Realities Apart

By Sam I Am –

Rating: PG-13 (can't honestly be any more than that)

Warnings: Sam/Jack (that's a warning for anyone who don't like that)

Category: Sam/Jack Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, AU fic, friendship and a little bit of SG-1 Humour thrown in for good measure. (If there's anything I missed out someone tell me!)

Spoilers: Bits and Bobs from Seasons 1-4!

Time frame: Sometime during Season 4, after 'Divide and Conquer' (I think!)

Summary: While one world is being enslaved, another carries on as usual until one particular person travels through the Quantum mirror to give Sam and Jack a big surprise!

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. If you want to archive my story TELL ME, or, to borrow a phrase from our beloved Colonel, I am SO gonna kick your ass!

Author's Notes: The fan fic I ever began! Sat on a coach two years ago, scribbling in my rough/note book as we were on the way to France, my Best Pal/Editor helping me write. Ah Memories!!!

Dedications: To my Best pal/Editor. This story is truly dedicated to you, Hannah! Also to all you S/J fans, especially Carter13! You're great for a chat!

The First I ever began... Realities Apart!

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Epilogue

Sam woke with a start. She was breathing heavily and she felt what must have been a bead of sweat, or maybe even a rogue tear, on her cheek. 'Not again,' she thought to herself. It was then she realised she wasn't alone in her bed.

As she rolled over she found the pyjama-wearing bundle snuggling up to her, thumb in mouth and snoring gently. "Not sleeping well either then," she murmured as she lay back in bed. She smiled as she stroked the golden hair out of the little girl's sleeping face. She looked angelic, innocent and so peaceful. Sam sighed contentedly. She knew now what it was like to be truly happy, but she hesitated, when she realised why she'd woken up. She attempted to sleep again, but she couldn't. She was so tired, but she just couldn't go back to sleep now.

She glanced at the luminous alarm clock face: 6:00am. They'd be briefing General Hammond. God she hated the waiting. The worry of waiting and waiting, and then hearing the most awful news was vivid in her mind... She squeezed her eyes shut banishing her darkest fears for the moment and looked up. Her uniform hung on the door handle of her wardrobe. The white overall and the security tag hanging droopily from a coat hanger. 'I'll change into them later', she thought.

Quietly she slid out of bed and got changed into her usual jeans and t-shirt. 'I look awful', she thought to herself as she stared in the mirror at her well slept-on blonde hair and the tired lines under her sleepy eyes. She glared at her waves of long blonde hair. Sometimes it decided it just wouldn't look nice. She brushed and plaited it as she always did and silently made her way downstairs. She started on last night's washing up, but her mind kept wandering. She glanced at the clock for the fifth time in ten minutes.

"Get a grip, Sam," she said to herself as she began to scrub at the inside of a saucepan. She felt the usual pangs of worry; "If you don't stop worrying you won't get a good night's sleep for years!" It was much easier said than done. She would never stop feeling slightly nauseous with worry every time

It was only when she heard the familiar thump, thump, thump on the stairs that she turned to see the little girl sliding down the stairs on her bottom. Thump, thump, thump. Ever since she'd fallen down the stairs when trying to walk down them, she'd gone back to sliding down each step at a time. As the child dozily toddled into the kitchen, Sam smiled. She was so much like her father it was unbelievable. The little girl climbed her chair to sit on the cushion, which meant she could see onto the table. She yawned and rubbed her tired brown eyes.

"Morning, Sweetie," Sam said as she joined her daughter at the table, "I found you in with me this morning. What's wrong?"

"I hadda nigh'mare," the little girl said matter-of-factly. It was then Sam realised how grown up she was for her age. Even though her English was nowhere near perfect and she couldn't write her name very well at all, she was a very bright little girl.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" said Sam waiting for an answer from the tousle-haired four year old, who sat there grinning like a Cheshire cat. When the girl didn't answer, Sam decided she wouldn't get an answer so she said, "What do you want for breakfast?"

The girl didn't even have to ask. Her mischievous brown eyes were begging for pancakes. They hadn't had pancakes in ages and Sam had to agree with her. Sam chuckled, "Like father, like Daughter."

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It was not long until they were both covered in flour, eating pancakes at the table. Sam looked over at her daughter lovingly. A big blob of flour coated her little nose and specks of flour through her hair made it turn from bright gold to greyish blonde. Her face was literally white, her dark eyes contrasting with the paleness of the flour. She was still wearing her 'Simpsons' pyjamas and looked a mess†albeit an adorable mess! Sam couldn't help smiling at the comic little girl.

"I think you need a bath, missus," sniggered Sam as the little girl finished her pancake.

"So does you, mizzuz," the little girl retorted cheekily. She became more and more like her father every day. That was worrying!

"So DO you, missus, not so DOES you, missus," Sam replied knowing it would annoy the little girl.

"No gud doc'ors," she said frowning, "Eng'ish too gud!" Yes exactly like her father!

"You know you're starting to sound like your Dad," Sam said as the little girl grinned happily, as if she'd just received the best compliment in the world.

"Ya fink!" She said sarcastically as her mother shook her head. What would he teach her next! Hopefully nothing rude!

She ran the bath as she heard her little girl trundling up the stairs. Every thing she did was slightly funny. She couldn't help smiling all the time when she was with her. The best thing about her daughter was the way she giggled, warm as sunshine.

Sam played with her little girl as washed her hair and got rid of the flour. Sam laughed at her daughter played with the frothy bubbles she loved, squealing with happiness. That alone made Sam realise just how much she loved her baby girl.

After cleaning themselves up, Sam plonked the girl on her tiny bed while she rummaged through the wardrobe and got out the usual favourites.

"Which pink dungarees or blue?"

"Pink, ov courze." No surprise there. She'd always loved those. They were a present from Teal'c and Daniel for her last birthday.

She smiled as memories flooded her mind. The girl loved her Godfathers more than anyone, except of course her parents. Sam remembered that Daniel would be visiting in the summer to catch the birthday party. He never missed it. At the moment he was staying in New York for some big archaeological dig he'd found in Egypt that apparently may have some clues to the Goa'uld. Not that he didn't prefer Colorado Springs, but archaeology was his one true passion and there was no way anyone, not even his goddaughter, could keep him away.

Teal'c was still working at the SGC in SG-1. There were rumours circulating that General Hammond was considering giving him the command of a team, but Teal'c had told her he'd much rather stay where he was.

Sam also got out a white t-shirt and that baseball cap Hannah never took off, except when she slept. It was really quite tatty now and a dirty white colour, but she still insisted on wearing it. Ever since her Dad had given her it.

She turned around to see the towel-wrapped girl swinging her legs off the side of the bed, humming some made-up tune to herself. Sam smiled fondly and knelt down, helping to pull the t-shirt over her child's head. She smiled as she gently fastened the clips of the dungarees. When she'd finished Sam kissed her on the cheek, as the girl clambered onto her lap. Sam sighed happily as the girl curled up in her arms. She stroked the waves of golden hair softly. Who would have known they, of all people, could have had such a great kid?

She was brought back to the real world by the sound of a car pulling up outside. Sam didn't even need to glance out the window to know who it was.

"Daddy!"

The little girl practically sprung from her mother. As she ran, Sam called after her, "Be careful on the stairs," but the sound of her bouncing down on her bottom made Sam chuckle.

When Sam arrived downstairs she found her daughter reaching, stretching and jumping in vain to reach the door handle. She gently lifted the girl onto her hip, pulling the tattered baseball cap over her daughter's silky hair and opened the front door in one well-practised and fluid movement.

The door of the mud splattered truck opened. She really should get him to wash it one of these days, but he always avoided the issue. Trust an O'Neill!

"Hey!" said Jack cheerfully as his daughter jumped into his outstretched arms. He swung her around then pulled her into a tight hug. The look on his face made Sam smile. He adored their little girl. No. 'Adored' was too weak a word for how he felt. He spoke to the little girl, "How's Daddy's Princess, eh?" then turning to Sam, "Good Morning Beautiful! Miss me?"

Sam spoke with a cheeky smile, "Like the Plague!"

Jack chuckled as he adjusted the position of the four-year-old in his arms, "When's your shift start?"

"Midday, but I've gotta be in the Infirmary slightly early to catch SG-6's return," she said as he kissed her on the cheek and carried the squealing child through the door. She still felt like a high school kid when he kissed her, but of course she wasn't. She was a 36-year-old doctor, married to an Air Force Colonel, with a four-year-old daughter. "We just finished breakfast," she continued as she shut the front door behind her.

"I can see," he said raising his eyebrows, as he trundled into the kitchen, "Pancakes?" he said grinning at the child who nodded licking her lips comically. He chuckled softly and then, clearing his throat, he put on a frown, "Everything present and correct at the base, Airman? I hope you have been protecting the Queen as I ordered!"

They were playing that game again. Her husband and daughter seemed to play that everywhere. Their favourite place was the super market. They would spend ages running round collecting 'provisions for the troops'. Even though she usually got slightly angry when they knocked something off a shelf she still found it amusing watching them, speeding along the aisles, her daughter sat inside the trolley as Jack piled food into it. A right pair of children!

"Yes, Zur," said the frowning child. Sam laughed as she began to clear away the debris left by her and her daughter in the kitchen. She looked over at them sitting on the couch as the little girl giggled shrilly. She made two cups of coffee almost automatically as she thought how happy she was. She had everything she'd ever wanted.

