Title- Baby Steps

Sequel info: Sequel to 'To Be Announced' and 'Stardust'

you can find them at:

http://eventhorizonfics.0catch.com/tba1.html

http://eventhorizonfics.0catch.com/stardust1.html

(They both have multiple parts, the links to the next page are right at the bottom of each page, sometimes the writing finishes a bit further up)

Author- Samantha

Email- sameri86uk@btinternet.com

Rating- PG-15

Category- Hurt/comfort, Angst

Content warning- Talk of cannibalism, nothing graphic

Pairings- Sam/Jack, Janet/Jonas

Summary- Another mission, Another mess

Spoilers- None

Status- Finished

Archive- SJD yes, Jackfic yes (and Mum, i promise i'll send it when i get my files in order), Event Horizon yes. If you want it just let me know.

Feedback- Yes Please.

Disclaimer- They're not mine. Big surprise there. It all belongs to MGM, Gekko, and whoever else is involved. The story is mine though, as are all original characters. I have made no money from this and wrote it for entertainment purposes only.

Author's note- Well, I only started this 20 months ago, lol, thank goodness it's finally finished! I hope it was worth the wait and I'm sorry it took so long, lol.

Dedication- For all the people who kept telling me I had to fix Jack.I haven't ;)

Huge thanks to Ren for the fantastic beta, without which this fic would never have seen the light of day. Thanks so much for all your patience hon, I really cannot thank you enough!

Any remaining mistakes or oversights are my own.

Copyright- Samantha Fox 03/05.

///Jack///

"Honey, I'm home," I hear Sam shout from the front door. I sweep down the hall and into the nursery to fetch our daughter.

"Come on stardust," I coo, in that odd voice people get when they talk to children, and head down the stairs two at a time to greet my wife.

"Hey," she kisses me lightly before taking Jemma out of my arms.

"How was your day?" I ask, letting her lead me down the hall and into the living room.

"It started too early and finished too late," she complains light heartedly, and I can just imagine her looking up at the clock on the mantel.

"Well you're home now," I smile, dodging all of Jemma's toys that are strewn across the floor and seating myself on the couch.

"Where's Amber?" Sam asks, and I feel the cushions dip as she sits down next to me, leaning against my shoulder.

"Jo came by with Megan and decided to take them both out for a walk," I reply, playing catch with Jemma in the way that I've spent many a day teaching her. She sits a few feet away from me and throws the ball straight into my lap so that I can then pick it up. I throw it back, guided by her giggles and cries of 'too far to the door' or 'too close to the fire'.

It takes only a few exchanges for me to work out exactly where she is and after that there is no problem, one thing that having no eyes seems to have done is give me a strange ability to just 'know'.

The phone rings and I let it, not even reacting to humming from the kitchen. Sam installed this cool little system that makes the ring sound different when certain numbers are calling, this time it's an outside line from the mountain and I know that it's not for me.

Sam is on her feet in a matter of seconds, never quite able to leave work behind.

I don't really listen to what she says because I've learnt not to care. If it's anything of interest or anything that could drag her away for any length of time then she tells me anyway.

///Sam///

The phone stops ringing before I get to it and my cell phone immediately starts buzzing on the counter. I snatch it up ready to berate whoever's on the other end for disturbing me at home so soon after I've left.

"Sam, it's me," the voice tells me and I'm a little surprised.

"Jonas? I thought you were out with the dogs."

"I was, I left them with Janet when I got the call, where are you?" he asks me as if I should be there.

"I'm at home," I tell him, unable to avoid sounding patronizing "I do actually like to see my family once every few months."

"No one called you," he states as if I didn't know.

"Called me about what," I push. Sometimes getting information from Jonas is like trying to squeeze blood out of a stone.

"Shauna's gone missing," he fills in, finally telling me something helpful. "We just got the message."

Shauna is a woman that Jonas and I were working with on a recent mission. She lived on a planet that seemed like a rural area of Earth. There were two villages within scouting distance of the gate, however only one of them seemed willing to talk to us.

The whole area had kind of a strange vibe about it but this is the first actual evidence of anything odd.

"They're sure she's actually missing?" I check, unwilling to sacrifice my evening for a misunderstanding.

"She didn't pick Destiny up from school," he tells me and that's enough for me to know that this is serious.

"I'll be right there," I assure him before hanging up and creeping guiltily back into the living room.

"I'll see you when you get back," Jack sighs before I even open my mouth.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, kissing him gently. "Cassie's back from college tonight so I'm sure she'll stop by."

He nods silently and I pick up my jacket and leave.

It's not until I close the door and he thinks that I'm out of earshot that I hear him say "And what sort of a substitute is she for you?"

I don't think I could feel any worse right now.

"SG6 take the east side of the village, SG4 take the north. SG1'll work from here and up the west along the river border. Whatever you do don't cross the river into the other village, the last thing we need is any grief from the neighbors," I order and explain whilst we hike closer to the village.

"Destiny was due to be picked up at 1800 MST, so Shauna's been missing at least 5 hours, probably more. Keeps your eyes open, don't over look anything and stay in radio contact."

The teams head off in their respective directions and Jonas, Teal'c, Lucy and I start walking towards the river.

I already have a bad feeling about this and although I don't want to be pessimistic I'm not sure there is much hope of finding Shauna alive.

Shauna and I connected immediately upon our first arrival here, sharing the bond of being mothers to young children. Destiny would be about four years old if she were on Earth although here on Julos the years are shorter and so she has just turned nine.

Destiny was the center of Shauna's world and I know that she would never have failed to pick her up unless someone or something kept her from doing so.

We walk for hours, searching the bushes and looking for any sign that she had been in the area. Jonas is walking right along the bank of the river but he also sees nothing.

We search until darkness falls and then head back to the village with the weight of failure sitting heavily on our weary shoulders.

It saddens me that there is nothing I can do other than cradle Destiny until she finally slips into a restless sleep.

///Jack///

I walk slowly to the door as the sound of the bell continues to ring in echo around the hall.

Jemma is still asleep, which is surprising considering she hasn't slept past 7am for as long as I can remember.

I woke at 5am, to find my wife missing on her day off, again and even though I know it's important I can't help but be a little resentful.

I'm not in the mood for visitors this morning and whoever is waiting on the other side of the threshold is soon going to know it.

I pull open the door and the familiar licking of my fingertips that tells me Amber is home soon relieves my frustration.

"Hello Girl," I coo as if I'm talking to Jemma, crouching down to rub her head and letting her lick my cheek.

When I have welcomed the third of my three most favorite people back into our home my fingertips are attacked again. It's more timid this time and I immediately work out who it is.

"Megan," I grin, glad to 'see' her again, as her visits have become rather infrequent since she was 'adopted' by Jonas three years ago.

Megan jumps up onto my lap and I stand again, holding the slightly too large dog unsteadily in my arms for just a moment before she gets uncomfortable and makes me put her down.

"Hey Cass." I hold out my arms to greet her and she steps into them, hugging me tightly as she always does.

"How did you know it was me?" She steps away and walks down the hall and into the kitchen, pouring two cups of coffee.

I hadn't really thought about how I knew it was her, I just knew. People have a hard time understanding but I suppose it all comes down to a mixture of sound and smell now; it's not very often that I'm wrong.

"I just knew," I shrug, in the same way I do whenever I'm asked about life as a blind man.

"Heard from Jo yet?" I casually continue, trying not to let her see my frustration.

"Mom got a call earlier that they were looking again, something about sounds in the night," Cassie replies dismissively. "They said they'd yell if anything turned up."

Her easy teenage way of talking about something so important reminds me how much she's changed since she came here. From the little girl who had experienced tragedy long before she should have and who took everything more seriously than she needed to, to the almost carefree young woman that sits before me.

"How's Chelsea?" I ask, wondering why it is so hard to get a conversation started with her today.

"She's good," Cassie answers quickly. "Glad that we're home."

She doesn't elaborate and I don't know what else to ask so we sit in silence for a few minutes.

"DADDY!" Comes an impatient squeal from upstairs. I guess Jemma woke up.

"Ok," I call back, starting to get up.

"I'll get her," Cassie tells me, placing a hand on my shoulder to keep me seated. "I should say hi before I head off."

With that I'm left alone in the living room, listening to the muffled sounds of my daughter talking to Cassie from her room.

///Sam///

It was SG6 who heard the sounds last night, from the house they were sleeping in at the edge of the village.

This morning we checked them out and Lucy noticed something caught on a rock in the water, reflecting the sunlight.

I only had to look at it once to know that it was the pendant that Shauna had worn the whole time we were here.

And so our mission changed from search and rescue to dredging the river for some sign of her body. I hate this part of my job.

"I don't believe this," Jonas mutters quietly next to me.

"It's impossible," Lucy breaths, unable to take her eyes off of the mounting pile before us.

"I find it most concerning," Teal'c informs us with his usual air of confidence. "Why are they all here?"

I watch as SG6 and SG4 continue the transfer from the river to the large tent we have set up to keep this sight away from the villager's eyes.

There are more bones here now than I have ever seen in one place in my life and there are still more coming.

I know as I watch the teams standing here in wonder and confusion that I'm going to have to call Janet.

"I don't believe this," Janet shakes her head as she stares.

"You said that already," I remind her.

"Unless the villagers like to give their dead an aquatic burial." she starts.

"They don't," I inform her. "They practice cremation."

"Then I can't explain it," she sighs. "Other than a lot of undiscovered murders or suicides."

"SG6 and SG4 started putting the puzzle together," I explain as I lead her along the lines of half assembled skeletons.

"Notice anything weird?" I ask quietly.

"Other than all of it?" she half smiles. "Where are their heads?" she asks with a questioning glance in my direction.

"There aren't any," I shrug. "Try explaining that with suicide."

"So we're thinking murder then?" Janet asks, a hint of concern in her voice as she bends down and picks up a leg bone. "The ends of this are smooth," she observes.

"So?" I ask, stepping carefully over an out stretched arm.

"So they shouldn't be," she informs me impatiently. "It's as if they've been boiled or something."

"Like in soup?" I ask, realizing at that moment how much like Jack I'm sounding. "Sorry," I quickly remedy.

"No need," she looks up at me from her position crouched on the ground. "It's exactly like bones in soup.if you're making people soup that is."

We both fall silent as the possible reality of the situation dawns on us.

///Jack///

"Is that your daughter?" a soft feminine voice asks gently from beside me as I sit on the bench at the park, my fingers trailing quickly over the brail words of my book.

"No that's my dog," I reply without even a hint of a smile as I incline my head in the rough direction that I know they are playing. "The one on two legs is my daughter."

"I see," she replies with a laugh. "My mistake."

"I make it all the time," I shrug. "No worries."

She chuckles again and then sits silently for a moment.

"It's a beautiful view from here isn't it," she tells me with a smile lacing her tone. "Do you come here a lot?"

"All the time," I nod. "And I've no complaints so far."

Suddenly a small, slender pair of arms wrap around my legs and my fingers start getting licked once again, telling me that Jemma and Amber have finished playing.

"Hello," the woman beside me coos at Jemma. "Have you been playing with your doggy?"

I wonder how old she thinks Jemma is, it sounds like the sort of question you'd ask a child that wasn't old enough to answer.

"No," Jemma replies seriously and I worry for just a moment about what she was doing. "Was baking cake," she whispers quickly and just loud enough for the woman to hear before hiding her face in my lap.

I bite my lip, realizing that Sam and I must come out with sarcastic remarks like that quite frequently in order for Jemma to pick it up.

"I see," the woman answers in bewilderment.

Jemma climbs up onto my knee, keeping her face hidden in some item of my clothes at all times until her mouth is right by my ear.

"Ice cream daddy?" she all but pleads with me.

"Ok," I grin, lifting her back onto the floor. "Find Amber's collar?"

Jemma carefully places it in my hand a few moments later and I proceed to fasten it around our ever-patient canine's neck.

