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The SGC buzzed with tension, its atmosphere thick with the weight of an impending storm—the soft hum of computers blended with the hurried footsteps of airmen moving through the corridors. Every monitor in the control room displayed orbital scans of Goa'uld ships on the solar system's edge, their positions eerily static, as though waiting for a signal to strike.Sam Carter stood at her old station, her face illuminated by the green glow of the screen. She adjusted Benjamin, her three-month-old son, strapped securely against her chest. He slept soundly, oblivious to the undercurrent of dread that rippled through the room. Sam’s heart ached as she glanced at him, her protective instincts warring with the overwhelming duty to protect the SGC.“Colonel Carter,” General Landry’s voice boomed across the control room, snapping her out of her thoughts. He stood at the briefing table above, his expression grim. “Any changes on those ships?”Sam straightened. ‘No, Sir. They’re still holding positions beyond the Kuiper Belt. It’s almost as if they’re waiting for a signal… to attack.”Landry frowned, his gaze sweeping across the control room. “We’re not waiting for them to make the first move. Prepare for a full lockdown. I want every defense measure in place. This isn’t a drill, people.”Sam nodded, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she reinforced security protocols. The Iris was locked, the base’s drones were armed, and the Stargate’s self-destruct mechanism had been calibrated down to the millisecond. Yet, a gnawing unease twisted in her stomach.Her mind flickered briefly to the quantum mirror, locked away in Nevada. General Hammond had ordered it destroyed years ago, but Sam had convinced him to let her secure it instead, just in case. Now, she wondered if that moment of defiance might be their last hope.“SG-1,” Landry continued, “assemble in the briefing room. “Carter, bring your son if you need to, but I also need you there.”Sam adjusted Benjamin’s position in the baby carrier, her hand brushing his soft cheek as he let out a faint whimper. His tiny hand reached for her collar, clutching weakly at the fabric. The faint rise and fall of his chest grounded her, but the thought of bringing him into this chaos twisted her stomach. It wasn’t often she joined these briefings anymore—at least not as a full-time member of SG-1. Her heart twinged at the thought, but she quickly pushed it aside. There was no time for reflection, not when the Goa’uld loomed at the solar system's edge.Life had changed so much.Once, she would have stood at the front lines with her team, fearless and unrelenting. But motherhood had redefined her battles, forcing her to navigate a delicate balance between duty to her family and the world that still counted on her expertise. It wasn’t an easy choice—not by a long shot.And yet, every decision that brought her here had been deliberate. Jack had fought for their life together. She could still see the fire in his eyes when he’d faced the President, refusing the job unless they could marry. She left SG-1, transitioned to working at the Pentagon under General Vidrine, and watched from afar as her team continued to face enemies she had once fought beside them. Now, none of it mattered. The Goa’uld loomed over Earth’s edge, and she had a son to protect. And fight they had—Daniel, Teal’c, Cam, and even Vala, facing the Goa’uld after the Replicators had been defeated. Sam had stayed involved, consulting on strategy, technology, and defense systems. Her brain had remained one of Earth’s greatest assets, but her heart had been torn. Jack had told her more than once that she didn’t have to prove anything anymore—that her legacy was already written. But walking away had been more complex than she’d let him see.Standing in the SGC control room, everything felt familiar and alien. The tension was palpable, and the atmosphere charged with an unease that reminded her of countless past missions. But this time, things were different. She wasn’t just Samantha Carter O’Neill, astrophysicist and Air Force officer. She was a mother. And the stakes had never been higher.Her thoughts returned to the present as Landry’s voice echoed through the intercom again. “SG-1 and Colonel Carter to the briefing room. Now.”Sam swallowed hard, a surge of emotion tightening her chest. She hated bringing Benji into the base's chaos but had no choice. Cradling her son protectively, she nodded to herself, her resolve firm.She turned toward the briefing room, her mind racing with possibilities. When Sam stepped inside, the atmosphere in the briefing room was heavy. Daniel was already seated with a stack of files in front of him, while Teal’c stood at his usual position near the window, his expression unreadable. Cameron Mitchell leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tightly as he stared at the screen displaying the ominously still Goa’uld fleet beyond the Kuiper Belt. Vala lounged in her chair, though her lighthearted demeanor didn’t mask the sharp intelligence in her eyes.General Landry stood at the head of the table, his commanding presence impossible to ignore. His gaze immediately fell on Sam as she entered, and for a moment, his expression softened at the sight of Benjamin nestled against her. The warmth vanished quickly, replaced by the focused intensity of a man juggling an impending crisis.“Glad you could join us, Colonel,” Landry said, his tone firm but not unkind. “Before we get into strategies, I need an update. Have we heard anything from our allies?”Sam hesitated for a brief second before shaking her head. “No, Sir. We’ve sent distress signals to the Asgard, the Tok’ra, and even the Nox. Nothing. Total silence.”Landry’s jaw tightened. “Not even the Tok’ra?”“No, Sir. It’s as if the universe itself has written us off. The Tollan at least responded, but they bluntly told us they could not assist. And the Furlings... well, they continue to be as mysterious as ever.”A heavy silence settled over the room. Even Vala’s usual smirk was absent as everyone processed what that meant.“So, we’re on our own,” Cameron said grimly, running a hand through his hair. “Great.”Daniel exhaled, rubbing his temples. “If none of them respond, it could mean a few things. Either they’re dealing with their crises, or…”“Or they know what’s coming,” Teal’c finished, his voice steady yet foreboding.Landry straightened, his expression hardening. “Then we proceed under the assumption that help is not coming. Let’s focus on what we do know.”Sam glanced at the screen displaying the Goa’uld fleet, her brow furrowed. “Sir, we’ve been monitoring their positions and frequencies since they entered the system. But we haven’t intercepted any communications or detected energy signatures consistent with ship-to-ship transmissions.”Landry’s frown deepened. “None at all?”She shook her head. “It’s as though they’re communicating in a way we can’t detect—or they don’t need to. That level of coordination is... concerning. It implies they’ve either advanced far beyond our understanding or found a way to circumvent conventional technology.”Cameron crossed his arms, his tone skeptical. “So, you’re saying they’re outmaneuvering us with stealth tech? Again?”Sam bit her lip. “If they’ve found a way to coordinate without detectable signals, it’s beyond anything we’ve faced. It could mean…”Daniel said, his voice tinged with worry “…they’ve evolved. Adapted to counter us.”He flipped through a file, looking at the information they had about the System Lords.“If they’ve adapted their tactics to account for our defenses, it will be harder to predict their moves. The System Lords have never been this coordinated. If this is an attack, it will be worse than anything we’ve seen.”Teal’c sat on the end of the table, his staff weapon at his side.“Indeed. Such unity among the System Lords is unprecedented. If this is true, their ambition will be limitless.”The conversation continued around her, but she found herself momentarily distracted by the weight of the situation. This wasn’t just about Earth’s survival but about ensuring her son's future.Landry’s voice pulled her back to the present.“First, I’m going to order a full lockdown,” he informed them. “We’ll stay and hold the line if this becomes an assault. Carter, I’ll need you to work closely with Harriman and the control room to monitor for any changes. I want to know if there’s even a hint of movement from those ships.”“Yes, Sir,” Sam replied, her voice steady as she pushed her thoughts aside. Duty always came first. It had to.Landry raised his voice. “Besides, we’ve been outmaneuvered before and come out stronger. Let’s not forget who took down the Replicators. Focus on what we can control. Carter, keep monitoring for any changes. Mitchell, keep your team ready.”Cameron also nodded. “Understood, General.”“Dismissed.” He left the room, leaving them alone.The sense of unease remained thick and suffocating. Earth was alone. And whatever came next—they’d have to face it without help.As Sam adjusted the carrier holding her son, Vala added, “Not to sound insensitive, darling, but shouldn’t you and the little one be somewhere safer?”Cameron glanced at Benji, his expression softening momentarily before hardening again.“She’s right, you shouldn’t even be here, Carter. Not with him.”“I’m not leaving,” Sam said firmly. “I’ve reinforced every system we have. If this base is attacked, I need to be here.”“Sam, this isn’t just about you,” Vala snapped, her voice sharper than usual. “You have a kid now. If you go down, he goes down too. You willing to risk that?”Sam clenched her jaw, forcing herself to breathe. Every instinct screamed to run—to shield Benji from this nightmare—but duty had always come first. Could she afford that now?She opened her mouth to argue, but the alarms blaring cut her off. The klaxon filled the air, sending a chill down everyone’s spine.“Unscheduled off-world activation!” Sergeant Harriman’s voice rang out over the intercom. “It’s the Goa’uld!”Everyone froze for a moment, the weight of the situation settling in. Then, without another word, they surged into motion, heading straight for the control room.As the alarms blared and the SGC scrambled to prepare for an impending assault far above the planet, the Goa’uld convened aboard their mothership to finalize the first strike. The grand chamber of the Supreme System Lord’s mothership radiated power and menace. The vast hall was dimly lit, save for the glow of an intricate holographic projection displaying Earth’s solar system. Around the central dais, six System Lords sat upon ornate thrones, their positions reflecting their rank and influence. Bastet’s feline eyes gleamed as she lounged gracefully on her onyx throne, her presence regal yet predatory. Beside her, Ba’al leaned back with an infuriating smirk, absentmindedly spinning a small, glowing orb between his fingers. Kali sat rigid, her expression set in a fierce scowl, while Morrigan’s sly smile hinted at schemes yet to unfold. Olokun remained impassive, his dark eyes betraying no emotion. Yu, ever composed, gazed impassively at the central hologram, his age-worn features exuding a quiet, measured authority.At the head of the chamber, shrouded in shadow, sat the Supreme System Lord. The weight of his presence alone stifled conversation, his golden eyes faintly visible through the gloom. His silence was not that of contemplation—it was that of expectation, and none among them dared to break it.Finally, Bastet spoke, her voice like silk wrapped around steel. "The Tau’ri’s arrogance is an affront that cannot stand. They have undone our dominion, shattered our fleets, and defied our will at every turn. This... defiance must be met with annihilation."Kali scoffed. "They are a plague that has been left unchecked for too long. The foolish Jaffa who turned against us look to them as saviors. If the Tau’ri fall, so too does their so-called rebellion."Morrigan’s voice was smooth but laced with malice. "Then we shall erase them. Reduce their world to dust and let their ashes serve as a warning to all who dare resist the rule of gods."Yu inclined his head slightly. "A coordinated strike is wise. But we must ensure it is absolute. The Asgard are weakened, yet still a threat. The Tok’ra are scattered but not extinguished. We must consider—"A low chuckle interrupted him.Ba’al leaned forward, steepling his fingers, his smirk widening. "Now, now, let’s not be too hasty. The Tau’ri are infuriatingly persistent. Believe me, I speak from extensive personal experience."Kali shot him an irritated glare. "Speak plainly, Ba’al."Ba’al sighed theatrically, spreading his arms. "Fine. I have personally executed Jack O’Neill more times than I care to count. I’ve imprisoned him, tortured him, tracked him across the galaxy—once, I even had to resort to cloning myself just to stay alive."Yu exhaled sharply. "Thirty-six times."Ba’al shot him a look. "Really, Yu? You keep a tally?" He shook his head in amusement before waving a hand dismissively. "My point is that O’Neill and his team have a particularly annoying habit of escaping impossible situations. Just when you think you’ve eliminated them, another SG-1 shows up to ruin everything. It’s almost as if the universe is manufacturing them just to spite me."Bastet’s lips curled in disdain. "You speak of them as if they are more than what they are—mortal insects."Ba’al gave a mock bow. "Ah, but even the smallest insect can ruin a feast. And this particular group? Well, they’ve turned exterminating Goa’uld into an art form. I, for one, find it admirable—in a deeply aggravating way, of course."A heavy silence fell as the Supreme System Lord finally shifted, his golden eyes narrowing. The air in the chamber seemed to tighten as if the very presence of the Harbinger of Eternal Dominion pressed upon them. His voice was a deep, resonant growl when he spoke, reverberating through the chamber like distant thunder."Enough."The weight of that single word silenced even Ba’al’s amusement. The Supreme System Lord slowly rose, stepping forward into the dim light. His dark, intricately adorned armor gleamed faintly, its design unlike anything the Goa’uld had seen before—ominous, ancient, and absolute."Earth has defied us for too long," he continued, his voice cold and measured. "They have destroyed our fleets, annihilated our kin, and dared to challenge the divine order. No more."He gestured to the hologram, which shifted to display the system-wide deployment of Ha’tak ships. Squadrons of death gliders swarmed like locusts over Earth’s cities, targeting military installations and strongholds."This time, we do not toy with them. We do not rule them. We eradicate them. There will be no retreat. No surrender. The Tau’ri will be wiped from existence, and their world will burn as a testament to our eternal dominion."The System Lords inclined their heads in acknowledgment, though Ba’al’s smirk had returned—albeit smaller now. He leaned back in his throne, idly adjusting the cuffs of his ornate armor."Well," he muttered, "I suppose it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to kill O’Neill. But fine—one extermination order coming right up."One by one, the System Lords departed, their ornate thrones left vacant as they returned to their respective ships. Only the Supreme System Lord remained, his golden eyes burning with unrelenting resolve. He raised a hand toward the holographic display, his voice a whisper of doom.“Begin the attack.”The hologram dissolved.Alone on his mothership, the Supreme System Lord stood, his gaze unyielding as he stared into the void of space. A faint smile played on his lips as he whispered, “Let the silence begin.”On Earth, alarms shrieked across bases worldwide. Generals shouted orders. Satellites blinked out as enemy ships eclipsed the sky.The Goa’uld fleet moved. And Earth’s fate was sealed. In Low-Earth Orbit at Planetary Observation Post Echo-5, SG-14’s Major Timberland stood frozen at the viewport.“Mother of God…”His breath fogged against the reinforced glass as the first wave of Ha’tak ships broke through Earth’s upper atmosphere. The observation post—one of several covert Earth defense stations—had maintained radio silence since the Goa’uld fleet had entered the solar system. Now, their worst fears had materialized.The sky ripped open. Fire trailed behind the descending warships like dying embers, their sleek forms casting monstrous shadows against the cloud cover. Plasma bolts rained down before the ships had even fully descended, striking military installations, power grids, and communication centers in a horrifyingly synchronized assault.“The Pentagon’s hit,” whispered Captain DeLuca, her fingers digging into the console. “NORAD’s going dark—Jesus, they’re hitting everything at once.”“D.C. is gone,” Sergeant Wells choked out, eyes wide as he processed the data flashing across his screen. “Thermal scans confirm—there’s nothing left.”Timberland tore his gaze from the viewport, swallowing hard. “Send the message to Homeworld Security. There are no coded transmissions; send it. They need to know now.”“Sir, if we transmit, they’ll pinpoint our location,” DeLuca warned.Timberland exhaled sharply. “If we don’t, there won’t be a location to find.”A heartbeat later, the post’s long-range sensors picked up another reading. More ships—more than they’d accounted for—were appearing on the periphery of their scans. The fleet wasn’t just deploying warships. It was launching planetary suppression teams.Ground forces.Timberland turned back to the viewport just in time to see the first plumes of fire bloom across North America. Cities—entire landscapes—were being consumed in a single, coordinated strike.No warning. No demands. No mercy.“This isn’t an invasion,” DeLuca whispered. “It’s an extermination.”Timberland clenched his jaw. “Then let’s make sure someone survives to fight back.”He turned to issue the order, but before he could speak, the station lurched. Warning sirens blared, the power flickered, and the unmistakable whine of incoming weapons fire filled the air.They had been found.“Shields at twenty percent—incoming fire!” Wells shouted.Timberland barely had time to register the impact before the hull screamed in protest. The last thing he saw was the blinding light of an energy blast ripping through the station’s viewport, swallowing them whole.
SGC - Gate Room – First Breach
The thump of something heavy slamming against the Iris reverberated through the control room. The SGC’s last line of defense, a foot-thick trinium barrier, was holding—for now."Unauthorized off-world activation!" Harriman shouted again, his fingers flying over the keyboard."Keep the Iris locked!" Landry ordered.Sam’s screen flashed warning after warning. The Stargate was being forcefully dialed from the other side, overriding codes flooding the system at an alarming rate."They’re using a brute force hack—" Sam’s voice was tight with urgency. "It’s a level of computational power we haven’t seen before!"Harriman’s hands flew over his console.‘It’s an override code—no, multiple codes,’ Harriman said, his voice tight. “They must have intercepted our encryption protocols during a previous breach.”Landry’s face turned grim, and his voice cut through the chaos.“Carter, connect to Homeworld Security. I need to know the status of the rest of the planet. Now!”Sam’s hands trembled as she opened the communications system, establishing a direct line to Washington, D.C. The room fell silent, save for the mechanical hum of the gate. After a few moments, the connection crackled to life.“This is Colonel Samantha Carter, Stargate Command. Homeworld Security, do you copy?”A strained voice replied, barely audible over the static.“Colonel Carter, this is Major Andrews at Homeworld Security. We—” The line crackled, cutting out briefly. “—attack… D.C. leveled. No survivors.”Sam froze, her blood running cold. “Repeat that,” she demanded, gripping the console. The sheer speed of the attack was staggering—hours, maybe less.“D.C. has been destroyed,” Andrews confirmed, his voice heavy with grief. “The Goa’uld hit it first. The White House, the Pentagon—everything’s gone. I’m sorry.”A terrible silence fell over the control room.The invasion had already succeeded.Sam’s knees buckled, and she gripped the console for support. The words felt distant, surreal. Daniel sank into a chair, his head in his hands.“D.C. is gone,” he whispered, as though saying it out loud made it real.Landry’s voice jolted them back to the present before she could process the loss.“Carter!” he barked. “Focus! We need to hold the line.”Sam clenched her jaw. "Then we need to—"Daniel was saying something, but Sam only half-heard him. Her mind was already running calculations—weapon yields, enemy fleet sizes, Jack’s—Jack’s orders. That was what she needed. His instinct, his experience. He would—No. Not this time. There was no Jack O’Neill to turn to—only her.The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. She had spent so many years in high-stakes situations with him at her side that her brain had instinctively reached for his presence and leadership. She had forgotten that she was alone in this for a fraction of a second.D.C. was gone. Jack was gone.Her fingers trembled on the keyboard, just for a second. She forced herself to breathe, blinking hard as she refocused on the screen before her. She didn’t have time to grieve. Not now.Sam nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.“Understood, Sir,” she said hoarsely, her fingers flying across the keyboard to reinforce the base’s defenses. “Reinforcing the Iris and security protocols now.”Landry’s face hardened as he barked orders.“If they’ve already taken D.C., the SGC is next. I want every defense measure in place. No mistakes, people!”A fresh impact shook the facility. And then—The Iris vanished."What the—?" Mitchell barely had time to react.A whining hum filled the room, the familiar energy of a transport ring activation roaring to life."They bypassed the Iris," Sam realized, horror settling in. "They’re coming in through—"A blinding pulse of light filled the Gate Room. A wave of armored Jaffa materialized in perfect formation, their staff weapons already raised."Contact in the Gate Room!" an airman screamed over the radio, but it was already too late.The first volley of staff fire cut through the defenders like paper. The security team returned fire, but more Jaffa appeared in successive waves, their transport rings cycling in and out every few seconds. Earth’s last bastion was already crumbling."We’re losing the Gate Room!" a desperate voice crackled over the intercom. "They’re—"The line went dead.Sam's screen flashed red: Level 28 compromised.
Control Room – System Failure
The muffled sound of gunfire from the Gate Room was getting closer.Sam’s hands flew across her console. The base-wide lockdown wasn’t responding. The Goa’uld’s override codes had infiltrated every primary system."General," she shouted. "They’re cutting through our security firewalls! We’ll lose access to the base entirely in—"The lights flickered.Then, the entire control room went dark."That’s not good," Daniel muttered.Backup generators kicked in a second later, but it was too late—the Jaffa had control of the base systems.The intercom crackled to life—but it wasn’t an SGC voice.A deep, inhumanly smooth voice spoke in Goa’uld."The reign of the Tau’ri ends today."A hiss of static.Then—The blast doors leading to the Control Room slammed open.Mitchell grabbed his sidearm. “They’re fucking inside.”Teal’c hefted his staff weapon, his gaze steely. “We must move.”"Cover!" Mitchell yelled, diving behind a console as the first staff blast burned through a control panel, sending sparks raining down.Sam’s console lit up with alerts, her fingers flying across the keyboard. “They’re targeting every major resistance center,” she said, her voice sharp. “This isn’t just an attack—it’s a coordinated annihilation!”“Tell us something we don’t know!” Mitchell shouted over the blare of alarms, firing his weapon as a Jaffa stormed into the control room.Teal’c fired instantly, dropping the lead Jaffa before he could raise his weapon.Landry had his sidearm out, barking orders. "Hold this damn position!"But they wouldn’t hold for long.As the gunfire continued, Sam barely registered the sight of Harriman’s lifeless body slumped over the console, his open eyes a stark warning of what was to come. The sharp sting of loss clawed at her chest, but survival instincts overrode her grief. Clutching Benji tighter against her chest, she shielded him as sparks erupted from a console nearby, raining down in molten light.A distant explosion rumbled through the base. One of the upper levels had just collapsed."We need to go!" Daniel ducked as another staff blast struck the wall inches from his head."Negative!" Landry snapped. "We hold this room as long as possible. Carter, what’s the status of the self-destruct?"Sam forced herself to focus. She could barely see through the smoke and emergency lights, but her fingers found the keyboard instinctively."Almost primed," she said. "But it has to be triggered manually."Landry’s jaw tightened. He already knew what that meant.“We can’t hold this much longer!” Daniel shouted, firing another shot as the Jaffa advanced through the shattered doorway. His usually steady hands were trembling, the tension weighing on every word.Sam’s eyes darted to the exits, her mind racing. The control room was collapsing into chaos—plasma blasts scorched walls and consoles, filling the air with acrid smoke and the blare of alarms. They had seconds, not minutes.Cameron fired a few shots around the corner, then ducked back. “They’re coming through every entry point!”Vala crouched beside him, reloading. “This feels like one of those times we should already be running.”Teal’c nodded. “Indeed.”A fresh explosion sent a wave of heat down the corridor, the force nearly knocking them off their feet.“Sam!” Daniel grabbed her shoulder, snapping her out of it.She hesitated for half a second—just long enough to glance back toward the control room, where the remaining officers still held their ground.“The elevators are out,” she said, her voice tight as she ducked a stray blast. “We’ll never make it through the main access corridor!”“The west hallway!” Landry barked, crouching behind a console as another staff blast nearly grazed him. He jammed a fresh magazine into his rifle, sweat streaking his face. “It’s our best shot to get to the emergency staircase. Move out, everyone!”She nodded sharply, pushing aside the crushing weight in her chest.She turned away from the console, control room, and life she’d once had and ran.
Landry’s Last Stand – The Final Order
They raced down the dimly lit access tunnel, alarms still wailing behind them. With each distant explosion, the walls shook. The corridors smelled like scorched metal and ozone. As they ran past a side corridor, Sam caught a glimpse of Reynolds—bloodied but still fighting, his sidearm flashing in the dim emergency lights.Then, the bulkhead doors slammed shut between them. His fate was sealed.Sam squeezed Benji tighter and kept running."West hallway!" Landry shouted, leading them through a side passage.Vala sprinted beside Sam, easily keeping pace despite the chaos around them. "You know, I usually enjoy dramatic, last-minute escapes, but this is a little much, even for me."Sam didn’t answer, focused on protecting Benji from the crossfire. His tiny face was pressed against her jacket, his whimpers barely audible over the alarms.Vala slowed slightly, glancing at them. The usual smirk tugged at her lips, but for once, there was no amusement behind it—just something unspoken, something that looked dangerously close to worry."You shouldn’t be here," Vala said quietly, barely audible over the gunfire behind them.Sam shot her a quick look but didn’t stop running. "Not really an option, Vala."Vala’s expression hardened, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she shifted her position slightly—closer to Sam, body angled just enough to act as a shield between her and the enemy behind them.Sam noticed.And for once, Vala didn’t make a joke about it.They reached a corner, ducking into temporary cover as Teal’c and Mitchell laid down suppressing fire. Daniel reloaded his weapon beside them, his hands shaking slightly.Vala adjusted her grip on her pistol, checking the clip for the third time in as many minutes."Not to sound overly sentimental in the middle of all this," she muttered, watching Sam adjust Benji’s blanket, "but I’d rather not lose the tiny, adorable one currently drooling on Sam’s jacket."She hesitated, then added, more quietly, "And I’d rather not have to carry a baby while dodging plasma fire. But I will if I have to."Vala lowered her voice. "You’ll get him out, Sam. You know that, right?"Sam swallowed her throat tight. "Yeah."Vala gave her a wink before peeking around the corner, raising her weapon. "Now, shall we?"And just like that, the moment was over.Vala was back to quipping, dodging plasma blasts like another Thursday. But Sam had seen it—the flicker of genuine concern behind the bravado, how she had positioned herself between Sam and danger without hesitation.It wasn’t just about the mission. It never had been.Vala wasn’t fighting for Earth. She was fighting for them.For family.The battle had reached every level of the SGC. The screams over the radio had fallen silent—too many frequencies had gone dead.Landry adjusted his grip on his weapon. "SG-1, you’re getting out of here."Sam whipped around. "General, if the self-destruct is manual, someone has to stay behind—""Exactly," he said firmly. "And that someone is me."Sam froze.Mitchell looked just as stunned. "Sir, you can’t—""I can, and I will," Landry interrupted. "This base is lost. You need to get that child to safety." His gaze flicked to Benji, a brief softness behind his stern exterior. "I won’t let the last of SG-1 die in this mountain."Mitchell’s fists clenched, but he knew an order when he heard one. He opened his mouth to reply—but Vala stepped forward first, defiance in her eyes."Well, that’s just not going to happen," she said. "If you think we’re leaving you behind, you haven’t been paying attention."Landry narrowed his eyes. "That’s an order, Vala.""Yeah, well, I’ve never been great at following orders." She lifted her weapon, checking the clip. "You’re not staying here alone. Cameron and I will hold the line with you."Mitchell sighed but stepped forward, standing tall beside her. "We can give you time, Sir, but we’re not leaving you behind. You set that self-destruct, and we’ll cover your six."Landry looked at them both, frustration warring with something close to pride."Fine," he muttered. Then, he turned to Teal’c and Daniel. "Get Sam and the kid out of here. That’s your priority now. Reach the emergency staircase and leave!”Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Teal’c firmly touched her shoulder. "We must go."Daniel nodded, his expression tight with determination. "We’ll get them to safety."Sam clenched her jaw, her heart hammering. She locked eyes with Mitchell, then Vala. They gave her small nods, and their decision was made. This was their fight.Her throat tightened, but she swallowed hard and turned away."Come on," Daniel urged.With a last glance back at Landry, Mitchell, and Vala standing their ground, Sam ran, Benji cradled tightly in her arms.Behind them, the battle raged on. The SGC was falling, just as D.C. had—and there was no stopping it.The hallway twisted sharply, its emergency lights flickering as smoke began to seep into the space. Behind them, the sounds of the battle grew fainter, but the echoes of Cameron’s shouted orders and Vala’s sharp retorts lingered in Sam’s mind.Teal’c suddenly raised a hand, signaling them to stop.“Jaffa ahead,” he said quietly, his voice like steel.Daniel’s jaw tightened. “How many?”“Three,” Teal’c replied, stepping closer to the corner. “I will deal with them. Colonel Carter, continue forward.”Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Teal’c’s expression left no room for argument.“Go. I will catch up.”Her grip on Benji tightened as she nodded reluctantly. “Be careful.”Teal’c inclined his head. “Always.”As Teal’c moved to confront the Jaffa, Sam and Daniel pushed forward, their footsteps quick but careful. The hallway stretched ahead, dimly lit and eerily silent save for the distant destruction echoes.“We’re almost there,” Daniel whispered, his voice both reassuring and strained.Sam didn’t respond; she focused solely on the emergency staircase ahead. Every step felt like a battle, every sound a potential threat. But she clung to one thought: they had to survive. For Benji. For Jack. For everyone who had already fallen.As they reached the staircase, Sam paused briefly to glance back, her chest tightening. Behind them, the hallway trembled as another explosion tore through the levels above.A final message came over the intercom.
“This is General Landry. Fly-Fight-Win. Godspeed.”
Then the speakers cut out.The staircase spiraled upward, the dim emergency lights casting long shadows along the walls. Sam’s legs burned as she climbed, her mind racing with calculations—how far to the surface? How long until the Jaffa caught up? Could they even make it out?Behind her, Daniel grunted as he struggled to keep up, his movements sluggish from exhaustion. “How many floors are we from the surface?”“Too many,” Sam replied grimly, her voice clipped as she pushed forward. “But we don’t have a choice.”A sudden crash echoed from below, followed by the unmistakable sound of staff blasts striking metal. The Jaffa had reached the staircase.“They’re right behind us!” Daniel hissed, glancing over his shoulder.“Keep going!” Sam snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll cover us!”Daniel hesitated, his brow furrowing in protest.“Daniel, go!” she repeated, her voice sharper this time. “You’re no good to me—or Benji—if we all get caught.”Reluctantly, he nodded and resumed climbing, his boots clanging against the metal steps.Sam turned, her pulse pounding as she crouched near the corner of the stairwell, her sidearm gripped tightly. She peeked down to see the faint glow of Jaffa helmets as they ascended, their guttural commands echoing up the shaft.Her aim was steady despite her racing heart. She fired two quick shots, one grazing the wall and the other striking the lead Jaffa square in the chest. The warrior collapsed, tumbling back down the stairs and taking another Jaffa in a clatter of armor.She didn’t wait to see the aftermath. Turning back, she bolted up the steps, breathing in sharp gasps.“Sam!” Daniel called from above, holding the door at the next landing open for her.She sprinted through the doorway, and Daniel slammed it shut behind her, throwing his weight against it as the distant shouts of the Jaffa grew louder.“That won’t hold them long,” he said, his voice grim.“It doesn’t have to,” Sam replied, scanning the hallway. The faint glow of the surface exit sign caught her eye at the far end of the corridor. “There! The surface door. We’re almost out.”The two broke into a run, their footsteps echoing through the corridor as they raced toward the exit.The door burst open behind them with a deafening clang, and Sam turned just in time to see Teal’c emerge, his staff weapon smoking. His expression was as calm and determined as ever.“I have delayed them,” he said, striding toward them with unshaken purpose. “But we must move quickly.”Sam’s shoulders sagged with relief briefly before the sound of approaching Jaffa snapped her back to the present.“Come on!” she shouted, leading toward the surface door.Teal’c fell in step behind them, his staff weapon held ready as they reached the exit. Sam pushed it open, the sudden rush of cold mountain air hitting her like a jolt.They emerged onto the rocky terrain outside the mountain, the parking lot visible in the distance through the haze of smoke and dust. They sprinted for it when the ground trembled faintly beneath their feet, the sounds of distant explosions rumbling like thunder. Sam knew they had made it just in time.The SGC was gone, and with it, the last semblance of hope for Earth.Cold mountain air rushed in, carrying the distant echoes of destruction.No time to mourn.They ran.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sam’s legs burned as she ran, her muscles screaming for relief, but she couldn’t stop—the bitter cold bit at her lungs with every breath. Ahead, Daniel sprinted, eyes wide with terror. Behind them, Teal’c covered their escape, every movement precise and calculated.The Mountain was lost. Everything they had fought for—gone. The tunnels that had once been a fortress of hope now crawled with Jaffa warriors. They had fought to the last, leaving only the dead behind. And now, survival wasn’t just about her. Benji depended on her.Daniel’s voice cut through the wind.“Sam, we have to move!”Sam barely felt the cold anymore. The shock had left her numb. Their calls for help had gone unanswered. No reinforcements. No rescue. Earth was alone.Outnumbered and outgunned, they had never stood a chance. The System Lords had done the unthinkable—united under a mysterious new leader. The assault had been swift and precise, leaving humanity in ruins.Ba’al, Bastet, Kali, Morrigan, Olokun, and Yu—names etched into Sam’s mind as harbingers of Earth’s doom. The alarms still echoed in her ears. The ground had trembled beneath their feet as Jaffa overran the last defenses. The fight had ended before it truly began.Daniel’s voice cut through the chaos.“Sam!” Daniel grabbed her arm. “Benji needs you. Let’s go!”She nodded, gripping the baby carrier tighter.“I’m with you,” she said, though her heart felt miles away. “Benji, shhh, it’s okay,” she whispered, feeling her son stir, his soft cries growing louder.“We need shelter—fast!” Daniel shouted, glancing around. A battered truck sat in the parking lot, one of the few vehicles still intact.They reached the truck, their breaths visible in the freezing air. Daniel tugged at the handles—locked. He cursed under his breath and crouched by the driver’s side window, peering inside. No keys. Of course not.“Stay here,” he said, sparing a glance at Sam. She huddled against the truck, cradling Benji, who let out soft, pitiful cries.Daniel pulled his jacket tighter and scanned the ground. Spotting a chunk of broken concrete, he grimaced. No time for finesse. He hefted the concrete and smashed it against the driver’s side window. Glass shattered. Benji wailed. Daniel winced.“Almost there,” he muttered, reaching in to unlock the door. He slid into the driver’s seat—and cursed again. No keys. His mind raced. Hot wiring couldn’t be that hard, right? Sam could probably do it in a second, but she was barely holding it together.Dropping to the floorboard, he yanked off the panel beneath the steering wheel, exposing wires. His frozen fingers fumbled with them. Strip. Twist. Spark. The truck roared to life.“Got it!”He tried for a joke—something about the Goa’uld invasion of Earth not being on his bucket list—but the words never quite made it out.Sam climbed in carefully, settling Benji against her chest. His cries softened but didn’t stop. Teal’c took the back seat, ever watchful. The parking lot was eerily empty. Their defenses had vanished.Daniel slammed the truck into gear, tires kicking up dust as they lurched forward.“We’ll need supplies soon,” Teal’c said. His voice was calm, but the urgency was clear.Sam clung to feeding Benji, her hands shaking as she coaxed him to drink. He turned his face away, whimpering.“Come on, sweetheart,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Just a little more.”Daniel glanced over. “We’re out, aren’t we?”Sam nodded, throat tight. “This is it. No formula. Almost no water.”Teal’c scanned the road ahead, his warrior instincts on high alert.“The Jaffa’s patrols are methodical. They will sweep this area soon. We must find supplies quickly—Benjamin cannot endure much longer.”He studied the landscape, noting the burn patterns from staff weapon fire. This attack had been unlike others—coordinated and relentless. He had seen this tactic before, but never on this scale. Someone was commanding the Jaffa with a precision beyond arrogance—someone new.Sam pressed a kiss to Benji’s head, blinking back tears. “We’ll find something,” she murmured. “We have to.”Daniel’s hands clenched the wheel. “One crisis at a time.”Miles of ruined highway passed in silence. Benji finally fell asleep. Daniel forced a small smile.“Benji seems pretty unfazed for a kid who just survived the end of the world.”Sam managed a tired chuckle. “Babies sleep through anything. Except hunger.”Teal’c, ever composed, studied Benji. “He does not wail in fear. Even now, he endures. He is a warrior.”Daniel exhaled, rubbing his temple. “Tell me that’s not just optimism talking.”Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “Benjamin is strong. He will endure.”Sam glanced between them, the weight of everything pressing down. “We all have to.”For a moment, warmth flickered in the truck—a slight reprieve against the crushing weight of loss.“If Benji takes after Teal’c, I might just feel safer,” Sam said, allowing herself a ghost of a smile.But reality set back in. They hadn’t just lost a battle. They had lost their home. And they had nearly 900 miles to go.“Area 51,” Sam murmured, more to herself than anyone else.Daniel glanced over. “The quantum mirror.”Sam nodded. Their last hope. Their only escape—if they could reach it before the Goa’uld found them.The radio crackled and then went silent. Sam stared at the dark horizon. The cities were burning, governments had fallen, and resistance was scattered. The fight was over.Except for Sam, there was no giving up. She had one reason to keep moving when all else had failed.Benji.She clutched him tighter, pushing away the sting of tears. Sam gritted her teeth, pushing away the ache in her chest. Jack should have been here—steady, unwavering. But she couldn’t afford to break. Not now. Not yet.The truck rattled over the highway, grief pressing down as smoke billowed from the lost mountain behind them. If not for Landry, Teal’c, Vala, Daniel, and Cameron pulling her away, she would have stayed too—stayed and died. And Jack… damn it, Jack. He had always been her anchor in the chaos. Now, he was just… gone.She exhaled, focusing on the road ahead. Survive first. Mourn later. Deep within the conquered SGC, the Goa’uld stood atop the command dais, his dark armor gleaming in the flickering light of dying control panels. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, mingling with the iron tang of blood that stained the floor beneath his boots—reports filtered in—whispers of failure, of prey escaping his grasp.One Jaffa stepped forward and knelt. “My Lord, they flee. Three survivors—one of them, the Shol’va.”The Goa’uld’s eyes flashed with cruel amusement.“Teal’c,” he murmured, savoring the name. “The traitor who defied his gods. A wound left to fester for too long.”He stepped closer to the kneeling Jaffa, tilting his chin with one ornate, clawed finger.“And the others?”“The Tau’ri, O Great One. The female warrior. And a child.”A slow smile curled his lips. “A child?” His voice dripped with mockery. “Then fate delivers them into my hands.”He turned sharply, his flowing robes whispering across the floor.“They seek to escape. To run like rats. But they forget that I am the storm. I am the fire that consumes worlds. Let them flee.”He raised a hand, gesturing toward his second-in-command. “Send the death squads. No mercy, no hesitation. And bring the child to me.”The Jaffa slammed his fist to his chest in salute before departing. The Goa’uld watched him go, then turned toward the viewing window.“Worlds have burned, empires crumbled. Yet the Tau’ri still believe they are special. That ends today.” As the truck sped toward the horizon, Benji stirred in his carrier, his tiny cries slicing through the silence. Sam dug into the baby bag, her hands shaking, pulling out a pacifier. Not now, she thought. Please, not now.”Daniel glanced at her, his face drawn but resolute. “They didn’t just hit D.C. Reports from the SGC said they targeted every major city—London, Beijing, Paris. This isn’t an invasion; it’s extermination.”Teal’c, ever vigilant, scanned the horizon. “Such coordination is unprecedented. The Goa’uld must have united under a single leader.”Sam’s jaw clenched. “Which means they won’t stop until there’s nothing left.”Sensing the tension rising again, Daniel glanced at Sam and quipped, “Their invasions may be precise, but let’s hope they can’t steer.”Teal’c raised an eyebrow, though a glimmer of amusement crossed his stoic expression."It is unlikely the Goa’uld possess such skills. Their arrogance would prevent them from mastering mundane tasks."Sam shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching despite herself."Great. So we’re betting on that to save humanity now?"The brief exchange felt like a spark in the dark, a much-needed reminder of their shared humor and humanity amid the chaos. As the truck sped toward Nevada, Sam’s mind stayed fixed on their mission. They had to survive. For Benji. For what little hope remained. As the truck continued its route, Sam focused on keeping Benji calm. She could still feel the tremors of the battle behind them. She adjusted the wrap every few minutes, her hands constantly patting his back in soothing motions. His soft gurgles and occasional coos seemed so out of place in the middle of their nightmare.Daniel glanced at her as they drove.“How’s he holding up?” he asked, his voice softer now that the immediate danger had passed.“Better than me,” Sam admitted, glancing at her son, his tiny hands clutching her uniform. He didn’t know the world wasn’t supposed to be like this. His trust in her was absolute—and she wouldn’t fail him.“We’ll stop when it’s safer,” Daniel promised, though they both knew that might not be for a while.Benji stirred, his cries cutting through the tense silence. Sam fumbled with the baby bag, pulling out a diaper. “Great timing, little guy,” she muttered, glancing out the window. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Please don’t let this be when we have to run.”“‘I’ll keep watch,’ Daniel said, his gaze flicking to the rearview mirror.Teal’c nodded silently, staff weapon ready.They drove for hours in silence—Daniel at the wheel, Sam tending to Benji, and Teal’c keeping a watchful eye from the back seat. The road stretched endlessly ahead, each mile marked by abandoned cars and the weight of everything they’d lost. When they finally crossed into Utah, the desolation felt even more complete, as though the world had gone still.“Sam,” Daniel spoke, his voice low but carrying an edge of concern, “you’re sure we can get to the quantum mirror? With Benji...?”“I have to,” Sam whispered, her gaze lowering to her son. “For him. If there’s any chance we can get to another reality where things aren’t like this...”Daniel nodded but kept his focus on the road. He didn’t need to ask what would happen if they didn’t make it. If the Goa’uld caught up with them—if Benji were taken—there was no point finishing that thought.Teal’c leaned forward slightly. “We will protect the child at all costs.”Sam felt a lump form in her throat. “Thank you, Teal’c.” Her voice wavered. “I... I don’t know what I’d do if...”Teal’c’s calm voice interrupted her. “There is no if, Samantha Carter. We will succeed.”For a brief moment, Sam allowed herself to hope. But the weight of her son against her chest kept her grounded. She had to keep going—for him.“We must remain focused, Samantha Carter. There is no time to grieve while the battle continues.”Sam nodded her throat tight, her voice barely a whisper. “I know.”She glanced out the window at the landscape as miles turned more rural, with rolling hills and torched farmlands. The quantum mirror at Area 51 was their only shot now—to leave this Earth behind and start over somewhere else. The clock was ticking. They had to make it. They had to survive.Sam kept her mind on the mission as the truck sped along the cracked highway, even as her heart ached with loss. There was nothing left to fight for here. They were headed for a new beginning or maybe just another battle.But first, they had to outrun death. The truck rattled along the fractured highway, skidding over cracks. Black smoke marked the twisted remains of cities against a scorched sky. Daniel’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror again, his grip tightening on the wheel.“We’re being watched,” he muttered.Teal’c, sitting in the back seat, turned his head slightly. His dark eyes scanned the horizon, his posture calm but alert.“The Jaffa are everywhere. Their patrols are efficient and methodical. They will find us if we do not proceed with caution.”Sam sat in the passenger seat, Benji cradled against her chest, his soft coos muffled by the carrier. Her eyes darted to the side mirror, catching the shimmer of something in the distance—movement, just out of focus.“We need to find cover. If they’ve set up checkpoints on this road, we’ll never reach Nevada.”Daniel nodded grimly, his eyes scanning for any sign of shelter.“If we’re lucky, they haven’t locked down the smaller towns yet. We might be able to—”An explosion erupted to their right, the shockwave rocking the truck violently. Benji wailed as the vehicle swerved, tires screeching on the uneven pavement. Daniel fought to regain control, his heart pounding as he jerked the wheel, narrowly avoiding a crater left by the blast.“Gliders!” Sam shouted, her voice sharp and panicked. She pointed to the sky, where two death gliders streaked overhead, their engines screaming as they circled back for another pass.“We’re exposed!” Daniel yelled.“Off the road!” Sam shouted.Teal’c pointed to a narrow dirt path. “There!”The truck bounced violently over the uneven dirt path, the suspension groaning with each jolt. Daniel gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white as his eyes darted between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. Every cloud of dust rising behind them felt like a signal to the enemy.What am I doing? The thought crept into his mind for the hundredth time. They were running blind, improvising every step. His academic training, his knack for puzzles—none of it prepared him for moments like this. Jack would’ve known what to do. Teal’c would’ve had a plan. Me? I’m just keeping the wheels turning.“Do you see anything?” Daniel asked, his voice tight with strain, though he doubted Teal’c would answer differently than before.“The Gliders have turned away for now,” Teal’c called back from the truck bed. “But their search will not cease. We are not yet safe.”Safe. The word lingered bitterly in Daniel’s mind. He glanced at Sam, cradling Benji in the passenger seat. Her pale face was drawn, her lips pressed tightly together, but the tension in her jaw betrayed her fear. The baby’s soft cries rose again, each cutting into the quiet like a needle.He doesn’t deserve this. None of us do. Daniel swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus on the road. But he’s just a baby. How do we save him when we can’t even save ourselves?Sam pressed Benji closer as the truck hit another bump. She whispered soothing words though her voice trembled. “It’s okay, baby,” she murmured, though she wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or herself.“We’re okay. We’re okay.”But they weren’t okay. They hadn’t been okay since this nightmare began. The memory of the explosion haunted her—how the shockwave had sent the truck skidding, how Benji’s terrified cries had pierced her heart. She had promised herself she’d keep him safe, no matter what. What kind of mother am I if I can’t even give him that?Daniel nodded grimly, his mind racing. Shelter. Water. Food. All the things a baby needs—and we have none of it. The faint hope he’d clung to felt like it was slipping away with each mile.“Anything? A place we can hide?” he asked again, desperation creeping into his tone.Teal’c pounded on the roof of the cab. “A house. To the west.”Daniel spotted the farmhouse just as Teal’c pointed it out—a crumbling structure leaning precariously at the base of a small hill. He yanked the wheel, the truck lurching off the dirt path. Please hold together. Just a little longer.The truck screeched to a stop behind the farmhouse, the engine sputtering as Daniel cut it off. The silence followed was deafening, broken only by Benji’s soft cries. Sam leaned back in her seat, her hands trembling as she held him close.Benji stirred in her arms, his tiny hands clutching at her sleeve as his soft whimpers broke the silence. Sam rocked him gently, her movements automatic, though her pulse pounded with each distant sound of boots crunching on gravel. He doesn’t know the world isn’t supposed to be like this. He trusts me to keep him safe, and I’m failing him.“We need to move,” Teal’c whispered, his staff weapon ready as he scanned the horizon.Sam shook her head, her voice trembling. “If we move now, he’ll cry again. They’ll hear us.”Daniel crouched beside her, his hand on her shoulder.“Sam, we don’t have a choice. If we stay—”“I know,” she cut him off, her voice tight. She pulled a small blanket from the carrier, tucking it around Benji as his cries softened. “Just… give me one second.”Teal got out of the truck, his eyes piercing their surroundings.“I’ll move ahead while Colonel Carter rests,” he offered.Daniel was about to protest, but Sam’s face and Benji’s whimpers made him nod.“We’ll stay here,” he said, his hands resting on his knees.Teal’c moved, putting some distance between them, and finally crouched behind the remains of a shattered transport vehicle. His gaze was locked onto the Jaffa patrol ahead, not very far from the road that led to the farmhouse where they were heading. Their obsidian armor gleamed, their crimson visors pulsing faintly.A group of humans, bound and bloodied, were forced to their knees in the center of the road.One Jaffa, taller than the rest, stepped forward, his voice like a grinding stone.“Kree, shol’va! Bow before your gods, and perhaps you will be spared.”A man, barely able to kneel from his injuries, spat onto the ground. “We have no gods.”The Jaffa’s lance weapon snapped up in an instant. The blast struck the man in the chest, sending him sprawling. A woman beside him let out a strangled cry.The leader turned to her, amusement in his voice. “Then you are free to join him.”The woman trembled but lifted her chin. “I am not afraid.”The Jaffa chuckled darkly before raising his hand. He uttered a single word— “Jaffa’kree.”Another warrior stepped forward, dragging a child from the line of captives. The boy, no older than five, sobbed as he was forced to his knees.Teal’c’s grip tightened on his staff weapon.The leader turned back to the woman. “You are afraid now.”She choked back a sob, her body trembling violently.Teal’c wanted to strike—his warrior’s heart demanded it. But there were too many. Engaging now would only ensure his death, leaving Daniel, Sam, and Benji vulnerable. He could do nothing but watch.A single shot echoed through the road.The screams of the remaining captives followed.Teal’c clenched his jaw, retreating into the shadows. There would be justice. But not today. He turned, scanning the path ahead. There was no time to linger—he had to move.The Jaffa patrol resumed their march toward the burning city, likely returning to where they had already been. Teal’c returned to Daniel, who sat with shallow breaths as Benji stirred in uneasy sleep. He chose to keep the horrors he had just witnessed—the Jaffa’s cruelty toward their prisoners—to himself.Sam exhaled, steeling herself. “Okay. I’m ready.”The farmhouse loomed ahead, its shattered windows and charred walls a reflection of everything she felt inside. This isn’t a home. It’s just another ruin. What am I supposed to do?Inside, the air was thick with decay and smoke. Daniel slumped against a wall, his head tipping back as he let out a shaky breath. We keep running. That’s all we do. But how much farther can we go before there’s nowhere left?Sam lowered herself onto the remains of a broken chair, gently rocking Benji. His cries softened, but his tiny face was red and scrunched, his body trembling. She kissed his forehead, murmuring, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”Daniel watched her, guilt twisting in his gut.“We’re going to find a way out of this,” he said softly, though the words felt hollow even as he told them. “For him. For all of us.”Sam nodded, but her gaze remained fixed on Benji. He deserves better. He deserves a world where he’s not hunted like prey.Teal’c stood motionless by the shattered window, eyes locked on the horizon.“The Jaffa will return. The journey ahead will be difficult.”“Difficult,” Daniel echoed with a humorless laugh. “That’s one word for it.”Sam didn’t respond. Her fingers traced the edge of Benji’s carrier, her mind spiraling through worst-case scenarios. What if we don’t make it? What if he doesn’t make it? If he dies because of me, how will I ever—She stopped herself, shaking the thought away as tears burned her eyes. No. He’s going to make it. He has to.Daniel wiped his eyes from the dust, his voice hoarse. “We need a new plan.”Teal’c was still keeping watch and looked at them. “We must move on foot before they track the vehicle.”Sam closed her eyes briefly, her exhaustion warring with her need to protect Benji.“We’ll move,” she said quietly, opening her eyes to meet Teal’c’s steady gaze. “But we have to be smarter. We can’t keep running blind.”Teal’c gave a solemn nod, his calm presence comforting amid the chaos.“Then we must rest while we can.”As night fell, the faint glow of fires on the horizon painted the ruins in shades of ash and crimson. The group huddled together in the farmhouse, each weighed down by fear, exhaustion, and the unrelenting knowledge that the Goa’uld were still hunting them. After a few precious hours of rest, the three moved cautiously through the rocky terrain, keeping low as they skirted the road's edges. Every step felt like a gamble, each rustle of the wind or distant sound a potential threat. As the group approached the outskirts of the town, Sam froze, her gaze locking onto the Jaffa patrolling the streets. These weren’t the warriors she was used to. Their armor gleamed like obsidian, intricate red glyphs pulsing faintly as though alive. The glow synchronized with their movements, giving the unsettling impression that the armor was an extension of their bodies.“Teal’c,” Sam whispered, adjusting Benji. “You recognize them?”Teal’c’s eyes narrowed. “No. This is something new.”A nearby Jaffa raised his lance. A burst of energy hummed through the air. A civilian collapsed without a sound.Daniel exhaled sharply. “They’re… different. No war cries. No posturing. Just execution.”Sam watched how their crimson visors swept the area, methodically and calculating. Not just soldiers—predators.“They’re sweeping for stragglers,” Teal’c said, his voice low and grim. “If we attempt to pass through the town, we will be detected.”“Then we go around,” Sam replied, tightening her hold on Benji as his small whimpers raced her pulse. “Whatever those things are, we’re not equipped to face them.”They slipped into the shadows, sticking to an overgrown ditch parallel to the road. The quiet was unnerving, broken only by the hum of the Jaffa’s lances and the faint crackle of distant fires. Sam caught a glimpse of the crimson glyphs on their armor glowing brighter as one Jaffa gave a subtle hand signal, the others shifting with uncanny precision.“They’re not just soldiers,” Daniel whispered, his voice trembling as he crouched behind a boulder. “They’re predators.”“Indeed,” Teal’c murmured. “And they are unlike any Jaffa I have encountered. Their silence is not a weakness—it is a strength,” Teal’c murmured, his grip tightening on his staff weapon. He had seen countless Jaffa in battle, but these warriors moved with a precision that unsettled him. Each step and gesture was calculated as machines rather than men. He could not shake the sense that they had transcended the traditions of the Jaffa he once led.She clutched Benji tightly, her breaths shallow as she willed him to stay quiet.Sam froze mid-step as the faint sound of boots crunching gravel echoed through the still air. She turned, spotting a group of Jaffa emerging from the treeline, their lances ready.“Down!” Daniel hissed, pulling Sam into the underbrush. Teal’c crouched beside them, his staff weapon poised.Benji stirred, letting out a soft cry that sent a jolt of panic through Sam. She pressed a hand over his carrier, whispering, “Shh, baby, please.” But his cries grew louder, piercing the silence.The nearest Jaffa turned, his helmet gleaming in the dim light. He sent an order, and the group began advancing.Teal’c didn’t hesitate. He stepped into the open, firing his staff weapon.“Run!” he shouted over the sound of blasts.Sam clutched Benji tightly, her heart pounding as Daniel tugged her arm.“Come on, Sam!” he urged, pulling her toward the cover of a rocky outcrop.Behind them, Teal’c held his ground, his weapon’s fiery bursts keeping the Jaffa at bay but with difficulty. Sam’s legs burned, her breaths ragged as she raced to safety. Benji stirred again, letting out a small whimper before falling silent. Sam adjusted the carrier, shielding his face from the faint smoke drifting through the air. Even in his sleep, his tiny fists curled tightly like bracing against the world.When they reached the outcrop, her entire body trembled with exhaustion and fear. Teal’c appeared moments later, his face stoic but his breathing heavy.“Their weapons are more advanced than my staff weapon. They will not stop searching,” he said grimly. “We must keep moving.”“This won’t work,” she whispered. “We need a vehicle.”“Agreed,” Teal’c said, his voice low. “We must reach the quantum mirror quickly.”As night fell, the group found temporary shelter in the ruins of a small farmhouse on the outskirts of another abandoned town. The air was thick with the stench of smoke, the distant glow of fires casting an eerie light over the horizon.Sam sat near a broken window, rocking Benji as she stared into the darkness. Her mind raced with thoughts of the Goa’uld patrols, the prisoners they’d seen, and the sheer scale of destruction. The Earth she had fought so hard to protect was gone, consumed by fire and fear.Daniel approached, sitting beside her. “You okay?”Sam nodded, though the weight of exhaustion and fear pressed heavily on her.“I just keep thinking… what kind of world is this for Benji? How can we raise a child in this?”Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression kind but resolute.“We’re going to get to Nevada. We’re going to get to the quantum mirror. And we’re going to find a better world for him. For all of us.”Sam nodded again, her gaze shifting to the horizon. Somewhere out there, the Goa’uld were hunting them. But for Benji, for the future, she knew they couldn’t stop. Not now. Morning broke with a blood-red sky, the faint glow of fires on the horizon painting the world in shades of ash and despair. The group huddled in the remnants of the farmhouse, stiff from a sleepless night and the gnawing hunger that now accompanied their thirst. Benjamin stirred against Sam's chest, his tiny cries weak from dehydration. Sam’s heart clenched; they were running out of time.“We really need water,” she said hoarsely, breaking the heavy silence. “He can’t go much longer without it.”Daniel, sitting cross-legged near the door, nodded grimly.“We’re all running on fumes, Sam. We need to move.”Teal’c, standing at the window with his staff weapon in hand, scanned the barren landscape. “There is a road to the west,” he said, his deep voice steady. “A truck passed through earlier. If we can find its tracks, it may lead us to supplies—or another vehicle.”Sam glanced down at Benji, his tiny fingers clutching at the edge of her shirt.“We’ll need to be careful. The Jaffa are everywhere.”Daniel stood and stretched, his movements slow and deliberate.“Careful doesn’t mean we sit here waiting to die. If there’s a truck out there, we’re taking it.”The three moved westward, sticking to the shadows and avoiding open roads. The land around them was eerily quiet except for the occasional fire crackle or the distant roar of a death glider patrolling the skies.When they reached the road Teal’c had mentioned, they crouched behind a line of burned-out cars. The vehicles were charred husks, their twisted frames still smoldering in places. Bodies littered the roadside, some slumped over steering wheels, others sprawled across the pavement. The stench of burnt flesh and fuel filled the air, making Sam gag as she clutched Benji.“God,” Daniel whispered, his voice cracking as his gaze swept over the scene. “These people… they didn’t even have a chance.”“No one did,” Sam replied, her tone hollow. “The Goa’uld coordinated their strikes too perfectly. They wanted to make sure no one could run.”Teal’c crouched beside them, his sharp eyes focused down the road.“There is movement ahead. Jaffa patrols.”Sam followed his gaze. In the distance, a truck sat idle near a checkpoint, flanked by two armored Jaffa. A group of terrified civilians was being forced into a line, their hands bound as they were marched toward a waiting glider.“They’re taking prisoners,” Daniel murmured, anger flashing in his eyes. “God knows what for.”Sam swallowed hard, trying to suppress the rising panic. She adjusted Benji in his carrier, his soft whimpers muffled by the fabric.“We can’t help them, Daniel. Not right now.”Daniel’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. “I know. But that truck… we need it.”Teal’c nodded in agreement.“I will provide cover. Daniel Jackson, you will retrieve the vehicle. Samantha Carter, you must remain hidden and protect the child.”Sam hesitated, torn between wanting to stay with Benji and the instinct to fight.“Be careful,” she said, her voice tight with fear.Daniel offered a grim smile. “You know me.” The plan was simple but perilous. Teal’c would draw the Jaffa’s attention, creating enough distraction for Daniel to slip past and hotwire the truck. Sam stayed crouched behind a pile of rubble, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched the scene unfold.The group exchanged tense nods. Teal’c was the first to move, his every step measured—a warrior unfazed by the specter of death. He raised his staff weapon and fired, the blast striking the nearest Jaffa and sending him sprawling. The remaining warrior turned, barking orders in Goa’uld as he returned fire.Daniel sprinted and ducked low in the truck's cab, his fingers trembling as he fumbled with the wires beneath the steering column. Sweat dripped down his temple, mixing with the grime smudging his glasses.“Come on,” he muttered, glancing out the cracked windshield. Teal’c stood his ground nearby, firing his staff weapon at the advancing Jaffa.Plasma bursts erupted around them, kicking up dirt and debris. One shot struck dangerously close to the truck’s front tire, leaving a smoking scar on the ground. Teal’c didn’t flinch, his movements precise as he aimed and fired, downing one of the attackers.“Hurry, Daniel Jackson!” Teal’c called over the chaos, his voice calm but firm.“I’m working on it!” Daniel snapped, his voice tight with frustration. He yanked two wires free and twisted them together. Sparks flew, and the engine sputtered but didn’t catch. “Damn it!” he hissed, slamming his hand against the dashboard.Outside, the remaining Jaffa regrouped, their crimson visors glowing like embers through the dust. One raised his lance, barking orders in Goa’uld. Daniel didn’t need a translation to understand—they were preparing to flank.“Come on, come on!” Daniel urged, gripping the wires again. The engine roared to life, coughing once before settling into a growl. “Yes!” Daniel exclaimed, relief flooding his voice. But the victory was short-lived.The truck lurched forward slightly, the tires spinning in the dirt before catching.The nearest Jaffa turned, his glowing visor snapping toward the truck. He barked another command, and a plasma bolt streaked past the windshield, narrowly missing Daniel’s head. He ducked instinctively, his heart pounding.“Teal’c!” he shouted. “Get Sam and Benji!”Teal’c turned and sprinted toward the rubble where Sam crouched, clutching Benji to her chest. The baby whimpered softly, his cries muffled by the carrier's fabric. Sam’s eyes were wide, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she pressed herself against the rocks.“Come!” Teal’c ordered, extending a hand.Sam hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding, her grip tightening on Benji.Teal’c shielded her with his body as they darted toward the truck. Plasma bursts struck the ground around them, the heat searing the air. Sam clutched Benji tightly, whispering reassurances as she ran. Her legs burned, every step like a battle against gravity, but she pushed forward.“Daniel!” Teal’c called as they reached the truck. He swung open the passenger door, helping Sam climb in with the baby.“Go, go, go!” Sam shouted, her voice breaking as she scrambled into the seat.Daniel floored the gas pedal, the truck jerking forward with a roar. Teal’c leaped into the truck bed as it surged away, his staff weapon still aimed at the pursuing Jaffa. Plasma blasts struck the dirt and rocks behind them, one grazing the edge of the truck bed and leaving a smoldering scar.Teal’c turned, firing a burst that struck one of the Jaffa squarely in the chest, sending him crumpling to the ground. Another warrior dodged, raising his lance, but Teal’c’s next shot forced him to dive for cover.The truck jolted over the fractured road as Sam clutched Benji, whispering reassurances. Teal’c crouched in the back and fired at the Jaffa giving chase. Plasma bolts sizzled past.“They’re gaining!” Daniel shouted, gripping the wheel tightly.“Faster!” Sam urged.A blast struck near the tires, sending the truck skidding. Teal’c fired again, striking one of their pursuers. Another explosion rocked the truck.“Almost there!” Daniel gritted his teeth, yanking the wheel hard to avoid debris. “Hang on!”A glider swooped overhead, raining fire. Teal’c aimed and fired a well-placed shot, damaging its wing. The ship spiraled away.“We need cover!” Sam yelled, spotting an overpass up ahead.Daniel swerved beneath it, tires screeching. For a moment, silence.Teal’c peered out. “They have lost sight of us.”Daniel exhaled. “Not for long.”Sam adjusted Benji, heart still racing. “We keep moving.”Teal’c crouched near the truck bed, his gaze locked on the horizon. “We require a plan. The Jaffa will regroup. That’s what they do.”Sam adjusted Benji, her hands shaking slightly. “Then we find another shelter. Regroup before we’re forced to run again.”Daniel nodded, scanning the road ahead. “I saw a service tunnel back near the ridge. Might be a good place to lie low.”Teal’c gave a single nod. “Then we move—before our hunters catch up.”No one argued. The road ahead stretched into uncertainty, but stopping wasn’t an option. Not now. Not ever.Daniel exhaled, his grip on the wheel loosening slightly. “The joys of driving,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.Sam adjusted Benji in her arms, pressing a trembling hand to his tiny back. His whimpers had subsided into soft breaths, but her heart still raced. She leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes for a brief moment.“That was too close,” she whispered.“Too close is our specialty,” Daniel said, forcing a weak smile as he glanced at her.The truck rumbled off the highway, tires crunching over gravel as they approached the tunnel’s entrance. Daniel parked just inside, where the shadows provided some cover. Teal’c stepped out first, his staff weapon at the ready as he surveyed the area.“It is safe for now,” he said, his voice steady.Sam climbed out carefully, cradling Benji. She sank to the ground, leaning against the tunnel wall as she adjusted the baby carrier. Daniel rummaged through the meager supplies they had left, his expression grim.“No food. Barely any water,” he muttered.Sam nodded, her exhaustion evident. “But at least we’re out of sight for now.”Teal’c stood near the entrance, his silhouette imposing against the dim light filtering in. “The Jaffa will not cease their search. We must move again soon.”“Soon,” Sam agreed, her eyes on Benji as he finally drifted peacefully. “But not yet.”The group allowed themselves a moment of quiet for the first time since their escape. The world outside burned, but within the cold stone of the tunnel, they found a sliver of solace—however fleeting it might be.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After they left the service tunnel, the road ahead was a scene of utter devastation. Cars lay abandoned, their windows shattered, and frames burned. As they approached the next town, houses were little more than smoldering ruins, their walls blackened by fire. Bodies lined the streets, some huddled together as though they had died trying to protect one another. Others were sprawled in grotesque positions, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.Sam stared out the window, her throat tight as she took it all in.“This was their home,” she whispered, voice tight. “Their families.”Daniel’s grip on the wheel tightened. The faces of the SGC personnel who hadn’t made it flashed in his mind. Every mile felt like an escape and a betrayal.“To the Goa’uld, we’re just tools. Disposable.”Teal’c’s voice carried from the back.“This is the reality of living under their rule. They show no mercy. Their power is absolute.”Benji stirred, his soft cries breaking the heavy silence. Sam quickly dug into the baby bag, pulling out the last of their water. She soaked a small cloth and pressed it to his lips, her hands shaking.“This isn’t enough,” she said, her voice cracking. “We need more water.”“We’ll find some,” Daniel said firmly, though the doubt in his eyes betrayed him. “We have to.”The ruins blurred past as they drove—a relentless reminder of what was lost. Sam held Benji close, whispering, “We’ll make it. We have to.”Daniel’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We will. One way or another, Nevada’s waiting.”Teal’c, ever vigilant, scanned the horizon. “The Goa’uld may rule this world, but they do not rule us. We endure.”As the truck rumbled down the broken highway, their shared determination burned brighter than the fires around them. The journey ahead was perilous, but they had no choice but to keep moving—for Benji, themselves, and the faint hope of a better world on the other side. The Stargate loomed before him, its shimmering event horizon casting an ethereal blue light over the ruined gateroom. Smoke hung heavy in the air, mingling with the coppery tang of blood and the acrid stench of scorched metal. Broken bodies lay scattered across the floor, some still clutching weapons in cold, lifeless hands. The fight was over. He had won.The Goa’uld stepped forward, his black naquadah armor glowing faintly with crimson veins that pulsed like a living thing. Angular features framed his burning golden eyes, their radiance piercing and unrelenting. The obsidian spikes of his headdress glinted, tipped with gemstones as red as blood..Behind him, his Jaffa guards stood in rigid formation, their dark armor blending seamlessly with the shadows. The flicker of their crimson visors mirrored the faint glow of their master’s armor, creating an aura of unity and menace.In front of him, the few surviving SGC personnel knelt in a line, their bodies battered and their faces smeared with blood and sweat. Most stared at the floor, their spirits all but crushed under the weight of defeat. But some still met his gaze with defiance, their hatred flickering faintly like embers refusing to be extinguished.He smiled—a slow, cruel twist of his lips that turned his angular features into a mask of malice. His deep, resonant voice filled the room, cold and absolute. This was not the voice of a conqueror drunk on power—it was something worse. A ruler who had already won long before the first shot was fired."Your defiance was brief. Predictable. Forgotten. You fought, and now you will be erased. That is the difference between me and those who came before—I do not need worship. I need silence. Chaos is weakness. I am order. Resistance is irrelevant. I am Moratus, and silence shall reign.”His voice reverberated, filling the room like an unspoken, inescapable, and final law. Heavy and suffocating, his words hung in the air, a challenge to the broken remnants of Earth’s last defenders. The silence stretched, broken only by the soft hum of the Stargate behind him and the faint groans of the wounded.Among the prisoners, Vala’s one good eye sparkled with defiance despite her battered face.“Oh, I have a better idea—why not monologue a little longer, your overly accessorized malevolence? Maybe you’ll bore us all to death first.” She tilted her head as if in mock thought. “Or would that be beneath your ‘divine greatness?’”A murmur rippled through the line of prisoners, a faint echo of courage sparked by her audacity. Moratus’s sneer deepened, but her voice carried on, unaffected.“I mean, who does your wardrobe? All this black—so last century. You could use a cape. Adds flair. Like Batman.”He gave a slight nod, and a Jaffa stepped forward, swinging his shroud lance with brutal force. The impact sent Vala sprawling, blood splattering across the floor as she let out a choked laugh.“Is that all you’ve got?” she spat, struggling to lift her head. “You hit like a—”“Enough!” Moratus’s voice thundered, silencing the room. He stepped closer, looking down at Vala with cold disdain. “You think courage matters? No one will remember you. You’ll vanish—like you never existed.”Mitchell coughed weakly from the line of prisoners, his voice strained and barely audible. Blood seeped from a wound in his stomach, pooling beneath him in a dark, viscous stain. His face was pale, his breathing labored, but a faint, crooked smile touched his lips.“Well, now,” Cameron rasped, his breath shaky but his smirk intact. “I’d sooner kiss a rattlesnake than kneel to you.” Despite the pain, the defiance in his tone lingered.The Goa’uld’s disgust deepened. He turned to Cameron, his golden eyes narrowing as he took in the dying man’s pitiful state.“Your insolence is meaningless. You are already dead.”Cameron exhaled a hoarse laugh, the sound more like a wheeze.“Yeah… better dead than bowing to you.”Moratus turned away, his interest in the defiant pair waning. They were insects beneath his notice. He waved a hand dismissively, his voice dripping with finality.“Kill them all.”The Jaffa raised their Shroud Lances in unison, the sound of their activation a deep, resonant hum. Vala let out a sharp laugh, her bloodied face turned toward Cameron.“See you on the other side, Mitchell,” she said, her voice raw but defiant.His faint smile didn’t waver. "Just don’t start the party without me, sugar."The blasts echoed through the room, their light casting grotesque shadows on the walls. Moratus didn’t bother to look back. The screams of the dying, the acrid smell of burning flesh, the sound of bodies hitting the floor—it was all music to his ears. Moratus walked the ruined corridors, his steps the only sound left in the SGC. Smoke and blood still clung to the air, and the remnants of defiance turned to dust. It was not perfect yet, but it would be soon.He did not crave worship or play at the System Lords’ games. They called him The Shadow Sovereign, The Bringer of Silence, and he intended to earn those titles across every star and planet in the galaxy. He did not rule to be praised. He ruled to erase—to make silence absolute.Rebellion was a flickering ember. He would snuff it out.He approached General Landry's former office, the heavy doors now guarded by two of his loyal Jaffa elite guards. The Veil Guards saluted as he entered, their shroud lances held high. The office was almost intact, its polished wooden desk and leather chair untouched by the chaos outside. Moratus stepped behind the desk, running a hand over its surface with a faint smirk.He sat, reclining in the chair as he surveyed the room. The echoes of the lances firing in the gateroom had faded, replaced by the silence of the dead. It was a sound he cherished, a reminder of his divine power.Soon, the people of Earth would know the truth: their gods had returned. And this time, there would be no salvation, hope, or defiance.He leaned back, steepling his fingers as he gazed at the Stargate through the office window.“Tremble, mortals,” he murmured, a sinister smile curling his lips. “Your gods have come home.”Moratus’s golden eyes flicked toward the doorway as his First Prime entered the office. He was a towering figure of terror, clad in armor that radiated authority and menace. His obsidian-black naquadah suit was thicker and more elaborate than the Veil Guard's, reinforced with overlapping plates that gave the impression of a hulking, invulnerable predator. The armor was inlaid with crimson veins like molten lava, their glow brighter and more erratic than the steady pulse of the standard soldiers—an outward symbol of the immense power and privilege granted by Moratus.His chest plate bore Moratus’s crest, its red insignia gleaming with faint, shifting lines of living technology. Pauldrons spiked upward, tipped with crystalline shards that pulsed faintly. His helmet, fashioned like a predatory beast, featured curling horn-like projections and a visor that burned blood-red, etched with glyphs that mirrored his master’s armor.Every inch of the armor seemed designed to project dread. The gauntlets were adorned with sharp, serrated edges, capable of delivering devastating blows in close combat. Attached to his forearm was a Graviton Lash, a unique weapon resembling a glowing whip of pure energy capable of striking with deadly precision or entangling enemies before pulling them into his reach. He also carried a modified Shroud Lance, its head tipped with a barbed energy blade that crackled with power when activated.When the First Prime moved, his armor emitted a faint, resonant hum—a sound like distant thunder that sent chills through anyone who heard it. His voice, distorted by the built-in amplifiers, carried a deep, guttural tone laced with malice, giving weight to every word he spoke.Gar’lon, the First Prime of Moratus was not merely a warrior; he symbolized his master’s absolute power, an embodiment of fear and domination that left no doubt in those who faced him: resistance was futile, and survival was a mercy Moratus rarely granted.He knelt immediately, lowering his head in reverence.“My lord,” the Gar’lon intoned in a deep and unwavering voice. “What is your command?”Moratus rose from the leather chair and walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed down at the ruins of the SGC gateroom. The faint, acrid smell of burned flesh still lingered in the air.“Among the dead,” the Goa’uld began, his voice reverberating with the distorted resonance of his symbiote, “Were O’Neill, Carter, and Jackson among them? A Jaffa told me that three fugitives managed to escape, probably the Shol’va. I want confirmation.”Gar’lon hesitated for the briefest of moments, his loyalty warring with the knowledge that failure would be met with punishment.“I will verify at once, my lord,” he said, lowering his head.“See to it,” Moratus replied coldly, his tone brooking no argument. “Report to me the moment you know.”Gar’lon stood and departed. The Goa’uld turned back to the desk, a cruel smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Victory was intoxicating, but there was something uniquely satisfying about personally crushing those who had dared to defy Goa’uld dominance.Ba’al wanted the humans for himself, but Moratus had little interest in the squabbles of lesser lords. His gaze was set on something far more valuable—the baby among the fugitives. If the boy was who he suspected, he was no mere infant. He was a key, a weapon, a legacy waiting to be shaped. And for Moratus’s vision to be realized, he must be captured alive. Hours later, the First Prime knelt before him, his voice cautious.