This is the second to last chapter because, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can carry on with this story anymore. I hope you like this chapter. If you want anything explained, ask in a reveiw and I'll include it in the epilogue. Thank you for reading.
Jack ran into the gateroom only to jump back at the sight before him. Jack, being a General and accustomed the strange and weird wasn't one to jump at anything but this was beyond him. Sam barrelled into him as she came up behind, startled at his sudden stop. She glanced at him; his eyes were firmly fixed at what had come through the gate. There in the middle of the ramp was an unconscious Alex and a slightly singed Cian.
"What…" Jack started. "What just happened?" he said addressing the whole room as Daniel and Teal'c entered.
Cian was wide-eyed and as confused as the rest of them, feeling shocked at his current location. "She…uh…she wanted to kill everyone,"
"Alex?" Sam asked as Jack called for a med team on the intercom.
"No, this woman," Cian rushed, approaching them as nurses and Janet attended to Alex, placing her on a stretcher and whisking her out the doors. "Daniel! I think she was an ancient! She's been here since the beginning! Talking to me! She wanted to 'save' us by killing off possible hosts for the Goa'uld,"
"You said 'the beginning'?" Daniel asked. The former SG-1 regarded the chattering teenager carefully. So different from the quiet, reserved one they had grown to know and so much happier.
"Ever since Alex died," he said "I've noticed something wasn't quite right, it's why I stayed on at the SGC. I keep seeing things, hearing things. I thought I was crazy!" Tears of happiness came to his eyes and Jack smiled.
"Hey, that's great!" Jack said putting an arm over Cian's shoulders "The woman's gone right?"
"Yeah, burst into flames!"
"And Alex is going to be alright?"
Cian's features suddenly saddened and his grin disappeared. "I don't know, I don't know what happened,"
"Ok let's go and see, kids," Jack said leading the way to the infirmary.
When they got there, the infirmary had seemed to have calmed down. Alex was in a bed off to the left and Janet was the only Doctor hovering above her, double checking her vitals.
"I'm assuming the lack of panic means that she's ok?" Jack asked as he approached the petite Doctor.
"Yes, she's fine," Janet said slowly.
"But…" Jack prompted.
"But she should be awake, I can't find anything that indicates that she should be unconscious," Janet said "Brainwaves are active, no bumps or abrasions on the head or injury at all. She's just sleeping,"
"Sleeping?" Cian questioned coming to stand next to Jack. "Can we wake her?"
"You can try," Janet said as the rest of SG-1 positioned themselves around the bed to get a look.
"Aleeeex," Jack said in a sing song voice. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking in the strong infirmary light. "That's right, it was all a dream," he joked.
She glanced around at all her visitors with a confused expression.
"Where am I?"
"You're in the infirmary, Alex," Sam said gently.
"Am I sick?" she said her voice rising in fear or…maybe anger. Jack brow furrowed in confusion. "Where's my dog? Who are you people!" she shouted.
"Alex, calm down," Jack said, signalling for everyone to back off and give her some room. "Don't you remember?"
"I don't know you!" she shouted. "Remember what? Where's my dog?"
Janet rushed over to her side in full Doctor mode as her heart rate increased. "Shhh," she said "I'm Doctor Fraiser, you're fine. Your dog is safe in some kennels and will be returned to you as soon as you leave," Janet smiled and Alex nodded warily. The doctor then took the people from around the bedside and led them away.
"Sir," Janet said when they were a far enough distance away. "If she can't remember who all of us are it's possible that she still thinks she is living on the streets,"
Jack looked puzzled and hurt. "She's lost her memory? Will she get it back?" Sam took his hand to comfort him.
"I don't know, sir," Janet said. "Do you want to tell her what happened or will you go with base procedure and keep it classified?"
"Umm…" This can't be happening. He just talked to her earlier that day about all this stuff. "What will happen to her if we just let her go?"
"She'll go back to that orphanage then she'll be passed around from foster home to foster home until she runs away again," Cian said speaking up. Daniel looked distant and cold as his own memories of his childhood clouded his head.
"I'm not gonna let that happen, Cian," Jack said.
"We have to tell her!" Cian said angrily.
"Think about it, Cian," Jack growled quietly. "After everything that little girl has gone through, would you really want to remember everything?"
Cian looked at Alex who was watching them carefully from across the room. She looked innocent and fidgety, wriggling in the cot she had been placed in and sniffing at the food presented to her. She looked younger. "No," he said. "But I'm not ready for her to be taken out of my life again,"
"Neither am I," Jack said sternly and walked over to Alex.
She squinted at him cautiously as he got nearer. "Hi," he said and held out his hand. She took it carefully and shook it.
"Hi,"
"My name's Jack," he said, then pointing to each person in turn "Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, Cian and you've already met the good Doctor,"
"Yeah," she said. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm meant to remember you guys, you all seem like wonderful people but I just want to get my dog and get outta here,"
"Where would you go?" he asked lightly.
"I've got somewhere," she shrugged indifferently.
"Oh no, I've heard that line before," Jack said, startling Alex. "You are going to stay with me until we can get you set up somewhere,"
"You?" she asked, astounded. "You would do that for me?"
"I have done that for you before, I don't see why I should stop," he smiled.
"Exactly how much memory am I missing?" she asked, then stopped to think. "Why aren't I coughing?"
Jack's smile faded at the memory of her hacking coughs that had terrified him all that time ago. "You're better," he said simply.
"Better?" she laughed "I'm better!"
"Yup, we took care of you," he said gesturing to the group. "And will continue to do so, if you let us,"
Tears of happiness filled Alex's eyes. "I'd...I'd like that," she said. "Thank you,"
Jack held out his hand to help her off the bed. She took it and he pulled her down, squeezing her hand lovingly. "Come on; let's go home, finally," he said and put an arm around Sam. "You coming Danny, T, Cian?"
"Sure Jack,"
"Indeed, O'Neill,"
Cian just nodded.
"Now," said Jack sternly. "If I remember correctly, we need to re-educate this young lady in the ways of the Simpsons,"
"That cartoon show with the yellow people?" she asked confused.
"That's the one,"
FIN
Don't worry, there will be an epilogue and probably a sequel when I can be bothered.