EPILOGUE

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Amelia looked at the calendar on the wall of her office. A yellow circle surrounded the date. Three months to the day since she stepped through the Stargate with what few possessions she could take with her. The Alpha site was similar to the SGC in that everything seemed to be decorated in the same miserable shade of grey, with very little to liven it up. She had brought a Peace Lily with her. A gift from General Landry on her departure. She'd never had a particularly green thumb but so far it looked healthy. There were still things she missed about Earth. Mostly people. The friends she had made at the SGC. Sam had promised to visit when she had time but that had been weeks ago. She hadn't heard from Mitchell for three weeks, and she wasn't sure that Davis would ever speak to her again. On rare occasions, in particularly lonely moments, she wondered about her mother. Wondered if she had mourned the 'death' of her daughter. Probably not. Colonel Pierce had done his best to give Amelia a warm welcome and made a point of inviting her to the weekly poker game. She had gone a couple of times, but she was certainly no poker player, so she'd gracefully bowed out.

Landry had told her that it wouldn't be a picnic but so far there hadn't been any disasters. No serious incidents and only the occasional redirect of a potentially compromised team. The odd alien here and there, sent to the Alpha site to be screened before being allowed to the SGC. She had met with the Tok'ra again. Iria, to be exact. She had helped Amelia come to terms with the last several months and the things that she had done in the preceding years. She had promised to stay in touch. Promised that there would always be a place with the Tok'ra for her.

Marlag had insisted on joining Amelia. He had no home to go to. The world they had come from had been destroyed. The rebels within the Zertanian ranks had seen to that when they understood just what their Commander had promised in return for their safety. The rest were turned when it became clear that he had every intention of using the weapon on the tau'ri. The uprising had been swift and final with few evacuated before the rebels activated an explosive of such magnitude, there was not a living thing, animal or vegetable, left on the surface.

The gate alarm seemed to ring out here all the time. More than it had at the SGC. But then, most of the visitors to the Alpha site were unscheduled. You didn't really make an appointment to get checked over for symbiotes in advance. It was ringing out again and it was doing nothing for her pounding head. She removed her glasses and closed her eyes. It was the smell of fresh coffee that made her open them again.

"I remember you lived on this the first few days at the SGC."

She jumped to her feet. "Paul!" She embraced him as he struggled to keep the contents of the mug from escaping. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with the Tok'ra. They've agreed to help rehome the refugee's from Zertan…not that there are many. Some have even volunteered to be hosts to help fight the Goa'uld. The Tok'ra aren't sure that their physiology is compatible but they're looking into it," he smiled. "Speaking of which, I understand that Marlag couldn't bear to leave you."

Amelia laughed. "I doubt it was my sparkling personality. I jumped at the chance of having him on my team though. The man is a genius in microbiology and xenobiology."

"Quite the accolade coming from you," Davis smiled. "I can't stay. I have to get back to work but I couldn't come by without calling in to see you. Maybe next time I'll buy you lunch."

"It might have escaped your notice but there isn't exactly a Subway franchise on every corner here," she chuckled.

"Good point," he replied.

"Listen, I never really got the opportunity to thank you for what you did for me. Cam told me that it was you that persuaded General Landry."

"It was the right thing to do, but he didn't take much persuading."

"You've heard I'm dead, I guess."

He nodded and gave her a wry smile. "I went to your memorial. It was beautiful. Well attended too. Even General Sizemore turned up."

Amelia's expression grew darker. "So, he's still walking around free."

Davis perched on the edge of her desk. "It's not over. With the head cut off the body doesn't know what to do. With Ba'al gone, it's falling apart. They'll make a mistake and we'll be waiting for them."

Amelia nodded. "How is everyone back at the SGC?"

"Good. Colonel Carter's heading up SG1 while Colonel Mitchell's away. She's putting potential new SG1 team members through their paces. Teal'c's visiting his son and daughter-in-law. Doctor Jackson's…well…Doctor Jackson," he replied.

"Yeah!"

He stood. "Look, I'd better get back. It's been great to see you again." He kissed her cheek. "Hopefully I'll see you again soon."

