Unspoken Promises

TITLE: Unspoken Promises

AUTHOR: Jo R.

EMAIL: Joey@Ram32.freeserve.co.uk; CksGirl_MIA@hotmail.com

CATEGORY: Future Story, Angst, Romance (Daniel/Janet) Sam/Jack UST, General Friendships.

CONTENT WARNINGS: M/F Romance, Angst, Future Story.

RATING: PG-13, for one bad word ;)

SEASON / SEQUEL: Set after season 5. Sequel/Epilogue to Wistful Thinking.

SPOILERS: For the previous story.

SUMMARY: Is the beginning the end or is the end the beginning?

ARCHIVE: Yes to these archives only: Heliopolis, SJA, Shipperworld, Tanja and Jo’s fic world (http://www.angelfire.com/tv/ficworld/default.htm) and Jo’s SG-1 fic index (http://randomramblings.faithweb.com) Anywhere else, please ask me first.

STATUS: Complete. Finally.

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime / Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. No money is being made. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission. Feedback and constructive criticism welcome through e-mailing me at the above addresses.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: The requested sequel to 'Wistful Thinking'. Probably shorter than it should be but.. I have weird ideas and even weirder ways of executing them. Does anyone out there *know* how many different spellings of Niirti/Nirrti there are on the 'Net? Too many! I just closed my eyes and picked one, go figure. Again, a reminder this is a *future* story, therefore I've taken certain liberties as to how many Goa'uld are remaining.. ;) Also, it anything seems 'too easy', remember the Asgard are involved, too.. You've gotta love them. ;)

DEDICATION: Lynn and Little Miss, Pepsi and Tanja and Lena. Lots of lovely
ladies, who freely give their support and encouragement. Even to someone
like me :)

=*=

It took two months to plan but the war was finally well underway. The strategies were well thought out and thoroughly planned, almost entirely unflawed. The SGC, with their allies, would launch concentrated attacks on the key System Lords, not just Osiris, Atum and Nephthys - the Goa'uld who petitioned to break their alliance with Earth and its allies – but all Goa'uld who were known to hold a grudge against the Tau'ri. The plan took advantage of each Goa'uld's selfish desire to have the most control. The Goa'uld would be attacked on their own home planets and the aim was to deplete the Jaffa armies as well as assassinate the individual Goa'uld.

Special forces sharp shooters had been enlisted by the SGC. The Tok'ra, the SGC and even the Asgard spent time discussing the battle plans, pouring over the blue prints acquired by Tok'ra operatives.

SG-1, as a complete unit, led successful attacks on Nirrti, Baat and Nephthys. After weeks of fighting, with many from both sides dead and injured, all three Goa'uld were assassinated. The Jaffa who had served them, finding themselves devoid of a leader, disillusioned that the Tau'ri had destroyed their Gods, either joined the fight on the side of Earth or left for their home planets to spread the word to their people.

Unfortunately, due to their success, the other System Lords were plotting to join forces and to defeat them, the SG-teams, Tok'ra and Asgard were going to have to move fast to attack, there was no way they could take down all three System Lords before they joined together, which was why General Hammond called an emergency debriefing with SG-1 as the troops regrouped and rearmed themselves.

" SG-1 is going to be disbanded for the duration of the war." General Hammond wasted no time in getting straight to the point. He held up his hand when Colonel Jack O'Neill opened his mouth to protest. " I know you're not going to be happy with this, Colonel, but we have no choice. We cannot let the Goa'uld form an alliance. They are formidable enemies individually; if they joined their resources, we would be unable to defeat them."

" But why SG-1, Sir?" Jack traded a look with his Second-in-Command, Lieutenant-Colonel Samantha Carter, who seemed to agree with him if the look of surprise on her face was anything to go by. " We work well as a *team*.."

" And I have faith that you'll work well individually." General Hammond responded firmly. " Tok'ra and Asgard intelligence are telling us Atum, Osiris and Anubis are the biggest threats we may face; the only one who have not already been eliminated by us or taken care of by the Asgard."

" Tok'ra intelligence, Sir? Isn't that a contradiction of terms?"

Ignoring Jack's wisecrack, General Hammond continued regardless. " A co-ordinated attack on these three System Lords has been agreed upon. Colonel O'Neill, you will lead one third of all officers, Tok'ra and Asgard in an attack against Atum. Teal'c and Doctor Jackson, you will take a third and launch an attack on Osiris. Colonel Carter, you will lead the attack on Anubis."

The team looked at one another, all amazed and uneasy by the decision to split them up. Together, they were able to take comfort and find strength through knowing there would always be someone there, watching their backs. Apart, with no one to back them up, it suddenly seemed so much more frightening, so.. lonely.

" Is there a problem?" General Hammond looked at them expectantly.

Daniel was the one to answer, shifting in his chair. " Actually, General.. We made a pact.. months ago.. that we'd never leave one of us alone.. If you separate us, we can't be there for each other.. What if something happens and one of us needs someone else?" His cheeks started to turn pink but he carried on anyway. " It won't be so bad for me – I'll have Teal'c – but Sam and Jack.."

" Will be fine, Son." General Hammond's expression softened as he smiled fondly at his four favourite subordinates. " They will both have skilled, trained officers at their disposal. It's the job of every soldier to watch the backs of his or her fellow teammates.."

" But no one else knows how they work!" Daniel protested. " No one knows how their minds work. No other Second will be able to read their minds and anticipate their moves.."

" It'll be okay, Daniel." Sam spoke up, trying to look and sound more confident than she felt. " We'll manage and come back in one piece."

" Carter's right." Jack nodded, his eyes locking with Sam's. " I don't like it either but we've both served with different people before, we can do it now."

General Hammond smiled and nodded, hoping the luck of SG-1 would keep them safe even if they were apart. " Colonel Carter and her team will depart first at 0900 hours. Colonel O'Neill, you and your team will wait until 0930 hours. Teal'c and Doctor Jackson will leave at 0945 hours. You have till 0800 hours to prepare yourselves and do whatever necessary. Good luck and God speed, people. And come back safely, that's an order!"

Sam and Jack got to their feet as General Hammond stood, returning his salute as he left the room. Once he'd gone, the four teammates sunk into their chairs, all trying to absorb their orders.

" It'll be okay," Jack spoke up, trying to boast the moral of his team – his former team. " We'll be okay. We've got a pact to keep, remember?"

" Yes, Sir." Sam forced a smile and nodded at Daniel. " You should spend as much time as you can with Janet, Daniel. She shouldn't be getting upset in her condition and you know she's going to worry about you leaving again.."

" Good idea." Daniel stood and took his time to look at each of them, studying them, committing them to memory. Just in case. He still paused in the doorway when he was done scrutinizing them, hesitating. " We'll see each other again before we leave tomorrow, right?"

" We all need to get some rest tonight." Sam gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. " There'll be plenty of time to say goodbye."

" See you soon, Carter. Plenty of time to say 'see you soon'. " Jack corrected her with a meaningful glance, taking note that the confidence of her smile didn't quite make it to her blue eyes.

Nodding, unconvinced but temporarily subdued, Daniel left them alone. Teal'c made to follow, getting to his feet and bowing slightly. " I shall participate in Kel'No'Reem so that I am able to perform tomorrow. O'Neill, Colonel Carter, I have every confidence in your abilities; we will triumph over the Goa'uld, of that I am certain."

" Thanks, Teal'c!" Jack called out after the Jaffa as he, too, left the room. Glancing at Sam through the corner of his eye, realising they'd been left alone, together, he cleared his throat. " So, Carter, any plans for tonight?"

Giving him a quick smile, Sam shook her head. " Asides from taking it easy, getting some sleep and double checking everything we know about Anubis' base, nothing."

" Just doubling checking? I'm surprised.." He gave her a small grin, glad that, for now, the awkwardness that had been plaguing them since his return had been banished to the shadows for a while. " So."