“My lord. We have searched the ruins. General Landry is dead, but…”A pause. A mistake. Moratus’s golden eyes burned brighter.“But what?” The single word was sharp as a blade.Gar’lon bowed lower. “O’Neill, Carter, the Shol’va, Jackson and the child were not among the fallen. They live.”Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. Moratus’s grip on the edge of Landry’s desk tightened. His expression did not change, but the energy in the room shifted—cold and absolute.“Find them,” he said, his voice cold as the void. “Erase their names, their rebellion, their memory. Leave no trace of their defiance. The child is the only exception. He is mine—untouched, unbroken.”The First Prime inclined his head. “As you command, my lord.”Moratus did not turn as Gar’lon departed, his hands clasped behind his back. Resistance shall wither, rebellion shall be erased, and chaos will die. Soon, there would be no memory of O’Neill, Carter, Jackson, or the Shol’va—only silence where they once stood. Only the child would remain, his future unwritten, his purpose yet to be shaped. The hunt had begun, and Moratus would ensure it ended in oblivion.The chamber flickered to life as the holograms of the System Lords materialized around Moratus. Bastet lounged with feline grace on her throne of onyx, her sharp eyes glinting with disdain. Ba’al leaned back lazily, his smirk as infuriating as ever. Yu stood stoic, inscrutable, while Svarog’s molten armor shimmered with barely contained aggression. Morrigan’s emerald eyes sparkled with amusement, veiling her shrewd mind.Moratus stood at the center, his golden eyes burning with an unyielding glow, his very presence commanding silence. He did not wait for them to speak.“This council convenes by my will alone.” His voice was a thunderclap, reverberating through the chamber. “You exist here because I permit it. Do not forget that.”The silence lingered, heavy and oppressive, before Bastet’s smooth voice broke it.“Bold words, Moratus, for one who kept us waiting.” Bastet’s smile was sharp, her words edged with contempt. “Have you already grown complacent, basking in your conquests?”Moratus’s gaze cut to her like a blade. “I do not bask, Bastet. I rule. And as Supreme System Lord, I decide when and how matters proceed. Your impatience is irrelevant.”Bastet stiffened, her confidence faltering under his unyielding stare.Svarog leaned forward, his golden armor catching the dim light. “Earth bends, but it has not broken. The humans are more than resilient—they are dangerous. You risk underestimating them, as so many have before you.”Moratus’s lips curled into a faint smile, cold and cruel. “Resilience is an illusion, Svarog. It is the last flicker of defiance before obliteration. I do not underestimate; I annihilate. And Earth will not bend—it will shatter.”Ba’al chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. “Shatter, you say? And yet I hear whispers that O’Neill and his insects still crawl about, evading your grasp. Perhaps your ‘annihilation’ is less thorough than you claim.”Moratus turned to Ba’al, his tone low and menacing. “Whispers are for the weak, Ba’al. My will is not dictated by fleeting words. Delays are inevitable, but their end is absolute. O’Neill and his team will be eradicated—along with the hope they inspire.”Ba’al’s smirk faltered, his confidence briefly shaken.Yu’s calm, measured voice cut through the tension. “And yet, they endure. None of O’Neill, Carter, Jackson, or the Shol’va are accounted for. Defiance, however fleeting, has undone many before you.”“Defiance is an ember easily snuffed out.” Moratus’s golden eyes locked onto Yu’s impassive face. “You have lived long, Yu, but I have learned what you have not: power is not won in a single battle. It is maintained through time. And time belongs to me.”Yu nodded slightly, his expression neutral but thoughtful.Morrigan leaned forward, her voice honeyed yet sharp. “Time, yes. But time can be cruel. If these ‘embers’ reignite, they could consume what you’ve built. Resistance, if left unchecked, spreads like fire.” Her emerald eyes gleamed with veiled challenge. “Can you extinguish it, Moratus? Truly?”Moratus stepped forward, his projection towering over the others, his voice cutting through the chamber like a blade. “You question my resolve, Morrigan? I am not a squabbling pretender, clinging to borrowed power. I am the Supreme System Lord. I do not extinguish resistance—I erase it. Completely. Irrevocably. The humans’ fire will die, and their ashes will scatter into nothingness.”Morrigan’s smirk faded, her playful demeanor giving way to unease.Bastet’s tone sharpened, a hint of defiance slipping through. “You speak of dominance, but Earth remains divided. If O’Neill and his team rise, it will reflect on you, Moratus.”Moratus’s voice thundered, silencing the chamber. “Do not mistake your place, Bastet. If they rise, they will fall again—and again—until they are forgotten. Their names, their defiance, their existence will be erased. Blame will not fall on me, for there will be no one left to remember it.”Svarog’s laughter rumbled like grinding stone. “Your arrogance knows no bounds, Moratus. Earth belongs to us all, and this council ensures balance. If you falter—”Moratus’s cut him off with a raised hand, his voice a thunderclap. “Balance is a weakness for those afraid to enforce their will. I do not falter, Svarog. I dominate. Earth is mine—now and forever. Let none of you forget that.”The chamber fell silent again, the weight of his words pressing down on all present.Yu’s ancient gaze lingered on Moratus, his tone quiet but pointed. “Hubris is a veil, Moratus. Even gods are blind beneath it.”Moratus approached the center, his golden eyes gleaming with cold finality. “Hubris is for fools. They will kneel—or they will vanish into oblivion.”Without waiting for a reply, Moratus severed the connection. The holograms vanished, leaving him alone in the dim command chamber. He turned, his golden eyes fixed on the glowing map of Earth, a predator scanning its wounded prey.“Run while you can,” Moratus growled. “You cannot escape the inevitable.” Beneath a crumbling overpass, what was left of SG-1 crouched in silence. The inevitable felt closer with every distant hum of a death glider.The truck lay hidden beneath the overpass, its engine lifeless. The air reeked of damp concrete and distant smoke. Above, the cracked pillars loomed over rusting cars and shattered glass—a grim monument to a lost world. Sam, Daniel, and Teal’c crouched in its shadows.The odds were against them, and the Goa’uld closed in. Far above, the distant hum of death gliders patrolling the skies sent shivers through their spines. Jaffa patrols moved coldly on the road beyond their hiding spot, their weapons gleaming under the harsh sunlight. Every so often, one of the Jaffa would stop and question a group of weary-looking civilians—survivors, likely dragged from the ruins of nearby towns.“They’re looking for something—or someone,” Sam whispered, her voice barely audible over the dry rustle of the wind. She adjusted Benjamin in the baby carrier strapped to her chest. The baby stirred but didn’t wake, his tiny body mercifully oblivious to the tension surrounding him.Daniel peered through a gap in the rubble, his jaw clenched.“It’s us. They’re looking for us.”Teal’c, sitting cross-legged with his staff weapon resting across his lap, nodded solemnly.“Whoever is the Goa’uld that invaded us most probably has issued an order. He will not allow us to escape. These patrols will continue multiplying, making it increasingly difficult for us to proceed undetected.”Sam exhaled shakily, wiping sweat from her brow.“We’re running on fumes,” Sam murmured, her voice cracking. “We need food. Water. Something—anything.”“And fast,” Daniel said, rubbing his temple. His face was pale, drawn tight with exhaustion. “Benji can’t hold on much longer.”Silence fell, the weight of their predicament pressing down like the rubble around them. Finally, Teal’c rose to his feet, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the group.“I will go to the nearby town,” he said simply. “It is too dangerous for all of us to move together. I will locate provisions and return.”Sam’s head snapped up, alarm flashing across her face.“No. It’s too dangerous.”“I move faster alone,” Teal’c replied firmly. “It is the only way.”“And if you don’t come back?” Sam’s voice wavered.“Then I will have ensured Benjamin’s survival.”Daniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.“He’s right, Sam. If we all go, we’ll stand out, especially with a baby. Teal’c has the best chance of slipping in and out unnoticed.”Sam hesitated, torn between her fear for Teal’c and the grim reality of their situation. Finally, she nodded, her voice tight.“Fine. But you come back, Teal’c. No heroics.”Teal’c inclined his head in acknowledgment. “I will return.” Teal’c moved swiftly and silently across the barren landscape, and his staff weapon gripped tightly in his hands. The midday sun scorched his skin, but the haunted faces of the civilians he had passed earlier lingered in his mind. Their fear, their desperation—he had seen it countless times under the rule of the Goa’uld. Yet, he knew stopping to intervene would doom them all. This mission demanded his focus, though the moral weight of inaction pressed heavily on his chest. The distant ruins of the town loomed on the horizon, and their charred remains were a stark reminder of the Goa’uld brutal conquest.Teal’c slowed near the town’s outskirts, the stench of charred wood and death thick in the air. The streets lay silent but for the crackle of dying embers. Flies swarmed over bodies left to rot—some slumped where they had fallen, others piled like refuse.But it was the poles that made Teal’c halt in his tracks.Lining the center of the town square stood a row of tall wooden posts, their surfaces darkened by smeared blood and the deep gouges of desperate, futile struggle. From them hung the bodies of those who had resisted. Men and women, their faces twisted in pain, their lifeless forms left as a warning to those who remained. Some bore the unmistakable scorch marks of staff blasts to the chest or head. In contrast, others had suffered more lingering ends—deep lacerations, bruises from merciless beatings, fingers broken at unnatural angles. Their execution had not been swift.Teal’c’s grip on his staff weapon tightened, the knuckles of his free hand white with tension. This was not new. It was familiar—a horror etched into his past.As the First Prime of Apophis, he had once delivered these commands, watched villages burn, and silenced cries of resistance. The ghosts of those he condemned walked with him still, their faces now joined by those before him. He had vowed never to be their executioner again.A flicker of movement drew his attention to the far side of the square, where a group of survivors—primarily women and children—huddled in the shadows of a half-collapsed building. Their eyes were hollow, their faces streaked with dirt and tears. A boy, no older than ten, clutched his mother’s tattered cloak, his gaze darting between the Jaffa patrols still sweeping the area and the bodies that twisted gently in the wind.Teal’c exhaled slowly, forcing himself to move on. He could not help them—not now. Any attempt to do so would lead the Jaffa straight to Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin. But the weight of it, the sheer horror of what had been done here, coiled in his chest like a living thing.Jaffa patrols roamed the debris-strewn streets, their boots crunching ominously. One paused near a group of civilians huddled against a crumbling wall.“Have you seen these people?” the leader barked, holding up a crude sketch—a man with grey hair, a blonde woman, a man with glasses, a baby, and a towering figure.The civilians shook their heads, trembling as a Jaffa stepped forward, his weapon glowing.“You will not lie to your god Moratus. Speak, or perish.”Teal’c’s jaw tightened his grip on his staff weapon, firming as he watched the scene unfold. The civilians’ fear was palpable—their trembling forms, the hollow desperation in their eyes. His hand hovered near his weapon, the urge to act almost overwhelming. But he forced it down, his stoic mask betraying nothing. To intervene now would doom them all, including his companions. Yet the weight of his inaction pressed heavily on him as though the screams that would follow were already echoing in his ears.With one last glance at the frightened civilians, Teal’c turned away, his steps heavy. The heat of smoldering fires and the acrid stench of ash burned his senses, but neither could distract him from the weight in his chest. He moved swiftly, ducking between shattered buildings. Their faces would haunt him, another scar among many. But he would return—for vengeance or for justice. Teal’c entered the charred remains of a house, the air acrid with the lingering stench of smoke. Shattered glass crunched underfoot, and his gaze caught on a small crib blackened by fire—a haunting relic of Moratus’s brutality. He pushed forward, steeling himself against the weight of such reminders.He found a small stash of bottled water tucked inside a scorched cabinet in the kitchen. Most of the bottles were melted, but a few were intact. He gathered them quickly, his sharp eyes scanning for anything else.He found several cans of food in a nearby pantry—beans, vegetables, soup. They were dusty but untouched by the fire. He packed them into a sack he had brought, carefully remaining quiet as he moved.As he exited the house, his sharp hearing caught the sound of footsteps nearby. He ducked behind a pile of rubble just as a group of Jaffa passed, their conversation carrying on the wind.“They cannot have gone far,” one said. “Spread the word to all Veil Guard patrols. Moratus wants them dead.”“Even the Shol’va?” another asked, his tone tinged with disdain.“Especially the Shol’va,” the first replied. “He wants them obliterated except for the child. He is to be delivered unarmed. It is the will of our god.”Teal’c’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. They were being hunted—relentlessly. He waited until the Jaffa moved on before slipping back into the shadows and leaving the town.The path back was long, but his thoughts made it longer. Each step felt like walking through the echoes of his past—the villages he had burned, the people he had condemned. He had been the hand of gods who demanded submission, and now, Moratus’s Jaffa played the same role. The weight of his old sins settled on his shoulders.The sky bled into dusk when his silhouette appeared on the horizon.Sam spotted him first, relief flashing across her face before it gave way to concern. Something about how he carried himself—tense, deliberate—set her on edge.“You found something,” she said, rising to her feet as he approached.Teal’c nodded, setting the sack of provisions on the ground.“Water and food. It will suffice for now.”The group breathed in relief as they unpacked the supplies, rationing small portions. For the first time in days, their shoulders seemed to relax, if only briefly. But as Teal’c knelt and recounted what he had overheard in the town, the relief quickly faded.Teal’c’s expression darkened.“They are hunting us,” Teal’c said, voice steady but grim. “To the last.”Daniel frowned. “Meaning?”Teal’c met his gaze. “Moratus has ordered our complete eradication.” His next words were slow, deliberate. “All but one.”Sam’s breath caught. “What?”Teal’c’s face remained impassive, but the weight of his words was crushing. “Benjamin is to be taken alive.”Silence. Cold. Suffocating.Sam’s arms tightened around the baby, her heart hammering in her chest. “Why?”Teal’c did not answer immediately, because he did not know. But the uncertainty in his silence was enough.Daniel ran a hand through his hair. “So we’re hunted to extinction, but Benji… Benji’s what? A prize?”Teal’c inclined his head. “That is how it appears.”Sam pulled Benjamin closer, her grip trembling. “We need to go. Now.”Daniel cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair.“So, what do we do now? Go back? Hide?”“No,” Teal’c said firmly. “We continue to Nevada. Staying here is no longer an option. The risks grow greater with each passing moment.”After eating sparingly from the provisions and drinking just enough water to stave off dehydration, the group rested briefly before preparing to leave. Sam secured Benjamin in his carrier, her resolve hardening as she looked down at his innocent face. They couldn’t afford to fail—not now.As the truck rumbled back to life and pulled onto the desolate road, the group remained silent, each lost in its thoughts. The road ahead was long, dangerous, and uncertain, but they had no choice but to keep moving.They were hunted now, but they would not go quietly. Not yet.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Moratus stood in the command center of the captured SGC, his hands clasped behind his back as he studied the holographic map. The Earth’s surface was segmented into territories now under Goa’uld control, each labeled with the sigils of the System Lords. North America was his dominion, and he intended to solidify his rule by eliminating the last vestiges of resistance—starting with the most dangerous of all: O’Neill, Carter, Teal’c, and Jackson.His First Prime, Gar’lon, knelt behind him, awaiting orders. The command center thrummed with mechanical precision, the low hum of machinery interspersed with sharp bursts of static from surveillance feeds. The air carried the faint tang of heated metal and ozone, a byproduct of advanced Goa’uld technology. Flickering holographic maps cast cold, shifting light across the room, their glow reflecting off polished armor and the rigid, unforgiving walls of the captured SGC.“Their defiance insults me,” Moratus said, his voice as smooth and sinister as a blade drawn in the dark. He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the room.He turned to Gar’lon, his golden eyes flickering with cold light. “Let them run—it will make their fall sweeter.”Gar’lon raised his head slightly, his expression impassive but respectful.“I can double the patrols, my lord. Deploy additional gliders to cover every major route leading west. Have every roadblock checked, every survivor questioned. And if anyone dares hide them…”“Kill them all except the child.” Moratus’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Ensure that the word spreads quickly. Let the humans see what happens to those who defy their god.”Gar’lon bowed low and rose to carry out the orders. Moratus returned his attention to the hologram, his golden eyes fixed on the glowing outline of Nevada. He pressed a control on the console, zooming in on the western United States, where his quarry fled like ants beneath his gaze."Let them run," Moratus murmured. "Their struggle is a dying breath."Across North America, his forces swept through the land like a plague. Death gliders prowled the skies, Jaffa patrols crushed opposition with ruthless precision. Villages that harbored rebels burned, their ruins left as silent warnings. The air reeked of scorched earth and surrender.On a cracked desert highway, a truck sped westward, kicking up dust in its wake.“They’re everywhere,” Daniel muttered, scanning the dark horizon from the passenger seat. The glow of distant fires painted the night in eerie shades of orange and black.Sam tightened her grip on the wheel. “We keep moving.” Back at the SGC, Moratus oversaw the interrogation of a captured group of resistance fighters. They had been caught attempting to sabotage one of his supply convoys, and their bravery was admirable but ultimately futile.The prisoners knelt before him, their faces bloodied and defiant. Moratus circled them like a predator, his golden eyes gleaming with a cruel light.“Tell me,” Moratus began, his voice a chilling contrast to the rebel’s defiance. “Where are O’Neill and his companions? I know you’ve heard whispers of them. Speak, and perhaps I will grant you the mercy of a swift death.”When the prisoner refused, Moratus stepped closer, his tone almost consoling.“You see, resistance is not bravery—it is delusion. O’Neill’s victories were never his own; they were gifts of circumstance, a series of accidents I will not allow to repeat. He believes he is fighting for freedom, but in truth, all he fights for is prolonging suffering.”He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “The galaxy will bow before me—not because I demand it, but because it will see that there is no alternative.”He raised a hand, and a nearby Jaffa stepped forward, activating a pain stick. The woman cried out as the device struck her, her body convulsing under the surge of energy. The other prisoners recoiled, their resolve wavering as her screams echoed through the chamber.Moratus leaned in close, his voice a venomous whisper.“Do you see now? Your defiance is meaningless. Your lives are insignificant. Speak, and end your suffering.”When no one answered, he straightened and gestured dismissively.“Kill them.”The Jaffa obeyed without hesitation, the sound of lance blasts filling the room. Moratus watched impassively, his expression unreadable. When the chamber fell silent, he turned and strode away, his armor shifting with a metallic whisper, the crimson sheen gleaming like blood on steel as he exited the chamber. Unbeknownst to Moratus, his hunt was not going unnoticed. In the shadows of an abandoned town, Teal’c crouched low behind a crumbling wall, his keen hearing picking up the Jaffa’s conversations. They spoke of roadblocks, patrols, and orders to capture a woman, two men, a baby, and a Shol’va.Teal’c’s jaw tightened as he listened. Moratus mobilized his entire force to find them, and the net was closing fast. He glanced at the provisions he had scavenged—a meager supply of water and canned food—and knew their situation was growing more desperate by the hour.Returning the supplies to their companions, he relayed the information, avoiding the mentioning of O’Neill to prevent any further grieve to Samantha Carter.“Moratus’s forces are everywhere. They know we are moving west and will not stop until they find us.”Sam’s face paled, but her expression remained resolute.“Then we’ll have to move faster. We can’t afford to stay in one place for too long.”“Agreed,” Daniel said, though the exhaustion in his voice was evident. “But we need rest before we go. We won't make it to Nevada if we keep pushing ourselves like this.”Teal’c nodded. “A short reprieve, then. But we must remain vigilant.” As the hunt intensified, Moratus stood in the SGC’s command center, studying the reports from his patrols. His forces were closing in, but O’Neill and his team remained elusive. He clenched his fists, his frustration mounting.“They cannot escape me,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Increase the search radius. Let no town, no road, no ruin go unchecked. Bring me that child!”Gar’lon bowed deeply. “It will be done, my lord.”As the First Prime departed, Moratus smiled, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. The chase thrilled him, but their death would be sweeter still. Soon, the child would be his. And when he was were, he would show them the true meaning of submission.The legends, once dismissed as mere myth, had begun to take on a more pressing significance—the child of two warriors.The prophecy spoke of a child born to change the very fate of the galaxy. A child of extraordinary potential, whose very existence posed a threat to the status quo of Goa’uld rule. The whispers had reached him—the son of Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter, was alive. Three months old, a mere infant. Yet, the Supreme System Lord saw far beyond the child’s current vulnerability. He saw the future.A child of warriors—O’Neill’s cunning, Carter’s intellect, the Ancient gene. A perfect blend of brilliance. Moratus' fingers flexed.Benjamin was still helpless, but not for long. Raised under his hand, the boy would grow into something greater than Goa’uld or human. Molded correctly, he would become a ruler unlike any before him.A smile, cold and calculating, slowly curled at the corners of Moratus' lips. What a treasure he will be.In his hands, Benjamin could become the key to reshaping the entire galaxy. He would be more than an heir. He would be the bridge between Goa’uld power and human adaptability, a ruler unlike any other—one who could bring unity to the fractured empire. The Goa’uld, long crippled by their arrogance and inability to evolve, could finally be revitalized by the child’s unparalleled intellect. In time, Benjamin would surpass even Moratus himself, and the System Lords would bow to him as the heir of their supreme leader. They would worship the boy as the future of the Goa’uld.But Moratus knew that the first step was to secure the child—while he was still young, impressionable, and untainted by the influence of the Tau'ri. O’Neill and Carter would resist, of course. They would fight with every ounce of their strength to protect their son. But it mattered little. They would be dead.Benjamin would be brought to him, alive and untouched by human influences. The boy would be raised in the heart of Moratus’ empire, his potential carefully nurtured by the finest Goa’uld scholars and soldiers. Under the careful tutelage of the Supreme System Lord, the boy would learn to wield both the power of the Goa’uld and the cunning of his human parents. He would become a master strategist, a scientific prodigy, and a leader unlike any before him.In time, Benjamin would surpass them all. Moratus would shape him—guide him—to rule through both intellect and power.The galaxy would bow. Not to O’Neill. Not to Carter. To him..For now, the boy was but a child, incapable of understanding the magnitude of his destiny. But Moratus knew that patience was key. The time would come when Benjamin would be ready. In the meantime, the boy would be kept hidden, safe from the world—protected until he could be brought into the fold.No one, not even the Tau'ri, would stand in his way. Once Benjamin was in his grasp, Moratus would kill the boy’s parents and reshape his mind, teaching him that the true path to power lay with the Goa'uld.In the end, the prophecy would be fulfilled. The child would rise, and the galaxy would tremble beneath his rule. And Moratus’ name would echo through the stars as the one who had brought forth the greatest ruler the galaxy had ever known. The truck’s engine sputtered but roared to life, a strained growl that echoed in the oppressive silence of the wasteland. Sam gripped the steering wheel tightly, and her knuckles pale against her skin as she scanned the horizon. The road stretched endlessly ahead, a jagged scar across the barren landscape, and behind them, the shadow of a Goa’uld patrol loomed closer.Sitting beside her in the passenger seat, Daniel, meanwhile, had been thinking about what Teal’c had said about this new System Lord.“Moratus,” Daniel murmured. “Latin—means ‘to delay.’” He exhaled, rubbing his forehead. “So, he thinks resistance is just… buying time.”"Indeed," Teal'c said, his voice calm and unwavering. "The name Moratus may speak of delay, but his true nature appears to be one of patience and calculation. It is not simply a matter of buying time—it is the belief that time itself can be manipulated, controlled. He will not act recklessly, as many System Lords have. He will wait, observe, and then strike when the moment is most advantageous."Teal’c paused, his dark eyes meeting Daniel’s, offering a rare glimpse of the weight behind his words. "Moratus is a strategist, Daniel Jackson. A master of his craft. He will not waste resources on a direct confrontation unless he believes victory is certain."He shifted slightly, folding his arms across his chest. "We must be vigilant. If he seeks to control Benjamin, we cannot afford to underestimate him. He will move when the time is right, when he believes his actions will be most effective. The question is not whether we can delay him, but for how long."Teal’c’s tone softened ever so slightly. "We must prepare, for resistance will not be enough on its own. We must find a way to counter his strategy before it is too late."“We don’t have time for that,” she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. Benjamin stirred in the carrier strapped to her chest, his soft whimper piercing the tension. She instinctively adjusted the wrap, brushing his tiny head to calm him.Daniel fidgeted with his weapon, his fingers shaking from exhaustion. “We need a plan, Sam. If they catch up to us, we’re done. Benjamin will be taken to him.”Teal’c, ever the sentinel, stood watch from the truck's open bed, his staff weapon poised and ready. His dark gaze swept the horizon, his muscles taut with readiness. The hum of death gliders still lingered faintly in the distance, but the growing dust cloud on the road ahead caught his attention.“Colonel Carter,” he called, his voice cutting through the truck’s rumble. “A vehicle approaches from the north.”Sam squinted through the windshield, her grip tightening on the wheel. The cloud of dust resolved into a truck barreling toward them, its paint scorched and battered but its purpose unmistakable. Several figures leaned out of the windows and from the open bed, armed with scavenged weapons that glinted menacingly in the sun.“Not Jaffa,” Sam muttered, her eyes narrowing. “Survivors. But they’re not friendly.”“They’re desperate,” Daniel said grimly from the passenger seat, cradling his weapon. “And desperate people do stupid things.”Teal’c didn’t move from his post, and his staff weapon was trained on the oncoming truck.“They mean to intercept us. Their formation suggests an ambush.”Sam’s jaw clenched. “Not today.”The pursuing truck roared across the uneven ground, its passengers firing wildly. A bullet struck their truck’s rear with a metallic thud, sending Benjamin into a startled cry.“Teal’c, now!” Sam shouted over the chaos.Teal’c’s staff weapon blazed, his precision sending a fiery blast into their pursuer’s hood, forcing it to swerve. But the chase continued, the terrain growing more treacherous as Sam swerved around jagged rocks and a looming boulder.Sam gritted her teeth, scanning the road—or what was left of it.The truck tore across the wasteland, tires spitting dust as deep cracks split the asphalt beneath them. Gravel turned to loose dirt, and jagged boulders jutted from the ground like broken bones. The suspension groaned with every impact, every near-miss with a pothole threatening to rip them apart.The setting sun cast everything in rust and gold, but there was no time to look. Only time to run.From the passenger seat, Daniel twisted to look behind them. His face paled.“They’re closing in.”Sam glanced at the rearview mirror. The second truck was gaining, its rusted body bouncing violently over the uneven terrain. Several men clung to the sides, gripping whatever they could find. Armed, desperate, and reckless. They had nothing to lose.A rifle shot cracked through the air. The side mirror exploded in a spray of shattered glass.“Damn it,” Sam hissed, jerking the wheel hard to the left. The truck fishtailed before regaining traction.From the truck bed, Teal’c braced himself, his staff weapon humming to life. He took aim as another shot rang out, embedding itself in the tailgate. With precise control, Teal’c fired—a blast of golden energy streaking through the twilight. It struck the ground just inches from the pursuing vehicle, sending up a plume of dirt and rock.The other driver swerved wildly, barely avoiding a collision with a crumbling outcrop of rock.“They’re not giving up!” Daniel yelled, ducking as another bullet shattered the side mirror.“I wasn’t counting on it,” Sam shot back, her voice steely.Ahead, the terrain grew worse. A dry riverbed yawned before them, its cracked basin lined with jagged stones. Beyond it, the land sloped sharply upward, the remains of an old highway cutting through the hills like a scar.Sam had seconds to decide.“The riverbed,” she called. “Hang on!”She yanked the wheel, sending the truck down the embankment at an angle. The tires hit the loose gravel hard, sending up a spray of dust and pebbles. The vehicle bounced violently, and for a sickening moment, the back wheels lifted off the ground.Benjamin wailed against her chest.The truck slammed down, suspension groaning, and skidded forward in a barely controlled descent. Behind them, the second truck attempted the same maneuver. It was heavier, less balanced, and when its front tires hit the rocks, it jolted sideways.Teal’c took the opportunity. He fired again.The blast struck the driver’s side tire, shredding it instantly. The pursuing truck lurched, metal screeching as it careened toward a jagged boulder. Sam didn’t wait to see the impact—she gunned the engine, speeding toward the incline ahead.Daniel twisted in his seat, watching the chaos unfold behind them. A fireball erupted as the wrecked truck slammed into the boulder, flames licking hungrily at the night sky.Teal’c lowered his weapon. “They will not follow.”Sam exhaled, her knuckles white against the wheel. The incline loomed ahead, steep and treacherous.“Let’s not stick around to see if they have friends,” she said, her voice firm.She forced the truck forward, the engine straining as they climbed, every jolt threatening to send them tumbling backward.They reached the top. Beyond, the landscape stretched open once more—desolate, empty, safe.For now.She eased off the accelerator, her heartbeat still hammering in her ears. Daniel let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his dust-caked hair.“Remind me,” he muttered, “never to let you drive again.”Sam barely heard him. Her hands were still tight on the wheel, her mind replaying the near misses, the sound of gunfire, the way Benji’s cries had sliced through the chaos.They had survived. But the danger wasn’t over. Not even close.She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes on the horizon. “We keep moving.” The truck roared onward, the team’s relief as fleeting as the horizon that stretched endlessly ahead. A split second later, a deafening blast tore through the air, shattering the fragile calm and pitching them into chaos.The truck tumbled violently, each flip punctuated by the jarring sound of tearing metal and shattered glass. Sam’s chest tightened as Benjamin’s terrified wail pierced through the chaos, his tiny body jerking against hers with every impact.The world turned upside down.Then—silence. A heartbeat of stillness before reality slammed back into her. The acrid stench of fuel, the weight of broken glass pressing into her skin, the choking haze of dust. Sam’s breath came in ragged gasps as she forced herself to move.Her hands trembled as she felt for Benji’s warmth, her heart pounding in her ears. His cries, sharp and panicked, told her he was alive—but they also carried a desperate urgency that tightened the knot in her chest.“Benji, baby, it’s okay,” Sam whispered desperately as the dust settled, but Benji’s cries grew louder.“Sam!” Daniel coughed, dragging himself from the wreckage. “Benji?”“He’s okay,” she rasped, cradling him, shaking off dizziness.Her gaze snapped to the backseat—Teal’c, slumped, blood pooling. Too much.“Teal’c!” She scrambled over, hands pressing, searching. “Come on, stay with me.”A low hum overhead. Shadows darkened the ground.Sam’s stomach dropped. A Glider. Jaffa.“Daniel—grab Benji’s bag. Move!”She snatched Teal’c’s staff weapon from the wreckage and leaped out of the truck, holding Benji tightly against her chest as she hit the ground. She barely registered the sting of blood trickling from a cut along her hairline. The air was dense with dust and debris, and the roar of the Glider’s engines grew louder as it circled back for another assault.“Not today,” Sam growled, her voice thick with determination.Sam fired. Again. Again.The blast struck true—flames erupted. The Glider sputtered, spiraled, slammed into the ground with a deafening crash.Silence.Sam’s breath came fast. The staff weapon felt heavier now.She turned.Daniel stood by the wreck, blood on his hands.His voice broke. “Teal’c.”Sam stumbled to Teal’c’s side, her breath catching at the sight of his still form. Blood seeped into the dirt, pooling beneath him, too much, too fast.“Teal’c—stay with me,” she whispered, ripping at her jacket, pressing fabric against the wound. It wasn’t enough.Teal’c’s gaze met Sam’s, steady even as the light dimmed behind his eyes. His fingers found her wrist—strong, despite the fading strength.“Samantha.” His voice was a breath, barely there. “You must… go on.”Sam shook her head, tears slipping freely.“No. Not like this.”Teal’c’s gaze shifted to Daniel, his dark eyes steady even as his strength faded. “Daniel Jackson,” he rasped, each word weighted with finality. “It has been... an honor.”Daniel swallowed, his throat tight. He gripped Teal’c’s arm, his fingers pressing into cooling flesh as if sheer will could keep his friend tethered to this world.“Teal’c, don’t...” His voice cracked, the words failing him.“It is enough,” he whispered. His grip tightened, just for a second. A warrior’s farewell.Then, with a final breath, “I die… free.” His fingers slackened. His body fell still.Silence.The world around them blurred, the sound of wind against scorched earth the only witness to his passing. Sam pressed a trembling hand against her mouth, fighting a sob that tore through her chest. She wanted to scream, to rage, to fight against the cruelty of the universe. But there was nothing left to fight.Daniel closed his eyes, his head dipping forward. The weight of loss settled over them like a suffocating shroud.A single tear slipped down Sam’s cheek as she reached out, gently closing Teal’c’s eyes."Rest now," she whispered.Then, slowly, Daniel reached for a shovel. The scrape of metal against earth broke the silence.Sam swallowed hard. Her throat tightened. “We should bury him.”Benjamin whimpered in her arms, as if sensing the shift—the absence of the warrior who had protected them for so long. She cradled him tighter, her body curling instinctively around him.The wind howled through the wreckage, carrying Teal’c’s final words into the empty sky.Then, in a sudden burst of fury, Sam rose to her feet, grabbing the staff weapon again. Her grief fueled her steps as she stormed toward the wreckage of the Jaffa ship. She needed to destroy them. She needed to make them pay.She fired again and again, each blast vaporizing the bodies of the fallen Jaffa. Her hands shook with every shot, her vision blurred by tears. She kept firing until there were no bodies left but scorched earth.When her trembling fingers could no longer hold the weapon, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Benji’s cries echoed her grief, his tiny voice a reminder that she couldn’t break. Not now. Not with him depending on her.Daniel was beside her in an instant, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest, Benji still cradled between them. Neither of them spoke. There were no words—only the pain of losing yet another piece of their family. Later, in the quiet of the night, Sam and Daniel dug a grave for Teal’c. The ground was stubborn, unyielding—just like he had been. Each strike of the shovel sent dust spiraling into the air, clinging to their sweat-soaked skin. Their hands ached, raw from effort, but neither spoke.There was nothing left to say.Benjamin had finally fallen asleep, his small body curled against Sam’s chest, his warmth a fragile contrast to the cold settling deep in her bones. She adjusted the wrap that held him close, pressing a shaky kiss to the top of his tiny head.When the grave was finished, they stood there, staring at the mound of earth as if willing it to be undone. The weight of it pressed against Sam’s chest, heavier than the sky stretching above them."This isn't right," she murmured. "Not here. Not like this."She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms. "He should be buried on Chulak. Among his people. Not in this… wasteland."Daniel exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. His fingers trembled."I know." His voice cracked, exhaustion and grief woven into every syllable. "But we don’t have a choice."That was the cruelest part. How much they had lost, how much had been stolen from them—and still, they had no choice.Sam knelt beside the grave, pressing her palm to the fresh earth. The warmth was already leeching away, giving way to the cold. She squeezed her eyes shut.This isn’t fair.“He deserved better,” she whispered."He did," Daniel agreed, his voice hoarse.Silence stretched between them, thick with unsaid words. Sam dug her fingers into the dirt, grounding herself in its roughness. "How do we keep going?" she asked, her voice barely above a breath. "How do we make this worth it?"Daniel inhaled shakily. He looked up at the sky, the stars vast and indifferent. They should care. They should do something."We survive, Sam," he finally said. "For Teal’c. For Jack. For Benji. Because if we stop now—if we give up—then everything he fought for, everything he died for, was for nothing."Sam swallowed, nodding, though certainty felt impossibly far away.She reached for a small stone, rolling it between her fingers before placing it atop the mound of earth. A marker. A promise. A farewell."Rest easy, Teal’c," she whispered. "I hope you found your way home."The wind stirred, rustling the dust, shifting the silence. Sam closed her eyes. For the briefest moment, she swore she heard his voice.
I die free.
A sharp gust of wind carried the last of the dust into the air, erasing their footprints as they turned away. Sam pressed her back against the wrecked truck, feeling the sting of a cut along her hairline where shards of glass had struck her. Her fingers came away sticky with blood, but it was Benji she checked first. He had thankfully remained unharmed through the crash, his cries subsiding now as she held him close.Daniel stumbled next to her, hands bloody from glass cuts that had shredded his palms when he’d been thrown from his seat and Teal’c’s blood. He winced as he tried to clench his hands, crimson smearing over his jacket.“Sam…” He looked down at his hands, face pale. “These need cleaning soon, or I might not be much help.”Sam nodded, her exhaustion blending with the sharp throb at her forehead.“We need to treat these before they get worse. Infection could…” Her voice faded. They couldn’t afford any further setbacks.Carefully, she knelt, placing Benji inside the bag and fishing out antiseptic wipes and gauze from her small survival kit. She cleaned the wound along her hairline, wincing as the antiseptic bit at the torn skin, then moved to help Daniel.As she wrapped his hands, she kept her voice steady. “Teal’c would’ve said we don’t have time for this,” she whispered, her gaze dark with grief.Daniel nodded, voice thick with loss. “He’d tell us to keep moving. And we will.” He flexed his fingers, managing a faint, determined smile. “But first, we survive.”After the injuries were dressed and with no transport left to salvage, they scavenged what little they could from the wrecked ship. Their hearts were heavy as they began their walk, leaving behind the grave of their trusted friend. The road ahead was long, the future uncertain. Earth was burning. Their friends were gone. And now, Teal’c—one of their last pillars of strength—was buried somewhere in Utah, far from any home he had ever known.Sam didn’t look back as they walked. She couldn’t. If she did, she knew she could never keep going.But she had to—for Benji.For Teal’c.For everyone, they had lost.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The air was thick with smoke and decay as Sam and Daniel navigated the desolate streets of what was once a thriving town. Ruined buildings stretched jaggedly toward the sky, skeletal frames like broken ribs of a dead civilization. The scent of ash and rot hung heavy, mingling with the faint metallic tang of old blood. Overturned cars and scattered debris littered the roads, silent witnesses to the battle ravaging this place. The still bodies of humans and Jaffa alike were grim reminders of the price of resistance.It was the same everywhere.Sam’s muscles burned with every step, but she ignored the pain. Benji stirred in his carrier, his face nestled against her chest. She adjusted him carefully, her eyes scanning the shadows for danger. Every step had to count.Daniel walked beside her, his face pale, his hands clutching a staff weapon. His usual curiosity was dimmed, replaced by exhaustion and grief. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by Benji’s soft whimpers.“Shh, it’s okay, baby,” Sam murmured, brushing a hand over his tiny head. The tension in her voice betrayed her desperation. She hadn’t fed him since before the crash, and his cries were becoming louder—each sound a potential signal to the patrols she’d been avoiding.They turned a corner, the sun’s dying rays casting long shadows over the shattered landscape. The temperature had dropped sharply, the biting cold seeping through their clothes. Sam tightened her grip on the carrier, her knuckles white.“We need shelter,” she murmured.Daniel nodded, his voice low. “There’s nothing but ruins. Maybe…” He trailed off, his expression grim as he spotted a partially collapsed building ahead.It was a bank, its once-grand façade now crumbling. Sam hesitated, scanning for movement. The distant echo of armored footsteps reached her ears, faint but unmistakable. Her pulse quickened.“There,” Daniel said, pointing toward a narrow alley leading to the bank’s rear entrance.They moved quickly, slipping into the shadows. The door's rusted hinges groaned as Daniel pushed it open. Inside, the air was stale, thick with dust and mildew. Broken glass crunched underfoot as they stepped into the dimly lit interior.“Let me feed him,” Sam said, urgency lacing her words. She sat on an overturned chair, unclipping her shirt with practiced efficiency as Benji latched on. The rhythmic sound of his suckling brought a fleeting sense of calm.Daniel leaned against the wall, inspecting his hands. “Teal’c should’ve been here,” he said quietly.Sam’s throat tightened, her gaze dropping to Benji.“We lost him and Jack. I can’t…” She swallowed hard. “I can’t think about that now.”A faint clinking sound outside shattered the momentary peace. Sam froze, her heart pounding as she motioned for silence. She crept to the window, peering through a crack in the boarded-up glass.Jaffa. Six of them were heavily armed and moving in formation.“They’re searching for us,” she whispered.Daniel tensed, gripping his weapon tighter. “Are they heading this way?”The minutes stretched, each second an eternity. The clinking grew louder and closer. Then, with a sudden crash, the door to the alley buckled under a heavy blow.“Take cover,” Sam mouthed, her voice barely audible. She crouched behind an overturned desk, cradling Benji close. Sam gripped Teal’c’s staff weapon, her fingers steady despite the fear coiling in her gut.Stay calm, she told herself, her mind racing. Think. Fight.The door exploded inward. The first Jaffa stepped through.Sam fired. A blast of energy lit up the room, slamming the warrior back. Another followed. Then another.Daniel fired too, his shots precise but shaky. The room filled with the crack of energy weapons, the acrid scent of scorched metal.A staff blast seared past Sam’s shoulder. She ducked, heart pounding, and fired back—one shot, two. A Jaffa collapsed.Then—silence.Sam’s chest heaved. Sweat dripped down her neck. Benji whimpered against her chest but didn’t cry.“Is it over?” Daniel’s voice was hoarse.Sam adjusted Benji’s sling. “Not yet. We need to move.”Sam and Daniel hurried forward, stepping over the lifeless Jaffa. The acrid scent of charred armor and burnt flesh clung to the air, suffocating in its intensity. Sam barely noticed. She could still hear the last echoes of weapons fire ringing in her ears, still feel the staff weapon vibrating through her arms.Benji whimpered softly against her chest, his small body shifting in the carrier. Sam tightened her grip around him, her pulse still hammering from the fight. He was safe. They were alive. But for how much longer?The road ahead was long, dangerous, and uncertain, but they had no choice. They would fight because that’s what they had always done. And for as long as they had breath, they would keep fighting.“Keep it together,” she whispered, though the words were more for Benjamin than her.The remnants of the town stretched out before them like a ghost town. The silent streets were littered with the bodies of the fallen—Jaffa, humans, even some survivors who hadn’t made it. Sam adjusted Benjamin's position to shield his tiny head from the carnage. She glanced at Daniel, who was scouting ahead, his shoulders slumped under the weight of their losses. He occasionally turned back to check on them, concern etched on his face, but neither could afford words.“There,” Daniel whispered, pointing toward an old diner, partially collapsed but still standing. “We can stay hidden there for the night.”Sam hesitated, instinctively rocking Benjamin to gauge how safe it could be for them, especially with a baby.“It’s not ideal, but we don’t have much choice,” she whispered back, fatigue pulling at her voice.The shadows inside the diner deepened as they crept forward. Daniel entered first, his staff weapon raised, the silence pressing down like a weight. Once it seemed clear, Sam followed, adjusting the small blanket over Benjamin’s face as they passed through the broken doorway. Inside, the diner was a mess, but more importantly, it was quiet. There were no apparent threats.Daniel quickly pulled some chairs together, forming a makeshift barricade in front of the door, while Sam found a relatively clean spot in the back, far from the broken windows. She unwrapped Benjamin just enough to give him a quick check. His breathing was steady, but his cheeks were flushed—likely from the stress of being jostled around. She carefully started breastfeeding him, knowing the bottles of formula had long been gone. If she died, Benjamin would be in serious trouble. Sam had planned meticulously for a three-day at most at Colorado Springs but hadn’t even accounted for how much harder survival was with a baby in tow.“I can’t stop seeing their faces,” Daniel said suddenly, his voice low, almost broken. “Landry, Cam… even Vala. Every time I close my eyes, they’re there.”Sam’s throat tightened. She knew exactly what he meant. All had stayed to fight to the end, knowing they wouldn’t make it. And now, she and Daniel were left to carry the weight of that sacrifice. Benji latched on with surprising calmness. The simple act of feeding him grounded her for a moment.“I know,” Sam whispered, her voice thick. “I can’t stop thinking about them either.”Daniel leaned against the wall, his face pale and drawn, staring at the remains of his destroyed place.“We can’t keep doing this,” he muttered. “Running, hiding, hoping the next place we find won’t kill us. It’s… it’s too much, Sam.”Sam glanced up, her brow furrowing. “What are you saying? That we give up?”“No, of course not,” Daniel snapped, his tone sharper than he intended. He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m saying we need to think this through. Look at him, Sam.” He gestured toward Benjamin, who continued to feed. “How long do you think he can survive this?”Sam’s hands froze, her chest tightening. “Don’t,” she said quietly.“Don’t what? Don’t bring it up?” Daniel pressed. “I’m just being realistic. We must consider staying somewhere—finding a safe place and waiting this out.”“Waiting it out?” Sam’s voice rose, her exhaustion and frustration spilling over. “The Goa’uld aren’t going to stop hunting us, Daniel. There is no ‘safe place.’ You think I haven’t thought about how this is affecting him?” Her voice broke, and she quickly turned away, blinking back tears. “But stopping isn’t an option. Not now.”Daniel sighed, his expression softening as he stepped closer. “I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m just saying… maybe we need to consider what’s best for him, even if it’s not what’s best for us.”After ensuring her son was fed, she put him to burp and looked at Daniel. “I’m not staying, Daniel. I’ll go alone with him if I have to, but we’re going to Area 51,” she said, determined.The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, until Daniel finally spoke again.Daniel exhaled, his grip tightening on his weapon. “What if we don’t make it?”Sam’s hands clenched into fists. “We will.”“That’s not an answer.”“Neither is that question,” she shot back. “We stop, we die. We hide, someone turns us in. We keep moving.”Daniel rubbed a hand over his face. “You think I don’t know that?”Sam’s voice softened, but her grip didn’t. “Then stop asking.”Silence stretched between them before Daniel nodded. This new Goa’uld seemed different. Darker, and they didn’t know the technologies he had.“I’ll take the first watch,” Daniel offered, his voice rough. He looked at the baby with sympathy, his expression softening. “You need to rest. Both of you.”Sam wanted to argue but knew she didn’t have the strength. Given the chaos around them, she whispered, “Wake me in a few hours,” too tired to say more. She tucked Benjamin against her chest, laying down with him nestled in the crook of her arm. Every muscle ached, but she couldn’t let herself fully relax. Her maternal instincts screamed at her to stay alert. She let her head rest against the wall, keeping Benjamin close enough to feel the rise and fall of his tiny chest.As exhaustion pulled her under, her mind raced with the grim realities. Earth was in ruins. The Jaffa had taken everything. Everyone they knew was either dead or captured. The thought of Jack being gone hit her harder than anything, but there was no time to grieve, no time to mourn. Benjamin needed her, and Daniel depended on her to stay strong.Area 51 was the only hope they had left.It was the only thing keeping her going now, the only sliver of hope in this nightmare. If they could get to the quantum mirror, they might have a chance to escape this hellish version of Earth where Moratus was hunting them like animals.Sleep was elusive. Every time Benjamin stirred, she jolted awake, terrified he’d cry and attract unwanted attention. She rocked him gently, murmuring soft reassurances as her eyes burned with fatigue. Eventually, Daniel woke her, and she reluctantly handed over the watch.“Your turn,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse.Benjamin was finally sleeping soundly, his tiny body curled against her chest, unaware of the dangers that lurked outside. Sam moved as quietly as she could, checking his diaper with practiced efficiency and gently re-swaddling him in the warmth of her jacket. The chill of the night made her shiver, but keeping him warm was her priority.“He’s a trooper,” Daniel whispered, smiling at the sleeping baby. “Just like his mom.”Sam managed a tired smile. “I hope that’s enough to keep us going.”Daniel slumped against the wall as sleep overtook him, his head leaning back as he closed his eyes. They were running on empty, both of them, but they couldn’t afford to stop. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down. Benji’s soft breathing was the only thing grounding her in the chaos.As Sam scanned the streets for movement, she heard the wind howling through the broken windows. The reality of their situation sank deeper into her bones. They were alone with Benji, and it was up to her to keep them moving and alive. All she had now was her son and the faint hope that somewhere, somehow, they’d find safety. As dawn broke over the horizon, the gray light barely cutting through the smoke-filled sky, Sam and Daniel slipped out the back of the diner, their steps careful on the uneven ground. The quiet of the diner was deceptive, every creak of the broken building putting her on edge. The distant hum of a Goa’uld ship vibrated through the air, a constant reminder of the danger surrounding them. They needed to move—staying in one place for too long wasn’t an option. Their muscles still ached, and every step felt heavier than the last, but the thought of reaching Area 51 kept them going.They avoided the main roads, sticking to side streets and back alleys as they made their way south. It was a grim, silent journey—burnt-out buildings, destroyed vehicles, and the haunting absence of life surrounded them. They hadn’t seen Jaffa patrols since the skirmish the night before, but that didn’t ease the tension in the air. The skies were quiet except for the occasional hum of Goa'uld ships passing overhead, scanning for survivors. Sam and Daniel moved carefully, keeping their heads down and their steps light, knowing they had to stay out of sight.After hours of walking, the terrain changed. They stumbled upon a small town nestled in the hills. The houses were intact, and the streets were eerily quiet. It wasn’t deserted—Sam could feel it. As they approached the outskirts, she saw a curtain move from one of the windows; someone was watching them. There were still people here. They weren’t alone.“We need a vehicle,” Sam murmured to Daniel as they paused at the edge of the town, scanning the area.“Do you think there’s anything left?” Daniel asked, his voice low, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. “Anything that still works?”“We have to hope so,” Sam said, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a row of tiny houses and, just beyond that, a fire department station. “We can’t walk to Nevada. We’d never make it in time. Or alive.”They moved cautiously through the quiet streets, passing homes untouched by the chaos. Yet the tension in the air was palpable—an unspoken warning that not everything here was as silent as it seemed.When they reached the fire station, Daniel stopped and pointed to the bright red fire truck parked in front. It was surprisingly intact, its glossy paint gleaming even in the muted light.“That’s… a bit too much, don’t you think?” he muttered, a hint of sarcasm slipping into his tone.Sam glanced at the truck, lips twitching in agreement.“Yeah, a little too red. It's way too conspicuous. We’d be a target in minutes.”“But it’s functional, right?” Daniel asked, hopeful.“Maybe,” Sam said, stepping closer to inspect it. “But it’s too big. Too obvious. We need something smaller, easier to maneuver, and less likely to attract attention.”Sam examined the rest of the fire trucks. Most had been damaged beyond repair. As they approached the back of the building, Sam noticed a garage door that was slightly ajar. Her pulse quickened as they moved toward it.“There,” she whispered, pointing at the garage.She found an older model SUV tucked behind several crates—a bit rusted but otherwise intact. It wasn’t flashy, but it was perfect. It had a cover, enough space to sleep in if needed, and the durability to take them over rough terrain.“Jackpot”.“Looks promising,” Daniel said, letting out a relieved breath.“This one might work,” she whispered, prying open the door. The engine wasn’t in terrible condition, though it would need fuel and a few adjustments.Daniel nodded, holding Benji gently against his chest as he scanned the surroundings.“Anything I can do to help?”“Keep watch,” Sam replied, unscrewing the gas tank cap of the fire truck beside them to siphon fuel. “Benji needs both of us alert.”Daniel's expression softened. “You don’t need to tell me twice.”As Sam worked, her mind raced through every critical adjustment, fingers quick and precise even as she stole glances at Benji, who was thankfully napping against Daniel. Her breath caught each time he stirred, a maternal terror keeping her hyper-alert. The seconds dragged as she adjusted and rewired what she could of the engine, the silence only adding to the tension.After a while, she looked up, nodding toward Daniel.“We’re good to go.”They loaded up carefully, Sam slipping into the driver’s seat and double-checking every control. She turned the key, and the engine came to life with a hesitant growl.Daniel slid in beside her, glancing around the quiet town with trepidation.“Let’s make this quick.”As they pulled away, she kept the SUV’s speed low, moving toward the edge of town. A shadow moved behind an abandoned car. Then another.Sam’s breath hitched as a group of ragged survivors emerged, their faces gaunt with exhaustion, their eyes sharp with desperation. Some clutched makeshift weapons—pipes, bats, rusted knives—while others simply watched, assessing. Waiting.Daniel took a careful step forward, his hands raised.“We’re just passing through.”A laugh. Low. Mean.The bearded leader stepped forward, crowbar tapping against his palm. “Through where, exactly?” His gaze swept from the SUV to Benji. His smirk faded. “Well, I’ll be damned.”Sam’s pulse spiked.“You’re the ones they’re hunting,” he murmured, voice shifting from amused to calculating. His eyes darkened. “And they don’t just want you. They want the kid.”Benji whimpered.Sam moved. Fast.But the man lunged faster.Sam’s reaction was instant and savage.A gunshot rang out. Daniel had fired into the air—a warning, but the next wouldn’t be.“Back. Off.” Sam’s voice was a razor’s edge. Her free hand had drawn her P-90, finger tensed on the trigger. The man who had reached for Benji froze, his breathing ragged, his eyes darting from Sam to Daniel.No one spoke. No one moved.Then the leader spat on the ground, sneering. “Get out.”Sam didn’t need to be told twice. She yanked the SUV’s door open and climbed in, Daniel following fast. The tires screeched against cracked asphalt as they sped away, leaving behind desperate, hungry stares.Daniel’s quick, shallow breathing filled the cabin as he scanned their retreat for any signs of pursuit.“That was close,” he muttered, his voice still tight with adrenaline.Sam’s grip on the wheel remained firm, her knuckles white. “Too close.”The SUV sped onward, leaving the desperate group behind. But their haunted faces lingered in her mind, a grim reminder of how far the world had fallen.The landscape stretched into barren openness once they cleared the town and reached the highway. Sam felt her pulse begin to steady, the enormity of their close call settling in.Daniel reached out, gripping her shoulder briefly.“We did it, Sam. We’re getting closer.”She exhaled slowly, nodding.“Let’s get to Area 51. As fast as possible.”She gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles white as they left the town behind. The road stretched before them, the weight of everything they had seen and lost pressing down on her like a lead blanket. They had a long way to go, and the night closed quickly.Neither spoke as their situation's dark reality sunk deeper into their bones. They were alone on a burning, invaded Earth, with only one goal: to stay alive long enough to reach Area 51.The occasional rumble of Goa’uld ships passing overhead made Sam’s stomach knot, each sound a reminder of how close they were to annihilation. As the barren desert stretched endlessly ahead, her mind wandered to the faces they had lost—Teal’c, Jack, and the countless others who had stood with them until the end. Could they have done something differently? Fought harder, planned better? The guilt was suffocating, but she shoved it down. There was no space for self-recrimination, not when Benji’s soft breaths rose and fell against her chest.Glancing at Daniel, she wondered how he carried his grief. His jaw was set, his focus on the horizon, but the hollow look in his eyes spoke volumes."Do you think we’ll find it?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence.Daniel didn’t look at her."We have to," he replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Because if we don’t... then what’s the point of all this?"He knew, just as she did, that nothing was certain. But they had come this far. They couldn’t stop now.Sam tightened her grip on the wheel as the sun began to dip behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the desolate landscape. Her mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead. Area 51 was their last shot, their only chance to escape the nightmare Earth had become.And they had to make it.They drove on, the darkness closing in around them, the weight of the world pressing down on their shoulders. But for now, they had a vehicle, each other, and a goal.And that was enough to keep them moving. The barren landscape rolled by as the SUV rattled over uneven terrain. Sam tightened her grip on the wheel, her eyes scanning the horizon for signs of movement. The miles stretched endlessly, punctuated only by the occasional hum of Goa’uld ships passing overhead.Food and water were long gone and now they were running low on fuel again, their SUV sputtering as they neared the next town, heading towards Nevada. The world around them had been devastated, and finding anything resembling normal was a rarity. They pulled off the cracked road and approached a dilapidated fuel station, its windows shattered and signs of looting everywhere. Despite the destruction, the pumps still stood, seemingly intact.“Let’s try this,” he said.Sam eased the vehicle to a stop, eyes scanning the area warily. They had learned long ago not to make assumptions. Sam, ever the vigilant one, stepped out and took position by the SUV, keeping a sharp eye on the surrounding emptiness. Daniel moved quickly to the pump, trying to ignore the unsettling silence that hung in the air.He was just beginning to fill the tank when a gunshot cracked through the air. Metal screeched as a bullet slammed into the SUV’s rear bumper.“Shit—Sam, get in!” Daniel yelled.Sam dove into the passenger seat, clutching Benji as Daniel twisted the wheel. A second shot shattered the side mirror.More figures swarmed from the alley—ragged, desperate. Someone raised a rifle.“They want the car,” Daniel growled.“Not happening,” Sam muttered. She raised her weapon.A man lunged for the tires. Sam fired—a warning shot. He stumbled back, cursing.Another round exploded against the pavement. The SUV roared forward, crashing through a blockade of rusted barrels. Bullets whizzed past, but Daniel kept driving.Dust swallowed them whole. The gunfire faded.“That was close,” Daniel muttered.Sam exhaled sharply, loosening her grip on Benji. “Too close.”They had manged to fill half the tank and get away alive. That was a win in every sense of the world they were living now.“Guess it’s back to scavenge what fuel we can from abandoned cars along the way”, Daniel said, as he looked at the rear mirror. Only dust.Sam’s jaw tightened. “Siphoning gas in small, desperate quantities has barely been enough to keep us moving. Let’s hope this will get us to Nevada,” she said with a sight, her gaze fixed out the window. “There’s a backup at Area 51 if it’s still intact.”She glanced at Benji as the baby’s soft breathing grounded her amidst the chaos. Hours later, the terrain began to shift and they changed places, Sam now on the wheel. The rocky desert gave way to subtle signs of the past—a rusted road sign and fragments of concrete from a long-abandoned highway. Sam slowed the SUV as they approached the outskirts of what had once been a bustling installation.“Sam…how the hell are we supposed to get in?” Daniel asked.“The eastern entrance. It should be hidden, but let’s not take chances.”The desert loomed around them, silent and dark. The SUV crept forward, the headlights sweeping across the barren landscape, revealing nothing but rock and sand. Sam’s heart began to race. Had it been destroyed? Were they too late?And then she saw it—a faint shimmer of metal, half-buried under the sand—a bunker.“There!” Sam pointed, her heart pounding.She turned the SUV toward the barely visible structure. As they approached, Sam’s eyes locked onto the hidden entrance. The door was small, inconspicuous, and almost entirely concealed by the desert’s shifting sands. She prayed it hadn’t been sealed off or destroyed.They parked the SUV, and she climbed out, her legs shaky from the long drive. With Benji still securely wrapped against her, Sam knelt by the entrance, her hands brushing away the sand that had partially buried the keypad. She punched in a code, praying that the base’s power system hadn’t been completely wiped out. There was a long pause, the silence stretching between them. And then the door slid open with a soft click. Sam let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.“It still works,” she whispered, relief coursing through her.Daniel peered inside, one hand resting on the butt of his weapon.“What now?”“We go in,” Sam replied, standing up. She adjusted the baby carrier strapped tightly to her chest, where her son Benji slept, oblivious to the danger around them. His soft breathing was a small comfort amidst the chaos. “If the rest of the base is intact, we’ll get the quantum mirror.”They entered the small, dimly lit tunnel. The air was cooler inside than the desert heat bearing down on them for hours. Sam felt her nerves steadying as the familiar scent of the base surrounded her. Benji stirred, and she instinctively placed a hand on his tiny back, calming him with soft, circular strokes. She couldn’t afford for him to cry now—not here.They followed the corridor deeper into the base, their footsteps echoing faintly off the concrete walls. The silence was unnerving, and Sam’s heart raced each time they passed a closed door, unsure of what—or who—might be on the other side. Carrying Benji made her hyperaware of every sound and shadow; her senses heightened as they moved further in.Finally, they reached the central chamber. The weak flicker of the overhead lights cast long shadows, but the room was mostly intact. Sam’s eyes immediately locked onto the fuel storage tanks in the far corner, a small victory in the grim situation.“We’ve got fuel in case…,” she said, relief flooding her voice.Daniel allowed himself a brief smile.“Good, but let’s hope we don’t need it. Now, let’s get what we came here for.”As they moved deeper into the halls of Area 51, a strange and unsettling silence enveloped them. Sam managed to access the internal surveillance system, expecting to see some sign of life—whether it was surviving personnel or Jaffa patrols. But the screens flickered with nothing but empty corridors and abandoned rooms. Sam paused, her eyes narrowing at a half-buried security camera. Its red light blinked erratically, indicating limited power but no active monitoring.It didn’t make sense. Area 51 wasn’t just any base but a stronghold of Earth’s most classified technology and secrets. The Goa’uld would have known about it, attacked it, taken it. But there was no one. There was no movement, no signs of destruction or fighting—just… silence.“This doesn’t add up,” she muttered, her voice tight with confusion. “Why isn’t anyone here? There should be Jaffa swarming this place by now.”Daniel glanced at the screens, his brow furrowed.“Sam,” he said softly, cutting through her spiraling thoughts, “we don’t have time to figure that out. It doesn’t matter why the place is deserted. We need to get the mirror and get out of here. Now.”Sam blinked, snapping back to the present. He was right. They couldn’t afford to waste time. She adjusted the baby carrier again, ensuring Benji was secure and his tiny body was shielded from the cold air of the base. She stood up from the console and nodded sharply.“Right. Let’s go.”Daniel gripped his weapon tighter as they cautiously moved down the dimly lit corridors. Each step felt heavier than the last, and Sam’s heart thudded in her chest. Benji’s warmth against her body was the only thing anchoring her, reminding her why they had to survive. They were getting closer to their only way out—the quantum mirror she had hidden years ago.She had always followed orders, but that time… that time when General Hammond ordered her to destroy the mirror, she didn’t. And that might be the only thing that saved her—saved them—from sharing the same fate as all their friends and comrades.The facility's oppressive silence unnerved Sam as they neared the quantum mirror’s location. She tightened her hold on Benjamin, whispering softly as she scanned their surroundings. "Almost there," she murmured, her resolve hardening. Daniel nodded but said nothing, his exhaustion etched across his face. They had no time to second-guess—this was their only chance.The vast storage room loomed ahead, a cavernous space where the base had kept its most valuable and dangerous secrets. Rows of crates and boxes lined the walls, most dust-covered and untouched for years. Sam ignored them, heading straight for a small, unassuming door in the far corner.“This is it,” she said quietly, more to herself than to Daniel.The keypad on the wall was old but functional. Sam quickly punched in a series of numbers, her fingers moving faster than her mind as she tried not to think about the weight of Benji resting against her chest or the stakes they faced. A soft click sounded as the heavy metal door unlocked and slid open, revealing a small, dimly lit room. Inside was a single large crate, its size imposing.Daniel stepped inside behind her, his eyes scanning the room.“That’s it? The mirror?”Sam nodded, her fingers brushing against the keypad attached to the crate.“Yeah,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. Her hands were trembling slightly as she wiped them on her pants, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She glanced down at Benji, still fast asleep in the carrier. Every decision she made now had to account for him.“Okay, do it,” Daniel urged, his voice calm but urgent.Sam took a deep breath, steadying herself. The code was something only she knew, a series of numbers she had memorized from the day she sealed the mirror away. Her fingers moved with purpose as she entered the sequence, trying to ignore the slight shifting of Benji against her chest.A moment of silence hung in the air, followed by several clicks as the locks on the crate disengaged. The planks thudded to the ground, revealing the quantum mirror. Its surface rippled with faint energy, a swirling distortion of light that seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat. Even years later, its alien craftsmanship was unsettling—a reminder of its potential and dangers.Sam and Daniel stared at it for a long moment, the weight of everything they had been through crashing down. This was their only salvation, their only way out of the nightmare Earth had become.“I can’t believe it’s still here,” Daniel murmured. “This… this is really it. Our last chance.”Sam swallowed hard, her hands still trembling as she rested them on the edges of the crate. She remembered the day Daniel had found this mirror on a planet whose name neither could recall. It had been an anomaly, an artifact that none of them truly understood, but now… now it was the one thing that might save them. She glanced at Benji’s sleeping form, feeling the familiar pull of motherhood and survival. It wasn’t just about saving herself or Daniel anymore—Benji’s future depended on what they did next.“This is it,” she repeated. “We’re getting out of here.”“We should leave behind any alien stuff,” Daniel said, breaking the silence. “If we end up in a different time, it’ll be hard to explain Teal’c’s staff weapon… or the zat we picked up.”Sam glanced at him, her hand hovering over the controls.“We need weapons, Daniel. We can’t go unarmed, not with Benji here.”Daniel nodded slowly, conceding.“Okay, but let’s at least search for some Earth-made guns. It’ll make things easier if we need to blend in.”Sam gripped the control but put it on the table as she adjusted Benji's position again. Feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breathing, she grounded herself.“You’re right. Let’s make it quick.”They hurried down a narrow hallway toward the armory, Sam’s senses heightened by the unsettling silence that filled the base. It was strange—too strange—that the place was deserted.The door was unlocked at the armory—a rare stroke of luck. Inside, Earth-made weapons lined the walls—P-90s, M9s, spare magazines, and tactical gear. Sam immediately grabbed a P-90, checking the magazine before slinging it over her shoulder. She quickly packed two M9s and handed one to Daniel, then stuffed extra magazines into her pack, careful not to disturb Benji, who shifted but remained asleep.“This should do it,” she said quietly, her voice tight with fatigue.Once armed, they rushed back to the room where the quantum mirror awaited. Sam cycled through realities, the device’s interface blinking erratically.“It’s unstable,” she said, her voice taut. “Too many variables. Too much damage over the years.” She recalibrated the controls, sweat beading her forehead as the mirror flickered dangerously.Suddenly, a low metallic clang echoed from the hallway behind them.“Sam,” Daniel hissed, his voice tight with alarm. “We’re not alone.”The faint, rhythmic clanging echoed down the corridor, growing louder with each passing moment. Sam froze, her breath catching as she strained to listen. The guttural bark of commands in Goa’uld followed, sending a chill down her spine.“Get down!” she shouted, shoving Daniel behind a stack of crates as staff weapon blasts lit up the room. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning metal and ozone as the Jaffa stormed in, their armor gleaming in the dim light.Sam’s P-90 roared to life, each burst echoing through the chamber. Beside her, Daniel’s shots were precise but strained. The Jaffa pressed forward, their relentless advance overwhelming the small space.“We need to move!” Daniel shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.“I’m not leaving without that mirror!” Sam fired another burst, taking down one of the advancing Jaffa. She ducked as a staff weapon blast streaked past her, narrowly missing her head.Benji’s cries grew louder, his tiny voice a heartbreaking reminder of what was at stake. Sam gritted her teeth, her focus razor-sharp as she fought to keep the attackers at bay.Suddenly, a searing blast struck the crate Daniel was using for cover, sending him sprawling to the ground. Sam’s breath caught in her throat as she saw him clutch his side, blood seeping through his fingers.“Daniel!” she cried, scrambling toward him. She fired blindly over her shoulder, keeping the Jaffa at bay as she reached his side. “Are you okay?”Daniel sagged against a crate, his hand pressing against the burn.“Damn Jaffa,” he muttered through clenched teeth.“Stay with me,” Sam ordered, adjusting Benji’s sling. “We’re getting out.”The Jaffa’s fire intensified, energy blasts slamming into the crates and walls around them. Sam activated the mirror, its surface flickering through glimpses of worlds rushing past. Forest. Desert. Ocean. A battlefield. Almost there.The surface flickered—“Pick one, Sam,” Daniel panted. “Before we die here.”“Working on it,” she snapped.Then, he stepped through the doorway.“Samantha Carter,” a voice purred.Sam’s stomach dropped.The Goa’uld. Moratus.The Goa’uld stood at the threshold, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. His armored cloak swayed as he strode forward, unbothered by the battle raging around them.“Running again?” His voice was silky, edged with cruelty. “How predictable.”Sam’s grip on her P-90 tightened, her pulse hammering.“I’d say it’s a tactical retreat,” she shot back. “You do understand tactics, don’t you?”Moratus smirked. “Oh, I understand them well, Tau’ri. But your little games bore me.” His gaze flicked downward—to Benji, nestled against her chest. His smirk widened. “Hand over the child.”Sam felt her breath catch. “Not a chance,” she spat.Moratus sighed, shaking his head.“You persist in defiance, though you must know it’s hopeless.” He gestured lazily, and his Jaffa stepped aside, revealing two prisoners—injured, bound, and forced to their knees.Sam’s heart lurched.Carolyn Lam. And Sylvester Siler.Carolyn’s face was bruised, a fresh cut running along her temple. She locked eyes with her, and despite everything—the pain, the exhaustion—her expression was clear: Don’t you dare surrender.“You see,” Moratus continued, enjoying himself. “You are beaten. You cannot win. And yet, I offer you mercy.” His gaze flicked to Daniel, then back to her. “Surrender the child, and they live.”Sam’s grip on her weapon wavered. The air felt too thick, her mind racing. Carolyn. Siler. Benji.“Sam,” Daniel murmured. “We don’t have time for this.”“No,” Moratus corrected, a smile curling at the edges of his lips. “You do not.”His hand flashed out—a golden ribbon device ignited, sending a shockwave barreling toward her. Sam barely threw herself aside in time, shielding Benji as the blast obliterated the crate behind her.“Daniel, cover me!” she shouted, rolling to her feet.Daniel fired first, bullets slamming into the nearest Jaffa. Sam took aim at Moratus, but he raised a personal shield, deflecting the shots with infuriating ease.“A shame,” he mused. “I would have made his death quick.”Sam didn’t hesitate. She grabbed Daniel’s arm and hauled him toward the mirror. “We’re going now!”Moratus’ eyes flared.“Jaffa! Kill them—”Sam slammed the mirror controls. The surface shifted—flickering through timelines—until it landed on a forested world with no sign of Goa’uld technology.“Move!” she shoved Daniel through first.With Benji cradled against her, Sam lunged forward just as a golden blast erupted behind her—And the world vanished.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The oppressive heat of the quantum mirror room vanished as Sam stumbled through the shimmering surface, clutching Benjamin tightly. For a moment, everything was weightless—disorienting. Then the world solidified around her, and with it, the stark realization that they’d crossed to another reality. Cool air replaced the suffocating heat, tinged with moss and wildflowers. Sam blinked against the sudden brightness, her heart racing from the chaos they’d left behind.Behind her, the quantum mirror flickered, its surface stabilizing briefly before dimming, the energy flow settling into dormancy. The frame stood weathered but intact, a silent sentinel amid ruins—proof they weren’t stranded. Relief flickered through Sam as she adjusted Benjamin’s carrier, ensuring he was secure.“Where are we?” Daniel’s voice broke the silence, strained and breathless. He leaned heavily against a jagged piece of the wall, one hand pressed against his injured side. His face was pale, his shirt damp with blood, but his eyes darted nervously across the overgrown ruins.Silence.Not the kind that came with peace. The wrong kind. The type that crawled under Sam’s skin and whispered that something had gone wrong.She adjusted Benjamin’s carrier, her breath sharp and steady. A few paces ahead, Daniel stumbled but caught himself, wincing as his injured side protested.“It’s definitely Area 51,” he muttered, scanning the ruins ahead.It was, but not as they knew it.The high-security entrance to Area 51 stood gaping open, its reinforced doors rusted and crumbling—a stark testament to the facility’s fall. It was a forgotten world, abandoned to time.“What the hell happened here?” Sam murmured.There were no guards or defenses. There was only twisted wreckage, the skeletal remains of a once-great facility overtaken by desert sand, broken walls covered in vines, and roots splitting apart ancient concrete.“How can we have desert sand and forest simultaneously?” Daniel asked, confused.Sam shrugged. “Something must have gone very wrong here,” she said slowly.A sign jutted from the rubble tilted at an unnatural angle. Sam wiped the dust away. The bold letters beneath the grime sent a cold shiver through her.