"How was your mission?" Sam said as she joined them on the living room couch with two mugs of steaming coffee.

"Swell," he said sarcastically, as he took the cup of coffee.

"That good, huh?" She replied, smiling at him. He looked at her. She had dark rings under her eyes. He knew she worried about him, but also knew the Air Force was a big part in his life. A couple more years and then he promised himself he'd retire. If not only for his own sake for Sam's as well. Sam never slept properly when he was on a mission. He'd worked that out from the beginning. Also retirement would mean he could spend more time with his family. That was what he wanted to do more than anything.

Realising it was his turn to speak he continued, "It was a rainforest. Rather†damp!"

The little girl sat on his knee was listening to every word he said keenly, although she probably didn't understand much. Her dark brown eyes were full of awe. He was glad she was so proud of him.

"What did happ end on you mission, Daddy?" she said excitedly.

"Happened, Sweetie, and you didn't need to say 'did'," Sam commented as the little girl turned to scowl at her.

Jack answered his daughter's question, "Not a lot, Princess. We did a lot of walking and we got soaked, but the archaeologist on our team was absolutely mesmerised," Jack said grinning to himself, as the small child grinned back. "Something about Inca temples. He reminds me of Daniel except this guy can look after himself," Jack said grimacing slightly, "I was already drenched to the bone and now seriously bored as well. I was better off than Teal'c though. He fell into a hole that was about three metres deep, which was absolutely brimming with water! Turns out it was a trap set by the locals. It was covered with leaves so he didn't see it."

"Poor Teal'c!" Sam said feeling a wave of compassion for the Jaffa. Teal'c didn't like water or rain at the best of times!

"I think later I should take you over there to cheer Uncle Teal'c up, he always likes it when you visit," Jack said as his daughter's eyes filled with sympathy.

"Mommy, you haf to make schure Uncle Teal'c don't haf a cold 'cos I had won of them and it was really nasty," the bossy fair-haired child told her mother.

"Oh, I do, do I, mis" She was cut off from the rest of her sentence as there was a huge tremor and the house shook. There was a huge flash and an even bigger blasting noise that followed it. Jack protected the girl's golden locks with his body as he pulled Sam into his chest, shielding her head with his arm, as pictures fell from their hooks on the wall, smashing to the floor, the bookcase collapsed and the sound of plates and glasses shattering came from the kitchen.

Silence. Jack looked up hesitantly, his heart thumping in his chest at, at least, three times its normal speed. Sam stared at her husband, her azure eyes betraying the fear she was feeling. They sat there for almost three minutes, until he got up cautiously and walked across the room.

Jack immediately turned on the telly. The signal wasn't the best, but it was good enough. He began flicking through the channels methodically searching for...

"Special news bulletin" That was it. He stopped flicking. He watched the news reader, the man was near tears as he spoke hurriedly, "â€Huge Unidentified Flying Objects have just completely destroyed the city of New York. According to news we have just received there are no survivors and the area within a twenty mile radius of the centre has been entirely demolished"

Jack was shocked. His mind blocked out the rest of the information as he stared into nothingness, feeling the breath in his lungs just leave. Daniel. He'd been staying in New York. There was no way he could've survived a blast of that magnitude.

"Oh my God..." He whispered his eyes suddenly transfixed on the screen in desperation, praying he was hearing things. It couldn't be!

"Major tremors have spread across the continent... damage reports are coming in from all over the country," the frightened news reporter took a gulp from his water glass before he stammered, "We are attempting to gain some information from NASA, but they will not talk†The President has instructed citizens of America are being told to stay in their houses and not to panic..." Jack ignored the rest; he stood up wondering what to do.

"Sam?"

He turned to find his wife holding in one hand the keys to his truck and in the other his bewildered daughter's hand. He smiled slightly. This was a reason why he loved her. She'd known what to do immediately and had been ready to go in a split second, while he was only just ready to make some kind of decision.

They moved to the door when the phone rang. Jack picked it up hurriedly, "Hello?"

"Colonel"

"Doc! What's going on?"

Janet spoke frightened and hurriedly, "Apophis, Colonel! Over 70 mother ships! They came from nowhere. NASA contacted us minutes before New York"

"Invasion?"

"That's the best guess, but honestly, Jack, we don't know." In the background Jack could hear the Klaxons wailing and the sounds of people shouting. The Doctor spoke desperately, "Listen. You don't have long. We're trying to evacuate as many people as we can before the Gate is made completely inactive. It's been rigged so if anyone tries to activate it after that it'll blow. You have to hurry."

"Gottcha. Shall we pick up�"

"Cassie's already here with me. Good Luck. Give Sam my best."

Jack nodded as he put down the phone. Sam stared at him, "How long until they shut off the Gate?"

"I dunno, but probably soon."

They ran to the truck, as Sam said, "Janet? Teal'c? Cassie? The General?"

They jumped in as Jack sped out of the drive and down the road towards the SGC, saying, "Janet said Cassie's there with her. The General and Teal'c would've been on base at the time. I think we can assume they're still there."

Sam nodded and the truck plunged into an eerie silence, their daughter glancing between them eyes wide as she whispered, "Daddy?" The girl that sat upright on her mother's lap, "It's 'Poffis, ain't it?"

If her daughter hadn't been so frightened Sam would have corrected her.

"Yes, Sweetie," he said gently as he met his wife's eyes. Even when she was scared they still looked determined, even when the situation had become hopeless he could count on those eyes to have the same they've-not-got-us-yet look, but today there was something else there that Jack could only explain as grief and shock. Their daughter was too young to understand what had happened to her Godfather at the moment and Jack was gratefully she didn't know yet.

Sam got out a piece of paper from her pocket and began writing. She then folded it into four and stuffed it into the back pocket of the pink dungarees sat on her lap.

"What?" Jack asked. As if Sam was a telepathic the reason came to him as she turned to him, her eyes staring at him meaningfully. He immediately turned to look at the road, his jaw gritted from the surreal fear welling within him. It was in case their four-year-old daughter had to escape without them, so someone could protect her and comfort her. He hoped it wouldn't resort to that.

He stared at his Sam again as she held their daughter tightly to her kissing her head and clinging to her tiny body. She was already saying goodbye. Jack sighed and then looked back towards the deserted road in front of him. Another flash and thunderous roar swept the sky, as after a few seconds the truck skidded a way across the road.

He managed to gain control again and halted in the middle of the road. Sam looked at him as she murmured, "Oh God!" Jack gritted his jaw tighter before he began to fumble with the radio frantically, "†Washington D.C. and New York" There was a break as the transmission faded, "†No survivors†Alien aircraft."

Jack switched the radio off again, as he pulled off. Washington D.C. and New York were now no more than massive smoking craters in the Earth. The two famous cities with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of innocent Americans living in them or near them. All of them... dead. Not to mention the hundreds of other cities around the globe that were probably being demolished every second along with all traces of the human civilisation. The thought was beyond horrifying.

Jack shuddered, using all of his training to push the thought to the back of his mind and concentrate on his goal. Get his family safe. Kill Apophis. Destroy his fleet. Save the world. Yep, that was about it!

Jack could see the mountain looming ahead off him and he felt a slight relief. They were almost there and even though the SGC wasn't exactly a safe haven it was his only chance of getting his wife and daughter the hell out of here before he attempted to save the planet.

In the wing mirror, Jack saw something that made him sick to his stomach and made the feeling of slight relief burn into pure fear as he pushed harder down on the accelerator.

A swarm of gliders and three mother ships flew behind them in the distance like a plague of locusts. Jack heard small explosions in the distance and bit his lip praying that they would get to the mountain.

As he skidded into the car park, they saw something that made Sam's heart jump up into her throat. A huge mother ship was landing on the mountain. Jack slammed down the breaks and yelled, "Come on!"

They jumped out of the truck and ran to the entrance as the ground shook and a strong current of air blew fiercely from the vessel alighting on the top of the mountain.

The Goa'uld had landed.

They ran to the lift as fast as they could, running inside as fast as their legs would allow them. They heard the distant clunk of metal shod feet, hundreds of metal shod feet, marching towards them, the ominous sound getting louder and louder until the elevator doors slid close.

Jack turned to Sam. He looked at her and then at their daughter, quivering in her mother's arms. His eyes rose back up to Sam's and when he tried to look away she held his gaze. Then she realised what was happening. He was going to help them escape. He was going to delay those Jaffa, by any means necessary.

The lift stopped for a moment and the lights went out. They stood in pitch black for a few seconds before the lights came back on and they continued their journey down in the lift.

"The Gate?" Sam asked anxiously.

"They've disabled it," he started trying to think of what to do as they stood in silence. He stayed silent for what must have been a minute, "The mirror. Use that mirror Daniel found to escape. You know where it is?" he asked desperately.

Sam nodded as a tear dripped down her cheek, "I thought we'd have to use it. I know where it is. It's in that storeroom near my lab."

As the lift doors opened she found herself running with her daughter clinging to her side. She stopped as she saw Jack turn. She heard the footsteps still marching from above. He ran into the cupboard next to him, bringing out an MP-5, a few grenades and a pack of C4. He gave her two grenades and his handgun, keeping the MP-5 and the rest of the grenades. He ran back to the lift quickly and placed the C4 inside. He turned to her and pulled them along the corridor a little way and into a small inlet. He blew up the C4 and walked back into the corridor as black smoke came from the lift shaft.