"You're blind," the woman announces without warning from beside me. "Oh god now I feel stupid."

"No need," I smile. "It's an easy mistake."

"But there I was prattling on about the view." she trails off. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it, really," I insist. "It's not a big deal."

I lift Jemma up in one arm and she locks her arms around my neck. I take Amber's leash in the other hand and turn to face the park exit.

"Have a good day," I smile in the general direction of the woman before allowing Amber to lead me out of the park and towards the mall.

///Sam///

"How's it going?" I walk to where Janet is crouched and look at her most recent skeleton assembly.

"There's an obvious age gradient in the bones," Janet tells me. "These ones could have been in the water for decades. Some of the ones over there," she points to the far end of the tent, "could be a hundred years old or more."

"So this has been happening for a while," I sigh. "I don' t think that's very reassuring."

"It means that this has been done by more than one person unless said person is very very old," Janet points out.

I get a bit of a sinking feeling about how we are meant to sort this out and if it is even our place to do so.

"You don't think we should be doing this?" Janet asks although I guess it's more of a statement.

"I don't know," I shrug. "We know that Shauna's dead, I just wonder if perhaps our job's done."

"You don't want to know what happened to her?" Janet looks suitably confused. I guess I'm normally keener on being curious.

"What's happening that you think you're missing out on?" Janet asks as if she can suddenly read my mind.

"I just hate leaving them so much," I insist. "It's nothing specific."

"You're worried that Jack'll decide he wants a full time wife and look else where," Janet states simply.

"How do you do that?" I exclaim in utter confusion.

"Do what?" she asks innocently.

I half laugh half snort at her feigned ignorance.

"Just.stop reading my mind ok," I admonish. "It's unnerving."

She smiles. "Ok," she nods quietly.

I share a smile with her and then flip up the cover and look at my watch.

"Geez Janet, It's like.0300 local time or something." I groan.

"Ugh," she mutters. "Can we go and sleep now?"

I can't help but laugh at the sudden lethargy in her voice.

"Ok," I nod quietly with a small grin.

We pack up the bits and pieces we have with us and stand to leave.

"Did you hear that?" Janet's head snaps around to look at the door.

"No," I reply slowly. "You sure you did?"

"No," she replies even slower. "Lets go."

We walk through the darkened fields towards the village, staying silent so as to listen for whatever Janet might have heard.

I look around me as I we walk, scanning the field for any sign of another person.

Looking to the south past Janet and then to the North I see nothing.

A small yelp comes from beside me and I turn just in time to see Janet grabbed from behind and a hand clamped over her mouth. I'm about to help her when I fell a strong pair of arms take hold of me, one around my waist and a hand over my mouth. I smell something that can only be described as revolting and then.

///Jack///

"Jack?" a familiar voice asks from behind me and I automatically turn as if to check I'm right.

"Sara," I smile. "Fancy meeting you here."

"How are you Jack? It seems like forever."

"I'm good," I nod. "And it has been something close to forever."

"Who's this?" She asks and I can only assume she's talking about Jemma.

"I'm Jemma," my little girl answers proudly, pleased with the achievement of introducing herself.

"Hello Jemma," Sara greets her with a smile in her voice. "I'm Sara."

"Hello Sara," Jemma replies happily.

"She's beautiful Jack," Sara tells me just like people always do when talking about any child.

"And I'm not just saying that," Sara insists. "She must take after her mother."

I can imagine the wicked grin on her face.

"He doesn't know," Jemma tells her out of the blue, seeming to have taken a liking to my ex-wife.

"Doesn't know what?" Sara asks in bewilderment.

"Daddy's eyes don't work," Jemma insists, matter of fact.

"I don't understand," Sara says slowly.

"I'm blind Sara," I explain. "It's not that cryptic, Jemma just makes it sound like it is."

"I'm sorry Jack I totally didn't notice," she sounds horribly embarrassed. "I guess that's why you're wearing shades inside."

"No actually I just forgot I had them on," I shrug. "The dog is the evidence."

"Ah," she agrees. "The guide dog should have given it away."

We stand for just a second and I hear Jemma giggle.

"Would you stop that," I insist, waving my hand in front of Sara's face like I know she has just been doing to me.

"How did you.?" she starts. "I guess you get that a lot huh?"

"Enough," I nod.

"We should get coffee," Sara suggests. "Catch up a bit."

"I promised Jemma ice cream." I begin only to be cut off by my three-year-old daughter hitting me.

"Don't be rude," she insists. "The lady wants coffee."

In that moment I wonder what TV shows my daughter watches while I'm not paying attention.

"Apparently coffee's good," I tell Sara with a half a smile and I hear her chuckle as we continue walking.

++ 5 hours after capture++

///Sam///

"Ugh," I groan, regaining consciousness only to find that I don't want to open my eyes due to the unrelenting pounding in my head. "How much did we drink?"

"We didn't," Janet answers in an almost whisper from beside me.

Her presence where I had automatically expected Jack's surprises me into recall last night's events.

Bones, murder, the smell, the darkness. I open my eyes just a little bit and they confirm my memory. We were captured by unknown enemies and are now in an unknown location.

Perfect!

"So we get the morning after without the night before," I complain. "How is that fair?"

"What are we gonna do?" Janet asks, reminding me once again that she is right there.

"Sit tight and wait for the boys to wake up and miss us," I shrug. "Not much else we can do."

"They're not here," she tells me so quietly that at first I'm not sure I heard right.

"Where are they?" I ask casually, sure that they can't be far away.

"SG6 had another mission and Major Smith's wife went into labor so SG4 went back for it."

"All of them?" I try to process the new data in my fuzzy, hungover head.

"They're a close team," she shrugs helplessly.

"What about our guys?" I almost plead for good news.

"Teal'c had an appointment with the Tok'ra, Jonas had to get back to Megan." Janet trials off, realizing how screwed we are.

"What about Lucy?" I address our last hope.

"I think she went with them," Janet sighs. "They thought we were just effectively doing a glorified jigsaw puzzle."

"Someone died Janet," I almost shout, quickly lowering my voice to a whisper when I notice that we're not alone in our cage. "Under suspicious circumstance, we shouldn't have been left alone."

"I don't think they all realized that everyone else was going too," Janet suggests sheepishly.

"But you did?" I realize.

"I didn't think about it until just now," she apologizes. "I didn't expect this to happen."

"But the General will notice right?" I try to sound hopeful. "Notice and send someone back for us."

"He's kinda caught up in SG11's latest mess," Janet reminds me.

"So it's up to us," I nod. "We can do this." I pause as a wave of nausea sweeps over me. "But first we're gonna sleep off these hangovers."

I lie down and close my eyes, feeling the movement of Janet lying beside me.

We are totally screwed. I can't believe this happened.

Colonel Souster took command of the mission when Janet got here so that I could give her a hand. SG4 were supposed to inform him if Major Smith's wife had the baby so that some sort of cover could be sorted. If SG6 got called back to their dig then Colonel Souster was supposed to hand over to Major Smith. The rest of SG1 was just hanging out until their other plans caught up with them.

Everyone wasn't supposed to leave at once.

I don't know if it was Colonel Souster or Major Smith that screwed up, but someone was gonna find himself in trouble when we got home.

With that thought I give in to sleep, we'll sort all this out in the morning.I hope.

///Jack///

"So how are things?" Sara asks me. "Despite the obvious."

"Good," I smile. "Great actually. I'm really happy."

"It honestly doesn't bother you that you're retired again?" Sara sounds amazed; anyone would think I was a work-oholic

"Jemma's plenty enough to keep me occupied all day everyday," I insist.

"So you retired to look after her?" Sara continues her third degree.

"No, I retired long before she came along," I explain. "Sam and I didn't get together until I retired."

"So why did you retire?" she pushes, although I'd have expected her to assume that I retired when I lost my sight. "You haven't been blind that long have you?" she asks as if reading my mind.

"I ran in to trouble on a mission," I try to explain without actually explaining. "Suffered some anoxia and lost a lot of mobility in my left side." I pick up my coffee cup in my left hand and allow it to shake for a few moments to demonstrate the point. "I could have had a desk job but I decided I'd rather have a life."

"Anoxia?" Sara asks. "That's oxygen deprivation to the brain right?"

I nod. "It has the same kind of effects as a stroke."

"But it only effected your arm," she comments. "I guess that was lucky."

"It was a lot worse to start with," I fill in, secretly a little sick of giving people my medical history. "I had a limp, my face was all squiff."

"Squiff?" Sara interrupts with a laugh.

"It's the technical term," I assure her with a smile of my own. "I guess I just wasn't willing to put up with all the stuff it stopped me doing. It was a lot of work but I got back on my feet."

Sara doesn't say anything for a while and so I imagine her nodding thoughtfully or something, because of course visual communication isn't at all hindered here.

I don't mention the fact that the first time I looked in the mirror after the accident I was reminded of an old man who lived on the street where I grew up.

His walked down the street at about the time school let out everyday, a limp so bad it looked like his leg was going to give out with every step. His face was slack, deformed almost, to the point of actually looking frightening. I remember how all the kids used to cross the street to avoid having to walk past him.

I couldn't turn into that man, although I'd come to understand how awful it must have been for him to be judged on something he couldn't help, I couldn't bear the thought of children crossing the street to avoid me. What sort of a life would that have been?

"Well all I can say is that Sam must be a brave woman," Sara interrupts my thoughts and I hope I haven't missed anything. "You were hard enough to live with when you were in perfect health, I'll never forget how much you exaggerate colds. You must have been a nightmare when all this happened."

"It was difficult for a while," I nod briefly, not really wanting to share all my past marital problems with my ex-wife. "But we got through it."

"I'm glad she's stronger than I am," Sara barely whispers and I'm not entirely sure I've heard right.

"Stronger than you?" I repeat. "What do you mean?"

It dawns on me that she's referring to the fact that we couldn't survive loosing Charlie and her silence confirms the fact.

"Sam and I have never lost a child," I insist. "So I have no idea if we could survive that. Although I hope I've learnt from past mistakes."

"Where is Sam?" Sara quickly changes the topic.

"Mommy's playing soldiers," Jemma answers quietly, reminding us both that she's still there.

"When does she finish work?" Sara interprets Jemma's answer easily.

"It's an extended mission," I tell her as the waitress brings us both more coffee.

"Jemma no," Sara calls out at the same moment that I hear a chair slide out from the table.

I can imagine the look of disgust on Jemma's face at being told off by a stranger.

"Jemma," Sara tries again and so I assume that she didn't listen the first time.

"Jack how do you keep her under control when you go out alone?" Sara addresses me although I doubt she has taken her eyes off my daughter.

"She always behaves herself," I shrug. "She understands that I can't watch her."

The chair scrapes again and Jemma taps my leg so that I can help her back up onto it.

"Jemma, find the sugar for Daddy?" I ask as I put the spoon in my mug.

She takes hold of my hand and immediately places a couple of packets, which she must have had to fetch from another table, in to it.

"There's a ball pool just over there," Sara tells Jemma kindly. "Why don't you give Amber a biscuit and then go and play while your Dad and I finish our coffee?"

"Ok," Jemma's smiley voice answers as the chair scrapes across the floor again and she leaves us alone.

"She's so much like Nicholas," Sara tells me. "I can see her turning into a very bossy teenager."

"Nicholas?" I ask, hoping that I haven't forgotten something that she's already mentioned.

"Oh god," she sighs. "Sorry I forgot I hadn't really filled you in on much. Nicholas is my step-son."

"Oh," I try not to sound too surprised that she's remarried.

"He used to be a very independent child, now he's a very angry teen," she explains. "You probably remember him."

"Not little Nicky Hill?" I laugh. "You married Roger?"

"Yes and we're both very happy," she shoots back and I can imagine the slightly annoyed and slightly amused look in her eyes. Roger and I never really got along; he was always far too.Daniel-like now I think about it.