AREA 51 – SECURE RESEARCH FACILITY
CLASSIFIED ACCESS ONLY
PROJECT MIRROR
Daniel frowned. “Project Mirror?” His eyes flicked to Sam. “Do you think it’s about the quantum mirror?”Sam swallowed hard and nodded. “Yep.”She turned back toward the mirror they had just stepped through, noting that it remained dormant but intact. That was something. If they had a way in, they still had a way out—provided no one tampered with it.The main corridor stretched ahead, eerily intact despite the damage outside. The dust was thick but not enough to suggest decades of abandonment. No, this was recent.Too recent.Old power conduits still hummed faintly, feeding a backup generator somewhere below.Sam ran a hand along the wall, her fingers brushing over an access panel that flickered to life under her touch. A red error message scrawled across the screen.
SYSTEM LOCKDOWN – OVERRIDE REQUIRED
Someone shut this place down intentionally.“This wasn’t an attack,” she murmured. “They sealed it off.”Daniel’s expression darkened. “To keep something out?”Or in.They moved deeper, past old security stations with bullet-pocked walls and half-packed crates of research equipment, as if the evacuation had been sudden. Sam’s pulse quickened. The further they went, the more it felt wrong.And then they found the lab.The glass doors leading to the primary research lab were shattered, their edges scorched.Sam stepped inside cautiously, sweeping her P-90 across the dimly lit space. Benji stirred against her chest, sensing the shift in tension.Daniel knelt beside a row of discarded data tablets. Their screens were cracked, but some were still flickering with power. He picked one up, wiping the dust away.“This place wasn’t just studying the Quantum Mirror.” His brows furrowed. “They were using it.”Sam approached a wall of research notes, pinned chaotically—the scribbled calculations were frantic, filled with notations about interdimensional stability, energy fluctuations, and phase shifts.Her own handwriting stared back at her.Her stomach dropped.Her. The Sam Carter of this reality.“Sam,” Daniel’s voice was tight. “Look at this.”She turned. He had activated a holographic log, flickering with interference. The static-ridden image of this reality’s Sam Carter appeared, her face streaked with exhaustion and—worse—fear.A recorded message.
“…If this reaches anyone, tell them… We thought we could fix it. We were wrong. We tried to control the outcome, but now—”
A distortion cut across the feed, then a heavy breath.
“This can’t happen again. If you find this… I’m sorry.”
The feed cut out.Sam exhaled shakily, her mind racing. “She knew something was wrong. She tried to stop it.”Daniel rubbed a hand over his face, staring at the flickering screen.“And then what? Where is she?”Sam turned to the final research entry displayed on a nearby console.
PROJECT STATUS: CLASSIFIED
SUBJECT: DR. SAMANTHA CARTER
LAST KNOWN LOCATION: QUANTUM MIRROR CHAMBER
STATUS: MISSING IN TRANSIT
Missing in transit.
“She went through,” Sam whispered.Daniel’s voice was grim. “And she never came back.”The wind shifted.Sam’s gut twisted.A security panel near the door suddenly blinked red, activating independently.
OVERRIDE ACCEPTED. SURVEILLANCE ENGAGED.
Daniel went rigid. “That wasn’t us.”Sam spun toward the shattered glass doors as they both ran to the entrance of Area 51, her breath catching as a low mechanical hum filled the air.Overhead, the drones emerged, descending swiftly.Sleek, black, and precise, they hovered just above the ruins, their red scanning beams sweeping across Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin. Each pulse sent a chill down Sam’s spine.
“UNAUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS DETECTED. REMAIN STILL.”
Sam’s instincts screamed to run even more. But the security panel blinking red behind them told her it was already too late.Daniel stiffened beside her, his breath shallow. “Sam—”The ground rumbled.The sand shifted from the collapsed entrance to Area 51. With a mechanical groan, a hatch slid open, and figures emerged—black-clad soldiers, armored, their weapons already raised.Not scavengers. Not survivors.Military. And they were waiting.Sam tightened her grip on Benji. The baby stirred against her chest, his soft whimper the only sound against the drone's hum.One soldier barked an order.“Drop your weapons. Hands on your head. Move, and you die.”Daniel exhaled sharply, his hands raising in slow surrender. Sam followed, keeping one arm steady on Benji.
They aren’t shooting us on sight.
That meant something.The elevator groaned as it descended into the earth, its walls lined with reinforced steel—starkly contrasting the ruined surface.Sam’s wrists ached from the restraints biting into her skin, but she barely noticed. Her focus remained on the soldiers.They weren’t speaking. No questions. No more threats.That wasn’t normal.Daniel shifted beside her, favoring his injured side, his jaw tight.“You think they know who we are?”“They knew someone was coming,” Sam murmured. “They were watching.”Daniel glanced at the black helmets and the rigid postures. “Then why the hell didn’t they stop us before we got inside?”No answer.But Sam already had an idea.The elevator stopped.Warning lights blinked red as an automated voice rang out:
“BIOHAZARD PROTOCOL ENGAGED. NON-CLEARED INDIVIDUALS REQUIRE FULL DECONTAMINATION.”
The soldiers shoved them forward, herding them through a metal doorway that sealed shut the moment they entered.A sterile white room lined with vents and panels. A single observation window loomed overhead.Sam’s stomach twisted. She knew what was coming.“You can’t—” she started. “I have a BABY with ME!” she yelled.The nozzles deployed.A cold mist erupted, stinging against her skin. Benjamin screamed, his tiny body writhing against her. Sam instinctively curled around him, shielding him from the full blast.It felt like acid—a sharp burn against every inch of her exposed skin. Benjamin’s cries shattered something inside her, an ache that no amount of training could suppress. She tried to hold him tighter, whispering reassurances that felt like lies.Jack would be losing his mind if he saw this.The thought came unbidden, swift, and sharp. If Jack were here, he’d be fighting every damn soldier in this facility. No one would dare touch Benji. No one would put him in harm’s way.But Jack wasn’t here.It was just her.And she had to be enough.Daniel coughed violently, stumbling as the procedure continued.Then—as quickly as it had begun, it stopped.The air hissed clean. The vents shut down. The room fell dead silent, except for Benjamin’s frightened whimpers.Sam exhaled shakily, rocking Benji as she whispered, “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”The door ahead unlocked.The soldiers gestured forward.No words. No explanations.A sterile, windowless chamber. A single table bolted to the floor.Two chairs. Heavy cuffs.The soldiers forced Sam and Daniel down, locking them in place. Benji stirred against her chest, still unsettled from the decontamination.Then one of the soldiers spoke.“Stay here.” His voice was distorted through his modulator. “Do not attempt to escape.”The door slammed shut. The locks engaged with an ominous finality.Silence.The silence stretched.Then—the door unlocked.Sam’s breath caught as a familiar figure stepped inside.General Hank Landry.But not the man they knew.His face was harder, lines etched deep with exhaustion. A black eye patch covered his left eye, the scar running beneath it deep and jagged. His uniform was unfamiliar—midnight black, adorned with insignias Sam didn’t recognize.He stopped, staring at them like ghosts had just walked in. His gaze lingered on Sam, then flicked to Benjamin.A flicker of disbelief. A flicker of something else.“Well,” Landry finally said, his voice rough. “Didn’t expect to see you again, Carter.”Sam went still.Daniel frowned. “Again?”Landry didn’t sit. He didn’t have to. His presence alone filled the room.“You’re not from here,” he stated.Daniel snorted. “Good guess.”Landry ignored him. His gaze was locked on Sam. “You don’t remember, do you?”Sam’s jaw tightened. “Remember what?”A slow, humorless smirk pulled at Landry’s lips.“That’s the thing, Carter. You’ve been here before.”Sam’s blood ran cold.Landry stepped closer. “You were part of the Quantum Mirror project. Years ago. You and your team started something that should’ve never been started.”Sam’s heart pounded. “That wasn’t me.”“No,” Landry admitted. “Not you.” His voice darkened. “But it was her.”The Sam Carter from this world.He leaned forward, voice low. “And she vanished the night the virus was unleashed.”Daniel stiffened. “A virus? You had a virus that came from the Quantum Mirror?”“Not directly.” Landry exhaled. “She sent something through before she disappeared. Something that wiped out millions.”The room felt smaller.Sam’s pulse thundered in her ears. What did this world’s version of her do?Landry’s expression hardened. “And now you’re back.”“I told you,” Sam said, her voice even but sharp, “I’m not her.”“Maybe,” Landry allowed. “But the last time Samantha Carter stood in this room—”He looked down at Benji, then back at her.“—she swore she’d return.”Sam’s breath caught.A silence stretched. Heavy. Oppressive.Daniel leaned forward. “Sent what?”Landry held his gaze, but it was Sam he addressed.“A cure.”Sam’s breath hitched.
A cure?
“She thought she was saving us,” Landry continued, voice low and edged with something unreadable. “Your counterpart was brilliant, Carter. She thought… if we couldn’t stop the spread here, maybe we could find a solution elsewhere.”“Elsewhere,” Daniel repeated. “As in… another reality?”Landry nodded.“She was desperate. The virus spread too fast. Every vaccine attempt failed. So, she started looking beyond this world. Searching for a version of Earth where they’d already beaten it.”Sam’s stomach twisted.“She found one,” Landry said.The Quantum Mirror hummed faintly in the footage.A recorded log flickered to life on the tablet Landry slid across the table. The grainy video showed a dimly lit lab, its walls lined with consoles and flickering screens.Then—a woman appeared.
Her.
Not her.A different Sam Carter. Face gaunt, eyes shadowed with exhaustion, but the determination in her expression was unmistakable.
I was right here.
Sam’s throat tightened as the recording played.“…Earth-195 succeeded,” the other Carter’s voice came through, hoarse but steady. “They neutralized the virus before it ever spread.”A pause.
“…I’m bringing it back.”
Daniel let out a slow breath. “Jesus.”Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears. “And?”Landry’s expression hardened. “It mutated.”The words fell like lead.“The moment it interacted with our atmosphere, it changed,” Landry said, his voice quieter now, more controlled. “Became… something else. Stronger. More aggressive.”He exhaled, running a hand down his face. “The cure she brought wasn’t a cure anymore. It was a weapon.”A biological catastrophe.
That’s what wiped them out.
Sam’s stomach turned.“So what did she do?” Daniel asked.Landry’s jaw tightened. “She tried to fix it. But it was too late.”He folded his arms.“Your counterpart didn’t bring the virus here. She brought a cure. The problem was, this world was already too far gone for a cure to work.”Landry exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face.“Earth-195 had already eliminated the virus, but they weren’t fighting what we were. Less industrial pollution, no airborne toxins. No bio-engineered contaminants from our own failed attempts at containment. The moment the vaccine sample interacted with our world’s toxic load, it had no choice but to adapt.”Sam’s stomach twisted. “It evolved.”“And we gave it everything it needed to thrive.” He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face.Daniel’s voice was grim. “So the vaccine didn’t fail… It transformed.”“And we paid the price.” Landry’s voice was hard. “Cities fell in days. By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late. Your counterpart tried to stop it, but the damage was already done.”Sam’s stomach turned as the implications sank in. “So… you went underground?”“We had no choice,” Landry replied. “The altered pathogen is inert below a certain altitude, away from sunlight and open air. That’s why we abandoned the surface. The bunkers were designed to hold thousands, but after the initial outbreak…” He paused, his jaw tightening. “We’re lucky if a few hundred are left.”Daniel’s brow furrowed. “How do you survive? Food? Water?”“Hydroponics for food,” Landry said, gesturing toward a monitor displaying rows of glowing plants in an underground greenhouse. “Recycled water systems. But it’s not enough. Supplies dwindle faster than we can replenish them. That’s why stabilizing the mirror is so important.”Sam’s eyes narrowed. “You want to use the mirror to find another reality to live in.”Landry’s expression hardened. “It’s our last option. Unless you fix this, we’re stuck here, waiting to die.”Sam forced herself to speak. “What’s wrong with the mirror?”“She locked it down,” Landry said flatly. “She was the only one who knew the final access codes, so we came for her. She activated the mirror first.”“And you never saw her again,” Sam said quietly.A beat of silence, heavy with implications.“I don’t believe she meant to do this,” Sam said finally, her voice quiet.“Doesn’t change what happened.”Sam held his gaze. “No, it doesn’t. But it changes how you treat her.”“You think I don’t know that?” Landry’s voice wasn’t unkind, but it was hard. “You think I don’t ask myself what I’d have done in her place?”He exhaled.“She thought she was saving us,” Landry said, his voice heavy with grief. “I would’ve done anything to save my daughter too, but the result was the same. We lost everything. And now you’re asking me to trust another Carter with my world’s future.”A pause.“It killed my daughter,” he added.Daniel’s breath caught.Sam swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”For a moment, Sam’s mind went back to a kneeling, bruised Carolyn Lam in front of Moratus before they left Earth through the quantum mirror, leaving her and Siler behind. Her heart actually ached.“You’re not her,” Landry admitted, voice quieter now. “But you are Samantha Carter. And you just came through that mirror.”His gaze flicked to Benjamin.“So tell me,” he said, tone unreadable now. “What makes me think you’re not about to make the same damn mistake?”The room hung heavy with silence, only broken by the faint whimper of Benjamin against Sam’s chest. She tightened her hold on him, her pulse roaring in her ears as she stared back at Landry.“I don’t have answers for you,” Sam said finally, her voice low but steady. “But I can tell you one thing: I’m not her. I didn’t come here to fix your world or change your past. I’m trying to survive.”Landry’s expression hardened his good eye narrowing. “Survival isn’t enough. If you’re here, you’re already a variable. And that makes you a threat.”“Then why haven’t you locked us up permanently?” Daniel challenged, his voice strained but sharp. “Why not kill us outright?”Landry’s gaze flicked to Daniel, then back to Sam. His lips pressed into a thin line.“Because despite everything, we need you.”Sam frowned. “What?”Landry turned away, pacing to the edge of the room.“The mirror’s unstable. Every time we try to activate it, to overpass her defenses, it creates ripples—fractures across the multiverse. It’s only a matter of time before the entire system collapses.”“Collapses, how?” Daniel asked.“Total breakdown. Interdimensional bleed,” Landry replied grimly. “Worlds merging, realities tearing apart. And if that happens—” He turned to face them. “—no one survives. Not in any reality. That’s what she wrote before she left and what’s been happening.”Sam’s breath caught. “Then shut it down.”“We tried,” Landry snapped. “But your counterpart locked us out. She designed the failsafes, and without her codes, there’s no way to stabilize it—or destroy it.”“What do you want from us?” Daniel pressed.Landry’s gaze locked on Sam.“You’re the only one who can stabilize the mirror before it tears everything apart. You fix it, or we all lose.”Sam’s stomach twisted. “And if I refuse?”Landry exhaled sharply, his gaze locked onto Sam as if measuring something unseen. His jaw worked for a moment before he finally spoke.“Then your survival—” He hesitated, his fingers drumming once against the table. The flicker of doubt was brief, but Sam saw it. He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t believe it.“It’s no longer my concern.”Sam’s chin lifted slightly. “Then you’re a liar.”Landry’s eye twitched, his jaw tightening, but he said nothing.“You hesitated,” she said, her voice quiet but sharp as a scalpel. “You need me, General. And we both know it.”Landry’s expression hardened. “I don’t need anyone.”Sam huffed a humorless laugh. “Right. That’s why you haven’t shot us yet. You need this mirror fixed before it tears reality apart, and I’m the only one who can do it.”Landry’s fingers flexed against the table, his posture rigid.“You’re awfully confident for someone with no leverage.”Sam’s voice turned steely.“Leverage? Do you mean like a population on the brink of extinction? A world you already lost?”Landry’s eye twitched. A muscle in his jaw jumped, but he said nothing.Daniel, sensing the shift, leaned forward.“She’s right, you know. If you didn’t need us, we’d already be dead.”Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Tense.Then, finally, Landry exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face.“Fix the damn mirror, Carter.”Sam didn’t smirk. Didn’t gloat. She just nodded, gripping Benjamin a little tighter.“And when I do, we leave.”Landry’s eye narrowed. “That wasn’t the deal.”“Then let’s make it the deal now.” Sam’s grip tightened around Benjamin. “We fix this, stabilize the mirror, and in return, we walk. No conditions, no delays.”Landry leaned back slightly, arms crossed. “And if I say no?”Daniel, still pale from blood loss, scoffed. “Then you’re an idiot.”Sam barely heard them.Her pulse pounded in her ears, her grip on Benjamin tightening. If Landry refused, if they were trapped here—what then?Jack would have had a plan by now. He always had a plan. A contingency. A way to fight back. She had spent years watching him pull their asses out of situations just like this.But she wasn’t Jack. And she wasn’t going to get a second chance if she screwed this up.She glanced down at Benjamin, his tiny fingers curled against her vest. His entire world depended on her making the right call.“We fix the mirror, and we leave,” she said, her voice steady but firm. “No negotiations.”Landry’s expression darkened, but Daniel pressed on, his voice edged with exhaustion and anger.“Look around you, General. You said it yourself—your people are running out of time. If Sam fixes the mirror and you keep her here, what’s stopping her from walking away when you need her next? You really think she’s going to save your world after you break your word?”Sam remained silent, letting Daniel’s words settle. She saw the flicker of hesitation in Landry’s gaze—just enough to push further.“I also want access to my counterpart’s research,” she added, voice firm. “Everything she left behind.”Landry shook his head. “That lab is classified.”Sam stepped closer, lowering her voice. “General, classified doesn’t mean a damn thing if there’s no one left to enforce it.”Landry’s jaw clenched. The silence stretched. The tension in the room was suffocating.Then, finally, he exhaled sharply, shaking his head.“You fix it. You stabilize the mirror. And when it’s done…” He sighed as if already regretting it. “You get your damn exit.”Sam didn’t smile. Didn’t thank him. She simply nodded.“Then let’s get to work.” The bunker was a cold, sterile labyrinth, its walls lined with exposed pipes and flickering lights that cast long shadows. The air smelled faintly of damp metal and disinfectant, a sharp contrast to the earthy warmth of the surface world.Sam followed Landry down a narrow corridor, passing rows of living quarters. The doors were labeled with faded numbers, many of them sealed shut. Some had names etched into the metal—memorials to those who hadn’t made it.“The pathogen’s effects don’t stop above ground,” Landry said, gesturing to a window overlooking a massive underground hydroponics bay. “Even sealed off, it seeps through cracks. Every six months, we lose another section of the bunker to contamination. We must abandon it, seal it off, and hope it buys us more time.”Sam stopped, peering through the glass at workers in full hazmat suits tending to rows of glowing plants. “How do you keep it out at all?”“We don’t,” Landry admitted. “It’s a constant battle. Every entry point is scrubbed daily. Every person who comes in or out goes through decontamination. Even then, it’s never a guarantee.”Daniel shook his head, his voice soft with disbelief. “And you’ve lived like this for how long?”“Six years,” Landry said flatly. The lab was a shell of its former self. Sam moved cautiously through the lab, her eyes scanning old research logs flickering on cracked monitors. WARNING: MUTATION PROGRESSING flashed in red text across multiple screens.A scribbled note in frantic handwriting caught her eye: It’s learning. It’s choosing. We are prey.Her breath caught. “Daniel… look at this.”Still favoring his injured side, Daniel frowned as he read the note.“That’s… unsettling.”Footsteps echoed behind them. Landry stepped inside, arms crossed.“You’re just now catching up?”Sam turned to face him, jaw tight. “This isn’t just a virus. It’s evolving.”Landry’s expression darkened. “It’s already beyond us.” His voice was rough. “It doesn’t just spread. It hunts.”Daniel let out a sharp, bitter laugh.“Oh, great. So we’re standing in a tomb, and the ghosts are still moving.” His voice hardened as he turned to Sam. “Tell me again why we’re still here?”Sam hesitated.“No, really,” Daniel pressed, eyes flashing. “Because last I checked, we walked into this thinking we could find answers. Instead, we found a nightmare. So what’s the next brilliant step?”Landry raised his eyebrows, looked at Sam, and left.When they were alone again, Sam exhaled sharply.“We’re not abandoning this yet.”Daniel scoffed. “Of course, we’re not.” He took a step toward her. “You always think there’s a way to fix things. Even when there’s nothing left to fix.”Sam’s patience frayed. “What do you want me to say, Daniel? That we run? That we leave this reality to collapse just because it’s not ours?”Daniel’s voice dropped, sharp as a blade. “I want you to admit this isn’t just about saving a world. It’s about her.”The words landed like a slap. Sam’s stomach twisted. “That’s not—”“Isn’t it?” Daniel challenged. “You saw her work. You saw what she tried to do. You need to know if she was right. Because if she was, it means you would have done the same damn thing.”Silence. A muscle in Sam’s jaw jumped. Daniel wasn’t wrong.Daniel ran a hand through his hair, exhaling roughly.“Look, I get it. You don’t want to let go. But right now, we’re running out of time, and I need to know if you’re thinking like a scientist or a soldier.”Sam squared her shoulders, voice quieter now. “I’m thinking like a survivor.”Daniel swallowed hard. “Then find a way to get us out of here and fast,” he said.Turning his back, he put some chairs back in place and rearranged the lab. He had to do something. Or he would go crazy. Sam turned her attention to the only monitor that wasn’t cracked and started to type.The air smelled faintly of ozone and rust, an unwelcome reminder of the chaos that had unraveled here.Benjamin stirred in his makeshift crib—a padded storage crate lined with blankets that Daniel had fashioned as best he could. He slept fitfully, his tiny chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. Sam glanced over at him briefly, her heart tightening before returning her focus to the consoles before her.Daniel sat slumped against a wall, his face pale from the blood loss, but his eyes remained sharp as he watched her work. “Any progress?” he rasped.Sam didn’t answer immediately. Her hands moved swiftly over the shattered keyboard, splicing together bits of wire to bypass fried circuits. The interface screen flickered to life, casting a faint blue glow across her face.“This is… primitive compared to what we’ve seen,” she muttered. “But it’s enough.”She leaned closer, scrolling through fragmented lines of code left behind by her counterpart. It was like stepping into another version of her own mind—familiar patterns, logical leaps she might have taken, but also strange, desperate deviations.Her counterpart had been brilliant, but her work showed exhaustion—frantic shortcuts, incomplete calculations, and hastily rewritten failsafes. Sam bit her lip, her fingers pausing over the keyboard.“She must have been running out of time.”Daniel winced as he shifted position. “And now, so are we. Those soldiers aren’t going to wait forever.”Sam nodded, determination tightening her features. “I just need a few more hours.”Time blurred. Each failed equation chipped away at her resolve. Every miscalculation was another hour lost, another nail in the coffin.Benjamin whimpered. Daniel stirred, murmuring groggily. The lab smelled of sweat and burnt circuits, and the air was thick and oppressive.Sam exhaled sharply, wiped a shaking hand across the cracked whiteboard, and reran the numbers—one last time.
It has to work.
The console flickered. A long pause. Then—A confirmation beep.Sam exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her forehead.“That’s it.”Daniel forced himself upright, wincing.“Please tell me ‘that’s it’ means we’re not about to implode reality.”Sam let out a breathless, almost delirious laugh. “It means the mirror won’t collapse.”The weight of the past hours, past choices, pressed down on her. But for the first time, she let herself believe they might actually survive this.“You’re sure?” Daniel asked slowly.Sam exhaled, stepping away from the console. The Quantum Mirror was stable, but they had to get to it now.Landry had walked in after one of the guards warned him about the progress.“Where is it?” Daniel asked, shifting uncomfortably.Landry folded his arms. “Where you left it.”Sam’s stomach twisted. That meant— “It’s outside,” she murmured. “Near the entrance.”The same partially collapsed structure where they had first arrived, buried in the ruins of a broken Area 51.Daniel swore under his breath. “So we must walk out of here through an armed facility to reach a half-buried alien artifact?”“Unless you’d rather stay,” Landry said dryly.Sam didn’t hesitate. “Let’s move.”The walk back was slower than she wanted.They moved through the bunker’s corridors, shadows stretching long under flickering lights. The deeper they went, the thicker the air became with the smell of rust, oil, and something stale—a place rotting from the inside out.They passed abandoned rooms, doors bolted shut. Some had names scratched into the metal—memorials to those who hadn’t made it. The deeper they went, the more it felt like a graveyard of the forgotten.Sam’s fingers tightened around Benji’s carrier, his tiny warmth the only thing grounding her.Then, after using the same method that got them inside, they finally reached the surface.The desert heat hit first. Then, the sight of what was left of Area 51.The Quantum Mirror stood in the wreckage of a collapsed chamber, its frame still scorched from past use. It was tilted at an unnatural angle, partially buried under the remains of what had once been a reinforced security checkpoint. Twisted metal and shattered concrete formed a jagged perimeter around it like the earth had tried to swallow the machine whole.Daniel exhaled sharply. “I hate this place.”Sam stepped forward, raising the control device. Her fingers trembled slightly as she sent a pulse of energy through the mirror. The surface shimmered, then solidified into a smooth reflection.“It’s done,” she whispered. For the first time, the way home was open.Landry’s expression was unreadable, though his single eye gleamed with something close to admiration.“You did it,” he said, moving closer to the mirror.Sam stood tall despite her exhaustion. “The mirror is stable. You can use it without risking a multiversal collapse.”Landry’s gaze shifted to the glowing surface of the mirror, then back to her.“Then hand over the controls.”Sam’s grip tightened on the device. “Not yet.”His eye narrowed. “This wasn’t part of our agreement.”“And neither was blind trust,” Sam countered her voice firm despite the weariness in her body. “I’ll give you the controls when you prove you’re true to your word. We agreed—Daniel, Benjamin, and I get to use the mirror to leave.”Daniel inhaled sharply. “Sam.”She didn’t look at him.“You’re pushing him,” Daniel said, lower now, urgent. “What if he decides we’re not worth the trouble?”Sam set her jaw. “He needs us.”“He needed you to fix the mirror. That’s done,” Daniel countered. “And now we’re bargaining with a guy with a whole army and nothing to lose.”Sam hesitated for half a second.“Just… think,” Daniel pressed. “Before you make him feel like he has to remind us who’s in control.”Landry watched them both, unblinking. For a moment, the room felt unbearably tense, the hum of the mirror the only sound.Finally, he nodded.“You’ll have your chance. But if you try anything—”Sam cut him off.“We’re not the threat here, General. Your world is already broken. Let us go, and you’ll never hear from us again.”Landry’s good eye flicked to Daniel, then back to Sam. His jaw twitched, his hesitation stretching long enough to hammer Sam’s pulse.“You get one chance, Carter,” he said at last. His voice was rough, unyielding. “But if you’re lying—if you left anything in that mirror that puts us at risk—”He let the silence fill in the rest.Sam held his gaze, forcing herself not to flinch. “Understood.”Another pause. Then, finally, Landry exhaled sharply and signaled his men to stand down. Sam’s shoulders sagged with relief, but she kept her guard up. The mirror was stable, yes—but the danger wasn’t over. If she was going to protect Benjamin, Daniel, and herself, she had to stay one step ahead.“Let’s get moving,” she said, glancing at Daniel, who struggled to his feet. “Time to find a world where we can finally be safe.”The shimmering surface of the quantum mirror cast a pale, otherworldly glow, its hum filling the air with a strange sense of anticipation. Sam took a deep breath, clutching Benjamin tightly against her chest. She adjusted the carrier strap, her gaze flicking to Daniel, who stood beside her with a grim expression. His movements were slow, pained, but determined.Behind them, Landry loomed like a shadow. His soldiers stood at attention, their weapons lowered but still present—a reminder that trust only went so far in this place.“You’ve got sixty seconds,” Landry said sharply, his tone laced with finality. “If you linger, we’ll shut the mirror down, and you’ll stay here for good.”“I get it,” Sam muttered, her eyes darting over the flickering images—each reality a doorway to something unknown. Some were already lost. Others were just as broken as the world behind them.Then the mirror went dark.Her fingers froze over the controls.“Why did you stop?” Daniel asked, his voice tight.Sam swallowed hard. “Because there’s nothing. No light, no chaos. Just… a room. A storage area.”A heavy silence.This could be home.Daniel shook his head, caution lining his voice.“It’s too risky. We can’t jump into a reality where the quantum mirror is still inside a crate. What if we’re stuck?”Sam’s breath hitched. If the mirror had been stored away and untouched, the Stargate program might have never been activated. Maybe the Goa’uld never came. Maybe Jack—God, Jack.The thought nearly shattered her.Daniel exhaled sharply, rubbing his face. “Sam, stop.”She blinked at him. “What?”“You’re doing it again,” Daniel snapped, his voice tight with frustration. “You’re choosing without even thinking about what happens if you’re wrong.”“I am thinking,” Sam shot back. “I’m thinking that maybe—”“No, you’re hoping,” Daniel cut in. “There’s a difference. Hope is great, but hope also gets people killed. What if this reality is worse? What if there’s no Stargate, no way to leave? What if we land in a world where Benji isn’t safe?”Sam clenched her jaw. “And what if it’s home?”Daniel’s eyes burned with frustration. “And what if it’s hell?”A heavy pause. Landry cleared his throat; a tell the time was running out.Daniel exhaled as he reached for the controls, hesitated, then took one step back.“I can’t lose more people, Sam.”Sam’s grip on Benji tightened. Her throat burned, the weight of every choice pressing down on her.“Neither can I,” she whispered, but this time, her voice wavered.She wasn’t just choosing for herself. She was choosing for Benji. For Daniel. For Jack, even if he wasn’t here.If she were wrong, she’d be sentencing them to another nightmare.She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to breathe. She had spent her entire life running probabilities, measuring risk against reward. But this—
This was a leap of faith.
“Ready?” she asked Daniel, but for the first time, she wasn’t sure who she was asking—him, herself, or the universe.He nodded, his face pale but resolute. “Let’s go.”The mirror rippled as the sequence locked in, stabilizing the shimmering portal. Sam glanced back one last time at the ruins, the fractured remains of a world that wasn’t hers.Landry’s one-eyed gaze bore into her, cold and unyielding.“I don’t believe in luck, Carter.”His tone was quiet. Final. Like he knew they’d never see each other again.“So don’t waste it,” Daniel said as he limped toward her, his face pale but determined.Sam took a breath, tightening her hold on Benjamin. Daniel followed without another word and stepped through the portal. The mirror’s glow swallowed them whole. For a moment, there was nothing—just weightlessness, the void pressing against her skin.Then—impact.Hard floor.The scent of oil and damp metal. The low murmur of voices beyond the crate walls.This world wasn’t abandoned. She tightened her grip on Benjamin, her pulse quickening. Freedom was never simple.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The impact jolted Benji awake, and he let out a soft, startled cry, his tiny voice cutting through the silence. Sam winced at the sound, her heart pounding as she instinctively cradled him close, whispering soothing words to calm him.“Shh, it’s okay, little one. Mama’s here,” she murmured, kissing his head. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Not here. Not ever.”Daniel groaned beside her, rubbing his head.“This better be worth it,” he muttered, fumbling for his flashlight. “Brilliant idea, Sam.”Sam ignored him, her focus on Benji, who had quieted but still whimpered softly. She rocked him gently, her mind already calculating their next move. They couldn’t afford to stay here long because the space was too small.“Cover your eyes,” she warned Daniel. She reached for the crate’s edge and used her elbow to hammer against the wood. The first hit stung, but the second cracked the rotted panel.“Shit, Sam!” Daniel cursed, instinctively covering his head as splinters flew.A faint light streamed through the gap, revealing just enough to see. Then came something else—the sound of footsteps growing closer. The sounds were right outside now, footsteps stopping just short of their position.A voice called out in plain English, startling them both.“Who the hell’s inside? We’ll shoot if you don’t identify yourselves right now!”Daniel, ever the diplomat, called out, his voice calm but firm."Don't shoot! It's Dr. Daniel Jackson, Colonel Samantha Carter, and—" He paused, his eyes landing on the baby. —"We have a child with us. We crossed through the quantum mirror. We’re with Stargate Command!"A few tense moments passed, during which Sam instinctively adjusted the carrier wrap, holding Benji closer, protective despite her spinning thoughts. She and Daniel exchanged a glance, a flicker of doubt creeping in. What if the SGC didn’t exist in this reality? What if they didn’t know who they were?Then footsteps approached rapidly. The crate creaked as someone inspected the damage. A beam of light hit the hole Sam had made, and then the voice outside softened.“Stand still!” the voice ordered, though less aggressively than before.The lid was pried open, flooding the small space with a blinding light. Sam squinted, shielding Benji’s eyes with her hand as Daniel flinched, adjusting his vision. Two armed men stood above them, flanked by a third man in charge. He looked down at Sam, Daniel, and the baby with a mixture of surprise and caution. His brows furrowed as he processed the scene. Sam noticed the familiar patches on their uniforms: United States Air Force, but subtly different.The man in charge, a tall, broad-shouldered officer with graying hair, motioned to his men to lower their weapons."Jackson…and you said Carter?" he asked, cautiously eyeing the child. "And...?""Benjamin," Sam replied softly, glancing down at her son. “My son. He's just three months old.”The officer blinked in surprise but composed himself.“Colonel Matthew Grier, Area 51 security,” the officer said, his gaze flicking to Benji briefly before returning to Sam and Daniel. “You crossed through the quantum mirror? That hasn’t been operational in years.”Daniel exchanged a glance with Sam. “What year is this?”Grier’s expression tightened. “It’s 2025.”Sam's breath caught. She instinctively stroked Benji’s head as the implications settled in. They were 15 years into the future. Before she could respond, Grier gestured for them to follow.“We’ll check you and the child out. After that, you can explain yourselves.”Sam adjusted Benji’s wrap as they climbed out of the crate, pressing a steadying hand to his back. His tiny body was warm against her chest, his heartbeat a soft, rhythmic pulse against her own. It grounded her.But the moment she stepped into the hangar, that grounding slipped. Something was wrong.The space was massive, lined with sleek, unfamiliar vessels—not standard Air Force, not even Earth-made. The technology shimmered under the fluorescents, edges too smooth, hulls too black.And then there were the people. Engineers moved quickly, their gazes averted, their shoulders hunched like they were afraid to linger too long in one place. But the others—the ones standing in the shadows, clad in unmarked black uniforms—weren’t moving at all. They were watching.Sam’s stomach clenched. Not technicians. Not pilots. Handlers.She bounced Benji gently, muttering soothing words as she followed Grier. She thought about his vulnerability in this strange, advanced reality. It was no longer just her life on the line—it was Benji’s, too."Colonel," Sam began as they walked, "in our reality, Area 51 doesn't have this level of development. What’s happened here?"Grier cast her a sideways glance."You’ll get your answers soon enough," he replied, though his tone softened as he glanced at Benji again. “You breached a highly secured and classified country facility, which has consequences, Ma’am.” He paused as they reached a heavily guarded door, and he swiped a card to allow them access. Sam and Daniel followed Colonel Grier into the interrogation room, their minds reeling from the little information they had. The room was sterile and cold, filled with the soft hum of hidden technology. Sam felt like she was walking again into the previous nightmare—as this alternate version of Earth now warped everything they had known about their reality.As they entered the room, Sam’s grip tightened on Benji. His tiny, sleepy breaths reminded her that her priorities had shifted despite the shock of this new reality. She wasn’t just a soldier anymore—she was a mother, and everything she did now was for him. The door shut behind them, locking them into the room where two chairs waited at a plain metal table.Sam and Daniel sat down at the metal table, exchanging glances. Their new situation bore down heavily on them, but Sam felt it more acutely with every coo and soft movement from the bundle in her arms. Sam’s mind raced, replaying Grier’s words over and over. 2025. They had stepped into the future by at least fifteen years.Daniel was equally stunned. He tapped his fingers nervously on the table, glancing at Sam with concern."2025, Sam. It’s a lot. Do you think we are... alive... in this reality?"“Well, at least we aren’t handcuffed,” she said.The door hissed open, and a new presence filled the space—a man whose stance commanded authority. Cameron Mitchell. Brigadier General Cameron Mitchell stepped into the room, hands in his pockets, his sharp blue eyes taking in the sight of Sam, Daniel, and the baby with an unmistakable mix of disbelief and wariness.Sam felt a jolt of recognition and the shock of seeing him older, grayer, but no less formidable.He let out a low whistle, shaking his head.“Well, hot damn. Jackson, Carter... and a kid? That’s a new one.” He tilted his head, his expression somewhere between amused and suspicious. “I’ve seen a lot running the SGC, but this? This takes the cake.”Sam inhaled sharply, forcing herself to remain calm. “General Mitchell.”His gaze flickered over to her, his lips pressing into a thin line.“Been a long time since someone called me that. Guess you wouldn’t know that, though, would ya?” He stepped closer, arms still crossed over his chest. “You mind tellin’ me just what the hell you’re doin’ popping up in my reality like ghosts from the past?”Daniel cleared his throat. “It’s complicated.”Mitchell gave a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, no kiddin’. Try me.”Sam tightened her hold on Benji.“We crossed over through the quantum mirror. Our Earth... it didn’t make it. The Goa’uld wiped us out. We’re all that’s left.”Mitchell’s easygoing posture stiffened, and a shadow crossed his face. He let out a slow exhale, rubbing a hand over his jaw.“Shit. That’s rough.” A pause. Then, more carefully: “And you came here hoping for what, exactly? A warm welcome? Refuge? ‘Cause I gotta tell ya, Carter, things ain’t all sunshine and roses here either.”Daniel leaned forward slightly. “So the war happened here too?”Mitchell scoffed. “Happened, yeah. Ended? Not exactly.” His voice took on a darker edge, one Sam hadn’t heard from him before. “We survived. Barely. Some old pals stepped in at the last minute. Threw us a lifeline, but man, the price we paid...” He trailed off, his jaw tightening before he shook it off. “Anyway. That’s not your problem.”Daniel hesitated. “What about SG-1?”Mitchell’s expression darkened. He breathed before saying, “Hate to break it to you, Jackson, but you didn’t make it past the first wave.”Silence fell heavy in the room. Daniel swallowed hard, his fingers tapping absently against the table. Sam felt the weight of the revelation press against her chest.Mitchell continued his voice even though he was carrying that unmistakable Southern bluntness.“Teal’c’s still kicking, leading the Free Jaffa Nation. Vala’s doin’ her thing. She comes and goes as she pleases.”When he stopped talking, Sam felt a knot in her stomach. “What about Jack?” she asked, already afraid of the answer.“O’Neill? Jack O’Neill?” He hesitated just a fraction of a second before dropping the bomb.“Jack O’Neill was never part of the Stargate Program in this reality.”Sam blinked, her mind stalling. “What?”Mitchell leaned back slightly, crossing his arms again. “After Abydos, the whole thing shut down. O’Neill walked away. Never looked back.”A sharp, icy pain lanced through Sam’s chest.No SG-1. No Jack waiting at the other end of the gate, throwing out sarcastic remarks, covering her six. Instead, in this reality, Jack was a man she had never known. Maybe he was still in the Air Force and retired early. Perhaps he never lost Charlie. The thought stung worse than she expected. She was a ghost, and he was a stranger in this world. Could she bear to find him only to realize she was nothing more than a name in some forgotten report?Sam’s grip on Benji tightened. He was alive. Somewhere. Unscarred by war. Unchanged by loss. But if she found him, he wouldn’t know her. He wouldn’t know their son.The thought ripped through her worse than any battlefield wound.Benji whimpered, pressing against her chest.“I’m so sorry, baby,” she whispered, her voice so low that only her son could hear.She barely heard Daniel’s muttered “Jesus” over the roaring in her ears.Mitchell watched her closely, his expression unreadable.“Look, I get it. That’s gotta be a mind-bender. But this is a different world. No SG-1, no you, no nothin’ like what you remember. Hell, Carter, you never even joined the Stargate Program here.”Sam’s fingers curled into a fist. “Then what did I do?”His lips twitched into something like a sad smirk.“NASA. You were a hotshot astronaut. Famous, too. But...” His smirk faded, replaced by something graver. “You died. Shuttle accident. Early evac mission to the moon. The whole thing went up in flames.”Sam inhaled sharply, her grip on Benji tightening. In this reality, she had been a hero—but not in the way she had imagined. No gate, no war, no SG-1. Just a cold, empty death in space.Her gaze dropped to Benji, his tiny face peaceful against her chest. In this world, he wouldn’t have existed. Neither would the love or the pain that had defined her life. Was that better? Worse? She didn’t know anymore. All she knew was that this version of her had made a choice that felt alien and distant from the woman she was now.Mitchell gave her a moment, then sighed. “You see the problem now? You don’t belong here. This world already lost you.”Daniel’s voice was rough. “So what happens now?”Mitchell exhaled heavily.“Hell, if I know. You bein’ here? It ain’t just some casual visit. The brass are gonna have a field day with this. Some folks are gonna wanna help you. Some are gonna see you as a threat. And some... well, some are gonna see you as an opportunity.” His gaze flickered to Benji.Sam instinctively shifted, shielding her son from view. Her stomach twisted with unease.Mitchell didn’t miss a beat. His voice softened just a fraction.“I ain’t sayin’ that to scare you, Carter. Just tellin’ you how it is.”He straightened, rubbing his jaw as he muttered, “Shit. This is one hell of a mess.” Then, with a decisive nod, he waved toward the door.“All right, here’s the deal. We’re running full medical scans. Dr. Lam’s gonna check you both out. Non-negotiable.” His gaze flickered to Daniel’s side. “You’re bleedin’, Jackson. Don’t try to play it cool.”Daniel gave a half-hearted shrug. “Didn’t think it was that bad.”“Tell me—before you arrived here, where exactly were you?”Sam hesitated, but there was no way out of it. “The last world we crossed into was infected with a plague. They were living underground. It wasn’t safe, so we left.”Cameron’s entire body tensed. The atmosphere in the room shifted.“A plague?” His voice was quiet now. Deadly quiet.Sam immediately knew where this was going.Her body stiffened. “We’re not sick, Cameron; we have no symptoms.”Mitchell rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, I ain’t takin’ any chances. Y’all just popped outta nowhere, and now you’re tellin’ me you came from a plague-ridden world before this? Yeah, that’s a problem.”Sam gripped Benji tighter. “We’re not infected.”Mitchell lifted a hand. “Not my call, Carter. My job’s to keep Earth safe. Y’all know the drill.”He stepped back, nodding to the guards. “Take ‘em to the infirmary. Make sure Lam runs every damn test she’s got.”Daniel sighed. “Yeah, we get it.”Mitchell gave them one last look, his expression between wary and regretful.“This ain’t personal. But y’all don’t belong here, and that makes things real complicated.”He hesitated, glancing toward the guards standing at attention by the door. “And complicated things... well, they got a way of getting dealt with fast around here.”Sam narrowed her eyes. Dealt with? “Mitchell. What happens if we stay?”He rubbed the back of his neck. “Best if you don’t find out.” The medical team worked quickly at the infirmary, drawing blood and running scans under Dr. Carolyn Lam’s watchful eye. Daniel winced as the burn on his side was cleaned and bandaged while Sam cradled Benji protectively, her unease growing with every procedure.But something shifted when one of the techs whispered something to Carolyn, slipping a small tablet into her hand. Sam saw her expression falter for just a second—so fast that most wouldn’t have caught it. But Sam did.“What?” Sam pressed, her grip on Benji tightening. “What is it?”Carolyn’s professional mask slid back into place. “Nothing. Routine results.”Sam didn’t buy it. “Don’t lie to me.”Carolyn hesitated, her gaze flicking between Sam and the readout on the tablet. She exhaled sharply. “Your vitals are fine. But there’s something… anomalous in your bio-readings.”Sam stiffened. The word rang in her ears, igniting the same dread she had felt every time a mission went sideways. She had spent years around classified tech—when a doctor hesitated like this, it was never “nothing.”“Define anomalous.”Carolyn’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s just… your body is showing some minor irregularities. Unusual cellular activity. It could be residual radiation from the quantum mirror or stress-related—”“Or?” Sam cut in, her pulse quickening.Carolyn didn’t answer right away. Instead, she shut off the tablet, her voice tight.“I’ll know more after additional testing.”Sam’s stomach knotted. That pause—just a fraction too long—set off every alarm in her mind. She had seen that look before, in doctors forced to deliver bad news. Scientists who had discovered something they weren’t ready to explain.And then she saw Carolyn's quick, barely perceptible glance toward Benji.Sam’s breath caught. The air in the sterile room felt suddenly thin.“This isn’t just about me, is it?” Her voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was anything but.Carolyn hesitated, the mask of professionalism slipping for just a moment before she recovered. “I need to run more tests.”The words sent a cold jolt through Sam’s spine. No. This was wrong. Carolyn was a good doctor, a good person—but Sam had been around military secrets long enough to know when the truth was being withheld.There was something Carolyn wasn’t saying. Something that made her uncomfortable.Once the examinations were complete, they were escorted to individual holding cells. The sterile, metallic rooms were sparse, containing a cot and little else. Sam sat on the edge of hers, Benji nestled in her arms as she tried to calm the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume her.Separated from each other, each of them was left alone with their thoughts, the weight of their circumstances settling heavily. Sam stared at the walls, her grip on Benji tightening as she replayed Cameron’s words. Daniel sat on his cot, his hand resting on his bandaged side, his mind racing with the ethical implications of their journey.And in the silence of their isolation, they began to process what they faced. Sam gently rocked Benji as he started to fuss. The baby’s soft cries echoed in the cold, sterile room. Her mind raced with everything Mitchell had told them. The version of herself in this world—a hero who died in space—felt alien to her. The thought of Jack—alive but unaware of her, of Benji—ripped at Sam’s heart.She glanced down at Benjamin, who had finally calmed and drifted back to sleep. She couldn’t stay here either. Not in this reality, where everything felt twisted and wrong. They had to find another world, another version of their lives, where Jack knew her, knew Benjamin, where SG-1 still existed, and where they could undo the devastation of their Earth. But how could they escape when they were already under surveillance? Any move she made would be scrutinized.Her thoughts churned as she stared at Benji. He was so small, so vulnerable. Sam couldn’t fail him. She couldn’t let this world trap them. She had to return to the quantum mirror and find a reality they could rebuild. Benji needed a future where they weren’t seen as anomalies or threats. One that included his father.Daniel, in his room, wrestled with his revelations. He had died here. The version of him in this world had never lived to see the end of the war, and he had never been part of this Earth’s victory against the Goa’uld. It felt surreal, almost haunting, to be a shadow of someone who had already passed. In the other reality, he left for Atlantis and never came back. He couldn’t help but wonder about the ethical implications. In every reality they’d ever encountered, the consequences of crossing over into alternate versions of themselves had always been catastrophic.They weren’t just anomalies—they were wildcards. And now, with the quantum mirror at their disposal, they could find another world and make things worse. Would it be better to stay here and try to integrate into a future that wasn’t theirs? Or would that cause even more damage than they could foresee?But one thing was clear: they couldn’t stay. Mitchell had made that much apparent. Even if they were treated with some level of civility now, the moment this world saw them as a threat, things would turn dark quickly. And Daniel had seen enough darkness to last a lifetime.Sam’s determination solidified, though fear twisted in her chest. Every choice felt like a gamble, and every risk could mean losing Benji—or herself. And Jack... her Jack. Did he exist in any of these worlds? Or would she search forever, only to find ghosts and shadows of the man she loved? She clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. Failure wasn’t an option for her son, Jack, or the future she refused to abandon.She needed to talk to Daniel. They needed a plan and fast.Time wasn’t on their side in this world. Sometime after Sam and Daniel were placed in holding cells, Mitchell strode into his office, shutting the door behind him. He ran a hand through his hair before tapping the secure line on his desk. The encrypted call hummed before connecting.
“This is Mitchell.”
A low, clipped voice answered. “Report.”Mitchell hesitated, glancing at the report on his desk—the one Carolyn had just handed him. His fingers drummed against the table before he spoke.“They’re stable,” he said carefully. “But there’s something weird in Carter’s scans. Not just hers—Jackson’s too. Could be quantum displacement, but…” He exhaled sharply. “We’ve never seen readings like this before.”The voice on the other end was silent for a moment before responding. “Contain them.”Mitchell’s jaw clenched. “You sure that’s necessary?”
“We’re still assessing the risk. If they brought something through—”
“They’re clean,” Mitchell cut in, his tone sharp. “Carolyn would’ve flagged it otherwise.”
“And if she missed something?”
Mitchell fell silent. He’d known this call was coming the second Carolyn looked at those damn scans.“Mitchell,” the voice continued, “if their biology has been altered in any way, we need to know if it’s stable —or if it’s spreading.”Mitchell exhaled, rubbing his forehead. “I get it. Just… don’t jump the gun, alright? Carter and Jackson aren’t liabilities. Nor the baby.”
“Until we know what we’re dealing with, they’re not going anywhere.”