" So?"

Trying to appear casual, he shrugged a shoulder at her. " You okay with this.. whole separation plan?"

Sighing, Sam lowered her gaze to the tabletop where her fingers traced the wood grain pattern, providing her with a much-needed distraction. " Not really, Sir. But there's nothing we can do about it."

" Nervous about going up against Anubis?"

" Hopefully I won't come up against him." Raising her eyes to his, she allowed herself to be comforted – briefly – by the concern she saw there for her. " The sharp shooters will take care of Anubis while I set the charges. At least, that's what I assume is still the plan. The only difference is.."

" The only difference is we won't be with you." Jack didn't like the idea, not one bit. He couldn't for the life of his figure out why the General had assigned Sam to Anubis. He was the most powerful of the Goa'uld, he even had Osiris and Tanith serving him at one point! It wasn't that he doubted Sam's abilities to lead her team.. He just didn't like the idea of her going, being in such a dangerous situation, without a member of SG-1 there to back her up. No matter who was assigned to be her Second, they wouldn't know her like the rest of the team did. They wouldn't be able to guess what her reaction would be if something – God forbid – were to go wrong.

They didn't know her like he did.

The same thoughts were going through her mind, although her worries were about who was assigned to be *his* Second-in-command, and who would be on the team with Teal'c and Daniel. None of them had even given a thought to the idea that they might be separated. They all assumed they'd be together, that they'd fight together and live or die together.

Now there was the chance that one or more of them would die whilst the other two would live.. There was the fear of dying, that was a constant in what they did, but now there was the fear of living, only to find one of the others hadn't made it.

Sam wasn't sure which was worse.

Jack couldn't decide which was his biggest fear.

" Ah, shouldn't you be going home to Melissa?" Sam cleared her voice before speaking, realising with embarrassment that they'd lapsed into silence, staring at each other. " I'm sure she's picked up that there's something wrong, you don't want to worry her by being away for too long.."

" Yeah, right." Standing, he walked to the door, pausing to look back at her, nervous and uncomfortable. " If you don't wanna be alone.."

Another invitation. Not to go fishing this time, but to spend what could be her last night on Earth in the company of him and his daughter..

'Accept it, accept it, accept it.'

Two minds shared the same thought, urging her to answer.

" Thanks for the offer.." She forced a smile, unable to control the words that came out of her mouth. " But you and Melissa should spend the time together.. I know when I was little I wanted all of my father's attention the night before he left on a mission."

" Okay." Nodding, trying not to let his disappointment show, Jack turned back to the open doorway. " Sleep well, Carter. See ya in the morning."

She waited until his footsteps receded before resting her head in her hands and closing her eyes. She'd wanted to say yes, she really had.. but something inside her refused to let her. If she'd said yes, with the possibility of one or both of them dying looming over them.. Something could have happened.

Probably would have happened. Fear and desperation were a fatal combination; restraints and sensibilities often went out of the window when they were around.

And because she was afraid of that, because they'd worked so hard to keep what was between them at bay until the opportunity to explore it thoroughly arose once more, Sam Carter, on what may be her last night alive on Earth, went home alone.

To an empty house.

Where she sat in silence long into the night, pondering her life, and listing her regrets.

=*=

0800 hours came far too soon.

The divided team, all having had time to dwell on their new, single status, met as planned in the halls of the SGC, ready to prepare themselves to take whatever hand fate dealt them. There was a certain sense of vulnerability about them, as if they knew they were all going to be left open to attack without the others there to defend them, alone when they'd all sworn never to let that happen.

" Sam, you're here!" Doctor Janet Fraiser, evidently well into the fourth month of her pregnancy, greeted Sam as she headed down the hallway to where the group were gathered outside SG-1's locker room, waiting.

" You thought I'd be somewhere else?" Sam, half-surprised at the energetic hug she received from her friend, threw a quizzical look over Janet's shoulder to the others. Jack shrugged, bewildered, having received the same greeting himself when he'd taken Melissa to the infirmary where his daughter would wait for his return. Teal'c just stared back, cocking his head to the side. He, too, had received an embrace but he'd put it down to 'hormones', having heard the Doctor in question use that excuse many times over the course of the previous months of her pregnancy.

Daniel, for his part, just grinned knowingly, despite the shadows that clouded his eyes. " Since you're all here now," he started to explain as Janet detangled herself from Sam and returned to his side. " We've got something to tell you.. Well, ask you, really, since you're all kind of needed.."

" Spit it out, Daniel," Jack hurried the archaeologist, rolling his eyes. " Times a wastin'.."

" We're getting married!" Janet blurted out before Daniel could make a comeback to the Colonel. " We'd like you all to be our witnesses. The General can't make it but he called in some favours and there's a Minister waiting.. Sam, will you be my maid of honour?"

Smiling a genuine smile, Sam hugged her friend again. " Of course I will."

" Jack, Teal'c.. Will you guys be my best men?" Daniel looked at them hopefully as Sam and Janet exchanged hugs and teary smiles.

" It would be an honour, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c grinned, a sight that was present on only the rare occasion.

Jack clapped Daniel on the back in answer, grinning at him. " Well, Danny, didn't know you had it in you." He winked as they started following Janet and Sam down the hall.

Daniel blushed deeply. " Actually.. She asked me."

Chuckling, Jack somehow wasn't surprised. " Always knew Doc wore the trousers.. So.. Where we headed?"

" Ah.. The infirmary." Again, Daniel blushed. " We figured that was where we spent the most time together.." He shrugged and followed his fiancée, with Teal'c and Jack trailing slightly behind, leaving them to savour the moment for what it was..

A thin glimmer of joy in what was undeniably a dark and trying day.

=*=

Gathered in the infirmary, Sam, Jack and Teal'c stood as witnesses as Janet and Daniel quietly repeated the vows spoken by the Minister.

" I, Daniel Jackson, take thee, Janet Fraiser, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, to love and cherish from this day forward."

" I, Janet Fraiser, take thee, Daniel Jackson, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, to love, cherish and obey from this day forward."

" Accept this ring as a symbol of my devotion.."

" .. and everlasting faith."

Daniel slid the ring on her finger, his blue eyes glittering suspiciously. Janet returned the gesture, a few tears escaping from her eyes as the Minister announced they were man and wife.

As the couple kissed to seal their vows, Teal'c stood tall and proud. Beside him, Jack stood with his head held high, truly happy for his friends but at the same time.. Sam discreetly wiped away the sole tear that ran down her cheek and let her hand fall back down to her side.

Tentatively, almost in a surreal gesture, the back of Jack's hand brushed against Sam's before it withdrew. Jolted out of her thoughts by the action, she swallowed the lump in her throat as she moved her hand an inch, repeating the touch cautiously, her hand remaining in contact with his for a few lingering seconds before she pulled away.

In those brief moments, a silent promise was made.

No words were spoken but none were needed.

More and more physical distance was put between them as they both took their turns to congratulate the newly weds and departed the locker rooms to get ready for war yet the memory stayed with them, giving them hope.

Giving them another reason to try and make it home.

=*=

Under an hour later, Sam stood at the base of the ramp as she watched her team disappear through the Event Horizon, one by one. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she turned to her former teammates, who had come to see her off.

" This is it." She forced a smile, though her eyes showed she was uneasy. " Is no one going to say good luck?"

Stepping forward, Daniel hugged her hard. " Good luck, Sam. Come back to us, okay?"

" I will if you will." Breaking apart, Sam was embarrassed to find her eyes were stinging. " Make sure you take care of yourselves, right?"

" We shall, Colonel Carter." Teal'c took her hand and bowed solemnly. Even he seemed anxious at what they were facing, and although he didn't show it, he hated the idea of them facing it alone.

Both Teal'c and Daniel moved to the side as Jack took a step closer, subtly giving the former Command team as much privacy as they could in the busy Gateroom. " Carter."