"That'll slow 'em down."

"Jack...?"

He turned to look at his wife and when he saw the look of agony in her eyes he let out a soft sigh. He clasped her upper arms with his gentle, but firm hands, "Don't let them get you and don't come back for me if I go down." He stared into her eyes meaningfully, "Do you understand? I would rather die than find out my family is being tortured by Apophis."

She was still crying although she tried to smile and nod, trying to give him all the strength she could. It broke his heart to see her in this much pain, but what else could he do? He realised how much he loved them, more than anything...

"I am the luckiest man alive," he murmured as he pulled them into a tight hug and kissed them both. He stared at Sam's long blonde hair and her pale blue eyes. She looked so frightened and upset, but he knew she was going to do anything to save the child in her arms.

His little girl stared up at him with watery brown eyes. He pulled her into a tight hug kissing her cheek and her hair and inhaling the scent of his little girl. He let out a sad chuckle as he mumbled, "You smell like pancakes, Princess. I thought you had a bath." He pulled back and stared at his little girl as he whispered, "In the future, if your Mom tells you to do something, you do it, OK?"

The small girl nodded, her plaits bobbing up and down as she continued to cry. He pulled her close again and kissed her ear, rocking her slightly as he whispered, "Don't cry, Baby. Don't cry. It's OK."

She didn't stop crying and after a few seconds, he passed his daughter to Sam and hugged the both of them close. He stroked Sam's cheek gently as she fought back the tears, "Nothing will happen to her I promise," she said, hiding a sob as she stared into his brown eyes. He took a tiny step closer and pressed his lips against hers tenderly, tasting the salt of her tears on her lips. He never wanted to pull away from what they both knew were their last moments together, but the ominous stomping of Jaffa above strengthened his resolve. The footsteps were coming too close for comfort now.

He took a step backwards and said, "Go," she didn't move and just stared at him sadly. Jack stared back and said, "Sam, now! Before they get here! You have to go!"

She broke the devoted gaze and turned, their child crying into her shoulder, as she began to run along the corridor. She was never going to see him again. As more tears came, she choked out words through her sobs, "I love you, Jack!"

And then she was gone. She and their child had disappeared around the corner. He sighed and turned around to face the smoking lift shaft, "I love you too, Sam," he whispered to the empty corridor.

He had done what he needed to. Now all he needed was to let them come.

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The sound of a firing and then a large explosion was enough to send dread to her heart and more tears to her eyes. The footsteps were still coming. Sam stared down the many familiar corridors. She'd worked here for almost 5 years. This was where she'd met Jack. He'd been shot in the leg with a staff after Teal'c had helped him and the Abydonians to escape from Chulak. She'd looked after him and in the meantime fallen in love.

As she turned a corner she knew they had reached the room. She darted inside, locked the door and pushed some crates in front of it. There it was. The mirror. She picked up the device by which you could control it.

As she tried to find a suitable reality she tried to explain to her confused child what was happening. "Where we're going is a place that is the same as this, but there are differences. It's called an alternate reality. There may be no Apophis there or no Teal'c or Daniel. There may not be me or Daddy there either, but whatever happens to me I want you to promise you will look after yourself." She said when she was satisfied with what she saw through the mirror. The girl stared at her fearfully.

"There is a letter in your pocket explaining to whoever finds you that you are my daughter, so they can find me or Daddy or Grandpa there and we can look after you. Remember you also have those pictures I gave you. Are they still in your pocket?" The little girl nodded slowly, but the blank expression in her eyes caused Sam to ask, "Do you understand what I'm saying?" The little girl shook her head in reply, too scared to speak.

Sam sighed and got down on her knees staring into those wide, brown eyes, "Just think of it as a different flavour of ice cream. It's still ice cream, but instead of being Strawberry, it's Rocky Rhodes."

"'Kay Mommy," she whispered, as there was a bang on the door, then another and another.

Sam hugged her terrified daughter tightly. "I love you and so does Daddy," she whispered brokenly as she felt a new wave of tears coming. She then stood on her feet shielding the child firmly behind her back, while she removed a grenade from her belt.

"Mommy?"

Bang! The door gave way and as some Jaffa marched in she repeated her husband's words to their child, "You have to go!" The child looked up at her nervously, as Sam gently propelled her towards the mirror, "Touch it!"

It was then Apophis walked in. The child took one last look at her mother and hesitantly reached out her tiny fingers and pressed her small palm against the mirror.

As she felt her child disappear behind her, Sam removed the pin from the grenade and held it up threateningly, ignoring the urge to cry. She knew she would never see her little girl again and it hurt. It hurt more than anything Sam had felt in her life, but she kept strong. She refused to break down, especially in front of her arch enemy!

Apophis laughed at her cruelly, "Dr. O'Neill, this is a pleasant surprise!"

"Not from where I'm standing, Buddy," Sam growled viciously, feeling the part of her that Jack had given her come into full blossom as she continued to clasp the grenade.

"Why bother fighting? Your husband is dead and you will never see your daughter again. You have nothing left! Why don't you join us?" He smirked at her, "You are still beautiful and would make a great queen."

"Over my dead body!" She said through clenched teeth, her eyes burning with fury and anger as she glared at him, "I've had enough of this crap for one day!"

He continued as though he'd never heard her, "Even though you have been spoiled by Tau'ri ideas and by your former husband, you will change and become my Queen, my Goddess."

"I will not become a Goa'uld like you," She spat at him her rage clearly visible, "A monster, a torturer and a fake. Never!"

"Enough! You SHALL be mine! Jaffa, kree!" The Jaffa approached her.

"Go to hell!" she shouted darkly, grenade in hand.

The mirror emanated a huge flash of light as the frightened brown eyes of her daughter stared upon the now blank screen from the other side.

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Part One

Teal'c strolled around the SGC restlessly. He was bored as Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson were all on leave and he had not the heart to ask if he could come and see any of them. They all had much better things to do. He didn't complain. He liked this. Guarding the SGC. It was a way he felt he could show his friends how loyal he was to them and to their planet.

Their missions had been fairly routine recently and Teal'c found he was finding it very dull. He wished something would happen on a mission. Something challenging. He didn't want any of his friends to get hurt, but he needed to exert himself. He walked past many doors wondering what their next mission would be

He heard a strange noise as he passed one of the storage rooms. He opened the door to the room. The Quantum mirror? It was glistening and rippling slightly. He gazed at it and walked over to it. He raised an eyebrow at the images he saw in the mirror's surface.

Major Carter. But this Major Carter had long hair in a plait and she wasn't wearing air force uniform. And standing with her, a small child. A little girl.

He remembered that Daniel Jackson had said there were differences in an alternate reality. This was just another version of their lives. A version of which Major Carter was in a white laboratory outfit and was standing beside a little girl Teal'c surmised.

He concentrated on the mirror again. The door that had been blocked by crates was thrown open as Major Carter pulled the child behind her holding a grenade in her other hand. He could hear what they were saying

"You have to go! Touch it!"

The child hesitated, and as Apophis entered the room, she touched the mirror. Apophis and Major Carter began to have an argument as the little girl rolled straight into his legs.

The child was crying. As he bent to comfort her he saw a huge flash and heard the words that had just been spoken echoing through the now chilling silence.

"Go to hell!"

The mirror went blank as the Jaffa realised the girl was clinging to his legs, but staring at the screen like a rodent trapped in vehicle lights. She let out a small whimper as more tears fell down her cheeks. He gently lifted her into his arms.

"Teal'c?" the brown eyes stared into his full of sadness. The child knew him and by the way she clung to him she knew him very well. The thing was Teal'c had the feeling he knew her very well also. There was something familiar about the under-five.

"Indeed. I am." He replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the little girl's streaming eyes and nose.

"Don't let 'Poffis hert uz Uncle Teal'c" the little girl whispered her voice fading away slowly as she lowered her head onto his shoulder, "Pleaze. Don't let 'Poffis hert Mommy and Daddy" The golden-haired child closed her eyes as the Jaffa instinctively held her closer to his chest. She was curled in a small bundle in his arms.

'I'll take her to the Infirmary. She has suffered shock. I shall then tell General Hammond of her presence,' Teal'c's thoughts instructed himself as he strode out of the room to fulfil his wishes. The girl snuggling into his jacket. She began to suck her thumb. Daniel Jackson had told him that lots of Tau'ri children did this as a comfort. He did not understand why, but had just assumed it was correct. He walked down the corridor in a state of thought and didn't realise the girl's hat drop to the floor in the middle of the corridor. The child reminded him of his own child Rya'c when he had been of her age. He would do anything to save Rya'c.

As he walked into the elevator he met General Hammond examining a report, his mind fully absorbed in his arduous task.

"General Hammond," Teal'c said inclining his head slightly.

"Teal'c," he said acknowledging him, then realising there was a four-year-old girl attached to the Jaffa he looked up with surprise, "Who's she? Where did she come from?" There was a hint of anger in his voice at the fact she was clearly civilian and if she had been found in the base why had there been no security alert.

"I do not know, but she came from the Quantum mirror Daniel Jackson discovered on P4X 233."

"WHAT! Teal'c, she could be a threat, a Goa'uld trick!"