The call ended with a click. Mitchell closed his eyes briefly before shoving the report aside.This wasn’t good. Sam sat on the edge of her cot, poking at the meal they had just brought her. It had been hours since she and Daniel had been separated, locked in these isolated quarters, waiting for answers or even the results from the medical tests. But Sam knew better—answers wouldn’t come, especially after the word ‘anomalous’ had come out of Carolyn’s mouth. She had to make her way out. Her mind kept racing back to the quantum mirror—the key to getting them out of this twisted reality. But how could they get to it when they were being watched constantly? Could she use the same trick she had used in the other reality? Fake it?Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft whimper from the cot beside her. Something was wrong. He was warm—too warm—and his tiny breaths were coming faster than expected. Panic clawed at her chest. Without hesitation, she went to the door and slammed her fist against it.“I need Dr. Lam! Now!”A long pause followed before the intercom crackled. “State the emergency.”“My son—he’s running a fever, and his breathing isn’t normal! Get her now!”Minutes passed before the door hissed open, and Carolyn Lam entered, flanked by two guards who didn’t move an inch. Sam didn’t miss that. Something had changed.Carolyn approached, but her gaze wasn’t filled with medical concern this time—it was guarded. She took Benji from Sam’s arms, checking him with methodical precision. When she reached for her scanner, she hesitated a fraction of a second before running the device along Benji’s tiny frame.Sam caught that hesitation. “What?” she demanded. “What is it?”Carolyn’s face was unreadable. “I need to run more tests.”Sam’s stomach dropped. “Tell me what you’re not saying.”Sam’s grip tightened on Benji. He was too warm, his breathing uneven. She needed help. She needed answers. But Carolyn wasn’t giving them.Sam felt her heart pounding. The way Carolyn was looking at Benji—calculating. Assessing.“I need to take him to the infirmary,” Carolyn said.No hesitation. No question. Just take.Sam’s grip on Benji tightened, her mind spiraling.They’re lying. They already know what’s wrong. They’re stalling.And then she saw it—the glance. A tiny flicker between Carolyn and the guards. A silent message.They weren’t asking. They were taking.No.The decision wasn’t rational. It wasn’t even conscious. It was instinct.One heartbeat later, she had the scalpel in hand, pressing it against Carolyn’s throat.“Lower your weapons,” she ordered, voice shaking with rage. “Now.”The room went still.Then, another voice entered the fray. “Carter, let her go. Now.”Mitchell stood in the doorway, his usual effortless charm replaced with cold, barely restrained fury. “That’s my wife you’re holding, and I swear to God if you hurt her—”“Back off, Mitchell.” Sam’s grip tightened. “I don’t know what’s happening in this reality, but I’m not waiting to find out.”Mitchell took a slow step forward.“Not a chance,” he snapped. “That’s my wife you’re threatening. And in case you’ve forgotten or don’t know, we got two little girls waiting for her to come home tonight. You wanna live with that on your conscience, Carter?”Sam swallowed hard, her heartbeat hammering in her ears. She hadn’t known. She didn’t belong here. The revelation hit like a punch to the gut.Carolyn struggled, her voice tight but firm. “Sam, listen to me. You don’t need to do this.”Mitchell nodded. “Yeah, you really need to think this through.”“I have.”Carolyn looked at her husband, who was standing by the door. “Sam, please—”Sam cut her off. “I can’t trust any of you.The guards tensed, but Sam snapped, “Mitchell—take me to Daniel. Now.”Mitchell showed his hands as an appeasing sign. “Carter, this ain’t the way.”“Then start talking,” Sam shot back. “What’s wrong with my son? What the hell did I see in that hangar?”Mitchell sighed, rubbing his jaw. “You really wanna know? Fine. But I ain’t gonna make it easy.”The alarms blared throughout the facility as Sam forced Carolyn forward, stepping cautiously through the corridors. The guards flanked them, weapons raised but waiting on Mitchell’s order.Mitchell walked beside them, his voice calm but laced with tension.“You always had a dramatic streak, Carter. But this? This ain’t your style.”Sam scoffed. “Desperate times, Mitchell.”He smirked slightly. “You remember how I always had a soft spot for you, Carter?”Carolyn, still restrained, stiffened. “Excuse me?”Mitchell ignored her, stepping forward slightly. “Gotta say, you always did have a hell of a grip. Brings back memories.”Carolyn seethed. “Cameron, not the time.”“Just making conversation, honey,” Mitchell replied smoothly.“Oh, we will be discussing this later,” Carolyn said, her voice clipped despite the situation.Sam’s grip tightened. “We were never anything besides friends, Carolyn. Mitchell knows that.”Mitchell sighed dramatically.“Yeah, but doesn’t mean I didn’t have hopes, back in the day. Too bad you had a thing for older guys with silver hair.”His gaze locked onto Sam’s. “Let’s go to Jackson’s cell. And Carter? You better be ready for answers you might not like.”“Start talking,” Sam said as they walked.Mitchell exhaled, rubbing his jaw as he muttered, “You saw those ships, didn’t you?”Sam’s grip tightened around Benji. The way he said it sent a chill through her—like a man bracing for a storm he couldn’t outrun.“They’re not ours, Carter,” he continued. His voice was quieter now, weightier. “Not completely.”Sam’s stomach twisted. She had seen a lot of black projects in her time and had even designed a few herself—but the ships in that hangar weren’t experimental. They weren’t human.“What do you mean?” she asked, voice low.Mitchell’s expression darkened. For the first time since she had arrived, he didn’t look like the cocky, wise-cracking pilot she remembered. He looked like a man holding onto a heavy secret that had already started to break him.“We had a choice,” he said finally. “Die on our feet, or kneel and survive.”She tensed. “You made a deal.”Mitchell laughed, but there was no humor in it. It was the kind of sound a man made when the joke had already killed him.“You call it a deal,” he said, shaking his head. “Me? I call it a leash.”Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears. “With who?”Mitchell didn’t answer right away. For a long moment, the only sound was the facility's hum, the distant whine of alarms still blaring through the halls.Then he met her eyes.“We don’t say their name,” he said, voice barely above a whisper.A sharp, sickening dread curled in Sam’s gut.“You can’t even say it?”Mitchell’s jaw clenched. “You don’t get it, Carter. You say it, and they know. They hear it. And they listen.”The room felt colder. Sam knew fear. She had faced down Goa’uld system lords, Replicators, and all sorts of aliens. But this? This was different.She licked her lips, suddenly dry. “What did you trade?”Mitchell’s gaze flickered to Benji.Sam went still.It was only a second. A fraction of hesitation. But it was enough.Enough to tell her that whatever deal Earth had made, it hadn’t come cheap.And it sure as hell wasn’t over.Mitchell didn’t answer. Instead, he met her gaze with something unsettlingly close to regret.“You really wanna know? Then you better think twice about leavin’.”Sam glared at him, but before she could ask anything, they reached the door to Daniel’s holding cell.Mitchell’s voice lost all traces of humor.“You’re outta moves, Carter. You let her go, we get Jackson, and we figure this out without you makin’ a damn mistake you can’t take back.”Sam’s jaw clenched. “Open the door first.”Mitchell met her eyes, and for a moment, neither moved.Sam swallowed hard, but she didn’t loosen her hold. “Open the cell.”Mitchell’s eyes darkened. “Carter—”“Now!”His jaw clenched, but he nodded to the guards. The cell door disengaged with a metallic hiss, revealing Daniel.Sam lunged in that split second of distraction, twisting Mitchell’s gun from its holster and shoving him back. The guards moved, but she aimed the weapon squarely at them.“Tell me the rest,” she said, her voice as steel. “You’re saying Earth is occupied?”Mitchell let out a bitter chuckle. “No. No boots on the ground. No daily broadcasts telling us to kneel to some new overlord. It’s cleaner than that. Subtler.” He exhaled, shaking his head. “Hell, most of the world doesn’t even know we lost.”Sam frowned. “Lost?”Mitchell finally met her gaze. His voice was flat, empty.“The war didn’t end because we won, Carter. It ended because they let us.”A heavy silence settled between them. Daniel left the cell, catching the conversation in the middle.“They came when the Goa’uld were at our throats when we were losing the war by inches. We were weeks away from collapse. The Asgard were gone, Atlantis was cut off, and every last SGC outpost was either compromised or abandoned. We had no way out.”He rubbed his face, exhaustion creeping into his features.“Then the ships came. Not as conquerors, not with weapons drawn—but with an offer. Surrender some control. Let them have a say in how Earth moves forward. And in exchange? They’d wipe the Goa’uld from existence.”Daniel’s breath hitched. “And you accepted.”Mitchell’s laugh was harsh, raw. “We didn’t accept, Jackson. We never had a choice. The moment they landed, the war was over. It just took us a while to realize it.”Sam swallowed hard. “You said ‘surrender some control.’ What does that mean?”Mitchell leaned forward slightly. “It means, Carter, that every major decision—every technological leap, every military development, every damn breakthrough—goes through them first. It means we don’t take a piss in deep space unless we ask permission.” He exhaled. “And it means sometimes… people disappear.”Sam’s stomach dropped.Mitchell saw the look on her face and nodded. “Yeah. We’re allowed to keep running things on the surface. Governments, elections, all the good old-fashioned bullshit. But underneath? The moment someone steps too far out of line, says the wrong thing, asks the wrong question—poof.” He snapped his fingers. “Gone.”Daniel paled. “Jesus.”Mitchell’s voice dropped lower. “And the worst part? It’s been happening long enough that people have just… accepted it. No mass panic, no riots. Just a slow, quiet shift. The world keeps spinning, and the people at the top? The ones who know? They just look the other way.”Sam’s grip on Benji tightened. “And the military? The SGC?”Mitchell exhaled. “Officially? The SGC still exists. Unofficially?” He tilted his head toward the ceiling. “We’re a branch of something else now. Something bigger. Something that doesn’t give a damn about the old rules.”Sam’s throat went dry. The words sat heavy in her chest. “You’re saying Earth isn’t just under occupation—we’re being used.”Mitchell didn’t answer. He didn’t have to.It made sense now—the empty-eyed engineers. The black-clad figures stood, watching but never working. The alien ships that shimmered like they didn’t quite belong in this world. Because they didn’t.Earth wasn’t under control. It had been rewritten.Sam’s grip on Benji tightened. The thought slashed through her like a knife.
If we stay, they’ll take him too.
Instead, he ran a hand through his hair and gave her a weary, almost apologetic look.“You don’t belong here. You can’t belong here. You see the problem?” He murmured.Sam pointed the gun straight at him.“I see it. Inside. Now.”They hesitated. Mitchell, eyes blazing, took a step forward, but Sam cocked the gun.“Don’t.”“Carter,” Mitchell said, his voice quiet but lethal. “You better pray I don’t catch you because we're done the second that door shuts. And your time will be very short,” he warned.Sam met his gaze, her own filled with regret.“I’m sorry, Cam. But this isn’t our reality.”Without another word, she pushed Carolyn forward, forcing her inside with the rest of the guards. She hit the controls with a final, sharp inhale, sealing them inside.Mitchell’s furious shout echoed through the metal door as the alarm blared overhead.“Mitchell’s voice was ice.“Run, Carter.” He took a step closer to the glass. “Because when I find you—”He let the words hang. Let them settle. Then, quietly:“You’ll wish I hadn’t.”Sam swallowed, but Mitchell’s voice dropped even lower.“But if they find you first?” His lips barely moved, but the weight of his words was suffocating. “You won’t get the luxury of wishing. Because you won’t even know what you are anymore.”A cold shiver crawled down Sam’s spine.Mitchell’s gaze flicked to Benji—just for a second. But that second was enough.“You think they’ll kill you, Carter?” He huffed out a humorless laugh. “You should be so damn lucky.” His jaw tightened. “The ones they kill get off easy. They’re the mistakes. The ones they can’t use.”Sam’s breath came faster. Use?Mitchell’s expression darkened. “But the ones they take?” He shook his head, something hollow in his eyes. “They don’t come back the same. Hell, they don’t come back at all—not really. And the ones who do?”A muscle ticked in his jaw.“They don’t remember who they were. Just what they’ve been made into.”A sick, leaden weight settled in Sam’s chest. She wanted to call it a bluff—wanted to believe this was Mitchell trying to break her resolve—but she saw it in his eyes.He wasn’t warning her.He was telling her what he had already seen.Swallowing hard, Sam adjusted Benji with one hand as the other held Mitchell’s gun.“Let’s go,” she said to Daniel, her voice firm, turning her back to the door. To Cameron Mitchell, to his wife, and all the darkness they had found. They weren’t safe yet.Daniel glanced at her, his expression a mix of concern and determination.“You’ve got a plan, right?”Sam gave a terse nod, her eyes scanning the hallway. “We’re heading for the quantum mirror. We stick to the maintenance routes to avoid as many guards as possible. This reality is very wrong, and we are on a tight schedule.”Sam kept the pistol steady, her gaze locked on every spot until she and Daniel turned the corner.As they slipped into the maintenance corridors, the distant sound of alarms began to echo through the facility. Sam’s grip on the gun tightened."If we fail, we’ll make things worse," she said, her voice trembling with an unspoken fear.Daniel met her eyes, his voice calm but firm."We’ve already seen the worst, Sam. This? This is just a chance to find something better. For Benji. For us."She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. They had to do this for Benji. That was all that mattered now. They moved in sync, hyper-focused as they slipped into the hallway. The facility was dimly lit, but Sam could hear distant voices and footsteps echoing from the other corridors.Suddenly, the sound of footsteps nearby grew louder. Sam froze, her hand instinctively tightening around Benji’s carrier. His tiny body squirmed, a faint, restless whimper escaping him. She pressed herself against the wall, her heart racing as she gently rocked him, willing him to stay quiet.Daniel tensed beside her, his gaze darting between the corridor and Sam.“Can you keep him quiet?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.“I’ll try,” Sam murmured, her voice trembling with the weight of the impossible task. Benji’s tiny cry felt deafening in the stillness, each sound threatening to give away their position.“We need to go back,” Daniel whispered urgently.“No time,” Sam whispered, pulse hammering as she clutched Benji closer. Footsteps echoed, growing louder. They were boxed in. Damn it.Her eyes darted frantically—no doors, no cover. No way out.Then she spotted it. The vent. Big enough for them.She turned to Daniel, lowering her voice. “Up there.”He followed her gaze, eyes widening. “You sure?”“Do you have a better idea?” she shot back. Benji squirmed against her chest, his restless whimper threatening to give them away.Sam boosted herself up, gritting her teeth, carefully balancing Benji as she wrenched the grate free with the scalpel. The metal groaned—too loud. She froze, holding her breath as the soldiers’ boots scuffed against the concrete floor just outside.They crawled through the narrow space, the sound of their breathing and Benji’s occasional fussing the only noises breaking the silence. Below, the soldiers passed, their voices fading as they moved further down the corridor.When Sam was sure the coast was clear, she signaled to Daniel, and they slid out of the vent, dropping silently to the floor.“We’re close,” Sam whispered, checking around the corner. The door to the storage hangar was just ahead, flanked by two guards. “Of course,” she muttered under her breath.Daniel moved to her side. “What’s the plan?”Sam looked down at Benji, who was finally calm but breathing unevenly. She felt a pang of guilt for what she was about to do, but they had no choice.She adjusted Benji’s wrap slightly, just enough for the guards to catch sight of his restless movements. Hesitation flickered in their eyes—uncertainty. That moment was all she needed. Sam moved first.“Hey! What are you doing here?!” one of them shouted, moving toward her.“Please!” Sam begged, her voice shaking. “My baby... He’s sick, and I don’t know what to do! You have to help me!”The guards hesitated, unsure how to react. In Area 51, babies were more unfamiliar than actual aliens.That was all the distraction Sam needed. Quickly, she shifted Benji to one arm and lashed out with her free hand, disarming the first guard. Daniel lunged forward, taking down the second with a well-placed strike. Within seconds, both guards were unconscious, and Sam and Daniel were standing at the entrance to the hangar.The quantum mirror loomed ahead, its dark, shimmering surface a gateway to yet another unknown. Sam’s heart pounded in her chest as she glanced down at Benji, whose tiny face had relaxed in sleep despite the chaos surrounding them. His peaceful expression was a stark contrast to the turmoil in her mind.
How many more times would they do this? How many realities would they cross before they found something that felt like home?
“This is it, little one,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “We’re going to find a better place for you. I promise.” She pressed a hand to his back, feeling his breath's steady rise and fall. It steadied her, too.“Hurry,” Daniel urged, glancing nervously at the door. Reinforcements wouldn’t be far behind.Sam activated the controls, cycling through alternate realities quickly. She stared at the shifting images, each reality a roll of the dice. Too dark. Too cold. Too familiar.She swallowed hard. What if this next one is worse?Then Benji stirred, his tiny breath warm against her chest.No more time. No more doubts.“Let’s go,” she said, gripping Daniel’s arm. “Now.”“I hope this is better,” he said.Together, they stepped through the shimmering surface, leaving behind the twisted reality’s cold, sterile hangar.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They hit solid ground hard. Sam barely absorbed the impact, her arms tightening protectively around Benjamin. The infant whimpered, too disoriented to cry. Beside her, Daniel groaned, pushing himself upright."Everyone in one piece?" he rasped.Sam nodded, shifting Benji’s weight. "For now."The air was musty and confined. Metal walls. Machinery humming. Footsteps outside. A storage crate—again. Any relief from surviving the mirror’s jump vanished.A sharp clang. The lid ripped open—blinding light. Sam’s hand shot toward her weapon—but she froze. Too risky. The gun stayed tucked against her back."Hold it! Identify yourselves!" a voice barked, commanding and sharp.As her vision cleared, Sam saw armed soldiers surrounding the crate, their faces obscured by helmets. Daniel raised his hands slowly, his voice steady but firm.“Hey, hey—hold your fire. We’re unarmed.”The soldiers hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances. Daniel pressed forward.“Dr. Daniel Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter. We’re from your reality’s Stargate Program—or what’s left. We’re not a threat. And we have an infant with us. Does that sound like an invasion force to you?”The ranking officer’s gaze flickered uncertainly before signaling his men to lower their weapons. One stepped forward, his tone doubtful."Stargate Program? You’d better come with us."Before they could protest, rough hands pulled them from the crate. Sam clutched Benjamin tighter, her heart pounding as their hands were bound."Please," she said, her voice firm but desperate. "Let me hold him properly."The leader studied her, then gave a terse nod."No sudden moves."“I have a gun hidden on my back,” Sam revealed slowly as Daniel gave her a wide stare.The soldier immediately retrieved it and put it away. After Sam’s admission, everyone, including Benjamin and his carrier, was searched thoroughly.Wonderful. Now I’m a reality crasher and a liar, Sam thought as they were led through sterile hallways. Tension mounted. Something about the facility felt too polished, too orderly. This wasn’t the too tech advanced world they had left behind. But it was more than just the cleanliness—Sam could feel the subtle yet sharp edge of hostility in every glance and motion of their captors. She tightened her grip on Benjamin, but the ache in her arms was nothing compared to the gnawing unease growing in her chest.They were abruptly hooded after a tense phone call from one of the guards. Sam’s grip on Benji tightened as the thrum of helicopter rotors filled her ears. What felt like hours later, they were deposited in an interrogation room. Sam’s handcuffed wrist ached as she adjusted Benjamin, her other hand soothing his soft cries. Her surroundings offered no comfort, only cold sterility that seemed to mock her plight.The door creaked open, and heavy footsteps echoed into the room. A familiar voice cut through the tension, cold and unrecognizable."Well, well. What do we have here?"The hood was yanked off, and sharp and punishing light slammed into her eyes. Sam squeezed her lids shut, instinctively turning away before forcing herself to face the brightness. Her vision blurred, edges swimming as her brain scrambled to adjust.A figure loomed before her.
No.
The world narrowed. Her breath caught, locking in her chest. Her mind screamed at her to process the image before her, to make sense of what could not—should not—be real.The scar was the first thing she saw—jagged, slicing from brow to ear, a cruel mark of battles she had never witnessed. His face was leaner, harder. The eyes—his eyes—were not hers. Not warm. Not weary with reluctant affection.They were sharp. Dissecting. Unfamiliar.But it was the suit that made her stomach drop.Jack O’Neill did not wear a suit. He had grumbled through every dress-uniform obligation and loosened his collar the second protocol allowed. Yet here he stood, crisp and commanding, power clinging to him like a second skin.Wrong.
All of it was wrong.
Her fingers tightened instinctively around Benjamin, drawing him closer as if shielding him could somehow ward off the impossible.“Didn’t know you had a kid,” Jack said, nodding toward Benjamin. His voice was flat. Detached. It was as if the revelation of a child—her child—was merely another line item on a report.Sam opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her throat burned.“Who’s the father?” Jack asked again, his tone unreadable.Silence yawned between them.Sam barely breathed. The walls of the room felt too close, the air too thin. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Her mind screamed at her to say something—to do something—but she was frozen, caught in the impossible horror of the moment.This was Jack. And it wasn’t.The weight of her grief, of all her losses, surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing into her ribs. Her Jack was gone. Her Jack would never stand before her with cold eyes and clipped voice.Daniel stirred beside her, and the moment snapped. Sam pulled in a breath, forcing herself to focus."That’s none of your damn business," she finally said, her voice steadier than she felt.Jack’s eyes flickered—frustration, maybe something else—but he didn’t press further. Instead, he let out a slow breath, the tension in his shoulders tightening."We’ll talk again when you’ve got your voice back," he said before turning on his heel and leaving the tension behind like a physical weight.Sam barely blinked, barely moved. Her grip on Benji remained unrelenting.Daniel shifted beside her, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had dug in."Well," he muttered, "that was pleasant."Sam didn’t answer. She was too busy trying to remember how to breathe.Her pulse still pounded in her ears, the weight of Jack’s words pressing heavily on her chest. She had imagined many difficult encounters across different realities, but nothing had prepared her for this one. The way he had looked at her as if she were a stranger. As if Benjamin was just another puzzle piece to be examined, rather than her son—his son.Before she could respond, the door swung open again. This time, two armed guards entered, their expressions unreadable. One gestured toward the hallway.“Let’s go.”Sam exchanged a wary glance with Daniel before rising carefully, adjusting Benji’s wrap to ensure he was secure. Every movement felt heavier under the scrutiny of their captors. The air outside the interrogation room was just as sterile and unfamiliar.They were led down a series of winding hallways, past closed doors and the occasional wary glance from personnel who clearly knew better than to linger. The sharp echo of boots on tile filled the corridor as they walked in tense silence. Sam’s arms ached from holding Benji for so long, but she refused to let him go. Not here. Not now.They were thrown into separate rooms after being led down a series of hallways. Sam stumbled as the door behind her slammed shut, but Benji whimpered softly, his presence reminding her that she wasn’t completely alone.Sitting on the edge of the soft bed, Sam pressed her hands to her face, her mind spinning. This world—Jack’s world—might be more dangerous than anything they had ever imagined. Benji stirred in her arms, his tiny fingers gripping her shirt, bringing her back to the present. She looked down at his sleeping face, her resolve strengthening. She had to think, to find a way out—for his sake. Jack’s footsteps echoed through the stark, sterile halls of the facility as he made his way to the infirmary, his face a mask of barely restrained frustration. The stark fluorescent lights overhead did nothing to soften the tension building since those two—Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson—arrived.But there was something else now gnawing at his thoughts—a baby. Sam had a baby.The quantum mirror had been outlawed for a reason—too many dangerous variables and lives thrown into chaos. And yet here they were, appearing out of nowhere, with a child.Pushing open the door to the infirmary, Jack marched straight toward the head of the medical wing—Dr. Janet Fraiser. She was standing by a set of medical monitors, her hands busy organizing equipment, but she froze when she saw Jack’s expression.“General O'Neill,” she greeted, her voice cautious but respectful. “What can I do for you?”Jack closed the distance between them without a preamble, his voice low but cold.“I’m retired, Janet, as you are well aware. And I need you to run every test possible on the two prisoners just brought in. Blood tests, MRIs, DNA scans—the works. Everything.”Janet frowned, her brow furrowing.“Everything?”“Everything,” Jack repeated, his tone brooking no argument.Her confusion was evident as she set the clipboard in her hands, glancing toward the secured medical rooms where Sam and Daniel were likely being held.“Who are they, Jack? There’s already talk running around the facility. People are saying things—rumors. And the baby... Is that...?”Jack’s jaw clenched, his scarred face hardening further. He wasn’t in the mood for this. Not now, not when everything felt like slipping through his fingers.“I don’t care what people are saying. I need you to do your job, Janet,” he snapped, his voice colder than he intended.Janet blinked, clearly taken aback by his tone.“Of course, I’ll do my job,” she replied, her voice steady though her eyes reflected a hint of hurt. “But Jack, what’s going on? If these tests are this extensive, I need to know what I’m dealing with. And the baby... is that Sam’s? Is this some version of them where they...?”Jack felt his anger simmer just beneath the surface. She deserved answers, but he couldn’t afford to let anyone—especially Janet—get too close to this mess before he understood it himself and when he didn’t have any answers to offer.“You don’t need to know any more than what I’ve already told you,” he said, his tone sharp. “Just do the tests, Janet. Run everything. Check the baby, too. If you don’t, I’ll find someone who will.”The words hung in the air like a threat, and Janet’s expression shifted, her features tightening. The two stared at each other momentarily, the tension thickening between them.Finally, Janet stepped back, her professional demeanor slipping into place.“Fine,” she said quietly, her tone clipped. “I’ll run the tests. But if there’s something I should know—if this is about those two—” She hesitated, searching his face. “Jack, you need to be careful.”“I am careful,” he snapped, harsher than he meant to. “Just do it, Janet. Besides, one of them is hurt; his clothes are all bloody. Maybe take care of that also,” he added.The silence between them felt suffocating, but Jack wasn’t about to apologize. He had too much riding on this—too many unanswered questions gnawing at him. Sam Carter and Daniel Jackson were dead in this reality. He had buried them—felt the weight of their deaths for years. And now, two versions of them had walked into his world like ghosts, with a baby in tow.A frickin' baby.Jack turned on his heel, leaving Janet standing there as he exited the infirmary. His fists clenched as he walked, the echoes of his footsteps chasing him through the cold, sterile halls. This wasn’t just about verifying who they were. It was about something much bigger.And Jack needed answers—no matter what it took. Sam did everything she could to care for Benjamin. She had run out of supplies—diapers and formula—long ago, so she breastfed him, gave him an improvised bath in the small sink, and changed him into one of the pillowcases from her bed, ripping it down to fit as best as she could. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do. Benji cooed softly, his tiny hands clutching at the fabric, unaware of the turmoil surrounding them. Sam stroked his head, her thoughts racing, trying to make sense of this new reality they had fallen into. She was starting to lose count of how many jumps they had done.Just as she was finishing up, the door to her room clicked open. She froze, her heart skipping a beat. Steeling herself for what could come next, she looked up—and her breath caught in her throat. Standing in the doorway was Janet Fraiser, alive and very much present, flanked by two armed airmen.It was the second shock Sam had felt since stepping into this reality. Her mouth went dry as she stared at Janet, the woman she had mourned years ago, now standing in front of her as if nothing had changed.Janet’s gaze went straight to Sam’s arms—tight, protective, unyielding. Even before a word was spoken, the tension in her posture told her everything.“Sam,” Janet started gently, “I need to run medical tests on both of you. Just to be sure you’re okay.”The words landed like a slap.Sam’s breath hitched. Cold bled through her chest, pooling in her stomach.“No.” The word tore from her throat, too sharp, too fast.Janet’s brow furrowed. “Sam—”“I said no.”Her grip on Benjamin tightened. She was sweating now—she could feel it, damp and sticky along her spine. The room felt smaller, the walls pressing in, the air thickening.She knew this feeling. Entrapment. Helplessness. The same feeling she’d had the last time they strapped her to a table and ran their scans in Mitchell’s world. The same feeling she had when Carolyn Lam murmured about “anomalies” in a hushed voice without more explanation.She forced herself to breathe, but it felt like she was inhaling glass.Janet took a cautious step forward, hands raised in a calm gesture.“So, can you at least tell me his name? Is he your son?” Janet asked softly, trying to defuse some of the tension.Sam swallowed. She wasn’t interested in sharing information, but she would gladly tell Janet his name instead of letting her take him for medical tests.“This is Benjamin,” she just said.“Lovely name for such a handsome baby,” Janet said sincerely. It was apparent he was Sam’s son. Those unmistakable blue eyes and blonde hair made denying it impossible, but she didn’t press. She had other priorities.“So, I’ve seen that you’ve improvised with his diapers,” she said, looking at the makeshift use of the ripped pillowcase.“I use what I can,” Sam said sharply.Janet didn’t flinch.“And I’m sure you’ve been doing a fine job Sam, but I really need to do those tests. I promise I’ll do them myself. You’ll stay together the entire time.”Sam barely heard her. Flashes of memory overlapped with the present. Cold metal pressed against her skin. Restraints digging into her wrists. The too-bright lights of a different facility. Another world. Another interrogation.Another betrayal.Her throat closed, and suddenly, she couldn’t swallow past the tightness.“You don’t understand.” The words were hoarse, forced through clenched teeth.Janet didn’t move, didn’t push. “Then help me understand.”The silence stretched thick with unspoken fears.Sam shifted her grip on Benjamin, her fingers trembling slightly. She hated how weak she felt. How exposed. But Janet wasn’t the enemy. Not here. Not yet.She took a shuddering breath.“The last reality we were in... they ran tests.” She swallowed hard. “On all of us. They never told me the results. Just that something was... off.”Janet’s expression softened, but she didn’t interrupt.“I don’t know what they found,” Sam admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “We left before I could. But now... after everything... I don’t trust this. I don’t trust what they’ll find. And I sure as hell don’t trust what they’ll do with it.”Janet exhaled, nodding slowly. “That’s why I’ll do it myself. No one else.”Sam hesitated, still clutching Benji like a lifeline.“I’ll run the tests,” Janet continued, her voice steady. “And you’ll know everything before anyone else does. You have my word.”Sam’s breath came in short bursts. She searched Janet’s face, looking for deception, for any crack in her sincerity.She found none.Finally, she exhaled shakily and nodded, but her grip on Benjamin never loosened.“All right,” she murmured. “But if something looks wrong, you tell me first. No one else.”Janet nodded. “Of course. Let’s go.”Even as Sam followed, her legs felt like lead. Her chest ached from breathing normally. The fear didn’t fade—it simply settled deeper, waiting. The facility felt familiar and alien to her, the echoes of footsteps bouncing off the walls, making her skin prickle. Benji’s tiny hand clutched her shirt, his soft breathing a constant reminder of what she had to protect.When they arrived at the infirmary, Janet led them into a private room, spacious and sterile, yet attempting to feel warm with soft lighting. Sam sat down carefully, keeping Benji close as Janet gathered her equipment. Sam’s unease didn’t dissipate.Janet Fraiser moved about the infirmary with steady precision from years of experience, her hands gathering equipment as she prepared for Benjamin’s medical exam. Sam sat on the edge of the examination table, her arms wrapped protectively around the infant. Benjamin cooed softly, blissfully unaware of the tension hanging in the air.“Let’s start with Benjamin,” Janet said, keeping her tone calm as she prepared a scanner.Sam nodded but hesitated. “Before you do… there’s something else you need to know.”Janet glanced up. “Go on.”“The world before this one,” Sam said, fingers unconsciously stroking Benjamin’s back. “A virus infected it. A plague wiped out most of the population. They lived underground. We were only there briefly, but we might have been exposed.”Janet’s face paled slightly, but she maintained her composure.“A virus? What kind of virus? Do you have any details, such as symptoms and incubation period?”Sam shook her head, her voice trembling with the weight of her confession.“It was an altered pathogen that once interacted with the atmosphere and became a biological catastrophe.”Janet swallowed.“Did either of you show symptoms?”“No,” Sam admitted. “We went through a decontamination process as soon as we arrived, but… we had to come outside again to leave through the mirror. I don’t know if it was enough to catch it.”Janet exhaled, absorbing the information. “And they never gave you results from the tests in the last world?”“No.” Sam’s jaw tightened. “They were hiding something.”Janet nodded grimly. “All right. That changes things. We will run full virology panels, along with everything else.”Sam swallowed, gripping Benji tighter.“And if something’s wrong?”Janet met her eyes, her expression steady.“Then we’ll figure it out together.”A small lump formed in Sam’s throat. She didn't feel entirely alone for the first time since stepping into this reality.Janet set the stethoscope aside, her movements brisk but controlled as she reached for a medical mask and gloves.“All right. Thank you for telling me. We’re going to follow strict protocol from here. I’ll need to isolate the three of you until we can confirm whether there’s any risk.”Sam’s heart sank, but she nodded. “I understand.”Janet’s voice softened, though her actions remained swift. “This isn’t just for us, Sam—it’s for Benjamin, too. If he’s been exposed, we need to know to help him.”Sam swallowed hard, her throat dry. “I… trust you.”Janet’s reassuring smile was brief but genuine. “Good. Let’s get started.”Janet moved quickly, her voice calm but firm as she directed the medical staff.“We need to set up isolation protocols for all three of them—Colonel Carter, Doctor Jackson, and the baby. Get the quarantine room prepped immediately.”A nurse nearby nodded and hurried off to follow her orders. Janet turned back to Sam, her face a mask of professionalism, though her eyes held a flicker of compassion.“Sam, I’ll need you and Benjamin to stay in the quarantine room while we run tests. We’ll keep you comfortable, but I can’t take risks.”Sam clutched Benjamin tighter, her voice low but steady. “I know.”Janet shifted her attention to Daniel, who sat nearby, his face pale and his hand pressed against his side where the edge of his shirt was stained with dried blood.“Daniel, let me see that wound.”He gave her a tired look but didn’t resist as she pulled his hand away to reveal a bandage that wasn’t enough for whatever his injury was. Slowly, she removed it and saw a deep burn left by the staff blast he’d taken during their first escape. The wound's edges were charred despite the antibiotic ointment Dr. Lam had applied, and it oozed faintly. Janet’s lips tightened.“You should’ve told me about this earlier,” she scolded gently, pulling on gloves and gathering her supplies.“I was treated in the other reality and… I didn’t want to cause a scene,” Daniel muttered weakly, wincing as Janet cleaned the wound. “It’s not that bad.”“It’s bad enough,” Janet replied firmly. “And the treatment wasn’t enough, let me tell you. You’re lucky the blast didn’t go deeper. However, we need to be extra cautious about viral exposure. This could complicate things. How did this happen?” she asked casually.Daniel and Sam exchanged a glance.“If you want to tell me, of course,” Janet said, noticing.Daniel’s gaze remained fixed on the floor for a long moment, his brow furrowed. Finally, he looked up, his blue eyes tired but cautious.“We were attacked,” he said, his voice flat. “By the Goa’uld. We lost.”Janet paused, her heart sinking at the gravity of his words. She had known the Goa’uld were always a threat, but hearing that they had lost everything hit harder than she expected. She busied herself with the tests, briefly letting the silence settle between them."How bad was it?" Janet pressed gently, trying to keep him talking.“Bad enough,” Daniel replied, his voice tight. “They overran us. We never stood a chance. The Asgard and the Tok'ra didn’t help; no one helped, so we had no choice after that. Sam and I... we had to escape. The quantum mirror was our last chance.”Janet frowned as she finished cleaning, sensing more to the story. But she also knew better than to push too hard.Sam watched as Janet worked with efficiency, her stomach twisting with guilt.“Janet, I’m sorry. I should have mentioned the virus sooner. I didn’t—”Janet cut her off with a shake of her head.“Don’t apologize, Sam. You’re doing the right thing by telling me now. We’ll handle this.”After dressing Daniel’s wound, Janet called over two medics to assist.“You’re going to need fluids,” she said as she prepared an IV bag. “Get him to the quarantine room with Sam and Benjamin. I want full protective protocols in place—gloves, masks, everything. Make sure they’re comfortable, but no unnecessary contact.”The medics nodded, helping Daniel to his feet as he shot Sam a reassuring look.“It’ll be fine,” he said softly, holding the IV pole, though his voice lacked conviction.Janet turned back to Sam, her tone softening.“I’ll be in soon to check on both of you and run the tests. For now, try to stay calm.”Sam nodded, her grip on Benjamin never loosening as she followed the medics and Daniel toward the isolation unit. The air felt heavier with every step, the enormity of their situation pressing down on her. The quarantine room was stark but spacious, equipped with all the essentials. Janet had ensured it was as comfortable as possible, with a crib for Benjamin and a reclining chair for Sam. Still, the sterile environment and the hum of the air filtration system made it feel more like a cage than a sanctuary.Sam sat on the edge of the recliner, gently rocking Benjamin as Daniel rested on a cot nearby. His bandaged side rose and fell with each strained breath. The tension in the room was palpable, and unspoken fears hung heavy between them.A soft chime signaled the door opening. Janet entered, now clad in full protective gear, her face partially obscured by a medical mask. She carried a tray of equipment, her movements purposeful but not hurried.“We’re going to start with blood and tissue samples from all three of you,” she said, setting the tray down on a nearby counter. “These will help us identify any viral markers or anomalies.”Sam nodded silently, holding Benjamin a little closer as Janet approached. She started with Daniel, carefully drawing blood from his arm before moving to Sam and then Benjamin. The baby whimpered as the needle pricked his tiny arm, and Sam’s heart twisted, but she soothed him quickly, whispering soft reassurances.“I’ll run these tests as quickly as possible,” Janet said once she’d finished. “In the meantime, you need to stay here. No one will come in without protective gear, and no one leaves until we’re certain there’s no risk.”Janet sighed and set down her medical tablet, glancing at Sam. Benjamin stirred slightly in her arms, but Sam remained tense, her fingers absently stroking his back.“I know this isn’t easy,” Janet said gently. “But I need to report my findings to Jack.”Sam’s eyes flashed, sharp with distrust. “Why? So he can have another excuse to lock us up?”Janet hesitated, then took a step closer. “So he understands what’s really going on.”Sam exhaled sharply, lowering her gaze to Benjamin. “You know he doesn’t trust us. He barely looked at me like I was human, Janet. Like I was some kind of problem to be solved.”Janet’s voice softened.“Jack’s not the man you knew. But that doesn’t mean he won’t listen.”Sam’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue. Janet took that as the closest thing to permission she’d get.With one last look at Sam and Benjamin, she turned and left the room. Her steps were steady, but the weight of what she had to say pressed against her. Jack needed to know, but how he reacted could determine everything. Janet cleaned her protective gear thoroughly before entering Jack’s office. She found him pacing, his expression dark and brooding. The moment he saw her, he stopped, his eyes narrowing instantly, reading the tension in her posture.“Well?” he asked, his voice clipped.Janet placed the medical report on his desk. “I’ve put them in quarantine.”Jack’s brow furrowed. “What? Why?”Janet took a breath.“They came from a world that was dealing with a viral outbreak. A plague wiped out most of the population, and survivors were forced to live underground. Sam and Daniel weren’t exposed long, but they only underwent decontamination when they arrived, not before leaving. However, they were never briefed on whether they were fully cleared.”Jack’s posture stiffened. His eyes narrowed.“And you’re just telling me this now?”“They didn’t know, Jack,” Janet countered. “They weren’t given any information. Then, in the last reality, they were subjected to extensive medical tests but weren’t told the results. That’s why Sam is so on edge. She doesn’t trust any medical procedure involving Benjamin.”
Benjamin.
Jack’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward.“How the hell do you know all this? Carter’s barely said two words to me about anything. I’ve been getting nothing but silence, and you waltz in here with their entire medical history and the kid’s name?”Janet gave him a knowing look, arms crossed. “Maybe because I wasn’t barking orders at her when she walked in.”Jack’s eyes flickered with irritation, but he didn’t immediately respond. Janet softened slightly, sensing his frustration.“Jack, they’ve been through hell. They’ve been treated like lab specimens, shuffled from crisis to crisis with no control over their bodies or choices. I approached Sam like a human being, not an interrogation subject.”Jack let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.“So what’s the risk?”“I don’t know yet,” Janet admitted. “But I couldn’t take the chance. They must stay in isolation until we confirm they aren’t carrying anything.”Jack leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Damn it.”“I know you have to be cautious,” Janet said, her voice softer. “But this isn’t just about security. It’s about trust. Maybe try a different approach if you want them to open up.”Jack drummed his fingers against the desk, staring at the file. His expression was unreadable, but Janet knew him well enough to see the gears turning in his mind.“So what’s the plan?” he finally asked.“I’m running full virology screenings, along with everything else,” Janet replied. “I’ll keep you updated, but until I have definitive results, no one goes in or out without proper precautions.”Jack nodded slowly, his jaw tightening.“Fine. Do what you have to do. But I want answers fast.”“You’ll be the first to know,” Janet promised before turning to leave. She wasn’t sure which of them had more unanswered questions as she left the office.Jack watched her go, his thoughts swirling. He didn’t like feeling like he was on the outside of things—especially not when it involved Carter. And damn it, maybe Janet was right.Maybe he needed to change tactics. The hum of the air filtration system was the only constant sound, punctuated by the occasional coo from Benjamin or a soft groan from Daniel as he shifted on the cot. Sam sat cross-legged in the reclining chair, Benjamin nestled against her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the far wall, but her mind raced, replaying memories of the world they’d left behind and the uncertainties of this one.Daniel broke the silence first, his voice hoarse but tinged with a faint attempt at humor.“Well, this isn’t exactly how I envisioned settling into a new reality. I’m losing count of how many we’ve been already.”Sam gave him a sidelong glance, her lips twitching in the ghost of a smile.“Yeah, I was hoping for something less... corporate.”He chuckled softly, wincing as the movement jarred his injured side.“At least the furniture’s an upgrade from the underground we’ve been in. Or the cloth and dagger environment we just run from.”Sam didn’t respond immediately, her hand absently stroking Benjamin’s back. Finally, she sighed. “I’m sorry, Daniel. You shouldn’t have been dragged into this. You’ve already lost so much.”Daniel turned his head toward her, his expression softening.“Sam, you don’t need to apologize. We made this choice together. We both knew the risks, and we’ve survived worse.”“Have we?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze dropped to Benjamin, his tiny fist clutching the edge of her shirt. “I keep thinking about what I could’ve done differently. If I’d been faster, smarter... maybe Jack would still be—”“Stop,” Daniel interrupted gently but firmly. “Don’t do this to yourself. You did everything you could. Jack wouldn’t have wanted you to carry that guilt, Sam. He’d want you to fight. For yourself and Benji.”Her eyes glistened, but she didn’t let the tears fall.“I just feel so... tired, Daniel. I’m trying to stay strong, but something else comes crashing every time I catch my breath.”Daniel sat up slightly, grimacing as he adjusted the IV pole.“You’re not alone in this. We’re a team, Sam. Always have been.”A soft whimper from Benjamin broke the moment, and Sam shifted him into her arms. Her focus turned entirely to soothing him.“Shh, it’s okay, baby. You’re safe.”Watching her, Daniel’s expression softened further.“He’s lucky to have you. And Jack...” He hesitated, his voice thick with emotion. “Jack would be proud of both of you.”Sam nodded silently, unable to trust herself to speak. The lights in the quarantine room dimmed automatically as night fell. Daniel was asleep on the cot, his breathing steady but shallow. Sam sat on the recliner, and Benjamin cradled in her arms, his tiny breaths a soothing rhythm against her chest.She hadn’t slept. She couldn’t. The weight of everything pressed too heavily on her mind. Instead, she watched the shadows play across the ceiling, her thoughts drifting to the Jack of this world—so similar yet different. His cold demeanor and sharp words felt like a betrayal, even though she knew he wasn’t the man she’d loved.A soft knock at the observation window startled her, and she turned to see Janet standing there, her expression shadowed by the dim light. Sam nodded slightly, signaling that it was okay to enter.Janet stepped in quietly, her protective gear rustling faintly as she approached.“How’s Benjamin doing?”“He’s fine,” Sam replied softly, brushing a hand over his downy hair. “Doesn’t seem to realize the world’s falling apart.”Janet offered a small smile. “Babies have a way of doing that. They remind us of the good things, even when everything else feels impossible.”Sam looked down at Benjamin, her expression a mix of love and worry. “I just want him to have a chance, Janet. A real chance at a life that isn’t filled with fear and running.”“You’re giving him that chance,” Janet said firmly. “By surviving, by fighting—you’re doing everything a mother can do.”Sam’s throat tightened, and she glanced up at Janet, her vulnerability evident.“I don’t know if I can do this much longer.”Janet crouched beside the chair, her voice gentle but steady.“You don’t have to do it alone. I’m here. Daniel’s here. Even Jack—” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “He’s not the same, I know. But he’s trying, in his way.”Sam shook her head, her voice breaking.“He’s not my Jack. He doesn’t even trust me. And I don’t trust him.”Janet placed a hand on her knee, grounding her. “Then let’s focus on what we can control. One step at a time. We’ll figure this out together.”She placed a pack of diapers and long-sleeved cotton bodysuits on the nearby table. Inside a plastic was a brand new pacifier.Sam nodded, her resolve slowly returning. “Thank you, Janet. For everything.”Janet gave her a reassuring squeeze before standing. “Get some rest, Sam. You need it as much as Benjamin does.” Daniel was sitting up, reading through some magazines Janet had brought in when Jack’s voice came over the intercom.“Carter. Jackson. How are we holding up?”Sam glanced at the observation window, her eyes locking onto the shadowed figure behind the glass. She could feel him watching her through the barrier—calculating, assessing, but never quite looking.“We’re fine, Sir,” she said, each syllable crisp, deliberate—a carefully placed wall.A beat of silence.Jack cleared his throat. “Janet’s running more tests. Nothing’s come up so far. That’s good news.”Daniel shifted on the cot, exhaling loudly.“Great. So we’re just stuck here indefinitely?”Jack’s shadow moved slightly like he was shifting his weight. His voice came back, measured.“It’s for everyone’s safety, Jackson. You know that.”Sam’s fingers curled into Benjamin’s blanket, gripping the fabric as if it were the only thing grounding her. Safety. Right. That was always the excuse. Always the protocol.Her voice was sharper than she intended.“And if the tests come back positive? Then what, Sir?”Silence stretched too long. She could almost hear him exhale, nearly seeing how he ran a hand over his jaw before answering. When he finally spoke, his voice was lower but not unkind.“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”Sam scoffed under her breath, looking away. Typical. He was always the one making the calls and deciding what bridges to burn, while she and Daniel had no say in it. But—no. That wasn’t fair. This wasn’t her Jack.The realization lodged itself in her throat.Her grip on Benji loosened slightly, and for a split second, her anger wavered, uncertainty creeping in. What if he wasn’t the enemy? What if he was just... lost in this as much as she was?Across the glass, Jack’s shadow didn’t move. He should have left by now, cut the conversation short, and walked away like he always did when things got too close.But he didn’t.He was still there.Watching.Maybe wanting to say something. Perhaps not knowing how.Sam swallowed hard. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”She turned away before she could see if he had stayed or if he had left. Either way, it didn’t matter.It couldn’t. The infirmary was quiet except for the hum of lab equipment. Janet rechecked the results, rubbing her tired eyes—it had been a long, sleepless night. Hours of bloodwork, virology screenings, and cross-checking had led to this moment.The virus was a false alarm. Sam, Benjamin, and Daniel were all clear. There was no contagion, no biological threat.Janet exhaled, relief flickering through her—until she again saw Benjamin’s DNA markers. Naquadah in his system, likely from Sam’s exposure to Jolinar. And then—the Ancient gene.Her stomach tightened. The match was unmistakable. Jack O’Neill.She rubbed her temples, then stood abruptly, grabbing the file. This wasn’t something she could keep to herself. Not with everything at stake.
Two hours later, Jack’s office
Jack was pacing his office again, his agitation palpable as Janet entered. She held the file tightly, her expression grave.“Doc,” Jack greeted her, his tone clipped. “You’ve got something?”Janet nodded, her voice steady but cautious.“The virus tests came back negative. They’re not carriers. There’s no threat to the base or anyone else.”Jack stopped pacing, relief flashing briefly across his face before his usual guarded expression returned.“Good. That’s one less thing to worry about.”Janet hesitated before stepping closer, her usual crisp professionalism softened by something else—caution. Jack noticed, and his brow furrowed.“What is it?”Janet placed the medical report on Jack’s desk with a quiet finality.“There’s more,” she said carefully. “About Benjamin.”Jack reached for the folder, his fingers steady—too steady.He flipped it open, his brain locking onto the numbers before his heart could catch up.
Naquadah. Ancient gene.
A perfect genetic match.His grip tightened. Something cold settled in his chest. He skimmed the results again, once, twice, as if sheer willpower could force an error into existence. A typo. A decimal out of place. A different name at the top of the file.But there were no mistakes. No loopholes. No way to rewrite the science staring back at him.“Naquadah?” His voice came out rougher than intended. “And… the Ancient gene?”Janet nodded, studying him carefully.“It’s unmistakable.”Jack let out a short, humorless laugh, shaking his head.“Unmistakable. Right.”The room felt too quiet. He set the folder down but didn’t let go, his grip tightening at the edges.His son.He stared at the words on the page, but they refused to make sense.He wasn’t a father. He’d never been a father. Hell, he could barely take care of himself, let alone a kid. But there it was—scientific proof, cold and undeniable. Somewhere, in another reality, he’d had a life he never got to live. A family. A son.Jack dragged a hand down his face, his jaw tightening. His chest felt too tight like someone had yanked the air out of the room.“You’re sure?” He finally forced out. “No mistakes?”“No mistakes,” Janet confirmed. “Benjamin is your biological son.” She hesitated, then softened her voice. “Or rather… your counterpart’s.”Jack let out a slow breath and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.That distinction should’ve made it easier. Should’ve given him distance, a reason to shove this aside as someone else’s problem. But it didn’t.Because he was still Jack O’Neill, and that kid—the one curled up against Carter’s chest, the one with blue eyes that probably looked too damn familiar—was still his.Janet was watching him, waiting, expecting something.Jack forced himself to sit up, snapping the file shut. He looked at her, his voice carefully measured.“Carter doesn’t know I know?”“No,” Janet said. “Not yet.” She hesitated for seconds, but the words were stuck and had to come out, “Jack, I know this is a lot. But Benjamin is here in this reality. Whatever happened in their world, whatever they lost… he exists now. And you’re the only version of you he’s got.”Jack exhaled slowly, dragging his fingers through his hair. He wasn’t ready for this conversation. Not with Carter. Not with himself.But there was no avoiding it now.“All right,” he muttered, pushing to his feet. His voice was flat and controlled like he wasn’t completely unraveling inside. “I’ll talk to her.” A pause. Then: “But I want them out of quarantine first.”Janet nodded. “I’ll handle it.”Jack turned toward the window, staring at his reflection in the glass.His own eyes looked unfamiliar.
Benjamin O’Neill.
He ran a hand over his face, inhaled sharply, and exhaled slowly.Damn it.He wasn’t sure what to say for the first time in years.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Fifteen minutes later, the quarantine unit
The tension in the room had only grown since Janet’s last visit. Daniel was pacing now, his side aching, but his frustration overriding the pain. Sam sat stiffly in the recliner, Benjamin dozing fitfully in her arms.When Janet entered, her presence was like a pressure valve releasing, though only slightly.“The tests are back,” Janet announced. “You’re all clear. No virus.”Daniel let out a relieved sigh, dropping into his chair. “Finally.”Sam’s relief was quieter, and she exhaled softly as she looked down at Benjamin.“Thank you, Janet.”Janet nodded but didn’t leave. Instead, she hesitated, glancing at Sam.“There’s something else we need to discuss, Sam. Privately.”Sam’s brow furrowed, her grip on Benjamin tightening instinctively.“What is it?”Janet glanced at Daniel.“I think it’s better if we talk alone.”Daniel raised his hands defensively.“Fine. I’ll give you some space.” He stood, moving to the room's far corner, though his curiosity was evident.Janet hesitated, gripping the test results as she looked at Sam. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut.“Sam,” she started carefully, “there’s something you need to know about Benjamin’s test results.”Sam tensed, her grip on Benjamin tightening.“What do you mean?”Janet hesitated. “His DNA flagged something in our system. It wasn’t intentional—we ran the standard sequencing, and it automatically cross-checked.”Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears. “And?”Janet met her gaze. “Benjamin’s DNA is a match for Jack O’Neill.”Silence.As Janet’s words lingered, Sam’s mind drifted against her will. Her Jack had always hated long silences, filling them with dry humor or quiet reassurances she didn’t know she needed. She could still picture him sitting across from her at the cabin, the firelight dancing across his face as he teased her about her inability to relax. “You’re going to sprain something, Carter, if you don’t learn how to sit still.” The memory hit like a sucker punch. She blinked hard, forcing herself to focus on the present. This Jack wasn’t him. He never would be.Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened. “You ran a paternity test? Without my consent?”Janet flinched—just barely. “It wasn’t intentional. The system flagged the Ancient gene, and—”“And cross-checked his DNA,” Sam snapped. “Convenient.” Her fingers trembled against Benjamin’s blanket. “And now? You drop it on Jack’s desk and let him decide what to do with my son?”Janet held her gaze. “Sam, I needed to confirm what we’re dealing with.”“Benjamin is mine,” Sam said, steel in her voice. “I don’t owe you—or this Jack—an explanation.”Janet’s voice softened.“This isn’t about judgment. It’s about keeping you both safe. And Jack—”“Isn’t his father.” The words cut like a blade. “Not this Jack.”Her breath quickened, anger tangled with something else she refused to name.Janet let the words settle, nodding slowly. “I understand. But you need to speak with him.”Sam scoffed again.“I don’t need to do anything. Jack O’Neill isn’t his father. The Jack I knew—loved—died. And I am not about to hand over my son to a man who just happens to share his DNA.”Janet studied her, seeing the battle raging just beneath the surface. This wasn’t just about Benjamin. This was about loss, trauma, and Sam fighting to hold onto the last piece of a world that no longer existed.She softened her voice. “Sam, no one is taking Benjamin from you.”Sam’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. That fear—buried deep in her gut—had been named.“Then why are you telling me this?” she demanded. “So this Jack can suddenly decide he has a claim on my child? So he can step in and do what? Play father?”Janet shook her head.“I don’t know what Jack will do. But I thought it should come from you, not a damn test result on his desk.”Sam exhaled sharply, looking away for a long moment, her jaw clenched so tight it hurt.Then, finally, she said, “I don’t trust him.”Janet nodded. “I know. But you should still talk to him.”Sam’s arms tightened around Benjamin, her heart pounding in her chest.“I’ll think about it,” she muttered.Janet sighed, knowing that was the closest to a concession she’d get.As she turned away, she caught a glimpse of Sam pressing a kiss to Benjamin’s head, her grip tight, protective. This wasn’t just about biology or paperwork—this was about survival.Janet exited, closing the small partition behind her—only to be met with Daniel’s stare, hard as stone.He had been waiting. And he wasn’t in the mood for evasion.“What’s going on?” His voice was low, controlled—but there was steel underneath. “What aren’t you telling me?”His hands didn’t fidget. They clenched.Janet hesitated, glancing back at Sam. She was still seated, still holding Benjamin in a grip that screamed possession, protection, and fear. Her face was pale, and her eyes rimmed red.Daniel’s stomach tightened.He turned back to Janet, his patience razor-thin. “Janet.”She sighed. “It’s something Sam needs to tell you herself. Give her time.”Daniel’s frown deepened. Time?“Janet, we’re stuck in a base that doesn’t trust us, in a reality that isn’t ours. We’ve just been told we’re not carrying a virus. So what the hell is the problem now?”Janet squared her shoulders. “It’s personal.” A beat. “Please. Let her process it first.”Daniel wasn’t satisfied with that answer. Not even close.His gaze flicked toward the partition again, toward Sam. He could feel the weight of whatever she was carrying—could see it in how she held Benjamin like she was bracing for a fight she hadn’t explained yet.And Daniel didn’t like walking into fights blind.He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to step back for now.“Fine.” His voice was measured. “But if anyone—anyone—tries to corner her before she’s ready? I’ll make sure they regret it.”It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.Janet held his gaze for a long moment before finally nodding.The door clicked shut behind Janet.Sam exhaled, running a hand through her hair. Before she could speak, Daniel stepped closer, his body shifting into protector mode.“What the hell was that about?” His voice was lower now, not just concern—something sharper. Something defensive.Sam tightened her grip on Benjamin. Kissed his soft hair. When she looked up, her eyes were steel.“They ran DNA tests,” she said. “They know.”Daniel’s entire body stiffened. “They know he’s Jack’s son.” Not a question.Sam’s jaw clenched. “They cross-checked his DNA.” A bitter laugh. “Janet told me first, but I guarantee you she’s already told Jack.”Daniel dragged a hand over his face, exhaling hard. “Son of a bitch.”Sam’s tone sharpened. “It doesn’t change anything.”Daniel turned to face her fully. “Doesn’t it?”“No,” Sam said flatly. “This Jack is not his father. I don’t care what some test says—Benjamin is mine, and I will never let anyone take him from me.”Daniel didn’t hesitate. “And I will never let them take him from you.”Sam’s breath hitched just slightly. Not because she doubted Daniel but because he said it as if it were a vow.“Good,” she said, voice quieter but just as firm. “Because I need to make something clear—Jack O’Neill, this Jack, has no claim to my son. None.”Daniel nodded. “And if he tries?”Sam’s grip on Benjamin turned deadly. Her voice dropped to a whisper, sharp as a blade.“Then he’ll find out exactly how far I’m willing to go.”A slow, deliberate moment passed before Daniel spoke. When he did, his voice was even. Cold. Unshakable.“Not alone.”Sam blinked. “Daniel—”He shook his head, jaw set. “No. Listen to me. I have lost too many people to sit by and let it happen again. I don’t care who I have to stand against—Jack, the SGC, this entire damn reality. They will not touch Benjamin. Not while I’m breathing.”Sam stared at him, something shifting in her expression. He wasn’t just offering support. He was ready to fight.“No one is taking him,” she whispered. This time, she wasn’t just saying it to herself.“No,” Daniel agreed. “They’re not.”He shifted slightly, instinctively angling himself between her and the door. A silent message. He would be the first wall standing in their way if someone came for them.Sam exhaled slowly, but her grip on Benjamin didn’t loosen. She had expected Daniel to be diplomatic and smooth things over. She hadn’t expected him to be ready for war.The room felt different now. Not just tense. Prepared.“Then we make sure of it,” Daniel said.Silence settled between them, heavy yet solidifying. The battle lines had been drawn. At the same time, across the base, Jack sat at his desk, the test results spread like classified intel from a war he had never fought.But somehow, he had already lost something. His fingers curled into fists against the desk, knuckles whitening. The paper blurred in his vision, but the words were burned into his mind.Paternal DNA Match: O’NEILL, JONATHAN J.He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to reread it as if the letters might shift and the results might change. But they didn’t.His throat was dry. Tight. He swallowed against it, forcing himself to breathe.
Not my kid.
But his body betrayed him. His chest ached with something too sharp, too unfamiliar. Somewhere, in a reality he’d never lived, another version of him had made that choice. He had Carter. He had a family.His fingers flexed against the paper before he suddenly shoved it away, scraping a hand down his face. Christ.Jack rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling through gritted teeth. Jack didn’t know what it was like to lose a child. But he had mourned the failure of his marriage to Sara and grieved the family that never happened because he was always abroad on a mission—one after another. There were shouts and accusations that he didn’t care, wasn’t father material, and was a failure as a husband. Yeah, he had all the words imprinted in his brain until today.And now? Now, he was standing before a woman who had lost everything, including him. And she was holding onto that baby like he was the last piece of a world that didn’t exist anymore.Jack exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. This wasn’t just about the test results—it was about Carter.
She didn’t trust him. Hell, why would she?
But that didn’t mean he could walk away from this. If the situation were reversed—if his world had fallen and his Carter had been left alone with their child—He shook the thought away before it could take root.He traced a finger along the edge of the paper before shoving it aside, like that could make it sting less. It didn’t.His gaze drifted to the framed team photo on his desk—SG-1, grinning back at him from an impossibly distant time. He turned it face-down.Jack let out a breath and stood.Decision made.He grabbed the dog tags from the pile of confiscated belongings. The cool metal pressed into his palm as he stepped out into the corridor.Moments later, he was standing outside Sam’s quarters, the dog tags clutched in his hand.The smooth metal was cool against his palm, and he turned them over with his fingers, reading the engraved details for what had to be the fifth time.CARTER, SAMANTHA. A POS.It was a simple piece of identification, but it felt heavier than it should.He knocked once, his usual sharp, confident rap, but when the door opened, his shoulders tensed. Sam stood in the doorway, Benjamin resting against her chest, his tiny head nestled under her chin. She looked tired—more than tired. She looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks, and the war she’d fought was still waging inside her."Sir," she greeted stiffly, her voice clipped.Jack cleared his throat and held up the tags. "These... uh, were in the box of stuff we confiscated when you arrived. I figured..." He hesitated, an unfamiliar awkwardness creeping into his tone. "I figured you’d want them back."Sam’s eyes flicked to the tags in his hand. For a long moment, she didn’t move. Jack braced himself, half-expecting her to tell him to keep them.Then, finally, her fingers curled around the chain, her grip hesitant at first. Her gaze softened—just barely—as she turned the tags over in her palm."Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.Jack shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, well, it’s not like you were hiding any state secrets on those. Thought they might... help or something."Sam looked down at the tags, her fingers tracing the engraved letters. The faintest hint of a smile ghosted across her face, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes."I didn’t think you’d give these back."Jack frowned, tilting his head slightly. “Why the hell wouldn’t I?”Sam exhaled, rolling the chain between her fingers, her thumb absently running over the engraved letters. “Because they feel like... a relic.” Her voice wavered just enough for Jack to catch it. “Like they belong to someone who doesn’t exist anymore.”Jack crossed his arms, observing her. She avoided his eyes, staring too intently at the tags as if they held some answer.“Yeah, well,” Jack said, voice gruff but quieter now. “Unless there’s another Carter walking around needing those, I’d say they’re still yours.”Sam’s gaze snapped up, startled. Something flickered in her expression—relief, maybe. Or hesitation.Jack hesitated, then added, softer but firm, “And for what it’s worth Carter, you’re still here. You’re still you.”Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something. But she didn’t. Instead, she closed her fingers around the tags, gripping them like a lifeline.Jack watched the moment unfold, his usual quick wit faltering."Look," he said, pushing off the doorframe, "I’m not good at... all this. But if you need something—or if he does—you know where to find me."Sam nodded slowly, clutching the tags a little closer to her chest."Thanks," she said again, this time with a hint of sincerity that hadn’t been there before.Jack gave her a slight, almost imperceptible nod before stepping back."Get some rest, Carter," he said gruffly. "That’s an order."Jack lingered in the hallway longer as the door clicked shut, staring at the space where she’d stood. Then, with a quiet sigh, he turned and walked away. Jack trudged back to his office, his boots echoing in the empty corridors. His thoughts churned with Sam’s words, each one striking like a well-aimed blow. The conversation with Carter had been... weird and loaded with something unspoken.And she hadn’t even known he already had the test results.He sighed, rubbing his temples. Avoiding this wouldn’t make it go away. Hell, that had never been his style.He reached for the intercom, his finger hovering over the button. For a second, he considered waiting and giving her time.Then he exhaled sharply and pressed it.“Get Colonel Carter.” A beat. “Now.” Daniel sat across from Sam, watching as she held Benjamin close. The baby slept, but Sam’s grip was iron-tight—like she was afraid someone might take him the second she let go.“You can’t keep avoiding this, Sam,” Daniel said gently.Sam exhaled sharply. “I’m not avoiding it. I just don’t see the point in explaining something that doesn’t change.”Daniel leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Jack isn’t trying to take Benjamin away from you.”“No?” Sam’s voice was sharp. “Then what does he want, Daniel? Because the Jack I knew is gone, and I am not handing my son over to a stranger who happens to share his DNA.”Daniel sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I get it. I do. But Jack’s not the enemy here.”Sam’s eyes flashed. “That’s easy for you to say.”A knock at the door cut through the tension. A soldier stood at attention.“Colonel Carter,” he said. “General O’Neill wants to see you. Now.”Sam’s stomach twisted. She knew what this was about.She adjusted Benjamin, exhaling as she stood. “It’s time.”Daniel rose, his voice steely. “She’s not going anywhere.” He stepped between Sam and the airmen, his posture unyielding.The guards exchanged uneasy glances. Orders were orders, but Daniel’s tone was sharp enough to make them pause.“We’ll report back to the General,” one said, retreating with a curt nod. The door clicked shut behind them.Sam stared at Daniel, wide-eyed. “What the fuck, Daniel?”He didn’t turn, his arms crossed, eyes fixed on the closed door. “Trust me.” The airmen returned to Jack’s office and reported the situation.Jack punched the table and got up.“For crying out loud! Let’s go,” he said, leaving in hurried steps.Jack’s boots struck the floor harder than usual as he approached Sam’s quarters, tension coiled tightly in his shoulders. The test results burned in his pocket, their truth too heavy to ignore. He nodded to the airmen stationed outside, pushing the door open without hesitation.Daniel stood inside, arms crossed and planted firmly between Jack and Sam. The archaeologist’s expression was carved from stone, his body angled defensively. Sam sat on the edge of the bed, Benjamin nestled in her arms, her posture rigid with unease.Jack’s gaze flicked from Daniel to Sam, his voice sharp.“Carter. We need to talk.”Sam tightened her grip on Benjamin, her mind flitting to a different Jack—one who would have read her unease before she even spoke. Her Jack would have stepped into the room calmly, offering reassurance with a glance rather than demands. She could still hear his low and steady voice as he told her, “I’ve got your six, Sam. Always.” The ache that followed was almost unbearable, but she shoved it down, locking it away with the rest of her grief. This wasn’t the man she had trusted with everything; she wasn’t about to let herself forget that.Daniel didn’t move. His eyes narrowed.“Not like this.”Jack’s jaw tightened, his knuckles flexing at his sides.“Daniel, move.”“No.” The word landed like a hammer, heavy and final. Daniel shifted his stance subtly, a step closer to Jack, his shoulders squared. “She doesn’t need this right now.”Jack’s eyes darkened, his fingers curling into fists. He exhaled sharply, forcing his hands to relax. “This isn’t your call.”“Like hell it isn’t,” Daniel snapped. His voice stayed calm, but the tension simmered just beneath the surface. “You don’t get to barge in here and demand answers—not after everything she’s been through.”Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened, her lips parting slightly as if to interject, but the weight of the room stilled her.Jack took another step forward, his gaze hardening.“I’m not here to hurt her or the kid.”Daniel didn’t budge. “Intent doesn’t matter, Jack. Look at her.” He gestured to Sam, his voice dipping lower. “She’s holding on by a thread, and you think now’s the time for a confrontation?”Jack’s chest rose as he inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself. His voice softened, though the edge remained. “I just want to talk.”“Then talk to me,” Daniel countered, his stance unyielding. He angled himself more directly between Jack and Sam, his arms uncrossing slightly as if ready for the situation to escalate. “Anything you must say to her, tell me first.”Jack’s hands twitched, his frustration evident in the sharp set of his jaw.“You’re not her keeper, Daniel.”“No,” Daniel said, his tone dropping to a near growl. “But someone has to protect her.”The air between them crackled with tension, forming a quiet standoff. Jack’s hands hovered at his sides, clenched and unclenched, the muscles in his neck taut. Daniel didn’t flinch, his steady breathing and calm demeanor only amplifying the moment's intensity.Finally, Sam’s voice broke the stalemate, quiet but firm.“Daniel. It’s okay.”Daniel hesitated, his head snapping toward her. “Sam—”She shook her head, her blue eyes steady despite the exhaustion etched into her features.“Let him in.”For a moment, Daniel remained rooted in place, his shoulders still squared as he met Jack’s gaze. Then, with deliberate slowness, he stepped aside, though his posture remained guarded.Jack exhaled through his nose, stepping forward but stopping just shy of where Daniel had stood. He looked down at Carter, her arms still wrapped protectively around Benjamin. The tiny rise and fall of the baby’s chest seemed to anchor her, even as the weight of Jack’s presence threatened to unravel her composure.“We need to talk,” Jack said again, his voice quieter this time.Sam nodded, adjusting Benjamin slightly but never loosening her hold. “Then let’s talk.”Daniel gave her a warning look. “Sam…”As Daniel watched Sam clutch Benjamin, his determination hardened. He would protect them no matter what. But the thought of standing against Jack—a man who had saved his life countless times—twisted something deep in his chest. What if I’m wrong? he thought briefly before Sam’s quiet voice pulled him back. No. Jack wouldn’t understand. Not this time.She put one hand on his arm, reassuring him. “It’s okay, Daniel,” she said, her eyes on General Jack O’Neill in a suit and tie. Jack let her walk out and followed her under Daniel’s burning stare. The walk back to his office was silent, the two airmen following a little behind. Jack opened the door to his office and gestured for Sam to enter, dismissing the guards. The room felt colder than usual, the sterility of the base pressing in from every corner. Sam hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping inside, adjusting Benjamin in her arms. The baby stirred slightly, his tiny fingers curling into the blanket, but he didn’t wake.Jack followed, closing the door behind them. The soft click echoed louder than it should have.“Take a seat,” he said, his voice clipped. He moved to his desk, leaning against its edge, arms crossed.Sam sat in the chair across from him, her back straight and her grip on Benjamin firm. Her expression was neutral, carefully guarded, but Jack could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her jaw clenched ever so slightly.He let the silence stretch momentarily, searching for the right words. They didn’t come.“Look, Carter,” he started, his tone softer but no less serious. “I didn’t ask for this. But now that it’s here, we must figure out how to handle it.”Sam’s eyes flicked up to meet his, sharp and unyielding.“Handle what, exactly, Sir? The fact that some DNA test says Benjamin is… yours?”Jack winced at how she said it as if the word itself was a weapon. He exhaled through his nose, running a hand over his neck.“I’m not claiming anything, Carter. But we can’t just ignore this.”“I am ignoring it,” she replied firmly, her voice low but steady. “Benjamin isn’t yours. Not really. He’s mine.”Jack frowned, leaning forward slightly. “I’m not trying to take him from you.”“Then what are you trying to do?” Her voice sharpened, cutting through the room. “What do you want from me, Jack? From us?”He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment. When he looked back up, his expression was pained but resolute.“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I know I can’t just walk away.”Sam’s breath hitched, her fingers tightening around Benjamin’s blanket.“You think you have a right to be involved because of some genetic coincidence? Because you happen to share DNA with a man who doesn’t exist in this reality?”Jack’s jaw tightened, but he kept his voice even. “It’s not just about the DNA. It’s about you. Him.” He nodded toward Benjamin, his gaze softening just slightly. “I can’t pretend this doesn’t matter.”Sam looked away, her eyes fixed on the far wall.“You’re not him, Jack. You’ll never be him.”Her words hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting. Jack exhaled sharply, his hands curling into loose fists against the edge of the desk.“I know that, Carter. Believe me, I know.”Sam’s gaze snapped back to his, her eyes flashing between anger and grief.“Then why are we even having this conversation?”“Because whether you like it or not, we’re in this together,” Jack replied, his tone hardening. “You’ve stepped into my reality, Carter. And now…” He glanced at Benjamin, then back at her. “Now, so has he.”Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line, her breath shallow as she fought to maintain her composure.“We can leave as soon as we are allowed.”Jack straightened, his arms falling to his sides.“Stop saying that. I’m not trying to decide anything. But I am trying to be here—for you. For him. Even if it’s just as… someone you can trust.”Sam scoffed softly, shaking her head. “Trust? You want me to trust you? After everything?”Jack’s face hardened, but there was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.“I know I’m not your Jack. But I care, Carter. Whether you believe it or not.”For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension in the room felt suffocating, the unspoken pain between them like a chasm too vast to cross.Finally, Sam stood, adjusting Benjamin in her arms as she turned toward the door.“I don’t need your help, Sir. And I don’t need your pity.”Jack watched her go, his chest tight with frustration and something else he couldn’t name. “Carter,” he called his voice softer now. She paused her hand on the door handle.“What?” she asked without turning.“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, quiet but resolute. “Whether you like it or not.”Sam didn’t respond. She opened the door and walked out, leaving Jack alone in the heavy silence of his office.The door clicked shut, leaving him alone in the too-quiet room.He let out a slow breath and raked a hand through his hair. His fingers lingered at the back of his neck, tension coiled tight.
