replied the SF, trying to keep everything calm.
Bubble and Squeak stepped out of the infirmary, and immediately, everyone asked the same question.
“How’s Sam doing?”
“She’s fine, she’s 4cm dilated and has been put on gas and air.”
“Right so that means she still has about 6 hours until the baby is born, and then we can go see her,” said Vala.
“How do you know so much about it?” asked Cam.
“Coz when I found out Sam was pregnant I read a pregnancy and birth book.”
“Oh I see,” replied Cam, frowning a little.
“Sorry, but you won’t be able to see her after that,” said Squeak.
“What? Why?” asked Daniel.
“Because, she will have to go through it all again,” said Bubble.
Everyone looked confused.
“She’s carrying twins der!”
“Does she know?” asked Cam.
“No. she didn’t believe us, and then when she had the ultra-sound and saw there was only one baby, she really didn’t believe us, but there are two there.”
“Yeah, and when she went out and bought everything you could possibly get for a baby, we duplicated it,” said Squeak.
“But, I’ve only got something for one baby,” said Daniel and Vala at the same time.”
“As have I,” said Teal’c.
“do you have it with you?”
“Yeah,” they all said in unison, showing them the bags on the seats. Both the girls walked over to them, connected a device and waved it over the bags, instantly duplicating them.
“There you go, now there is two of everything.”
“Thanks!” said Vala.
“No problem. Now how about you guys take the seats and wait out here until the first one is born and then we’ll come out and tell you. Place bets if you like,” said Squeak.
“But what about Sam? She’s going to need support through this,” said Daniel.
“She has support. Janet is with her.”
“But Janet is working with Dr Lam to deliver the baby,” said Daniel.
“At the moment, she’s helping Sam through it. She’ll be fine, believe me.”
She and Bubble went back into the infirmary.
“How far is she now?” Squeak asked Janet when they were back inside.
“7cm,” she replied.
“I thought you were only supposed to dilate a centimetre an hour.”
“That’s what happens usually, yes, but it seems like it’s in a rush to get out.”
“Ahh yes, sibling rivalry,” said Bubble smiling.
“What are you talking about?” asked Sam between her contractions.
“The other one probably offended this one.”
“I’m only carrying one,” said Sam. “The ultra-sound proved that.”
“The other one was hiding though,” said Squeak.
“She is only carrying one. We can only hear one heart beat,” said Dr Lam.
“Because they are beating so in tune with each other that it just sounds like one,” said Bubble.
Sam screamed again with her next contraction, squeezing Jack’s hand hard, causing him to wince.
“God Jack this is so painful!” she said as the contraction passed.
“I know baby, I know.”
“How the F**k can you know what this feels like?” she said, as she got yet another contraction. “Janet, I really have to push now!”
“Ok Sam you can go for it with your next contraction, you’re now 10cm dilated.”
When the next contraction came, Sam pushed very hard, screaming out loud.
“That’s it, that’s it, I can see the head!” said Janet excitedly. “Jack, do you want to have a look?”
“Na, I want to see when the baby is out,” he said smiling, until Sam squeezed his hand again.
“That’s it Sam, the head is out, one more big push and the baby will be born.”
“I can’t do it,” said Sam, totally out of breath and flumping back on her pillows.
“Yes you can one more big push. You can do it.”
Sam sat forward, determined to get the baby out and gave one more big push. The baby came sliding out. It immediately began crying, even before the mouth could be cleared of the amniotic fluid. Janet handed Sam the baby.
“Congratulations, it’s a boy!” she said. Sam and Jack looked down on their son, smiling together, before he was taken away again, to be cleaned and the umbilical cord was clamped.
“Jack. You want to cut it?”
“Yeah sure,” he said with a huge smile on his face. He took the scissors and cut above the clamp. Then Janet cleaned the baby up and dressed him into a diaper, baby grow, hat and a blanket.
“He weighs 7lb’s 11oz” said Janet.
“He looks so much like his father,” said Sam, as Janet gave him back to her. Bubble and Squeak were staring in wonder at the baby that was within Sam’s arms.
“You want to hold your son?” asked Sam.
“Thought you would never ask,” said Jack grinning broadly and eagerly taking his son into his arms. “Hello there little fella.”