" Sir."

'Damn, this is hard.'

'Say something.'

Shoving his hands in her pockets, he gave her a nod and shuffled his feet. " Be careful out there.."

" You, too, Colonel." Wringing her hands, Sam moistened to the Stargate with her head. " I have to go.."

" Yeah, right." He watched through someone else's eyes as she slowly began her ascent up the ramp behind the last few stragglers of her team. 'This could be it, say something!' " Carter!"

Stopping, she turned to face him as he started following her up the ramp. Startled and puzzled, she arched an eyebrow, hoping her voice wasn't shaking as much as she felt she was inside. " Sir?"

" I.." Moving until he was a few feet away, Jack stared into her eyes, nervously trying to convey what he was feeling through looks alone so he wouldn't have to say the words. Saying them was not a problem.. but the setting, a crowded Gateroom full of people unsure as to whether they were going to live or die, wasn't the ideal setting he'd envisioned. " Carter.. Take care of yourself."

'And promise you'll come home.'

Ducking her head in acknowledgment, she smiled a small, shy smile. " You too, Colonel. Good luck, and I'll see you soon."

With one last wave over her shoulder at her friends, Sam stepped forward and let the liquid feel of Event Horizon soak into her skin, engulfing her as she began its dizzying trip, taking her to its final destination.

The cold sensation she felt when she reached the other side had nothing to do with her molecules being compressed.

It had everything to do with the mountain looming on the horizon, and the unmistakeably large Goa'uld structure that sat atop it.

/*/

Several hours that felt like days later, the team was still divided, still fighting from their individual corners. Each hour got harder but gradually the resistance against them was worn down, allowing them each to reach their target of the Goa'ulds bases.

Jack reached Atum's base first. Leaving the majority of his team behind, he and three others stealthily crept through the gold coloured corridors of the building, following the directions the Tok'ra operative gave them through their earpieces. Taking their time, they made it to the main chamber of the building, taking care of all of Jaffa they encountered on the way, managing to use two of the uniforms to their advantage.

Uncomfortable under the chain metal of the suit, Jack and his second, Major Scott Beck, entered the main chamber to see Atum pacing in agitation.

" My Lord." Struggling to bow with the unaccustomed weight, Jack sensed rather than saw the sharp shooter get into position in the hallway outside. Now all they needed was to get Atum to stand in the line of fire.. " The Tau'ri have made it past our defences at the Chappa'ai. They are on their way."

Atum snarled, his eyes flashing angrily. " Anubis has let us down, we have no choice but to act. He will not come to assist us now." He turned to the Jaffa who accompanied Jack into the chamber. " You, go and watch for them. Alert me when they approach."

The Jaffa, Major Scott Beck, didn't move.

" Jaffa, Kree!" The Goa'uld's eyes flashed yellow, his voice echoing around the room. " Do you not wish to obey your God? You will be punished if you chose to ignore what we demand.."

" I don't think so.." Jack spoke up as Atum raised his hand to Major Beck, the hand that wore the ribbon device. He shrugged beneath the armour as Atum turned to him and glared. " I'm sorry but.. No, hey, scratch that. I'm not sorry. We're not following your orders."

Growling low in his throat, Atum stepped closer to Jack, fury emanating from him. He took another step, then another two, and finally Jack saw the red dot in the centre of Atum's forehead. " You will die for this display of disrespect."

" Uh-huh.. If you say so." Jack made a small, swift hand motion behind his back and waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

Atum, furious and agitated, raised the ribbon device and barked out the order: " Show your face to your God!" Jack did nothing. Atum's scowl darkened and just as the gem in the centre of his palm began to glow ominously, something small whizzed past Jack's head.

He closed his eyes. Seconds later, there was a sickening thud as Atum's lifeless body dropped to the floor. Opening his eyes again, Jack saw the other Jaffa leaving in a state of confusion and panic. Shedding the extra weight of his adopted guise as quickly as he could with the help of the Tok'ra who'd come in from the corridor, Jack reached for his radio.

" This is Colonel O'Neill. The target has been hit. I repeat, we hit our target." He nodded to Major Beck, signalling that it was time to leave. " Fall back and head to the Stargate. We're going home." Turning off the radio, he looked to the Tok'ra operative, a man called Tha'yer. " You sure they won't be able to bring him back using that sarcophagus?"

Tha'yer shook his head. " There is too much damage and the symbiote is dead. Atum will no longer trouble the Tau'ri or the Tok'ra."

" Sweet." Averting his eyes from the body on the floor, Jack followed the others from the room. " One down, two to go."

He just hoped his teammates were as lucky as his team had been. He hoped that fate planned to eventually bring them back together.

/*/

Finally, they were making ground. Daniel fired his zat gun down the corridor of the Goa'uld mothership as Teal'c aimed and discharged his Staff Weapon. All around them was gunfire and staff blasts and overall chaos. There was not one person or Jaffa or Tok'ra who wasn't using a weapon of some description.

Not for the first time, the ship shuddered as someone tried to start it. Daniel, once again, thanked the Asgard for disabling it in his mind. The last thing they needed was to be stranded fighting a war on a spaceship.

The war had been tough. There had been so many losses.. If the Asgard hadn't turned up to offer their assistance.. Well, Daniel wasn't so sure there would be so many of them alive. So far, Osiris hadn't put in an appearance. He – She – was keeping her distance and rumour had it, Osiris was waiting for Anubis to arrive to help out.

Anubis, however, had his hands full with the other third of the SGC/Tok'ra/Asgard fleet.

" Surrender and you shall be allowed to live!" The voice of Osiris boomed out from the other end of the hallway. Daniel and Teal'c watched as the Goa'uld, still in the body of Sarah Gardner, stood surrounded by Jaffa, the bullets and energy blasts bouncing off the shield that enveloped her. Her eyes locked on Teal'c and an eerie grin curled up the corners of her mouth. " Sholva! Join us and we shall reinstate you with the wealth and power a first prime so richly deserves."

" I will die before I serve another Goa'uld." Teal'c spat out, his eyes narrowed, his voice deadly serious.

" That can be arranged," Osiris smiled deviously. Her smile grew as Jaffa surrounded them from behind. " Bring the Sholva and the Tau'ri who goes by the name of Daniel Jackson to me. Take the others to the holding cells, they will be dealt with in due time." Osiris turned and marched away.

Three Jaffa followed her, pushing Daniel and Teal'c in front of them.

Their eyes met. Daniel's blue eyes forgave Teal'c's apologetic brown ones, assuring him that he didn't blame Teal'c and that Janet wouldn't either.

What happened, happened. No one could prevent it now.

=*=

At the same time as Jack and his team made it back to the SGC, Sam's team finally made it into the grounds of Anubis' base. Almost a quarter of her men were injured or dead. She was grateful that a small Asgard ship had waited in the skies above for a while at the beginning, beaming the injured to safety and trying to restore life to those who had died. Unfortunately, it was only a small vessel, unable to help them in an all-out attack. The majority of the Asgard fleet were fighting the replicators in their galaxy, few had been spared but they were still very much appreciated.

Together with Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Ferretti, Sam led her team into the building, dodging all sorts of weapon fire as they went. Her finger was starting to ache from pulling the trigger so many times and the C4 bundled in her backpack was starting to feel heavy.

An hour later, they made it to their goal: the source of the building's power, the source that supplied Anubis with all of the energy needed to control the facility and all the built-in weapons.. In truth, they found the nerve centre of all Anubis' power, the weak spot in Anubis' fortress.

" Okay.." Breathing out slowly, Sam pushed her backpack straps down from her shoulders as her team lay down cover outside. With Ferretti's help, she quickly placed C4 in all of the key places around the power core. " Now.. Do we use a timer or detonator?"

