Author's note: This story will be taking place in mid March. Sam's two months from her due date. Any technology that I make up for this story is pretty much just made up, so if you're one of those people that understand the Stargate world technology better than I do, please don't review for the sole intent of correcting me on something technological. And don't forget, this is an AU, so it doesn't have to go the same direction that the show is going (thank goodness)

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything I didn't make up. I'm not making money off this story – or any others I write – and I'm not getting anything for it except for a lot of practice at typing. So don't sue me.

That said; here we go!

OOOOOOOOOOO

"I don't know, Sam… if the surge of power going through the couplings reaches a critical level before the protection grid kicks in the you're going to blow the entire-"

"It'll kick in, Ian," Sam assured the young man standing beside her in her lab. "All it takes to trigger it is a tril-"

"What are you two up to?"

Ian and Sam both turned at the sound of Jack's voice coming from the doorway of the room, and Sam smiled as he walked across the room, coming over to look at the device that was sitting on the table in front of them. Right beside him, an ever present shadow, was Jaffer, who regarded Ian and Sam cheerfully.

"Sam's going to blow the mountain sky high," Ian said in a conversational tone, giving Jack a nod by way of greeting.

"No I'm not," she said, shaking her head and pointing to a blinking light on the device. "The protection grid is going to keep any surge that might occur from overloading the-"

"Gah!"

She stopped at Jack's pained noise, and smiled when he raised his hands in defeat.

"Does Hammond know you're blowing the mountain up?"

She nodded.

"He knows we're working on this power source, and knows that if it works, we're going to be able to vastly increase the amount of-"

"Yes or no?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Have fun. When you're done, why don't we go get some lunch?"

"We're going to have to eat out," Ian said, poking a testing rod into a small slot on the device. "We'll probably find someplace in Montana that isn't blasted into smithereens."

Jack looked at Sam again.

"That big?"

She shrugged.

"It's not going to happen. There are plenty of protection overlays and couplings that will keep the device from overloading. We should-"

"But it could be that big?"

"Theoretically."

Jack frowned.

"It won't happen," Sam assured him. "Have I ever blown you up?"

"Well…"

"Almosts don't count."

"Then, no…"

"And I won't this time, either. It's a simple matter of-"

What it was a simple matter of, though, Jack didn't hear. Just then alarms went off around the base, causing all three of them to jump.

"Unscheduled offworld activation! Repeat! Unscheduled offworld activation! Security teams to the gate room!"

"Come on!"

Jack and Ian bolted for the door, both of them hesitating as they realized that Sam wasn't in any condition to race for the gate room at anything faster than a waddle. She scowled and waved them on.

"Go on, I'll be right behind you."

"Stay with Sam, Jaffer," Jack ordered the lab, who had headed for the door as well. At the command, though, the big dog stopped instantly, and looked over his shoulder at the Major, who was on her way to the door, too. It was Jack's way of making sure that she was protected – especially since you never knew what was coming through the gate at a time like this, and if it got past the security forces, it'd have to go through Jaffer to get to Sam.

She made it to the door just in time to see the two of them turning a corner at a full run.

"I used to be able to do that…" She muttered grumpily to the dog, who was trotting patiently beside her, intent on his job of guarding her and far too busy to answer her.

OOOOOOOOOO

"What's going on?" Jack asked Teal'c, who was already standing at the doorway to the gate room, his staff weapon in his hand and his eyes intent on the gate – although the alarms had been turned off. At his side was Jack, the yellow lab watching the gate, although he looked over and wagged his tail cheerfully to greet Jack and Ian.

"It is the Tok'ra." Teal'c said.

"We're sure?" Jack asked.

"Indeed."

Ian looked towards the Stargate as the iris was opened. He could already see that the Stargate was active behind it even as it opened. The Tok'ra, huh? He had yet to actually meet one of them – and was kind of excited at the possibility. Although he'd met the Jaffa – and liked them – he'd never met a Goa'uld. Even a friendly Goa'uld – as if that oxymoron could ever be used when referring to the Goa'uld.

"What do they want?" He asked, stepping into the room as Hammond came through the other door, emerging from the control room.

"They did not say," Teal'c answered, even though the question had been rhetorical. He and Jack moved over to the ramp with Hammond and Ian, although they made sure they were out of the line of fire of any of the big guns – just in case it was a trick of some sort.

The first figure emerged from the gate just then, catching the attention of everyone in the room. It was a young woman – she looked to be only a few years older than Ian – and dressed in the typical scanty clothing that the Tok'ra women seemed to enjoy wearing so much. Ian had to admit he didn't mind it at all, and his eyes followed her down the ramp as she came forward. This was a Tok'ra?

He was so intent on her, as a matter of fact, that he completely missed the arrival of the second figure until he was standing almost right beside the woman. Only then did he look up, and both he and the newcomer gasped in surprise.

Jacob Carter recovered first.

"Ian? What are you doing here?"

"Jacob?"

Hammond looked at both of them, surprised by the familiarity of the greeting.

"You two know each other?"

Jack smiled. Hammond hadn't been present at the Thanksgiving dinner where Ian and Jacob had last seen each other, and apparently Jacob hadn't mentioned that he knew Ian when he'd stayed with Hammond that evening.

"It's a small world, General," Jack told him.

"A lot smaller than I thought," Jacob said, looking at the cadet. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the academy?"

"What am I doing here? What the fu-"

"Dad."

Everyone turned when Sam spoke, her arrival heralded by the arrival of Jaffer as well, who joined Jack and the others quickly.

Jacob smiled; his brown eyes soft when he regarded his daughter – his very pregnant daughter. God, she looked so much like her mother had – and probably didn't even know it.

"Hey, Sammy." He said, moving down and giving her a hug – and he didn't care who saw it. "We found something you have got to see…"