The baby had stopped crying and as Jack spoke, he opened his eyes to reveal brown colouring in them already. His hair was a sandy blond colour.
“He’s just so perfect,” continued Jack, looking over the baby at Sam, “You wanna hold him?”
“Yeah,” said Sam. She looked a little tired as Jack placed the baby into her arms.
“Hello...Jack Jr.”
Jack’s smile became even bigger. “Really?” he asked.
Sam smiled up at him. “I wanted to name him after the most perfect person in the universe I could think of.”
Jack smiled before kissing her quickly.
“Are we having middle names?” he asked once he had sat back again.
“If you want,” said Sam, looking down at her son.
“Okay, well I was thinking Matthew, after my dad.”
“Yeah that sounds nice,” said Sam. She then gasped as a searing pain shot through her abdomen. Jack took his son and then the two doctors checked her.
“Sam, this may come as a shock, but you’re dilating again.”
“What?” asked Sam, who seemed to be woozy and in a lot of pain.
“You’re having another baby,” said Dr Lam.
“What!? The scan only showed one,” said Sam gasping for air. Janet gave her the gas and air tube again.
“Well, maybe the girls were right. This one was hiding.”
Jack couldn’t believe his ears. “Twins? Really?”
“Yes sir, really,” said Dr Lam. Jack was positively beaming, his smile bigger than before. He placed his son into the portable cot and held on to Sam’s hand as the contractions came again.
Bubble and Squeak came out of their semi-trance of the events, and went outside.”
“It’s a boy!” they said together excitedly.
Everyone along the hall who heard the news cheered then, most of the personnel scurried off, no doubt to tell the rest of the base.
“What are they calling him?” asked Vala, holding her hand out to the others in the team.
“It is more suited for Colonel Carter to reveal the name I believe,” said Teal’c, handing money over to Vala, along with Daniel and Teal’c.
“May you wish her congratulations on my behalf?”
“Indeed Teal’c,” said Bubble, bowing to him slightly.
“For all of us,” said Cam and Daniel.
“Will do,” said Squeak. “You know the second baby isn’t here yet right?” she continued, looking at the money and frowning.
“Yeah, but I got it right that the first one would be a boy. I also claimed dibs on the sex of the second one.”
“Really, well we’ll have to see wont we,” said squeak.
“Yep,” said Vala excitedly.
“Right well, we’re going back in now, coz the second one is on the way.”
“Okay, thanks!” said Cam.
“Anytime,” said Bubble and Squeak, smiling at him. They walked back into the infirmary just as the second baby was born. It had a mop of brown hair that was all over the place and covered in amniotic fluid, which made it look really weird.
“It’s a girl!” came Janet’s voice. She showed Sam, before cleaning the baby and then putting her into the scales. The little girl was screaming at the top of her lungs. Jack cut his daughter’s cord, then Janet put her into a diaper, a baby grow, hat and blanket, before handing the baby to Sam.
“Congratulations,” she said, “Oh and she weighs 7lbs 5 and a half oz”
Sam held her daughter and began rocking to and fro.
“Hey little one, what’s wrong?” The baby girl quickly quietened down, and opened her eyes. They were exactly like her mothers, big, blue and beautiful.
“See, you’re ok now baby,”
“Can I choose her first name?” asked Jack.
“Sure. I chose our son’s name.”
“Excellent. Then I choose her name to be Janet.” Both Jack and Sam looked at Dr Fraiser, who had a shocked face.
“You want...sure?” she was so surprised that she couldn’t speak a full sentence.
“Absolutely,” said Sam and Jack together.
“Honoured,” said Janet smiling.
“What’s her middle name?” asked Bubble, peering at Baby Janet.
“Olivia-Grace,” said Sam simply.
“Aw, those names are so cute!” said Squeak.
“Sam, we need to deliver the placenta now,” said Janet.
“Ok then.” Sam handed her daughter to squeak, who was closest, and then she delivered the placenta, with help from both doctors. Janet placed it into a bowl that was nearby. It was glowing a bright golden colour.
“Well, that’s not natural,” said Jack.