I’ll never be him.
He had known that. But somehow, hearing it from her made it feel like a fresh wound.His hands still gripped the edge of his desk, his knuckles white against the wood. Slowly, he released his hold, the tension in his body giving way to an overwhelming sense of helplessness.He let out a long, shuddering breath and dropped heavily into his chair, leaning back as he stared at the ceiling. His mind raced with everything she had said—every word cutting deeper than he cared to admit.“She’s right,” he muttered, his voice low and bitter. “I’ll never be her Jack.”He reached for the folder Janet had given him earlier, flipping it open again and scanning the results that had upended everything. Benjamin’s DNA markers were clear evidence of a life he’d never lived, of choices he’d never made. Yet here he was, staring at the undeniable proof that this child was, in some way, his.His gaze drifted to the small, framed photograph at the corner of his desk.It was old now, the edges of the frame scuffed from years of being shuffled between posts and offices. In the picture, they were all there—his SG-1. Daniel grinning awkwardly in the middle, Teal’c standing tall with his usual stoicism, Carter... Sam, laughing at something just out of frame. And him. He looked younger then, less worn.His fingers twitched toward the frame, almost reaching for it, but he stopped short. What was the point? That team didn’t exist anymore—not really. This Sam wasn’t the one from the photo, and he sure as hell wasn’t the man standing beside her anymore.With a sharp exhale, he pushed the frame aside and rubbed a hand over his face, his thoughts spinning. He wasn’t a stranger to grief—he’d lost too many people and carried too many scars—but this was something different. Sam’s words had been like a knife, not because she was wrong, but because she was so painfully right.He wasn’t her Jack.The thought twisted in his chest, a strange mix of relief and regret. Relief because he didn’t have to live up to a version of himself he couldn’t be. Regret because he felt the echo of something he thought he’d buried long ago for the first time in years—a longing for a life he’d never allowed himself to have.Benjamin.The name lingered in his mind, soft and unfamiliar. He’d seen the way Sam held the boy, the fierce protectiveness in her eyes. It was the same look he’d seen on her countless times in battle, but this was different. Deeper. It wasn’t just a fight for survival—it was a fight for her son’s future.And now, he was part of that future, whether he wanted to be or not.Jack pressed his hands to his face.“Dammit,” he muttered, his voice muffled.Somewhere down the hall, a baby’s cry echoed faintly through the metal corridors—Benjamin’s.Jack stilled. The sound sent a strange pulse through his chest, something foreign, something he wasn’t ready to name.He scrubbed a hand over his face, shaking off the thought. None of this changed the facts. Benjamin wasn’t his son—not really. And Sam wasn’t his Carter. But that didn’t mean he could ignore what came next.A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He straightened, expression hardening just as Janet stepped inside.“I thought I’d find you brooding,” she said gently, closing the door behind her.Jack huffed a humorless laugh, leaning back in his chair.“You could’ve warned me how that conversation would go, Doc.”Janet raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Would you have listened?”Jack didn’t answer, and Janet sat across from him, her tone softening.“She’s hurting, Jack. You can see that, can’t you?”“Of course, I can see it,” Jack snapped, then immediately sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sorry. I didn’t mean—”“I know,” Janet interrupted, her voice calm. “But you need to understand that she’s grieving. Losing her Jack, their world... and now being here, with you—it’s a lot to process.”Jack nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the folder on his desk. “I get that. I do. But what the hell am I supposed to do, Janet? She doesn’t trust me. She doesn’t want me around.”Janet leaned forward, her eyes steady. “Then earn her trust, Jack. Show her you’re here for her and Benjamin—not as a replacement for the man she lost, but as someone who cares. Someone who wants to help.”Jack scoffed softly, shaking his head. “You make it sound so easy.”“It’s not,” Janet admitted. “But you’ve never been one to back down from a challenge, have you?”Jack laughed tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face again.“This isn’t exactly like taking on a Goa’uld mothership, Doc.”“No,” Janet agreed, her voice soft. “But it might be more important.”Jack glanced at her, his eyes shadowed with uncertainty. “What if I screw it up?”Janet gave him a small, reassuring smile.“Then you’ll fix it. That’s what you do, Jack. You fight for the people you care about. Our situation is the living proof of that.”He nodded slowly, her words sinking in. After a long silence, he exhaled deeply and stood, his shoulders squaring as if bracing for a battle.“All right,” he said quietly. “I’ll try, but you know that my hands are a bit tied up.”Janet smiled, standing as well. “That’s all anyone can ask.”Jack stood by his desk as Janet left the room, staring at the folder again. He closed it firmly and tucked it away in a drawer. He wasn’t her Jack, but maybe—just maybe—he could still be the man Benjamin and Sam needed. Sam entered her quarters, her face carefully blank, but her stiff posture and how she clutched Benjamin told a different story. Daniel was already there, standing near the table with his arms crossed, his eyes sharp and full of questions.She barely had a chance to close the door before he spoke. “Well?”Sam let out a slow breath, adjusting Benjamin as she moved to the bed. “It’s done.”Daniel frowned, stepping closer. “That’s not an answer, Sam. What happened?”She hesitated, her fingers absently smoothing Benjamin’s blanket. “We talked.”“That’s it?” Daniel’s tone was sharp, incredulous. “You ‘talked’? What did he say? What did you say?”Sam glanced up at him, her eyes narrowing. “Why does it matter?”“Because I need to know if he pushed you,” Daniel shot back, his voice low but intense. “If he tried to guilt you or—”“He didn’t,” she cut in, her voice firmer now. “He didn’t push, Daniel.”Daniel’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but the tension in his jaw remained. “Then what did he want?”Sam exhaled, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “To be involved. To… figure things out.”Daniel’s lips pressed into a thin line, his arms crossing tighter over his chest. “And what did you tell him?”She met his gaze, her voice cold. “I told him no. That Benjamin isn’t his and never will be.”Daniel nodded, but his expression didn’t soften. “Good. Because he doesn’t get to make demands—not after everything you’ve been through.”Sam’s breath hitched, and she looked away, her grip on Benjamin tightening.“It’s not that simple, Daniel.”“Yes, it is,” he insisted, his voice hardening. “You don’t owe him anything. Not explanations, not access—nothing.”Sam’s eyes snapped back to him, a flicker of anger breaking through her composure. “You think I don’t know that? You think I haven’t been fighting this battle since Janet told me about the test results?”Daniel stepped back slightly, his expression softening for just a moment before he regained his edge. “I’m just saying—if he tries to overstep, I’m here. I’ll handle it.”Sam sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I don’t need you to fight my battles, Daniel.”“No,” he agreed, his voice quieter but no less resolute. “But I won’t stand by and let him or anyone else make things harder for you. Not when you’ve already lost so much.”Sam’s throat tightened, and she looked down at Benjamin, brushing her fingers gently over his hair. “I’m tired, Daniel. I’m tired of fighting.”Daniel’s gaze softened, but his tone remained steady.“Then let me fight for you when you need it. You don’t have to do this alone.”Sam closed her eyes for a moment, her breathing shaky. When she opened them, she met Daniel’s gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.“Thank you.”Daniel nodded, stepping closer and placing a hand gently on her shoulder. “We’ll get through this, Sam. You, me, Benjamin—we’ll figure it out. Together.”She gave him a small, tired smile, the day's heavy weight on her shoulders.“I hope you’re right.”Daniel squeezed her shoulder once before letting go, his expression firm.“I know I am.” Hours later, Janet stood outside Jack’s office, clutching the file tighter than she needed to. The hallway felt unnervingly quiet, the hum of fluorescent lights almost oppressive. She hesitated even after facing life-threatening situations as a doctor and soldier. Still, nothing prepared her for moments like this—moments where a single piece of information could fracture a delicate balance hanging by threads. She had seen the look in Sam’s eyes, the barely concealed betrayal, and it weighed heavily on her. But keeping the truth from Jack would have been worse. Wouldn’t it?She inhaled deeply, steadying herself. Jack had been on edge since Sam and Daniel’s arrival, and this conversation wouldn’t help. The sound of her knock echoed down the corridor. Without waiting for a response, she stepped inside.Jack was pacing behind his desk, his movements sharp and restless. His jaw clenched as he glanced up at her, the lines on his face deeper than usual. For a brief moment, Janet hesitated, seeing not the brash general but a man weighed down by too many unanswered questions."Janet," he said, his tone clipped. “You’ve got the results?”She nodded, holding the folder out to him. “Daniel Jackson, just like Sam. His DNA confirms it.”Jack snatched the folder and flipped it open, eyes scanning the lines with military precision. Janet watched him, noting how his hands tightened around the edges of the paper. His shoulders tensed, and for a fleeting second, she thought he might snap the folder shut in frustration.“I take it he didn’t volunteer any additional details,” Jack said without looking up.Janet folded her arms, her voice carefully measured. “He told me the Goa’uld attacked them. Their reality fell, and they escaped using the quantum mirror. That’s all he would say.”Jack’s gaze lifted, his eyes narrowing. “That’s it?”“That’s it,” she confirmed, her tone softening. “And I don’t think pushing him will get you more, Jack. Not right now.”Jack slammed the folder shut, his jaw working.“Of course not.” He tossed the file onto the desk, his frustration radiating off him in waves. “Because why would they make this easy?”Janet exhaled, stepping closer. “Jack… you’re not going to get all the answers at once. And honestly? I’m not sure they have them.”He let out a bitter laugh, dragging a hand down his face. “Great. So we’ve got two people from an alternate reality, a baby tied to my DNA, and a whole lot of radio silence. Perfect.”Janet hesitated, studying him. “It’s not just about the answers, is it?”Jack looked at her, his eyes dark and guarded. “What are you getting at, Doc?”She stepped closer, her voice soft but firm. “It’s about how you miss our Sam. And about how much this situation has shaken you since this Carter has shown up. About her trust—or lack of it.”Jack’s lips pressed into a thin line, his hands bracing against the desk as he leaned forward. “Of course, she doesn’t trust me. I’m not her Jack.”“No, you’re not,” Janet agreed, her tone gentle but unyielding. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be someone she can rely on now.”He scoffed, shaking his head. “You make it sound so damn simple.”“It’s not,” she admitted, her eyes steady on his. “But I’ve known you long enough to know that when it matters, you fight for the people you care about. And whether you’re ready to admit it or not, you care about her. And Benjamin.”Jack’s gaze dropped, his fingers curling into fists on the desk. “I don’t even know what that looks like, Janet. How the hell am I supposed to fix this?”Janet’s expression softened, and for a moment, she saw the man behind the rank—the one who carried more weight on his shoulders than anyone should. She stepped closer, lowering her voice.“You don’t have to fix it, Jack. You just have to show up. Be present. Let her see that you’re here, not because of some DNA test, but because you choose to be.”He didn’t respond immediately, his jaw working as he stared at the desk. Finally, he exhaled sharply and straightened. “And what if that’s not enough?”Janet offered him a small, reassuring smile. “It’s a start. And sometimes, that’s all people need.”Jack nodded slowly, her words settling in the space between them. After a long moment, he glanced at the folder on his desk, then back at her.“Thanks, Doc.”Janet gave him a soft pat on the arm before stepping back. “For what it’s worth, Jack, you’re better at this than you think.”She turned and left, the door clicking shut behind her. Jack stood alone, the weight of the conversation lingering as he reached for the photo on his desk. Minutes later, Jack entered Sam's room. The door creaked open, and Sam looked up, immediately stiffening at the sight of him. Benjamin, now asleep in her arms, stirred slightly but remained quiet. Daniel was blissfully absent, or they might start throwing punches at each other.Jack stepped inside, his gaze locking on Sam’s, searching for the familiarity he once knew. But everything about this situation felt wrong—disjointed. This wasn’t his Sam. But at the same time, she was."Colonel Carter," Jack began, his voice steady but laced with tension. "We need to talk."Sam’s eyes narrowed slightly, her arms tightening protectively around Benjamin.“About what, Sir?” she asked, her tone clipped, but the weight of her guarded emotions was apparent.Jack’s gaze shifted briefly to the baby before returning to Sam’s face.“Official business. About why you’re here. What happened in your reality, and why you’ve brought him.” He nodded toward Benjamin, who slept peacefully in her arms.Sam’s jaw tightened, her defenses going up.“We were invaded. The Goa’uld won. We had no choice but to escape through the quantum mirror.”Jack took a step closer, his eyes sharp.“And you just happened to bring a baby with you? This young?”Sam’s breath hitched slightly, her protective instincts flaring.“You don’t get to question my choices, Jack. Not after everything we’ve been through.”Jack’s expression darkened, his frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.“Oh, so we are on a first-name basis now?”The question hung in the air like a heavyweight. Sam stared at him, her lips pressing into a thin line, her eyes betraying a flicker of emotion—conflict, pain. She didn’t answer, her silence only deepening their tension.Jack stared at her, struggling to reconcile the fierce mother standing before him with the Sam Carter he had known for years. Everything had changed, and yet... nothing had. She was still the same—strong, loyal, protective. But now, there was something deeper. Something irrevocably personal.“We need to figure out what we’re going to do next,” Jack said finally, his voice softening though the tension remained thick between them. “But first, I need to know everything. Everything about your world. Why the Goa’uld attacked, how they won, and why you ended up here.”Sam met his gaze, her resolve hardening.“I’ll tell you what you need to know. But Benjamin stays with me. No more tests. No more threats.”Jack nodded slowly. “Agreed.”For a moment, neither moved. The air between them was thick—an unspoken battlefield of everything they had lost and couldn’t fix.Jack exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his jaw. His shoulders slumped, and for the first time in a long time, he felt—Empty.Jack straightened his shoulders, his expression shifting from frustration to resolve.“This conversation isn’t over,” he said, his voice steadier now. “We have more to discuss.”Sam hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. “I know.”A beat of silence stretched between them. Jack motioned toward the door.“Come on. We should go.”Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t argue. Adjusting Benjamin carefully, she moved toward the door, stepping out into the corridor with Jack beside her.They walked silently, tension thick between them, neither willing to speak first. Their footsteps echoed through the sterile hallways, a reminder of just how unfamiliar everything still felt. Meanwhile, in another part of the base, Daniel sat in his quarters, staring at a cup of untouched coffee. The conversation with Sam replayed in his mind, but his thoughts drifted to Jack. He had seen the way this Jack looked at Benjamin, the quiet conflict in his eyes.He sighed, rubbing his temples. This wasn’t just about an alternate reality—it was about choices, about loss. And he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone would get hurt no matter how this played out. Elsewhere, Janet stood outside her office, staring at the closed door. The weight of the DNA test results still sat heavily on her chest. She hadn’t wanted to be the one to tell Sam, but withholding the truth would have been worse. She had promised to say to her if something appeared from the results. Still, the look in Sam’s eyes—the sharp betrayal, the pain—lingered with her. She had done what was necessary, but that didn’t make it any easier.With a deep breath, she finally turned and stepped inside, her mind already racing about the following conversation with Jack. They walked in silence, footsteps echoing down the corridor.Jack glanced at her. “We’ll figure this out.”Sam didn’t slow, didn’t look at him. “We don’t have a choice.”Jack huffed a quiet laugh. “Exactly.”Sam exhaled, shifting Benjamin slightly in her arms. Her grip was firm. Protective.Jack saw it then—the exhaustion behind her steel, the weight she carried alone.They stepped into the elevator, standing side by side, staring straight ahead.The silence stretched between them. Jack’s words—“We’ll figure this out”—should have been comforting, but they only left her feeling hollow. Her Jack had said something similar once during a mission that had gone sideways. “We’ll make it, Sam,” he’d told her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. “Because we don’t have another choice.” She’d believed him then because his certainty had been unshakable. Now, the words rang empty, a hollow echo of the trust she’d lost.The doors slid shut.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After the elevator ride, Jack chose a different tactic. Instead of questioning Sam alone first, he ordered Daniel to be brought to them. When Daniel arrived, they continued the ride together.Jack led Sam and Daniel through the corridors of what used to be the SGC.Sam’s gaze swept over the walls, expecting to see framed mission photos—SG teams, past victories, proof that this place had once been theirs. Instead, smooth, gray panels stretched endlessly, erasing history.Her stomach twisted. The SGC had always been a machine, but at least it had a soul.The mess hall was visible through glass doors—rows of empty tables and chairs pushed in with military precision. There were no scattered reports, no coffee cups abandoned mid-conversation, and no laughter.A security drone whirred overhead. Sam forced herself to keep walking.At the next intersection, silence pressed in. No low murmur of scientists debating equations. No distant hum of gate diagnostics. Only flickering monitors lined the walls, displaying corporate slogans:
Innovation through Exploration.
Your World. Secured.
Jack scoffed. “Yeah, because nothing says secure like selling the Stargate to the highest bidder.”Sam’s fingers curled into a fist. Whose world?The tension in Jack’s stance as he walked was almost worse than the changes around them.“General,” she murmured.He didn’t stop. “Yeah.”“Where is everyone?”He exhaled slowly. “Gone.”Sam didn’t ask what that meant. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.Jack swiped his access card at the briefing room door. There was a sharp beep, then a mechanical voice: “General O’Neill. Clearance Level Alpha.” The doors slid open, revealing a room of black glass, corporate insignias, and banners preaching security over exploration.Jack gestured toward it. “You see it now, don’t you?”Sam swallowed hard. Oh, she saw it.Jack strode into the room, his posture rigid and expression unreadable. Sam followed, cradling Benjamin, her gaze darting around as if searching for any trace of the old SGC. Daniel trailed behind her, and his lips pressed into a tight line, his unease evident as he took in the cold sterility of the space.“Sit,” Jack said, gesturing toward the chairs at the far end of the table. His voice was clipped, and his tension was palpable, though he didn’t look at them.Sam lowered herself into a chair, wincing slightly as the synthetic leather creaked beneath her. She adjusted Benjamin in her arms, her fingers brushing against the armrest’s smooth touchscreen. Daniel sat beside her, his hands resting on the glossy table, eyes scanning the holographic projections with quiet disdain.Jack remained standing, his shadow stretching across the polished floor as he glanced at the screens. “Welcome to the new Stargate Command,” he said dryly, his tone carrying a bitter edge. “Or what’s left of it.”Sam’s stomach tightened as she took in the room around her. This wasn’t a place for collaboration or camaraderie—it was a place for deals, control, and cold calculations. And in that moment, she realized just how much had been lost.The tension in the room was palpable.Jack folded his arms. “Start talking.”Sam exchanged a glance with Daniel. Her fingers curled around Benjamin’s blanket.“The System Lords allied,” she said. “Earth never stood a chance.”Jack’s jaw tensed. “No one helped?”Daniel’s voice was edged with bitterness. “The Asgard ignored us. The Tok’ra vanished. The Jaffa rebellion collapsed. We sent out distress calls—nothing.”“We fought,” Sam added, voice taut. “But within hours, cities were gone. Survivors either ran or were enslaved.”Jack sat at the edge of the table, fingers tapping restlessly. “And the SGC?”“First target,” Daniel said. “The Goa’uld knew exactly where to strike.”Jack exhaled sharply. “That’s why you used the mirror.”Sam nodded, but her gaze had dropped to Benjamin. She adjusted his blanket, smoothing the fabric with slow, deliberate movements. Her throat worked as if she wanted to speak, but no words came.Jack observed her. “Carter?”She inhaled sharply, eyes never leaving the child in her arms. Then, finally, she shook her head.Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Unspoken.Jack looked away first. His voice, when it came, was quieter. “Yeah.” He let out a breath. “I figured.”Daniel shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. His voice was rough when he finally spoke.“They targeted Benjamin.”Jack’s gaze snapped back to him. “What?”Daniel held it, unwavering. “Moratus sent his Jaffa after him. Not us. Him.”Jack’s expression hardened. “Why?”Daniel shook his head. “We don’t know.”Jack’s fingers curled into a fist. His gut twisted, the weight of those two words settling deep in his chest.“So you come here hoping for what?”“Safety,” Sam said after some moments.Jack scoffed, gesturing around them. “Well, welcome to 2015. Not the sanctuary you expected.”Daniel’s brow furrowed. “What happened to this place?”Jack’s tone was grim. “The government sold the program. Too expensive to maintain. Now it’s a business.”Daniel stared. “They privatized the Stargate?”Jack smirked without humor.“Stargate Command, Inc. They dress it up—‘global security initiatives,’ ‘defensive technologies’—but it’s all about profit. Exploration? Defense? That’s ancient history.”Sam’s throat tightened. “What about the people? The teams?”Jack hesitated, then admitted, “Most left. The rest? Adapt or get out. I stayed because the Asgard demanded a familiar face. The board likes me for PR. But power? I don’t have any.”The silence was heavy, filled with unspoken grief for the SGC they had both known. After the group conversation, Jack called Sam to his office, leaving Daniel with the baby under watch. She entered cautiously, her eyes flicking to the bare, utilitarian furnishings, which clearly contrasted with what they had just seen.Daniel arrived shortly after, carrying Benjamin, as Jack had requested, and he brought him along.“Have a seat,” Jack said, his voice softer but firm.Sam sat but didn’t relax. “What is it?”Jack studied her for a long moment before speaking.“I still need an answer to my question earlier.” His voice was low, measured. “Why Benjamin?”Sam’s grip on the baby tightened. “I don’t know.”Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Try again.”Her jaw tensed. “Moratus wanted him. Sent Jaffa after us. We barely escaped.”Jack’s expression didn’t change. “Why him?” He asked again.A beat. Then—"His father."Jack went still. “Who?”Sam exhaled shakily. “You.” A pause. Softer, almost fragile—"Not you. My Jack. My husband.”Silence.Jack’s fingers curled against the desk. He had suspected, but hearing it out loud still knocked the air from his lungs.“Well, that’s a hell of a plot twist.”Sam swallowed. “Jack, I—”Jack held up a hand. “So, just to clarify—you and Alternate Me had a kid. And now the universe is trying to kill him. Because, of course, it is.”Sam sighed. “Jack—”Jack let out a slow exhale. “Great. Love that for me.”Sam bit her lip and kept quiet. Jack continued looking at her, his eyes burning with an intensity she was familiar with.“So, the frat regs changed,” he said after a while.Sam nodded. “Presidential order. It wasn’t easy, but we made it work.”Jack’s gaze flicked to her hand. “No ring?”“Didn’t fit after I got pregnant. Jack sent it to be resized.” Her voice hitched. “It was still at the jeweler’s when—” She looked away.Jack didn’t push. He already knew how that sentence ended.Sam inhaled sharply. “What about me? This world—what happened to me?”Jack hesitated. His knuckles whitened against the desk’s edge.“You don’t want to know.”Her gaze sharpened. “Tell me.”He looked away, jaw flexing. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough.“It was supposed to be a quick mission. In, disable a Goa’uld weapons facility, out. We had bad intel. It was a trap.” A pause. “You were captured.”Sam’s breath caught. “How long?”Jack’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Too long.”She forced herself to ask. “Was I… Goa’uld?”“No.” His voice cracked. “That would’ve been merciful.”Ice settled in her veins.“They experimented on you.” His voice was stripped of all emotion now. “Tortured you. No reason. No purpose. Just… because they could.”Sam’s nails dug into her palms. “And then?”Jack met her gaze. “They left you there as bait.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “You looked at me, and you knew. You knew we couldn’t save you. You told me to blow it.”Her stomach twisted. “And you did.”Jack’s eyes darkened. “Yeah.”The silence that followed was suffocating.Sam let out a slow, shaky breath. “You’ve been carrying that all this time.”Jack gave a short, humorless laugh. “Like I had a choice?” He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I killed you, Carter. I pressed the damn button myself.”Sam’s eyes burned, but she refused to cry. She wasn’t his Carter, but she could see, clear as day, that he had never stopped carrying the weight of her death.Jack leaned back in his chair, voice quieter now. “So yeah, that happened to you in this world.” His gaze locked onto hers. “And that’s why I need to know what’s going on with you in yours.”Sam inhaled deeply, the horror of it all settling over her like a crushing weight.“I’m sorry,” she whispered because what else could she say?Jack let out a slow, tired exhale. “Yeah. Me too.”Sam understood for the first time since she had arrived in this world.This Jack O’Neill wasn’t the same as hers because this one had already watched her die.And he never forgave himself for it.Sam sat frozen, the weight of Jack’s words pressing down on her like a physical force. The way he told it—the way he felt it—she knew he hadn’t just lost her. He had destroyed her to spare her something worse.She swallowed hard, struggling to steady her breathing."And now what?" she asked, her voice quieter now.Jack exhaled sharply, shaking his head."Now I have to deliver a full report about your presence here. Your relevance, your value. I have to deliver a business assessment. And make sure these bastards don’t screw things up worse than they already have."Sam’s lips parted slightly. This Jack—this version of him—was so different from the man she knew. And yet, the bitterness in his voice, the frustration, the way he hated what had happened to the SGC told her that some things hadn’t changed at all.She exhaled slowly. "I see"Jack shrugged. "For once, I really doubt about that."The air between them was thick with unspoken thoughts. Sam had come here expecting familiarity, but this world—this Jack—was not what she had imagined.And yet, she was starting to understand.This wasn’t just about her loss.Jack O’Neill had lost everything, too.Jack leaned closer, his voice softening, though the tension remained.“I’m not your Jack, Carter. And you’re not my Sam. But that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve to know why the hell you’re here.”Sam’s gaze faltered slightly as the weight of his words hit her. She had crossed into another reality, but the scars of her past had followed her here, and now she had to confront them—whether she was ready or not.After a long silence, she met Jack’s gaze, her voice quieter but no less firm.“We’re here because we had no choice. We lost everything, and our only chance was the quantum mirror. We’ve been through three realities—one where there was a plague, and people lived underground, one where some mysterious race ruled Earth, and now here. We didn’t expect to land in a world where you’re… different.”Jack blinked. “So, let me get this straight. You played interdimensional hopscotch, and is this the reality you picked? You couldn’t have landed in one where I own a beach house?”Sam’s lips twitched despite herself.“It wasn’t exactly voluntary.”Jack gestured vaguely. “Just saying, next time, maybe aim for a universe where the Goa’uld never showed up, and the biggest problem is figuring out how to spend your lottery winnings.”Sam blinked. Apparently, this Jack’s dry humor was as bad as her Jack—worse, if possible.Jack watched her, his face softening slightly at the vulnerability beneath her words. But the tension between them remained, an unspoken barrier neither could fully cross.“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Jack said, his voice steady again. “But I need you to trust me, Carter.”Sam’s gaze lingered on him for a long moment before she finally gave a slight, reluctant nod.“I’ll try,” she whispered. Jack sat motionless long after Sam had gone, his fingers drumming against the desk in an uneven rhythm. The silence in the room was suffocating.
Her Jack. Her husband.
He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. This entire situation was a goddamn mess. Another reality, another version of Carter, and now—what? A kid with his DNA? And an enemy hunting him down?He didn’t like unknowns. Never had. If anyone had put the pieces together, it would be Daniel Jackson. And Jack intended to get the truth—one way or another.Jack pushed back from the desk and strode down the corridor, tension thrumming in his veins. The air in the SGC—or what passed for it now—felt different. Colder. He passed a row of high-tech security cameras, the quiet whir of a drone shadowing his steps. This wasn’t his SGC. It never would be.When he reached the briefing room, his fingers lingered on the handle a second longer than necessary. His jaw tightened. He found Daniel standing by the window, arms crossed, staring at the base beyond the glass.Jack shut the door behind him. The soft click echoed like a gunshot.“Talk.”Daniel didn’t turn. “About?”Jack took a step closer, voice low. “Don’t play dumb, Jackson.” His fingers drummed against the chair in front of him. “Why is Moratus after Benjamin?”Daniel sighed, rolling his shoulders before finally turning. His face was unreadable, but his fingers were curled into tight fists. “We don’t know.”Jack scoffed. “Bullshit.”Daniel’s jaw tightened.Jack stepped forward, closing the distance. “You want to try that again?”Daniel’s jaw tightened. Not an outright lie, but not the truth either. Jack had known him too long to miss the hesitation, the flicker of something behind his eyes.“You expect me to believe,” Jack continued, his voice quieter now, more dangerous, “that you risked everything—dragged a baby across realities—on a whim? That some Goa’uld warlord just happened to take an interest?”Daniel exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “He’s… special. Genetically.”Jack went still.Daniel met his gaze, finally leveling with him. “He has both your DNA. The other Jack and Sam’s. Moratus thinks that matters.”Silence.Jack clenched his jaw. His stomach turned. The last time someone had called him ‘special,’ the Replicators had nearly wiped them off the map.Great. Just what he needed.Jack’s pulse pounded in his ears. “Matters how?”“We don’t know.” Daniel ran a hand through his hair, frustration leaking into his voice. “A prophecy, maybe. Some genetic key. We were too busy running to stop and research his fate.”Jack clenched his jaw. His mind raced through possibilities—none of them good.“So now he’s a target here, too.”Daniel didn’t deny it.Jack exhaled sharply, shoving a hand through his hair. The weight of it all pressed against his ribs.Moratus. Benjamin. Carter. The goddamn board was breathing down his neck.He turned back to Daniel, voice taut with frustration. “No more secrets, Daniel. If you want my help, I need everything.”Daniel studied him for a long moment before finally nodding.“Then you can start by telling me how I died here.”Jack went still.“You don’t want to know.”“I asked, didn’t I?”Jack’s jaw flexed. “Off-world mission. Goa’uld trap. You were—” He swallowed hard. “You didn’t make it.”Daniel studied him. “No body?”“No.” Jack’s voice was gruff. “No second chance. No ascension.” He looked away. “I tell myself maybe you found another way out.” A bitter chuckle. “I’ve been lying to myself for years.”Daniel swallowed, nodding slowly. “Guess in this world, dead means dead.”Jack couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out as Daniel left the room. And if he didn’t figure out what these three were hiding soon, it wouldn’t just be their lives on the line—it would be his world, too.He got up and turned on his heel, heading down the corridor, already planning his next move. Sam shifted Benjamin in her arms in her quarters as she stepped inside. Her breath left her in a slow exhale, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Benjamin stirred lightly in her arms, his small hand clutching the fabric of her shirt as if sensing her unease. Now that she had seen SGC more clearly, she noticed the room around her was familiar but wrong. It was eerily reminiscent of her old quarters at Cheyenne Mountain, yet it felt different—transformed. Everything was more polished, more luxurious than the base she remembered.Sam’s heart sank as the realization hit her with full force: she was a prisoner in her old home. This was Cheyenne Mountain, but not as she had known it. Everything here had changed. And what was happening outside these walls? What kind of world had they landed in?Could this reality be worse than the one they had just escaped? This world—Jack’s world—might be far more dangerous than anything they had ever imagined. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down. Not now. Not when she had Benji to protect.She sat carefully on the edge of the bed, her gaze falling to the metal tags resting on the nightstand—the only personal item that had been returned to her.Jack’s words echoed in her mind when he handed them back earlier that day: “I figured you’d want these. Thought it might help.” She’d only nodded, her gratitude muted by the guarded distance she had to maintain.Reaching out, she picked up the dog tags, letting the cool metal rest against her palm. Her thumb traced the engraved letters—her name, blood type, and numbers that defined her military existence. The chain slipped through her fingers, a faint clink breaking the room's silence.These weren’t just dog tags; they were a reminder of who she used to be—before the invasion, before the losses. Back then, she’d worn them as part of her uniform, a badge of her identity as a soldier, a scientist, a leader. Now, they felt like relics of a life she could never return to.Her grip tightened, and she brought the tags to her lips, pressing them there momentarily as tears pricked her eyes. She inhaled deeply, willing herself to keep it together. Benjamin needed her to be strong and to keep moving forward.“We’re going to be okay,” she murmured against the cool metal, her voice trembling but resolute. “I promise.”She put tags around her neck and adjusted Benjamin in her arms, holding him close. As his soft breaths filled the room, she let herself believe, just for a moment, that the promise she’d made wasn’t just for him—it was for herself, too. Jack strode through the cold, unfamiliar corridors of Cheyenne Mountain, once his stronghold—now a corporate machine. The SGC wasn’t his anymore. The board pulled the strings; he was just another piece on their chessboard.They wanted results. Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin’s arrival had shifted the power balance, and the board wasn’t patient. If he couldn’t control this situation, he wouldn’t just lose his influence—he’d lose them.In the corporate version of the SGC, everything had a price tag—even human lives.As Jack approached his office, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the message: a reminder of his upcoming debriefing with the board. They wanted an update, and they wanted it soon. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. It was no longer just discovering why Carter and Daniel were here. It was about justifying their continued presence. They might not be around much longer if he didn’t get the needed information. Meanwhile, Sam and Daniel walked through the base, their steps shadowed by unseen eyes. Two guards were some steps behind them."This isn’t home," Sam muttered. "No familiar faces. No allies."Daniel’s jaw tightened. "We need to get out. Figure out what’s out there.""And go where?" Sam snapped, her voice heavy with frustration. The weight of her words hung in the air, each syllable a reminder of the abyss she felt growing inside her. She glanced at the sterile walls, feeling the cold detachment of the base pressing in. No matter where she turned, there was nothing—no anchor, no safety. Not even the walls of this once-familiar base offered solace.Before Daniel could answer, Jack’s voice cut through the tension.“If you try to leave, you won’t get far.”They turned to see him standing with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.Daniel frowned. “What, are they gonna arrest us?”Jack shrugged. “More like shoot you. Which, in fairness, is a much more efficient way to solve a security breach.”Sam’s stomach twisted. “You wouldn’t do that,” she said, though doubt was laced in her voice. “To a baby…”Jack let out a dry laugh. “Yeah, well, the guys running this place don’t exactly have a no-baby murder policy. So let’s try not to test it.”The tension in the air was suffocating. Daniel clenched his fists at his sides, his voice taut with anger.“So what then? You’re just going to keep us locked in here? Until what, Jack? Until they decide we’re no longer useful?”Jack’s fingers dug into his palm, nails pressing deep. He kept his voice even and controlled.“I’ve already lost you once.” Jack’s voice dropped, raw and unguarded for a moment. Then, steel. “I’m not doing it again.”“And what about you, Jack?” Sam interjected, her frustration spilling over. “You keep saying this isn’t our world, but what the hell happened to you? You’re not the man we knew. You’re part of this machine now, aren’t you?”Jack’s eyes darkened, the muscles in his neck tightening as he stepped closer.“You think I like any of this? You think I’m enjoying the mess we’re in?” His voice rose, sharp and bitter. “I don’t have the luxury of being the old Jack O’Neill. I retired, remember? This isn’t the SGC you knew. The game’s changed. So yeah, maybe I’m part of this machine now, but at least I’m trying to keep you alive. This isn’t your reality, or you forgot that too?”Sam flinched at his words, but she didn’t back down.“So, what now? We wait for you to decide what to do with us?”“You wait for me to figure out how to keep you safe,” Jack said through gritted teeth. “Because trust me, you’re not getting out of here without my say-so. And if you try to pull anything, it’ll be the last thing you do.”The hallway fell into a heavy silence, the weight of their reality pressing down on all of them. Sam felt the sting of betrayal in Jack’s voice, but she knew he was right. This wasn’t the same Jack O’Neill, and this wasn’t the same world. They were trapped again in a reality that didn’t want them unless they could exploit them.Daniel broke the silence, his voice low but tense.“So, what’s your plan, Jack?” he demanded. “Because I don’t see any way out of this that doesn’t end badly for us. Especially now that you’ve confirmed they have no problem shooting down a three-month-old baby.”Jack stared at him for a long moment, the tension between them thick and heavy. Then, with a sigh, he stepped back, rubbing a hand over his face.“I’m working on it, Daniel. But until I have answers, you need to sit tight. For your own good.”Without another word, Jack turned and left in the other direction.Sam’s breath hitched. She tightened her hold on Benjamin, pressing her lips to his head.“We’re trapped.”Daniel’s nod was slow, reluctant. “For now.”Jack’s footsteps faded down the hall. The silence left behind was heavier than the words spoken. Sam closed her eyes. She had no anchor here—only the warmth of her son, the last piece of a world that no longer existed.Jack was different. This world was different. And they had to figure out how to survive in it. If there was one thing Sam had learned over the years about survival, it was that information was key. So she went to the one person who could give her some information. She was out of diapers, which would be the perfect excuse to start the conversation.Janet’s eyes followed Sam as she attempted to distract Benjamin with a small toy, her fingers brushing through his soft hair. The child giggled, oblivious to the tension that lingered in the infirmary. Janet had already given her an extra pack of diapers, but Sam continued there. It was apparent there was more to it."So, Sam," Janet began, her voice gentle but firm, "what’s on your mind? I have the strong impression you want to discuss something… important."Sam’s gaze remained on Benjamin, though the tension in her jaw hinted that she was wrestling with something inside."I want to know what really happened here," she said quietly. "Your SGC, your world… something’s off, and I need to understand it. I’m willing to tell you anything you want to know about us."Janet hesitated, crossing her arms as if weighing the risks. The pause stretched before she sighed and pulled a chair closer."Fair enough."She sat down, rubbing the bridge of her nose.“The Goa’uld hit. Hard. The government lost control. The truth came out.” Janet’s voice was grim. “And the public? They didn’t forgive us.”Sam’s head snapped up, eyes wide. "They went public?"Janet nodded grimly."And it was a disaster. There was fear, chaos, and riots in major cities. People blamed us for the attacks, for keeping it a secret for so long. The military lost control of the program, and the government handed it over to private investors."Sam’s stomach churned. She glanced down at Benjamin, running a hand over his tiny back. "That’s why the board runs things now."Janet confirmed it with a nod."People like Hawthorne and Marquez took over. They turned the SGC into a business. Missions aren’t about exploration anymore, Sam. It’s about profits, control, and monopolizing alien technology."Sam traced slow circles on Benjamin’s back, grounding herself before she dared to ask, "And Jack? What happened to him? Why is he so…different?"Janet’s expression darkened."They forced him to retire. Publicly humiliated him. But they also knew they needed a familiar face to keep the Asgard happy. Jack became their figurehead, their puppet. He has no real power, Sam. He just follows orders."Sam’s throat tightened. Her Jack would’ve fought tooth and nail. But this Jack… she saw the exhaustion in his eyes, the weariness in his voice."He had no choice.""None of us did." Janet reached out, squeezing Sam’s hand. "It’s not the SGC you remember, Sam. It’s something else entirely. And now, you and Benjamin are caught in the middle of it. I’m sorry this reality didn’t turn out what you expected to be."Sam’s chest ached as she held Benjamin a little closer. She was trapped in a reality where every familiar face had turned to shadow, and every promise of safety felt like a lie.And for the first time, the weight of that reality truly settled on her shoulders.Janet leaned closer, her gaze softening."I know it’s a lot. But I told you my part. Now it’s your turn."Sam blinked rapidly, trying to keep her composure. Her heart raced as she looked down at Benjamin, his innocence a painful reminder of everything she'd lost."I—" Her voice faltered, but Janet waited patiently.After a moment, Sam finally spoke, her words shaky."In my reality… Jack and I—" She took a deep breath. “We got married under a special Presidential order. It was kept quiet; only a few people knew. But after all the waiting and back-and-forth, we finally had our chance."Janet's expression softened with surprise, but she said nothing, allowing Sam to continue."I got pregnant," Sam admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "Almost immediately after we were married. We didn’t have much time together, but we were happy. I left SG-1 and moved to D.C. And then Benjamin came."Sam reached out, brushing her son’s hair again, her hand trembling slightly."He was born right before everything went to hell. We were at the SGC when it all started. I was called in for an emergency because of suspicious movements in Goa'uld ships. I... I had Benjamin with me since Jack was busy at Homeworld."Her breath hitched as the memory surfaced, raw and painful."I never got to say goodbye to Jack. He was on the front lines when the first wave hit. And then… he was gone."Tears welled up in Sam’s eyes as she struggled to maintain her composure."I lost him, Janet. And I had to keep going because of Benjamin. SGC was lost to the Goa’uld, and the Jaffa were after us, after Benji. But losing Jack... it broke me."Janet's hand found Sam's, squeezing it gently."Sam… I'm so sorry."Sam blinked, letting the tears fall freely now, her body trembling."I thought I was prepared for the worst, but I never imagined—" She shook her head, unable to finish. "He died without knowing that we were safe…that we managed to get out. That I kept Benjamin safe. I kept our baby safe."The room fell into a heavy silence, Sam’s confession pressing on both women. Janet’s heart ached for her friend, but she didn’t know what to say. Instead, she held Sam’s hand tighter, offering silent support.Finally, Sam looked up, her tear-streaked face filled with vulnerability."I don’t know how to move forward, Janet. Not without him."Janet nodded. Her voice was soft but firm."You take it one day at a time. And you let the people around you help carry some of the weight like I'm here for you now. And Sam... you have Benjamin. That’s something Jack left you—a piece of him in this world."Sam swallowed hard and nodded, her fingers gripping Janet's hand tighter. A slight sense of solace was creeping into the storm of her grief. Jack squared his shoulders as he stepped into the boardroom, the cold, mirrored walls reflecting a version of himself he barely recognized. Once, this room had been filled with generals, scientists, and soldiers who fought for something greater than a profit margin. Now? It was a parade of expensive suits and carefully measured smiles, each board member more interested in assets than people.Senator Charles Hawthorne III barely glanced up from his tablet. Old money. Old power. A man who had never set foot through the Stargate but now controlled everything it stood for. Jack had been in firefights with less danger than sitting across from this man.Hawthorne finally looked up, his smirk infuriatingly polite.“O’Neill,” he said. “Let’s talk about your new guests.”"I sent a preliminary report," Jack said, his voice even. "You should’ve read it by now."Hawthorne smirked. "Oh, we read it. An Air Force officer turned refugee scientist, an archaeologist with a history of insubordination, and a child whose genetic lineage raises too many questions." He steepled his fingers. "The question remains—why should we keep them?"Jack shrugged. "Because you like winning."Hawthorne's brows lifted in amusement, but Jack pressed on."You already know Carter’s value. She’s got expertise in Asgard tech and interdimensional physics, and her mind is sharper than any of your R&D teams. She’s more than an asset—she’s a damn necessity if you don’t want our competition to get ahead." He paused, his gaze flicking toward Marquez. "And Jackson? Do you want first-contact diplomacy back on the table? You need him. Half the civilizations we dealt with wouldn’t even talk to us without Jackson leading the way."Marquez pursed her lips but didn’t interrupt.Jack’s fingers tapped against the table, his tone lowering. "As for the kid—" His jaw tightened. "Let’s just say if Moratus wanted him bad enough to cross realities, you’d be real stupid to underestimate why."Hawthorne’s smirk deepened."Sentiment doesn’t pay. Carter’s knowledge? An asset. The rest? A write-off."Jack’s fingers curled into a fist under the table."They're not equipment."Isabella Marquez tapped a manicured finger against the table, unimpressed. A self-made billionaire with ruthless business acumen, she had turned Marquez Global Holdings into a powerhouse spanning defense, pharmaceuticals, and off-world resource mining. She viewed the SGC as another corporate conquest."Then justify them, O’Neill. Prove why they’re worth keeping. Otherwise, we’re wasting resources."“You underestimate them at your own risk.” Jack leaned forward, voice steel. “Carter isn’t just an asset; she can be why your ships continue to fly. Daniel? The reason half the universe won’t come for our throats. And Benjamin? If Moratus wants him this badly, do you really want to be the ones who let him slip away?”Hawthorne leaned forward, fingers steepled.“We need certainty,” he said. “This child—Benjamin—is an anomaly. We should re-test his DNA. Determine his viability.”Jack’s stomach went cold. “You touch him, and we’ll have a problem.”Isabella Marquez raised an eyebrow. “We don’t take unnecessary risks, General.”“Good. Then don’t take this one.” Jack’s voice was even, but his hands curled into fists under the table. He could feel his control slipping. The board had always played power games, but this? This was a new low.Dr. Eleanor Meyers, one of the few with a conscience, adjusted her glasses. Once a respected scientist and ethical advocate, she had joined the board hoping to temper its greed-driven decisions."Perhaps we consider an alternative. He stays with General O’Neill and is under his care. No experiments, no interference—unless there’s cause."Hawthorne tapped his pen against the table. "A compromise. For now."Jack didn’t relax. He knew what that meant. If he didn’t find a way to control the situation, they’d decide for him. He forced himself to nod, though his skin crawled at the implication. The only thing keeping Benjamin safe was the illusion of utility. If that illusion ever cracked—Hawthorne steepled his fingers."Now, back to the real matter at hand. Carter and Jackson. We need technology and advancements—something we can use. Your job is to get them talking, O’Neill. Make them understand their place here."Jack’s jaw flexed. "Understood."The meeting ended without ceremony. Jack turned on his heel, the weight of their verdict pressing against his spine. The SGC had always been a battlefield, but this? This was something darker.And if he didn’t play this right, he wouldn’t just lose Carter and Daniel.He’d lose Benjamin too. Jack stood by his office window, staring out into the cold gray walls of the SGC. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts, but one thing remained clear: Carter needed to know the truth. She needed to understand what they were up against.He turned as the door creaked open. Sam entered quietly, her face drawn with exhaustion but still holding onto that hardened strength that had kept her going for so long. Jack could see right through it now—she was barely hanging on.“Close the door.”She did, hesitating. “What’s going on?”“The board.” His voice was flat. “They want answers. Technology. Leverage.” He exhaled sharply. “Daniel’s on thin ice. And Benjamin…”Sam’s grip on the chair tightened. “What about him?”Jack hesitated. He hated the words before they even left his mouth.“They asked if he was an asset.” A pause. “Or a liability.”Sam froze. The blood drained from her face. Her grip on Benjamin’s blanket tightened, her knuckles white.“They can’t—” Her voice broke.Jack hadn’t left the boardroom’s tension behind. It followed him, clinging like a second skin. And when he saw Sam’s face—pale, drawn—he knew. It had reached her too.“I told them he’s mine.” His tone was even, controlled. The only thing holding him together. “That I’d take responsibility.”Sam blinked rapidly as if trying to process, trying to breathe. Jack could see it—the exact moment when everything became too much.Her fingers slipped.Jack barely had time to catch her before she hit the floor.“Sam?” His voice was sharp, but she didn’t respond.She was out cold.Jack’s stomach clenched as he eased her down, pressing two fingers to her throat. Pulse—fast but there. He exhaled sharply, scanning her pale face, the tight grip she still had on Benjamin.“Dammit,” he muttered, reaching for his radio. “O’Neill to Fraiser. Medical emergency. My office. NOW.”No hesitation. “On my way,” Janet’s voice crackled back.Jack sat back on his heels, running a hand over his face. He knew he’d pushed her—too much, too fast—but hearing it and seeing her break under the weight of it were two different things.Footsteps pounded down the hall. Janet and two medics rushed in a moment later, their urgency shattering the thick silence.“What happened?” Janet demanded, already kneeling beside Sam, checking her vitals.Jack’s jaw tightened. “Stress. Exhaustion. Maybe more.” He didn’t know how to put into words the storm that had just cracked open inside her.Janet’s expression was all business, but Jack caught the flicker of concern in her eyes.“Let’s get her to the infirmary.”Jack stepped back as the medics lifted Sam onto a stretcher. Benjamin let out a small whimper in her arms, and Jack instinctively reached for him. He wasn’t sure if it was for the baby’s sake or his own, but his grip tightened around the small body.He followed them out, his strides quick, jaw clenched. He wasn’t done getting answers. But right now, that could wait.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Sam finally opened her eyes, she was met with the sterile white of the infirmary. Her head throbbed, and her body felt like it had been drained of every ounce of strength. Janet hovered beside her, a concerned look etched on her face.“You passed out, Sam,” Janet said gently, checking her vitals. “You’re suffering from exhaustion. Your stress levels are through the roof.”Sam tried to sit up, but Janet touched her shoulder firmly.“Hey, calm down. You need to stay here, okay? You’re not in any condition to—”“They’re going to take Benjamin, aren’t they?” Sam’s voice cracked with fear as the memory rushed back to her. Panic flared in her chest. “They’re going to take him away. I can’t—”“Sam, breathe.” Janet’s voice was calm but firm.Sam, however, was wild. Her breathing was erratic as she fought against the blankets, desperate to get out of bed.“They won’t take him. Not while I’m here,” Janet assured her in the same calm tone.Sam’s breath hitched. She clutched the sheets in white-knuckled fists, chest rising and falling in rapid bursts. "I need him, Janet—please, I can’t lose him too!"The door to the infirmary opened, and Jack stepped in, gently holding Benjamin in his arms. Seeing him cradle the baby brought Sam’s frantic movements to a halt. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at them—Jack and Benjamin together, her entire world in one fragile image.Jack strolled to her bedside, his voice soft and reassuring.“It’s okay, Carter. He’s here. He’s safe.”Tears welled up in her eyes as Jack placed Benjamin in her arms. She held him close, her body trembling with the overwhelming relief and fear that washed over her. She gazed up at Jack, her voice barely a whisper.“I can’t lose him, Jack.” Sam’s voice cracked, her fingers trembling as she clutched Benjamin tighter.Jack leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. “You won’t.”The moment's intensity, the sight of this Jack and Benjamin together, broke her all over again. She buried her face against Benjamin’s tiny body, sobbing quietly as the weight of everything—this world, her loss, her fear—crashed over her.Jack stayed beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder as she wept, his presence the only thing holding her together amid a reality that was tearing her apart. Jack had never felt more helpless in his life. Watching Carter break down like that, seeing her world collapse, had shaken him. When Janet eventually gave her a sedative, it was the only way to calm her down, but even then, the pain lingered in the room like a dark cloud.He stayed at her bedside, watching as Carter’s breathing steadied, her face pale and drained. Benjamin stirred in his arms, and Jack glanced at the small, innocent face. This kid had no idea how much was at stake, how close he’d come to being taken away from his mother.When the sedative had fully kicked in, and Carter was deeply asleep, Jack looked at Janet.“She’s going to need him close when she wakes up,” Jack said softly. “I want a portable crib brought in here.”Janet hesitated but then nodded.“I’ll have someone bring it over.”Soon enough, a small crib was placed next to Sam’s bed. Janet didn’t argue, and Jack appreciated that. The quiet solidarity in that moment meant everything.Jack stayed by Carter’s side as the hours dragged on, never once leaving. The hospital-grade chair was uncomfortable, but he couldn’t move away from her or Benjamin. He unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, loosened his tie, and shrugged off his jacket to make himself more comfortable, though nothing about the situation made him feel at ease.Carter was out cold, and the sedative kept her in a deep, much-needed sleep. Jack kept a steady, protective watch over them, his gaze flickering between Carter’s calm face and Benjamin's small, vulnerable form.Around two in the morning, Benjamin woke up, squirming and fussing. Jack carefully picked him up from the crib, cradling the boy. He checked the bottle Janet had left him. The formula was the only option since Carter was still too drugged to wake.“Hey, little guy,” Jack whispered, shifting the baby to a comfortable position in his arms. “Hungry, huh?”Benjamin fussed momentarily, his little fists waving in the air, but Jack brought the bottle to his lips, and the baby latched on immediately. Jack smiled at the sight, an odd warmth filling his chest.“There you go. Take it easy now.”He rocked Benjamin slowly, humming a tuneless melody as he fed him. His mind wandered as he looked down at the baby—his baby, in a way. Genetically, at least. It was strange. Unlike his other self, he hadn’t been a father in this world. But holding Benjamin, feeding him like this... it felt natural. Right.“You know,” Jack whispered, his voice low, “I never thought I’d be doing this. At least, not here. Not like this. Not with a baby with your mother.”Benjamin’s small blue eyes blinked at him, oblivious to the weight in Jack’s words, and Jack smiled.“You don’t know me, but I guess I’m your... what? Uncle Jack? Dad 2.0?” He chuckled to himself. “Doesn’t matter. You’re safe here, kid. I’ll make sure of that.”Benjamin finished the bottle, his tiny body relaxing in Jack’s arms. Jack gently patted his back, waiting for the inevitable burp, which came quickly. He smiled, feeling a surge of pride—like the most minor victory in a night filled with heavy burdens.“Good job,” Jack murmured. He changed Benjamin's diaper as best he could and then laid him back in the crib. The baby settled in quickly, his eyes closing again.Jack looked back at Carter, who was still sound asleep. He sighed, exhaustion creeping up on him. It had been a hell of a day, and tomorrow wasn’t looking any better. But for now, they were safe. He could give them that much.He slumped into the chair beside Carter’s bed, closing his eyes. Just for a moment, he told himself. He just needed a little rest. Morning came too soon.Sam woke up to the gentle sounds of Benjamin stirring next to her. She blinked against the harsh lights of the infirmary, her body feeling sluggish from the sedative. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. Then everything came rushing back—the breakdown, Jack, the baby...She turned and saw Jack slumped in a chair, his head tilted back, fast asleep. His tie was loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone, and his jacket draped over the side of the chair as if he’d tried to make himself a bit more comfortable. Next to him, the crib held Benjamin, who was fussing slightly but hadn’t started crying yet. Her gaze drifted to the empty formula bottle, still loosely clutched in Jack’s hand, a silent testament to the care he’d been giving without a second thought.He stayed all night.Sam’s heart twisted at the sight. She gently picked up Benjamin, cradling him against her chest. Her body still ached, but his weight in her arms gave her a sense of grounding, of purpose. As Benjamin rooted for food, she shifted, positioning him to breastfeed. She watched Jack as she fed her son, her mind swirling with emotions.This Jack had stayed. He’d taken care of Benjamin, just like his father would have. Just like her, Jack would have.Her Jack...A lump formed in her throat. She tried to focus on the moment, Benjamin’s soft breathing, and how his little hand clung to her shirt. But the reality of this world, the differences, the pain... it all pressed in on her, suffocating her thoughts.The door creaked open, and Janet walked in. She froze momentarily when she saw Sam breastfeeding, then smiled softly.“Good morning,” Janet whispered as she approached, glancing at Jack. “He stayed the whole night.”Sam nodded, her voice tight. “I know.”“He took care of Benjamin,” Janet continued, her tone gentle but filled with admiration. “I came by several times to check, but Jack was already on it. Fed him, changed him... Benjamin was perfectly content in his arms.”Sam looked down at Benjamin, tears welling up in her eyes. She swallowed hard, trying to control her emotions, but it was impossible. Seeing Jack care for Benjamin like that and watching him step into the role without hesitation broke something in her.“He always felt safe in his father’s arms,” Sam whispered, her voice trembling. “And now... now this Jack is here, and it feels the same, even though he’s not really his father. Not... not really.”Janet rested a hand on her shoulder.“I know it’s hard, Sam. But Jack... he’s doing everything he can for both of you.”Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened as tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn’t hold them back any longer. The weight of it all—the grief, the confusion, the overwhelming sense of loss—was too much to bear.And yet, despite the differences, despite the reality they were stuck in, this Jack was still here. He was still fighting for her, for Benjamin.“Do you think he’ll ever be the same?” Sam asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Janet looked over at Jack, still asleep in the chair, then back at Sam.“I don’t know,” she said softly. “But I think he’s trying.” Jack jolted awake, the infirmary’s bright lights disorienting him. The sound of soft cooing drew his attention, and his gaze landed on Sam, sitting upright with Benjamin nestled in her arms.Jack’s breath stalled.Sam’s fingers trailed absently down Benjamin’s back, her voice a soft hum. The baby curled closer, content. Safe.Jack’s throat burned. That should have been his life. His son. His wife.He turned sharply, shoving the thought away. Not mine. Never was.The chair scraped loudly against the floor as he bolted upright. The crash echoed, making Sam jump. Janet’s gaze snapped to him, sharp with concern.“I—uh...” Jack fumbled, hands gripping the edge of the bottle. “I gotta—” He didn’t finish.Before either of them could say a word, he turned, picked his jacket from the floor, and bolted out of the infirmary, running like a coward from the only thing he ever wanted, barely noticing Janet’s raised eyebrow or Sam's tiny smile. He had to escape. The emotions, tension, and confusion were all too much.Inside his office, Jack slammed the door shut, chest heaving.The bottle was still in his hand. He turned it over, fingers tightening around it. Pointless. Meaningless. He hurled it onto the desk, the plastic clattering against the wood.“Fuck,” he muttered.The image burned in his head—Sam cradling Benjamin like she had done a thousand times before. But not with him. Not in his world.Jack pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He needed to pull it together. Later that day, after the whirlwind of emotions had settled somewhat, Daniel visited the infirmary. He was worried, and seeing Sam awake and feeding Benjamin when he arrived put him at ease. He smiled warmly at her as he took a seat by the bed.“Hey, Sam,” he greeted, eyes flickering to the baby. “How are you holding up?”Sam exhaled softly, a tired but genuine smile forming on her lips.“I’m okay, Daniel. Exhausted, but... okay.”He nodded, glancing at Benjamin, now sleeping peacefully in her arms."He’s getting big.”Sam chuckled softly.“He is. And he’s going to need me to be strong. We both know what’s at stake here.”Daniel’s brow furrowed slightly.“What did Jack say? You didn’t look great yesterday when I came by, and Janet told me she had to sedate you. I was worried.”Sam’s expression shifted, the weight of what Jack had told her settling heavily on her chest again. She glanced at the door, making sure they were alone.“Daniel, we need to talk. Jack told me... everything that they’re planning. What they expect from us.”She paused, unsure of how to begin. The situation's vulnerability was palpable, and for the first time in a long while, Sam felt exposed—like she was treading on thin ice with no safety net beneath her.“They... they see us as assets, Daniel,” she finally said, her voice low. “But only if we can give them something they want. Jack clarified that they’re not interested in cooperation, peacekeeping, or anything else. It’s about money, power, and technology. They’ll use their leverage to get that—including Benjamin.”Daniel’s face grew grave, and his gaze hardened.“They threatened Benji?”Sam exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the bed. "Jack offered to take responsibility for Benjamin," she said, her voice hollow. The words felt foreign, wrong in her mouth.Daniel stilled. His brows furrowed. “And you’re... okay with that?”Sam let out a sharp breath, shaking her head."No. I don’t trust it." She swallowed. "But it’s not like I had a choice, Daniel. They clarified that Benjamin is only safe as long as he’s useful."Daniel’s expression darkened. "And Jack? He just—what? Signed up to play Dad?"Sam’s grip tightened. "He said he wanted to protect him." A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "But whether it’s for Benjamin’s sake or his own, I don’t know. And that’s the part that scares me."Daniel leaned forward. “You think he’s lying?”Sam hesitated. Not because she thought Jack would intentionally hurt Benjamin, but because she knew him—she knew how Jack could justify the impossible if it meant following orders."I think Jack believes he’s doing the right thing," she admitted. "But he also didn’t tell me right away, Daniel. He let the board make that choice before he told me anything. That means he was already playing by their rules before I knew the game had started."Daniel’s jaw clenched. "So what do we do?"Sam inhaled deeply, steadying herself. "We play along. We make ourselves invaluable. We don’t give them a reason to turn on us. It’s our only way to buy time until we figure out how to leave. And we watch Jack—closely."Daniel nodded, but his expression was grim. “Yeah. That part won’t be hard.”“I’m with you. Whatever it takes, Sam,” Daniel said, his voice firm.They continued to discuss strategies quietly, discussing details of what they might share and how to approach it.Jack lingered in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the scene before him. Sam—his Sam, but not—sat propped against the pillows, Benjamin curled against her chest, the baby’s tiny fingers clutching at her shirt.Jack’s gaze flickered to Daniel. Too close.His jaw tightened. “How are you holding up, Carter?” His voice came out clipped.Sam glanced at Daniel before answering. Jack’s teeth clenched at the unspoken unity between them.“I’m fine, Sir. Getting better.”
Sir.
Jack gave a curt nod, shifting his weight as he forced his gaze to neutral. “Good. We’ll talk soon.” A pause. He wasn’t sure what else he wanted to say. What he was allowed to say.But the way Daniel sat there, as if he belonged at her bedside, as if he’d always be beside her, made Jack’s blood simmer.He turned sharply, walking out before he did something stupid.Daniel frowned, watching the door close behind Jack.“What was that about?”Sam sighed, staring at the door with an unreadable expression.“I’m not sure. But whatever it is... it’s not over.”There was something deeper between them, something raw and unresolved, simmering just below the surface. Jack’s abruptness, protectiveness over Benjamin, and reaction to seeing Daniel so close all spoke to the complicated emotions they were trying to navigate in this new reality.And Sam knew they were just beginning to scratch the surface of what would come. Sam Carter had always been able to adapt. It came with the job, with her life as a soldier and scientist. And then as a wife and a mother.Slowly but surely, she, Daniel, and even little Benjamin began to adjust to the strange life inside the walls of this SGC. But it wasn’t easy. Small details kept reminding her that things were different here. The personnel—mostly civilians with only a handful of military members—made it feel less like the base she knew. There was no sign of a General or Colonel, at least not beyond a few Lieutenant Colonels like herself. This SGC felt more corporate and more restricted. She saw more people in suits than in BDUs. Every time she walked through its halls, she noticed how different it was, even though it still looked the same on the surface.She’d been allowed brief access to certain parts of the base. Mostly limited spaces, but enough for her to recognize the familiar layout. She had glimpsed the control room when the Stargate had been activated, and it was then that something struck her as profoundly wrong. Only two SG teams existed here. Two. No SG-1. No trace of Teal’c or anyone else she once knew. Whenever she thought about it, she could feel an unspoken weight pressing on her chest.The more she noticed, the more she couldn’t ignore it. So she decided to confront the one person who could give her answers—Jack. This Jack might be different from the one she had known and loved, but he was still Jack O’Neill. He had the answers she needed.She found him in his office, the tension thickening as soon as she entered. Jack glanced up from his paperwork, the usual snark absent from his expression as he caught her serious demeanor."Colonel," he greeted, but there was a stiffness in his tone."General," she responded, her voice equally clipped. She wasted no time getting to the point. "I want to know what happened to SG-1 in this reality. You asked for information from us—well, now I need something from you."Jack put down his pen, leaning back in his chair. The weight of the conversation was already beginning to settle in the room. He studied her, clearly debating how much he should share.Sam crossed her arms and waited, her patience fraying."I already know that Daniel and I... died. But what about the others? What happened to Teal’c, Jonas Quinn, Vala, Cameron, to… you?"Jack’s jaw tightened at her last word. He rubbed his hands over his face, exhaling slowly before meeting her gaze."You sure you wanna know?"Sam’s eyes flashed with determination."Yes."Jack sat up straighter as if the memories were coming back in waves. He stared at the desk for a moment before speaking."It wasn't just you and Daniel who died," he started, his voice low. "After you two were lost in the fight, SG-1 was never the same. Teal'c... he tried to keep it together for a while, but..." Jack trailed off, the heaviness in his tone telling Sam more than she wanted to hear."What happened to him?" she asked, her heart pounding."He got tired of receiving bad intel and returned to Chulak to unite the Jaffa to fight the Goa'uld. But it didn’t go as planned. There was too much division, too many factions. He got caught in the middle of a political battle. One day, he was leading a charge... and the next, we got word that he’d been killed in action."Sam’s breath caught. Teal’c was also gone here. The weight in her chest deepened, but Jack wasn’t done."And Jonas..." Jack paused again, rubbing the back of his neck as if the words were difficult to say. "He tried to step up after you and Daniel were gone. He did his best, but... he wasn't ready for the responsibility that fell on his shoulders. He took on a mission alone—against orders. He thought he could handle it. But he didn’t come back. We lost him too."Sam swallowed hard.“And Cameron and Vala?” she asked, now afraid of the answer she knew she was getting.“Vala managed to get her hands on a Tel'tak and teamed up with Cameron. They went out, guns blazing, trying to take down as many Goa’uld ships as possible. But eventually, they were ambushed, and their ship was destroyed. They died... and after that, everything fell apart. Especially once you were gone.”The grief hit her like a tidal wave. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought back the tears."And you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What about you, Jack?"He let out a bitter chuckle, the sound devoid of any humor."Me? I stayed, even got promoted when everyone start dying. I tried to keep things going, tried to keep SGC in one piece, fight the good fight whenever I could. But after the losses piled up—after you were gone, Daniel, Teal’c, Jonas—well, the higher-ups decided they needed a scapegoat. Hammond had already died, so guess who they picked?"Sam’s breath caught in her throat as Jack’s words sank in. He had been forced out, humiliated, stripped of his command, and left to be the frontman for a version of the SGC that no longer had anything to do with the ideals they had fought for. Janet had told her the truth."So that's it," Sam muttered, her voice trembling. "SG-1 just... fell apart."Jack nodded, his face hard, but the vulnerability beneath the surface was unmistakable."This isn’t the SGC we knew, Carter. They don’t care about the things we care about. They want tech, power, and leverage. Money. And if that means letting the people who built this place fall apart in the process, well, they’re okay with that."The weight of his words crashed down on her. Everything she had known and fought for with SG-1 had been destroyed in this reality. Her old team was gone—all of them. Again."I need some air," Sam whispered, the walls of Jack’s office closing around her. She turned to leave, but Jack called out after her."Hey." His voice softened. "For what it’s worth, I’m sorry."She paused momentarily, but the words felt empty in the shadow of everything she had just learned. Sam walked out without responding, and the ache in her chest threatened to consume her.Once in the hallway, she let herself breathe, but the grief kept pressing down on her. SG-1 was gone, and she was stuck in a reality where everything that mattered had been stripped away, like her Earth. She thought of Benjamin, the only part of her old life left, and knew she had to keep going—for him. But as she stood there, trying to regain her composure, one thing became painfully clear: nothing would ever be the same again. And this wasn’t a reality for them. Daniel was exhausted.He had barely slept since the board had summoned Jack for a private meeting. Something about the situation felt off, but he couldn’t understand why. The base was crawling with political suits—people who had no business running a program that had once been about saving the world, not profiting from it.And now, Jack had refused to tell him what was going on. That alone meant something was very, very wrong.Daniel was on his way to the mess hall when he heard them: a man and a woman in expensive suits standing just around the corner of a corridor.“—finalized as of today. The child remains under General O’Neill’s custody.”Daniel stopped.“Carter won’t take this well,” one of them muttered. “She’s already unstable.”