" There's no way we can predict how long it'll take to get out of here.." Ferretti looked at the detonator in her hand. " It's probably safer to use that.. What's it's range? How far can we be from the C4 for it to read the signal?"

" About two miles," Sam calculated, estimating they could set it off at the base of the mountain once most of their team was through the 'Gate and then run. " There should be enough time to evacuate through the 'Gate after the explosion before the resulting radiation reaches us."

" Sounds like a plan." Ferretti jerked his head in the direction of the hallway. " We might have some more company.. Seems like there's more noise now than there was.."

" Give me a second.." Frowning in concentration, Sam programmed the detonator. " Okay. Done." Pushing the small device into her pocket, she straightened and pulled on her backpack, steadying her gun. " Lets go."

Stealing themselves, Sam and Ferretti stepped out into the corridor, their weapons drawn and ready, prepared as well as they could be as they joined the rest of their team..

All the preparation in the world couldn't have helped.

The moment they stepped outside, all hell broke loose.

=*=

At the SGC, Jack, Janet and Melissa sat in Jack's office, anxiously waiting for any news on the others. The hallways remained silent. The Stargate stayed inactive. Janet kept herself busying treating and checking on the injured members of Jack's team who'd returned with them. Jack played with Melissa, alternating between reading to her and playing Melissa's own version of chess, which basically consisted of her 'attacking' her father's pieces and pushing them off the board with a triumphant squeal.

" Shouldn't they be back by now?" Janet sighed heavily as she sat herself down into the spare chair.

" It could take days," Jack reminded her softly with an encouraging smile that he couldn't say was genuine. " Daniel will be fine, Doc. Teal'c won't let anything bad happen to him."

Giving him a sidelong glance, Janet raised an eyebrow. " What about Sam? She hasn't got someone else there with her.. She's got Ferretti but he doesn't know her as well as the rest of you do.."

" She's.. Carter is a very capable officer. She can look after herself, she knows what she's doing." Jack shuffled in his chair, uncomfortable at the conversation and the doubtful, dark direction his thoughts were taking. " Carter'll be fine, Doc. Just like Danny and Teal'c."

" You can't do it, can you?" Janet smiled bemusedly as his eyebrows shot up in question. " You can't call her by her name, even though there's a chance you'll never see her again."

Frowning, he shook himself mentally. " Don't say that."

" Don't say what? That you'll never see her again." The glare she got in return made her sigh and shake her head. " It didn't seem to bother you before."

" What?" Carefully standing and moving Melissa from his knee to his empty chair, Jack crossed the office floor, getting closer to Janet. " If you're talking about when I left for Edora, there was a reason for that. Melissa needed me.."

She didn't react in the way he'd expected. Instead, she gave him a sceptical look. " You left because you were angry and afraid and didn't think about anyone else but yourself and you ended up hurting her. Sam, I mean, not Melissa. You didn't ask Laira if she'd move to Earth, you just left, knowing you wouldn't be able to come back. You didn't even have the decency to tell Sam to her face and say goodbye. She would've understood, you know. She *did* understand, but it hurt her that you left without so much as an explanation or a word of warning.. And now she's the one who's gone, who might not come back, and you can't even call her by her name!" She saw his expression change to one of remorse and softened a little. " All I'm saying is that there's a chance one of our friends might not come back and it won't do you any good if you're in denial about that. I have no regrets; Daniel, Sam and Teal'c all know how I feel about them and I know how they feel about me. Can you honestly say the same? Can you say you've got no regrets?"

Easing herself out of her chair, Janet started for the infirmary again. She looked back to see Melissa playing happily with her invisible friend, oblivious to her father as he sunk deeper into the recently vacated chair. Closing the door behind her, Janet made a wish, hoping her friends would live to ensure they each died with no regrets.

=*=

In Osiris' chambers, Daniel and Teal'c were pushed roughly to their knees. Osiris moved to sit in the chair before them, smiling serenely at their discomfort.

" Anubis will be pleased with us once we give him news of your capture." Osiris' eyes closed. " He will reward us greatly." Eyes opening, the Goa'uld leaned forward and met Daniel's gaze. " Tau'ri, tell us how to get passed the Iris device over your Stargate and your life will be spared."

Thinking of Janet and their unborn child, Cassandra and everyone else he'd left on Earth gave him extra strength and confidence in denying the request. " I won't tell you anything. You might as well kill me now."

" We are tempted." Osiris glared at him, flexing the fingers that wore the ribbon device. " We could torture you and use our sarcophagus before Anubis arrived to collect you.. Much enjoyment could be gained for us." The gemstone centre began to glow as an evil smile appeared on the Goa'uld's face. " This host remembers much of you, Daniel-Jackson. You caused her pain many years ago.. That pain shall be nothing in comparison to what we can and will cause you if you do not tell us what we desire to know."

Teal'c narrowed his eyes at the threat. With the Staff weapon aimed at his back, there was little he could do to help or protect his friend. Lowering his head regretfully at being unable to honour his vow, it took a few moments for the sound of approached weapons fire to sink in. Surprised, he lifted his head and listened carefully, his spirits rising when he realised he wasn't imagining it.

Osiris had heard it, too.

Ordering most of the guards from the room, the Goa'uld began fidgeting, muttering in Goa'uld, apparently trying to decide something. As the commotion grew nearer, Osiris made a decision and raised the hand wearing the ribbon device, eyes locking on Daniel as the device began working and the archaeologist fought in vain to keep back an exclamation of pain at the sensations evoked by the weapon.

Torture, pure and simple torture.

" Tell us how to defeat the Tau'ri defences and you will be spared!" Standing, Osiris relentlessly sent another blast of energy though the device to Daniel, who threw his head back in agony.

Sensing the Jaffa guarding him was distracted, by both the noise coming in from the corridor and by the sight of his God in motion, Teal'c acted quickly. He disabled the Jaffa with a swift punch and kick, picking up the Staff weapon and immediately taking aim at Osiris.

There was little time for the Goa'uld to react. Teal'c fired before Osiris could disable the ribbon device and active the defence shield. With a strangled sound of pain, Osiris fell backwards, the smell of singed flesh not helping Daniel regain momentum.

As Teal'c took out the remaining Jaffa, Daniel made his way to the prone body of the fallen Goa'uld. He didn't see Osiris; he instead saw Sarah Gardner. Brushing a lock of blond hair from her face, he stared into her eyes as they flashed yellow and the Goa'uld relinquished control.

" Sarah.. It's going to be okay.." Smiling down on her, he swallowed the lump in his throat. " We can help you, we can use the sarcophagus and take you home and get that thing out of you.." He took her hand, squeezing her frail fingers.

" No." Her voice was rough with the effort it took to speak. " The risk.. too big.. Let.. die.. Destroy.. Sarc.. Destroy.. Goa'uld.."

" Sarah.."

" Daniel.. Please."

The hand in his grew limp. Just like Sha're years earlier, Sarah had lost her life to the parasite within her.

Closing his eyes against the tears that gathered there, Daniel clutched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. He suddenly had an even greater desire to go home, to see Janet and reassure himself she was okay.. He couldn't lose her, not on top of losing so many others.

With renewed determination that gave him a boost of adrenaline, Daniel rose to his feet. " Teal'c." He held out his hand and Teal'c silently passed him the Staff weapon, knowing what his friend wanted and knowing there was no other way.

Aware that he was condemning a friend to death, Daniel activated the weapon with tears in his eyes. As a single tear ran down his face, he fired at the sarcophagus, the stag weapon falling from numb fingers as the energy blast caused a small explosion, smoke rising from the ruins.

" It is time to leave, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c spoke softly, compassionately. " We must depart for Earth."

Nodding, Daniel allowed himself to be led out into the hallway, which was lined with SGC personnel and Tok'ra. He dimly heard someone – Major Thompson – explain how an undercover Tok'ra had broken them out of the holding cell and allowed them to sound the alarm and get back-up from the others waiting outside. He was vaguely aware of two Tok'ra carrying Sarah's body, murmuring that they could not take the risk of Osiris rising again.