“That has happened because of the natural splicing of DNA from the Tok’ra protein marker and the Ancient gene,” said Squeak.
“Right if you two girls could step outside for a moment, while we clean Sam up and get her into another bed, then you can come back in,” said Dr Lam.
“Yes Ma’am,” they said together as Squeak handed baby Janet to Jack. They then went outside into the hall, where there were a lot of people crowding it, carrying flowers and bags of baby things.
“It’s a girl!” shouted Squeak.
They all cheered as one at the news.
“Are we allowed in yet?” asked Daniel.
“ Er, I don’t know. Sam was being cleaned up, and moved to another bed. Let me check if it is all clear,” said Bubble, going back inside.
The curtains were drawn around Sam’s bed, and Jack was standing outside of them, waiting impatiently for them to open, his eyes full of tears of joy.
“C’mere you,” said Bubble to him. She held her arms out to him. He bent low and she hugged him, careful not to squash little Janet. When Jack stood straight, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“You’ll be fine,” she said before jokingly saying, “I mean look at you, you’re already a wreck and you haven’t even had one sleepless night yet.”
He smiled as another tear fell out of his eye. “Yeah I know, but it’s worth it. I’m a dad again. That was my biggest desire...minus Sam of course. She was the highest thing on my desire list. Even if I couldn’t have children any more, I wouldn’t care as long as I had Sam.”
Bubble smiled. “That is so cute.”
The curtains slid back, and Sam was standing, being held by two female nurses, who were leading her over to the clean bed.
“I heard what you said,” said Sam, smiling as she rested the weight of her over tired body on the bed. “I agree with Bubble. It is cute.”
Jack moved forward and helped Sam put the blanket over her, and giving her daughter to her.
“Oh yeah, SG-1 want to know if it’s ok to visit yet,” said Bubble, remembering.
“Yeah I can’t see why not, as long as they are quiet because the kids are sleeping.”
“Right I’ll be sure to tell them. Oh, and don’t say I didn’t warn you when I say, you might be getting more visitors than just the team.”
Bubble went back outside and before she even spoke, the team went in.
“Congratulations!” they shouted.
Both babies stirred, and Jack picked up his son as he and Sam tried to calm their children down.
“Oh sorry,” said Daniel, who was the loudest of the group.
“You will be if they don’t settle,” said Jack.
“Jack? When did you come back?” asked Daniel stunned, almost dropping the bags.
“Early hours of this morning,” he replied, as though it was no big deal.
“Welcome back Sir,” said Cam.
“Colonel, I’m retired, you can lose the Sir,” said Jack, as the two babies quietened down again.
“Yesss...Jack.”
“Thank you that’s better.”
“So, a boy and a girl. What did you name them?” asked Vala.
“Jack Jr and Janet,” said Sam. Neither of the new parents could stop smiling.
Daniel, Cam and Vala all gave Sam a kiss on the cheek and shook Jack’s hand, whilst Teal’c stood by and spoke.
“May their life be long and healthy, and may they grow to be strong and knowledgeable.”
“Aw thanks T,” said Jack.
“You are most welcome O’Neill,” replied Teal’c bowing to him.
“It still feels strange saying our children,” said Sam.
“I know,” said Jack, pulling a funny face at his son. “Bubble, will you take Janet and Squeak could you take Junior?”
“Yeah sure ok,” said the girls as they picked the babies up. Sam looked slightly upset, and confused, as well as very tired, but her face changed when she saw what Jack was doing. He had pulled something out of his pocket and, with difficulty, he lowered himself down onto one knee.
“Samantha Carter, will do me the honours of becoming my wife?”
There was tension in the room as everybody waited in anticipation for Sam’s answer. Jack opened the box, which revealed a large, five stone princess cut diamond ring on a platinum band. Sam gasped at its beauty, but she did not say anything.
“Sam, please I can’t stay down here forever,” he said wincing as his knee was still playing up.
She smiled at him as she spoke. “Yes Jack, I will.” He stood, with a little help from the doctor, and placed the ring onto her finger, and gave her a deep passionate kiss, which reminded him slightly of the one he gave her in the time loops, whilst the team cheered quietly. When Jack came back from her, Sam’s face was flushed red slightly and they heard a loud grumbling noise come from her tummy.