What?
Daniel took a slow, quiet step closer, heart pounding. He peered around the corner, just enough to see them standing near an open office door, files in hand. They hadn’t noticed him.The taller one shook his head. “She’s a liability. If she reacts poorly, we may need to take additional measures.”“You mean sedate her?” the other asked dryly.“If necessary.” A shrug. “She’s valuable for her expertise, but let’s be honest—she’s not the same woman from this world. She’s replaceable.”Daniel’s blood ran cold.“And Jackson?” the second man asked.The first one scoffed. “Official transfer orders are being arranged. We’ll send him where he can’t interfere.”
They were getting rid of him.
Daniel took a step back, barely keeping his breathing steady. His heart slammed against his ribs. He couldn’t stay here.He turned on his heel and walked fast—too fast—down the hall, his mind racing.They were taking Benjamin from Sam.They were getting rid of him.And Jack—Jack had known.The realization hit like a gut punch. Jack had sat across from him, looked him in the eyes, and said nothing.Coward.He clenched his fists. He didn’t have time to process the betrayal—not now. He needed to find Sam. Daniel found Sam before she found Jack.Just after lunch, Sam was playing with Benjamin in her quarters. She stopped when she saw his face.“Daniel?”“They’re taking Benjamin,” he blurted.Silence.Sam glanced at the baby lying on her bed, his tiny hands and feet kicking in the air, oblivious to the tension in the room. This Jack had been thoughtful enough to get Benjamin some new clothes, paying out of his pocket. The worn-out onesies Sam had brought with her and what Janet had managed to get on short notice weren't cutting it anymore, and she was grateful for Jack’s gesture, even if she hadn't said it aloud.But now everything in her went still.“What?”Daniel exhaled, shoving a hand through his hair.“I overheard two board members talking. They finalized it today—Jack’s getting full custody. And they’re transferring me out of here.”Sam just… stared at him. Not blinking. Not breathing.Then, without a word, she pushed past him and left.“Sam, wait—”But she was already gone. Jack had been avoiding this moment for hours. He couldn’t keep still either, moving from his office to the briefing room where he stood.He hadn’t slept. He’d barely eaten. The board’s decision had been hanging over him like a goddamn execution order, and all he could do was wait for Carter to find out.He wanted to be the one to tell her.But he didn’t know how.And the truth was, he didn’t want to face her.She’d look at him like he’d betrayed her.And maybe he had.A sharp knock—no, a pounding—on his office’s door made him jump.His stomach dropped.He didn’t even have to open it to know who was on the other side.
Shit.
Sam entered his office and, when she saw him in the briefing room, moved there before he could say a word.The air in the briefing room was suffocating.Sam stood in the center of the room, fists clenched at her sides, a storm barely held in check.Jack pulled a chair. “Carter—”“Tell me.”His stomach twisted. “Sam—”“Tell me,” she repeated, voice shaking but not with fear.With rage.Jack exhaled slowly and sat, the papers in front of him. “The board decided—”“I don’t give a damn what the board decided.” Her breath was short and uneven. “I want to hear you say it.”Jack hesitated.He didn’t want to.But she wouldn’t leave without the truth.“Please take a seat,” he asked.Sam sat, crossing her arms defensively, her eyes fixed on him.Jack cleared his throat, and the cold detachment in his voice was a defense mechanism he clung to as he began to speak. It was like reading from a script, and he sounded like he was delivering a weather report, not life-altering news."So, after much deliberation," he started, "it has been decided that the person who entered our reality and has been proven to be a version of Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter will be allowed to stay on this Earth and continue at the SGC."Jack paused, his eyes still glued to the page, unable to meet her gaze. He felt the tension ratcheting up in the room, but he forced himself to keep going, his voice disturbingly flat."She will retain her rank," he continued, "but her functions will be purely research-based, dedicated to enhancing all alien technology the two SG teams encounter and bringing back to us. Her work will be reassessed periodically, and her position heavily depends on her performance."There was a coldness to his words, a robotic repetition that made them sound almost impersonal. But as the final part of the board's decision approached, he finally risked a glance at Sam. Her hands were clenched on the chair before her, her knuckles white, but she was still silent, waiting.Jack swallowed his voice thickening with discomfort."Regarding the person known as Doctor Daniel Jackson," he continued, forcing himself to stay in that same detached tone. “he no longer serves the immediate purposes of the SGC. As such, he will be transferred to another facility where his expertise will be more useful. His presence on Earth will also depend on his performance, with further details to be provided."Sam’s face remained impassive, but her breath hitched at the mention of Daniel. But this was the hardest part. He braced himself for the storm he knew was coming."And lastly," he said, his voice tightening, "regarding the baby that crossed into this reality and has been proven to be the son of Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, Benjamin Carter O'Neill…"Jack swallowed hard. The words felt wrong in his mouth, but there was no way to soften them. He hesitated—just for a second—but Sam caught it.Her entire body stiffened, her fingers digging into the armrests.“He will remain in the custody of General Jack O'Neill,” Jack forced out, his voice flatter than he intended. “Due to the genetic connection and his potential importance to the future.”Silence.Then Sam let out a shaky breath, like the moment before a dam broke.Still unable to look up, Jack slowly raised his eyes, finally meeting Sam's. What he saw hit him like a blow to the gut. Sam's blue eyes were wide, her face pale as if all the blood had drained. Her lips trembled, and tears streamed silently down her cheeks, but no sound escaped her. She was shaking, her fists clenched tightly on the chair’s armrests. The room felt like a pressure cooker, the tension rising with each passing second. Jack’s words hung in the air, cold and unyielding, as if daring her to challenge them."Benjamin stays with me," Jack repeated, but the words felt like gravel in his throat. “But you get visitation rights, of course.”Sam’s breath hitched. Her knuckles turned white on the chair’s armrests."Touch my son, and I’ll kill you."The words landed like a gunshot.Jack froze. He had seen Carter angry before—furious, devastated, even broken—but this? This was something else.“Carter,” he said carefully, his voice low, steady. “No one is touching Benjamin.”She wasn’t listening. Her chest rose and fell in short, shallow breaths, her fists trembling at her sides. The air between them pulsed with something electric, something dangerous. Jack felt it shift, like the instant before a bomb detonates.“He is mine,” she whispered again, almost like she was convincing herself.Jack hesitated the weight of the words making his chest feel tight. He let the papers slip from his hands, landing on the table with a dull thud. Sam didn’t react. She just stared at him, her body rigid."Sam," Jack said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "Just listen to me.""Listen to you?" Her voice was hollow, distant—like she was barely holding herself together. A tremor ran through her hands, but she didn't let go of the chair. "You just told me—told me—that my son is being taken away from me. That I might be allowed visitation if you feel generous enough. And you want me to listen?"Jack’s stomach churned. "I didn’t say that.""You did." Her breath hitched, and she finally stood.Jack barely had time to register it before she slammed both palms onto the table, rattling the papers."You said it in the same cold, detached voice you use when you’re about to order someone to their death. Like Benjamin is some asset the SGC gets to keep in a damn lockbox!"Jack inhaled sharply. "That’s not—""He is mine, Jack!" Her voice cracked. She was breathing too fast now, her whole body shaking. "Do you hear me? He is mine! And I will not let you or anyone else—""I’m not taking him from you!" Jack shot back, stepping around the table toward her. "Damn it, Sam, do you really think I’d do that to you?"Her breath came faster, ragged. Something in her eyes flickered—something raw, desperate. She was slipping, the sheer force of everything crashing down on her all at once. Jack could see it. And she knew he could see it."You think I should just accept this?" she whispered, her voice almost too soft now, which somehow felt more dangerous than when she was shouting. "You think I should sit here and watch as you take my baby away?""Carter, no one is taking Benjamin—""Don’t," she warned. Her body tensed further, like a wire about to snap. "Don't say his name. Not after what you just—"Jack took a step closer. "I need you to breathe, Carter."Sam let out a strangled, bitter laugh, but there were tears in her eyes now—unspilled but burning. "Breathe?"Then she moved.She moved before he could react. A blur. A fist.Jack barely ducked. Air whooshed past his face as her punch missed by a fraction. But the second one——landed.His jaw exploded with pain. His ears rang.“Carter—”She was already moving. Her wrist twisted free of his grip with a soldier’s efficiency, her knee slamming into his ribs. Jack gasped, stumbling back.This wasn’t just a fight. This was survival. Jack grunted, staggering, his vision flashing white-hot with pain.“Sam, STOP!” he barked, gripping her shoulders and restraining her without hurting her.A mistake.She snapped.With a wild, guttural sound, she yanked free, her elbow slamming into his already bruised ribs. Jack’s balance wavered, and before he could react, she tackled him, sending them both crashing into the table.Papers scattered. Chairs toppled. Jack hit the floor hard, his breath rushing from his lungs as Sam straddled him, her hands going for his throat.Christ—she was really trying to kill him.“You don’t get to take him from me,” she hissed, fingers closing around his throat, nails digging into his skin. “You don’t—”Jack’s airway compressed. Stars burst behind his eyes as he fought the suffocating pressure. He grabbed her wrists, but she was strong—fueled by something primal, something unstoppable.His vision blurred.I’m going to black out.He didn’t want to fight her.But she was leaving him no choice.With a final burst of strength, Jack wrenched one wrist free and drove his elbow into her ribs—hard. Sam gasped, her grip faltering just enough for him to flip their positions. He rolled them over, pinning her wrists to the cold floor, panting heavily.“Carter—” he rasped.She bucked against him, eyes wild, teeth clenched. Tears streamed down her face, but her fury burned hotter than her grief. Jack had never seen her like this. Not even in their worst fights.“I swear,” she snarled, “if you take him—”“I’m not taking him!” Jack bellowed, shaking her. “For God’s sake, Sam, listen to me!”“Liar.”“I won’t let them take him from you.” His grip tightened, his voice desperate. “Do you hear me? I won’t let them.”Sam stilled.Her breath came in sharp, broken gasps. She blinked rapidly as if something was clicking into place.Jack loosened his hold just slightly.“Sam?” he tried.She headbutted him.Jack reeled, cursing, stars flashing behind his eyes. His grip faltered just long enough for her to shove him off, scrambling to her feet.He coughed, blood pooling in his mouth. Jesus, she had split his damn lip.She kicked him hard in the ribs, and he yelled, trying to shield his body from her boots. With a grunt of effort, Jack managed to grab one of them and threw her off balance, and she fell hard on the floor, onto her back. But even then, Sam thrashed, her legs kicking out, her nails raking across his face. He felt the sting of fresh blood as her hand struck his cheek, and he barely dodged another wild punch aimed at his jaw. His face was already swelling, his left eye nearly shut from the earlier blows.If this continued much longer, they’d end up in the morgue.“Sam, enough!” he roared. “You’re going to kill me!”Sam let out a ragged, broken sound—half-sob, half-scream—and still, she fought.Jack’s patience snapped.With a sudden, brutal shift, he wrenched himself free and drove his fist into her temple. Hard.Sam’s head snapped to the side. Her body stiffened. For a heartbeat, she swayed—then crumpled.Jack stared at his hands, still curled into fists, blood smeared across his knuckles—Sam’s blood. His stomach turned. He’d fought enemies across galaxies and taken down warriors twice his size, but this… this was different. This was Sam. And he had done this to her. Not an enemy. Not a threat. Sam.His breath came in ragged bursts as the weight of it crushed him. Jesus Christ, what have I done?The silence that followed was deafening.Her body went limp beneath him, and for a moment, the briefing room was filled with nothing but the sound of their ragged breathing.Blood trickled down his face, his body trembling with the adrenaline coursing through him. Sam lay beneath him, unconscious but alive. The tension in her muscles finally faded, but Jack knew the damage was done—physically and between them. He had knocked her unconscious, and the guilt that came with it was suffocating."God, Sam... I didn’t want this," he whispered, his voice hoarse, a wave of exhaustion crashing over him. The pain from his injuries made his body feel like lead, and as his vision blurred once more, the room swayed.He stood there. And Sam—Sam was unconscious on the floor.Jesus.He had just knocked her out.He had just punched Sam.The woman he—His chest tightened. He ran a shaking hand down his face.He hadn’t had a choice.The board had backed him into a corner, and he had fought like hell to push back. He’d gone to every contact, tried to pull every string, and even considered going against direct orders. But every door had slammed in his face. There was no loophole, no way to stall—just a cold, bureaucratic machine determined to decide without considering the human cost. If he refused, they would make Sam disappear, bury Daniel in some off-world post, and take Benjamin into an unknown fate. Jack hadn’t just lost this fight—he’d been outmaneuvered from the start.And now Sam was paying the price. The briefing room was a wreck. Papers were scattered across the floor, chairs overturned, and streaks of blood smeared the cold surface of the table—a grim testament to the brutal confrontation between Sam and Jack. Silence filled the room, thick and suffocating in the aftermath.Jack lay on the floor, his ribs screaming in protest as pain radiated through his body. Nearby, Sam's unconscious form was sprawled near the overturned table, her breathing shallow. Blood marked the tile, a stark reminder of just how far things had spiraled out of control.Daniel was the first to move, rushing forward."Jack? What the hell just happened?" His voice was hoarse with shock as he crouched next to Sam.Jack didn't answer. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to force air back into his lungs. His shirt was torn, and dark stains bloomed across the fabric where bruises were forming. Blood dripped from his split lip, pooling at the corner of his mouth. His throat throbbed—her hands had really been trying to crush the life out of him.Airmen hesitated in the doorway, frozen in disbelief. One finally sprang into action, calling for medical support.Janet arrived seconds later, looking at the disaster before her.“Shit,” she muttered under her breath, snapping into action. “I need a medical team—now.”Her gaze darted around the room.Jack was down.Sam lay motionless on the floor.Janet immediately dropped to her knees beside Sam, checking her pulse.“I need stretchers in here now!” Janet barked, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.Jack barely registered the medics pulling him to his feet, checking his injuries. His focus stayed on Sam, her limp form being lifted onto a stretcher.His vision swam. He wasn’t sure if it was the exhaustion, the pain, or the sheer weight of what he had just done.“Jack,” Janet snapped. “You with me?”He nodded, though he wasn’t sure. His body ached, his ribs screaming in protest. His throat burned from the pressure of her grip. But none of it compared to the ache in his chest.Janet’s eyes softened—just for a second.“She’s not okay.”Jack exhaled, his gaze locked on Sam’s still form. “I know.”“Can you breathe?”He coughed, wincing. “Define ‘breath.’”Janet shot him a look. “How bad?”He exhaled, wincing as the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his ribs. “She got in a few good ones.”Janet reached out, tilting his chin up, frowning at his almost closed eye—deep bruises formed along his jawline and throat.“Jack, she almost killed you.”Jack didn’t answer.Because he knew she was right.As Sam was lifted onto a stretcher, Daniel's hands curled into fists. He turned to Jack, his eyes burning with accusation."Did you know? Did you know they were going to take Benjamin?"Jack clenched his bruised jaw, unable to meet Daniel's gaze.Daniel took a step closer, voice low and venomous. "You did. And you let them."Jack swallowed the lump in his throat.Jack was placed on a stretcher, and he groaned, forcing his swollen eyes open to glance at Sam. “Look… after her first,” he rasped, his voice barely audible.“We’re getting both of them to the infirmary now,” Janet said, her voice sharp with urgency, cutting through the tension like a blade.Daniel shook his head in disgust before following the medics out the door.The hallways of the SGC were hushed as the medical team maneuvered the stretchers.Janet barked orders to her team as they wheeled her into the infirmary. Jack followed, but something in him clenched when he caught sight of Sam’s face.She wasn’t just unconscious. She was still. Too still.Jack had seen Sam exhausted, broken, battered—but never like this. Even unconscious, her body had always held some tension, some readiness to fight back. Now?Nothing.He swallowed hard. “She’ll wake up soon, right?”Janet didn’t answer immediately. She flicked her gaze to him, something unreadable in her eyes.“She’s in shock, Jack. Her mind shut down to protect itself.”His breath caught. “From what?”Janet’s voice was quiet but firm. “From losing everything.”Jack looked down at Sam again. A deep, gnawing dread settled in his chest. Because this? This wasn’t just a fight.This was the beginning of something worse.And he had no idea how to fix it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack and Sam were rushed into the infirmary within minutes.Jack’s head pounded as they settled him onto a bed, his body protesting every damn movement. The world tilted, his vision swimming, but when he spotted Sam on the other bed, something in him snapped back into sharp focus.She was a mess.Bruises bloomed along her arms and throat. Her ribs were wrapped, blood still oozing from the deep gash above her brow. Her hands—God, her hands—were swollen, knuckles raw and split open from the force of her punches.Janet hovered over her, face drawn with exhaustion and something close to disbelief.“She must have fought like a damn soldier possessed,” one of the medics murmured. “Didn’t stop until she collapsed.”Jack swallowed thickly, his throat raw from where she had nearly crushed it.He should have been furious. Hell, he was enraged. But beneath that, there was something else.Guilt.Regret.Understanding.Daniel approached Jack’s bed, his eyes burning.“How could you do this to her?”Jack barely had the energy to glare. Every inch of him throbbed, and his ribs burned with every shallow breath. But none of it compared to the ache clawing at his chest.“She did it to me,” Jack muttered, but the words tasted bitter even as they left his lips.Daniel’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides.“You know damn well what I’m talking about—the board’s decision. Me. Benji. And you—” He released a sharp breath, his voice low and seething. “You stood there and let them do it. You, of all people.”Jack forced himself to meet Daniel’s gaze, his frustration flaring. “What the hell was I supposed to do? Say no and let them take Benjamin away from both of you?”“You could have fought harder,” Daniel said, voice tight. “You could have warned me before they handed down their goddamn ruling like it was already set in stone.”Jack exhaled sharply, fingers curling around the hospital sheet.“You think I didn’t try?” His voice was lower now, rough. “You think I just sat back and let this happen?”“No,” Daniel said. “I think you didn’t fight hard enough.”Jack flinched. Daniel pressed on.“Sam broke, Jack. She lost herself. And you just—stood there.”“I stood there because if I pushed any harder, they would’ve done worse,” Jack snapped, jaw tight. “You think this was their first option? You don’t know what I stopped them from doing.”Daniel stared at him, breathing hard. Jack didn’t look away.“Then tell me,” Daniel said, voice barely above a whisper. “Because right now, all I see is a man who let them rip her apart.”Jack let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head.“You really think this was their worst move? They wanted Benjamin gone. No shared custody. No visitation. Just… gone. They had a program set up—one that would take, mold, and shape him however they saw fit.” His voice was quiet, dangerous. “They weren’t just taking him away from Sam, Daniel. They were erasing her.”Daniel’s breath hitched. His grip on the railing tightened, jaw clenching.“But why? That…that doesn’t make sense.”Jack’s bruised face hardened.“Check the classified logs. Nova Genesis Program. They had the whole thing laid out—his psychological assessments, genetic adaptability, even which officers would be in charge of ‘developing’ him.” He exhaled sharply, his hands curling into fists. “I shut it down before you or Sam ever saw the paperwork.”Daniel’s face paled. His grip on the railing tightened, fingers flexing like he needed to hit something.“I don’t have access to classified logs, Jack and you know it. So why didn’t you tell us?”Jack let his head fall back against the pillow, exhaustion laced with frustration.“It was all too fast…too sudden. And what would that have done, Daniel? Tell Sam that she was this close to losing him forever? That the only reason she still has a chance to hold him is because I made a deal to keep her in the fight?”The words landed like a physical blow.Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.Daniel took a shaky breath, his fists still clenched. “So what, you expect me to be grateful?”Jack scoffed, wincing as his ribs protested.“No. I expect you to understand that I did what I had to do. You think I liked standing there, letting them twist the knife? You think I don’t hate myself for it?” He met Daniel’s stare, something raw and unfiltered in his expression. “But I’ll tell you what, Danny—if going through that meant keeping Benjamin out of their hands, I’d do it again.”Daniel turned away, running a hand over his face. He didn’t have a response for that.Jack sighed, voice quieter now. “You wanted me to fight harder? I did. You just didn’t see it.”Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Jack’s fists curled at his sides, but he forced himself to breathe, to swallow down the anger before it spilled over into something neither of them could take back.Daniel finally stepped back, his chest rising and falling as he tried to regain control of his emotions. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter—but no less cutting.“Even if you did what you said, she trusted you, Jack. And now, I don’t think she ever will again.”Jack flinched.Daniel didn’t wait for a response. He turned on his heel and stormed out, the sound of his retreating footsteps echoing down the hallway.Jack exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to his ribs, feeling the bruises blooming under his skin. But it wasn’t the physical pain that left him breathless.It was Daniel’s words.She trusted you.His jaw clenched. Had—past tense.The air in the room felt too thick, too heavy. He sat down slowly, his limbs aching, his mind a battlefield of regret. He wanted to tell himself that Daniel was wrong, that Sam would understand. But deep down, in the place he never liked to acknowledge—he knew.He had lost her. Finally, after what felt like hours, Janet collapsed into a chair between their beds, wiping sweat from her brow. Jack and Sam were both unconscious, sedated, machines beeping steadily as they stabilized. They were alive, but Janet couldn’t ignore the armed airman standing next to Sam's bed, a silent acknowledgment of the volatile situation. Whatever had happened in that briefing room wasn’t over yet.Hours passed in the infirmary, but the tension didn’t fade. Jack dozed fitfully, his injuries keeping him in a state of restless semi-awareness. Across the room, Sam remained eerily quiet, breathing even though her mind was likely far from calm.Daniel watched them both, his own heart heavy. The moment Sam had snapped played on a loop in his head. He knew she was breaking, but the realization didn’t hit until now. They had pushed her too far.And the worst part? They weren’t finished yet.Daniel exhaled sharply. He had to move. Answers weren’t in the infirmary; they were in that goddamn briefing room.Daniel kissed Benjamin’s head with a nod to Janet and gently handed him to one of the nurses.“Stay with Janet, okay?” he whispered before quietly slipping out of the infirmary, unnoticed by the airman. He headed straight for the briefing room, his heart pounding.When he arrived, the scene continued as chaotic as he had left it. Chairs were overturned, and a few spots of blood marked the floor where the fight had raged. The scattered papers on the ground drew his attention immediately.Kneeling, Daniel sifted through the chaos, his breath tight in his chest. The words on the documents blurred for a moment before snapping into gut-wrenching clarity.
Custodial transfer finalized—immediate reassignment pending.
Daniel’s throat closed up. He forced himself to keep reading, his fingers tightening on the pages as he absorbed the horrifying details. They weren’t just separating them—they were dismantling them and erasing their autonomy."Bastards," Daniel hissed, his pulse hammering in his ears.The papers detailed everything—the decision to relocate him, to give Jack custody of Benjamin. Sam was indeed losing her son. The board had ruled that Jack, as his ‘biological’ father, was better suited for custody. They were taking Benjamin away from her. Daniel’s eyes burned with fury as he clutched the papers.“They’re not taking him. I won’t let them.”He stood there, holding the papers, Benjamin’s future clutched in his trembling hands. He had watched the board manipulate and take choices away at their will. But this? This was the final straw.He looked down at the document—proof of the board’s intentions, plans for Benjamin, and willingness to destroy Sam if she fought back and sent him God knows where.They thought they could control everything. They thought he would just let this happen.They were wrong.Daniel clenched the papers in his fists, his mind racing. He had always been a diplomat, looking for peaceful solutions. But not this time. Not when they were tearing his family apart.Daniel took a deep breath and turned away from the briefing room, heading straight for his next move. After a sleepless night, Daniel sat in the infirmary’s observation area, Benjamin cradled in his arms. The baby’s soft coos were a rare comfort in the overwhelming silence. But Daniel’s mind was anything but quiet. The board’s decision to separate him from the team and Benjamin haunted him, its implications gnawing at the edges of his resolve.He looked down at the baby, whose tiny fingers clutched his shirt.“Hey, Benji,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with sadness and determination. “We’re going to figure this out. I promise.”Daniel’s thoughts drifted to the briefing room earlier that day, to the cold words Jack had been forced to deliver to Sam on the board’s behalf. The idea of being separated from Sam and Benjamin was unbearable. He had already lost too much—Sha’re, Abydos, Teal’c, the countless lives the Goa’uld took. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing the small family they had left.His grip on Benjamin tightened slightly as he glanced toward Sam’s bed. She was asleep, her face pale and bruised, her body still as she recovered from the fight. Daniel felt a pang of guilt. He should have done more and said more. Maybe they wouldn’t have reached this breaking point if he'd been more forceful. But he also knew Sam—knew her strength and her stubbornness. Once she decided to protect Benjamin, nothing short of a miracle would stop her.“They don’t get it, Benji,” he whispered, his voice tinged with frustration. “They see us as assets, tools they can use. But you… you’re not just a chess piece. You’re family. And family doesn’t abandon each other.”Daniel leaned back in his chair, exhaustion settling into his bones. He’d spent years fighting battles he hadn’t signed up for, uncovering truths that most people couldn’t handle. And now, he was facing a battle of a different kind—one that required more than knowledge or diplomacy. It required resilience and, more importantly, trust.He looked back at Sam and Jack, both lying in their hospital beds. Their relationship had always been complicated, a delicate balance of respect, affection, and unspoken emotions. Now, they were in another reality, which further complicated things because this wasn’t their Jack. The fight had shattered that balance, leaving cracks that might never fully heal. Daniel hoped—prayed—that they could find a middle ground—for Benjamin’s sake. For all their sakes.“We’ll make it, Benji. Somehow, we’ll make it,” Daniel said, more to himself than to the baby, his voice filled with determination and quiet emotion. “We have to.”Daniel remained in the observation area as the night deepened, watching over his fractured family. The weight of their situation pressed heavily on him, but he refused to let it break him. Not when there was still so much at stake. Janet Fraiser had always been known for her professionalism. But as she sat in the infirmary, watching over two persons she cared about, something shifted inside her. The events that had brought Jack O'Neill and this Samantha Carter to her care weren’t just about a mission gone wrong—they were personal. The papers Daniel had found in the briefing room, the board’s cold decision to take Benjamin away from Sam, explained everything. And Janet, a mother herself, couldn’t allow this to escalate further. Not without giving Sam a chance to fight back in her own way.She was a doctor. She was supposed to protect her patients, not hide the truth. But what was the alternative? Report the incident and let the board twist it to justify taking Benjamin away? She wouldn’t do it. She couldn’t. She would keep the truth buried. The official report would cite “exhaustion and stress-induced collapse.” No mention of the fight. No mention of how close they had both come to losing everything.“This stays off the record,” she said to herself.If the board wanted to play games, they weren’t the only ones who knew how to bend the rules. Janet did it because she understood, on a primal level, the lengths a mother would go to protect her child. She would have done anything to protect Cassandra, her adopted daughter. How could she judge Sam for the same?But later that night, alone in her office, she hesitated as she looked at the file before her. The board’s request was explicit—detailed medical reports on both Sam and Benjamin—an analysis of their health, their adaptability to this world, and Benjamin’s genetic markers. The ethical voice in her head screamed at her to refuse, to bury the request under red tape and bureaucratic nonsense.And yet… if she didn’t comply, they would find someone who would. Someone who wouldn’t hesitate to rip Benjamin from Sam’s arms.Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. A few keystrokes, a few minor omissions, and she could paint a picture that would satisfy the board while keeping Sam and her son off their radar—at least for now. But if she did this, she wasn’t just a doctor anymore. She was playing both sides, walking a dangerous line between loyalty and betrayal.Janet took a breath, her hands steady as she began typing.Maybe this was how she protected them.Or maybe this was how she lost herself. Later that night, as the infirmary quieted, Sam lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Every breath reminded her of her injuries, but the pain inside her chest was far worse than the physical bruises. The memory of her attack on Jack replayed in vivid detail—his shocked expression, the way his body crumpled under her fists, and the sound of her voice screaming in a way she’d never heard before. She’d snapped.Guilt should have hit her first. The shame of what she’d done. The realization that she had nearly killed him. But it didn’t.What hit her was rage.Rage at the board. Rage at the SGC. Rage at Jack.And beneath it all—cold, sharp certainty.She needed to leave.Sam’s fingers tightened around the blanket as tears slipped silently down her cheeks. She hated the vulnerability, hated that she had broken so wholly. She had always been strong and always found a way to push forward. But now, in the stillness of the infirmary, she felt like a stranger to herself.Across the room, Jack stirred in his bed. His body protested every movement, but the ache in his chest had nothing to do with his injuries. He’d seen the look in Sam’s eyes during the fight—a mix of fury and desperation that shook him to his core. He’d fought enemies across galaxies and faced death more times than he could count, but nothing had prepared him for the raw, unfiltered rage of someone he cared about so deeply.Jack’s mind replayed the fight in brutal clarity. He’d pushed her too far, tried to justify decisions that were impossible to defend. He’d thought he was protecting her, protecting Benjamin, but he’d only made things worse. The image of Sam holding Benjamin flashed in his mind, her arms tight around the baby as if shielding him from the entire world—from Jack. The thought tightened his chest with something he couldn’t quite name but knew was rooted in shame.“I screwed up,” he muttered under his breath, the words barely audible in the quiet room. His eyes drifted to the ceiling, searching for answers he knew wouldn’t come. How could he fix this? Could he fix this? Their already fragile bond felt fractured, and he wasn’t sure if time alone could heal it.Janet entered quietly, her gaze moving between them. She could feel the tension in the air, the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions. She approached Jack’s bed first, her voice soft but firm.“You need to rest,” she said, adjusting his IV. “Pushing yourself isn’t going to help anyone.”Jack gave her a tired smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.“Not much else I can do right now, is there?”Janet sighed, her professionalism slipping for a moment.“Talk to her when you’re both ready. Don’t let this fester.”He nodded, his gaze drifting back to Sam’s bed. She was turned away from him, her body stiff. Jack’s jaw tightened. He didn’t know if she’d ever forgive him, but Janet was right. He had to try.Sam and Jack lay awake as the infirmary lights dimmed, their thoughts heavy with regret and uncertainty. The fight had left scars deeper than any visible injury, and neither knew how to bridge the chasm that had opened between them. The following morning, the infirmary was quiet, save for the soft hum of the machines monitoring Jack and Sam. Janet sat at her desk, reviewing their charts for the tenth time, though she knew every injury by heart.Jack was recovering from a severe concussion, multiple facial contusions, and a cracked rib. His airways had been strained but not permanently damaged, though Janet had needed to intubate him for a few hours to ensure his breathing remained stable. His face was still swollen, one eye nearly closed from the bruising, and his throat bore the deep marks from where Sam had gripped him with raw fury.Sam, on the other hand, had several cracked ribs, a deep cut above her eyebrow that required stitches, and her hands were swollen from the force of the blows she had landed. Janet had set two broken fingers on her right hand, and Sam's body was bruised from the struggle with Jack. But it wasn’t the physical injuries that worried Janet—it was Sam’s cold, detached expression every time she opened her blue eyes. Despite Janet’s and Daniel’s attempts to talk to her, she hadn't said a word since waking up.Jack drifted in and out of consciousness, the steady beeping of machines lulling him into exhaustion.When he opened his eyes again, he caught movement across the room.Sam was awake.Janet was checking her vitals, but Sam wasn’t responding. She just… stared.The signs were there. Her eyes occasionally drifted, unfocused, like she saw something no one else could. She’d stare at Benjamin for too long as if memorizing every inch of him. The way she barely reacted when Daniel spoke, sometimes not responding until he repeated himself.Janet sighed, adjusting his IV. “She’s… shut down,” she murmured. “Classic dissociation.”Jack clenched his fists. “Because of me.”Janet shook her head. “Because of all of this.”Silence.The weight of it was suffocating.Sam just lay there, unmoving, broken in a way neither of them had ever seen before.Daniel watched his grip tightening on Benjamin as conflicting emotions swirled within him. The base was still reeling from the fight, and Daniel knew the fallout was far from over. For now, though, he could only wait, hoping that time and care would help Sam begin to heal—in more ways than one. Hours passed.Jack clenched his jaw, his fists tightening on the blanket. He hated feeling helpless, which was precisely what he was right now. He glanced back at Sam, who still hadn’t moved, and the sight of her lying there, silent and broken, gnawed at him.“I need to talk to her,” Jack said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Alone.”Janet hesitated but finally nodded.“I’ll give you some time, but Jack—be careful. She’s fragile right now, and so are you.”As Janet ushered Daniel and Benjamin out of the infirmary, Jack slowly approached Sam’s bed, his body protesting every movement.Jack hurt everywhere.His ribs burned, his throat was raw, and his head felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to it.But none of it compared to the way Sam looked now.She lay still in the infirmary bed, her face turned slightly away. The bruises along her arms and jaw had darkened, her hands wrapped from the sheer force of her punches. Her chest rose and fell in steady, mechanical breaths.But she was empty.No anger. No grief. No life.Just gone.Jack swallowed, the tightness in his throat making it hard to breathe. He pulled the chair closer, wincing as he lowered himself into it. The distance between them was only a foot—but it felt like miles."Carter."No response.He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t even know where to start.”Silence.“I didn’t mean for it to happen like this.” His voice was low, rough. “I fought the board. You don’t know how hard I fought.”A slight flicker of her fingers.Jack leaned forward, ignoring the sharp pull of pain in his ribs."I swear to God, I never wanted to hurt you."Nothing.Jack stared at her for a long moment, his chest tightening.“I get it,” he admitted, voice hoarse. “Why you fought me. Why you snapped.”He swallowed against the guilt clawing at him. “And I get why you can’t even look at me now.”The words hung in the air, heavy.Jack hesitated, then slowly—gently—reached out, his fingers barely brushing her bandaged hand.For a second, she didn’t react.Then, so subtly he almost missed it, her fingers twitched.Jack’s breath hitched. It wasn’t much.But it was something.His throat tightened, and he exhaled shakily, pulling back.“I’m not giving up on you, Carter,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. “Not on you. Not on Benjamin.”Still, she said nothing.But as Jack sat there, waiting, her fingers twitched again. Sam lay motionless in the infirmary, her body aching with every shallow breath. She was acutely aware of her surroundings—the quiet beep of the machines monitoring her, the soft footsteps of Janet as she checked on her, and the muffled cries of Benjamin just outside the door. Even in her haze, she could hear Daniel’s attempts to soothe the baby, his voice a steady hum. And Jack’s voice—rough, filled with regret—had reached her too, breaking through the din of her silence. But Sam didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her mind was locked into survival mode, her thoughts circling one consuming focus: escape.What had happened in the briefing room had shattered something inside her. The words about Benjamin being taken from her and the board’s cold decision to relocate Daniel—had hit her like a series of brutal strikes, leaving her reeling. The fight with Jack had pushed her past the breaking point. Now, lying in the sterile stillness of the infirmary, that simmering force turned over and over in her mind like a relentless drumbeat.
Escape.
She stared at the ceiling, its cold fluorescence flickering faintly as if mocking her. Every breath was a reminder of her broken body; every sharp ache whispered of her desperation. Regret and doubt should have crept in by now. They didn’t. Instead, she felt only a fierce, unyielding determination. They want to take him from me. The words rang like a gavel in her mind, a verdict she refused to accept.Benjamin was her son. Her family. The last link to Jack—the real Jack—the one who loved her unconditionally fiercely. And now, the face she should have trusted was telling her to let him go. Her nails dug into her palms, a physical manifestation of the storm building within her. There was only one way to fix this.
The quantum mirror.
The shimmering surface came to her in vivid detail, its eerie glow promising escape. It could take her, Benjamin, and Daniel far away from this place—this world—and the people who treated them like pawns in some bureaucratic game. She had crossed realities before. She could do it again.Her breath quickened, her chest heaving as plans and contingencies churned in her mind. Every detail sharpened with laser focus—the timing, the equipment, the route. She could do this. She would do this. Her body might be bruised and broken, but her mind was alive, calculating, strategizing. She was a Carter. She was an O’Neill.But beneath the cold clarity of her plan, a fissure widened with every beat of her heart. No matter how brilliant her strategy or precise her execution, there was one truth she couldn’t escape. The real Jack was gone. She was alone in a world that looked like hers but wasn’t, surrounded by people who wore familiar faces but harbored ill intentions.Her vision blurred as hot tears welled up. She fought them, biting down hard against the swell of emotion threatening to drown her. Not now. Not yet. You can’t fall apart now. But the cracks in her resolve spread faster than she could patch them.The thought of losing Benjamin—of failing him—pushed her over the edge.And then it came—the scream.It ripped through her like a storm breaking free, primal and unrelenting, shattering the stillness of the infirmary. The sound reverberated off the walls, raw with every ounce of pain she had buried. It wasn’t just a scream; it was the culmination of every loss, every betrayal, every fear she had ever endured.Outside, the base fell into stunned silence. Machines beeped once and froze, their steady rhythm swallowed by the force of her agony.Benjamin reacted instantly, his soft whimpers erupting into loud, frightened cries.Jack jerked upright, his body screaming in protest, but the pain was secondary to the sound tearing through his chest. He’d heard Carter in battle, heard her rage, her frustration—but never this. Never this kind of broken.Janet stood frozen, the clipboard slipping from her hands and clattering to the floor. The scream pierced her to the core, raw and unrelenting. Her instincts as a doctor screamed at her to do something, anything, but she remained rooted to the spot, her mind racing. She had seen this Sam in moments of anger and frustration, but this—this was something else entirely. It was grief laid bare, a sound so primal it silenced the rational part of Janet’s mind. For the first time in years, she felt powerless.Daniel rushed forward, nearly knocking over a tray of medical instruments in his desperation to reach her.“Sam—Sam, breathe!” He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, unsure if she’d even register his touch.But Sam wasn’t there. Not really.The scream faded into gasping sobs, her body shaking as she clutched Benjamin like a lifeline. Janet moved first, quietly adjusting the IV, giving her something to steady her pulse. She placed a hand gently on Sam’s shoulder.“You’re not alone in this, Sam,” she said softly. “We’ll get through it. Together.”Sam didn’t respond with words, but her body relaxed slightly under Janet’s touch as the sedative started to kick in. As Sam’s tears slowed, she took a deep breath.The road ahead was far from over. She glanced up at the ceiling, her mind still cycling through strategies for survival and escape. Her resolve remained unbroken, but now it had an anchor. She would fight to keep her son safe, no matter what. Her love for Benjamin, her need to protect him, and the memory of the Jack she once trusted fueled her determination.If she had to walk through Hell, she would—because nothing was more important than her son.Silence settled like dust. Heavy. Suffocating.Despite the bruises covering his face, despite the pain from his cracked ribs and swollen eye, Jack pushed himself off his bed. As he moved, Jack’s thoughts raced. The scream had shattered something inside him, too, stripping away his anger and frustration and leaving only guilt. He couldn’t stop replaying the moment Sam attacked him in the briefing room—the fury in her eyes, the desperation in her voice. He had been the cause. He had failed her. Again.After taking care of Sam, Janet approached Jack, who was still reeling from what just happened. “You don’t have time to process this,” she told him. “The board is waiting.”Silently cursing, he crossed the room and left the infirmary, his shoulders slumped in a way that made him seem smaller, more vulnerable than anyone had ever seen him. Jack sat behind his desk, his head pounding with the aftermath of the fight and the bruises lining his body. He could still feel the rawness in his throat from where Sam's hands had clamped down, and his ribs ached with every breath. But none of that compared to the weight pressing down on his chest—the knowledge that he had pushed her too far, that he had been the catalyst for her rage. For her to lose control like that... It was his fault. And it couldn’t be fixed with a few words or a board meeting.A thick stack of papers lay on the table, the words on them dense and formal, filled with implications Jack wished he could ignore.The phone on his desk connected him to the board, the ones responsible for the bureaucratic nightmare that had sent Sam over the edge. Jack drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk as the seconds ticked by, the ringing tone dragging on.Finally, the line clicked, and the voice of Charles III came through.“Let’s be clear,” Hawthorne began, his voice clipped, his gaze sharp. “This situation is… unprecedented. We put the Nova Genesis Program on hold and bent more rules than I’m comfortable with to accommodate them. The board isn’t happy, O’Neill. ”“Neither am I,” Jack replied tersely, leaning forward. “But this is the only way it works. Separating them isn’t an option.”Hawthorne’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Their continued presence here is conditional, General. They’re… liabilities. Expensive ones. The board expects them to contribute—substantially.”Jack tried to swallow but couldn’t.“Contribute?” he echoed, his voice dangerously low.“You know what I mean,” Charles replied evenly. “Dr. Jackson’s expertise in linguistics and archeology can be valuable if applied in the right places. Carter’s technical knowledge is… unparalleled. They will earn their place here. As for the child…” He paused, letting the weight of his words linger. “We’ll tolerate his presence for now until we have the more detailed DNA test results.”Jack’s fist clenched on the table.“You’ll tolerate him,” he repeated, his tone ice cold. “Benjamin stays with his mother. End of discussion.”“You’re very protective of them, General. Admirable but dangerous. The board has other solutions if this… arrangement doesn’t work.”“What the board has,” Jack said, his voice cutting, “is an agreement. One that ensures they stay together, here, under my command. If you think I’ll let you turn them into tools or experiments—”“No one said anything about experiments,” Hawthorne interrupted smoothly, though his tone betrayed nothing. “But you’re right—we do have an agreement. For now. Just remember, General, every decision comes with a cost.”“They’re not costs. They’re people.”“People who must prove their worth. We’ll be watching, General. Closely,” Hawthorne said, unconvinced.The words hung in the air long after Charles Hawthorne III hung up the phone. Jack sat staring at the papers on his table. The terms had been set, and the battle was far from over. He had won this round, but the war to protect Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin was beginning.Jack leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather his thoughts when a presence in the doorway made him look up.It was Janet Fraiser, her arms crossed over her chest, her stance that of a mother and doctor who weren’t in the mood for excuses. Her eyes narrowed at him, taking in the bruises and the haggard look on his face."Done, General?" she asked, her tone sharp but not unkind.Jack attempted a grin, but it faltered into a grimace. He could barely move his face without feeling the sting of the fight."As done as it’s gonna get, Doc."Janet’s stern expression didn’t soften."Good. I’d appreciate it if you could return to my infirmary. You’ve got a bed waiting for you."Jack sighed and got to his feet, his body protesting every movement. His muscles ached, and he winced as he stood, the pain shooting through his ribs. Janet was already by his side, watching him with a critical eye."You shouldn’t be up," she muttered as they walked side by side down the corridor. "But I figured the board would do something stupid like this.""They never could resist a bit of stupidity," Jack muttered, his tone half-joking. But the weight in his chest was unmistakable. It wasn't just physical pain—the ache of everything that had gone wrong.As they approached the infirmary, Jack’s eyes were immediately drawn to the sight that greeted him.Daniel was sitting beside Sam’s bed, his expression filled with concern. Benjamin was in Sam’s arms, cradled gently against her chest. The baby quietly played with one of Sam's dog tags, his tiny fingers tracing the metal surface while Sam murmured something too low for anyone to hear.Jack’s heart twisted at the sight.The moment Sam saw him, her expression hardened. The quiet, intimate moment between her and Daniel abruptly stopped, and the air in the room shifted, thickening with tension. Sam’s gaze was cold, distant. She turned her face away, hugging Benjamin tighter to her chest as if shielding him from Jack’s presence.Daniel, too, fell silent. His eyes darted between Jack and Sam, sensing the unspoken rift that had only grown larger since the fight. Jack cursed silently, the pain in his chest doubling as he strolled toward his bed.He sat down with a groan, gingerly lowering himself onto the mattress. Janet watched from a distance, observing the strained silence in the room.Jack lay back, staring at the ceiling again, his mind racing but getting nowhere. The reality of what had happened in that briefing room haunted him, a reel of images he couldn't shake. The moment Sam snapped, the fury in her eyes, the violence with which she attacked him—it wasn’t just anger. It was desperation. He had pushed her to the edge, and she had reacted like any mother would when her child was threatened.He couldn’t blame her. Hell, he would’ve done the same if someone had tried to take his son.But now... now he didn’t know how to fix it.He heard the soft murmurs of Daniel and Sam again, but it was distant, muffled by the thick wall of tension that separated them. Jack closed his eyes, the weight of everything crashing down on him. He had done everything he could to make it right—to fight for Benjamin, to keep Daniel here—but that didn’t change what had happened. It didn’t erase the betrayal she felt.And now, all he could do was wait. Wait for Sam to heal, wait for the walls to come down, wait for her to forgive him—if she ever would.The pain of it was almost unbearable. Worse than any of the blows she had landed on him. It was the knowledge that he might’ve lost her trust, her eventual friendship, or even the possibility of her ever seeing him as anything more than the man who failed her."How did it come to this?" Jack whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. The guilt, the confusion, the helplessness—all of it crushed him from the inside out.He opened his eyes to see Janet standing beside him, her stern look softening just slightly as she took his defeated posture."You did the right thing," she said quietly, crossing her arms again. "But it’s going to take time."Jack’s voice was rough, almost bitter."Yeah, well, time isn’t exactly on my side, is it?"Janet didn’t reply. She didn’t have to. She knew the road ahead was long and uncertain. And she could see the weight of that reality pressing down on him like a tidal wave.Across the room, Sam held Benjamin close, her silence speaking volumes. Jack, lying in his bed with nothing but his thoughts and his pain, could only hope that someday, somehow, she would understand why he had done what he had done. Later that night, Daniel found himself pacing in his quarters, piecing together the puzzle. The board’s decision wasn’t just about Benjamin but about control. If they could claim custody of Benjamin, they could use Sam as leverage.He slammed his hand on the desk. "They’re playing the long game," he muttered.Pulling out a notepad, Daniel started listing their possible options. They had to make themselves indispensable, too valuable to be discarded. And if the board saw Benjamin as a potential asset, then there had to be a reason beyond vague scientific interest.He needed to find out exactly what that was. Jack had spoken of a program, the Nova Genesis Program. Somehow, he needed to find out exactly what kind of program it was and what it would represent to Benjamin besides being taken from Sam forever.Daniel had spent his life decoding ancient texts, unraveling hidden meanings. Now, he would do the same with the bureaucratic jargon hiding the board’s true intentions. If Jack wouldn’t stop this, then Daniel damn well would. More than a week passed before they were cleared from the infirmary, and only because Janet was fed up with Jack’s continuous protests and complaints. Sam left without a word, heading straight to her quarters, followed by Daniel carrying Benjamin in his arms and an airman trailing after them. Jack returned to work as piles of files accumulated on his desk. He stared at a half-empty cup of coffee cooling beside him for so long that he had lost track of time. His body still ached, ribs protesting every breath, but the pain had dulled into a familiar companion. It wasn’t the bruises keeping him awake—it was the look in Sam’s eyes when she turned away from him in the infirmary.She hadn’t spoken to him since.He sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. He should have told her sooner. He should have found a way to make her understand before everything imploded. But now… now, it felt like too little, too late.The knock at his door was sharp. Controlled.He didn’t even have to look up. He knew that knock.“Come in,” he said quietly.Sam stepped inside, closing the door behind her with slow, deliberate movements. She was still pale, still recovering, but the steel in her posture told him exactly where this conversation was going.Jack sat up straighter. “Carter—”“Don’t,” she cut him off, voice like ice. “Just don’t.”She took a step forward, her fists clenched at her sides. “I talked to Daniel.”Jack didn’t move. Didn’t react. He just watched her.“I know,” she continued, breath unsteady. “I know what you did.”Jack exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair. “And?”Sam let out a humorless laugh.“And?” Her hands flexed at her sides like she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to punch him or keep talking. “You knew they were going to take him. Not just custody, not just shared visitation—they were going to take him away completely. And you didn’t think I deserved to know?”Jack’s jaw tightened. “What would that have changed, Carter?”She snapped.“Everything, Jack!” she shouted, voice cracking. “It would have changed everything!”Jack stood then, wincing as his ribs protested, but he didn’t care.“No, it wouldn’t have,” he said, voice rough. “You think knowing would have stopped it? You think telling you would have made the board suddenly change their minds?” He shook his head. “The only thing it would have done is break you sooner.”Sam sucked in a sharp breath like he had physically struck her.Jack’s voice softened. “I wasn’t going to do that to you, Sam.”Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall.“You didn’t get to decide that for me.”Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re right,” he admitted. “I didn’t.”That caught her off guard.Jack met her gaze, tired, worn down, but still steady.“I made a call. Maybe it was the wrong one. Maybe I should have told you. But at the time, all I cared about was stopping them from taking your son away.” He swallowed, voice lower now. “I did what I had to do.”Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.Jack saw how her shoulders trembled—not from fear, but from the sheer weight of everything crashing down on her.Then, barely above a whisper, she said, “You let them win.”“I fought. I lost.”Jack’s stomach twisted.“You didn’t fight for me.”She wasn’t talking about Benjamin anymore.Jack felt the words hit like a physical blow. His chest tightened, their weight heavier than anything the board had thrown at him.“That’s not true,” he said, voice rough.Sam let out a breath, shaking her head.“Then prove it.”The space between them felt infinite—a battlefield of betrayal, regret, and something too broken to name.Jack wanted to tell her—to make her understand that he had fought for her in ways she would never know. That he had risked everything to stop them from taking her son, that every choice he made had been for her.But Sam didn’t want words.She wanted proof.Jack got up and took a slow step forward.Sam stiffened, but she didn’t move away.Jack hesitated. Then, carefully—so carefully—he reached out and rested a hand on her forearm, fingers brushing against the fabric of her sleeve—a silent offering.A truce.Sam’s breath hitched. For a second, she didn’t move.Then, ever so slowly, she pulled her arm away.Not violently. Not angrily. Just… a step back.Jack let his hand fall to his side, nodding once.“I’ll prove it.”Sam’s lips parted slightly like she wanted to say something—like she wanted to believe him. But whatever was there, whatever crack in her armor had started to form, she shut it down before it could grow.She turned toward the door.Before she left, she paused—just for a second.Then, without looking back, she whispered, “I hope you do.”Jack exhaled slowly, sinking into his chair. His ribs ached, and his head throbbed, but nothing compared to the hollow weight settling in his chest.Sam was gone. The door clicked shut behind her, but the silence she left behind was louder than anything.She didn’t trust him.He wasn’t sure she ever would again.But trust wasn’t something you asked for. It was something you earned.And Jack O’Neill wasn’t about to let her walk away without proving that—no matter what it took.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Unfortunately for Jack, the board was relentless and didn’t take kindly to being forced to change their plans. He knew his play on putting the “Nova Genesis Program” on hold would eventually come back to him. The papers were delivered that morning, and he stared at them for over an hour.Finally, he reached for the intercom: “Get Colonel Carter and Doctor Jackson. Put them in the briefing room in ten minutes,” he ordered.It was time.The briefing room felt like a pressure cooker, the tension almost palpable, thick enough to choke on. Jack sat behind the desk, rigid and formal in his suit and tie, though his usual comfort in the role was absent. His face remained neutral, still bearing the bruises of their fight, but underneath, the strain was evident. His fingers drummed on the table, betraying the storm brewing inside as he waited for the inevitable confrontation.Sam entered the room, Benjamin in her arms, followed by Daniel. Her posture was stiff, her face an unreadable mask of cold resolve. She looked exhausted, but not in the way a soldier tired from battle would look—this was deeper, a kind of exhaustion born from emotional turmoil. Daniel, always the calm mediator, walked alongside her with quiet determination in his eyes.As they sat down, Jack wasted no time, pushing two sets of papers across the table toward them."To avoid any more misunderstandings," Jack began, his voice low but authoritative, "or more fights, these are the official papers regarding your stay here... in this reality. Please read them carefully. If you agree, sign them."Sam’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she reached for the document, balancing Benjamin with one arm as she slowly skimmed through the contents. Daniel did the same, his eyes flicking over the text, though neither betrayed any surprise. They had become experts at maintaining their poker faces after years of facing alien threats and political maneuvers, and now this—being trapped in a reality that wasn't their own.Sam’s hand lingered over the paper, but the pen remained on the desk, untouched."It says shared custody," she said, her voice cold, each word cutting through the air like a blade.Jack swallowed, his eyes flickering for a brief moment before he answered."It was the best I could get." He paused, the weight of the following sentence heavy. "You already know the other option. Feel free to choose."Daniel leaned closer to Sam, whispering something only she could hear. Jack watched them, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He hated the distance between them, hated that Sam trusted Daniel implicitly while he remained on the outside looking in.He had tried—God knows he had tried—but the damage was done, and now all he could do was stand back and wait for time to heal what he had broken. Earn Carter’s trust back.Earlier that day, Jack stopped just outside the cafeteria, his breath catching at the sight inside. Daniel cradled Benjamin, swaying gently, murmuring something that made Carter’s tight shoulders ease just a fraction. She leaned into Daniel’s side—not for comfort, not quite, but with the kind of trust that Jack had shattered. His fingers curled against the doorframe. He could step inside, make casual remarks, and pretend things weren’t broken beyond repair. Instead, his throat tightened, and he turned away. His bruised ribs ached, but not nearly as much as the weight pressing against his chest.He sat down heavily in his office, staring at the pile of reports on his desk but seeing only how Carter had leaned into someone else. The way Benjamin had been rocked in another man’s arms. He pressed his palms against his eyes and exhaled sharply. He had promised to protect her. Instead, she flinched at the sound of his voice. After a tense moment, Sam picked up the pen, hesitating for a fraction of a second. Her fingers curled around it tightly, knuckles white. She pressed the tip to the paper, then paused, her jaw tightening.“This doesn’t mean I trust you,” she said, voice like ice.Then, with deliberate strokes, she signed, tossing the paper in Jack’s direction like it meant nothing.Daniel followed suit, signing the papers and sliding them across the table. His movements were not angered but resigned acceptance of their reality.Jack picked up the papers, but his fingers hesitated at the edges. He glanced at Sam—her stiff shoulders, the way she held Benjamin just a little closer. His throat tightened, but he said nothing. He had already lost this battle."So," he started, his voice slightly strained, "now that this is settled, let’s get to the practical things. As stated in those papers, you’ll be given the identities of Samantha Carter and Daniel Jackson... of this reality." His voice softened slightly. "You don't have any living relatives, Daniel, so there’s no problem. It’s just bureaucracy."Daniel nodded, but Jack’s gaze shifted to Sam, whose face remained impassive."As for you, Carter... I'm afraid you're in the same situation." He took a deep breath, bracing himself for her reaction. "Your brother and his family died during one of the Goa'uld attacks. I'm very sorry."Sam’s face paled, and for a fleeting moment, Jack saw the crack in her armor. His Sam had never been particularly close with her brother, Mark, or his family, but he didn’t know what was the situation of this Carter. Apparently, hearing they were gone left her visibly shaken. But true to form, she quickly regained her composure."Okay," she managed to say, her voice steady, though the hurt was hidden beneath the surface.Jack pushed forward, not giving her time to dwell."You're ordered to maintain a low profile. You'll be under surveillance for the first few months whenever you're outside the SGC. Eventually, that will be reassessed."Sam nodded, the corners of her mouth tightening. It wasn’t ideal, but they were given more freedom than she had initially expected. Getting out of the SGC and this confined space was a good start."You’ll be paid, of course," Jack continued, trying to sound casual, though the tension still simmered beneath the surface. "Carter, you’ll receive the same payment as your rank stipulates, plus an additional sum because of Benjamin." He glanced at the child in her arms, his expression softening briefly before he forced himself back into his commanding tone. "As for you, Daniel, you’ll receive the same compensation the other Daniel received."The room remained thick with tension, and even though Benjamin continued to play contentedly in Sam’s lap, oblivious to the turmoil around him, the air felt heavy. Jack cleared his throat, pushing forward again."I’m afraid the houses that belonged to... the other you are no longer available. Several houses were hit during the attacks; some were rebuilt… others are just vacant lots. You’ll have to look for new ones.""Can we share one?" Sam asked, her voice sharp and direct.Jack’s jaw clenched, his expression darkening. He fought to maintain his calm, but the thought of Sam and Daniel sharing a home—creating a life together in this reality—ignited a quiet fury. Still, he forced himself to nod."If that’s what you want, yes."Sam and Daniel exchanged a glance, a silent communication passing between them before they looked back at Jack. He wanted to say more and argue, but nothing was left to say. He had already pushed too far."You’re expected to work the same hours," Jack continued, regaining his composure. "Daniel, you’ll receive new instructions about your work soon." He paused, sensing the shift in Sam’s posture as he moved to the final point."As for Benjamin..."Sam’s entire body tensed, her arms instinctively tightening around her son. Jack felt the weight of her fear, the way she braced herself for a fight. He babbled, hoping to defuse the situation."The SGC has a small… small daycare facility for the other infants on the base. He can stay there while you work, Colonel." He used her rank for the first time in the conversation, a subtle reminder of her position and the structure she was accustomed to.Sam swallowed, her eyes flicking toward Benjamin before she nodded. It wasn’t ideal, but at least it allowed her to keep him close. She could watch over him and protect him, even in this foreign environment.Jack stood up, signaling the end of the meeting."The rest will play out as we go. You’re dismissed."Sam stood, surprising Jack by offering him a crisp salute. It wasn’t a gesture of respect so much as it was a formality, a way to keep the walls between them. Jack returned the salute, watching as she turned and left the room. Daniel was by her side, and Benjamin was cradled in her arms.Jack sat back down as the door closed behind them, staring at the papers he had just collected. He should have felt relief—the board had agreed, and the papers were signed—but all he felt was a hollow ache in his chest. Sam had saluted him like a stranger, her eyes devoid of anything but ice. She still saw him as the enemy. And maybe, in some ways, she was right. The tension in the room had lessened, but it was still there—just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt again. The meeting was over, but its weight settled over Sam like an iron shroud. Even as she and Daniel moved into their assigned house, the reality of it gnawed at her. This wasn’t home. It never would be. The two-bedroom house was functional, clean—and completely foreign. The soft afternoon light streaming through the window should have felt comforting. Instead, the space felt hollow. Too quiet. Too temporary.Sam stood in the center of the room, Benjamin balanced on her arms. Daniel had taken the smaller bedroom, leaving the larger one for her and the baby. She appreciated the thoughtfulness, but it didn’t change that this wasn’t home. Every corner reminded her of who wasn’t here.The crib sat next to a rocking chair Daniel had found at a secondhand store—solid, practical. But as Sam eased into it that evening, rocking Benjamin to sleep, her hand brushed the armrest, and a memory surfaced. Jack’s hands sanding, staining, perfecting the chair he built for her. That chair, a labor of love, was probably ash now.In the kitchen, she absently ran her fingers along the dining table. It wasn’t the one she and Jack had worked on for hours, laughing between coats of stain, but she could still hear the ghost of those conversations.Even Benjamin’s coos twisted the knife. Jack would have made him laugh, pulled silly faces, and whispered nonsense. Daniel tried. It wasn’t the same.That evening, as she stood by the window and looked out at the small, fenced yard, she felt a pang of longing so sharp it took her breath away. Jack had promised her once that they’d build a treehouse for Benjamin when he got older. She stared at the lone tree in the yard, its branches too thin and spindly to hold anything substantial, and the weight of everything she’d lost threatened to crush her.Sharing the house with Daniel was a comfort and a constant reminder of the void. He was her friend, her rock in many ways, but he wasn’t Jack. He didn’t fill the space Jack had left behind. No one could. She caught herself watching Daniel sometimes, wondering how he managed to carry himself with such quiet resilience. He was grieving, too, in his way, but she envied his ability to focus on the present while she felt perpetually caught between the past and the uncertain future.“You okay?” Daniel’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. He stood in the doorway, holding a mug of coffee and offering her a soft, understanding smile. He always seemed to know when her mind wandered too far.Sam forced a small smile in return.They were adjusting to their new lives in this alternate reality, but the changes felt monumental and subtle. They were given new identification cards with their names, but it still felt… awkward. Sam’s rank remained intact, though the knowledge of her brother’s death weighed on her more heavily than she let on.“Yeah. Just… thinking.”Daniel didn’t press, instead stepping into the room and placing the mug on the small side table. He touched Benjamin’s cheek gently, his expression softening as the baby gurgled in his sleep.“We’ll figure it out, Sam,” Daniel said quietly, his voice steady. “One step at a time.”Sam nodded, but her chest tightened as she gazed down at her sleeping son. She wanted to believe Daniel’s words. She wanted to believe that this house and life could somehow become enough. But the truth was written in every hollow corner, every faint memory echo—this wasn’t home. It wasn’t him. And it never would be. Meanwhile, in the tiny house she now shared with Daniel, Sam sat beside Benjamin’s crib, watching his little chest rise and fall as he slept. The room was quiet, except for the baby monitor's soft hum. She reached out, brushing her fingers lightly over his hair, and felt a swell of love so fierce it made her throat tighten.She thought of Jack’s promise and his voice's steadiness when he’d vowed to protect Benjamin. For a fleeting moment, she had believed him. She’d seen a glimpse of the man she’d once trusted—the man who looked exactly like the man who had loved her fiercely, unconditionally.But trust wasn’t something she could give easily. Not anymore. Still, as she looked at her son, her resolve hardened. She would protect Benjamin no matter what. She'd do it if she had to walk through fire and fight every battle alone because he was her son. Her family. Her future.And somewhere, buried beneath the pain and betrayal, a small part of her hoped this Jack could find his way back to being the man she needed him to be—the man Benjamin deserved to know. But for now, she could only move forward one step at a time. The following morning, Jack sat alone in his office, the dim lighting casting shadows across his bruised face. His ribs ached with every breath, but the pain was nothing compared to the gnawing guilt in his chest. He ran a hand over his face, his mind replaying the events of the past weeks. Sam’s scream. Her tears. The way she flinched at his touch.He’d broken something between them and wasn’t sure how to fix it. But he knew he had to try.He glanced at the paperwork on his desk, the ink from their signatures still fresh. His fingers tapped absently against the edge of the folder.
The shrill ring of the phone cut through the quiet, making him flinch.