Daniel didn't care, he wanted to go home.

Back to his wife, and the world so many had died trying to save.

=*=

As his cohorts fought and lost, Anubis struggled to take back control of his base. He had been trapped in a room with several Jaffa and the locks on the door had been damaged in battle. The transportation rings in that section of the compound had been disabled by a Tok'ra spy and Anubis was running out of time.

Whatever the Tau'ri were planning, it was big and would include the destruction of his whole base. And if he didn't get out of there.. He'd be destroyed along with it.

Anubis, however, wasn't the only one who had been sentenced to death by the human plans, although the other person had some element of choice.

Sam and Ferretti joined the battle once more after setting up the C4. Jaffa had surrounded them, blocking their exit and leaving them no choice but to fight their way out. The use of a few grenades had given them a way out as the few remaining Jaffa, sensing they were in the minority, fled to seek guidance for their God who many assumed had abandoned them, leaving the corridors empty for the Tau'ri and Tok'ra to escape through.

It wasn't that simple for Sam.

As the second grenade exploded quite near to where they were, Ferretti and Sam had to dive for cover, trying to shelter themselves from the blast. As she landed, Sam felt something jab her in the side and heard two crunches – one was her ankle, the other was the detonation device in her pocket.

" Shit." Standing up, she winced at the pain that shot through her leg. Gingerly reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the detonator, swearing again at the crushed display.

" Colonel?" Ferretti, concerned at how she kept her weight off her left leg, stood by her side.

" Detonators had it." Leaning against the wall as silence fell where weapons discharge had previously been, Sam closed her eyes, clutching the device tightly, willing it to magically repair itself.

No such luck.

" Someone has to stay behind, don't they?" Ferretti spoke quietly, trying not to alert anyone else of the new challenge they were facing. Squaring his shoulders, he nodded at her curtly. " I'll do it, I'll stay."

" Negative. I beat you to volunteering." Opening her eyes, she pushed herself away from the wall, standing tall. " Take our team and get them through the 'Gate. I'll give you ten minutes."

" Carter.. Sam." He reached out and touched her arm, getting her to look him in the eye. " I can't let you do that, you know I can't." A quick smile turned up his lips but was gone as soon as it came. " Jack would kill me."

Shaking her head, Sam awkwardly pulled at something from around her neck. Holding her dog tags in her hand, she held them out to him. " I'm injured, I'll slow everyone down." He took the dog tags, giving them a cursory glance before raising his eyes back to hers in confusion. " Give them to Colonel O'Neill. Tell him what happened.. and tell him I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise. He'll know what it means."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ferretti nodded solemnly and safely stored the dog tags in his pocket. " Colonel Carter.." Saluting her with a shaking hand, his eyes glimmered. " It was an honour."

" Likewise, Colonel." Sam smiled genuinely, mimicking the salute before he pulled her into his arms for a quick embrace.

Like many others on base, respect between the two colleagues had grown into friendship over the course of the six years they'd known and worked together. It was what made the war even more difficult, knowing that the men and women serving beside you were more than just fellow officers, they were your friends, your family. Every life lost was felt personally by at least a half dozen officers, the death of Sam Carter was likely to affect at least that many.

Straightening his back, Ferretti called the others to get their attention and ordered them to move out. He followed them down the corridors, constantly on guard, noticing the confusion on their faces as they realised they were leaving someone – their assigned Commanding Officer – behind.

=*=

Ferretti was ushering his team down the mountain and towards the Stargate when a figure scurrying up the mountain towards him slowed his process. He gulped when he recognised the concerned person as being Jacob Carter, ex-Air Force General, current host to the Tok'ra, Selmac.

" Lieutenant Colonel." Jacob barked out a greeting, his eyes scouring the faces he passed. " Where's my daughter?"

" Sir, Colonel Carter volunteered to stay behind, Sir." Ferretti saluted him nervously, stumbling over his words. " The remote detonator was damaged in a fire fight with the Jaffa.. It has to be manually detonated and Colonel Carter volunteered.. I offered to stay in her place but.."

" But she's as stubborn as her father," Jacob murmured gruffly. " As you were, Colonel. Get your men home safely."

Through confused eyes, Ferretti watched as Jacob started up the mountain towards the structure.. " Ah, General? Sir?"

" That was an order, Colonel!" Jacob shouted back over his shoulder before carrying on in his single-minded journey towards his daughter.

Hesitating for a few moments, Ferretti watched him go. His watch beeped. Seven minutes to go. Starting down the mountain again, he sent up a quick prayer, hoping Jacob knew what he was doing. Hoping he wouldn't have to return home with the news both father and daughter had died in the same war.

His prayer wasn't answered.

As he was about to step through the Stargate, a loud explosion cut through the air. He turned to look at the Goa'uld structure only to find a fire blazing in its place. The structure no longer existed. Smoke and heavily fumes rose and billowed through the air. Already he could feel the suffocating weight of the dust settle on his lungs, or at last he could imagine it there.

Stumbling, Ferretti blindly stepped through the open Stargate, the moisture in his eyes having nothing to do with the stinging smoke filling the world he'd left behind.

=*=

Five anxious faces greeted him as the wormhole disengaged behind him, six if Melissa, clinging to her father's shoulders, was counted, more if the other officers swarming around in the Gateroom were included.

" Ferretti?"

" Colonel?" Both Jack and General Hammond stepped forward, questions in their eyes.

Sadly, Ferretti shook his head. " Lieutenant-Colonel Carter didn't make it, Sirs. Nor did her father. The detonator on the C4 was damaged," he repeated, wondering how many times he'd have to re-tell the story. " Sam had stayed to detonate it once we were all through the Gate, her father joined her and the structure exploded as I came through." Unable to meet their eyes and see the grief he knew was there, Ferretti averted his gaze to the ramp. " I'm Sorry, Sirs."

" We'll debrief in an hour." The General's voice sounded unusually rough and strained. He left without saying anything more, without even issuing his usual order for Ferretti to get himself to the infirmary. General Hammond's thoughts were elsewhere, with the friend and daughter who had been lost.

Jack, with a blissfully oblivious Melissa in his arms, made to follow, to find somewhere he could grieve alone when Ferretti stopped him by pulling the dog tags from his pocket.

" Jack.. She asked me to give you these.. She said she was sorry she had to break her promise, said you'd understand what I meant."

His fingers closed around the metal tags and chain, warm to the touch from being in Ferretti's pocket, and he nodded but didn't say anything. Silently, Jack pocketed the dog tags and carried his daughter the short distance to his quarters, letting her play with her imaginary friend as a thousand thoughts – most of them regrets – played through his mind, reminding him of what was lost.

Well into the night, the tears finally fell, Sam's dog tags burning into his skin as he held them so tightly they left indents in his palm.

Gut wrenching, heartbreaking sobs were torn from his body, from his soul, as it sunk in that he would never see her again, never see her smile, never hear her laugh. He'd never get to make his dreams come true; never experience what it was like to take his time kissing her, touching her, loving her..

All those dreams, shattered.

All those hopes, gone.

Woken by her father's misery, Melissa climbed from under the blankets and crawled to the end of her bed where her father was sitting.

Awkwardly, the young child took her father into her arms, snuggling further into him when his arms went around her and his tears started falling from his eyes into her hair. " Shh, Daddy." Melissa soothed him the way he'd soothed her a hundred times since the death of her mother. " It be okay. It be okay."

The timeless roles of parent and child were reversed on that one night, as Melissa unknowingly helped her father through one of the longest, hardest, darkest nights of his life.

=*=

Throughout the night, they waited for the Stargate to engage, wishing for Sam Carter to step through and tell them she was okay, that it was a mistake.

It didn't activate, Sam didn't come home.