“Well, somebody’s hungry,” said Jack.
“Yeah. I so want roast chicken with roast potatoes and yorkie puds with mushy peas,” said Sam.
“Well you’ve just used a lot of energy so I’m not surprised, however I am surprised you don’t want to sleep after all that,” said Dr Lam.
“I tell you what, I’ll go and see what they’ve got in the mess, and then bring it up to you,” said Janet. As she left the infirmary and walked along the hall, they could hear a lot of people asking about the babies and how Sam was doing.
“To be honest with you I don’t actually feel tired, and I don’t know why myself,” said Sam.
“Maybe we should check that out,” said Dr Lam.
“There is no need,” said Squeak.
“What do you mean there’s no need?” asked Jack.
“She has this much energy because of the babies. You saw the placenta. It was glowing like that because it was full of energy, which was sustaining Sam’s energy.”
“Oh I see. Can it be used as a green energy source?” asked Daniel.
“No, because when it has been moved away from the sources of its initial energy build up, in this case the babies, then its energy will quickly deplete.”
“Ah right so not good at all.”
“Nope.”
Janet came back in at that moment, followed by 12 Sf’s pushing trolley loads of baby things and flowers for Sam. Janet had a tray in her hand and the smell of the food was causing Sam’s stomach to grumble even more.
She handed Sam the tray which was covered with a silver coloured lid and when she opened it, steam immediately rose from it. Upon it was some chicken with potatoes and gravy.
“Unfortunately they didn’t have any yorkie puds or mushy peas,” said Janet apologetically.
“Don’t worry about it honey, this is great. You’re a life saver...pardon the pun.” Sam immediately began to eat, and rather quickly too, until she felt full and flumped back onto her pillows. There were still two potatoes and a little bit of chicken on the tray and Jack ate them.
“Cheeky bugger,” said Sam drowsily.
“Looks like the energy has worn off,” said Squeak, as Sam’s eyes began drooping.
“No I’m fins,” said Sam as she fell asleep.
There was a blinding flash of light at that point, and when the light had gone, a man wearing white and gold clothing and yellow sunshades stood there. He had a crop of blond hair that was combed over to one side.
“By the decree of special blood, section 6, subsection 22, I am here to sign your children to our collective,” he said in a smooth voice.
“And you are?” asked Jack.
“Oh yes of course, my name is Angel Mason. I am part of a group who get the parents of children with special properties to sign them up to our collective, so that if they died before they should have or their guardians fail to protect them, then they can ascend and then descend whenever they feel they are ready to do so.”
“You mean you’re a member of the Furling/Ancient thingy then?” asked Jack.
“I am indeed,” said Angel. He showed them a business card.
“We get to keep our babies right?” asked Sam, having woken up already.
“Of course. This is just an extra safe guard to keep them alive, and make sure they do many great things in their life time.”
“Right, and who will their guardians be?”
“You, Miss Carter, have been looking after them as though they were your own for the last 9 months.”
Sam looked over at Bubble and Squeak. “You two?”
They giggled nervously before saying “Surprise?”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” asked Sam.
“We were about to when Angel came,” said Squeak.
“So, even after we sign the treaty, you guys will be staying?” asked Daniel.
“Pretty much yeah. There will be times we are called back so we can perform our duties but apart from that we’ll be here,” said Bubble.
“I’m not sure if you’ll be allowed permanent residence here because of the number of aliens we let live here before and then things went wrong,” said Sam.
“Well, if you do not let them stay you will forfeit the contract.”
“Which we haven’t signed yet,” said Jack defensively.
“How do we know you are who you say you are?” Squeak asked looking at Angel.
“Well you took your time checking that out didn’t you?” said Angel, “but if you want proof here you go.” He pulled out a pocket knife and drew a long straight line along his hand. Red blood began to slowly ooz out of the cut.
“Are you satisfied?” he asked.
“Yeah we are thanks. Can you heal it?”
“No I haven’t quite mastered that skill yet.”
Bubble walked up to him and placed a hand on it. Angel winced and sucked in some air in pain, but then the pain disappeared from his face and he seemed very grateful.
“Thank you, young friend.”