"You can hardly talk Jack," she moves us back to talking about me. "I'd have never pinned Sam down as your type."

"Me neither come to think of it," I smile. "But I guess she is."

"I never thought I'd see your eyes glaze over when you talked about someone either," Sara laughs. "You must be really smitten."

"We've been married four years Sara," I laugh too. "I think we got a long way past smitten."

"Jemma must miss her," Sara observes. "When she spends so long away. Sam must miss you both too."

"Sam's job's important to her," I defend. "It's important to everyone."

"I don't doubt it," Sara assures me. "From the brief glimpse I got of your world I could see that it was serious stuff." she pauses for a moment as if thinking of what to say next and I wonder if I was wrong to defend Sam's dedication to her job.

"She's still first and foremost a mother, Jack," she continues. "It's different for women. She could save the world as a day job and she'd still wish that she was at home with her family."

I try to understand the point that Sara is trying to make but I come up empty.

"I don't know how you used to go away for weeks at a time and leave Charlie," Sara explains. "I know that I never could have. It's a mother's instinct to be home with her children and however it was that you survived leaving me and Charlie I can guarantee that it's much harder for Sam to leave you two."

I sit in silence, considering myself well and truly scolded for whatever it is that I said or did that required Sara's lecture.

"She's not a superwoman, Jack," she finishes. "Take care of her."

As I run over her words again I feel as if I've just bumped into one of Sam's friends who is telling me to be a good husband as opposed to my ex-wife who I was just meant to be catching up with.

"I will," I assure her, not wanting to say anything else incase I inspire another outburst. I can't help but wonder if I treated Sara badly enough when we were married for her to feel that this is necessary or if it was just some random speech.

"Jemma and I should probably get on with the shopping," I insist. "Otherwise it'll be nap time before we make it home."

"Isn't Jemma a little old for naps?" Sara asks.

"The naps are for me," I grin.

"Of course," Sara agrees with a laugh. "I'd better start thinking about lunch anyway."

"Take care Sara," I smile as I stand up and wake Amber from her coffee shop doze.

She hands me a small piece of card and I'm about to remind her that I can't see it when she speaks.

"Give Sam my number," she asks. "I don't know how she'd feel about it but I'd like to get to know her."

"Ok," I answer slowly, putting the card in my pocket.

As I bid Sara farewell and go to recover my daughter I can't help but be a little concerned that my wife and my ex-wife may strike up a friendship, surely I'm not wrong for thinking that's a bit weird.

++9 hours after capture++

///Sam///

"Janet?" I hiss, trying to wake her without disturbing everyone else in our cell.

"Janet?" I repeat, jabbing her in the side a little.

She gently swats my hand as if I'm just some small annoyance.

I kick her swiftly in the leg and press my hand over her mouth to cover the small yelp she gives as she finally comes back to consciousness.

"Ow," she glares at me before rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"We should probably." I start and then stop abruptly as a guard throws open the cell door.

"ON YOUR FEET!" he bellows at us and not even I hesitate.

"This doesn't look good," Janet whispers to me as we form a row of rather sleepy and rather nervous women.

"You are nothing," the guard begins his pep talk. "You belong to us now and you are nothing."

I cast a sideways look at Janet and wonder what she is thinking.

"You will not speak, you will not do anything that we do not tell you to do, you will not disobey because you are nothing."

He speaks with a certain calm that leads me to believe he's half trying to hypnotize us into believing him.

"What are you?" He asks the young woman at the end of the line.

She hesitates, obviously unsure of what to say

"I'm.I'm." she stammers. "I'm a vesu."

Her words turn to a gasp as the guard lands his fist in her stomach, the force pushing her to the floor.

I can feel the energy of the rest of the group wanting desperately to check she is ok but not daring to move.

"What are you?" the guard casually asks the next woman.

"Nothing," she whispers.

The charade goes on much like this as he works his way down the line. I have to wonder what kind of a kick he is getting from having so many woman submit to him.

The two other guys hanging around by the door don't look particularly uncomfortable either.

"What are you?" the guard asks Janet and I risk glancing at her again.

She is staring straight ahead, eyes fixed on the floor in front of her.

I silently will her not to give but I don't blame her as she mutters, "nothing."

"What are you?" he asks me and I find myself getting a sick satisfaction from the fact that I've weighed up the entire situation while he's been prating about.

"I'm Taurus on the cusp of Gemini," I smile. "And you?"

I use the fraction of a second where he is off balance before he hits me to knock the unsuspecting jerk off his feet.

Janet follows my lead with an offensive against one of the others and we're fortunate that the other women catch on fast and are equally as keen.

The energy weapons that the guards have on their belts come in particularly useful and before I even realize we've started, the three guards are on the floor and the rest of the women are anxiously waiting on a new mission.

Some of them are supporting each other and a couple of the weaker women look about fit to drop, the form that most concerns me upon sight is the one collapsed against the wall coughing.Janet.

///Sam///

"God Janet, are you ok?" I drop to my knees by her side and support her until she manages to stop coughing.

She falls heavily against me and lets out a deep breath.

"Jiffy," she replies weakly.

"Whaty?" I ask with half a laugh.

She turns to look at me in bemusement for a moment before she figures out why I'm confused.now I just need her to tell me.

"Jonas says that a lot," she smiles and then coughs again. "I guess you pick up these things."

"I guess so," I smile with her, allowing myself the luxury of thinking about Jack for just a second.

"Can you get up?" I focus back on our task. "We really should get out of here before they wake up."

Janet nods and climbs to her feet with as little help from me as she feels she can get away with accepting.

"Can you make it to the gate?" I ask. "If you're injured I need to know now," I insist.

"I'm fine," Janet assures me, her voice steadying out. "I was just winded, let's go."

///Jack///

"Now that is one hot chic," some kid behind me whispers to his companion.

"She certainly pulls off the red," his friend leers.

"And those black pants don't look half bad either," the first one replies.

I honestly can't believe the conversation they're having and I get the sinking feeling that at some point in my past I was just like that.

"Oh, look at that smile," guy two exclaims. "I think she's looking at you man."

"She is ain't she," he answers with a self-satisfaction that almost makes me ill.

"Hey bro she's only coming over," guy two hisses. "Act cool man."

"I'm always cool man," the other one gloats.

I listen to their silence as the 'hot chic' apparently makes her way over.

"Jack," a familiar voice greets me with a tone that suggests a smile similar to some of my best memories of Sam.

"Chelsea, what are you doing here?" I smile back as she kisses me on the cheek.

"I'm shopping," she laughs. "What do you think I'm doing?"

I don't think the guys behind me have spoken again but I've stopped paying attention.

"Why don't we walk?" I suggest, collecting Jemma's things and mine together.

"Hey Jemmy," Chelsea coos. "You been shopping?"

"CHE CHE," Jemma squeals and from Chelsea's accompanying yelp I can only assume that Jemma propelled herself into her arms.

I rouse Amber again and we move away from the kids and towards where ever it is that Chelsea is taking us.

"Just out of curiosity Chels," I ask when we get far enough away. "What are you wearing?"

"A red tank top and plain black pants," she tells me hesitantly. "Why?"

"No reason," I shrug, silently wondering how much she's grown up since I last saw her.

"Sure," she mumbles, and I know that she doesn't believe me; I also know that she'll let it go.

"What are you up to today?" I ask as we board the elevator.

"Nothing," she replies simply. "Cass is off being a butterfly again so I'm just chilling."

"A butterfly?" I laugh, wondering what in the hell Cassie is up to.

"A social butterfly," Chelsea laughs too. "She's catching up with all her old friends."

"You didn't go with?"

"Does it look like I did?" she replies unhelpfully; I can hear her grin. "I never really knew any of them, thought I'd do some shopping."

"We shopped too," Jemma giggles. "I got new clothes."

I cringe as she says it; half of me was hoping that I could hide them until she forgot.

"What did you buy?" Chelsea puts on the 'I'm talking to a child' voice.

The small bag that Jemma insisted on carrying rustles as she searches for her new acquisition.

"Oh god Jack you didn't?" Chelsea groans as she sees the item in question. "Don't you think that's a bit.a bit.well.?"

"Yes I do," I nod. "But she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"How did she even know what it said?" Chelsea half whispers.

"O'Neill," Jemma squeals proudly. "It's mine."

"She was asking the poor sales assistant what they all said," I shrug. "When they got to that one Jemma got kinda excited," I raise an eyebrow. "Didn't you Stardust?"

"O'Neill!" she squeals again.

"Why were you even in the shop?" Chelsea groans.

"Just browsing," I lie, knowing that Sam'll kill me if I let anything about Chelsea's birthday present slip.

"You missed your bus," Chelsea decides, despite the fact that buses run to the stop by our house every fifteen minutes, all day. "My car's in the lot," she continues. "Lets go home."

"Sounds good," I agree. "I've had all the shopping I can take for one day."

++13 hours after capture++

///Sam///

"I need to stop Sam," Janet breathes heavily after we've been moving east for a few hours.

We slow down and stop in a small clearing where a number of women drop to sitting, obviously exhausted.

I didn't expect it to take us this long to find the gate and although I refuse to admit it I'm a little worried.

I was only taking us that way because the gate was closer than the friendly village and I just wanted to get us to safety. Now we could be anywhere.

Janet is getting paler by the mile and I think we've already lost a few of our number along the way, despite my efforts to keep everyone together.

I move around the group and check on all those who look weaker than I remember at the start of our trek.

I can't believe this is happening.where in the hell is the Stargate?

///Jack///

"So what have you been doing lately?" I ask Chelsea over coffee while she sits on the floor playing with Jemma.

Considering how much I'm always on at Sam to drink less coffee I seem to have had an awful lot today.

"Nothing really," she tells me almost sadly. "Just enjoying the break from college."

"You didn't want to go visit your aunt?" I push, determined to get more out of her then I did Cassie.

"No," she answers a bit too quickly.

"You never did tell me why the two of you don't get on." I keep my questions coming fast, not giving her a chance to think between turns.

"It's not important," she brushes me off.

"What's up with Cass this week?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"She's been very quiet, hardly here half the time."

"It's nothing."

"You don't expect me to buy that?"

"It's not my place to say."

"It's affecting you too."

"She's been having nightmares, it's no big deal."

I let a silence settle, listening to Chelsea sigh as she realizes I caught her out.

"What sort of nightmares?" I ask kindly, concerned for both of them.

"I don't know, she won't really say," Chelsea seems to find that fact more concerning than the nightmares themselves. "I think it's stuff about her parent's deaths again, she never would talk about that."

"Cass only gets nightmares when she's in the middle of a crisis," I point out. "What else is happening? Chels please, I'm concerned."

"It's her crisis," she insists. "It's not my place."

The hidden message in her words is more obvious to me that she thinks. She can't tell me because she doesn't know what is bothering Cassie. That in itself is unusual considering how close the two have always been.

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon. Then you show your little light, twinkle twinkle all the night."

Jemma stops as suddenly as she started and silence remains as we all try to figure out just what to say next.

++15 hours after capture++

///Sam///

I climb alone to the top of a nearby hill, hoping that it rises high enough above the trees for me to see where we've gone wrong.

Nothing is evident to begin with, just a huge expanse of trees in every direction.

A bright blue light suddenly begins shining from beyond the trees in the west.it has to be the Stargate.

I let myself hold the fleeting hope that it's a rescue team coming through but my instincts tell me that not all of the women I'm with are from the village near by. I guess our captors had to go further a field to keep up with their village's demand for fresh meat.

I shudder at the thought, these guys might actually be worse than the Goa'uld.

My heart sinks. If the Stargate is in the west then it means we've been running the wrong way.the wrong way for almost eight hours.

Which means that now I have to tell the others that I screwed up, and inform them that we have about a twelve hour trek back the way we just came before we have any hope of getting home alive.