For the first time since hearing the news, the three remaining members of SG-1, General Hammond and Doctor Fraiser came face-to-face in the morning, gathered in the briefing room for the latest Asgard/Tok'ra intelligence report.

No one looked as thought they'd gotten any sleep. Daniel had lines under his eyes; Janet's eyes were red and swollen, a by product of having spent the majority of the night crying; General Hammond's expression was dark; even Teal'c appeared perturbed, his brow furrowed. Jack.. Jack appeared to be the most collected of them all but appearances could be deceptive. Beneath the freshly-shaven exterior was a troubled and lost man, putting on a front for the sake of his friends and his daughter.

" Earlier this morning, we were contacted by the Asgard." General Hammond spoke quietly but firmly, looking from one distracted face to the other. " Both Asgard and Tok'ra intelligence report the same findings. Our plan worked, people. The minor, lesser Goa'uld's have heard news of our successful attacks. They are currently fleeing their home planets and travelling en-masse into territory and galaxies even the Asgard haven't ventured to. Congratulations, people, we won."

No one was over-joyed or even remotely thrilled. They were happy and relieved, yes, but the cost of winning, the price they'd had to pay.. It seemed like too much.

" A lot of lives have been lost. We all lost someone important, not on person on base has been unaffected by the deaths the SGC as a whole has suffered. Lieutenant-Colonel Carter was a friend to all of us, and like everyone who lost his or her life, she will be greatly missed. However," clearing his throat, General Hammond got up and walked around the room. " She, nor anyone else, would want us to let our losses overshadow our triumphs and victory. You all fought in this war, albeit on different fronts, and you should all be proud of what we as a whole achieved. Because of your time, hard work, sacrifice and dedication, the people of this planet don't have to know about this threat to their lives. That threat is gone, eliminated by the personnel of the SGC and our allies and I, for one, am damn proud of all of you."

" Thank you, Sir."

" Yes, Sir."

" You should be proud of yourself, too, General."

Nodding in acknowledgement, General Hammond felt his eyes start to well up as he gazed affectionately at the mismatch selection of people gathered in front of him. He cleared his voice before continuing. " You're all on a month of downtime; in that time, the SGC's files and reports will be read and organised and revised. The SGC will be reformed and prepared for work to start here again, and in that time, all personnel can recuperate and decide whether they want to stay on once the SGC becomes a Research and Exploration Commission. Reassignments will be given to those who want them."

" Will you be here when we get back, General?" Daniel looked at him hopefully, squeezing his wife's hand.

" I haven't decided, Doctor Jackson. You'll find out in a months time when – if – you return." The General smiled. " Teal'c, you can leave for Chulak anytime you like. I know you'll want to spend time with your family but please know you're welcome here whenever you want."

" Thank you, General-Hammond." Teal'c bowed his head, happy at the thought of being reunited with his family even through his grief. " You are all welcome to visit Chulak if you wish to. Peace has been restored since news spread that the Gods are fake and nothing more than parasites."

" News like that can damage a guy's reputation," Jack quipped humourlessly, not expecting a response from the others so not at all surprised when none was forthcoming. " So.. What are everyone's plans?"

Keeping the subject as far away from Sam as they could, each knowing they needed time to grieve alone before they could let her go as a whole, Janet and Daniel traded a glance – both concerned for Jack – before sharing their plans.

" We're going to go on a honeymoon." Daniel grinned although it was half-hearted at best and returned the pressure on Janet's hand when he felt her remind him she was there. " Well, not really a honeymoon," he corrected, exchanging a meaningful look with his wife. " Cassie's coming with us, she's bringing a friend so they can go off and do the teenage-thing."

" Sounds like fun." Jack forced a smile, the casual tone of the conversation seeming absurd considering all they'd been through and all –who –they'd lost but it somehow helped. A family vacation was normal and normalcy was a much-needed distraction to reality, which at that time seemed anything but normal, anything but natural.

Janet hurriedly spoke up. " You're welcome to join us, Sir.. Jack.. You and Melissa.. We'd like that, wouldn't we, Daniel?"

" Yeah, Sure." Daniel nodded enthusiastically. " The more, the merrier."

Seeing through their attempt at subtlety at what they were trying to do, Jack managed a small but genuine smile. " Thanks for the offer but I'm taking Melissa to the cabin for a few weeks.. Maybe even teach her the fine art of fishing.."

" Is Melissa-O'Neill not too young, O'Neill?" Teal'c arched an eyebrow, remembering his own experience with the sport Jack called 'fishing' and wondering if it would be fair if the young girl was subjected to it at such a young age.

Jack shook his head. " She'll be fine, Teal'c.. I promise I'll take a TV or something to keep her happy." Teal'c nodded and Jack almost laughed aloud at the relief emanating from his friend. *Almost*. Probably would've done if an image of Sam helping him teach Melissa how to swim hadn't crossed through his mind, closely followed by another of the three of them sitting on the pier having a picnic with his arms wrapped around both of his girls.. " So, General, what are your plans for our extended downtime?"

" My daughter and grandchildren have been trying to get me to visit them," General Hammond answered conversationally. " I think I'll accept their invitation now there's time."

" That's a good idea, Sir." Jack nodded approvingly and, realising no one had made any attempt at leaving, all somehow believing Sam would come back if they waited long enough, he pushed his hands flat on the table and stood. He needed to get out of there, away from the chair his mind knew to be 'Sam's', away from the reminder that she wasn't there with them. " Why don't we get the show on the road? I'm sure the two Doc's have got a plane to catch, Teal'c hasn't seen his kid in months, the General's grandkids aren't getting any younger and me.. there's a fish *somewhere* in that lake with my name on it."

Smiling slightly at his words, knowing he was trying to be brave, the others followed his example and began to say their goodbyes. Uncertain when they'd next see each other once they left the SGC for the day, each was determined to keep in touch no matter how much distance was put between them, knowing from experience how lonely life could be without their friends in it.

=*=

Ten minutes later, they regrouped in the Gateroom, as ready as they'd ever be to bid farewell to Teal'c. In the control room, the technician started dialling the address to Chulak as the team said goodbye again.

" Teal'c, buddy, take care of yourself." Jack clapped Teal'c on the back. " Feel free to come back anytime you want to go fishing."

" I'll keep that in mind, O'Neill." Teal'c gave him a rare grin.

" Keep in touch, Teal'c." Daniel took his turn in embracing him, the enemy who'd become such a valued friend. " We want you to be here when the baby's born."

Teal'c nodded and returned the embrace. " I shall endeavour to be here, Daniel-Jackson." He stepped back and took Janet's hand, bowing to her. " I wish you both the good fortune you deserve, Doctor-Fraiser. Thank you for your compassion and friendship."

Blushing, Janet smiled with tears in her eyes. " I hope you'll be happy on Chulak, Teal'c, but please come back and see us sometime. It won't be the same without you."

" General Hammond, it has been an honour serving under your command." Teal'c looked to the General and gave a sharp salute, as good as anyone who'd been trained could give.

" Likewise, Teal'c." General Hammond returned the salute, his eyes bright. " It has been an honour and a privilege to have you here."

Their goodbyes said, they turned to stare at the Stargate, waiting for the chevrons to lock and the wormhole to engage.

Chevron three.. locked.

Chevron four.. locked.

Chevron five.. locked.

" Unauthorised off-world activation! Incoming wormhole!" The red lights flashed and the group gathered at the base of the ramp stepped back as the Iris slid into place and the few armed SF's who'd been on standby jumped into place.

An eerie silence descended over the Gateroom and control room as the technicians waited for the computer to tell them whether the visitor who'd delayed Teal'c's journey home was friend or foe.

" We're receiving a transmission. It's the Tok'ra IDC, Sir!"

" Open the Iris."