“Anytime,” said Bubble.
“So will you be signing it then? You do not have to physically sign it, just say yes or no.”
“Yes,” said Sam. Jack looked at her. “What? I just want our children to be safe,” she continued.
“So do I, but I’m having misgivings about this.”
“Not being funny Jack, but I’m too tired to think about anything. I just want to get it over and done with so that I can sleep before the babies want feeding.”
“Er, it’s a little late for that,” said Squeak looking down at baby Jack.
“What do you mean too late?” asked Sam.
“They’re hungry now.”
“How do you know?”
“Baby Jack just told me.”
“You can understand what they want?” asked Jack.
“Once appointed guardian, you can hear every thought and feel every feeling of the ones you’re to look after,” said Bubble.
“They can also understand everything you say and they take it on board,” said Squeak.
“So are you breast feeding or bottle feeding?” asked Janet.
“Definitely breast feeding,” said Sam, “I want to give them a good immune system.”
“Ok which one is going first? Or are they going at the same time?”
“Together I think. We wouldn’t want them getting jealous of each other already.”
Angel cleared his throat. “So are you signing them to our collective then?”
“What do the babies say?” asked Jack.
“They say that it’s your choice in the end, coz it doesn’t really matter what they choose, they are babies and it is your choices that you make in their early years that will guide them along for life.”
“Oh.” Jack looked at his hands as Angel began rocking on his feet impatiently. After a minute, Jack said “Yes.”
“So you both agree then?” asked Angel, making sure.
“Yes,” said Jack.
Sam remained silent. When they looked at her, she had her eyes closed; her breathing was slow and steady.
Jack smiled. “She’s gone back to sleep. Sam said yes earlier and I say yes now, so yeah, we both agree.”
“Very well, welcome to the fold Master and Miss O’Neill.”
Both babies gurgled a little before Angel bowed low, and disappeared in a flash of light.
General Landry came in not long after Angel left.
“Hey how are our new arrivals and their parents?”
“Hank! We’re grand, very grand.”
“Good, good. Do you ever feel that the fathers always get left out after a baby is born?”
“I’m not sure what you mean there?” said Jack.
“You know with the gift giving. They always only really think of the mother and baby, the father doesn’t get anything.”
“Oh...I never really thought about it,” said Jack frowning.
“Well, it’s the truth, which is why I thought I’d get you a little something, as well as your babies and fiancé.”
“How do you know about that?” asked Jack.
“You should know better than anyone that word travels fast around here. But that’s not how I know. Her ring caught my eye as I walked in. How did you afford it?”
“I’d been saving up for years. I knew I wanted to do it a long time ago, but I couldn’t afford it, and I couldn’t do it because of our military ranks, but now I can as I have retired as you know.”
“Yes of course. Well, congratulations!” he said, pulling out a bottle of Midleton’s very rare Irish whiskey from the bag he was holding.
“Wow! How did you know I like this stuff?”
“Well, I had a little bit of cosmic help,” he replied.
“Yeah? Who?” asked Jack, frowning again.
“Your guardian told me.”
“But I never met my guardian, even after I ascended.”
“Ahh, but you did. Do you remember Ben?”
“No,” said Jack scratching his head, trying to think.
“He was your imaginary friend until you were too old to have one.”
“Really? He’s my guardian?”
“Yeah, he said he’d been with you through everything.”
“Everything?!”
“Yes Jack, everything.”
Jack shuddered and then the babies began to get agitated.
“What's the matter?” he asked.
“Well they haven’t been fed is what is wrong. Obviously, Sam is asleep so she can’t feed them yet.”
“Well, maybe they can have bottle milk for now and have Sam’s milk later when she wakes up.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Janet, “I prepared a couple of bottles earlier when we received the call that Sam was in labour.” She went over to the cooling cupboard and pulled out two bottles of formula milk and then gave them to Bubble and Squeak who was still holding the babies.
Jack Jr started to suckle on his bottle immediately, but Janet was seeming to refuse it.
“Jack could you come here?” asked Bubble.
Jack got up and walked over to her.
“Perhaps you would like to feed her.”
“Can I?”