++16 hours after capture++

I sit and cradle one of the young women in my arms. We had only been going for a couple more hours when she started bleeding.

The girl that had been walking with her informed me that she was pregnant, or had been. I felt guilty and sick all at the same time.

I don't kid myself that she'd have survived if we'd stayed in the cells but I can't help but feel a little responsible.

Now as we sit here I feel even worse. She didn't stop bleeding after the miscarriage and is slowly dying in my arms.

There's nothing any of us can do to help her. Janet tried everything she could think of without proper medical supplies, working to the point where she herself almost couldn't stand.

All the others are sitting a way behind us, resting out of sight, unable to bear watching this poor girl die so slowly and tragically.

Not even I, after everything I've seen in my time with SG1, will be able to erase the image of her, lying in a pool of her own blood, from my mind.

///Jack///

"Jemma?" I call out as I unplug my cell phone charger and put the safety plug back in the socket. "Jemma would you come in here please."

I hear a giggle and a door closes quietly down the hall.

"Oh," I mutter as I walk to wards the sound. "You want to play hide and go seek do ya?"

I hit the "speak" button on our talking clock as I pass.

"Twenty-one-thirty-seven-and-thirty-five-seconds," it informs me in its annoying stepped voice.

"Tell you what," I half shout, deciding that's it's too late to be playing this. "I'll go and put Rex to bed and you can just come when you get tired."

Rex is an oversized toy dog that used to live in my house before Sam and I got married. Jemma found him in a box a few months ago and laid claim to him.

I almost trip over the cord of the vacuum cleaner as I pass and quickly unplug it and tuck it the corner out the way.

"Good night Jemma," I enter her bedroom and close the door to wait. She does things like this all the time and I've learnt that threatening to put Rex to bed before her is the one thing that will bring her out of hiding.

By the time I've found her some pajamas and folded back the covers on the bed she still hasn't emerged.

I'm just opening to the door to go and get her when I hear a tiny scream from the hall.

My feet take me there faster than they've moved in a long time and I then walk carefully through the hall, worried that if she's fallen I might step on her.

"Jemma?" I walk carefully forward a few steps. "Baby where are you? It's time for bed."

My foot touches something and I crouch down quickly to see what it is.

Jemma is shaking as I lift her into my arms and although I can hear tiny whimpers she doesn't speak.

"Jemma what happened?" I ask as I grab the phone to call an ambulance and in a rush of movement and confusion we end up at the hospital.

///Jack///

I've been sitting by Jemma's bed for what feels like hours when I feel Chelsea place a hand on my shoulder.

"Chelsea what's going on?" I ask, relieved that she's here because everyone keeps telling me that Jemma's fine and that is was just a tiny electric shock from the socket in the hall, just simple static from the metal and that the only damage Jemma received was a surprise.

"She's fine Jack," Chelsea tells me exactly what the nurses have been saying all evening. "She just got a shock."

"She hasn't said anything since is happened," I argue, because although I trust Chelsea to tell me the truth it just doesn't make sense.

"First it was just the surprise, she's probably not gotten an electric shock before. By the looks of it she stuck part of one of her toys into the outlet rather than her finger, so the shock wasn't as bad as it could have been. And now," she explains. "She's asleep. Has been for the last hour apparently, but we can take her home."

I immediately feel stupid, what sort of a father am I if I can't tell the difference between a silence that means my daughter is hurt and a silence that means she's asleep. I shouldn't have left her alone in the hall in the first place and I can't believe that I forgot to put the safety back in the socket when I unplugged the vacuum cleaner.

++26 hours after capture++

///Sam///

We'd buried the girl in leaves as the sun began to set and moved on as quickly as we could for the rest of our journey. I hadn't failed to see the number of people looking back at the mound we left behind, no doubt wondering how it was fair, how something so cruel could come to be.

While they spent the majority of our hike in deep thought, weighing up the pros and cons of living in the universe that we live, I'm glad that I chose to stay alert.

We've been walking for ten hours since that poor girl died, not stopping at all and walking through the whole night. We're now so close to the gate that I can almost taste it, however it seems that we're also close enough to the enemy to smell them.

"Get down," I hiss.

The whole group freezes and ducks behind various trees and bushes, listening for whatever they think I must have heard in order to know that we're in trouble.

The loud voices of our prior hosts come from almost all directions; they must have known that I'd take the lead in the escape. I had expected them to chase us back to the villages or leave us to it, knowing that once we were back outside their land they couldn't risk following us further.

Now we're cut off from the stargate and don't even know how many of the enemy we're facing.

"Sam?" Janet whispers from the ground beside me.

I turn to her, her face is pale and drawn in the just rising sun light and her eyes are clearly showing how much pain she is in.

"We're not gonna make it are we?"

She's not really asking me, I can tell. She's given up and the defeat in her voice, while perhaps well hidden enough to fool the others, is only too obvious to me.

"Of course we are," I insist.

I have no idea how I'm gonna keep my promise but I'll think of something.

"Wait five minutes and then get them to the gate and dial the alpha site," I order Janet, beginning to move away.

"What are you going to do?" she asks quickly.

"Just trust me," I insist.

With just about thirty seconds left before Janet'll move out I throw a stick into the undergrowth a good forty feet to my left.

Two of the six-man search party moves off to check it out.

I throw another one about twenty feet to my left, only further in front and two more of the men walk towards the landing site.

Waiting until the moment I see Janet moving near the gate I run, making as much noise as possible, in a circle around the clearing.

I can hear feet running after me, and the sound of the chevrons engaging. It's louder than I expected and I can almost feel the ground shaking with each one.

I've only counted five chevrons when I hear a scream. The first quickly followed by a number more and silence as far as further chevrons are concerned.

My distraction causes me to trip over a root that I would have seen if only I'd been paying more attention.

My pursuers quickly catch up and grab me before the pain of hitting the floor even registers.

The grazes on my knees scream out as I'm dragged into the clearing and dumped beside the others.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to the crumpled form beside me, not having a chance to find out who it is before I'm rendered unconscious once again.

++29 hours after capture++

Feeling distinctly hung over once again I lie on the stone bench that has become my bed and refuse to open my eyes. My desire to check that Janet is ok is only outweighed by my desire not to know if she isn't.

Every movement makes me feel like I've aged forty years over night and every thought makes me feel guilty that we're still here and in even more of a state than when we arrived.

"Sam?" a pained and whispering voice chokes out.

"You alive?" I ask, my own voice almost unrecognizable to me.

"I'm wishing I wasn't," she shudders, a small groan escaping her lips.

"We'll get out of here," I promise, before remembering that I did so once before.

"We did that already," she breathes. "Must be time for plan B."

"There's a plan B?" I ask, almost hopefully although I know there isn't.

Coughs rack through Janet's frail form and she winces as every injury she already has is jarred.

"Tell Cass that I'm really sorry," Janet asks me. "And Jonas."

"What?" I question before realizing that she's doing the deathbed thing. "You're not going to die."

"Sam I have massive kidney damage," she tells me, pained. "Trust me, I can feel it."

"Which is why I'm gonna get us out of here," I say again, sounding less convinced even to my own ears.

"Yeah ok," she nods weakly.

As awful as it sounds I'm glad for the dim light. I don't know what this massive kidney damage involves but I'm not sure I could stand it right now if I had to watch her bleed to death too.

///Jack///

"Where's daddy?" my baby girl asks Chelsea as they sit in the living room together.

"Daddy's still in bed," she replies, not knowing that I'm standing in and listening from the hall.

"Why? Is he sleepy?" Jemma's innocent little voice drifts to my ears and breaks my heart.

"Yeah." I'm sure I can hear a grin in Chelsea's voice. "I think he's grumpy too."

"And sneezy?" Asks the giggly three-year-old voice.

"Maybe," Chels laughs.

"And bashful?" Jemma sounds almost delighted.

"I don't think I'd ever describe your daddy as bashful."

"What bout dopey?" comes another giggle.

"Definitely dopey," says the teenager that I used to quite like.who in fact isn't even a teenager anymore. I don't think I'll ever be able to accept that Cassie and Chelsea are twenty already.

"But not happy?"

Chelsea hesitates; I can understand her dilemma, not wanting to lie to a child but not willing to explain the truth, or perhaps not even understanding the truth.

"Daddy isn't very happy," she finally admits. "He misses your mommy very much."

"I miss mommy too."

"Me three," Chels replies. "But I'm sure she'll be home soon."

"Mommy home make daddy happy," Jemma decides, missing out a few words that would really help the sentence make proper sense.

"Maybe we can cheer daddy up," Chelsea suggests and I feel a little guilty that I'm here listening to their conversation.

"Genie cup!" Jemma suddenly squeals and I can only imagine the utter confusion Chelsea is now suffering.

"What?"

"Choccy in genie cup," Jemma insists but I have to admit that to the untrained ear it sounds more like joginjeanica.

"Slow down sweetheart, I have no idea what you're saying," Chelsea tries to regain control of the situation.

"Nonononononono now."

"Ok I'm coming," Chels complains gently as Jemma no doubt half drags her into the kitchen.

"Genie cup," Jemma pushes again.

"What is that?"

"Genie cup," Jemma repeats, sounding oddly worried. "Choccy."

"Choccy?" Chelsea questions. "Oh, you want some hot chocolate?"

"In genie cup." Jemma pleads.

"What's a genie cup?" Chelsea asks as I hear the kettle click on.

"Genie cup," Jemma moans. "Genie cup, in genie cup." Her voice starts to get tearful and I step into the room and scoop her up in my arms just as she is about to flee.

She immediately buries her face in my neck and I can feel her tears.

"I'll take it from here," I assure Chelsea, letting her off the hook.

"I'm sorry Jack," she sighs. "I just have no idea what she's talking about."

"The genie cup is a cup with a picture of Aladdin on it, when you add hot water a genie appears," I explain. "Or so I'm told. Never seen it personally but Sam and Jemma swear it happens."

Chelsea goes to take a shower and I dig the genie cup out of the cupboard.

"Daddy?" Jemma asks, her fingers tracing a pattern on my chest. I didn't even realize I hadn't put a shirt on when I got up. "Why do you have letters on you?"

I don't quite know how to reply, opening and closing my mouth goldfish like for a second whilst I think.

"t-b-a," she continues, the combination of letters not sounding quite so haunting when spoken in lowercase. Who'd have thought that when I started to teach my daughter the alphabet this is where it would lead us?

"What's it for Daddy?" she asks again.

"You know the scars the Daddy has on his arm?" I start, referring to scars left over from an operation I had to put metal plates on a break many years before. "These ones are just like that, only they have different shapes." I fib, maybe one day when she's a lot older I'll tell her the truth.

"But why letters?" she pushes.

"I don't know Stardust," I shrug her question off. "Look," I pick up the boiled kettle and being to pour water into the genie cup. "It's the genie, what's your wish?"

"Umm," she thinks, probably watching as the whole genie appears. "I wish mommy was home."

I kiss her forehead and settle her down in the living with the hot chocolate and a video of Aladdin before going to get dressed.

Sometimes I think that being a father is the hardest thing I've ever done.

One giggle from my little girl reminds me that being a father is the best thing I've ever done.

++39 hours after capture++

///Sam///

I sit huddled in the corner, wondering how I let this happen, unable to remove the image of Janet's unconscious form being dragged away from my mind.

They stormed in about half an hour ago with the same force as always and upon seeing her, lying pale and sweaty beside me they took her away.

I promised that'd we'd get out of here, that she'd be ok. Now she's gone and I'm stuck here alone, a million miles from my family, helpless and useless.

It's just my luck really, in all the years I've been on SG1 we seem to be the team that can, without fail, get ourselves into unfathomable situations. Usually we get out of them too but usually we're together.

I hate to be the pessimist but as I picture my daughter's smiling face I fear that I'll never see it again.