She felt a pang of sadness as he left her alone. The feeling of isolation she had struggled against when she first arrived, creeping over her again. She glanced at her watch. It was a couple of hours before suppertime, but she was hungry. She always seemed to be hungry and she couldn't help wondering if there was something in the atmosphere.

She dragged herself to her feet and grabbed her bag as fatigue washed over her. She always locked the office door even though all of her work was on her laptop. Old habits died hard, apparently. She popped her head into the lab next door where Marlag was busy working. The man was indefatigable and not for the first time did she wish she had half of his stamina.

"I'm going to freshen up and then I'm going to the mess. Fancy joining me for something to eat?" she asked.

Marlag looked up and shook his head. "I wish to finish my work," he said. It was unusual. He rarely skipped a meal.

"Sure," she said, frowning as a smile crept across Marlag's lips.

She carried on down the corridor. Her quarters were only a few hundred feet from the infirmary at her insistence, just in case she was needed. Colonel Pierce had reluctantly agreed, converting one of the isolation rooms. She had also insisted it was painted in cream. He'd been less accommodating about that though and she'd had to make do with whatever had been left in the stores. So, her quarters were a pale beige colour. It was better than grey, she had figured in the end. She swiped her ID card in the slot beside the door and it clicked open. Following her usual habit, she dropped her bag on the sofa and flicked on the lamp which sat on a low table near the door. She stripped of the white doctor's coat and pulled the elastic band out of her hair, running her fingers through it to try to tame it a little. She would get in the shower soon, but for the minute she needed one of the biscuits she had stashed in the desk drawer.

"Tough day?"

She spun around, her heart pounding as adrenaline coursed through her veins. Cameron Mitchell was stood in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the frame. She stared at him for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she said, finally. "You look familiar but...you'll have to remind me…"

"I get that it's been a while and you're not as young as you were, but I didn't think your memory would be going already. I'm Cameron Mitchell. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force. Recipient of the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart…"

"Enormous ego!" she added. "Yes, now I remember you."

He ignored her. "I could go on," he smiled.

"I'd rather you didn't. What are you doing here?"

"I thought we could get something to eat, maybe a drink," he said, pointing to a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses sat on the nightstand.

"You're very sure of yourself, Cameron Mitchell. Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force."

"I've been stranded in deep space for three weeks, not sure if I'd ever get back to Earth again. Not sure I'd ever see you...or touch you again. And did I mention that I was stranded in deep space for three weeks." He crossed the room and banded his arm around her waist. Pulling her hard against his body, he leaned down to kiss her. "Damn right I'm sure of myself."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss, hard and deep.

"Can I expect that sort of greeting every time I come home," he muttered as he kissed her neck. She allowed it for a few minutes, enjoying his touch and the heat of his body against hers.

"They told me there was a problem with the hyper-drive. I was afraid you'd never get back. I didn't know how I was going to tell your parents…" A lump rose in her throat. "I've been worried sick."

He took her hands in his, running his thumb over the gold and diamond band on her left ring finger. "Well, I'm here now, Doctor Mitchell."

She smiled. "I'm not sure that I'll ever get used to that. And I'm certain I'll never get over the look on your mother's face when you told her we were married."

"Yeah. I join the ROTC program in college and she tells me she's glad I've stopped drifting. I survive the crash at Antarctica and it's like she expected it all along anyway."

"That's just an out and out lie!" she exclaimed. "I was there, remember. She was sat by your bed almost the whole time. She was absolutely distraught."

"Distraught I might die before I made her a grandma. I could get promoted to General and she'd probably not bat an eye."

Amelia slapped him on the arm. "Stop it, Cam."

"Nope. Only a tick in the two big boxes will make her happy. Box one. Marriage. Tick. Box two. Babies. Preferably dozens."

Amelia tried to conceal her mirth, but his exaggeration was amusing. "She's very proud of you, Cam. You know that."

"She's half proud of me," he joked. "I ticked box one when I married you."

Amelia smiled and slipped a piece of paper out of her pocket, handing it to him. He stared at it for a few long seconds, then looked back at her, confusion etched in his face.

"If that's true, then you're about to make your mother very proud," Amelia said. "Seems we ticked box two sooner than we'd anticipated."

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