“Obviously, she is yours.” Bubble placed Janet into Jack’s arms and then gave him the bottle. He put it at Janet’s mouth and she began to suckle on it.
“Aw, she wanted her Daddy. Looks like you got a daddy’s girl there Jack.”
“This is so amazing,” he said smiling, tears of joy forming in his eyes again.
“Get used to it, Dad.”
“Dad. I can’t wait for my babies to start calling me that.” The smile had dropped from his face, and Bubble knew he was thinking of his other son, Charlie. She gave him a rub on the back as a sign of comfort.
“He watches over you too Jack.”
“But it should be the other way around. Parents aren’t meant to outlive their children.”
“I know. Think about all the good times you had with him, and think about how happy you felt then. You also need to try and be positive around the babies. The negative energy messes with their subspace neuron-networks.
“Their what?”
“It’s the thing that gives them access to all the Ancient knowledge, which they will remember all of it as they grow.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
Sam began to mumble in her sleep.
“...not...please...no...please...PLEASE!” she screamed, sitting bolt upright.
“Ow!” she said as the pain kicked in.
“Sam are you okay?” asked Jack.
“Jack? You’re still here?” she seemed surprised about seeing him there and very happy too.
“Of course I am honey. We’re not going anywhere, none of us are.”
Sam smiled. “I thought I dreamed you coming back.”
“No Sam, it is real, see? You’re still wearing the ring, and both our babies are here.” He handed Sam baby Janet.
“I thought I said I wanted to breast feed them,” said Sam a little angrily as she took Janet.
“You fell asleep and we didn’t want to disturb you.”
“But we have to think what’s best for them.” Sam took the bottle and Janet began making small protesting noises until she found Sam’s natural teat and began suckling hungrily again.
“This is such a weird sensation,” said Sam.
“You didn’t say that when I –“
“Shush up! Little ears and big noses in the room!” interrupted Sam, a small smile playing on her lips.
“But it’s true.”
Everyone else in the room couldn’t hold it in any longer, and they began to giggle or laugh quietly.
“What?” asked Jack and Sam at the same time.
“You two ain’t even married yet and you’re acting like you are.”
“Yeah that and the fact that you interrupted General O’Neill when he was saying what you two got up to when we were at the sanctuary.”
“How is that funny?”
“I dunno it just is.”
“Do you want me to give them a clout?” asked Squeak.
“If you want, but pass Jack Jr to his daddy first.”
Squeak did as she was asked and then hit everyone on the back of their heads, which made them stop laughing.
“What the hell was that for?” asked Cam.
“You were acting weird.”
“No we weren’t we were just laughing.”
“At something that wasn’t even funny?”
“Oh yeah I see your point now.”
“When would you like to go home?” asked Dr Lam, as she pulled the curtain around Sam’s bed.
“Er, well ASAP would be great.”
“Right, well I’m sure that can be arranged. Everything seems to be ok down there,” she said checking to make sure Sam was ok. “IF you get any infections or irritations I want you to come back though ok?”
“Yeah I will,” said Sam, sitting up with Dr Lam’s help.
“Right let me get the release forms and then you can go. Did anyone bring any clean clothes with them for you?”
Sam looked at Jack.
“Sorry honey, we didn’t have time to pick anything up,” he said.
“Not to worry, we’ll get you a jump suit, as it will be the most comfortable, and I’m sure the girls can get the car seats from one of the trolleys over there.” They nodded and picked them up. One had a blue ribbon on it and one had a pink ribbon. Baby Janet let go of her mother with a small sucking sound, and was already falling asleep, happy and content. Sam covered herself up, as Jack jr was already asleep. The girls took the sleeping babies and placed them into the carrier/car seats, strapping them in safely, and making sure they were covered properly and nice and warm. Dr Lam returned with the release forms and a jump suit and pulled the curtains around the bed again so that Sam could get changed in private. The rest of the team, now having the chance to see the babies properly were cooing over them.
“Aw, they are so cute!” said Vala.
“Look at their tiny hands!” said Daniel.
“It’s hard to believe we all started out like that,” said Janet.
“Well, they will grow up to be beautiful children that’s for sure,” said Cam.
“Indeed,” said Teal’c whispering because of his deep voice.