The little girl stirred, but seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Teal'c looked at the child for a second, feeling a strange sympathy in his heart. He wouldn't put it past the Goa'uld to do something as despicable as use a child as a method of destroying a world, because they had seen it before. When the Goa'uld, Nirti, had used Cassandra as a bomb had been one example of Goa'uld plots, but Teal'c sensed that this was not a trick.

"I do not believe so. When I saw her come through the mirror she was with Major Carter. She sent the girl through and then I believe she dropped a grenade."

General Hammond closed his eyes for a moment. Teal'c had just spoken of her death with little or no sympathy, as if it were just a matter of fact.

"I am taking her to the Infirmary. She is suffering from severe shock and I believe is in need of much rest. I apologise, General Hammond. My first instinct was to protect the child and place her in Doctor Fraiser's care."

General Hammond sighed, "Good idea. See if you can find anything to tell us her identity, who her parents are, how old she is†etc also I want someone guarding that mirror at all times."

"I will watch over the mirror myself," Teal'c inclined his head as the lift halted and the doors opened. He strode a few paces down the corridor and then knocked on the Infirmary door.

"Just a second," came Dr. Janet Fraiser's voice from inside the room. After what was more like minutes than seconds the bustling Doctor opened the doors. "Teal'c?" she said puzzled, and then looking down into his arms she gave a small gasp.

"I trust I am not disquieting you, Doctor Fraiser. May we enter," Teal'c asked the short woman as she looked back up at his face in surprise.

"Of course," She indicated a bed hurriedly, "Put her down there."

As he lay her down on the bed in the Infirmary, Janet looked over his shoulder at the little girl. Her hair was in two extremely untidy plaits. Janet gently removed the hair bands and ran her fingers through them gently, un-entwining the girl's hair until it hung loose. She removed the child's tiny, but extremely filthy sneakers and placed them on the floor before actually looking at the small child properly.

Her long golden hair framed her pale, but perfect face. Her tiny button nose had a few freckles on it and her tiny lips were curved into a sad smile. She had a face that was obviously always full of charisma, even when she slept. She had chubby rosy cheeks and was undoubtedly one of the most adorable children Janet had ever seen. She was a beautiful little girl, looking so innocent and peaceful in her obviously much–needed sleep.

"Bless her!" she exclaimed as she stroked the golden locks, after Teal'c had repeated the story to the confused Doctor. She lifted the small child up gently as Teal'c looked for identification.

"Dr. Fraiser, I believe I have found something."

From the back pocket of the pink dungarees Teal'c removed a piece of paper and three photographs. Janet took them from him, "Let me see."

As she looked at the three photographs her jaw dropped making her look remarkably like a goldfish. One photo showed the little girl in the arms of Colonel O'Neill and Sam standing beside him, except she had long hair and was wearing a lab coat. In two of them Teal'c, Daniel and herself were all present. Looking closer on the pictures she realised that Jack and Sam were definitely married and it was more than obvious the girl they held was their daughter.

She gasped and then began to issue orders, "Get the General, Colonel O'Neill, Sam and Daniel."

"It is 7 in the morning. They would not be pleased," Teal'c informed her.

"They need to be here. I think this kid is Colonel O'Neill's and Sam's."

As Teal'c left the Infirmary, one eyebrow firmly raised, she unfolded the piece of paper:

To whoever finds this letter,

If you have found this child on her own, then it means that neither me nor my husband managed to escape through the Gate with her. Our world is under attack from Apophis and we had to leave. New York's already been destroyed and I doubt it will be long before they start blowing up all the other major cities.

The Gate will soon be switched off and has been rigged so it will explode if anyone tries to activate it after that point. At this moment we're driving to the SGC, but I don't know if we'll make it in time.

No matter what though, we WILL get our daughter out of here. This is why I'm writing this note as I don't know how we are going to get her away from here yet and if it'll mean we have to sacrifice ourselves... I'd rather die than see her in the hands of Apophis.

My only guess is that if the Gate isn't operational we'll send her through the Quantum Mirror that our Daniel discovered on a mission to P4X 233. I just pray that it won't resort to that as prolonged time in your reality will cause entopic cascade failure on the cellular level.

My little girl is called Hannah O'Neill . She is four years old and her birthday is 16th June. She is the daughter of Colonel Jonathon 'Jack' O'Neill U.S.A.F and myself, Dr. Samantha O'Neill. We both work at the SGC and our daughter knows almost as much about it as we do, which is another reason she must escape. From past experience we know the Goa'uld would even torture children if it meant getting the information they need.

Please, take care of her. I love her more than anything and I can't stand the idea of her growing up without a family. My father Jacob Carter of the Tok'ra, if he is still alive, and my brother Mark Carter are the only family she has without us and I'm sure they'd be willing to look after her even if only for a short while. Our friends Dr. Daniel Jackson, Dr. Janet Fraiser or the Jaffa named Teal'c, can also look after my daughter if for some reason neither Jack nor myself can protect her any longer.

Please look after her and love her as we have. Tell her how much we love her and never let her forget it. She is everything to us,

Dr. Samantha O'Neill U.S.A.F

"Mommy�"

She looked up startled. The child was having a nightmare. Janet perched next to her on the bed and stroked her flaxen hair gently. The small chubby fingers closed around the overall she wore. She felt like crying for the girl who was an orphan and so young! It hurt just to think of it. She looked away from the pale face in case she really did start to cry and noticed that General Hammond was over looking the Infirmary through the observation room. She stood up, picking up the letter and photographs and tucking her in tightly.

"Sleep well, Hannah O'Neill."

As she made her way up the stairs to the room, she thought of the irony of it all. It had been, but ten days ago since†Sam! She'd almost forgotten! How was Sam gonna cope with this after the past weekâ€?

General Hammond looked at her expectantly as she entered, "Well? Did you find out anything about her, Doctor?"

Janet sighed, "Well"

Å

It had been days since Jack had got a proper night's sleep. They had only just returned from P6C 729. They had arrived through the Stargate at 0300 hours, been in the Infirmary for 45 mins of being checked out and had had 2 and a half hours of debriefing. Jack had finally got home that morning at 0645 hours and just collapsed on his couch. He was exhausted.

Jack had just dozed off on his couch, when the phone rang, "Oh for crying out loud!" He groaned into the pillow he was resting his head on. He pulled it over his head viciously as the phone continued to ring persistently. He had to pick up.

"Dammit!" He yelled as he rolled off the couch, banging his head on the coffee table. He snatched for the phone, with a moan as his head began to throb, "Colonel Jack O'Neill. Who is this? It's 7am and I am NOT a happy camper!" He said in an exasperated tone, rubbing the sore lump that had already begun to form near his temple.

"It is I, O'Neill!" Teal'c's low voice came down the receiver, "I am sorry that I have woken you, but you and Major Carter are required at the base."

"OK. I'll be right there." He put the phone down with a sigh. Dammit! Luckily, he hadn't changed before collapsing on his couch. He pulled on his boots, tied up the laces and grabbed his keys off the coffee table.

He walked out the front door and locked the door, after dropping the key twice and turning it the wrong way three times! He shouldn't be driving! He sounded like Doc. Fraiser, but it was true. If he fell asleep at the wheel

"Oh, what the heck!" He grumbled as he walked over to his truck dozily, "It's not like I haven't driven this tired before." He yawned and Jack had a feeling it was a sign.

He opened the door and was about to climb in when he heard a car pull up behind him. He turned as the driver said, "Do you want a lift, Sir?"

It was Carter. "Yeah, thanks," he said as he locked his truck again and walked over to her sports car. He climbed into the passenger seat as he murmured gratefully, "I think I would have had an accident if I'd attempted to drive down there. I haven't slept for days."

"I'm wide awake," she said, as her CO glared at the fact she looked bright and alert and he looked like a walking car wreck†Jack didn't like that comparison!

They drove off. He couldn't help noticing that even though she looked bright and awake, Sam had been very†quiet the past week. She was obviously not sleeping, he'd worked that out from day one, but why he had no idea. She had dark circles beneath her eyes and her vivid blue eyes had lost their usual sparkling verve. It was like she'd been in a trance all week as if she was repeating the same mantra over and over, 'Get through this day. Get through this day. Get through this day.' It reminded Jack of how he'd been after Charlie's death and that worried him. If Carter was like that he had no idea why, but it was bad.

"Wonder why they need us at this hour of the night?" Jack said not noticing his obvious mistake as he attempted to make conversation, "We only left less than an hour ago."

"Morning. This hour of the morning, Sir." Carter corrected him. God that was annoying when she did that! It was Carter doing it so he didn't mind so much, but it was annoying all the same!

"I'm still exhausted. I only got to sleep 5 minutes ago!" He replied grumpily.

They drove into the car park of the SGC. Jack noticed Sam was nothing like his ex-wife when it came to parking a car. Sara used to reverse, park and then decide the car wasn't straight and do it again and again until she was satisfied. Carter didn't mess around, even though she didn't need to because her parking was straight on every time.

'What?' Jack thought to himself with a small smile, 'You just automatically compared Carter to Sara. Have you totally lost the plot, O'Neill?!?'

They walked in the entrance to the guard as they had their hands scanned and signed to the facility as the security guard gave them a small sympathetic smile, "General Hammond told me that he is in the Infirmary observation room waiting for you," the guard said to them as they waited for the lift. Jack looked at Sam worriedly.

"Daniel!" They both said in unison. Jack always thought it was Daniel because he was a lot less tough than the rest of the team and he had a serious problem with following orders and staying out of trouble. It was almost always Daniel who got hurt on missions.