All of them tilted their heads as the Iris slowly rolled backwards, averting their gaze from the blinding, luminous blue of the Event Horizon. Jack, Janet and Daniel didn’t bother to look up until they heard the muffled gasps from the control room travel through the microphone and echo around the Gateroom as the wormhole disengaged.

Jack looked first to General Hammond, seeing the surprise on his face and frowning. Daniel was doing a great impression of a goldfish and Janet looked like she was going to fall down at any minute. Confused, he let his gaze wander to the ramp, freezing on sight of the two figures that stood close together, arms wrapped around each other as they exchanged a bemused glance.

Taking a step forward as the others remained frozen in shock, Jack tried to speak but couldn't get more than one word out.

" Carter..?"

At the sound of his voice, a smile lit her weary face and Sam took a few cautious steps down the ramp towards them, her father a constant at her side as she hobbled slightly. " General, Colonel.. Daniel, Janet, Teal'c.."

" Colonel Carter, Jacob!" General Hammond was spurred into action at the arched eyebrow his old friend raised. " We were told you were.."

" Dead," Jacob finished grimly, nodding at them.

Sam smiled again, dark smudges marring her face, some of them bruises, others just streaks of mud. " Almost, Sir, but not quite." Leaning heavily on her father, she tried not to notice the way Jack was staring at her. As if she weren't really there, too intense, too intimate a stare for him to give her in the Gateroom - in front of her father of all people! She fully intended on averting her gaze, on moving her eyes from his.. but for some reason, it just wouldn't happen.

" George?" Jacob, noticing the way his daughter and her former commanding officer seemed preoccupied with each other, tried to swallow a smile. " Do you think we could take this to the debriefing room? Sam needs to keep off her ankle so it can heal properly, it would have been fine in a few more days but *somebody* was impatient and insisted we had to come home.."

" Dad." Rolling her eyes, her attention diverted when her father nudged her in the ribs, Sam sighed exasperatedly. She'd had to put up with his persistent teasing and mocking comments about her eagerness to return home since she'd regained consciousness.

Winking at her, Jacob squeezed her elbow. " Just doing my job, Sam."

" Whatever."

Still in a state of relieved disbelief, the five who'd been waiting to say goodbye ambled up to the briefing room with two of the people they thought they'd lost.

=*=

Seven people sat around the table, five of them listening intently to what the other two had to say. Sam, grateful to her father for fielding most of the General's questions, leaned back in her chair and fought the urge to go to sleep. Since waking up on the Tok'ra ship, she'd been impatient to get home and see her friends, to make sure they were okay and reassure them she was fine. Her father had delayed her return as long as he could, telling her she needed to rest, which was true, but finally, they were home.

The Colonel, Daniel and Teal'c sat opposite her. She looked at them in turn, smiling tiredly when she caught them looking at her. Janet sat on one side of her, listening intently to what Jacob was saying but Sam could feel the looks her friend kept darting in her direction. Her father sat on her other side, next to General Hammond, answering the questions fired at him as best as he could. Right now, he was explaining how they managed to blow up Anubis' base without being inside it at the time.

" We rigged a pack of the C4 and lit the fuse. The ring devices were only disabled in one section of the building so we ran to another section and were thankfully transported to the Tok'ra ship waiting in orbit before the C4 went off." Jacob answered immediately, having had time to rehearse his answer when he wasn't dodging his daughter's demands to go home.

" And the C4?" General Hammond looked to Sam for an explanation, having had the destruction described to him in graphic detail by Lieutenant-Colonel Ferretti in his report and debriefing.

" The first pack of C4, the one we rigged, acted like dynamite, Sir," Sam replied quietly yet confidently, her exhaustion failing to get in the way of her need to live up to the Air Force's expectations and be on the ball, one hundred percent, whenever she was on duty. " I think it exploded a few seconds after we were transported aboard. The first explosion set off the other packs of C4 in a chain reaction of sorts."

Jack arched an eyebrow at her words. " You *think* it exploded a few seconds after? You were there.."

" I was.. unconscious at the time, Sir." Glancing down, her cheeks feeling warm at the admission, Sam managed a small shrug of her shoulders, brushing off the concern she felt aimed at her because of the revelation.

Taking pity on her, seeing she was embarrassed at having to admit she hadn't been conscious through it, Jacob came to her rescue, expanding a little on the subject, unable to resist the urge to make a teasing dig at her once more. " Sam passed out as the rings descended on us." His eyes sparkling mischievously but somehow managing to restrain a smile, he nudged his daughter in the ribs softly. " That's what happens when you insist you can run on a broken ankle rather than let your own father let you."

" That got annoying after the first *two hundred* times you said it, Dad." Sam shot back with an exasperated sigh, biting back a smile when she saw one threaten to erupt on her father's face.

General Hammond watched them in amusement. He'd known for sometime there'd been a source of tension between father and daughter that stemmed from childhood. Since Jacob had been diagnosed with cancer and blended with the Tok'ra, some of that tension had disappeared but a new tension had arose – tension brought on by the feeling Sam and Jacob were fighting on different sides whenever the SGC had problems with the Tok'ra. General Hammond was glad to see it looked like the tension had been temporarily erased; whatever they'd gone through in Anubis' base and on the Tok'ra vessel had been a bonding experience for them and he was glad. Watching them together, however, made him painfully aware of how long it had been since he and his own daughter had got along that well.

" It was really just a lot of luck and determination, George." Jacob continued after a long pause, jolting the General from his thoughts. " We could have very easily died.. We honestly weren't sure whether we'd make it or not."

Discreetly, Sam's hand found her fathers under the table, their fingers entwining as they both recalled what they thought would be their last moments together.

" So how did you keep from giving up?" Daniel, unable to hold his amazement and curiosity, spoke up. He looked from one to the other, waiting for an answer. He knew they were both strong people but in the face of almost certain death.. They'd still managed to stay calm enough to think of a way out of it. " How did you stay so.. motivated?"

" The threat of dying can do that to you," Jacob commented wryly, returning the pressure on Sam's hand. " Wouldn't you say so, Sammie?" He ignored the glare he got for using the variation of her name, chuckling instead at the flash of annoyance that crossed over her face.

" Actually, Dad, that's not what kept me going.." Her voice trailed off and she smiled shyly, glancing quickly at the faces looking to her expectantly. " I had a promise to keep."

As Daniel, Janet and Teal'c exchanged knowing glances and smiles, remembering the pact they'd made, Sam's eyes met Jack's for a brief moment across the table. The look in his eyes left no doubt in her mind as to what promise he was remembering, an unspoken promise, but one they both recalled as they traded an all-too-brief but meaningful glance, reaffirming what had gone before.

Confused at what the four members of SG-1 and Doctor Fraiser were smiling at, General Hammond and Jacob swapped puzzled glances, neither missing that whatever had been said before the war was important enough to give strength and courage at a time when it would have been very easy to just give in.

=*=

The debriefing ended with Sam promising to write all she remembered in a detailed report, agreeing to send a copy to the SGC and a copy to General Hammond when it was done. Jacob had firmly told her she wasn't allowed to even start the report until her ankle was properly healed and Janet hurriedly sided with him, both making Sam promise to take it easy for a few weeks.

Sooner than both father and daughter would have liked, Jacob had to leave for the Tok'ra home world to help with the recuperation and recovery operation that was underway. He embraced Sam before leaving, each lingering in the others arms, promising her that he'd be back as close to a month as he could manage.

Just after her father left, Teal'c followed. Having already said his goodbyes to the others, he told Sam he was pleased she was alive and promised to return to the SGC to see them, repeating the invitation that they were all welcome to visit him and his family on Chulak anytime they desired.

Saying goodbye was sad, but at the same time, could have been a lot sadder. If they hadn’t won their fight for freedom, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to say goodbye.

General Hammond left next, at Jack's insistence. The younger man kept teasing the General, saying if he put off leaving any longer, his Granddaughters would have grandchildren of their own.