“Let’s just hope they behave for their parents,” said General Landry.
Dr Lam pulled the curtains open again and Sam was changed into her jump suit, being helped to stand by Jack.
Let me get a wheel chair and then we can wheel you to the surface, holding your babies in their carriers,” said Janet.
“I can’t wait to get home in my own bed,” said Sam looking tired again.
“Yeah, I’ll bet,” said Jack.
“It does feel strange not feeling them move within me anymore,” said Sam.
“It will do for a while, but you’ll get used to it,” said Janet, bringing the wheelchair over.
“Yeah I know,” said Sam as she was slowly lowered into it. Then the two baby carriers were placed on her thighs.
“You ready to go?” asked Daniel.
“Yep,” said Sam.
“What about the baby things?” asked Jack.
“We’ll take care of them,” said Squeak. She and Bubble pulled their devices out again and everything disappeared inside them.
“That thing never ceases to amaze me,” said Sam.
“Nor us,” said Daniel.
“Right let’s get you home, where we can run you a nice hot bubble bath, put you up in bed, a nice hot water bottle, mug of soup if you want it, and we’ll set the TV up in your room too,” said Jack.
“Sounds nice to me,” said Sam already imagining it.
“Okay then, here we go.” Jack pushed the wheelchair out of the infirmary and along the hall, where most of the SGC personnel were still crowded. As they passed they gave their congratulations and said how cute the babies were. Finally they reached the elevators and Jack pushed Sam in, and Bubble and Squeak followed them in...
On the car journey home, Bubble spoke up.
“Hey Sam, I’ve been thinking about what you said about me meeting my parents. I think you’re right. I think they would like to see me again.”
“What made you think about that then honey?”
“What Angel said. He said that all parents of special children are asked to sign the contract if they so wish so that if anything happened to their children then the children would be able to ascend and then descend again when they feel they are ready. What if someone got them to sign it?”
“That’s a fair point you have there. I bet they’ve been waiting to see you too,” said Sam.
“I hope they like me,” said Bubble.
“I’m sure they will,” said Jack.
“I don’t think they will like me.”
“What makes you say that?” asked Squeak.
“You know why sis. Mainly because I think I’m ugly, and so will they.”
“You’re not ugly at all,” said Jack, Sam and Squeak at the same time.
“Would you like to come with me? All of you when I go and see them?”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Yeah, I’d love it,” said Bubble.
“Then yeah, sure we’d love to come.”
Bubble smiled.
“Do you know where they live?” asked Jack.
“Yeah, a couple of blocks from Sam’s house.”
“You mean our house,” said Sam.
“What we can stay permanently?”
“Yeah, you said you had to be right?”
“Yeah. Oh my gosh thank you Sam and Jack.”
“So you guys really don’t mind going with me?”
“Of course not honey,” said Sam, “Just let me get my strength back and then we will go.”
“Thank you mum.”
Bubble saw Sam smile in the wing mirror of the car.
“Right there is something we have to tell you if you’re going to be staying here permanently,” said Sam.
“We know the drill,” said Squeak.
“Do you?”
“Yes. The stargate program is a secret still, I was born in a place called Dagenham in Essex, England, Squeak was born in Badwimphen in Germany and we aren’t allowed to do our portals or healing thing in front of people who have nothing to do with the program.”
“Yep, I’d say that was everything,” said Sam.
“Me too,” said Jack.
They finally pulled up outside Sam’s house, where they got out the car, and together went inside as one big happy family...
Not long after Sam had the babies, Janet found out she was pregnant and was expecting identical Quads, it turned out that Cam couldn’t have children, but somehow Vala got pregnant anyway. He never questioned it because he wanted to be a father so badly and Teal’c got a new girlfriend, who had to sign a non-disclosure form before seeing his body.
Jack moved in with Sam not long after the babies were born and they got married two years after the babies were born, so they had a cute tiny bridesmaid and page boy. When they got back from their honeymoon, Bubble and Squeak had bought an Australian shepherd puppy, and the children were happily playing with it.
“Thank you Jack,” said Sam, standing by the side of the room, coffee cup in her hand and watching the children.
“For what?” he asked taking hold of her from behind, wrapping his arms around her middle and resting his chin on her shoulder, watching the kids too.