“O’Neill.”“General, Dr. Eleanor Meyers is here to see you,” came the voice of his aide, clipped and professional.Jack closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Janet hadn’t filed a report on the fight in the briefing room, but the rumors were unstoppable, and Jack knew they would get to the board one way or the other. But he knew Meyers wasn’t like the others on the board. If anyone could navigate the tightrope between the political demands and the needs of his team, it might be her. After his last phone call with Charles III, he could use all the help he could get.“Send her in,” he muttered, standing and straightening his jacket.Moments later, the door opened, and Eleanor Meyers entered with the poise of someone accustomed to commanding rooms. Her silver-streaked hair was impeccably styled, and her tailored blazer gave her an air of authority that matched her reputation. She offered a faint smile, her sharp green eyes taking in the disarray of Jack’s desk and the faint bruising on his face.“Rough week, General?” she asked lightly, shaking his hand as she noticed his bruised face.Jack’s lips twitched in something that might have been a smirk.“You could say that.” He gestured to a chair, motioning for her to sit.“I read the latest reports,” Meyers said as she sat, her tone calm but probing. “And I’ve heard rumors about... complications with your personnel.” She folded her hands neatly in her lap. “I’m here to ensure that the SGC stays functional, General. But I’m also here to listen. Perhaps you’d like to tell me your perspective before discussing policy?”Jack leaned back in his chair, exhaling a long, tired breath.“Where do I start?”He rubbed the back of his neck, searching for the words.“Adjustments haven’t been easy. Carter’s been... well, boxed into her lab. And Daniel? He’s drowning in research. Field missions are out of the question for both of them, thanks to the board’s restrictions.”Meyers arched a brow.“Restrictions don’t usually bother the brilliant—unless they’re unjust. You think these are fair?”Jack snorted, a bitter edge to his laugh.“Fair? No. Counterproductive? Absolutely. Carter could do a hell of a lot more than tinker in her lab, and Daniel... he’s the one who always sees the big picture. Instead, they’re stuck playing by rules that don’t make sense to anyone who’s actually down here.”Meyers tilted her head, her expression thoughtful.“Exactly why I’m here, General. To untangle this mess. And to understand your team’s challenges firsthand. Perhaps you’d introduce me to Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson?”They stopped outside the lab where Sam was working. Jack opened the door, stepping in first to announce her."Hey, Carter. Got a visitor." He stepped aside as Eleanor entered the room.Sam looked up from her work, her hands pausing over a piece of alien tech she examined."Hello," she greeted, a little surprised. She wasn’t used to receiving visits and had no idea who the woman with curly, silver-streaked brown hair and bright green eyes was. She wore a well-tailored blazer over a colorful blouse and comfortable shoes.Eleanor Meyers extended a hand, her smile measured but not forced. “Colonel Carter,” she said, then hesitated as Sam’s unreadable gaze met hers. She adjusted slightly. “I’m Dr. Eleanor Meyers, SGC board member. It’s—” she exhaled softly, recalibrating. “It’s an honor to meet you. Your work—your other self’s work—was groundbreaking.”Sam’s eyes flicked to her hand but didn’t move. The silence stretched for a beat too long. Finally, she shook it—firm, brief, impersonal.“We arrived recently,” Sam said, her tone edged with skepticism. “Still adjusting. Hard to do when research is restricted, and progress is tangled in bureaucracy.”Eleanor tilted her head slightly, then sighed, her smile slipping into something smaller.“Bureaucracy has its place, Colonel. But… I get it.” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “That’s why I’m here. To… try and cut through some of it.”Sam’s eyes narrowed.“You’ll forgive me if I’m skeptical. The board had an entire contingency plan in place for my son as soon as we got here—it appears. Jack barely managed to put it on hold, and you expect me to believe this is about bureaucracy?”Eleanor’s expression remained neutral, but Sam caught the flicker of something in her eyes—something too controlled.“I understand your concerns,” Eleanor said carefully. “Benjamin is an extraordinary case. The SGC has had to make difficult decisions before, and given the unknown variables in his situation—”Sam scoffed. “Unknown variables? His DNA? His adaptability? Or was it the part where the board had already picked which officers would be in charge of ‘developing’ him?”For a split second, Eleanor's composure slipped. It was brief—a slight stiffening of her shoulders, a flicker in her eyes. It was enough.Sam pressed forward. “You know more than you’re saying. Why was this plan in place in the first place for? What were they preparing him for? What did you find and are keeping from me?” The last question was made in a more low, threathning tone.Eleanor inhaled deeply, weighing her response. “I wasn’t involved in the initial drafting of the Nova Genesis Program,” she admitted. “And I don’t have access to its full scope. But I do know it was meant to be… precautionary.”Sam’s hands curled into fists. “Precautionary for what?”Eleanor shook her head slightly. “I can’t say.”“Or won’t,” Sam shot back coldly.Eleanor exhaled, not breaking eye contact. “I’m trying to help you, Colonel. I know the board has been less than transparent, but you need to understand that I’m not your enemy.”Sam held her gaze, then scoffed. “You’re right. You’re not my enemy. You just work for them. Like General O’Neill,” she said turning her gaze to Jack who was very quiet watching the two women exchange words.Eleanor sighed, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she changed the subject. “I also wanted to speak with Dr. Jackson. Shall we?”Sam took a deep breath and clenched her jaw. Jack walked behind them in silence.As they entered Daniel’s lab, he was already leaning against his desk, arms crossed. He had clearly overheard part of the conversation.“Dr. Meyers,” Daniel greeted, shaking her hand but with little warmth. “I hear you’re trying to help.”Eleanor tilted her head. “I am. Though from what I gather, that may be difficult to prove.”Daniel didn’t miss a beat.“Then let’s start with the restrictions. Sam and I have been here for weeks, and we’re being treated like anomalies to be contained rather than assets. No fieldwork, limited access to research—hell, we can’t even pull up basic data on cross-dimensional studies without running into classified blocks. You say you want to cut through the bureaucracy? Start there.”Eleanor nodded. “I agree that some of the limitations are excessive. I’ve already started pushing for adjustments.”Daniel nodded but pressed on.“Good. Then let’s move to the bigger issue: Nova Genesis.”Eleanor stilled, just for a fraction of a second. Jack, still in the doorway swallowed hard.Daniel leaned forward.“We know it wasn’t just about Benjamin’s DNA. Jack mentioned psychological assessments, adaptability metrics—things that go beyond simple genetics. We need access to those files.”Eleanor hesitated. “That information is highly classified.”“That’s convenient,” Sam interjected. “Considering he’s my son.”Eleanor exhaled. “I don’t have access to those files.”“Then who does?” Daniel pressed, his eyes moving to a very still Jack.She hesitated a fraction too long.“The oversight committee,” she said finally.Daniel narrowed his eyes. “Not the board?”Eleanor didn’t answer immediately, and Sam caught the way her fingers curled slightly. A tell.Sam exhaled sharply. “So there’s another level above the board making the real decisions.”Eleanor didn’t confirm it outright, but her silence was enough.Daniel exchanged a glance with Sam before turning back to her.“Dr. Meyers, if you really want to help, get us access. If you can’t, then at least tell us what you do know.”Eleanor looked between them, then finally said, “I’ll see what I can do.”Sam's expression remained hard. “That’s not good enough.”Eleanor sighed, taking a step back as she adjusted her blazer.“It’s the best I can give you right now, Colonel. Trust me, I’m not underestimating the stakes here.”Sam clenched her jaw, but before she could push further, Daniel placed a hand lightly on her arm. “For now, let’s take what we can get.”Sam exhaled sharply. “Fine. But I’m not waiting forever.”Eleanor met her gaze, then gave a slow nod before turning toward the door. “Neither am I.” Dr. Eleanor Meyers left the SGC with the same composed confidence she had arrived. Jack had seen these kinds of interactions before—people in power coming to pry what they didn’t understand but the actual follow-through often fell short.As soon as the door shut behind Meyers, Sam turned toward Daniel, her face hard with suspicion. As she left, Daniel turned to Sam. “She knows more.”Sam nodded. “And now we know there’s more than just the board."Daniel exhaled. “We need to find out who’s really pulling the strings.”Sam’s eyes darkened. “And we need to do it fast.”Their conversation was cut short when Jack re-entered the room, clearly sensing the tension in the air."So, what’s the verdict?" he asked, trying to sound casual but already bracing for the backlash he knew was coming.Sam turned on him immediately, Daniel stepping forward in sync beside her, their united front unmistakable. "I don’t trust her."Jack’s lips pressed together. He leaned back against the table, crossing his arms."I get that, Carter. But she’s the only one on that damn board willing to push back against the others. If we shut her out now, we’re screwing ourselves."“What the hell is the Nova Genesis Program, Jack? And don’t give me the same rehearsed lines.”Jack sighed, rubbing his temple. “Carter, I told you what I could.”Daniel’s voice was sharp, cutting through the air. “No, Jack. You told us what wouldn’t get you in trouble. That’s not the same thing.”Jack hesitated, eyes flicking between them. He was outnumbered, and he knew it.Sam’s voice was steel. “They had a plan. You knew. How long?”Jack exhaled sharply. “After the tests. The oversight committee—they planned for contingencies. For him. Just in case, when they found out he was your son and mine.”Daniel’s jaw clenched. “Contingencies? That sounds an awful lot like premeditated control.” Sam stepped closer, voice razor-sharp. “Prepare him for what, Jack? Training? Programming? Weaponization?”Jack’s jaw tightened. “I don’t know the full scope, Carter. But I know they weren’t going to give you a choice.”Daniel advanced, fury barely contained. “So what? If Benjamin showed certain traits, they would take him? Remove him from Sam?”Jack hesitated again. “If he met the right criteria, yeah.”Sam’s stomach dropped. “So they were planning to take my son from me?”Jack’s silence was the only answer she needed.Daniel’s voice was cold, calculated. “You didn’t think that was worth mentioning sooner?”Jack’s shoulders tensed. “I was trying to stop it, Daniel. You think I wanted this?”Sam’s breath came fast, pulse hammering. “They’re never getting him,” she vowed, her voice deadly quiet.Jack met her gaze. “I know.”Daniel folded his arms. “Then we need more than vague warnings. We need details, Jack. You want our trust? Prove you deserve it.”Jack’s frustration boiled over. “Damn it, I’m trying! You think I like being stuck between you and them?”Sam’s eyes burned into him. “Then pick a side, Jack. Because we already have.”After some momeny of silent, Jack sighed, running a hand over his face. "Carter, I’m not saying trust Meyers blindly. But if you don’t at least work with her, you’re making yourself a target."Sam’s jaw tightened, but for the first time, she hesitated.Daniel jumped in quickly. "Maybe we set boundaries. We listen, but we don’t give her everything. Keep her close enough to help but not enough to hurt us."Jack nodded. "That’s all I’m asking. Don’t hand her a loaded gun, but don’t slam the damn door in her face either."Sam exhaled slowly. She still looked unconvinced, but her stance softened—barely. "We’ll see," she muttered.Jack met her gaze, studying her. "That’s all I need."Sam’s eyes flashed with anger, but before she could respond, she checked the time."I need to pick up Benji from daycare," she said, her voice firm, signaling that the conversation was over. Benjamin had adjusted quickly to the daycare at the SGC, which became a place where he could sleep and play, unaware of the complexities surrounding him.But as she turned to leave, Jack followed her, clearly not done yet."Carter," he called out, his tone softer but insistent.She stopped, turning halfway to look at him. "What?""Let me spend some time with him," Jack said, his voice calmer now, almost pleading. "Just a couple of hours tomorrow. I want to know him."Sam’s expression hardened. "No."Jack sighed, stepping closer but not too close. His hands were loose at his sides, not fists. Not this time.“You can’t keep shutting me out, Carter,” he said, his voice even. Measured. The anger was there but buried under something else—something heavier. “You signed those papers. Shared custody. That wasn’t just legal jargon—it was a promise. A commitment to Benjamin. I may not be your Jack, but I’m still his father.”She looked away, her breath tight in her chest.“Don’t,” she murmured, quieter this time. “You think I had a choice? You think a signature makes this fair?”Jack exhaled through his nose.“Fair?” he repeated, a bitter half-laugh escaping before he could stop it. “Carter, none of this is fair. But that kid doesn’t care about fairness. He just needs his parents.”Sam’s lips parted slightly, something flickering in her eyes—but then it was gone. The steel returned.“You weren’t there when it mattered,” she said, sharper now. “Not when he was born. Not when I had to run. Not when I—” She cut herself off, shaking her head, her jaw clenching tight. “You don’t get to show up now and pretend that makes up for it.”Jack hesitated. He could push and fight, but he saw the exhaustion under her anger. And maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t just talking about him.“I know I wasn’t there,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “And I can’t change that because I’m not your Jack. But I’m here now.” A pause. “Doesn’t that count for something?”Sam’s expression flickered, something cracking beneath her rigid mask of anger and grief.“Please,” Jack said, the single word gravel in his throat. “Just a few hours. Let me show you that I mean it.”Sam inhaled sharply. A long, heavy moment passed. Then, finally—“Fine,” she muttered. Not a concession. A challenge. “Come by my place tomorrow morning. But I’m warning you, Jack—if you think you can just come in and out of his life whenever it’s convenient for you, you’re dead wrong.”Jack nodded, his shoulders tense but determined. “I’ll be there.”Sam turned without another word, her heart pounding so hard it echoed in her ears.As he turned to leave, Sam’s eyes followed him, filled with anger and frustration. Once he was gone, she stood still momentarily, breathing heavily. She knew this fight wasn’t over, not by a long shot. Later that night, after putting Benji to bed, Sam sat at the kitchen table, staring at nothing. The weight of the argument still pressed against her ribs.Daniel leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "So. Jack wants to see Benji."Sam huffed. "Yeah. Pulled the custody card."Daniel sighed, tilting his head. "And that surprises you?"Sam dragged a hand through her hair. "After everything? Now he decides to show up?"Daniel didn’t flinch. "Benji still needs a father."Sam’s fingers curled against the table. "Not him."Daniel studied her. "You don’t have to trust him. But you do have to deal with him."Silence stretched. Sam knew he was right. That didn’t mean she had to like it.She exhaled sharply. "I’ll figure it out."Daniel nodded, his voice softer now. "You always do."As Sam sat in the quiet of her living room that night, she held Benji close, her mind swirling with everything—Jack, Dr. Meyers, the board, and their uncertain future. She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but one thing was clear: she wasn’t letting her guard down—not for anyone. Sam barely slept. The night had been long, restless, and riddled with her mind's worst imaginings of the day to come. The clock ticked its way to dawn, and when the morning finally arrived, she was more exhausted than ever, her body heavy with too little sleep and fear. She moved through the kitchen like a ghost, her motions mechanical as she prepared bottles of formula, packed diapers, wipes, and every other little thing she could think of that Benjamin might need while he was gone.Gone with him. Jack. But not her Jack. This man was a stranger, a replica who looked like her husband and spoke and moved like him. But it wasn’t him. It would never be him again. Her heart lodged in her throat as she zipped up the bag, trying not to think too hard about what would happen.Daniel came in quietly, holding a giggling, wriggling Benjamin in his arms. Sam hadn’t even heard them come in, so lost was she in her thoughts. Benjamin was four months old now, and every time Sam looked at her son, she saw her husband in his face. His big blue eyes were hers, but the rest—the messy tufts of dark hair, the tiny expressions—were Jack’s. The real Jack. Her heart ached with every reminder, every bit of him that she’d lost, but could still see in the baby boy she loved more than anything.“Are you okay?” Daniel asked, his voice soft as he made silly faces at Benjamin, trying to coax a laugh. The baby stuck a tiny finger into his eye like the world was just one big, confusing blur.“What do you think, Daniel?” Sam snapped, her words sharp with the edge of the anxiety and dread that had been building all night. “I’m about to hand my son over to a man who—just a month ago—tried to take him away from me. We almost killed each other. How do you think I’m feeling?” Her voice cracked, barely restrained rage quivering beneath the surface.Daniel’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, glancing from her to Benjamin, trying to keep calm in her barely controlled fury.“I know,” he said quietly. “It’s not easy, Sam. But we don’t have any other choice right now. You said it yourself—we have to play along, figure things out, and then make a move. We’ll figure out how to keep Benjamin safe. But today...” He trailed off, the weight of the unspoken words heavy between them.Sam clenched her teeth, trying to push the anger down and think logically. Daniel was right. She knew he was. But it felt impossible to reconcile what her mind knew with what her heart was screaming at her—protect him, don’t let him go.“I know,” she finally said, taking a shaky breath. “This is just... temporary.”The doorbell rang, sharp and sudden, cutting through the moment like a knife. For a second, neither of them moved. The reality of the situation settled over Sam like a suffocating blanket, and her body tensed as though every instinct she had wanted to run and hide with her child.“Do you want me to hand him over?” Daniel asked, his voice tentative, ready to shield her from the moment if she needed it.But Sam shook her head. No. This was her son, and no matter how much it hurt, no matter how much her heart screamed in protest, she would be the one to give him over. She would do it with her head held high if this were the hell she had to walk through.She reached out, taking Benjamin into her arms. His tiny hands reached for her hair, tugging lightly as she held him close, breathing in the familiar scent of baby shampoo and innocence. Daniel picked up the bag, following her as they approached the front door. The doorbell rang again, insistent.When Sam opened the door, there he was. Jack—not her Jack—stood on the porch, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, his face a mask of nerves and uncertainty. He looked almost like he belonged there like he could walk inside and everything would be normal again. But nothing was expected.“Oh, hi,” Jack said awkwardly, his voice uncertain as his eyes met Sam’s. She held Benjamin tightly against her chest, her expression cold, eyes hard.“We’re not deaf, you know?” she said sharply, her voice filled with barely contained disdain.Jack flinched at her words, guilt flashing across his face.“Sorry,” he mumbled quickly, glancing between her and Daniel.Daniel handed him the diaper bag, the silence heavy as Sam went through the motions of explaining everything Benjamin would need. She was all business, her voice detached and clinical, giving instructions like she was handing off a precious artifact, not her own child.“He eats every three to five hours. His formula’s in there, and I packed extra diapers and a change of clothes. Just in case,” she said, refusing to meet Jack’s eyes.“Right, three to five hours. Got it,” Jack repeated, looking down at Benjamin, who was now tugging on his mother’s hair with a quiet fascination.“And be extra careful,” Sam continued, her voice tight. “He’s trying to put everything in his mouth now. He’ll grab anything within reach.”“Right. Extra careful,” Jack repeated, shifting awkwardly on his feet. The tension in the air was palpable, thick, and suffocating.Then came the moment Sam had been dreading. Jack extended his arms, waiting for her to hand Benjamin over. The silence was unbearable, a heavy, suffocating thing between them. Sam’s fingers curled against Benjamin’s tiny ones, unwilling to let go. Her son's weight in her arms was the last tether to a world that had already crumbled. Her heart hammered—this wasn’t her Jack. This wasn’t supposed to happen."Carter," Jack murmured, softer now. Not pleading, just waiting. Giving her the choice he never had.Sam’s fingers trembled as she adjusted Benjamin’s blanket, smoothing the fabric over his tiny chest even though it wasn’t wrinkled. He cooed softly, unaware of the war raging inside her. Jack’s arms continued waiting. Sam’s breath hitched. For one brief second, she considered turning around, walking back inside. But then, slowly—painfully—she loosened her grip and let him go.Benjamin shifted, entirely at ease as Jack took him. Her arms felt cold the moment he was gone.Sam’s heart broke all over again.“I’ll take good care of him, Carter,” Jack said softly, his voice filled with unexpected tenderness as he cradled Benjamin’s tiny hand in his own.Sam clenched her jaw, the tears burning in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Without saying anything else, she turned around and left Daniel at the door with Jack and Benjamin.Daniel shifted, awkwardly adjusting to the silence that followed.“Look, this is hard for her,” he started, trying to explain the rawness of Sam’s emotions.Jack swallowed hard, clearing his throat.“I’m not going to hurt him,” he said defensively, his voice thick with emotion.“I surely hope not,” Daniel said, his voice cool but not unkind. “But you have to understand—she’s been through a lot. They both wanted this baby so much, especially Jack. He was over the moon when Benjamin was born, and when... when Jack died, it destroyed her. But she never forgave herself for leaving, for taking Benjamin when Jack told her to go. She blames herself. So this... this is more than just hard. It’s tearing her apart.”Jack looked down at the baby in his arms, his face pained.“I see,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I just want to get to know him. That’s all.”Daniel nodded, his expression softening just a little.“Yeah. Just... don’t take too long.” He shut the door, leaving Jack standing on the porch, staring at the closed door like it held all the answers he didn’t know how to ask for.Jack whispered to Benjamin as he walked away, telling him stories about his cabin, fishing trips, and a life he wished he could share.Inside, Sam stood by the window, her hands trembling as she watched through the curtains. Jack gently strapped Benjamin into the car seat, taking every precaution, his movements slow and careful.The car disappeared down the road. Sam exhaled sharply, hands gripping the fabric of the curtain.The house was too quiet now.The baby carrier sat empty on the counter, a pacifier still resting inside. Her gaze lingered on it, her breath coming unsteadily.She turned away from the window, but the stillness followed.She still couldn’t get over how he looked exactly like her Jack, down to the little habits and the small smiles that made her stomach twist in both recognition and rejection. But every time she looked into his eyes, she knew—this wasn’t her husband. And now, she had to let him walk away with her son.And then, without warning, the sob tore from her throat.Daniel stepped closer, reaching out cautiously, unsure whether to speak or offer comfort in the way he knew she probably didn’t want right now. His gaze softened, watching Sam crumble, her shoulders sagging as her silent tears turned into quiet sobs. He understood her pain more than she could know, and watching her unravel hurt him deeply, even though he, too, felt powerless to fix it.“He’ll be okay,” Daniel said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, more to convince himself than her. Sam shook her head, wiping furiously at her wet cheeks, still staring at the road outside where Jack had disappeared.“You don’t know that,” she hissed, her voice raw, filled with bitterness. She wasn’t angry at Daniel—never at him—but at the world for perfectly handing her this twisted version of the life she had once imagined. "None of us knows anything anymore."Sam remembered the days after Benjamin was born—those precious, fleeting days when everything had seemed right, even amidst the chaos of their lives. Jack had been so over the moon about being a father, his laughter filling their home as he swaddled the tiny baby, talking about fishing trips and teaching him how to fly kites. And now, the man who held Benjamin in his arms today wasn't him. She could still remember the last time she'd seen Jack, the real Jack, who had kissed her with a promise that they would be together again.But they hadn’t.Instead, they had to run for their lives, cross a quantum mirror twice, and this Jack came. And she didn’t know how to reconcile the two.“He’s not Jack,” Sam whispered hoarsely, her hands pressed against her chest as she could somehow hold herself together through sheer will. “He’ll never be Jack.”“I know,” Daniel agreed, his voice steady but thick with emotion. “But right now, Sam, this... this is what we must deal with. We don’t have a choice. At least not yet. Not until we find out what the board has on Benjamin’s DNA.” His eyes lingered on her face, filled with concern, as she wiped the last tears and straightened her posture, trying to regain some semblance of control.Sam nodded, her movements stiff, as if forcing herself back into action. There was a steely resolve now in the set of her jaw, and she exhaled sharply, shoulders still trembling but her eyes focused. Daniel was right—again. They had to play along and buy time until they figured out what to do. The urge to take Benjamin and flee was strong but irrational. Running could make everything worse without a solid plan. And Benjamin needed her to be strong.“This is temporary,” Sam muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else. “It’s all temporary.” She turned away from the window, facing Daniel now, eyes a little clearer, though the grief lingered like a storm on the horizon.“Right,” Daniel echoed, observing her. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.”Sam glanced at the empty baby carrier on the counter and felt the day's weight pressing down on her, heavy and suffocating. There was nothing else to do now but wait. Wait and hope that Jack—this Jack—would bring her baby back unharmed, unchanged.The hours dragged on. Every minute gnawed at Sam’s nerves.She paced the house, hands restless—folding, wiping, straightening things that weren’t out of place—anything to keep from thinking.
What if Jack didn’t come back?
The thought hit like a punch, leaving her breathless. What if she never saw Benjamin again?Daniel nudged a coffee cup toward her. “It’s been two hours.”Sam barely looked at it. “I know.”“Want to—”“No.” The word was sharp, automatic.Daniel sighed. The room felt too small. The silence was suffocating. Sam’s eyes flicked to her phone. No call. No message. Just nothing. Jack had expected the silence.He had expected the weight of Sam’s glare as she passed Benjamin into his arms like she was handing over a piece of herself—because she was.He hadn’t expected the terrifying realization that he had no idea what he was doing.Benjamin sat securely in his car seat in the back, blinking up at the world with wide, curious eyes. His little hands flailed occasionally, and he let out soft coos now and then, as if testing his voice. Jack kept one eye on the rearview mirror and the other on the road, feeling absurdly like he was smuggling alien cargo instead of spending time with his son. His son. The idea still felt foreign in his brain.“Well, kid,” Jack muttered, shifting gears as they pulled onto a quieter road. “Guess it’s just you and me now.”Benjamin blew a raspberry in response.Jack huffed a quiet laugh. “Yeah, you and your mom probably have the same opinion of me right now.”Benjamin kicked his feet, utterly unimpressed. Jack sat stiffly on the couch, feeling like an intruder in his own space. The air carried old ghosts—things left unsaid, promises broken. But now, it was filled with something new. Tiny, quiet breaths. Warm weight against his chest.Benjamin.He shifted, adjusting the baby against him."Guess you’re stuck with me, kid." His voice barely filled the silence, but Benjamin didn’t mind. He patted Jack’s shirt, blissfully unaware of the man’s hands shaking slightly as they held him.“What do you think, huh?” Jack asked, glancing around. “Not much of a place for a kid, I know. Your mom’s house probably has all the good stuff—nursery, toys, etc.” He exhaled. “Not much of a home without you, though.”Benjamin yawned dramatically, clearly unimpressed.Jack smirked. “Tough crowd.”The baby nuzzled against his chest, settling against him like he belonged there.Jack’s breath hitched.It was so small. So simple. So devastating.If things had gone differently—if his Sam hadn’t died—this could have been normal. Jack swallowed, holding Benjamin a little tighter. Hours later, Jack pulled up to Sam’s house, killed the engine, and sat there, gripping the steering wheel. A glance in the rearview mirror showed Benjamin still sleeping peacefully in his car seat. The weight in Jack’s arms was no longer unfamiliar.By the time he reached the door, it was already open. Sam stood there, eyes locked on Benjamin. She didn’t speak. She didn’t have to.Jack hesitated, then unbuckled the baby and carefully held him out."See? Returned in one piece."Sam took Benjamin carefully, pressing a hand against his back. Not yanking him away, not clutching—just feeling. Warm. Solid. Safe.Jack exhaled. "He was good. Barely cried."Sam brushed a hand over Benjamin’s hair. Then, just for a second, she met Jack’s gaze. Not cold. Not sharp. Just… searching.Jack swallowed. Didn’t move. Didn’t breathe."He liked the car ride," he said, quieter now.A flicker. Something softened. Then it was gone. Sam’s walls slammed back up as she stepped inside."See you next time, Carter."The door clicked shut.Jack hesitated momentarily, staring at the closed entrance like it held the answers to everything he still didn’t know how to fix. Then, without another word, he turned and walked back to his truck.Sam stood on the other side of the door, breath unsteady. She kissed Benjamin’s warm head, grounding herself in his familiar scent. He was here. Safe. Back where he belonged. Relief flooded her, but something else twisted beneath it—something she didn’t want to name.So she did the only thing she knew how.She held Benjamin tighter.Swearing silently that she would never let him go again.Not like this.Never again.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack sat in his dimly lit garage, the scent of oil and dust thick in the air. Sam's car sat at the far end, covered in years of neglect.His hand skimmed the cold metal hood. It should have been easy to get rid of it, like everything else—her coffee mug, books, the jacket she wore on long drives. But it wasn’t.And now another Carter was walking the halls of the SGC. Same face, same eyes—but not her. Not really. Ever since he took Benjamin for a few hours, she had gone out of her way to avoid him, as though seeing him only worsened the situation. And maybe it did. He couldn’t blame her—this whole thing was messed up.He sighed, the weight of the decision he was about to make pressing down on him. Giving her the car—it was a small gesture, but in a way, it was a way of letting go of the past. Of acknowledging that this Carter wasn’t his Sam, but she still deserved something that belonged to her. After all, it was her car.Jack stared at the car for a long moment before standing up and wiping his hands on his jeans. He couldn’t do this alone. He needed a second opinion. Janet was surprised when Jack showed up at the infirmary door, hands shoved in the pockets of his tailored dark blue suit, looking more uncertain than she'd ever seen him. She motioned for him to come in, and he followed her inside, leaning against one of the counters as she turned to face him.“Jack? You don’t usually visit unless something’s broken,” Janet said, raising an eyebrow.Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “I need your advice.”Janet motioned for him to sit, sensing the weight behind his words.“I still have Sam’s old car. The Volvo. I was thinking of giving it to her.”“The one you kept after she—”Jack nodded. “Yeah.”Janet crossed her arms. “Why now?”Jack shrugged. “She needs it. With Benjamin and everything.”Janet considered his words carefully before responding. “Jack, you know it’s not just about the car.”Jack shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. “You’re hoping this will smooth things over.”“I’m not that naïve,” Jack said, swallowing hard.Janet continued with her eyebrow raised. “Aren’t you?”Her tone was gentle but pointed. Jack finally met her eyes.“You feel guilty. You think giving her the car is a way to ease that. But it won’t.”Jack looked down, fingers tapping the edge of the counter.“What am I supposed to do, Janet? She won’t talk to me. She won’t let me near Benjamin. Every time I see her, it’s like I’m standing on the other side of a wall I built, and I can’t tear it down.”Janet sighed. “You built that wall, Jack. And it’s not going to come down with one gesture.”Jack exhaled sharply, the weight of her words pressing down.“But… the car could be a start. Not because it fixes anything. Because it shows her you understand,” Janet added gently.Jack frowned. “Understand what?”“That you’re not the Jack she lost. You’re different, and she needs to see that you know it.”Jack absorbed her words in silence.“If you give her the car, don’t do it with any expectations. No strings. No assumptions. Just give her the choice.”Jack stood, his posture tense but a little less burdened. “Thanks, Janet.”“For what?”“Reminding me what’s at stake.”As he turned to leave, her words lingered, pressing against the guilt he carried. There were no easy fixes here—only small steps. Next, Jack sought out Daniel in his lab. Jack appeared at the doorway of Daniel’s lab, hesitating. Daniel didn’t look up from his book.“If you’re here to talk about the board or the Nova Genesis Program, I’m not in the mood,” Daniel said.“It’s about Carter.”That got his attention. Daniel looked up, curious. “What about her?”Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “I still have her car. The Volvo. Thinking of giving it to her.”Daniel leaned back, studying Jack’s face. “And you think that’s going to… what, fix things?”Jack sighed. “I just figured it might help.”Daniel shook his head. “Jack, you know Sam. She doesn’t do well with grand gestures. If you expect this to be some kind of peace offering, it won’t land how you want.”“I know that.”“Do you?” Daniel pressed. “Because it kind of sounds like you’re trying to do something here, even if you won’t admit it.”Jack looked away, jaw tightening. “She needs a car. That’s it.”Daniel studied Jack for a long moment, then exhaled, shaking his head.“This isn’t about the car, is it?”Jack scoffed. “She needs a car. That’s it,” he repeated like he was convincing himself.“Sure,” Daniel said dryly. “And you need to remind yourself she hasn’t completely shut you out.”Jack’s jaw tightened. He didn’t deny it. Finally, Jack gathered his courage. He had been avoiding this conversation for long enough. It was time to talk to Carter, to face whatever reaction came his way.He found her in the SGC, standing by the briefing room, lost in thought. For a moment, he hesitated, watching her. She looked the same—yet different. More distant, guarded.“Carter,” Jack called out, his voice gruff.Sam turned, her eyes narrowing slightly when she saw him. She didn’t say anything; she just waited, her expression unreadable. He probably wanted to retake Benjamin for another visit.Jack shifted his weight awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… I’ve been meaning to talk to you. About something important.”“If this is about Benjamin—” Sam started, but Jack cut her off gently.“It’s not. Well… not directly,” he said. He took a slow breath, bracing himself.“I kept your car. The old Volvo. It’s been sitting in my garage since… everything.”Sam’s posture stiffened. Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw clenched.“You kept it?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.“Yeah,” Jack admitted. “Couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. I figured… maybe you’d want it now. With Benjamin, it could make things easier for you.”Sam’s eyes flashed with something close to anger. She tightened her arms across her chest.“Easier?” she repeated. “Do you think giving me a car will compensate for what happened? For everything we’ve been through?”Jack’s face fell slightly, but he didn’t back down.“No,” he said firmly. “I’m not trying to make up for anything. I’m just trying to give you something that was hers…is yours. No strings. No expectations.”“Right. And you think that’s enough?” Sam’s voice was sharp, her arms tightening across her chest.Jack exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “No. But it’s not about that.” He met her gaze, steady and unflinching. “I’m not trying to fix anything, Carter. I’m just giving you something that’s yours.”Sam hesitated. The simplicity of it made it harder to fight. “No strings?”“None,” Jack said. “Just keys to a car. That’s all.”The tension between them was almost unbearable. Sam exhaled sharply, her gaze locked on Jack’s.“I don’t trust you,” she said. “And I don’t know if I ever will.”Her words hit hard, but Jack didn’t flinch.“I know,” he said quietly. “But I’m not walking away. Not from him. And not from whatever’s left of us.”A long, heavy silence hung between them. Sam’s mind raced, torn between anger, grief, and something deeper—something she wasn’t ready to face.“If I take the car… it’s not a step toward anything. It doesn’t mean things are fixed,” she said finally.“I wouldn’t expect it to,” Jack replied. “Take it because it’s practical. Because you need it. That’s all.”Sam studied him for a long moment. His expression had no hidden agenda—just quiet determination and regret.“Fine,” she said at last. “I’ll think about it. But that’s all I’m willing to do for now. Nothing more.”“Understood,” Jack said with a nod.Sam turned to leave but paused at the door. Without looking back, she said softly, “Thank you.”Jack watched her go, the weight of their past still hanging between them. But there was a sliver of hope for the first time in a long while—a fragile, tentative step forward. After putting Benjamin to bed that night, Sam and Daniel sat together in the quiet living room of the tiny house they shared off-base. It wasn’t much, but it was temporary and provided enough space for them. For now, at least. Sam’s mind kept drifting back to Jack’s offer, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. Daniel was flipping through a magazine absentmindedly, but he kept glancing at her, sensing her unease.“So,” Daniel finally said, breaking the silence, “you gonna tell me what’s going on?”Sam sighed, leaning back into the couch, her fingers running through her hair.“Jack offered me the car. My old car.”Daniel looked up from the magazine, his brow furrowing. “The Volvo? The one he kept after...”“Yeah,” Sam interrupted, not needing the reminder of the painful past. “It’s been sitting in his garage this whole time.”Daniel studied her face carefully, sensing her conflict.“He mentioned it. I thought it was... unexpected. How do you feel about it?”“I don’t know,” Sam admitted, her voice tight. “I mean, we’ve been using that borrowed SGC vehicle since we’ve got clearance, and it’s fine, but it’s not practical. It doesn’t feel like... ours. And it’s not exactly easy borrowing a car all the time with Benjamin’s appointments and everything.”Daniel nodded.“Yeah, it’s been tough. We’ve talked about getting something new, but let’s face it, neither of us has enough money right now to buy a car.”“That’s the thing,” Sam said, rubbing her temples. “Jack’s offer would solve a lot of problems. Technically, the Volvo’s still mine, and it’s already paid off. But...”“But it’s from him,” Daniel finished, understanding the source of her hesitation. “And things between you two have been... complicated.”Sam bit her lip, her eyes distant.“Yeah. I’ve been avoiding him since he took Benjamin for those few hours. I still don’t know how to navigate this. But the car—it’s practical, and it would help.”Daniel set the magazine down, leaning forward.“You don’t have to make a decision right now, Sam. But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to check it out and see its condition. We can figure out if it needs repairs before you commit to anything.”Sam nodded slowly.“You’re right. I should at least see it. Maybe that’ll make things clearer.”“And if it’s in good shape, it might be worth considering,” Daniel added. “I know accepting something from Jack feels... complicated. But this isn’t about him. It’s about what’s best for you and Benjamin. And if this car makes your life easier, maybe it’s not a bad idea.”Sam sighed, her fingers tracing the edge of the coffee table.“I’ll go see it. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to Jack and ask him to take a look. No commitments yet.”Daniel smiled softly. “Good plan. One step at a time.” The following day, Sam headed to Jack’s office. The conversation with Daniel had calmed some of her internal debate, but she still felt that familiar tightness in her chest when she thought about dealing with Jack. They hadn’t spoken much since that tense handoff with Benjamin, and she had kept her distance. But now, she had to face him again.As she reached Jack’s office, she knocked on the door, her heart beating faster. His voice came from inside, muffled but unmistakable.“Come in.”Sam pushed the door open and stepped inside. Jack looked up from the papers on his desk, his expression neutral but guarded. He hadn’t expected to see her.“Carter,” he said, setting down his pen. “What’s up?”Sam hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath.“I’ve been thinking about the car. The offer.”Jack raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, waiting for her to continue.“I’d like to see it,” Sam said, her voice steady but measured. “The condition it’s in. Suppose it needs repairs or anything. I want to know what I’d be getting into.”Jack leaned back in his chair, nodding slowly.“Fair enough. It’s been sitting in the garage for a while but is in decent shape. It might need a little work, but nothing too major. You can come by anytime to check it out.”Sam shifted her weight, feeling the tension between them.“What works for you?”Jack tilted his head, thinking for a moment.“How about this weekend? You can come by, and we’ll take a look together. I’ll be home.”Sam nodded. “Saturday works. Morning?”“Morning’s fine,” Jack said, observing her.There was a brief pause, the air thick with unspoken things, but neither was willing to address them. Sam just gave a tight nod and turned to leave.“I’ll see you then,” she said over her shoulder as she headed for the door. “Still live at the same place?” she asked.“Yeah,” Jack replied, his voice quieter. “See you then.”Sam didn’t look back as she left his office, but the weight of the upcoming weekend settled over her as she walked down the hall. She had no idea what seeing the car would stir up, but at least she was taking that first step. And that, for now, would have to be enough. The rest of the week passed without further encounters between Sam and Jack. Sam kept herself busy at the SGC, juggling her duties while caring for Benjamin. She seemed more focused, determined to avoid anything that might stir up old wounds. On the other hand, Jack kept a low profile, sticking to his schedule and leaving things as they were.Daniel had been observing from the sidelines, careful not to get caught in the middle of the unresolved tension between the two. He figured it was best to let Sam handle things at her own pace. Still, he couldn’t help but feel the weight of something unspoken hanging over them all.It was late Thursday afternoon when Daniel went to the daycare to check on Benjamin. He hadn’t seen much of him that day and figured it would be an excellent time to visit. As he approached the door, he heard something that gave him pause—laughter, soft and bubbling, like the sound of a happy baby.Curiosity piqued, Daniel peered through the small window. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.Inside, sitting cross-legged on the play mat, was Jack. He was fully engaged, with a broad grin as he entertained Benjamin. Jack wasn’t just watching him; he was playing with him, completely absorbed in their little world. Benjamin, lying on his back, was giggling uncontrollably, his tiny legs kicking the air as Jack leaned down, his elbows resting on the play mat as he balanced a stuffed giraffe on his head.“What do you think, Benji? Is this how giraffes really work?”Benjamin’s giggles bubbled out, his tiny hands reaching for the toy as Jack feigned shock.“No way! You almost got it!” Jack teased, his voice light and playful. For a moment, it was easy to forget the chaos outside this small circle, to lose himself in Benjamin’s laughter.Each sound from Benjamin seemed to light a spark in Jack’s chest, a flicker of something he hadn’t felt in a long time. It wasn’t just play—it was connection, simple and pure, that stripped away all the complications of their reality.When Benjamin finally tired, nestling into Jack’s chest with a contented coo, Jack’s smile faltered. He stared at the baby’s peaceful face, the moment's weight pressing down like a heavy, bittersweet cloud.“I wish...” Jack’s voice trailed off as he bounced Benjamin gently. “I wish I could show you the cabin. Teach you how to fish. Maybe one day, huh?” His words hung in the air, unanswered but quietly hopeful.Jack let out a slow breath, watching Benjamin’s tiny fingers curl around his shirt. The warmth of the child’s weight against his chest was something he hadn’t expected to feel this deeply.He wasn’t supposed to get attached. That wasn’t part of the deal.Daniel stood frozen in the doorway, his breath catching as he took in the scene.Jack wasn’t just watching Benjamin—he was with him, for him, fully present in a way Daniel had never quite seen before. There was no stiffness, no wary distance, no carefully measured words. Just Jack, lying on the floor, making ridiculous airplane noises as Benjamin squealed with delight.The baby’s tiny hands reached for Jack’s face, his chubby fingers curling into his shirt, tugging insistently. Jack let out a dramatic “oof,” pretending to topple over, sending Benjamin into another fit of giggles.“You got me, kiddo,” Jack murmured, adjusting Benjamin in his arms. His voice was softer now, the teasing edge fading. “I surrender.”Daniel swallowed hard—something about those words hit differently.He had seen Jack O’Neill in every possible situation—commanding, leading, fighting, grieving. But this? This was something else entirely.Daniel had spent weeks watching Jack keep Sam at arm’s length and his defenses locked up tight. But here, with Benjamin, there were no walls, sharp retorts, or battle-ready posture.Just Jack. Just a man holding a baby who didn’t know or care about war, betrayal, or regret.And that scared the hell out of Daniel.If this Jack loved Benjamin this much, if he had already let himself fall this far, then this wasn’t just about duty or guilt. It was about something far messier, far more dangerous.Daniel’s stomach twisted. Sam needed to know this. She deserved to know this. But… what if knowing only made things worse?Daniel's thoughts churned as he stepped back from the doorway, retreating the way he came. Was Jack still the man who had broken Sam’s trust? Or was he someone else now who, despite everything, might still be capable of being a father?He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. Jack was about to put Benjamin on the playmat when a sharp knock at the daycare door pulled Jack back into reality. He stood, his ribs still aching with every movement, and turned to see Sergeant Evans waiting, a manila folder tucked under his arm.“Sir,” Evans said, stepping into the room and lowering his voice, careful not to disturb the baby. “There’s been an update regarding the quantum mirror. The board requests an immediate report, and Dr. Meyers wants you to be briefed before the meeting this afternoon.”Jack’s jaw tightened. “What kind of update?”Evans hesitated.“Security footage shows someone accessing the storage room where the mirror is kept. The logs don’t match any authorized personnel.”Jack’s stomach dropped. His first thought was Sam. Her words from the infirmary echoed in his mind—We’ll leave. The same way we came.“I’ll be there in ten,” Jack said, his voice sharper than intended. Evans nodded and left without another word.Jack turned back to Benjamin, who had grown quiet, his wide eyes watching Jack intently. The baby reached out, his chubby fingers curling toward Jack’s face, and Jack leaned down instinctively, letting Benjamin grab his nose.“I’ll fix this, buddy,” Jack murmured, his voice softer now. “No one’s taking you or your mom anywhere. Not on my watch.” Saturday morning arrived, and Sam was more nervous than she cared to admit. She prepared everything at home, ensuring Benjamin was well-fed and comfortable before leaving. Daniel was always reliable—he knew exactly what to do while she was away, though she didn't expect to be gone for long. This was just supposed to be a quick trip to check the car and come right back. But her stomach churned with a familiar tension, one she hadn’t felt in some time, and she wasn’t sure why.Sam tried to shake the nerves as she slipped on her faded jeans and one of Daniel’s old black t-shirts. She stood in the living room momentarily, giving herself a mental pep talk.“You okay?” Daniel asked, looking up from his coffee as she fiddled with her jacket.Sam sighed, her hand brushing through her hair. “Yeah. It's just... weird. I haven’t been to his house in forever. You know we sold it and just kept mine… it will be weird, to say the least.”Daniel smiled faintly, sensing her unease.“You’ll be fine. Remember, this is a different reality, Sam, and it’s just the car. Check it out and come home. It doesn’t have to be anything more.”“I know,” she replied, glancing over at Benjamin, lying in his crib, cooing softly. She kissed his tiny head, whispering, “I’ll be back soon, little man.”Benjamin wiggled in response, and Sam felt a small wave of calm settle over her. She straightened up and gave Daniel a nod.“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”“Good luck,” Daniel said with a grin, though his eyes held a touch of sympathy. He knew how much this affected her, even if she didn’t want to admit it.With a deep breath, Sam grabbed the keys to the borrowed car they’d been using and headed out the door. Sam couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu as she drove through the familiar streets. The route to Jack’s house hadn’t changed—it was the same winding roads, the same quiet neighborhood she had known years ago. It seemed this reality kept them the same. Their new house was further away now, but the streets brought back memories of a different time, a different world destroyed and turned to ashes by the Goua’ld.When she finally pulled into Jack’s driveway, Sam’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white. She took a deep breath, glancing at herself in the rearview mirror.“Say hello, check the car, and go home,” she muttered, calming her nerves.She exited the car and walked the familiar path to his front door. Every step felt heavy, the memories of the past pushing against the present. When she reached the door, she knocked, her hands slipping into the back pockets of her jeans as she waited.The door opened, and there stood Jack with a mug of coffee. He looked casual—like he had just woken up, though Sam knew better. He wasn’t the type to sleep in on Saturdays. She recognized the faint smirk on his face, the look that said he was pretending to be more relaxed than he actually was.“Hi,” Sam said, already feeling a flicker of annoyance. She knew that expression all too well.“Morning, Carter,” Jack replied, stepping aside to let her in.Sam entered, her eyes sweeping the familiar space. The house looked the same as it had in her reality before Jack sold it and they’d moved into her place. She always liked his house—there was something solid and comforting about it.“Coffee?” Jack offered, gesturing to his mug.“No, thanks,” Sam said, her voice clipped. “Can I see the car?”Jack raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. He set the mug on the kitchen table, muttering, “Right. No small talk. Down to business.”Sam clenched her teeth, irritation bubbling up. “Why the hell is he faking this casual thing?” she thought.Unlike her outfit, Jack was dressed in black jeans and an Air Force t-shirt. Seeing him in those familiar clothes only heightened the tension she felt. At least he didn’t wear a suit and tie at home! She followed him silently as he led her to the garage, her mind racing with a jumble of emotions she couldn’t quite sort out.When Jack opened the garage door, Sam stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. There it was—her old vintage Volvo. The car she had sold years ago for something newer, more practical. But seeing it now, after all this time, stirred something inside her.The car was dusty, and its once glossy silver paint was dulled by years of neglect. The chrome accents still gleamed under the layers of grime, and though the tires were slightly deflated from disuse, the car's body remained as sturdy as she remembered—a little weathered, maybe, but intact.For a moment, Sam stood there, staring at it. It was like stepping back in time, seeing the car she had driven through countless memories—missions, late nights at the SGC, long drives that used to clear her head.Jack stood back, arms crossed, watching her. He didn’t say anything. Just let her take it in.“Wow,” Sam finally said, stepping closer. Her fingertips brushed the dusty surface of the hood, and she felt a strange pull in her chest. “I haven’t seen this in... forever.”“She’s been sitting here a while,” Jack said, his voice quiet now. “But the engine’s solid. Just needs a little TLC.”Sam knelt, inspecting the undercarriage. The garage floor was cold and hard, but she didn’t care. Her mind switched into mechanic mode as she checked the suspension, the brakes, and the alignment of the wheels. The years of disuse had taken a toll, but it was nothing she couldn’t fix with a bit of work.“Do you have any tools?” she asked, glancing up at Jack, her voice still guarded.“Yeah, in the back,” he replied, gesturing toward a tool chest by the wall.Sam grabbed a few wrenches and crawled underneath the car, and her mind focused on the mechanical aspects. She worked silently, checking the bolts, the exhaust system, everything idle for years. Jack stood nearby, arms still crossed, watching her as she worked.After what felt like an eternity, Sam emerged from under the car, her face smudged with grease, her hands dirty from the engine oil. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of grime across her skin.“So?” Jack asked, his tone unreadable.“It’s in better shape than I expected,” Sam admitted, standing up and brushing off her jeans. “The engine’s fine, but it’ll need new tires, an oil change, and other things. Nothing major, though.”Jack nodded, his eyes never leaving her.“You think it’s worth it?”Sam hesitated, glancing back at the car. She could feel his gaze on her, the moment's weight pressing down. This wasn’t just about the vehicle but about what it represented. It had belonged to another Samantha Carter, death in battle.“I don’t know yet,” she said softly, her voice wavering slightly. “But... I’ll think about it.”Jack didn’t push. He just gave a slight nod and picked up his coffee mug again.“Take your time,” Jack said, watching her closely.Sam wiped her hands on a rag and gave him a tight smile. “Thanks.”That was the problem. Time hadn’t made anything easier. If anything, it only sharpened the edges of everything left unsaid between them.She turned to leave, but the moment's weight clung to her. Jack had held onto the car for years, untouched—waiting. Preserving something that no longer existed.Had he done the same with her?Sam exhaled sharply and shoved the thought aside. No point in trying to untangle Jack O’Neill’s emotions. He wasn’t an equation she could solve.Sam drove home, the weight of the past still pressing against her chest.She arrived later than expected, her mind swirling with thoughts of Jack and the car. The weight of the conversation lingered as she walked into the house. Daniel was sitting on the couch, reading a book, but he immediately set it down when he saw her.“You’re back,” Daniel said, watching her closely. “How’d it go?”Sam hesitated momentarily, pulling off her jacket and tossing it onto a nearby chair.“It was… fine.”“Just fine?” Daniel raised an eyebrow. “That’s a lot of buildup for ‘just fine.’”Sam sighed and walked over to the couch, sitting down beside him. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.“The car’s in decent shape,” she said. “It needs repairs—new tires, an oil change, a few other things—but nothing major. It’s better than I expected.”Daniel nodded, waiting for her to continue.“So, are you going to take it?”Sam paused, staring down at her hands. She hadn’t realized how tightly she gripped them until she saw the faint marks on her palms.“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I think… I probably will. But it doesn’t feel as simple as it should.”Daniel tilted his head slightly. “Because it’s not just a car.”Sam looked up, her eyes filled with frustration.“Jack says there are no strings, but I don’t buy it,” Sam muttered.Daniel studied her, thoughtful. “You think he wants something in return.”Sam hesitated. “Maybe. Or maybe he’s just trying to ease his conscience.”Daniel shrugged. “Or maybe it really is just a car.”Sam let out a slow breath. “Then why does it feel like so much more?”Daniel studied her for a moment before responding. “Because it could be,” he said carefully. "You know, different."Sam’s brow furrowed. “Different, how?”Daniel leaned back, considering his words. “I think he’s trying to say something he doesn’t know how to put into words. Giving you the car… it’s not about fixing things. It’s about giving you something that’s yours again. Something he can’t take away or control. A gesture, not an apology.”Sam looked down. “It doesn’t feel like enough.”“It’s not about being enough,” Daniel said gently. “It’s about trying. And maybe… just maybe, you can let that be a start. If you want.”Sam’s shoulders sagged slightly as Daniel’s words sank in. “But what does that mean for us? For Benjamin?”Daniel met her gaze. “That depends on what you want it to mean.”Sam exhaled slowly, her fingers tracing the edge of the coffee table.“I don’t want him thinking he can just step in and out of our lives whenever convenient. I need stability—for Benjamin, for me. And if he’s unwilling to address the real issues between us, this is just… a bandage over a bullet wound.”Daniel nodded thoughtfully. “Then you have to make that clear. Taking the car doesn’t mean you’re accepting anything more. It’s just a tool, not a truce.”Sam leaned back against the couch, the weight in her chest easing just a little.“You’re right. I’ll take the car, but I’m not letting him think this fixes anything. If he wants to be part of our lives, he has to do more than offer gestures. He has to face what happened—and so do I.”Daniel smiled faintly. “Sounds like you’ve already taken the first step.”Sam gave him a small, tired smile. “Maybe. One step at a time.”Daniel noticed her face was still tense as if something had been left unsaid.“Is there something more? Want to share?” he asked softly.Sam sighed and leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. “If I do accept the car, it raises another problem.”“What problem?” Daniel asked, leaning forward, sensing her hesitation.“The car needs repairs, and we don’t have a garage. I’d need somewhere to work on it, and I don’t think I can exactly park it on the street and start changing tires,” Sam explained. “The obvious solution would be to use Jack’s garage since the car’s already there. But...”“But you’re not sure how you feel about doing that,” Daniel finished for her, understanding immediately. “And whether Jack would even let you.”Sam nodded, biting her lip. “Yeah. I mean, he probably says ‘yes,’ but it’s not just about that. It’s about me being there in his space. But after everything that’s happened, it just... feels complicated. And I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with it.”Daniel leaned back, thinking for a moment.“Well, indeed, we’re not exactly swimming in money, so renting a repair space isn’t an option. And, honestly, fixing up a car takes time. You’d need a place to work on it bit by bit, and that’s not something you can do out in the open. Raining season is not that far,” he reminded.Sam nodded, fidgeting with her fingers.“Yeah, I know. I’m just not sure how to ask him. Or if I even want to.”Daniel gave her a small, knowing smile.“Sam, you won’t know unless you talk to him. I get that it’s awkward with Jack, but he’s the one who offered the car in the first place. I doubt he’d mind if you used the garage to fix it.”Sam was quiet, her mind spinning with possibilities and doubts. The idea of spending time at Jack’s house, in his garage, felt strange. But at the same time, it was practical. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized how much easier it would be.“You’re right,” she finally said, though the reluctance was evident in her voice. “It makes sense to ask him. I just... I don’t know why this feels so hard.”Daniel placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.“Because it’s this Jack. And because things between you two are complicated. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. Remember, we need time to sort things out, and a car might come in handy if we need to get out of here fast.”Sam sighed, resting her head against the back of the couch.“I’ll call him. I’ll ask. Shit!” Sam spent the rest of the day debating whether or not to make the call. The thought of dialing Jack’s number made her stomach twist, and she found herself putting it off, telling herself she’d do it later, then again. But by evening, as the house settled into its quiet rhythm with Benjamin asleep and Daniel reading in the other room, Sam knew she had to face it.She picked up her phone, her hands trembling slightly as she scrolled to Jack’s number. Before she could talk out of it, she pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear. It rang once. Then twice. Then—“Carter,” he answered.Sam cleared her throat. “It’s me.”“I know,” Jack said. There was a hint of something unreadable in his tone—wariness, maybe. “What’s up?”Sam hesitated for a moment before diving in. “I’ve been thinking about the car. I’ll take it.”Jack’s end of the line went quiet for a second. “Okay,” he said, his tone neutral. “Good.”“But it needs work,” Sam continued. “New tires, an oil change, a few other things. And I don’t have a place to do it.”Jack didn’t miss a beat. “You want to use my garage.”“Yes,” Sam said firmly. “It’s practical. The car’s already there.”There was a brief pause before Jack responded. “Fine. You can use it.”Sam blinked, caught off guard by how easily he agreed. “That’s it? No conditions?”“Do you need there to be conditions?” Jack asked dryly.“I just want to be clear,” Sam said, the tension in her voice unmistakable. “This doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t mean I trust you or that everything’s forgiven.”“I know,” Jack replied. His voice was softer now but steady. “This isn’t about fixing anything, Carter. It’s just a garage.”Sam let out a sharp breath, the frustration and uncertainty bubbling beneath the surface. “I’m not looking for favors, Jack. And I don’t want you thinking that you can make up for the past with… gestures.”“I’m not,” Jack said firmly. “I’m just trying to make things a little easier for you. For Benjamin.”The mention of her son made Sam’s grip on the phone tightened. She hadn’t expected Jack to be this calm—or this straightforward.“Why now?” Sam asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why offer me the car after all this time?”The silence on the other end stretched, thick, and weighted. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer. Maybe he couldn’t.When Jack finally spoke, his voice was quieter, rougher—like the words cost him something.“Because it was hers,” he said, the grief slipping through before he could stop it. “And because…” A pause. A sharp inhale. “Because it’s the only thing I can still give you that doesn’t feel like a mistake.”Sam’s throat tightened. She gripped the phone, the weight of those words settling in places she had long since tried to shut down.The line was quiet again, the air thick with the weight of everything they weren’t saying.“Thank you,” Sam said softly. “For the car. And the garage.”Jack’s voice, when it came, was steady but laced with unspoken regret. “You’re welcome.”Sam hung up, setting the phone down with a trembling hand. Despite the conversation’s simplicity, it left her feeling unmoored. Whatever they were building—or not building—between them was fragile. And it was far from over. Jack strode down the corridor of the SGC, his footsteps sharp against the polished floor. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his jaw set tight.He’d been through countless briefings and stood before Joint Chiefs, Presidents, and off-world leaders who could wipe out a planet with a single order. But somehow, these meetings—the ones where the real threats wore expensive suits and spoke in carefully measured words—always left him feeling like he was walking into a goddamn ambush.They were pushing harder. Tighter deadlines, more demands. Less patience.And now Benjamin was on their radar.That alone had kept him up half the night, pacing his living room and running through every scenario. How far would they go? How much leverage did they think they had?Jack wasn’t sure what scared him more—how much power they actually had or how little he could do to stop them if they decided to act.When he reached the conference room door, he paused, exhaling slowly. His fingers curled into fists, nails pressing into his palms. Then, schooling his expression into something unreadable, he stepped inside.The air was colder here, not from the temperature—just from the people in the room.“General O’Neill,” Hawthorne greeted him with that same tight, polished smile. “Let’s begin.”Jack stood at the head of the table, his arms crossed and his posture stiff. Across from him sat the board’s most prominent and vocal members. Their expressions ranged from cold calculation to barely concealed impatience.“General, we must address the delays in producing actionable results. The board is growing increasingly impatient,” Hawthorne said.Jack gritted his teeth. “They’re working as fast as they can. You can’t force scientific breakthroughs on a schedule.”Izzy Marquez looked at him, her eyes as cold as ice. “The investors aren’t interested in excuses. They want results—alien medical technologies, weapons systems, and defenses that can be monetized. You have two persons sitting on invaluable breakthroughs, which are taking too long.”Jack’s eyes narrowed. He could feel the heat rising in his chest.“If you think this is just an assembly line for your private tech empire, you’ve misunderstood what the Stargate program is about.”“What it’s about doesn’t matter anymore. The program’s under our jurisdiction now, General. And unless things move faster, the board will have to reevaluate the roles of certain personnel—starting with Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson,” Izzy said sharply.Jack’s fists clenched at his sides, but before he could fire back, Dr. Meyers raised her hand slightly—a gesture of interruption.“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”Her voice was calm, but her tone had an undercurrent of warning. She turned her sharp green gaze on the other board members.“Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson have recently been informed of… the oversight committee.”“You told them?” Hawthorne asked coldly.“I told them it existed. Nothing more. They deserved to know they weren’t just answering to us.”Charles’s expression darkened, and Izzy’s sharp smile vanished. The mention of the oversight committee—a shadowy, unnamed authority—shifted the entire tone of the conversation.“That was not your call to make, Eleanor,” Hawthorne warned.“Perhaps not, but transparency is a two-way street. We can’t treat them like prisoners if we want their cooperation,” Dr. Meyers said coolly.Jack’s eyes darted between the three board members, his mind racing. He had always known the board was a problem, but the oversight committee? That was an entirely different beast—one even he had limited information on.“What exactly is the committee’s role in all this?” Jack asked.Charles didn’t answer immediately, his silence speaking volumes.Jack exhaled slowly, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.“You know, I used to think you kept me here just as a poster guy. It turns out I think I’m not the only one...”Izzy’s eyes flashed. “Enough, O’Neill. The committee doesn’t appreciate dramatics.”“Oh, I’m not being dramatic.” Jack leaned in, his voice lower, deadlier. “I just want to know exactly how far you think you can push before I start pushing back.”Dr. Meyers’s gaze remained steady on Jack, her expression unreadable.“General, I’m advising you to keep our new arrivals close. The committee’s interests are not… aligned with yours. And they have the authority to make moves we can’t stop.”Marquez leaned back on her chair.“General, the committee believes Carter and Jackson should have produced results by now, considering their experience and... unique knowledge.”Jack’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Izzy continued.“Let me be crystal clear, General. This is no longer about cooperation. Their new reality is this: Either we see progress or take steps to ensure it.”Jack’s fists clenched at his sides, his temper barely in check.“Steps like what?” Jack asked.“The oversight committee has flagged Benjamin as a critical variable,” Charles said smoothly. His smile was cold, calculated. “They want to ensure every angle is… controlled.”Jack’s fists clenched under the table. “You think you can experiment on a baby?”Izzy leaned forward, her gaze sharp. “No one said anything about experiments. Yet. But there may be no other option if Carter doesn’t fall in line.”Dr. Meyers broke in, her voice quieter but no less tense. “General, be careful. The committee’s patience is thin. They see Benjamin as both an opportunity and a threat.” She hesitated, her eyes flicking briefly to Charles. “And threats aren’t tolerated.”Jack’s fists curled so tightly that his nails bit into his palms.“So this is about control. They want Carter and Jackson to toe the line and use Benjamin to force their hand.”Hawthorne smiled thinly. “Call it leverage, General.”Jack’s jaw clenched so much it hurt. “You bastards.”Izzy leaned forward, her tone hard and cold.“Produce satisfactory results. Demonstrate their usefulness. Otherwise, the committee will have to consider alternative methods,” Izzy said.Jack’s fists clenched under the table. “Like what?”Charles leaned forward, his voice almost gentle. “You don’t want to know.”The tension at the table escalated, the room practically vibrating with unspoken threats. Jack’s mind churned. He had long suspected there was more to the board’s plans, but the full weight of the oversight committee’s involvement hit him like a blow.Jack leaned over the table, his eyes blazing. “I don’t care how many committees or oversight groups you throw at me. If anyone comes near Benjamin—or Carter—I’ll burn this entire operation down.”Charles stood abruptly. “This meeting is over.”The board members began to file out, but Dr. Meyers lingered behind. She stepped closer to Jack, lowering her voice.“They’re pushing harder than I expected. Be careful, Jack. And whatever you do, don’t let Carter or Jackson make any sudden moves. The committee will act without warning if they feel threatened.”Jack’s jaw tightened. “What exactly are you suggesting?”Dr. Meyers hesitated. “Keep them close. Keep them safe. And for God’s sake, make sure they don’t try to leave this reality. If the committee even suspects that, they’ll come down with everything they have.”With that, she turned and walked out, leaving Jack alone in the cold, sterile room. His mind was a storm of fury and fear. The board had already been a problem, but now the oversight committee had made one thing clear: Benjamin, Carter, and Daniel were all in their crosshairs.Whatever happened next, Jack knew one thing—he couldn’t let them fall into the committee’s hands.And if they did… there would be hell to pay.The unspoken threat hung in the air, and Jack’s jaw tightened. He knew what they were implying—Sam and Daniel were seen as obstacles to the board’s goals if they didn’t deliver what they wanted. And with Benjamin in the mix, things were even more complicated for Sam. If this pressure continued, the SGC wouldn’t be a safe place for them much longer.Jack stood in the empty conference room, his fists still clenched at his sides. He took a slow, deliberate breath. The war had changed. And now, it was personal. Later that night, Sam and Daniel sat in their living room, the weight of the new SGC administration heavy on their minds.“I heard the board had another meeting with Jack today. It’s what? The second this week? They’re pushing him harder every time,” Sam said quietly, bouncing Benjamin on her knee. “They don’t care about the consequences. They want control of the technology. And if they get what they want...”Daniel nodded grimly. “The SGC is no longer safe for us. Not for you, not for Benjamin.”“We really need to leave,” Sam said, her voice steady but tense. “Find another reality. One where Benjamin will be safe.”Daniel looked at her, worry etched on his face. “How do we even begin to plan something like that? The quantum mirror is... unpredictable.”Sam’s resolve hardened. “We’ll figure it out. We have to.” Sam was bent over her workbench in her lab, absorbed in the intricate details of the alien tech she was studying. Her fingers moved deftly over the small, highly sophisticated device, the hum of the SGC barely registering in the back of her mind. Focused work usually kept her centered, but her thoughts were scattered today. The nagging worry of their plan to leave this reality weighed heavily on her.She was adjusting a delicate piece when the door to her lab burst open with a sudden force that nearly made her drop the device. Jack stormed in, his face hard and unreadable, but his eyes—those were filled with something darker, something far more intense than she had ever seen before.Sam stilled, her fingers hovering over the alien device she’d been working on. Before she could react, Jack swiftly moved to the corner of the room, altering the angles of the surveillance cameras. He didn’t say a word, just shifted them in a way that made Sam’s stomach churn. He was shutting out any watchful eyes, isolating them.When he turned back to her, his expression was furious. His usually calm brown eyes had darkened to almost black, and a storm was gathering behind them. Sam’s pulse quickened, and her grip tightened on the alien tech as she stood rooted.“Do you have any intention of leaving this reality?” Jack’s voice was even—too even. Controlled in a way that set every nerve in her body on edge.Sam’s pulse hammered. “What?”Jack tilted his head slightly, watching her. Waiting.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said carefully. Too carefully.Jack exhaled through his nose. “Right.” A pause. Then—sharp, cutting—“Because if you are, Carter, it’s the dumbest thing you could possibly do.”His words stung, and for a moment, all Sam could do was stare back at him. Jack’s eyes bore into hers, and there was something beneath the anger—fear, maybe. But it was buried so deep, masked by the fury radiating off him, that she wasn’t sure if it was her imagination.“Please bear that in mind if that thought ever crosses your mind again,” Jack added, his voice like steel. “The quantum mirror equals a stupid, deadly decision.”Sam’s eyes remained locked on his, her voice caught in her throat.Jack took a deliberate step toward her, his voice dropping lower. “If I were you, I’d start watching who you trust, Carter.”And then, just as suddenly as he came, he was gone, leaving Sam with nothing but the cold weight of those words.Sam stood there, frozen, her breath caught in her throat. It wasn’t until she heard the distant footsteps of Jack leaving down the hallway that she realized she had been holding her breath. She let out a shaky exhale, her hands trembling as she leaned against the workbench for support.How the hell did he find out? She thought, her mind racing.They had been careful, so careful, discussing their plans only in the safety of their home. But Jack’s outburst and certainty shook her to her core. The implications were terrifying. Were they under surveillance? Had someone tapped their home? Was the SGC listening to their every word?Her heart pounded as she scanned her lab, half-expecting to find hidden microphones or cameras she hadn’t noticed before. Paranoia crept in, gnawing at her.She needed to talk to Daniel.Now.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sam slipped into Daniel’s lab quietly, her heart still pounding from the encounter with Jack. The sound of quiet rustling filled the space as Daniel looked over some ancient texts, unaware of the storm brewing in Sam’s mind. She moved cautiously, glancing at the surveillance cameras positioned around the room.Casually, she approached his desk, her back to the cameras, picking up a pencil as if she were going to scribble a note. With her body blocking the view, she quickly wrote on a blank page, her hand moving swiftly.
Jack knows we’re planning to leave. We’re being watched.