"No, I'm waiting for him as well," the guard said as the elevator doors opened.

"Have a good shift," Jack said confused as he and Sam entered the lift.

"Thank you, Sir," the guard replied as the doors closed and Sam felt a small jolt as the lift began to descend.

Jack murmured pensively, "I wonder who's hurt then?"

Sam stared at him worried, "Can't be Teal'c, can it?"

"I dunno," Jack said now quite worried himself.

They stood in silence until the lift doors slid open again and they exited the lift. They walked down the corridor until they came to the door. Jack gave a small intake of breath as if preparing himself for the worst and opened the door to the observation room.

As he opened it he saw Doc. Fraiser and General Hammond having quite a heated discussion

"What would we tell her, General? She's four yea"

"We can't justkeep her in the dark about all this, Doctor!"

"General, she's just a childâ€!"

"Howdy, Folks. I hope we're not interrupting. I was just wondering why you woke us up at 0730, when we'd only got back from a mission at 0500, to settle a discussion we don't know anything about, when we could be getting some much required sleep!"

Janet glanced nervously at General Hammond. He sighed and then nodded. She hesitantly passed them the letter and the photographs. Sam sat in the chair as she stared at them the Colonel looking over her shoulder. She felt her eyes widen as she read the letter and stare at the photos. She looked up at Jack who was obviously just as mystified as she was. He was practically gawping at the letter.

"That is your signature right, but with a few†alterations?"

Carter nodded reading it again. They were here because of the girl. She looked up at the uncomfortable looking Doctor and the concerned looking General, "Where is she?" She didn't really have to ask. She stood up slowly as Jack took the letter and photos from her hand gently. She walked over to the glass and looked down over the room.

Teal'c was sat there in a chair with the girl in the bed beside him. She had long blonde hair that was spread across the snowy white pillow. She seemed to be asleep, her thumb in her mouth. She looked the picture of innocence. She turned to look at Jack again. He was rereading the letter, as if there was some hidden message, something he'd missed. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs as Teal'c entered the room, "Colonel O'Neill. Major Carter." He gave a wry smile, "I trust you gained efficient rest?"

Jack glared at the Jaffa as Hammond quickly butted in, "Teal'c found the girl by the Quantum mirror," the General informed them, "He believes she is an orphan as he saw her mother die and assumes that her father is also dead."

"Ouch," Jack said with a wince, his eyes still fixed on the letter. General Hammond looked at Janet as she nodded prompting.

"I think I should let you two talk this over," General Hammond said signalling for Janet and Teal'c to come with him. Teal'c left immediately, but the Doc stood still for a second and then reluctantly followed the General out of the door, closing it behind her.

A few seconds of silence followed the Doctor's departure until it was broken when Jack let out a sigh, "What should we do?"

"We can't just†I mean in a way she is still our†daughter, Sir, and therefore we should look after her." Sam said turning back to look through the glass at the little daughter she'd never known until a few minutes ago.

"Believe me, Carter, I want to," he said joining her at staring through the glass, "I just" He looked at the floor.

Sam knew what images were replaying themselves over and over in his mind. He looked up at her as she gave a small nod and looked back into the room below. They watched their daughter rolling over from nightmares. Sam even behind the glass could almost hear her crying for her. Mommy.

Sam walked to the door leading to the Infirmary and walked through, climbing down the stairs to the child, with wet streaks on her cheeks as she moaned, "Mommy."

Sam realised Jack had followed her and glanced back at him quickly. He gave her a small look of encouragement and slowly she pulled the chair close to the bed. Gently she lifted up the golden curls and moved them away from the small rounded face. She quickly reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a tissue. She tenderly wiped the tears from the girl's cheeks. Hannah stirred and opened her eyes. She saw the similarity between her and Jack now. They had the same dark brown eyes that turned Sam's insides to jelly and made her heart flutter wildly in her chest.

"Mommy," she whispered. The little child crawled out from her bed covers. She looked at Sam warily and then up at the man sat in the chair beside her. A small smile came to the child's lips, "Daddy!" She climbed onto his lap and curled up in his arms. Jack stared at her and then at Sam a look of sad discomfort in his eyes.

"Mommy, I'm sorry I'm in wiv you t'night. I iz having 'nother nigh'mare," the little girl murmured before sticking her thumb in her mouth and apparently falling asleep in his arms. He looked at Sam again. She was crying, though he couldn't blame her. To Hannah they were her Mom and Dad, but her Mom and Dad were dead. Jack stared at her and realised there was something else. Jack couldn't understand why Carter was so distraught. There was something else, but Jack had no idea what it could be and as he considered himself and expert in judging Samantha Carter's mood from her expression, that was exceedingly worrying.

Jack tilted his head towards the stairs, "You OK for another minute?"

She nodded. Jack lifted the tiny girl and laid her in the bed. Sam tucked the covers around her and gently kissed her on the forehead before smoothing the covers and leaving. Jack had just seen Sam transformed into a worried mother before his eyes. He stroked the little girl's hair, hiding the fond smile he'd not realised he was wearing, before leaving. As he reached the observation room, he saw Sam attempting, and failing, to withhold another wave of tears. She placed quivering fingers over her trembling lips as she held back sobs. As he went to comfort her, there was a knock on the door and General Hammond, Dr. Fraiser and Teal'c entered the room.

Janet looked at Sam nervously. Had they had a fight? She could see the same thoughts going through the others' minds as well. Janet exchanged a look with the General, before looking back on her friends. Sam was still crying, even though she was trying her hardest to stop. Janet pierced the Colonel with her glance as she tried to determine if he'd done that to her best friend.

Jack didn't notice this and after a hesitant moment placed himself in the seat next to Sam. She glanced at him and then screwed her eyes shut, wiping the teardrops away with her fingers, although there was so much moisture she couldn't dry them properly.

"Tissue?" He said with a comforting smile, as he swiped up the box Kleenex that had a permanent home in the observation room and held it near her in one fluid movement that was so utterly 'O'Neill', Janet felt a small smile tugging at her lips.

She smiled and almost laughed at her CO fondly. Janet breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn't had an argument. This was going to be hard enough for everyone involved without having two of those key people arguing already.

"So have you decided what to do?" said General Hammond, after Sam finally managed to cease her shaky sobs.

She stood up slowly and walked back over to the window. Staring at her tiny daughter, she said, "I don't know about the Colonel, but I want to look after her."

As she turned, Jack saw her face again. Dammit! Why did she have to look so noble? He couldn't do it again, not after Charlie. They were all staring at him expectantly. Dammit, Dammit, Dammit! He was giving in. He stood up and strolled over to the window next to Sam. He stared at her. She was still quite upset, but attempting to smile at him. That smile could make him do anything, but he managed to look away and began to stare at the small figure curled up in the Infirmary bed below. He sighed. He wanted to, but it would be difficult. He couldn't do it again, not after Charlie†but he had. He had done it again, even if it was in another completely different reality, and that made Jack finally realise. If he could be a Dad again in another reality, he could do it here.

He sighed for the second time and turned to face them all, "If that kid is gonna live in an entirely different reality, she might as well have a Dad," he said as Sam beamed at him. Jack had the feeling she would have hugged him had it not been for Air Force regulations.

General Hammond smiled, "I think that's settled then. If either of you need to discuss anything with me, you know where to find me. Dismiss..."

"Sorry I'm late, General! Did I miss anything?" Daniel apologised as he attempted to carry six huge books and open the door at the same time.

"You have indeed, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said helping him carry the huge, ancient tomes.

"Oh dear, I am sorry!" mumbled Daniel, "Can someone fill me in?"

"Let's go get some coffee first or I'm just going to fall asleep," Jack said turning to Sam, "Do you want me to bring you some, Carter?"

"Yes please, Sir," she yawned as everyone left the room. Everyone, that is, except Janet who hung by the door hesitantly. There was a long and heavy silence. Sam knew what this was about and as much as she appreciated her friend's anxiety, she didn't need it right now.

"Sam, Honey? You gonna be OK?"

"Janet, I'm gonna be fine. This†this is a miracle. It's like my prayers have been answered."

Janet looked unsure, "Sam, this is gonna be difficult for you. I mean" she sighed, "You've been so depressed lately. I was even thinking of recommending you saw a psychiatrist. I don't think you'll cope"

"Janet," Sam gave a small tearful gasp, "Do you know how hard it is for me? I am a goddamn woman you know! Just because I put my whole life on hold for my job doesn't mean I really am just one of the guys!"

"I didn't say you were, Sam," Janet gave a small sigh, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

And with that Janet left the room and Sam was left on her own fighting back yet another sob of misery. All the pain and suffering she'd been through the past week and she'd finally broken down. Now she'd started it was likely she wouldn't stop for quite a while.

Sam turned towards the Infirmary and walked down the staircase again. Her. A Mom.

She pulled up the chair again and sat next to the bed. She reached out her fingers uncertainly and gently stroked Hannah's golden hair spread across the pillow. She sat there for what must have been about half an hour before she heard the door open and close behind her softly.

"I brought you the coffee you ordered" Jack said as he strolled through the door and then with a grin added, "Mom." That had got her! She was smiling at him, albeit weakly, as he passed her the steaming coffee. She took the polystyrene cup and muttered, "Thanks. You really should get some rest, Sir."