///Jack///

I tuck Jemma into bed and shut off the lights, almost bumping into Chelsea as I walk out of the room and pull the door together behind me.

"Sorry," I whisper, taking hold of her arm to steady her.

"My fault," she whispers back. "I should have said something."

I automatically move to place my hand against the small of her back as we walk down the hall to the living room, this scenario usually involves Sam and I.

"I just wondered if there was anything else you wanted me to do while I'm here?" she asks, papers rustling as she tidies the coffee table. It's weird how many strange little compulsive habits she shares with Sam.

I hit the button on the talking clock again, such an action having become habit so that even when there is someone present that I could ask I don't.

"It's late Chels," I point out what she obviously just heard. "The spare room is still made up why don't you stay here. I know Jemma would love to wake you up at six am tomorrow."

"Well when you put it like that," Chelsea laughs. "Why would a girl wanna drive home in the dark?"

"It might buy me an extra hour of sleep if you do." I smile my sweetest smile, almost pleading her, although thinking about it I probably just look stupid.

"When's Sam due back?"

I always have to take a pause when Chelsea asks questions like that, use the moment to remind myself that she doesn't actually know where Sam is or what she does for days on end.

"I'm surprised we haven't heard back already to be honest," I admit. "I think I'll call Hammond and check in later."

The phone rings four times before George picks up meaning he was probably away from his desk.

"George," I greet him.

"Jack?" he sounds surprised to hear from me. Of course considering it's currently 0100 I shouldn't be surprised. Does that man ever sleep?

"Just checking in," I tell him. "Wondering if you'd heard from Sam."

"Give me five minutes," he tells someone else. "No I don't think so Jack."

"Oh," is about all I can think to say. "I thought they'd have checked in by now."

"We were just about to send a message through actually," he lies, oh yes, I can tell he's lying. "I'll call you back when we've spoken to them ok."

The line goes dead and I realize that the SGC is probably in the middle of some crisis, it's not like those are rare in that place.

I settle back on the couch to wait for a call that probably won't come and am startled from a half sleeping state when the phone rings.

"Hello?" I just about manage to mumble.

"Oh Jack, sorry did I wake you?"

"Jo, it's one am," I groan.

"Um, two actually. Oh yeah sorry," he says again. "I'd just meant to get your machine."

"What do you want?" I snap. "Wait.aren't you meant to be playing bone collector or something?"

"No I came back a couple of days ago." Jonas sounds ridiculously awake for this time of the morning. "I had reports to finish and a dog to feed."

"Oh," I acknowledge. "So what did you want?"

"Lucy called me earlier, she wanted to know if you had plans for Chelsea's birthday," Jonas explains. "She wanted to plan a party."

Lucy hardly knows Chelsea really, she and Cassie have never really gotten on and so socializing with Chelsea just never happened. But despite this Lucy is never one to give up the chance for a party.

"Why didn't she call me?" I complain, although it doesn't really make a lot of difference.

Jonas hesitates.

"Jo?" I push, it may not have made a difference before but if there is actually a reason then I want to know.

"Come on Jack," he tries to fob me off before thinking better of it. "She doesn't really like you."

"What do you mean?" I scoff. "Lucy and I get on great."

"Got on great," Jonas corrects me. "I don't think you ever sorted out that.well anyway."

"Wait a minute," I backtrack a little. "Lucy's back too?"

"Yeah she came with me and Teal'c." Jonas is worrying me now.

"T's back too?"

"Uh, yeah," Jonas stumbles. "Something about having to go see Jacob, you know no one tells me anything."

"So who're with Sam and Janet?" I push.

"SG teams four and six," Jonas assures me without pause. "It's not like we'd leave them alone."

"So SG6's dig was cancelled?" I know I'm being a pain but I have a bad feeling. Sam was stressing out last week over how SG6 would manage all their digs this month.

"Umm," Jonas does hesitate this time. "I don't think so actually."

"So it's just them and SG4," I point out in annoyance.

"If General Hammond had realized I'm sure he'd have done something," Jonas tries to cover George's ass before I get too pissed off.

"Jo?"

"Yeah?" he replies hesitantly.

"Which team is Ed Smith on?"

"He leads SG4," Jonas relaxes, obviously having expected a worse question. He doesn't realize how bad things just got.

"I got a call from him earlier Jo," I growl. "Hattie just had a beautiful baby boy, almost 10lb you know."

"Oh that's great," Jonas' voice lifts up. "Why didn't he call me?"

"He thought you were off world," I state slowly, sure that he'll catch on soon. "His whole team is at the hospital with them.please tell me there was someone else on that planet with you."

"Shit," Jonas breathes. "They can't be.surly we couldn't have.Hammond would have.shit."

"Jonas," I use his full name to get his attention. "Get in your car and get over here now."

I hang up, not waiting for an answer. I don't care what crisis George is dealing with right now, because this beats it.

I fetch my daughter out of bed and put Amber's leash on, it's time to go get mommy.

++44 hours after capture++

///Sam///

The door is thrown open again and yet two more women dragged from the room, semi-unconscious and certainly in no state to fight back.

I wonder how much longer I'll be here, starved and dehydrated before I'm taken away to face whatever fate they see fit for us.

SG11 sure has a lot to answer for. Even SG1 never managed to create a crisis of the scale that put other teams off world at risk of neglect.

Where's Jack when I need him? Always one to stay on top of things, that's my husband, even now when at times it's twice the work.

He always knows where I'm going, who with and for how long. Or he knows as far as he can, considering.

Another fine mess I've led us into. At least I didn't drag my whole team along this time. I only wish I could have saved Janet.

Some leader huh?

The guards are about to close the door again when one spots me, sitting alone in the cell that now belongs to only me.

He begins to walk over and in some dark part of my mind I hope he's just going to kill me and get it over with.

No such luck however. I find myself unable to move after one small shock from his energy-based weapon thingy.yes that's the technical term.you have met my husband right?

As he drags me away I become aware that I'm still able to think and for the most case feel.damn, it's gonna be a long night.

///Jack///

"I know this thing with SG11 is causing problems," I argue. "Even a blind man can see that. That is why I'm offering to go get them."

"Jack I appreciate where you are coming from, really I do," George tries to say no.again. "But I'm not authorized to let you through the gate."

"This is my wife we're talking about George." I try to appeal to his inner romantic. "And I wasn't planning on going alone."

"Jack please," he sighs. "We're sending a MALP right now and I'll send a recovery team through the second we see it's safe. You don't have to go."

"I want to go." I try not to yell, I can see how tired the poor man is. "And Amber would be able to find Sam in seconds."

"Come on Jack!" I think he's getting beyond exasperated. "I'm sure as hell not authorized to send a dog through."

"Is there a problem?" asks a voice that I've never been so happy to hear.

"Dad." I know I'm grinning, I don't really care either. "Talk some sense into him please. Amber and I are Sam's and Janet's best hope, you know that."

"I think he has a point George." Jacob takes my side however apologetically.

"Do you two purposely try to make my life hard?" George groans.

"Thank you," I smile. "We'll bring them back safe."

George just makes a noise like blowing air through his lips. "Where's the only O'Neill that doesn't drive me crazy?"

"Up on level twenty one with Cassie," I explain. "You won't even know she's here I promise."

"I'd damn well better know she's here Jack," he insists. "That little girl is the only reason I still put up with you."

///Sam///

My arms are fastened behind my back with rope and whoever is carrying my still mostly paralyzed body places me down on a bench.

I'm positioned laying fat on my stomach, my head hanging over the edge.

It's only when some kind of cuff is closed around my neck that I get the sinking feeling that this is where they're going to end it.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how they'll go about it. All those missing skulls didn't just walk off on their own.

I try to struggle, try to move at all and fail pretty spectacularly.

What little I can see from this awful vantage point tells me that I'm not the only one getting a haircut.

Now would be a really good time for the cavalry to come.

///Jack///

Amber didn't take telling twice when we started out.

I think the trip though the gate threw the poor animal for a moment, but what can you expect? I'm just glad the shock didn't kill her.

So now I'm crashing though the undergrowth, letting Amber's nose act as my eyes.

I have no idea where we're going or how far we've come.

The only feet I can hear snapping twigs are my own, speaking to the fact that I must have taken a different route to everyone else through the trees.

Every now and then I hit a bad step or catch my foot on a root and sprawl onto the ground.

My knees are screaming, my back aching, my right shoulder jarred and my limp is threatening to return but it doesn't slow us.

Amber seems to understand the urgency, waiting for me to get back up when I fall but not letting it deter her from keeping the speed.

///Sam///

I think I almost have some feeling back in my legs, my arms slowly joining them.

Still not enough to fight back but I can hold out hope that I manage before they kill me.

People walk by every now and then, none of them stopping or even looking at me.

I wait, still holding out for the cavalry but deep down knowing it's up to me now.

Two men finally stop by my side, talking in hushed voices before one leaves again.

Looking out to the side I catch sight of an axe blade glinting in the moonlight. I almost wish I hadn't looked.

///Jack///

Just as I'm about to start wondering if Amber even knows where she's going she starts barking manically.

"What is it girl?" I ask, almost tripping over her as she comes to an abrupt stop, hackles bared before barking again.

I pull out the side arm I insisted on bringing and point it directly up in the air before firing off two shots.

Amber starts moving again, damn I wish I could see what's going on.

///Sam///

My executioner raises the axe up above his head and I brace myself.

The sound of a dog barking from the edge of the clearing makes my heart pound in my chest but I don't move.

Two gunshots follow and the axe clatters to the ground in front of me.

Pounding feet echo all around as our captors flee from sounds they do not understand and so fear.

I finally allow my body to relax, closing my eyes in relief and waiting for my savior.

Something warm and wet touches my nose and I open my eyes to find myself face to face with the canine member of my family.

Amber whines a little and I can't help but smile.

"Am I glad to see you!" I whisper as she licks my cheek, knowing that if Amber's here then Jack must not be far away, however unlikely the idea of my blind husband thundering to the rescue may be.

"Sam?"

I move my eyes up past the dog and see my him standing unsurely beside me.

"Jack thank god," I sigh. "I'm stuck, can you help me up?"

His hands reach out carefully, one slowly coming into contact with my head.

He feels down over my head and touches the metal that is fastened around my neck, finally releasing me from its restraint.

I force my body to sit up, Jack moving to sit in front of me as I do so.

I fall against him, almost unable to believe that he's really here, that I'm really safe at last.

His arms slide around me and deftly untie the rope around my wrists.

"Are you ok?" he whispers, burying his face in my hair despite how unpleasant it must smell.

"Only just," I reply breathlessly. "You have great timing."

"So they say," he quips, and I appreciate the lighter tone, things have been serious enough for long enough already.

Before I even register his approach my dad is hugging me too.

"They're all gone," he announces. "Fled when you sent up the shots by the look of it," he tells Jack.

"That's good," Jack mutters into my hair. "We should get out of here."

"Sounds like a plan," Dad agrees, talking as if I'm not here. "What about."

"Janet!" I exclaim, suddenly realizing that she may be here. If this is their ritual then hopefully they wouldn't have broken it by letting her die before.

I wrench myself out of their arms and start running, using the moonlight to check people as I pass.

A part of me knows I should stop and help the women still restrained but I'm on a mission and if Janet is still alive she doesn't have a lot of time.

My stomach lurches as my eyes fall on a woman for whom Jack didn't arrive soon enough to save but I don't stop, can't stop, for Janet's sake.

Suddenly my eyes fall on someone at the other edge of the clearing and somehow I just know it's her.

My feet start moving faster than I ever thought they could until I'm by her side.

Ripping open the restraints I pull her limp body up to sitting.

I'm just starting to check for a pulse when her eyes flick open just a little.

"Sam?" she whispers in a husky and pained voice.

"I'm here Janet, you're gonna be ok." I reassure her as Jonas runs in our direction.