Sam was then escorted to the infirmary by Janet and Daniel, the former who insisted on seeing to her ankle personally, no matter how many times Sam had insisted the Tok'ra had taken care of it. Jack had walked partway to the infirmary with them, going his own separate way when they reached the corridor that led to the personnel quarters, remembering he'd promised Melissa he wouldn't be too long but had forgotten the promise in the excitement of Sam returning.

" Janet. For the last time, I'm *fine*." Sam rolled her eyes as the doctor continued to fuss over her. She eventually reached out and stilled Janet's hands by taking them in her own. " With a little rest, my ankle will be completely healed. You've got a plane to catch, you've got two teenagers to get to the airport on time.. *Go*."

Janet hesitated. She kicked herself inwardly for mentioning the vacation to Sam, she should have known her friend would use it to her advantage. Half of her wanted to go and start the vacation; the other half wanted to make sure her friend was okay and would be okay while she was gone. It was her job, after all, to make sure the SGC personnel were healthy and well looked after. " You know, you could come with us.. It would be great to have you there."

" Janet." Laughingly shaking her head, Sam hugged Janet impulsively. " I'll be here when you get back, I promise." Winking at Daniel, Sam grinned slyly. " Besides, I think your husband would prefer to have you all to himself for a few weeks, before you're both back here and before the little one puts in an appearance."

" You can come, Sam." Daniel blushed, knowing her words were true, and grinned when he realised Sam had said it for the purpose of making him blush. He did want to spend some time alone, but he also didn't want Sam to be on her own.. Besides, it never hurt to put up the appearance of being on his wife's side. " It would be fun."

" Thanks for the offer but.. I think I need some time to myself to think about some things." Sam shrugged and slipped out of Janet's arms so she could hug Daniel, determined that they'd leave in time. " Now, I want the both of you to go and enjoy yourselves. Let Cassie do whatever she wants and have a lovely honeymoon."

Without giving them time to protest, Sam ushered them from the infirmary and towards the elevators. She stood and watched them step inside, smiling when Janet waved and Daniel wrapped an arm around her shoulder, grinning inanely.

" And don't forget to send me a postcard!" Sam called out as the doors closed. Smiling to herself, truly happy for them and relieved they'd made it through together, Sam headed towards the locker room. She hoped they enjoyed themselves while they were away, knowing they'd earned whatever good fortunes fate could throw at them.

After a quick shower, she changed into some clean clothes, massaging her neck absent-mindedly as she headed towards the elevators. She was going home, after what seemed like a never-ending forty-eight hours, going home to an empty house.

All that hard work and for what? To be alone, as always.

Everyone else, all of her friends, they had somewhere to be, someone to be with. Sam didn't. She wished her father could have stayed a little longer, but realistically knew he had to go and help the Tok'ra. If she'd thought he'd agree to it, she would have offered to help out.

General Hammond had his daughter and granddaughters. Teal'c had his wife and child. Daniel and Janet had each other and Cassandra and the thought of being new parents. Colonel O'Neill had his daughter.

Sam had Sam. There was no one else left.

Sighing heavily, preoccupied with her thoughts and the aching in her body, she didn't notice the other person heading in the same direction as her until they were standing side-by-side in front of the elevators, waiting for the elevator to reach their floor. Sensing the presence of someone else rather than hearing or seeing them, Sam turned, her eyebrows shooting skywards at who it was.

" Colonel, Sir." She was surprised he was still there, having assumed he would have left for home with Melissa as soon as possible. Keeping her voice quiet for the sake of Melissa, who was sleeping soundly in her father's arms, she turned to him, a confused expression arranging her features. " I thought you'd left already."

" I had some.. paperwork.. to do." Jack lied easily. He didn't want her knowing he'd needed time to get over the shock and the immense relief at seeing her alive. She didn't need to know the hell he'd gone through when he'd believed her dead. It wasn't relevant anymore. " I have something that belongs to you." Carefully reaching into his pocket, clutching Melissa with his other arm, he pulled out the simple silver chain and the dog tags that were attached, holding them out to her. " You'll need these."

Taking them, Sam stared down at the sight of her name engraved into the metal, wondering briefly what he'd thought of receiving them from Ferretti, wondering what he'd done with them while she was gone. They looked shiny, almost as if they'd been polished. " Thanks, I guess I have more use for them than I thought." She made a weak attempt at smiling but the smile vanished as uncomfortable silence fell in place of words.

The elevator was taking an eternity to reach them, the seconds dragging on and on. They both knew what they wanted to say, and what they wanted to hear, but neither knew how to start. They didn't know how to broach the subject, especially when nothing had actually been said aloud. Their promise.. the meaning of it had been left to their own interpretation, and they were both inwardly worried that they'd taken it to mean different things.

" So.. Have plans?"

The rules they'd followed strictly in the time it had taken to plan their attacks were in effect again: keep all conversation when they were alone down to small talk, and make sure questions were short and answers were shorter. Fill in the pauses with unimportant, irrelevant conversation. It was something they both knew how to do well, they'd had enough practise at it.

" Not really. You?"

" I'm taking Mel to the cabin. Gonna introduce her to the fine art of fishing."

The cabin. Sam swallowed, fighting the urge to close her eyes at the memories those words invoked. Memories of countless invitations with just as many rejections. Invitations and rejections that were the cause of her deepest regrets, formed from the belief she would never get the change to give a different answer.

" I.. ah.. have some things to pick up from my quarters.." She gave him a smile neither bought and took a step backwards as the doors to the elevator swung open. She needed an excuse; she couldn't be in such a confined space with him. " Have a nice trip.

Jack nodded at her, stepping into the elevator shaft, holding Melissa securely. Sam waited, watching as the doors started to close, allowing her eyes to close with them as she moved to lean against the wall opposite, suddenly feeling more exhausted than she had done just moments before.

" Sam."

The sound of his voice surprised her.

Her eyes flickered open to find the elevator hadn't left yet, he had stopped the doors from closing with one of his hands and stood on the threshold, the sensors preventing the doors from shutting.

Appearing both concerned and anxious, Jack tilted his head to her, refusing to give into the impulse to avert his eyes from hers. " You could come with us." There. The first words were out, the rest had to be easier to say. " There's plenty of room," he continued, having decided there was no going back. " It's a great place to relax and get the rest Doc and Dad want you to get.." Gulping, he gave her a hopeful, lopsided grin. " You wanna come fishing?"

For once, for the first time, Sam didn't hesitate in giving him her answer.

" Yes."

A flood of embarrassment rose within her at how quickly she'd agreed, at how eager she'd sounded. Breaking eye contact, she looked down at the floor, kicking herself mentally for appearing so.. so.. available.

Jack, for his part, just grinned. He waited until she looked up at him and held out a hand, balancing his daughter as he reached out to Sam.

Smiling shyly, she accepted it, twining her fingers with his as she stepped closer and allowed him to gently tug her into the elevator.

Once inside, Jack had to let go of her hand to press the button to take them up to the surface. Sam folded her arms over her chest, waiting for the doors to close as anticipation bubbled up in her stomach. After a few seconds of silence, as the elevator decided whether it was going to move or not, she risked taking a glance at him, blushing to her roots when she found him looking back but finding it impossible to look away.

Slowly, they gravitated towards each other, moving as though time itself had slowed almost to a halt. They didn't stop moving until she was cocooned within his arms, wrapped around him and Melissa as he held her close. Closing her eyes, knowing he had done the same thing, she rested her head on his shoulder and thanked whatever or whoever had made it possible for them to be like this.

Thanking whatever God was real that they had been able to keep their promise. Now, together, they had the chance to put right all the wrongs that had occurred on the way to this moment in time. They had the chance to lay the past to rest and banish some of those regrets they'd harboured for years.

With a gentle hiss, the elevator doors slid shut behind them and the next stage of their journey began.

=*=

The end. Finally ;)

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