"I don't think I'd get much sleep, it's 9:00am," he said pointing at the digital watch attached to his wrist, "Even though to me it still feels like midnight!"

She stared at him for a moment and then at Hannah. The child slept peacefully, but would wake up again quite soon, she hoped. One of the nurses had told her that the child had suffered mild shock when she'd passed her five minutes earlier. Sam knew better. The child was practically catching up on the sleep she'd been missing. From what she'd guessed the girl had been having nightmares for months. She looked at Jack. He looked as if he was in a trance staring at the girl, emotions running through his eyes.

"What do you think she meant, when she said I'm sorry I'm in with you?" Sam murmured as Jack focused again.

"Maybe she thought she must have been at home, and because whenever she has a nightmare she crawls into your bed, maybe she thought she was there," Jack said as if it were all too familiar to him. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and held back a yawn.

"I really think you should get some rest, you look dead on your feet." Sam said as she glanced at her CO.

He rose from the chair and slowly walked to the door, "If she wakes up get me," He hesitated, "Night Sam."

"Night," as he left, she suddenly turned towards the door realising what he'd just said. Sam. He'd called her Sam.

ÅÅÅ

As he turned to face the oncoming Jaffa, Jack told himself that this was probably suicide. He sighed as he got more weapons from the cupboard. He had to delay them long enough for Sam and Hannah to get through the Quantum mirror. He hid in a small inlet in the wall, waiting for the Jaffa to arrive.

As the first Jaffa appeared, he grabbed his MP-5 and shot them all down as more appeared. Jack emptied the gun on the constant flow of Jaffa. He could hear more of the Jaffa coming down the hall and reached into his pockets. He felt around until he finally felt a grenade under his fingers. He pulled it out and jumped into the hallway in front of the Jaffa, got ready to remove the pin as he did so. As the Jaffa raised their staffs to shoot, Apophis came around the corner behind them.

"Hey, Buddy, mind calling off those thugs of yours," Jack called to Apophis standing only a few yards in front of him.

"Silence. Surely you wish your death to be slightly dignified!"

"What exactly does that entail?"

"You shall become my slave and will spend the rest of your life in my Naquidah mines, while I make your wife my Queen and your daughter, our child!"

"Over my dead body!" Jack yelled, as he thought, 'Hope he doesn't take it literally!'

"That can be arranged!" Apophis said as he lowered his hands and the Jaffa raised their staffs.

"Oh for crying out loud! They will never love you Apophis. How anyone could love you I'll never know!"

"They will become Goa'uld and be mine!"

"Sorry, but I don't think so!" Jack removed the pin and threw the grenade into the group of Jaffa, but Apophis was ready. He shielded himself as the explosion reverberated around him, flooring his Jaffa, none of whom would rise from the floor again.

As the smoke and dust cleared Apophis looked up and saw Jack running down the halls. As the rest of the Jaffa caught up with him, he yelled, "Jaffa Kree. Leave him! Find his family!"

Å

Jack was running as fast as he could and when he paused for a breath, there was no echoing sound of the Jaffa following. For a few seconds, he was confused and then realised.

"Dammit!" he cursed as he ran back the way he had come, towards the mirror room.

As he approached the room he heard Apophis speaking to Sam, "â€You are still beautiful and would make a great queen."

"Over my dead body! I've had enough of this crap for one day!"

"Even though you have been spoiled by Tau'ri ideas and by your former husband, you will change and become my Queen, my Goddess."

"I will not become a Goa'uld like you. A monster, a torturer and a fake. Never!"

"Enough! You SHALL be mine! Jaffa, kree!"

He ran to the door opening.

"Go to hell!" he saw the grenade clasped in her palm and raised the MP-5 in his hands. He saw Apophis shoot at Sam. Fury overcame him as he filled all of the serpent guards with bullets. Apophis turned in rage, shock and fear.

Jack looked up seeing Sam as she threw the grenade at Apophis' shield. It weakened momentarily as the blast sent her flying backwards into the wall.

Jack took his chance. He immediately started shooting the Goa'uld with his MP-5. Apophis stared at him in disbelief as he collapsed to the floor. His eyes glowed white, as he lay deadly still on the floor.

Jack ran to Sam, who was lying in a crumpled heap by the wall, as he mumbled frantically, "No! Not Sam! Please! Say she's OK!"

His heart stopped as he kneeled beside her limp body. She lay face down. Her back was burnt from the explosion, her bloody flesh exposed and looking awful. As he rolled her over gently he murmured gently, "This is all my fault!"

He sighed relieved. Only her back was seriously burnt, but her face was very pale. Jack began to worry as he shook her shoulder softly, "Wake up, Sam, Wake up! Please don't die! Come on wake up," Jack whispered desperately as he felt for a pulse at her neck.

There was a faint flutter of a heartbeat. It came to him that Hannah might still be here. He spoke to himself as he turned around, "Oh God! Please don't say she's here as well! Please don't say she's hurt!" He glanced around the room worriedly, but his daughter was nowhere to be seen. At least she wasn't hurt.

Sam groaned slightly. He turned back to see her eyes were open. Her eyes were wide and her pupils were dilated with shock as she spoke quietly, "Jack?"

"It's me, Baby. I'm here."

"I thought you were dead," she whispered her eyes wide and watery, "He said you were dead†I thought I'd... I thought..."

Jack gave a small snort, as he yet again tried to put humour into this life/death situation they'd got themselves into, "Like one Goa'uld and about a hundred Jaffa could kill off Jack O'Neill! You obviously don't know me well enough!"

Sam sighed relieved as if that one comment had proven it was him. Tears trailed her pale cheeks as she whispered, "Oh Jack!" He pulled her into a very loose hug trying desperately not to hurt her back. She stared at him for a second before she whispered, "God, I was so scared!" He kissed her almost desperately, relieved beyond comprehension that she was alive and, except for the burns, doing OK. She kissed back lovingly before Jack pulled back.

He spoke softly, "Where's Hannah?"

"She went through the mirror. I couldn't do anything else for her. I'm sorry," Sam murmured in pain as he slowly lowered her back to a lying position.

Jack stroked her face and smiled lovingly, "Don't worry. You did great! She's safe now."

Jack looked up at the mirror and instead of the usual shiny ebony; the screen was a dull and burnt black. He grimaced as he turned back to Sam who, even though she was a Doctor and should know better, refused to lie still and propped herself up against the blackened wall.

Her back had burns across it and the clothes had been charred around the burns. He searched his backpack for a medical kit. There was some antiseptic cream and bandages. He gently bandaged her back, trying to prove to her that all those medical training lessons she'd given him had actually paid off!

"Isn't this supposed to be my job?" Sam joked weakly as Jack finished.

"And wasn't blowing Apophis to hell meant to be my job?" Jack replied smiling at her. She tried hard not to laugh, as even the slightest movement was painful. She looked around the room as her eyes fell upon the dull black mirror.

"The mirror! It's broken! Hannah?" She gasped as she felt tears welling up inside her eyes.

As Jack went to comfort her he heard metal shod feet marching towards them. He lifted Sam into his arms and carried her with him. He laid her down beside him as they crouched behind some crates, two Serpent guards entering the room.

The Jaffa spoke with shock and fear, "Our lord Apophis is dead. It must have been some of the Tau'ri! Jaffa Kree! We must find them and avenge our God!"

"What shall we do with the body? What is to happen with the invasion?"

"This body cannot be regenerated by a Sarcophagus and the damage is too great. Leave it here and start an immediate search."

"I shall ask the Shol'va, if he knows what has happened to our Lord."

The first Jaffa spoke again, "We must send word to our armies to stop with the invasion plan, until a leader can be found. In the meantime, they are to stay in their area and only to engage in fighting when it is absolutely necessary."

The other Jaffa obviously agreed and Jack listened carefully as they left. He peeked over the top of the crate and when he was sure the coast was clear, he gave a small sigh.

"Teal'c is still alive," Sam whispered and she closed her eyes as if in absolute relief, "Thank you, God!"

"We can't rescue him now. We'll have to go through the mirror and get reinforcements," Jack said as he wandered to the slightly damaged door and pushed it shut, and placing a crate in front of it. As he said the word 'mirror', he made a mental note to kick himself later. Sam's face fell and Jack saw fresh tears welling in her already bloodshot eyes.

"We'll get her back I promise!" said Jack tenderly as she began to cry hopelessly and moved back to her. He tried to comfort her by staring into her pale, blue eyes, as he spoke softly, "It's OK. She's safe. You got her through, Sam. You did great."

"Yes, but she could have gone anywhere. I sent her to the first reality that didn't have Jaffa strolling around, but it doesn't mean she's safe," she sobbed as she realised something, "What if we can't fix the mirror? We'll never see her again."

"We'll fix it and get Hannah back. We'll get reinforcements and save Teal'c and then we're gonna save Earth. We can do it, I know we can."

ÅÅÅ

As Hannah opened her eyes, she glanced at the man sitting next to her, reading a very large book and muttering to himself. Though her eyesight was slightly blurred momentarily she could make out the glasses, and the hair

"Danyel" He immediately looked up and his lips curved into a familiar smile, "Daddy sed you waz in Neeyew York."

"No, I'm here, aren't I?" He said still smiling. The child was endearing, unlike her father, and Daniel couldn't help feeling the child was very important to him even though he wasn't a blood relative and, in fact, he'd never even spoken to her before! There was something about her that made Daniel care about her. Daniel stared at the child and decided it was the way she sucked her thumb when she slept and her tiny button nose that wiggled when she snored softly.