///Jack///

No sooner have we stepped through the gate and Janet and Sam are whisked off to the infirmary.

Jacob, Jonas, Teal'c and I hover in the corridor of level 21 waiting for some news. Cassie and Jemma soon join us.

Sam's check up is finished first and despite being told she's only to have one visitor at a time we all descend on her at once.

"Hey," I whisper, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah," she breathes at a barely audible level.

"Good to see you looking better kid," Jacob tells her, filling in some of the blanks that my useless eyes often leave in a picture.

"Ok Jemma," Cassie gasps. "Be gentle though."

"It's ok," Sam assures her. I guess Jemma tried to do her propelling thing again.

I shouldn't be surprised, to a child her age a few days probably seem like weeks.

"One at a time," the angry voice of Nurse "Cranky" Coppins hails from the doorway, causing everyone to laugh, including Sam.

"I'll come back later," Cassie promises.

"Me too," Jonas agrees and I listen to them both leave.

"Take it easy sweetie," Jacob tells her. "I'm gonna pop up and see George."

"Be well," Teal'c adds, and despite the five years hence I still expect to hear 'Major Carter' on the end.

When the others have gone I lean down and kiss her sweetly on the lips.

I hate when she does this to me.

"Where's Chelsea?" she asks a few moments later.

"At the house I think."

"You think?" Sam chokes. "Jack tell me you didn't just leave."

She sounds kind of pissed.

"Please tell me that you didn't leave without telling her where you were going. Without telling her that Janet and I were ok." Now it's deflated rather then pissed.I think that's worse.

"We didn't know you were ok," I defend.

"Do you not see how much of a stranger she feels like around us Jack?" Sam sighs. "How could you leave her out of something so important to the whole family?"

"I'll call her now," I promise pathetically. Sam is the only person who can make me feel this bad about my oversights.

"Don't bother," she decides. "I'll be out of here in half an hour, I'll drive us home and tell her myself."

"Don't they want to keep you in over ni." I start. I can just imagine the 'I don't care what they want I've made up my mind' look that she's probably giving me. "Never mind," I amend. "I'll just take Jemma up to see George and then we'll all get out of here."

"You probably shouldn't disturb him," Sam tells me. "From what I've heard there's a bit of a crisis with SG."

"I know," I assure her. "But Stardust is the big hit around here and if we leave without saying hi then I'll never be allowed back."

Sam chuckles as I leave, a wriggly three year old in my arms.

++2 hours after rescue++

///Sam///

Amber lollops happily into the kitchen the second we open the front door and the sound of the TV floats in from the living room.

"Che Che!" Jemma calls out, fighting out of my arms and running into the other room.

"Charming," I sigh. "You'd think she hadn't noticed I was away."

"She noticed," Chelsea smiles, walking over with Jemma in tow. "But you're her mom, and she knows you'll always be here or be coming back soon if you aren't. I'm the novelty item it seems."

I smile and hug the young woman, impressed at how well she's holding back any bitterness she feel about being left out of the last few hours.

"I'm glad you're ok," she kisses me on the cheek. "I didn't really catch what the problem was but it didn't sound good."

"It wasn't so bad," I assure her. "We're all back safe now."

"Janet was with you too right?" she checks. "Cass seemed worried."

"Janet's still in surgery but I'm gonna pop back in and see her later," I explain. "I'll let you know."

"Thanks," Chelsea sighs. "I should get out of your way. Let you have some family time before work strikes back again."

She laughs a little nervously and fidgets on the spot.

"If the prescription is family time," I insist. "Then you had better stick around cause we can't do it without the whole family."

She looks at me a little confused before smiling like I haven't seen in a while and hugging me tightly.

"Thank you," she whispers. "You don't know how much that means to me."

"You're very welcome," I smile back.

"Do you know when Cassie will be back down from the mountain?" she asks slowly, I think she's always a little worried about asking anything to do with that place.

"She left about the same time as us actually," I tell her. "She wanted to grab some stuff before Janet came out of surgery."

"Oh." Chelsea acknowledges, hesitating again.

"Why don't you stop round and see her now," I suggest, letting her off the hook. "We can do this later."

"Are you sure," she breathes. "I don't want to."

"Go," I insist. "She could probably use a friend right now."

Chelsea smiles weakly and ducks out of the door. I feel a little sorry for her, the poor girl is never quite sure where she should be.

++10 hours after rescue++

I leave Jack and Jemma in the commissary while I go to see Janet.

She's still unconscious but is stable.

Jonas told me they'd had to take one of her kidneys out because of a blood clot and are still running tests.

Much as I hate the cliché, she looks so pale and fragile lying there.

Jonas is still sitting beside her and he just looks lost.

"Hey," I whisper, laying a hand on his arm. "How are you doing?"

"She's getting better," he tells me. "They think she'll wake up soon."

"I know, I spoke to the doctor," I explain. "I asked about you."

"Oh." He still hasn't moved his gaze off her. "I'm alright."

"Sure you are," I sit down beside him. "Just jiffy right?"

"What?" He actually turns towards me in surprise. "Yeah right."

"I thought so," I nod. "So was Janet earlier and now look."

He looks back at her sadly.

"Is there anything I can do or get for you?" I ask.

"No, you don't have to." he starts.

"I do," I insist. "It's my fault she's in here, if there is anything I can do, anything at all."

"Sam don't," Jonas snaps. "If you start blaming yourself for things again.well.just don't ok."

"Ok," I sigh.

We both just sit there watching her again, watching and waiting.

///Jack///

"Hey Jack," Jacob sits down opposite me. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good I think," I shrug. "Fingers crossed, you know the drill."

"A waiting game," he agrees.

"Grandpa!" Jemma squeals, returning from her Jell-O run.

She barely noticed he was here earlier this morning. I guess she was just very glad to see her mom again.

"Hey there kiddo." I can actually hear the love oozing from Jacob's voice.

My little girl is three years old and she's already captured a lot of hearts.

"Don't you just get prettier every time I see you," he coos.

There's a pause.

"Does her sweater say what I think it says?" Jacob laughs suddenly. "Oh Jack, that's very sad."

"Tell her that," I groan.

"O'Neill," Jemma laughs. I guess she was listening.

"It's just as well you're cute kid," Jacob teases her. "Cause you're as crazy as your daddy."

"Thanks for that Jake," I act offended, but he's probably right.

"You're welcome Jack."

We sit in relative silence for a moment, neither of us much good at small talk.

"How's Yena?" I ask at last.

"I am fine," Jacob's snaky voice tells me after a pause.

After Selmak died Jacob took some leave from the Tok'ra, wanting to spend some time with Sam and helping out whilst I got used to looking after Jemma.

Sam went back to light duty just a month after Jemma was born and to full duty after a few months.

Jacob stayed here until last Christmas when news came that his closest Tok'ra friend had been badly hurt in an ambush.

Heeley was dying and if Yena was going to live then she needed a new host. Of course Jacob volunteered.

I always liked Yena, as much as I did Selmak actually.

Granted I hadn't seen Heeley and Yena since I hung up my P-90 but of all the new snakes to have to take, Jacob got the right one.

"Glad to hear it," I smile. The only issue I have with the situation is that Heeley was a woman. Therefore in all the years I knew Yena, she was a woman too.

It's hard to talk to her in the same way when it's my father in law's voice answering.

I guess it'd worse if I had to look at his face too.

Silence follows again.

"Aren't you just the conversationalist today," Jacob quips.

I sigh, I never was much good at the waiting game.

///Sam///

"Sam?" Janet's husky voice tells me that I wasn't paying attention.

"Hey," I smile, rubbing the back of the hand that I've been sat holding. "How you feeling?"

"I'm ok," she breathes. "Considering.Where's Jonas?"

"He was just here," I assure her. "He won't be long."

"Ok," she nods, although she looks anything but ok. Jonas will hate that he wasn't here when she woke up.

++24 hours after rescue++

The sun hasn't yet risen as I walk into our dark house, flicking on lights as I move into the living room.

To my surprise Chelsea is sitting on the couch, staring at the window.

As I approach she wipes away tears that she obviously hopes I haven't seen.

"Hey Sam," she forces a smile. "I didn't think you'd get back til later."

"What's up?" I ask, crouching in front of her.

"I'm fine," she shrugs. "How's Janet?"

"You're not fine," I counter. "I can see that, that wasn't my question. What's wrong?"

She wipes more tears away and swallows.

"It's nothing really," she sighs. "I'm just.worried about Cass I guess. I'm being stupid."

"What's wrong with Cass?" I push. Jack mentioned earlier that Chelsea had said something similar to him.

"I don't know," she admits sadly. "She won't talk to me. And I don't know how to get her to."

I open my mouth to respond but decide against it.

"What?" she asks, apparently having noticed.

"Nothing," I insist.

"You were gonna say something, I wanna hear it."

"Just let her get on with it," I relent. "If she doesn't want to talk then leave her to it."

"I can't," Chelsea informs me. "Cassie is the only person who has ever been there for me, I can't just abandon her."

"I'm not asking you too." I lay my hand on Chelsea's arm. "Just stop worrying until she's ready to talk to you."

"I just." Chelsea starts.

"Hey Che Che," Jemma waves from the door before coming in and climbing onto her lap.

"Hey Jemsy," she laughs. "Isn't it past your bed time?"

Jemma nods solemnly. "I'm very sleepy."

"Must be bed time then," she smiles.

"It's almost morning," Jemma whispers, as if it's some big secret.

"I know," Chelsea replies with mock astonishment. "We should all be sleeping."

Jemma leans forwards and gives Chelsea a kiss.

"Night night Che Che."

"Good night sweetheart," Chels kisses Jemma's head.

"Will you tuck me in mommy?" Jemma holds out her arms with a yawn.

"Ok honey," I agree, lifting her into my arms.

"Chels," I catch her attention before I leave. "We'll talk more in the morning ok? Get some sleep."

She nods softly and heads to the spare room.

Sometimes I think Chelsea spends more time here than at home. I wonder why she was here rather than at Janet's tonight.

++29 hours after rescue++

///Jack///

Sam decided to take Chelsea out for a walk this morning so it's just Jemma and me again.

Not that I mind spending time with my daughter, I'd just kinda hoped that we'd get to spend some time with Sam too.

Jemma is rather quiet this morning, I think she's probably a little put out that Sam left again already.

They'll only be a few hours and then we'll spend the afternoon together.

I know that Chelsea needs someone to talk to, I could tell that much even without having spoken to her today.

I just hope that Sam doesn't get called back to work anytime soon, because I honestly believe that it would break her daughter's heart.

"Daddy?" I lift my three year old, complete with Rex, up onto my knee by order and she rests her head lightly against my chest. "Can I be a splorer like mommy?"

"What do you want to explore?" I ask with a laugh, gotta love kid's imaginations.

"Same what mommy does," she replies and I realize that this isn't preparation for a game but an honest dream of a young mind.

"You can be anything you want to be," I tell her with feeling, because I don't need to see the little girl sat on my knee to know that she's destined for great things.

"I wanna be a splorer," she confirms quietly, as if it's some big secret. "Just like mommy."

All the times Sam has worried that she's not having any impact on Jemma's life seem a waste in that one sentence.

I'm sensing the start of a little hero worship.

But then what else could anyone expect, given the choice between what she doesn't know about what Sam does and what she does know about what I do.

Mystery has a way drawing you in, and I get the feeling that the Stargate program will have a way of drawing in any child raised behind the secret of it.

///Sam///

Chelsea and I walk along slowly through the mountain paths.

There are caves out here that Daniel used to like coming and looking at and the view is stunning.

We walk mostly in silence, the odd, inane conversation here and there whilst I wait for her to bring up what's on her mind.

"What about your Aunt?" I start, my patience is right up there with Jack's these days.

"What?" she asks. I guess I did bring that up a bit out of the blue.