“For being here for me, for loving me, and for giving me all this.”
“Always,” said Jack. “And anyway I should be the one thanking you.”
“Yeah, why’s that?” asked Sam.
“Because if you didn’t wait for me all that time, then we wouldn’t be here now, and neither of us would have this.”
“Always Jack. I told you that once. I told you I’d wait for you as long as it took.”
“Oh yeah, so you did.”
“And besides, I can like a lot of people, but I could never love them the way I love you.”
“Back at ya ma’am.”
Sam smiled as they began to rock to and fro a little to the Christmas jingle that was playing in the background.
As they stood watching the children play, Mariah Carey’s song, All I Want For Christmas, came on.
“This song I think was made for us,” said Sam. “Before we got together, I used to put your picture under my tree and sing that song to it. Now I do have you for Christmas, and I don’t regret one minute of it.”
“Me either,” said Jack, “and I also want you to know, that I will always be here for you, no matter what, believe me.” Jack turned her around and kissed her full on the lips and she kissed him back.
The oven buzzed as they pulled apart, and Bubble and Squeak rushed over. Bubble pulled out the most delicious looking turkey with roast potatoes whilst Squeak pulled out the Yorkshire puddings and turned the hob off where the mushy peas were boiling nicely. They dished it up whilst Sam and Jack prepared the children for dinner, just in time as the girls placed the meals on the table, before sitting down in front of their own.
“Ok, now we are all together, I have something to tell you,” said Sam.
Jack looked at Sam, but me and Squeak looked at each other with knowing looks.
“I’m pregnant again,” said Sam, a big smile on her face.
“Congratulations!” we chimed.
“Do you know how many?” I asked as I watched Bubble give a bit of her meat to the dog.
“Yeah there is –“
“Two!” said the twins in unison.
“Yeah that’s right,” said Sam. The two of them smiled sweetly. They both already looked almost identical to their parents except for the fact that Janet looked like a brown haired version of Sam and Jack Jr looked like a blond haired version of Jack.
Both of us made new friends with the local teens around here and we tend to hand in the park with the twins a lot when we have to go out. That’s where we met out boyfriends.
“Er, yeah...talking of babies...” said Bubble. I shot her what I was hoping was a scared look, and tried to tell her about not saying anything, but she ignored me.
“Yeah?” asked Sam, who seemed to know already what she was about to say.
“Both of us are pregnant too.”
Both Sam and Jack looked shocked at first when I said it.
“Well, you are old enough, so congratulations to you guys as well. How far along are you?”
“I’m 4 months and Squeak is 3 and a half months,” I said.
“And I’m between you guys,” said Sam, “so it looks like we should give birth around the same time.”
“So you’re not mad at us?” asked Squeak
“Why should we be? You’re plenty old enough to have children, and we know you guys are responsible people because you kept the house clean and tidy and looked after our two beauties whilst we were away.”
“Aw, thank you!” we said at the same time. We both stood up and gave Jack and Sam a kiss.
A few months later, me and Squeak gave birth on the same day, about an hour apart so we couldn’t be there for each other’s births, but we both had Jack and Sam’s support. My daughter, Samantha Grace as I called her, weighed 7lbs 5oz whilst Squeak’s son, Michael Garret, weighed 9lbs 8 and a half oz. She was going to go for a c-section, but then at the last second, her son slid out.
Sam gave birth just a few short days after us. She had identical twin daughters who had brown hair and blue eyes, almost exactly like Janet who, along with her brother, were there.
We got another dog not long after that. He was a bit older than Storm, our female. We named him Jackson after we asked Janet and Jack Jr what they wanted to call him.
So, that’s our story so far. If there is one thing that I have learned, is that the future is undetermined, except for Jack and Sam’s kids, and as the great Samantha Carter once said: “Life is what you make it, for better or worse.”
Author's Notes: well its the enitre story. no copyright infringement was intended and no money has been exchanged for it either. i hope you enjoy and apologies if you think its a little bit long (over statement) but this is my first fan fic to be published.
End Notes: i would love it so much if i could have reveiws. its up to you though. hope you enjoyed it :)
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 ]