"Where iz I?" She looked around confused, "Iz I ill?"

"No, you're not. Just very tired. You needed to have a nice long nap and now you're all better. Do you feel ill?"

Hannah shook her head as she continued to look around the strange room she was in, "This iz Auntee Janet and Mommy hocspittal."

Daniel frowned slightly at her comment before her removed his glasses, "Yes. Janet works here. Have you been here before?"

Hannah giggled, "I iz always coming here. I iz always helping Mommy be a gud Doc'or when Daddy iz killing nasty Jaffies! I did help you when Teal'c hitted you with his Jaffie stick and made your eye go purple. I did hold the cold thingee, 'member?"

Daniel of course didn't, so instead he asked, "Jaffie? Do you mean Jaffa?"

Hannah nodded sadly, "Mommy getz sad when Daddy iz killin' nasty Jaffies, exsp... expec, eccspeciallee when he gets hurt," Hannah then grinned, "But he iz alwayz getting' bettur 'cos Mommy is a gud Doc'or!"

Daniel smiled slightly as he wondered if Hannah realised her Mom and Dad wouldn't be getting better this time. He sighed softly, "Yeah."

The girl was still smiling as she said, "Teal'c iz a gud Jaffie. Daddy sayed 'Teal'c iz the ownly Jaffie that don't wanna break my neck into a fousand pieces!'"

Daniel smiled at the mock-frowning child as she put on a low voice and glared at him with her dark brown eyes, the spitting image of her father, well except for the long blonde hair.

Hannah stopped frowning and spoke worried and confused, "Waz I dreaming'? I fought I seed Mommy and Daddy, but Mommy waz different. Her hayer waz all funny and she waz wearin' Daddy'z cloves."

"No, you weren't dreaming," he said chuckling at the girl's analogy. It then hit him that Jack and Sam had both asked him to wake them up if she even woke up momentarily.

"Where iz they, Danyel? In my dreem they went to getz angelz."

"What?" said Daniel staring at the little girl.

"They went to seed angelz," she said matter-of-factly, "To help and kill 'Poffis. Then they iz goin' to came and getz me from thiz alner... alne... anlert... alnertate reality."

Daniel gawped, "You know what an alternate reality is?"

"Ya fink!" she said grinning.

It was then Daniel heard the door open behind him. He turned in shock to see Jack walk into the Infirmary, rubbing his eyes. "I'll take over now, Daniel. You get some rest."

"Uh†Jack?"

Jack took his hands away from his sleep-ridden eyes. They fell upon the little girl wide-awake and sitting up in her bed. She was grinning inanely and she gasped happily when he saw her, "Daddy!"

She giggled as he just turned to Daniel then back to her, his mouth open slightly in surprise. He looked at Daniel and beckoned him over to him, a dangerous smile on his face that Daniel could interpret very well, "Daniel? A word."

Daniel got up and walked over to Jack who was frowning slightly. He placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder squeezing hard as he hissed, "Daniel! Why didn't you wake me?"

"I was just about to when you came in."

"Daddy, hav you and Mommy came to takez me home?" Hannah asked with childlike innocence.

Jack sighed and Daniel could see the pain in his friend's eyes, as his grip on Daniel's shoulder slackened and his hand fell down by his side. He cleared his throat nervously as he walked over to sit next to Hannah. The girl watched him expectantly with her big brown eyes and Jack could see the love in those eyes. She wasn't even his kid†as such! He sighed again. This was gonna be difficult!

"Daniel, go wake Carter up. I can't do this on my own."

Daniel left the room obediently and Hannah looked at Jack confused, "Daddy, what'z goin' on? Why iz you sad?"

He stared into her bemused, brown eyes and sighed. He didn't want to lie to her, but telling the truth was almost impossible.

"Let's just wait till Mommy gets here, OK?" he said forcing a small smile as Sam burst through the Infirmary door. He grimaced, "Perfect timing, as usual, Carter."

She looked around wondering what was happening, "Sir?"

Hannah looked from her Mommy to her Daddy nervously. Sam felt like kicking herself, she should have called him 'Jack', not 'Sir'. She pulled up a chair next to Jack's and automatically grasped his hand for comfort without thinking what she was doing. The minute she did it she thought he was going to look at her outraged and ask her what the hell she thought she was doing, but instead he looked at her surprised, but didn't take his hand away. Instead he squeezed it gently as Sam felt all the comfort transferred in his gaze. His brown eyes filled with something that Sam couldn't identify, but the expression was brief and soon disappeared. He gave her a soft smile as she turned to the child, about to explain.

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but Hannah got there first.

"They izn't comin' ere, iz they?" Sam gawped as the little girl spoke, "And you izn't them, iz you?"

Jack looked at Sam, who turned her face away from his stare, "No. No we're not."

"Thiz iz a alnertate reality'."

Sam stared at the child, "What!"

"A alnetate reality iz like a different flavour eyez cream. It'z still eyez cream, but inz ted of bein' Stwawberry, it'z Rocky Roadzez."

Jack stared at Hannah, "Carter, am I just imagining this, but did this child just explain an alternate reality to me better than you did?"

Sam automatically ignored him and said to Hannah, "Who explained alternate realities to you, Hannah?"

"Mommy did jus a'fore I come frew the mirror," she replied.

"Oh, OKâ€â€ Are you hungry?" Sam asked, trying to cover the awkward silence left by the little girl's remark.

Her face lit like a light bulb a huge and extremely familiar grin appearing, "Yeah, really. I asn't eated since pancakez thiz mornin'!"

Sam smiled at the girl, "Well the food here isn't great, but if you want you can come and eat with me?" Sam looked at Jack nervously, "Sir?"

"Yeah, sure! Why the hell not!" The little girl crawled out of the bed, grabbing Sam and Jack's hand. She was grinning from ear to ear, her smile making Sam's heart break.

"Come on then, Sweetie."

Sam looked up at Jack in surprise at his words. He looked equally surprised, but couldn't hide the warm smile on his face as he stared back at the small kid, clutching his much bigger hand with her own miniature digits. She giggled adorably and then jumped between them. Jack looked at her, a small chuckle also passing his lips.

They made there way to the Commissary, swinging the little girl between them. At the edge of the Commissary they saw Teal'c and Daniel sitting by a table. They both looked over as the three of them entered the room. In fact, so did everyone else. Jack could almost predict the rumours that would be flying around after this, but he didn't care. As Sam and Hannah walked over to the food counter to pick what they wanted, Jack went to sit next to Daniel.

"How is she?" Daniel asked.

"Hannah or Sam?" said Jack as he stretched and yawned. Daniel gave him a look. That Daniel look that was between curiosity and enlightenment.

"Since when have you called her 'Sam'?" Daniel asked. Jack chose not to answer that question and as Daniel refused to let it go they ended up staring at each other waiting for the other to budge. The small Commissary table was plunged into a most uncomfortable silence.

"Hannah O'Neill seems much improved," Teal'c commented, breaking the silence that the unanswered question had shrouded over the table. He had felt most discomforted by it. He had known about Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter's affection, but unlike his stubborn comrade had decided not to show his observations to either party in question.

Jack broke his staring match with Daniel and looked at the Jaffa with gratitude, "Yeah, she does. From what we know, she hasn't been getting sleep for a long time. Nightmares."

"Yeah," Daniel said joining into the conversation, "She was telling me about how... er... her Dad was always going off and 'killin' Jaffies'."

Jack and Teal'c looked at Daniel confused as they both said in unison, "Jaffies?"

"Uh... that's how she pronounces Jaffa," Daniel smiled, "I think it's kinda cute."

"Jaffies..." Jack murmured, "It has a ring to it. What do you think, Big Fella?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, "I do not believe that is the correct name for my species, O'Neill."

Daniel snorted slightly, "Young human children usually have trouble pronouncing words correctly. Hannah just can't pronounce Jaffa, Teal'c. I've noticed there are a few words like that. She is only four, but I suppose on Chulak children speak perfect from the moment they are born..."

"They do not, although many Jaffa have an extremely good vocabulary and diction in the span of three of your human years..."

"Sorry to break up your 'Our Kids are better than your Kids' discussion, but you were saying?" Jack said turning to Daniel.

"Oh yes. She told me how she used to come into the SGC. She knew the Infirmary saying it was where her Mom and Auntie Janet worked. She said when her Dad was 'killin' Jaffies' her Mom would bring her into work so she could help. I think in her reality... her Mom was a medical doctor."

"Well, there's something we've not seen before!"

"Yep. Well, I think her nightmares are mainly to do with her Dad 'killin' Jaffies'. She said when her Dad's not around her Mom gets sad. I'm assuming she gets sad too."

Jack sighed and then to detach the attention from his feelings he spoke to the Archaeologist, "Daniel, you're gonna have to stop calling the other us 'her Mom and Dad' and stop referring to going offworld as 'killin' Jaffies'! It's seriously disturbing!"

"Sorry."

Teal'c spoke in his usual low tone, "O'Neill is correct. It is likely Hannah O'Neill will be staying with us for a long period of time and if you are to continue to speak as you are... it will get extremely irritating."

Daniel frowned at Teal'c for a second before he gasped, "Oh Jack! I almost forgot! I found your baseball cap." Daniel rummaged in his bag and pulled out a tatty, dirty-white baseball cap, "It was lying in the middle of the corridor and I picked it up for you."