"You said that Cassie was the only person who's ever been there for you, what about your Aunt?" I explain.

She hesitates, obviously deciding whether or not she really wants to be this open with me.

"She hated me," she finally admits.

"I doubt that," I reply. "You were her family."

"She had a daughter," Chelsea continued. "My age, and she died in the same car accident as my parents. I was the only survivor. My Aunt never forgave me for living when her daughter died."

"Oh honey I'm sorry." I touch her arm as we walk. "How did it happen?"

"There was a meteor shower while we were on a camping holiday in Indiana. We were out driving and Kia was making a fuss so mom moved her to the front seat to sit on her knee." Chelsea's eyes glaze over as if she's reliving it and I almost want her to stop. "We were just driving and suddenly the front of the car just exploded. I was strapped into the back seat and they were just gone. I was only five years old, I had no idea what was happening. So my Aunt took me in, she wanted to love me, I know that but she couldn't. I could never be Kia and whatever I did she always thought that Kia would have done it better."

"That must have been awful." I'm not really sure what to say.

"I don't blame her anymore," Chelsea shrugs. "I used to but there's no point. I hated her in high school, I spent half my time trying to prove to her that I could be as good as she imagined Kia would have and the other half doing as little as possible because it saved her having anything to compare me with."

"I thought you were always the star student," I comment.

"Thanks to Cassie," she nods. "She covered for me when I skipped class, made up excuses about borrowing my work and forgetting it or actually staying up late the night before and doing it for me when I didn't bother with assignments." There are tears in Chelsea's eyes. "In our last year of high school it hit me, when I moved in with Cass I realized my Aunt didn't care either way and I stopped doing things with her reaction in mind. I started working hard because from then on it was Cassie that I was proving myself to and I knew she wanted me to do my best."

She swipes tears off her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she sniffs.

"Don't be," I reassure her. "I had no idea, I don't think any of us did."

"I'd have flunked out of high school if it hadn't been for Cassie and I want to help her now but I don't know how."

"She'll let you know when she's ready to," I tell her. I can understand her frustration.

"And in the mean time?" she counters.

"In the mean time you relax and enjoy your holiday," I insist.

She smiles a little. "I guess I can do that."

"So where are these cave paintings you're after?" I ask, we've been walking for hours.

"Uh, they're about two hours behind us," Chelsea tells me with a laugh. "It's your caves we're looking for."

"No," I disagree. "The caves were.those ones with the paintings on the walls." I can't help but laugh. "Looks like we've gone a bit further than we meant to."

Chelsea groans and sits heavily on the ground.

"Please don't tell me we have to walk all the way back, I think I'll die."

"Uh." I look around. "We don't. We used to walk here a lot before Jack's accident, there's another way down to the road, we can call Cassie for a lift."

"You haven't been here since then?" Chelsea inquires as we begin out decent of the forty five degree hill.

"Actually we came a few years ago," I recall. "Jack and I walked Amber up here. Now I know my husband is blind but he couldn't have forgotten how steep this hill is."

"What do you mean?" she laughs.

"He didn't seem to understand my reluctance to walk up it when I was eight months pregnant," I chuckle.

"You two are amazing," she tells me. "Everything you've been through and you're both still so normal and so strong."

"It's not so hard when you've got your family look out for you," I inform her.

"Must be nice," she agrees.

"Hey," I half growl. "You're part of this family now, don't you ever forget that."

"Yeah I know," she shrugs. "It's just Janet and Cassie have that amazing mother daughter thing and sometimes I feel like I'm in the way."

"I thought you'd really settled in there," I admitted.

"Not really," she sighs. "I mean I love them, and I really appreciate them taking me in but even after four years I still feel like a guest. I feel more at home in your house."

"So move in," I suggest. "Janet and Jonas have been thinking about having a baby, they'd never ask you or Cass to give up your rooms but it would make things easier."

"I couldn't put you out like that," she insists.

"You wouldn't be," I assure her. "You're the only one who ever stays in the spare room as it is. So redecorate, make it your own."

"Really?"

"Yes really," I smile. "Jemma already adores you, I'm sure she'd love to have a big sister."

"Thank you," she smiles back, happier than I've seen her for a while.

Maybe she and Cassie do just need a little space from each other. Nothing strains a friendship like living in each other's pockets.

++8 days after rescue++

///Jack///

For the eighth day in a row Sam has been here to put Jemma to bed, I don't think my little girl has ever been so happy.

Now my wife has driven up to the mountain to bring Janet home and Jonas is sat silently on our couch.

I don't know what's the matter with him but it can't be good.

He's been talking about getting away.

Suggested a trip up to my cabin for a weekend, just me and him, a chance for the boys to get away.

I have to admit that I'm a little worried. I'd have thought that now would be when Janet would need him most so either he's questioning their future or she's asked for some space.

Either way it's not a good sign, maybe Sam will find out what's going on.

///Sam///

"Hey," I smile softly as I enter Janet's room. "You ready to go?"

She nods silently, picking up her bag but not moving.

"Are you ok?" I ask, stepping closer, wondering if she feels queasy.

With no other warning she bursts into tears and sits back down on the edge of the bed.

"Honey what's the matter?" I wrap my arms around her shaking frame.

"They got more test results back," she sobs. "It's not good."

"It'll be ok," I whisper my assurance. "Whatever it is we'll get you through it."

She just shakes her head, crying harder against my shoulder.

"One day at time," I insist. "Remember what you always say, you've gotta take baby steps."

"There won't be any baby steps Sam." She looks up at me with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "Not ever."

"What do you mean?"

"There were complications with the surgery," she explains. "I suffered massive scaring to both of my ovaries." she takes a deep breath but I can already hear what's coming. "I'm completely infertile."

"They can't know that for sure," I insist.

She looks away.

"Does Jonas know?" I inquire. "Is that why he's not here?"

"He does and it's not," she answers. "I asked him not to come, I just need some space."

"Oh god Janet," I sigh. "I can only imagine how awful this is for you but don't push him away, trust me on that one."

She wipes her cheeks and stands up again. "Take me home."

Jack and Jonas are going to Minnesota for the weekend.

Jack and Jonas are going to Minnesota for the weekend and are leaving me here, alone with Jemma.

The most worrying thing about that fact is how much it scares me.

I've never been alone with her for an extended period of time before.

It's a sad truth but the truth nonetheless.

There are so many things about her that I don't know, so many mistakes I could make.

I know that's why he agreed to take Jonas up there.

I guess it is about time I learnt how to be a mother. I just hope I can keep her in one piece and avoid any permanent emotional scarring.

"Wakey wakey," a singsong voice rouses me from a peaceful slumber.

"It can't be morning already," I groan, trying to turn over and go back to sleep.

"Wakey wakey," she giggles again and I give up.

"Hey sweetie," I smile, much as I don't want to be awake it's nice to spend time with her.

"Can we go to the park mommy?" she asks, climbing up onto the bed next to me.

"Sure," I agree. The park doesn't sound too difficult.

"Can we take Amber?" she continues eagerly.

"Amber's gone fishing with Daddy remember," I apologize.

She pouts, thinking. "Can we take Rex?"

"Ok sure," I laugh, climbing out of bed. "How about some breakfast?"

I was right, the park wasn't so bad. Small, enclosed, built to keep three year olds safe and amused.

The mall on the other hand is another matter entirely.

I am currently standing in the middle of a department store, minus a daughter.

Scanning the store I feel my stress levels rise as a young woman reaches for a dress hanging on a rack, only to have it scream at her.

While the woman makes a hasty retreat I go to retrieve the screamer.

I don't know how Jack manages, even with me watching her like a hawk that child can escape undetected.

"Jemma get back here now," I scold as she scampers off towards the door.

This couldn't be more of a disaster.

I reach the exit of the store and to my surprise Jemma is waiting patiently for me.

She takes hold of my hand and I wonder if maybe she really was just playing and never intended to misbehave.

"Hello," the approach of Sara makes me reevaluate that thought.

The little brat is playing at being an angel for the sake of my husband's ex-wife.

"Hello Sara," Jemma grins.

Jack told me that bumped into her last week, I never had gotten around to calling her and I'm not sure if that was purpose or not.

"Sam," Sara greets me. "It's lovely to finally meet you."

"You too," I lie. I have nothing against the woman or the part she played in Jack's life, I just hate that she has better control over my daughter than I do.

"Shopping again are we?" she asks Jemma. "Aren't you the lucky one? I bet it's loads more fun with mommy than daddy right?"

"I like shopping with mommy," Jemma smiles sweetly.

I can't help but roll my eyes, of course she does because she can act up with mommy.

"You don't look like you're having so much fun," Sara sympathizes. "I bet she's been a right terror all morning hasn't she?"

"Actually yes," I admit. "How did you guess?"

"Charlie was always like that with Jack," she confides. "He'd frazzle his last nerve and then come smiling to me, readjusting his halo."

I laugh at the image. "I thought children were Jack's thing."

"They are, he's great with them," Sara assures me. "But at three years old it's natural for children to have a favorite parent and it's usually the one of the opposite sex."

"I don't think it helps that I have no idea what I'm doing," I tell her. Damn it, I wasn't going to admit that.

"She's learnt that she can't get away with things like this with Jack, especially with his blindness, children are quite intuitive."

"How does that help me?" I ask, hoping that it does.

"It doesn't," she shrugs. "But if it's any consolation you'll get closer as she grows up."

"I hope so," I laugh. "Come on kiddo, time to go home."

"The lady wants coffee," Jemma insists. "Don't be rude."

"Don't you be rude young lady," I correct her. "No one wants coffee but I think we have cookies at home."

"Come on mommy," Jemma whispers. "Time to go home."

Sara and I both laugh at my daughter's antics and I feel myself beaming a little.

That's my daughter, my little girl, I'm her mommy and it's a pretty good feeling.

"Hope I'll see you soon Sam," Sara waves. "Su

re," I smile. "That'd be nice."

Whatever doubts I had and still do have to be honest, I think Sara and I could be quite good friends.

If she's willing to give it a shot then who am I to argue?

"Jemma it's bedtime," I call, listening for the sound of the television turning off.

"I don't want to go to bed mommy," Jemma complains as she enters her bedroom.

"Really," I marvel. "What a surprise."

With that said she runs out of the room.

"Jemma this is not the time to be playing up," I shout after her. "Would you get back here young lady."

The only response is a giggle from the hall.

I remember what Jack told me about threatening to put Rex to bed without her.

"Rex is going to bed now," I call. "He's very tired."

I look around the room for the toy dog. it's no where to be seen.

Jemma appears at my side as fast as she disappeared last time.

"Where is Rex mommy?" she asks.

"Where did you last have him?" I reply. "He was here last night wasn't he?"

She nods slightly. "Rex went down the slide," she tells me quietly.

"We took him to the park didn't we," I agree, silently dreading what that might mean now. "Jemma, did Rex come shopping today?"

She shrugs her shoulders and then shakes her head.

"I don't think Rex went shopping," she whispers, her lower lip beginning to quiver.

"Ok," I nod. "Why don't you put your pajamas on and I'll go and see if Rex is in the car."

"Ok," she sniffles.

I head out to the car despite already knowing that he won't be there. No doubt that poor dog is still sat at the bottom of the slide.

I search for about ten minutes, hoping that Jemma will be close to being asleep before I get back so that I can break the news in the morning.

Turning back towards the house I see her standing in the doorway, clad in white and green pajamas with a picture of the little mermaid on the front. One hand twirling a strand of her blonde hair while she sucks the other thumb.

Tears build up in her fearful blue eyes as I return empty-handed.

"Where's Rex," she sobs.

I scoop her up into my arms and begin to walk back towards her bedroom.

"I think we left Rex at the park," I break the news. "So we'll just go to sleep and go and get him in the morning."

"He'll be cold and scared," she wails.

"He'll be fine," I assure her. "He's very brave."