"Daniel, that's not mine."

"It is. See 'O'Neill'," he pointed to the name written on the inside, "This is your baseball cap."

"Daniel, my baseball cap is in my wardrobe at home. I haven't touched it in years," said Jack as Sam and Hannah joined them at the table. The little girl climbed onto Teal'c' lap. She grinned at the giant Chocolate Chip cookie on the plate in front of her. Jack chuckled as she licked her lip mischievously.

"You're spoiling her, Carter," he said to Sam before he noticed her place in front of herself an equally large Chocolate Chip cookie. Jack and Daniel laughed as they watched them eat their cookies with as much mess as possible.

It suddenly hit him how similar they were. He felt a pang in his heart. Hannah was an orphan, but they were her parents... in one way or another! Even though he wasn't technically her Dad, he felt it. The same feeling he'd felt when Charlie had been born. He couldn't explain it in words, but it was one of the best feelings he'd ever felt in his life. He had to admit Hannah was growing on him†God, he'd only known the Munchkin for just over 5 hours!

The little girl gasped all of a sudden as she saw the tattered cap in Daniel's hands, "Danyel! You iz findin' it for me!" Daniel just stared at the girl as she grinned widely, "Fank you! I fought I'd losted it for reverr!!"

"Well, that explains the identical hat!" Daniel said as he grinned at Jack. The girl picked it up and tried to put it on her head, Sam's cute 'I'm concentrating' frown appearing between her eyebrows making her tiny nose wrinkle. She was struggling and after a few seconds Sam took it off her and put it on Hannah's head.

The girls demolished their cookies and when they'd finished Sam and Daniel began laughing at the little girl with chocolate all around her cute mouth and covering her tiny fingers. Even Teal'c seemed amused. Jack couldn't stop grinning. That kid was touching a place in his heart that only a few people had ever touched. Hannah†Hannah O'Neill. His daughter. His heart swelled with joy at the thought. He was a Dad again, in some respects! He was her Dad!

Sam stood up grabbing the sticky hand, "Come on, Chocolate Face. Let's get you cleaned up," she said as she left for the toilets with the four-year-old waddling after her.

"Poor kid," Jack muttered as he stared after them. He got up and got a cup of coffee, stalling for a bit of time before returning and sitting down with Daniel and Teal'c again.

Daniel suddenly went back to his unanswered question, catching Jack completely off guard, "Since when have you called her 'Sam'?"

Jack gave Daniel a 'can't-you-just-drop-it-already' look as he felt his face go slightly red. This was not a question Jack wanted to answer. When Daniel didn't take the hint Jack muttered through gritted teeth, "Daniel... Drop. It. Now."

Daniel continued stubbornly, "Why?"

After a minute Jack said in an undertone, "You know why, Daniel," Teal'c raised his eyebrow quizzically. As Jack got up to leave, he saw Sam standing there with her eyebrows raised and Hannah propped firmly on her hip. She looked surprised†or shocked. Jack hoped she was just surprised!

She put the little girl down. She'd obviously heard. He walked around her and out of the Commissary as quickly as he could, hoping he was imagining all those faces turning to watch his exodus.

'Great' he thought, 'that's worth a Court Marshal!'

Jack decided to hide in his quarters and finish that report that was at least two months late. That way he wouldn't have to run into Carter again and he'd also have something to give the General, who would have his head if he didn't hand that report in soon.

Several hours later he finally finished the report. He stretched with a small groan. He looked at his watch. 1500hrs. He'd left the Commissary at about 1130hrs. Well at least the report was finally

Knock Knock Knock. There was a tap on the door. He recognised that tap anywhere! The voice followed muffled as the call was heard through the door, "Sir? Are you in here?" Carter. That was all he needed right now!

"Come in, Carter," he called out.

She opened the door and stepped inside. She was grinning mischievously, "Oh, its Carter now is it."

Jack turned back to his report embarrassed and said sharply, "Why are you here, Carter?"

"Janet's just checking Hannah over and then I was going to take her to the park. She wants you to come," she paused hesitantly, "and I wouldn't mind the company."

He turned to look at her. She was staring at her air force regulation boots awkwardly. He grinned. She wanted him to come just as much as Hannah. He felt a private joy at the thought and found his grin widening slightly, "I'll meet you in the car park in 15 minutes!"

ÅÅÅ

Sam leaned against the wall and threw the screwdriver across the room. It hit the concrete wall with a clang and fell to the floor. Jack turned from the mirror to stare at his wife. She was dangerous when she was in this kinda mood! Jack knew that from experience!

He spoke cautiously, "That's not going to get this fixed, you know."

She glared at him, but knew she wouldn't stay angry with him for long, "I know it's just we've tried everything and it just won't work! There isn't enough power left for it to work and until I find a power source it won't do anything."

Jack walked over and crouched down to talk to her, "What type of power source do you need?" She knew from the look in his eyes that he was going to go and find whatever she needed. He'd already managed to smuggle screwdrivers and other instruments from the lab just down the hall.

"Well, the mirror seems not to be of Goa'uld origin, but it's letting out a faint radiation. I think it runs on Naquidah," she said slightly shifting her position as she scanned the mirror with her radiation sensor doohickey.

He sat there in front of her, thinking hard. His forehead was creased with a frown. He looked up at her, "Doesn't most Goa'uld technology contain Naquidah?" There was something in the depths of his eyes that meant he had thought of something.

"Yes... Jack?"

Before she was even able to ask why, he went over to the body of Apophis lying near the door. He bent down, poked Apophis once and flinched as he murmured, "He's as cold as stone. Just wanted to check he was dead." He crouched down by the Goa'uld and picked the shielding device from the lifeless forearm. He took it over to Sam. She immediately checked it with her sensor. "Naquidah radiation?" He asked hopefully. It was so simple and yet she never would have thought of it!

"Yeah, loads of it!" She almost laughed, but winced from the pain in her side.

"You better have a rest, Superwoman," He said concerned, "You can go back to saving the world tomorrow." She looked worried and glanced up at the door nervously. He added, "I'll keep watch. No 'Nastee Jaffies' are coming in here! No way in Hell!"

She smiled slightly as her husband mimicked their little girl. She sighed, "Alright," she said as she laid her head down on Jack's screwed up jacket. He smiled at her as she mumbled, "Night Baby."

"Sweet dreams, Honey," he whispered as she snorted gently. She grinned as she closed her eyes and felt him press a soft kiss to her temple. She sighed softly and tried to clear her mind so she could get some much-needed sleep.

Å

The next morning, Sam had woken up and gone straight to work on the device. She'd been working for at least two hours and Jack was getting bored.

One thing that annoyed him was the fact he didn't understand a word that came out of her mouth. She had a PHD in Astrophysics, as well as whatever degrees and stuff she had in Human Biology and†other 'Doctor Stuff'! Whatever she said to him made no sense and she'd have to explain it at least twice before he even got the gist of whatever she was babbling on about. And another thing! He felt useless! There was nothing he could do except sit there! He didn't know how to work the damn thing, let alone fix it! Jack O'Neill couldn't even work a VCR, but then again nor could half the population!

"Can I help at all?" he asked Sam as he crawled over to her.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to concentrate," she said pointedly.

"So, I'm distracting, am I?" Jack said wiggling his eyebrows making Sam giggle slightly.

"Don't get too full of yourself, Flyboy! I just can't stand watching you sit there... fidgeting."

Jack glared, "I do not fidget... much."

Sam smiled sympathetically, "You can go and check if there are any Jaffa waiting outside." She saw the put-out expression on his face and kissed him on the cheek apologetically.

"Yes, Ma'am," he grinned enthusiastically as he jumped up and walked to the door. Sam picked up the mirror remote and pressed the 'On' button. To her surprise the mirror lit up! She looked at the back of the mirror. She realised the screwdriver she'd left wedged between the Naquidah power source and the actually was acting as a conductor and letting the energy pass through! She looked at the mirror surface. The room flashed before her eyes, just as it had been when Hannah had gone through!

"Jack? Jack!"

"What is it?" he ran in the door worried.

"It's working!" She yelled. He ran to her. She laughed happily and thankfully as the image rippled slightly, "Oh Yes! We did it! Jack, we did it!"

"Is it still on the same reality?" He asked astonished as she almost began to cry joyfully and he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I don't know why it is, but yeah, I think it is! It looks exactly the same as where I left her!" Jack heard something and swivelled around. By the door were eight Jaffa standing, staffs raised menacingly! They all engaged their staffs as Sam muttered, "Holy Hannah!"

"Get down!" Jack yelled. He dived in front of her as a staff blast was aimed at her. He fell to the ground beside her. The Jaffa began shooting constantly, missing them by about inches. Jack had been shot in the back! Sam gasped, grabbing his arm and touched the mirror. She felt a jolt as they appeared on the other side and she hurriedly switched the mirror off.

ÅÅÅ

Yet more Author's notes: At this moment in time I am just trying to put as many of my stories into the 'Archived' folder so I can concentrate on writing the next chapter to a few instead of going over the older ones over and over again, trying to perfect them, which is an absolute waste of time as I generally don't do a lot! So the second part will be coming soon along with all the other next parts to stuff, which I apologise for. Please review this. It's one of my favourites and I love Hannah, both the real and the imaginary, to bits!!!