She fights against my hold on her and throws herself, sobbing and screaming onto the bed.

"He's all alone!"

"He's a toy Jemma," I snap. "He won't know."

She starts screaming even louder and I can feel my patience wearing even thinner.

"I want Rex," she bawls.

"We'll get him in the morning," I insist. "Just go to sleep."

If she heard me over her own screaming then she didn't show it.

"Daddy never left him before!"

"Well of course not," I shout. "Now behave and go to sleep."

The screams go up an octave and my blood starts to boil.

As Jemma begins pounding her pillow I make a hasty exit and close her door, dampening the screams, before I feel the need to hit something.

Leaning wearily against the closed door I sink to the floor and bury my face in my hands.

And as I listen to my daughter scream herself to sleep in the next room I sit helplessly and silently cry over my incompetence as a mother.

///Sam///

Even before I open my eyes I realize that I cried myself to sleep on the floor outside Jemma's room.

I open my eyes slowly to see Janet sitting against the wall opposite me, just watching with a sad smile.

"Morning," she whispers. "Rough night?"

"You could say that," I nod and as I move to sit up I notice that at some point in the night Jemma came and curled up in my arms.

"How did you get here?" I ask, concerned that she might make herself ill again if she does too much too soon.

"Cassie dropped me off," she assures me. "I'm taking it easy, I promise."

It's strange to hear our roles reversed like this.

"What happened?" she asks, moving to lie down so that I don't have to wake Jemma.

"We lost Rex," I whisper.

"Who?" she laughs quietly.

"How would you like a trip to the park?" I offer. "Consider this the most important rescue op you've ever been on."

"Put like that, how could I refuse?" she smiles.

And I smile back, its funny really isn't it? How nothing ever seems quite so bad in the light of morning.

///Jack///

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I ask Jonas whilst we sit silently on the deck, Amber and Megan playing together on the bank near the water.

"No," he replies bluntly.

I let the silence sit for a few more minutes, this patience stuff is easier than I thought.

"How about now?" I push, after all we're not going to solve anything by going home without saying anything.

I've pretty much had to pretend I was here alone for the last two days.

It's not that I blame Jonas for being cut up over the news, I know how easy it is to be stubborn when you're hurt and scared.

"We'd just started planning to have a family," he reveals. "And now we can't."

"Do you want a family?"

"I never did," he admits. "Until I met Janet and then."

"What if you have to choose?" I bring up the unthinkable, like it or not Janet has been my friend longer and if Jonas is going to leave her over this then I owe it to her to push him into the lake right now.

"I'd choose her in a heartbeat," he insists. "But it might not be up to me."

///Sam///

"So Jonas gets back this evening," I bring up the issue we've spent the weekend avoiding.

Jemma is now playing happily with Rex on the floor, thank goodness it didn't rain last night.

Janet just nods silently, I didn't expect this to be easy.

"Do I need to kick Chels out of her room to make space or.?" I start.

"God no," she replies in alarm. "I want him home."

"That's what I wanted to hear," I smile.

"But he was so looking forward to having children, Sam," she starts to tear up. "What if he wants them more than me?"

"It'll never happen," I assure her. "Have you met Jonas?"

"I hope you're right," she sighs.

///Jack///

We're on the last leg of the journey home and fortunately Jonas knows the way from here so I can relax.

"I never thanked you," Jonas says out of the blue and suddenly I'm not relaxing anymore.

"For what?" I ask, not entirely sure I've done anything much.

"If you hadn't kept on top of things Janet would be." he pauses. "It's just that I was right there, and I left them behind.and you.even though you hardly even knew what was going on."

"I just like to keep up with where Sam is," I inform him. "When Jemma ask me when her mom's gonna get home I need to be able to tell her."

I hear Jonas sniff and wonder if I was wrong to bring up the child thing.

"I can't believe I left Janet to die," he sighs.

I feel the Jeep slow down slightly and I guess he's getting a little upset. It's best to get the guilt thing over with now before he gets home to her though.

"If you had any idea how many times I almost got Sam killed," I try to put his mind at rest. "It wasn't your mission, you couldn't have known. The fact is that Major Smith screwed up by sending Lieutenant Haynes to inform SG6 that they wanted to leave. And Lieutenant Haynes screwed up by assuming that SG6 were still around even though he couldn't find them."

Jonas doesn't answer but I hope he's getting my point.

"A lot of people could have done a lot of things to prevent the situation," I continue. "You're not one of them though, and you can rest assured that whoever is ultimately responsible will be dealt with."

"We're almost home," Jonas changes the subject, but his voice sounds ever so slightly more relaxed so I let it go.

///Sam///

Waiting for Jack and Jonas to get back has made this one of the longest days I remember living through for a while.

As Jonas' Jeep pulls up outside I relax for the first time today.

Amber jumps out onto the sidewalk, closely followed by Jack and he makes his way easily up the path to the house, allowing Amber to race in at her own pace.

I open the door for her and wait in the threshold for Jack.

Every second that it's taking him to walk up here seems like a forever.

I wonder if it's like this for him every time I go away. I'm usually so busy at work that I'm home before I have too much time to miss him.

He stops just in front of me. I don't know if he knew I was here simply because Amber isn't sat at the door barking or if he has some other way of knowing.

"Should I help Jonas in with his bags?" Jack asks me. "Or is he good to go?"

"He's good to go," I smile. "In fact I think us even inviting him in for coffee might wear out Janet's patience."

"Glad to hear it," Jack grins. "I'll just let him know."

He heads back down the path to tell Jonas the good news.

Now I have to wait for Jack to walk back up the path again. It's crazy that I can still miss him so much when he's right here.

I purposely didn't hug him before he'd gone back to talk to Jonas because frankly once I have him here now I don't intend on letting go.

Chelsea has taken Jemma and Cassie out for a while. I don't know what they're doing but I think it's really just another attempt at breaking through the barrier Cassie has erected around herself.

I watch as Jonas drives away and then as Jack joins me on the porch I lead him to the living room.

He sits down on the couch and I curl up beside him, enjoying us just being alone together for the first time in what feels like forever.

It's not often we do this, I've watched the last three hours tick slowly by and we're still just sitting together.

We've hardly spoken but then there's not much to say that we haven't covered a million times before.

It's nice that we've gotten beyond needing to speak in order to communicate.

No sight, no sound, just us, just together, just perfect.

Perfect for now at least, the kids will be home soon and hell can break loose again.

The thought reminds me what a weekend I've had.

"We missed you," I finally break the comfortable silence.

"I missed you too," he replies, kissing my head softly.

"We missed you more," I assure him, or maybe I'm challenging him, hoping that something could be worse than a mother who can't control her own daughter.

"Was it that bad?" he sympathizes. "I'm sorry."

Damn him for apologizing!

Granted he used to drive me mad when he was too stubborn to even consider it but how am I supposed to be annoyed when he says it like that?

A photograph that I was looking at earlier catches my eye from the table and I lean forward to pick it up.

It's of Jack, Jemma and I a few months ago, taken by Janet and catching us all unawares, yet we're all smiling and looking in the general direction of the camera. I think it's one of my favorites.

"I wish you could see her," I whisper to Jack. "She's so beautiful."

"She really is," a voice agrees without warning and Jack and I almost jump out of our skins.

///Jack///

"Daniel I wish you wouldn't do that," I complain, trying to hide how much he surprised me.

I hate how he just speaks, without warning. Not because of the lack of greeting or whatever but because he's the only person who can creep up on me.

Since his ascension Daniel is the only 'person' on the planet that I can't sense before they have a chance to alarm me, and that is what drives me crazy.

"Yeah, sorry," he answers, but I can hear his smile and know he doesn't mean it.

"How's things?" I offer, covering for Sam's sudden silence. It always throws her off guard when he stops in without warning or cause.

"Oh you know," he supplies offhandedly.

"No I really don't," I correct him with a grin. However long he's been gone I do always miss the friendship we had, I just can't mess with Jonas the same way I always could with Daniel.

"No you really don't," he agrees with a laugh. "Things are.looking up."

"That's good to hear," I tell him sincerely; I'd hate to think of him unhappy up there. "Would you like a beer, or a coffee?"

"Jack don't be cruel," Sam laughs, finally joining in, for which I'm glad, if a little half-heartedly. "It's been a long time," she addresses Daniel a bit stonily.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that," Daniel replies. "I'm not really meant to stop by too often."

"So what's the occasion?" I ask, as if I'm expecting there to be one.

"I had an idea while I was pretending not to be keeping an eye on things down here," he offers. "Good to see you in one piece Sam."

///Sam///

My hand instinctively moves up to my neck as he says it, still not having escaped the thought of what could have happened.

"Yeah, thanks," I nod.

"So what was the idea?" Jack pushes. "Barbeque? Fishing trip? A little siesta?"

"Not exactly." Daniel is biting his lip thoughtfully as he moves around to the front of the room. "Stand up Jack."

Jack gets slowly to his feet without question. I guess he hasn't lost any of the connection he used to have with Daniel. It makes me wonder why I have.

"Sam would you give him the picture?" Daniel turns to me and I mutely hand the family photo to my husband.

"Close your eyes and relax," he instructs Jack, and I have a feeling that I know what's about to happen.

Daniel suddenly turns into a glowing bright light so that only his head is still as it was.

He drifts a little closer to Jack, one of the tentacles of light emanating from his body reaching towards Jack's hands and somehow lifting them so that the photograph is in front of Jack's eyes.

They stay like that for a few moments; none of us make a sound.

Then the light vanishes and Jack and Daniel are standing back in front of me as if nothings happened.

Daniel opens his eyes and looks hopefully at Jack, apparently waiting for a comment but I'm not sure Jack realizes they're done.

"Well?" Daniel prompts.

"Well what?" Jack replies quietly. "What was meant to happen?"

"Oh," Daniel sighs. "Sorry, guess it didn't work." The poor guy looks utterly crushed and it almost feels like we're back as a team again.

"I was meant to see it wasn't I?" Jack guesses, and I can tell from the flicker on Daniel's face that he's right. "It means a lot that you tried."

"It really does," I agree, standing up beside Jack. "I'd love if you could stay but Chels and Jemma will be home soon and I'm not sure they'd really understand."

Even as I say the words they sound like a brush off and I think the word "home" hit particularly hard.

I refuse to allow myself to wish that he were back though. It took me years to fully accept that he was gone. I can't do that again.

"Thanks for stopping by," I offer as a parting.

"Right," Daniel steps away from us. "Good to see you both." He smiles but it's full of hurt. "See you around."

"Bye," Jack says, barely finishing speaking the word before Daniel has vanished.

"What was that about?" he turns to me, a hint of anger showing on his face.

"What?" I ask innocently. "You want to try and explain him to Chelsea?"

"He could have gone if they'd got back," Jack points out.

I don't have an argument; I know he's right, I knew all along.

"Do you want coffee?" I offer.

I don't wait for an answer, as we both always want coffee.

So I walk away, Jack's sightless eyes boring a hole in the back of my head as I go, his indignation hanging like a suffocating mist in the air between us.

I can't stop myself from banging the mugs down on the counter a little harder than normal. I don't understand why Jack can't see how much it hurts to keep being reminded of everything I've lost.

I see Jack walk into the room just as the kettle is boiling and he's by my side, turning me around to face him before I have a chance to pour the water in to the mugs.

He doesn't say anything, just standing almost as if he's watching me for a minute before reaching a hand up towards my face.

I take hold of his hand and lean my cheek into it.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "It's just."

"Shh," he breathes. "I understand."

I kiss the palm of his hand and he pulls me into an embrace, placing a kiss on my wrist before my arms wrap around his neck.

I guess it's hard for him too, he just handles it better than I do, he always has.

So we stand in the kitchen, forgetting the idea of coffee, just clinging on to one of the few things in this life that we haven't lost.

The End

Until next time ;)