Daniel’s eyebrows shot up as he read the words. His expression shifted immediately from curiosity to alarm. He quickly looked around, then back at Sam, who grabbed a lighter from her pocket. She set the page on fire, watching the paper curl into ash, the flames licking it away until nothing was left.“Are you sure?” Daniel asked in a low voice, his tone tense, his eyes wide with concern.Sam nodded, her face pale.“I just had a very... interesting conversation with Jack. He came in, changed the camera angles, and accused me of trying to leave this reality. He was... furious.”Daniel swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the cameras once more.“How the hell does he know? We’ve been careful, Sam.”“I don’t know,” Sam whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “But he seemed determined to stop us. He warned me about the quantum mirror—like he knows we’re considering using it.”Daniel sat back, his fingers running through his hair in frustration.“Do you think we’re under surveillance? I mean... how else would they know?”Sam clenched her fists, her mind already working through the possibilities. Jack had mentioned they would be under some watch when they arrived at the SGC, but she had assumed it would be surface-level, maybe someone parked outside their house, observing from a distance. Not this. Not someone listening to every word they said in private.“I think we’ve been naive,” Sam muttered, her voice filled with frustration. “I thought we were being careful, but clearly not careful enough. They must have something on us—bugs in the house, in the car, I don’t know. But they’re listening.”Daniel shook his head, the tension evident in his expression.“How are we supposed to know who’s behind it?”“I’ll figure that out,” Sam replied, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hands. “There has to be a way to track the surveillance. I just need time.”Daniel sighed and looked at the clock.“I can pick up Benji today if you’re staying late.”Sam gave him a grateful nod, handing him her car keys.“Thanks, Daniel. I don’t want to take any chances. I need to stay and work through this. I’ll see what I can find.”Daniel stood up and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.“We’ll get through this, Sam. Just be careful.”“I will,” she replied, her voice steady but her mind racing. She watched Daniel leave, her heart sinking deeper with every step. Once the door closed, she returned to her lab with determination.Homework, she thought grimly—a lot of homework to do.The trust she once had in the system was eroding, and she was about to pull at every thread until she found out just how deep the betrayal went.Sam worked late into the night, and the quiet hum of the SGC facility surrounded her. Her fingers moved quickly over the delicate components spread across her workbench, a mix of Earth and alien technology at her disposal. It had taken hours of focused effort, but the device she was crafting was finally taking shape—a small, handheld detector that could pick up any surveillance bugs. If they were genuinely being watched, she needed to know now. And luck was on her side—she had access to the most advanced technology across the galaxy.When the final piece clicked into place, Sam blinked several times, rubbing her eyes, which were more tired than she’d realized. The lab was dimly lit, the clock on the wall ticking away the late hours. She stood up, stretching her sore neck, before picking up the small device and slipping it into the pocket of her lab coat.Time to see if this thing works, she thought.Switching the device on, Sam began to walk around the lab slowly. If there were a bug hidden somewhere, the device would vibrate. She walked along the workbench, past the computer, and near the doorway. Nothing. But as she approached the bookshelf filled with old manuals and research books, she felt the subtle vibration in her pocket.“Fuck,” she muttered under her breath.Her heart raced as she stood still momentarily, eyes scanning the shelves. The vibration persisted, confirming that at least one bug was hidden in her lab. She cursed herself for not realizing it sooner. She’d been naive—of course, they’d be under surveillance. But to have a bug planted here, in her lab, where she thought she could work in peace?Sam swallowed hard, forcing her emotions down. This wasn’t the time to break. She needed to stay sharp. She completed a sweep of the lab, but the device didn’t go off again. At least there was only one.With that unsettling discovery in mind, she began shutting down her equipment, ready to go home and regroup.Jack’s arrival was silent. No footsteps. No warning.Sam looked up, pulse spiking. Jack stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his face unreadable—except for his eyes. Cold. Calculating.“What are you doing here, Carter?” His voice was sharp and quiet. The kind that wasn’t meant to be ignored.Sam swallowed. Don’t react. “Working.”Jack stepped forward. Not closer, but deliberate. Watching. Reading her.“Late hours,” he noted. “Strange habit for someone with nothing to hide.”Her fingers curled inside her pockets, brushing against the device still warm from use.The air between them stretched, thick with something unspoken.Then—Jack stepped aside, gesturing toward the door.“After you.”Sam’s stomach twisted, but she kept her expression neutral as she walked past him.He followed.She could feel his gaze on her back as she walked down the hallway. But Jack wasn’t finished. He started walking next to her, his strides matching hers as they headed toward the elevators. The silence between them was thick, heavy with tension neither wanted to address.“How are you getting home?” Jack asked, breaking the silence as they neared the elevators. “Daniel’s taken your car, hasn’t he?”Sam bit her lip, annoyed at the persistence in his tone.“I’ll manage,” she said, pressing the button for the elevator. She didn’t want to give him more reason to engage her in conversation. The last thing she needed was more of Jack’s prying questions.Jack crossed his arms, leaning casually against the wall as they waited for the elevator. His casual stance contrasted with the tension in his voice.“You know taxis aren’t allowed to enter here, Carter,” he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, though his tone was more of a taunt.Sam clenched her jaw, refusing to engage. She stared straight ahead, ignoring him as the elevator doors slid open. They both stepped inside, the small space amplifying the tension between them. The ride up to the surface was silent, the air thick with unspoken words.When the doors finally opened at the surface level, Jack had had enough of the silence. As they walked outside into the cool night air, he spoke again.“Come on, I’ll give you a ride,” he offered, though the words didn’t feel like a suggestion. It was more of a command wrapped in false politeness.“No, thank you,” Sam snapped, her tone sharper than she intended. She started walking toward the first check-out point, determined to handle this independently. She’d rather walk home than accept a ride from him right now.Jack raised an eyebrow, watching her for a second before shrugging.“Excuse me?” he called after her, his keychain jingling as he twirled it.Sam kept walking, ignoring him, her footsteps brisk as she approached the gate. She wasn’t in the mood for his games. The situation was already unbearable—the last thing she needed was Jack imposing himself into her evening.Jack got into his truck and drove past her, unable to give up easily. He cut in front of her, his tires grinding against the pavement.Sam stopped short.He rolled the window down slowly, fingers drumming on the steering wheel.“Get in.”Sam’s jaw clenched. “No.”Jack exhaled sharply, shaking his head. Then—he threw the truck into park, got out, and stalked toward her.Sam stepped back, but Jack was already there, voice low, lethal. “Get in the damn truck.”Something in his tone sent a chill down her spine.Sam hesitated—just for a second.Then, without a word, she yanked open the door and climbed in.Jack shut it behind her. Hard.He hit the gas, and the tires screeched against the asphalt as he pulled away from the gate. The tension in the truck was suffocating. Sam sat stiffly in her seat, staring out the window, her anger bubbling beneath the surface. Jack didn’t say a word, and neither did she.The silence between them felt like it could shatter at any moment, but neither dared to break it. They both knew how fragile the situation was, how one wrong word could send them spiraling into an argument that neither of them wanted to have.When Jack finally pulled up in front of Sam’s house, she didn’t wait for the truck to come to a complete stop before unbuckling her seatbelt. She opened the door and got out, slamming it behind her with so much force that the entire truck shook.Jack cursed under his breath, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he watched her storm toward the house. His frustration was palpable, but he didn’t chase after her. Instead, he slammed his fist against the dashboard, muttering, “Fucking... asshole,” before speeding away into the night.Inside, Sam’s fury hadn’t diminished. She uttered a sharp, frustrated yell as soon as she crossed the house's threshold.“Fucking... asshole!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the small living room.Standing near the door with Benjamin in his arms, Daniel was startled at her sudden outburst. He quickly stepped aside, concern etched on his face.“Sam... are you okay? What happened?”Sam shook her head, pacing furiously around the room. Her hands were still trembling from the adrenaline of the argument and the tension suffocating her all evening.“Jack happened,” she spat, her voice filled with raw anger. “He’s impossible, Daniel. Impossible.”Daniel frowned, bouncing Benjamin gently in his arms to calm him.“What did he do now?”Sam stopped pacing, her eyes blazing as she looked at Daniel.“He’s playing these games, and now... ordering me around like I’m still part of his damn command. I’m done with it.”Daniel observed her, knowing this was more than just a ride home.“What do you think he’s trying to do, Sam?”She paused, her chest heaving from the intensity of her emotions.“I think he’s trying to control me. To control everything. And I won’t let him.”Without another word, he gently handed Benjamin over to her, his voice dropping to a whisper as he leaned in.“Sam,” he murmured, “let’s keep in mind we might be bugged.”Sam’s eyes widened in alarm before she quickly composed herself. She adjusted Benjamin in her arms, holding him close to her chest as her mind went into overdrive. The device she had built was still in her pocket. She had used it in the lab but hadn’t checked the house yet.With Benjamin safely nestled against her, she moved casually toward the living room.“So today was a hectic day at work…full of discoveries, Daniel,” she shouted, her tone light and professional as if nothing was wrong.Daniel blinked, his expression momentarily confused, but then he caught the look in her eyes. Sam gave him a sharp glance, urging him to follow her lead. Understanding dawned quickly, and he nodded, his voice taking on the same casual tone.“Sounds incredible, Sam,” he said, playing his part. He watched her closely as she subtly moved around the house, her hand in her pocket, fingers on the device.Inside her pocket, the tiny device hummed.The living room—bugged.She kept walking, pressing Benjamin a little closer to her chest.The hallway—bugged.Her stomach knotted.The kitchen—bugged.Their bedrooms—bugged.Her pulse spiked, but she kept her tone smooth, her words flowing like an idle conversation.Then, she stepped into the bathroom.The device vibrated.Her fingers clenched around it.The bathroom was bugged.Sam’s throat tightened. There was no safe space. No privacy. Not even here.She turned back toward Daniel, keeping her expression neutral, but the sharpness in her eyes told him everything.“All over?” he asked under his breath.She gave a slight, barely perceptible nod.Daniel let out a slow, quiet exhale. “Jesus.”Sam forced a smile, adjusting Benjamin in her arms as she finally settled on the couch, holding him close while her mind spun.Bugs. Everywhere.They had been listening. Watching.How long? Since they arrived? Before?She forced herself to take slow, measured breaths. Losing her head wouldn’t help. She needed to think.Daniel, still standing a few feet away, dragged a hand through his hair, the weight of the discovery settling over him like a lead blanket.“So they bugged the entire house,” he whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. “What do we do?”Sam glanced down at Benjamin, her grip instinctively tightening. Every protective instinct inside her screamed to run, to get out of here before it was too late.But she couldn’t.Running meant proving them right. It meant playing into their hands, making them think she was a threat. No. She needed to be smarter.And then, suddenly—she had an idea.Her heart was still pounding, her mind still buzzing, but a slow, mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.Daniel saw it immediately. His stomach dropped.“No,” he said immediately, stepping back as if she had suggested murder. “Absolutely not. No way.”Sam grinned. “You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”“I know that look, Sam,” Daniel pointed accusingly. “That look means I’m about to ruin your life, Daniel, but it’ll be hilarious for me.”Sam shrugged innocently. “Okay, fine. Forget it. I’ll just handle it myself.”Daniel’s suspicion intensified. “Handle what?”She leaned in close, lowering her voice. “We know Jack’s listening. Let’s give him an Oscar-worthy performance.”Silence.Daniel blinked. Then again.“Oh, hell no,” he whispered, stepping back like she was a Goa’uld. “Sam. No.”Sam’s grin widened. “Come on, Daniel.”Daniel ran a hand through his hair, already panicking. “I—what—you—I can’t do that! Are you insane?!”“A little,” she admitted, “but that’s beside the point. He’s already mad with me.”Daniel hissed. “He’s mad with you, but I, however, am just a humble archaeologist who would prefer not to be murdered by a very pissed-off Air Force general.”Sam tilted her head, considering. “Murder might be extreme.”Daniel stared at her. “Sam. He will kill me. Maybe not physically, but do you know how petty he can be? He’ll find ways. Creative, psychological ways.”Sam feigned deep thought. “Hmm. You do raise a good point. Maybe I should ask that cute assistant of his instead.”Daniel whirled. “Assistant?! That’s—NO. Absolutely not. That’s worse! His assistant is—he’s—I—NO.”Sam bit her lip, pretending to reconsider. “You know, he would probably commit to the bit. Real method actor. I’ve talked to him about some movies and stuff.”Daniel groaned, dragging his hands over his face. “Oh my god, stop.”Sam tapped her chin. “I bet Janet would be up for it.”Daniel froze. His expression turned into pure betrayal. “Low blow, Sam. Low. Blow.”Sam smirked. “So, you’re saying you’d rather fake-flirt with me than Janet?”Daniel opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again. “I—I—”Sam bit her lip to keep from laughing. “All the more reason to make it worth it then.”Daniel groaned. “Why am I friends with you?”Sam grinned. “Because deep down, you love chaos.”“No,” Daniel muttered, shaking his head. “I tolerate your chaos. And I regret every second of it.”But as Sam started spinning her elaborate fake-flirting scenario, Daniel caught something in her eyes—beneath the amusement and mischief.She was scared.Scared of the surveillance. Afraid of what Jack was capable of. Terrified of losing control over her own life.Daniel sighed. He wasn’t just going along with this because she wanted to. He was doing it because she needed to.“Fine,” he muttered. “Let’s get this over with before I come to my senses.”Sam’s eyes sparkled with triumph. “That’s the spirit.”Daniel exhaled sharply. “No. The spirit is currently leaving my body as we speak.”Sam patted his shoulder. “Great talk, Daniel. We start now.”Daniel inhaled sharply, regretting every decision in his life.“This is not happening. This is not happening.”“Oh, it’s happening,” Sam said, already adjusting her stance. She flicked her hair dramatically, placing a hand on her hip.
“So, tell me, Doctor Jackson, is that a papyrus in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Daniel gagged so hard he nearly choked on air. His hands flew up in horror as if trying to physically push away Sam’s words."Sam," he wheezed, blinking like he’d just been pepper-sprayed. "Why?"Sam smirked. "Oh, come on. That was gold."Daniel wiped his hands down his face. "That was a war crime.""I thought it was convincing," she said innocently, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.Daniel glared. "Nobody thinks that. Jack doesn’t think that. Hell, I don’t even think Benjamin thinks that, and he doesn’t know what words mean yet!"The baby gurgled happily, utterly oblivious to the absolute disaster unfolding.Sam leaned in closer, lowering her voice dramatically.“All right, Daniel. Focus. We need to sell this. Get into character.”"Into character?" Daniel’s voice cracked. "Sam, I am an archeologist, not a romantic lead!""Then start digging deep," she shot back, winking.Daniel physically recoiled. "I hate you."Sam ignored him. She threw her shoulders back, taking a slow, deliberate step forward. Theatrics cranked to eleven."You know, Daniel, I've always wondered..."Daniel immediately held up a hand. "No. No, absolutely not. I will throw myself out that window.""Do you ever think about us?" she continued, voice soft, filled with fake longing."Nope," Daniel said, turning away so fast he almost dislocated something."Late at night... alone in the lab..." Sam’s voice dipped into sultry territory.Daniel whipped back around, panic written across his face."SAM."
"Wondering what would happen... if we just... gave in?"
"SAMANTHA CARTER!" Daniel whisper-shouted, gesturing wildly at Benjamin. "There is a child present!"Benjamin blew a spit bubble.Sam barely contained her laughter. "Relax, Daniel. I’m improvising.""STOP IMPROVISING," he hissed, checking the ceiling like the room might explode at any moment. Jack sat stiffly in the dark surveillance room, the air thick with tension. The faint hum of the speakers filled the space, carrying Sam’s voice like a whispered curse.
“Late at night... alone in the lab…”
Jack’s fingers curled into fists.
“The way your fingers brush mine when we reach for the same artifact—”
Jack yanked the earpiece out like it had burned him.No. Nope. Absolutely the hell not.He reached for the keyboard, then stopped. His pulse pounded in his ears.They’re messing with you.He knew it.And yet, he hit rewind.
“Then take me!”
Jack froze.The junior surveillance officer coughed, shifting uncomfortably. The poor kid looked like he wanted to throw himself out the nearest window.Jack’s jaw locked. He inhaled sharply and exhaled slower. He was fine. He was a professional.He pressed play again.
Daniel gagged.
Jack flung the earpiece across the room. Daniel was still recovering from an out-of-body experience when his phone buzzed violently on the coffee table.Sam snatched it before he could.She glanced at the caller ID.Then, with the smugness of someone about to cause problems on purpose, she turned the phone around to show Daniel.Jack O’Neill.Daniel made a noise that could only be described as a dying goose."No. Nope! I refuse. Not answering it!"Sam grinned. "We have to. It'll look suspicious if we don't.""SUSPICIOUS? Sam, we’re already suspicious!"Sam answered anyway. "General!" she greeted cheerfully.Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, mouthing a silent prayer."Carter," Jack’s voice was rough, like a man who had just seen things no man should ever see. "What. The hell. Is happening."Sam tilted her head innocently. "What do you mean, Sir?"Silence."You know exactly what I mean."Sam bit back a laugh. "Oh! Were you listening in? That’s a bit intrusive, General."Daniel grabbed a throw pillow and screamed into it."You—WHAT—Carter, I—” Jack stopped mid-sentence, probably trying to prevent an aneurysm.Daniel could actually hear the sound of Jack pinching the bridge of his nose over the phone."Tell me right now this is a joke," Jack gritted.Sam leaned back comfortably. "Daniel? Is this a joke?"Daniel silently pleaded with the universe for mercy. "Sam, I swear to god—"Sam turned back to the phone. "He’s speechless, Sir. And naked."Daniel threw the pillow across the room."Carter," Jack growled. "If you two don’t stop whatever the hell this is—"A baby’s giggle cut through the tension.Silence.Jack sighed so hard it could have powered a wind turbine."For the love of— I hate everything about this," he muttered. "Carter, Daniel, I swear, if I have to listen to one more second of this—"Sam grinned. "Then I guess we’re no longer under surveillance?"Silence."I’m hanging up," Jack muttered.The line went dead.Daniel immediately turned to Sam. "You are a menace to society."Sam patted his shoulder. "But admit it—that was fun."Daniel grabbed his phone and texted Janet.“If I die in the next 24 hours, it was Sam. Make it look like an accident”.“WHAT?” Janet texted back. The following morning, Jack O’Neill was not in a good mood.He sat at his desk in the SGC, arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes locked on the playback monitor. The dim glow of the screen reflected off his coffee cup—his third of the morning, and it wasn’t doing a damn thing to improve his patience.The audio played through his earpiece, tinny and compressed, but the voices were crystal clear.
“So, tell me, Doctor Jackson, is that a papyrus in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Jack closed his eyes. Inhaled. Exhaled. Paused the recording.A long, suffering silence stretched across his office.Then, with deliberate force, Jack pressed play again.
"Then take me!"
Jack yanked the earpiece out and tossed it onto the desk as it had personally offended him.This was his life now. Listening to whatever the hell that was while wearing a suit and pretending he didn’t want to put his fist through the nearest wall.He scrubbed a hand over his face, muttering a string of curses. This was not what he had signed up for. He had spent his career fighting actual wars, not... whatever this nightmare was.But the board had insisted.They were in charge now—calling the shots, monitoring the threats, deciding what was and wasn’t a risk. And since Carter and Jackson had stepped through that mirror into his reality, they had been classified as both an asset and a potential liability.Jack had argued against the surveillance. He didn’t need to listen to Carter and Daniel’s bedtime routine. He didn’t give a damn about their late-night debates on astrophysics, their quiet moments with Benjamin, or the way Carter sometimes sat up long after Daniel had gone to bed, whispering to her son about a world that no longer existed, how she missed her husband.At first, the tapes had been boring as hell.But then... things had shifted.Sam had started talking about leaving - about the quantum mirror.She was afraid. Afraid of him.Jack had listened to the recordings over and over, trying to make sense of them—of her. He had spent the last few weeks paying closer attention, monitoring every conversation about escape.So far, he had kept most of the tapes to himself, only feeding the board carefully selected pieces. He knew what would happen if they found out how serious Sam and Daniel were. They would be locked up. Benjamin would be taken.Jack didn’t want that.But Carter wasn’t making it easy.She wouldn’t listen. Wouldn’t see how dangerous this was. And now, after last night’s little stunt, Jack had no doubt she had figured out the bugs.She had probably whispered her ridiculous plan to Daniel, flashed that wicked little smirk, and convinced him to go along.Jack clenched his jaw and scrubbed a hand over his face, pushing back the wave of anger tightening his chest. He knew she didn’t trust him and saw him as an obstacle, maybe even a threat. But now? Now, she was trying to take Benjamin away from him.He wouldn’t let that happen.Jack stood abruptly, his decision made before he could stop himself. His feet carried him through the halls of the SGC with quiet determination, his expression unreadable.Minutes later, he reached the daycare.Jack stood by the crib, staring at Benjamin, lying curled in his crib, his tiny chest rising and falling steadily. Peaceful. Oblivious.His hand hovered just above him.This was wrong. He knew that.But so was everything they were planning. Leaving and running and taking Benjamin away from him.Jack exhaled, closing his eyes.
Don’t do this.
He opened them again.And did it anyway.He gently lifted Benjamin, cradling him against his chest. The baby let out a tiny sigh, curling into his warmth.Jack swallowed the guilt like a bitter pill.He turned to the daycare assistant, who blinked at him in surprise.“Hi,” Jack said, his voice calm. “I’m taking him with me. Pack his bag.”The assistant hesitated, but Jack’s expression left no room for argument. Nodding quickly, she rushed to gather Benjamin’s things.Jack rocked the baby slightly, his mind still tangled in frustration, in something darker, he didn’t want to name. He wasn’t kidnapping him. He wasn’t hurting him. He was just… taking him for a while.To clear his head. To figure out his next move.To remind Carter precisely who held the cards in this reality.He tried to keep his expression neutral, but his hands trembled, his heart pounding every second. The assistant returned with Benjamin’s bag, handing it to Jack with a polite smile. Jack slung the bag over his shoulder, gave her a brief nod, and walked out of the daycare without looking back.He didn't tell anyone where he was going.Not even Carter.As he carried Benjamin through the SGC halls, the echoes of the night before haunted him, driving his anger deeper. They were on borrowed time, and Jack wasn’t sure how long he could keep protecting them from the board.If Carter and Daniel thought they could slip away... they were about to learn how wrong they were. Jack felt the tension in his muscles ease slightly as he strapped Benjamin into the rear-facing car seat in his truck. The baby was still groggy from sleep, blinking his big blue eyes at the morning light, unaware of the turmoil swirling around him. Jack glanced down at him and smiled, a quiet calm settling over his rage from earlier.Today wasn’t about anger. It was about Benjamin. He deserved a day away from the chaos, the suffocating walls of the SGC, and the weight of his mother’s plans to leave. Jack climbed into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and without telling anyone—not even Carter—he drove away.Jack drove to a quiet spot just outside the city—a park he had discovered years ago. It was nestled by a small lake, shaded by towering trees, with open spaces where families came to picnic or toss a ball. It was a peaceful place where he could think, away from the noise and complications of his life at the SGC. Benjamin cooed softly in the back, watching the world through the window with wide eyes.The lake shimmered under the sun, a cool breeze drifting through the trees. Ducks glided lazily across the water, and somewhere nearby, a dog barked as kids laughed in the distance.It was peaceful. Simple. Everything his life wasn’t.Jack shifted slightly on the bench, adjusting the baby strapped to his chest.“See that, Benji?” he murmured, his voice calm and almost content. “No bureaucracy. No board breathing down my neck. No ridiculous surveillance pranks.” His lips twitched at the memory, but the annoyance was buried under his exhaustion.His phone buzzed.Jack glanced at it.Carter.Of course.He didn’t move. Just let it ring.A second later—RING.He sighed, rolling his eyes. She was persistent.RING.Jack silenced the call, tucking the phone into his pocket. Not today. He wasn’t in the mood for whatever argument she was gearing up for.“She’ll figure it out,” he muttered, adjusting Benjamin in the carrier. “She always does.”Benjamin made a soft gurgling noise, fingers curling against Jack’s shirt.Jack leaned back against the bench, tilting his head toward the sky. Let her stew for a while. Let her drive herself crazy. He had nothing to apologize for.He had every right to spend the day with his son.For a moment, Jack imagined a world with just him and Benjamin. No SGC, no board breathing down his neck, no Daniel or Carter making plans to leave. Just the two of them, living a quiet life. Sam pushed open the daycare door, but the usual hum of chatter and play was oddly absent. Her eyes darted to Benjamin’s crib—empty. Her stomach plummeted.Her lungs locked up.“Where’s my son?” she asked, but it came out too sharp, too frantic.The assistant barely had time to react before Sam grabbed the nearest clipboard off the desk, her hands trembling. She scanned the check-out log, her vision blurring.Jack O’Neill.“General O’Neill picked him up this morning,” the assistant said as if that was supposed to be normal.Sam staggered back.Jack took him.Without telling her.Without permission.Her body snapped into motion before her brain caught up. She spun on her heel, sprinting for the exit, yanking her phone from her pocket.Ring.Ring.Voicemail.Her heart raced as a million worst-case scenarios flashed through her mind.As soon as she reached Daniel’s lab, she burst through the door, her face pale and frantic. Daniel looked up, immediately sensing something was wrong.“Sam? What happened?”“Jack took Benjamin,” she said, her voice shaky. “I can’t reach him, and he didn’t tell me anything. He’s just... gone.”Daniel sighed, rubbing his temples.“I told you last night was a bad idea.”Sam’s face went white, her knees almost buckling at the thought.“You think... he’s mad?” Her voice cracked, the weight of their charade from the night before suddenly suffocating her. If Jack really thought she and Daniel were together, if he was angry because of it...Daniel gave her a sympathetic look.“It would explain why he’s avoiding your calls. He’s probably angry, Sam. Really angry. I told you not to play with fire.”Sam clenched her fists, her desperation mounting.“We need to find him. Now.”They rushed to leave the lab, heading straight for the parking lot where Sam’s car was. Sam threw herself into the driver’s seat, her hands shaking as she gripped the steering wheel. Daniel sat beside her, worry etched into every line of his face.“He could be anywhere, Sam,” Daniel said softly, though he knew that wasn’t what she wanted to hear.“I know,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “But we have to find him.”They spent the next hour driving through familiar streets, checking the places her Jack often went when he needed to be alone—the park, the nearby coffee shop, even his old fishing spots. But each place came up empty. With every minute that passed, Sam’s heart pounded harder, the panic building until it felt like she could barely breathe.“I can’t find him, Daniel. What if... what if something’s wrong?” Sam’s voice wavered as she stared out the window, scanning every street, every passing car.Daniel reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.“We’ll find him. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt Benjamin.”But Sam wasn’t so sure. Jack’s fury was like a storm, unpredictable and dangerous. She thought of his cold, dark eyes the night before in her lab and how he had warned her about the quantum mirror. Now, the thought of him having their child—her child—without her knowing where they were was unbearable.After a lifetime of searching, they returned to Jack’s house. His truck wasn’t in the driveway, but Sam couldn’t take another moment of helplessly driving around. She pulled up to the curb and turned off the engine, her hands trembling as she rested them on her lap.“We’ll wait,” Sam said quietly, her voice barely audible. “He has to come home eventually.”Daniel nodded, though the tension between them was palpable. They sat silently, the weight of the situation pressing down on them both. Hours passed, and still, there was no sign of Jack or Benjamin. Sam’s mind raced with thoughts of where they could be, what Jack was doing, and if Benjamin was okay. The longer they waited, the more her fear twisted into something darker.Finally, after an eternity, they saw headlights approaching the driveway. The drive home was quiet, the truck’s tires humming against the pavement. Jack glanced at Benjamin in the rearview mirror, watching the baby dozed peacefully. No tension, no screaming, just calm.He liked it better this way.But the second he turned onto his street, the calm shattered.Sam’s car was parked at the curb.Jack’s grip on the wheel tightened. She was waiting.Sure enough, the car door slammed open when he pulled into the driveway. Sam was out before the truck even stopped, her posture rigid with fury.Daniel followed, slower, more cautious.Jack put the truck in park and sighed, briefly letting his head fall back against the seat. He really wasn’t in the mood for this.The driver’s side door flung open.“WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?” Sam’s voice was a sharp, furious demand.He held Benjamin in his arms, the baby sound asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos his disappearance had caused.Benjamin was safe—thank God—but that wasn’t the point.Jack had taken him. Without telling her. Without permission.“You took him,” she gasped, her voice raw with fury. “Without telling me. Without answering my calls.”Jack adjusted Benjamin slightly, his expression unreadable. Too calm. Too controlled.“We went for a walk,” he said, voice infuriatingly even. “Spent the day by the lake.”Sam’s fists clenched. “You—you can’t just take my son—”“He’s not just your son,” Jack interrupted his voice like ice. His dark eyes locked onto hers, sharp, unyielding. “You don’t get to make all the decisions, Carter. Remember the paper you signed.”Sam’s stomach dropped.That wasn’t just a reminder. That was a warning.Sam took a step back, her breath hitching.“What is this about? Is this because of last night?”Jack’s jaw tightened.“I don’t know what the hell that was last night, and I don’t care. What I care about is making sure Benjamin is safe. And if you’re planning to run, to take him away from here, I won’t let that happen.”Sam felt her heart drop, a chill running down her spine.“You... you think I’m trying to take him from you?”Jack’s eyes softened briefly, but then his face hardened again.“I don’t know what to think anymore, Carter. But I’ve joint custody, and you shouldn't forget that.”Daniel, who had been standing by silently, finally spoke up.“Jack, we’re not trying to run. We’re trying to figure out what’s best for Benjamin. But this—what you did today—that wasn’t right.”Jack turned his gaze toward Daniel, his expression unreadable.“You have no idea what’s going on here, Daniel.”Sam stepped forward, her voice trembling.“Please, Jack. Don’t do this.”Jack looked at her for a long moment, the anger in his eyes slowly giving way to something more painful. He didn’t respond; he nodded stiffly before heading into the house with Benjamin. He left Sam and Daniel in the driveway, the tension between them thick and unresolved.Sam stood in front of Jack’s house, her mind racing, her heart still pounding from the confrontation in the driveway. Daniel had parked the car, observing her from the driver’s seat. She didn’t need to say anything; he already knew what was coming.“I’ll stay here,” Daniel said softly, his tone filled with concern. “But if things get out of hand—”“They won’t,” Sam interrupted, though her voice wavered. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore. “Just... stay here, Daniel.”Daniel nodded reluctantly, his fingers gripping the steering wheel as Sam turned and headed toward Jack’s front door. She pushed it open without knocking, stepping inside to find Jack already in the living room, calmly changing Benjamin on the couch. The sight of Jack doing this everyday task like nothing was wrong only fueled the fire inside her.She closed the front door behind her, her movements sharp, her words laced with anger.“Okay, so you’re mad at me and decided to take revenge by using Benjamin. I get it, Jack,” she said, her voice tight. “Are we going to have to fight again?”Jack looked up at her, his expression cool and detached. Benjamin nestled comfortably on his lap as he finished fastening the baby’s onesie.“That would be pretty irresponsible of you, wouldn’t it? And it would give me grounds to seek sole custody of him.”Sam felt the air leave her lungs, the weight of that threat crashing down on her. Her hands trembled, but she kept her voice steady.“Okay, so what do you want?” she asked, her voice lower now, forced into control.Jack rose from the couch, Benjamin resting against his chest, the baby’s tiny fingers curling around Jack’s collar. He walked to the middle of the room, not rushing, as if he had all the time in the world. His eyes locked with Sam’s, filled with a kind of cold resolve she wasn’t used to seeing in him.“I want the truth, Carter,” Jack said, his voice low and unwavering. “For once, I want you to give me the truth. And then we’ll see where things go.”Sam swallowed hard, her pulse racing. She could feel the distance between them—the widening chasm of distrust. Her mind was screaming at her to run, but she couldn’t. Not with Benjamin involved. She stood her ground, keeping a safe distance from Jack, her eyes flicking from him to her son.“I’ll do anything to protect my son,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.Jack’s lips tightened into a thin line.“I already know that, Carter. But you’re not in a position to dictate the rules here. You better start realizing that, or things will get harder for you. For all of you.”The threat hung in the air like a dark cloud, and Sam bit her lip, her mind racing with a mix of fury and fear. She had known Jack could be ruthless, but this... this was something else. She was trapped, cornered. Her heart ached at the sight of him holding Benjamin, the baby’s peaceful innocence starkly contrasting the tension between them.“So we’ve moved to threats now,” Sam said bitterly. “What do you want, Jack?” she asked again.Jack sat down again, cradling Benjamin close, his fingers absently brushing the baby’s soft hair. He was playing with Benjamin, but his eyes never left Sam. The calmness in his voice was unnerving.“I want you to stop that stupid idea of going through the quantum mirror. I want you to stay here and start producing the results I need to show the board—results that justify your presence in this reality.”Sam ran a hand through her hair, pacing slightly, her mind racing.“That’s it?” she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. “That’s all you want?”“For now,” Jack replied, his eyes still cold, still calculating. “But make no mistake—if you try to run and take Benjamin away from me, I will stop you. You’re not the one dealing the cards here, Carter. I am.”Sam’s breath caught in her throat. She knew things were tense between them, but hearing Jack speak so bluntly, so coldly, about taking Benjamin made her blood run cold. She had been preparing for a fight, but she wasn’t ready for this.“And what about the bugs in my house?” she asked, her voice steady but icy. “You going to keep spying on me? Listening to everything I say, everything I do?”Jack’s gaze didn’t waver. He kissed Benjamin on the head, his calm demeanor making the situation even more unsettling.“It wasn’t my idea,” he said quietly. “But I can’t do anything about it. So yeah—you’d better watch what you say and do in your house. Someone’s always listening.”Sam blushed, her face burning with embarrassment. She knew exactly what he was talking about.“Yeah, because you’re listening to everything, right?” she said bitterly, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and shame.Jack shrugged, not denying it.“That’s the way it is.”Her chest tightened, her anger bubbling up again.“Can I have my baby back?” she asked, her voice taut, holding back the fury that was threatening to explode.Jack hesitated momentarily before extending his arms and carefully handing Benjamin to her. Sam took him immediately, cradling him close to her chest, her heart pounding in her ears. She could feel Benjamin’s warmth against her, his tiny body comforting her amid the storm swirling around her.“You’re playing a dangerous game, Jack,” she warned, her voice low, barely controlled.Jack’s eyes darkened, his expression hardening once again.“So are you. And remember—this isn’t your reality. You don’t deal the cards here, Carter. I do.”Sam’s breath hitched, her mind reeling from the confrontation. She held Benjamin closer, her heart aching with the weight of Jack’s words, the gravity of the situation sinking in.Without another word, she turned and left the house, the door slamming shut behind her. The echo reverberated in Jack’s chest, but he didn’t move. He stood in the middle of the living room, his fists clenched at his sides, his eyes closing as he let out a long, ragged breath.Things were going to get nasty. He could feel it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The following day, Daniel knocked on the door of Jack's office, looking more nervous than usual as he stepped inside. Jack glanced up from the paperwork on his desk, one eyebrow raised in anticipation of whatever excuse Daniel was about to deliver."Morning, Jack," Daniel started, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Uh, I just came by to tell you that Sam... won't be in today. She's, uh, sick."Jack leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing with skepticism."Sick?" he repeated, clearly not buying it. "What’s wrong with her?”Daniel hesitated, clearly unprepared for the follow-up.“She’s... got a stomach bug. Yeah, something she ate, probably. It’s... been pretty bad, so she’s staying home with Benjamin.”Jack raised an eyebrow, his expression flat as he stared at Daniel. The fabricated lie was practically written all over Daniel’s face. Carter wasn’t sick. Jack knew she was avoiding him after what had happened the previous day, after his little vanishing act with Benjamin.“Fine,” Jack said with a sigh, rubbing his temples. “But if she’s not better soon, I must send Doctor Fraiser to check on her. Wouldn’t want anything serious going untreated.”Daniel gave a tight-lipped smile, knowing full well that the threat of Janet Fraiser showing up at their house would make this situation very uncomfortable.“Of course,” he said, nodding quickly. “But I’m sure she’ll be fine in no time.”Daniel turned and left the office without another word, visibly relieved to escape Jack’s scrutinizing gaze. Jack leaned back in his chair again, watching the door shut behind him. The day hadn’t even started, and he already felt the weight of frustration building.So she’s playing sick now, Jack thought, tapping his fingers on the desk. He wasn’t surprised. After what had happened yesterday—taking Benjamin without a word—he had expected a reaction from Carter. But this? This was her way of dodging him. Playing sick was almost laughable, but he’d let it go.For now.Jack sighed again, running a hand through his hair. Carter could pull this stunt for a day, two tops, but if she stretched it much longer, he’d have no choice but to make things official. And she knew that as well as he did. The board wasn’t exactly patient, and he didn’t have the luxury of indulging her. If Carter pushed this too far, Janet would be in the loop, and things would escalate.Fast. Meanwhile, across the base, Janet remained seated in her infirmary office, staring at the report before her. The numbers blurred together, but the weight of them crushed her.Benjamin O’Neill. Subject B.She hadn’t stopped thinking about Benjamin—and the coming fallout. Her fingers clenched around the useless pen in her hand. She had read through the reports before, clinical summaries of the child’s health and genetic anomalies, but today was different. Today, she knew what they meant.Jack had mentioned Sam was “sick.”She wasn’t sick. She was hiding.Janet swallowed hard and reached for her phone, composing a text that wouldn’t raise suspicion:
"Sam, keep a close eye on your temperature tonight. See if Benjamin shows any signs of sickness. Let me know if anything changes."
It wasn’t enough.But it was all she could do. Later in the day, when he checked the surveillance feed from Carter and Daniel’s house, Jack wasn’t surprised to find the usual audio replaced by classical music—an old tactic. Clearly, Carter had linked her stereo to the bugs, masking any real conversation with endless streams of Beethoven and Chopin. Smart, he thought with a hint of a smirk. But it meant there was nothing but music now.At least she’s not pretending to have another ‘sex night’ with Daniel, Jack mused bitterly. The thought of that particular performance still made his stomach churn. He hadn’t been able to shake the sounds of it from his mind, no matter how hard he tried.The day dragged on, and Jack’s patience thinned further when he received another email from the board demanding updates on recent advancements from Colonel Carter or Dr. Jackson. It was the same every week: the board wanted progress, results, and something to show for their allocated resources to the SGC. And once again, Jack had nothing to report.But with Carter playing sick and Daniel not precisely churning out groundbreaking discoveries apart from some translations, Jack feared things would only spiral from here. If the board got wind of this little delay, there’d be consequences—ones Jack wasn’t sure he could shield them from.By the end of the day, Jack had had enough. He wasn’t going to let this continue unchecked. He needed to see Carter face-to-face and clarify that the game she was playing had to end. He couldn’t afford her to keep disappearing, not with the pressure mounting.After clocking out, he drove straight to their rented house. When he pulled into the driveway, the house seemed quiet from the outside, but he could hear the distant sound of a baby crying through the open window as he approached the front door.Daniel barely had the door open before Jack pushed past him into the house."Where is she?""Jack—""Don’t," Jack snapped, his tone razor-sharp. He wasn’t in the mood for Daniel’s mediator routine. "Is she sick, or is she hiding?"Daniel shut the door behind them, stepping between Jack and the hallway."You can’t just barge in here like—"Jack’s eyes flicked toward the sound of Benjamin crying, then back to Daniel. "She can’t ignore me forever. We both know that.""She’s not ignoring you—"Jack raised an eyebrow. "The stomach bug excuse? Come on, Daniel."Daniel sighed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Jack, it’s complicated—""It’s simple," Jack snapped, stepping closer. "She’s avoiding me. And the board isn’t going to wait while she processes her feelings."Daniel crossed his arms. "And what do you expect her to do, Jack? Pretend everything’s fine? Go back to working under them like none of this is happening?""I expect her to be smart," Jack snapped. "Because if she keeps acting like she has a choice in this, she will lose everything."Daniel didn’t respond. Jack could see the doubt creeping in—the hesitation, the understanding.Jack pressed harder. "How long before they stop pretending we have control? Before they decide Benjamin belongs to them?"That hit its mark. Daniel flinched.But Jack wasn’t done. He leaned in, lowering his voice to a dangerous edge. "You think I’m the problem? That I’m the bad guy here? Wait until the oversight committee gets involved."Silence.The tension in Daniel’s stance wavered. He shifted, glancing toward the hallway—toward where Sam was. His shoulders slumped slightly, like he was finally acknowledging the inevitable."I’ll talk to her," Daniel muttered."Do more than talk," Jack warned. "We’re running out of time."Then he was gone.Daniel stood there for a long moment, heart pounding. The room felt heavier now as if Jack had left something darker than words behind.A warning.The board wouldn’t wait much longer—the oversight committee probably even less.He turned toward the hallway. Sam needed to know. Sam sat at the kitchen table, trying to focus on the baby monitor, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Benjamin’s fever had dropped slightly, but her stomach was still twisted with unease.She barely looked up when Daniel walked in."You okay?" he asked, though he already knew the answer."Not even close," she muttered.Daniel sighed, running a hand over his face. "Jack was just here."That got her attention.Sam’s head snapped up. "What did he say?"Daniel hesitated. She wasn’t going to like this. "He’s pushing harder. He said the board’s running out of patience."Sam’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug. "And?"Daniel exhaled. "And if you keep dodging them, they’ll escalate."Sam stilled."They’ll stop pretending we have a choice," Daniel added, voice lower now. "Jack made it clear. The oversight committee is watching."Sam’s chest tightened—oversight committee. The words hung in the air like a noose tightening around her neck.She had faced bureaucratic threats before, but this was different. This wasn’t just red tape or power plays. This was calculated. Cold. Designed to strip her of control.She wasn’t just hiding from Jack anymore.She was prey, caught in the crosshairs of something far more insidious.She stood abruptly, pushing away from the table.Daniel frowned. "Sam—?"But she was already moving."Go check on Benji," she said, disappearing into the back room.Daniel sighed. He had seen that look before.She was going to do something reckless. The room was dark except for the glow of her laptop screen. The soft hum of the cooling fan filled the silence as Sam launched the program—an old backdoor script she had written long before she set foot in this reality.Tonight, she wasn’t a soldier. She was a hacker. A scientist. A mother looking for the truth.Jack’s words were still ringing in her ears.
"They’ll escalate. The oversight committee is watching."
She couldn’t wait anymore.She had to know who was coming for them.Her fingers flew over the keys, the faint sheen of sweat on her palms making them stick for a split second before she forced them to move faster. Her pulse pounded in her ears, loud enough to drown out the stillness of the house. The air felt thick like it was pressing against her chest, but she didn’t stop. Each line of code felt like a lifeline, pulling her deeper into the system, closer to the truth she needed.The occasional flicker of the screen sent a jolt through her, every glitch a reminder that time was slipping away. The room smelled faintly of overheated circuits, and the cool metal of the laptop’s surface bit into her wrists.Focus. She exhaled sharply, the taste of adrenaline sharp in her throat. She wasn’t just looking for information anymore. She was hunting for weakness.The first few firewalls fell quickly—almost too easily. That nagging instinct told her something was off, but she pushed it aside. She was running out of time.Then she saw it.A file buried beneath layers of security, one that shouldn’t exist. Priority Omega: Oversight Protocol.Her heart pounded as she clicked on it. The system hesitated as if deciding whether to let her in. Then, the file cracked open.Sparse documents. Heavily redacted text. But certain words jumped out at her:
“Strategic resource acquisition.”
“Operative autonomy—permanent asset status under review.”
“Subject B viability report.”
Her breath hitched."Subject B."
Benjamin.
She double-clicked the file. There were black bars and more missing information, but a timestamp appeared in the middle of the screen—updated 12 hours ago.They were actively monitoring him.They had been monitoring Benjamin since day one, not just tracking his health but assessing him and evaluating his potential.A chill ran down her spine. She swallowed hard, pushing forward. If she could extract the files, get solid proof—A flicker on the screen.A delay in the system response.Sam’s stomach dropped.Then—🚨 UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED. TRACE INITIATED. 🚨Her blood ran cold."No. No, no, not yet."Her fingers flew over the keyboard, launching countermeasures. She rerouted her signal through multiple fake IP addresses, buying herself seconds—maybe less.The screen glitched. Another warning flashed.🚨 REMOTE OVERRIDE ATTEMPT—MALWARE IMPLANT DETECTED. 🚨Her pulse spiked. Someone wasn’t just tracing her. They were trying to shut her down.She had been caught."Shit," she hissed.Her eyes darted to the progress bar on the download. 81% complete. So close.Too late.The cursor froze. The system locked.🚨 SYSTEM BREACH IMMINENT. 🚨No choice.Sam yanked the power cable.The laptop screen flickered once before going black. The room plunged into silence, her ragged breathing the only sound.She sat frozen, listening.Nothing.No alarms, no pounding footsteps.But that didn’t mean they weren’t coming.Her hands trembled slightly as she closed the laptop and exhaled, forcing herself to think. Had she been fast enough? Had they traced her before she killed the system?She didn’t know.But if they had—A soft creak outside the house.Her breath caught.She reached for the hunting knive she kept in the drawer and had smugled from SGC, gripping the handle tight. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she strained to hear.Silence.Then—A shadow passed under the streetlamp outside.Had they found her? Or was she just being paranoid?She didn’t move for an hour.She stayed up the entire night, knife in hand, while Benjamin whimpered in his sleep, his fever creeping back up.No one came to the door.But she never slept. She should have gone home hours ago, but Janet sat at her desk in the SGC infirmary, rubbing her temples as another classified report flashed across her screen. It contained more data, tests, and questions she didn’t want to answer.The board wanted more. The oversight committee wanted even more.Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, stomach twisting as she reread the request—a detailed analysis of Subject B’s genetic markers.Subject B.They wouldn’t even use his name.Janet swallowed, gripping the edge of the desk. She had fought this. Weeks ago, she stood in this office, arms crossed, voice sharp, telling Charles Hawthorne III and Izzy Marquez that Benjamin O’Neill was a child, not an experiment.They hadn’t cared.And then they mentioned Cassie.“I understand your position, Doctor,” Hawthorne had said, his voice cool and even. “Truly, I do. But you have a daughter, don’t you?”Janet’s stomach had dropped.“We both know Cassandra Fraiser is a remarkable young woman,” Izzy said, smiling like a snake. “One-of-a-kind, in fact. It would be a shame if, say, certain agencies began taking an interest in her.”That was the moment Janet knew she had lost.Because they weren’t threatening her.They were threatening Cassie.And so, she had agreed—just small reports, just surface-level data. Just enough to keep them satisfied.But now, they wanted more. Much more. Janet knew she was running out of time or excuses. Sam hadn’t slept. The hacking attempt left her nerves frayed, but none of it mattered when Benjamin whimpered in the night. By morning, his fever hadn’t broken, and Sam paced the room, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps as she tried everything to soothe him.The fever hadn’t broken.Sam pressed another cool compress to Benjamin’s burning skin, but it was useless. His tiny body felt too warm, too fragile.Then he went limp.Sam’s lungs locked up."No, no, no—stay with me, baby," she begged, shaking him slightly. His lashes fluttered, but his breathing was too shallow.Daniel was already dialing Janet.Minutes later, Janet burst through the front door, medical bag in hand."How long has he been like this?" she demanded, her voice all business."Since last night," Sam whispered. "It got better for a few hours, but now it's worse."Janet pulled out a digital thermometer and checked his pulse and oxygen levels. Sam watched, feeling sick as Janet’s expression darkened."We don’t have much time," Janet said grimly. She glanced up, her tone sharp with urgency. "If we don’t get his fever down in the next six hours, his system could crash."Sam went still.
Six hours.
Her fingers tightened around Benjamin. "What do we do?""We need to move him," Janet said, already gathering supplies. "Now." The moment they arrived at SGC, the board was waiting.Sam had barely set foot inside the infirmary when Hawthorne, Marquez, and Meyers stepped forward, their suits stiff, impersonal."Dr. Fraiser, is this related to the anomaly?"Sam stiffened. "What the hell does that mean?"Janet averted her gaze.The pieces clicked all at once.They knew.They already knew.Sam’s stomach dropped. “What did you do?”Janet couldn’t answer.Because there was no defense. No justification that could undo what she had done.“Janet.” Daniel’s voice was softer, but there was steel underneath. “Tell us.”Janet let out a slow, pained breath. She had spent weeks keeping this secret. Protecting them the only way she knew how.But now… there was no more protecting.She forced herself to look at Sam—the woman who had trusted her with everything.“They threatened Cassie,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “They told me they'd start monitoring her if I didn’t cooperate.”Sam stilled.Janet swallowed hard. “At first, I only gave them surface-level data—genetic markers and developmental observations. Nothing dangerous. Nothing detailed.” She exhaled sharply. “But they wanted more.”Sam froze.The words hit like a gunshot, hollowing her out.She opened her mouth. Closed it.For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of her breathing—the distant beep of medical monitors.And then—“So you sold out my son?” Her voice was quieter than she expected. Cold. Steady.Janet flinched. “No—I mean, yes, but not like that. I didn’t think they’d—”“You didn’t think, Janet?” Sam’s voice rose, a tremor breaking through. “That they’d use my baby like a goddamn science experiment? Or did you hope it wouldn’t come to this?”She took a step forward. Janet took one back.Sam let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Of all people, Janet. You.”Janet swallowed, eyes darting away. “Sam, I—”“No.” Sam’s voice was lethal now. “You don’t get to say my name like we’re still friends.”Janet’s breath hitched because that was it.She had lost Sam.The weight of that truth settled over her like lead. There was no coming back from this.Benjamin whimpered weakly in Janet’s arms, his fever climbing.Daniel was the first to find a degree of reason. "What is exactly different with Benjamin?"Janet hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “Benjamin’s genetic makeup isn’t... typical. His development is accelerated—faster reflexes, sharper cognition—but his immune system hasn’t caught up yet. Right now, he’s especially vulnerable to illnesses that wouldn’t normally affect us.”Sam frowned, her voice tight. “So he’s fragile?”Janet shook her head slightly.“Not fragile—just... in transition. His immune system is developing acceleratedly, just like the rest of him. But it’s currently catching up to the rapid changes his body is going through. By the time he’s one year old, all signs point to his defenses fully forming. In fact…” She paused, glancing at both Sam and Daniel. “Once his immune system stabilizes, he’ll likely be completely immune to most common and even more severe illnesses. His body is designed to adapt and overcome.”Daniel’s jaw tightened as he absorbed the information. “So we just have to get him through this first year.”Janet nodded. “Exactly. Benjamin will be stronger than we can imagine with the right care and precautions. But for now, he needs our full attention.”Sam turned to the board, rage boiling over. "And you knew. You knew before I did."Charles Hawthorne adjusted his tie. "Of course we did, Colonel. We have a vested interest in the child."Sam lunged.Daniel barely caught her in time. Jack’s voice cut through the chaos like a gunshot."What the hell is going on?"Sam whipped around, fury snapping through her. "You! You did this."Jack barely had time to react before she was on him."You took him! God knows where! And now he’s sick!"Jack’s expression darkened, but he didn’t step back."You really think I’d let something happen to him?""I don’t know what to think anymore, Jack!" Her voice broke.Jack’s jaw tightened. He turned to Janet. "Tell me what’s wrong with my son."Janet hesitated, but Jack’s glare sharpened. "Now, Fraiser."She sighed. "Benjamin’s DNA isn’t fully compatible with this environment. His immune system is unstable."Jack stilled. "What does that mean?""It means if he gets sick again if his body can’t adjust..." Janet swallowed hard. "It could kill him."Jack’s chest tightened like a fist.He turned back to Sam, his voice low, edged with something dangerous."We need to talk."Sam lifted her chin, defiant, but her hands were shaking."Yeah, Jack. We do."The war had officially begun. The tension between Sam and Jack was thick enough to suffocate the room. As they stepped aside, Charles Hawthorne exchanged a knowing glance with Izzy Marquez. The board didn’t need to eavesdrop—they already knew where this was headed.Hawthorne smoothed the front of his tie while Eleonor Meyers tapped impatiently on her tablet, scrolling through encrypted files.“Carter’s unraveling faster than I anticipated,” Hawthorne said, keeping his voice low.Marquez adjusted her expensive dress. “That was predictable. She’s a mother. You threaten her son, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe.”Eleonor Meyers shot them a sharp glance. “And that makes her dangerous. Unpredictable. A liability we can’t afford.”Hawthorne smiled. “On the contrary. That makes her useful.”Marquez arched a brow. “How so?”Seated on one of the chairs available, Hawthorne extended his legs. “Fear is a powerful motivator. Push her just enough, and we might finally unlock the key to Benjamin’s… unique potential.”Dr. Meyers raised an eyebrow. “And if she doesn’t cooperate?”Hawthorne shrugged.“The oversight committee is watching everything—Carter, O’Neill, Jackson, even Fraiser. They’ve already drafted contingency plans. All we need is one misstep.”Marquez shifted uneasily. “That’s a risk. If they find out…”Hawthorne smirked. “By then, it won’t matter. They’ll have no choice but to comply—or lose everything.”Meyers paused, eyes narrowing as he watched Jack’s tense posture across the room. “And what about him?”Hawthorne followed her gaze. “O’Neill? He’s always been a soldier. Soldiers follow orders—or they’re eliminated.” The silence was thick, crackling with tension, as Sam and Jack faced each other.The board members stood just behind them, watching like this was some goddamn spectacle, and that only made Sam’s rage burn hotter."You knew," she spat, voice shaking with fury. "You knew about Benjamin’s DNA. About his immune system. About everything. And you said nothing."Jack’s jaw clenched so tight she swore she could hear his teeth grind. "You think I liked being kept in the dark? That I enjoyed finding out my son is a goddamn science experiment?"Sam flinched.Jack saw it. Felt it. But he didn’t stop."They had us both cornered, Carter," he snapped. "You with Benjamin, me with—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "It doesn’t matter. I didn’t know until yesterday night."Sam’s eyes flashed. "And what did you do, Jack?" Her voice was low, lethal. "Nothing. You stood there. You nodded along, wore your damn suit, played their game. You let them treat my son like a commodity."Jack stepped closer, voice sharp as a blade. "Our son."Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears. "Then act like it."Jack’s expression darkened. "Oh, don’t you dare throw that at me, Carter. You’ve been looking for an excuse to cut me out since the second you landed here.""Can you blame me?" she hissed. "You work for them. You spy for them. You’re their damn puppet."Jack’s nostrils flared. "I was trying to protect you!"Sam let out a sharp laugh—cold and hollow. "By keeping your mouth shut? By letting them put my son in a damn lab file?"Jack’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “What choice did I have, Sam?”Sam stepped forward, close enough that their fury burned between them. "We always have a choice, Jack. You just made the wrong one."A muscle in his jaw twitched. Sam had never seen him look this close to breaking.The board remained silent, watching, calculating. Sam wanted to burn the whole damn room down.Jack exhaled through his nose, forcing restraint into his tone."What do you want me to do, Carter?"Sam didn’t hesitate. "Pick a damn side."The words hit the air like a gunshot.Jack stared at her.Then, without another word, he turned and stormed out.The silence left in Jack’s wake was suffocating. Sam felt Daniel’s hand on her arm, steady but tense. She didn’t even realize she had been trembling.The board members whispered among themselves, already spinning this in their favor.Sam knew what they were thinking.She was volatile.She was dangerous.She was unpredictable.And she would burn this place to the ground before she let them take her son.Sam was done with them. She entered the infirmary, where her son was with Daniel, following her close behind. Janet had a clipboard and watched the monitors close to Benjamin’s bed.Her expression was unreadable, but Sam caught the exhaustion in her shoulders."How is he?" Daniel asked first.Janet exhaled. "Stable, for now. His fever broke, but his body is still fighting the infection." She paused, then met Sam’s gaze. "We got lucky."Sam’s throat tightened. "Lucky?"Janet hesitated. "If it had been anything worse—something more aggressive—his body wouldn’t have been able to handle it."Sam felt the ground shift beneath her.Daniel exhaled sharply. "So you’re saying…?"Janet swallowed hard. "I’m saying we can’t treat Benjamin like a normal child. His immune system can’t keep up. If we don’t find a way to help him adapt, next time—" She didn’t finish.Sam stood frozen, Janet’s words echoing in her mind like a gunshot.
"If we don’t find a way to help him adapt, next time… he might not survive."
She blinked. Once. Twice.Her breath came in slow, uneven gasps, but it didn’t feel like enough. The walls of the infirmary blurred at the edges, narrowing down to just the tiny, frail figure lying motionless in the hospital bed.Benjamin.He was so still. Too still.Her legs felt weak, and she reached blindly for the nearest surface, gripping the edge of the hospital bed to steady herself. The cool metal burned against her fingertips. She felt detached from herself as if watching this unfold from somewhere outside her body.This wasn’t happening.He was a fighter. He had survived the impossible. And now, she was being told that something as ordinary as an infection—something human—could take him from her if he caught it before he was one year old.A harsh, shuddering breath escaped her. Her fingers brushed against Benjamin’s tiny hand, tracing the warmth of his skin, grounding herself in the reality she wasn’t ready to accept.She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe through its weight.One second. Then another.The initial wave of shock threatened to pull her under, to drown her in all the things she should have done, should have seen coming. But beneath it, past the grief, past the fear—something colder, harder, sharper took root.Resolve.She opened her eyes.When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse but steady. “Then we fix it.”Janet hesitated, searching her face. “Sam—”“No.” Sam shook her head, the initial wave of panic hardening into determination. “I don’t care how impossible it sounds. We find a way. You said when he was one, he would be fine, so we find a solution for the next months.”Her hands clenched into fists, her mind already racing. If Benjamin’s immune system couldn’t handle this reality, she would change the rules. She would find a way to protect him—no matter what it took.Because there was no other option.Janet nodded. "I’ll do everything I can. But Sam…" She hesitated. "I need to be honest with you. I don’t know how much time we have before the board intervenes. Or worse, the oversight committee. Before they take him out of your hands."Sam’s pulse stuttered.She already knew.The board wasn’t going to let Benjamin slip through their fingers.Sam met Janet’s gaze, steel hardening in her spine. "Then we don’t give them a chance."Daniel frowned. "Sam, what are you—"She looked at both of them. Resolved. Determined."First you treat him, then we leave," she said.Janet went still.Daniel exhaled. "Sam…""We were already planning it," she reminded him. "Now we have no choice."Janet swallowed. "If you do this, you’ll never be able to return."Sam nodded, her hands clenching into fists. "That’s exactly the point." Janet knew when Sam closed the infirmary door and told Daniel to stand guard outside that something had shifted.Something dark.Something dangerous.The tension between them had been ice-cold before, but now? Now, it was suffocating.Sam stood there, her stance rigid, controlled—but her eyes were entirely different. Hollow. Unforgiving. Nothing left in them resembled the woman Janet had once called a friend.Janet set down the medical chart slowly, keeping her movements measured."Sam," she started carefully. "I—""Shut up."Janet’s breath caught.Sam took a step forward. Not fast. Deliberate. Controlled. Like a predator closing in."Do you think I’m stupid, Janet?" Sam’s voice was low. Unreadable.Janet’s pulse spiked. "Sam—""I said," Sam whispered, "shut. Up."Janet’s lips pressed together. She had never seen Sam like this before.Sam’s voice was low. Unreadable. But inside, her emotions churned violently. Fear had turned into panic. Panic had crystallized into cold fury.How many times had she been betrayed? By enemies, by bureaucrats, by those who pretended to be allies. Every betrayal had taken a piece of her, but this time was different. This time, it was her son. Her son was vulnerable, and Janet—someone she had trusted with her life—had fed him to the wolves.“Do you think I’m stupid, Janet?” she asked quietly. Her tone was measured, but she felt a dangerous calm settle beneath it. The kind that came when there was nothing left to lose.She thought of every time Benjamin smiled at her, every moment she held him close. She thought of all the ways she had failed to protect him because she had let herself trust too easily.“I trusted you,” Sam said, almost conversationally. “I trusted you with my son. And you fed him to the wolves.”Janet flinched. She had expected anger and had braced for it. But this? This wasn’t just anger. This was something far colder."Sam, I didn’t have a choice," Janet said, keeping her voice even. "They would have killed Cassie.""And you think that excuse is enough?" Sam’s head tilted slightly. "That’s supposed to make it better? To make me forgive you?"Janet’s chest tightened. "I wasn’t trying to hurt him."Sam let out a soft, humorless laugh.Janet had seen Jack O’Neill’s rage before. She had seen the dark fury of Teal’c in battle. But neither of them—not even the board, with all their threats and power—had ever terrified her the way Sam did at that moment.Because Sam wasn’t yelling, she wasn’t making dramatic threats.She was simply stating facts."You should have killed me, Janet."Janet’s breath hitched. "What?""If you were going to betray me," Sam continued, voice still terrifyingly calm, "then you should have ensured I never got back up. Because now?"She took another step forward."You don’t get to warn them."Janet went still.Her stomach dropped. "Sam—""You don’t get to run to the board or the committee. You don’t get to cover your ass. You don’t get to play both sides."Janet barely had time to react before Sam lunged. In a flash of movement, she was slammed back against the medical cabinet, the sharp edge digging into her spine. Her hands scrambled to grip Sam’s wrist, the skin beneath her fingers cold, unyielding. The pressure on her windpipe was unbearable—enough to make her vision blur at the edges but not enough to rob her of air completely. Not yet.Time seemed to stretch in the infirmary's sterile silence. Janet’s pulse pounded in her ears, each frantic beat echoing her growing fear.She locked eyes with Sam. The woman standing before her wasn’t just angry; she was something far colder. The Sam Carter Janet had known—brilliant, compassionate, fiercely loyal—was replaced by someone who radiated quiet, lethal resolve.Janet’s breath hitched, and her lungs felt too thin. How did it come to this? she wondered, her throat tightening like a vice. Every justification she had clung to—the lies she told herself to sleep at night—crumbled under Sam’s unflinching glare. The room felt smaller, the sterile scent of antiseptic stinging her nose as the cabinet’s cold edge bit into her back.The pressure on her throat increased slightly, and Janet’s thoughts splintered. This isn’t Sam. This can’t be Sam.Janet’s hands clawed desperately at Sam’s wrist, trying to loosen her grip, but Sam didn’t flinch.She was stronger. Faster. And absolutely terrifying."I let Jack live because I still don’t know if I need him," Sam murmured, her chilling whisper tickling Janet’s ear. Her tone was calm and controlled, but her words struck with the force of a sledgehammer. "You? You don’t have that luxury."Janet’s heart hammered against her ribs, her chest heaving with shallow, panicked breaths. The cold sweat on her back made her lab coat stick to her skin, and the faint buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead felt deafening. She didn’t dare move, didn’t dare speak."You breathe one word of this to the board or the committee," Sam said, "and I will come for you. And I won’t stop with you, Janet."Silence.Janet’s fingers dug deeper into Sam’s wrist, but Sam didn’t budge."You have a daughter."Janet’s chest tightened.Sam’s expression didn’t change. Not even a flicker of hesitation."And if you so much as look in the board’s direction, I will ensure she never sees you again."Janet’s vision blurred for a second."She’s just a kid," she rasped."And so is my son," Sam whispered, pressing her arm just a little harder.Janet’s throat closed.She had never feared Sam Carter before. Not when she held a gun, not when she faced the worst threats the universe had to offer.But now?Now, she felt cold terror seep into her bones.Sam leaned in close, voice barely a breath.“You think the board is scary? You think they’re a threat?” Sam’s eyes burned with fury. “They don’t scare me, Janet. They’re not the ones standing in this room.”A beat of silence passed, filled only by Janet’s shallow breaths."They can threaten Cassie. But I can make things a lot worse."The words sliced through the air like a blade.Janet sucked in a sharp breath.Sam’s expression never wavered. "You know I can. You know I will."Janet felt her stomach turn.She did know.Sam Carter wasn’t bluffing.The weight of the truth crashed down on Janet all at once.She had been terrified of the board and the committee. Terrified of what they might do to Cassie.But the board had rules. The committee, she didn’t know.The board worked in control, in manipulation, and in pressure.Sam Carter?Sam Carter didn’t need rules.She needed a reason.And Janet had just given her one.Janet forced herself to nod.Sam’s gaze didn’t waver.Finally, after an agonizing second, Sam released her and took a step back.Janet coughed, rubbing her throat, but she didn’t move.She couldn’t.She had known betrayal before and had been caught between impossible choices.But she had never once felt like her own life was in the hands of someone she once called a friend.Sam adjusted her jacket, her face completely unreadable.Then, she turned toward the door.Janet swallowed hard. "Sam—"Sam paused but didn’t turn back."Do we understand each other?" she asked quietly.Janet exhaled shakily."Yes."A long silence.Then, without another word, Sam walked out.Janet didn’t move for a long, long time.For the first time since this nightmare started, she finally realized who the real threat was. Daniel, standing in front of the infirmary door and trying to make it look like he wasn’t guarding it, was near a heart attack. As Sam stepped out of the infirmary, he discreetly moved to her side. Hawthorne, Marquez, and Dr. Meyers remained on the end of the hallway but with armed guards nearby. Jack was nowhere in sight.“What happened? What did you do?” Daniel asked almost in a whisper.Sam leaned against the wall, her breath ragged. Her hands still trembled from the weight of her threats. She didn’t recognize herself anymore. Protecting Benjamin at all costs had made her something else—something she wasn’t sure she could ever undo.“I just made some things crystal clear,” she said, eyes on the three board members.Seconds later, Janet left the infirmary, visibly shaken but trying to disguise it.“We’ve started him on IV antibiotics, and he's responding,” she said, her eyes on Sam only."Can I stay with him?"Janet hesitated, then nodded."Yes, but you have to be calm. He’s very weak, Sam. You can stay with him, but I need you both to be quiet and let him rest."Suddenly, Jack appeared, his face still a mask of devastation and betrayal. It was clear that he was barely holding together.“Can I go in too?"Janet studied him for a moment before nodding again."Yes, but the same rules apply. You can stay as long as you keep things calm for him. Benjamin needs peace right now."They followed Janet into the infirmary, walking side by side yet feeling worlds apart. Benjamin lay in a hospital bed, surrounded by machines. His small body looked even tinier under the pale hospital blanket, and the steady beeping of monitors tracking his heart rate and oxygen levels was the only sound filling the space. IV tubes were attached to his arms, his face flushed but still so precious.Sam moved slowly to the bedside, sitting in the chair next to him. Her hand trembled as she touched his little hand gently."Hey, Benji," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Tears blurred her vision as she watched his slight chest rise and fall, each breath fragile but steady. "Mommy’s here. I’m right here."Jack stood quietly by the door, his presence looming but silent. He watched, his fists clenched at his sides, but he said nothing. The tension between them was palpable, but Sam barely registered his presence. Her entire world was focused on Benjamin.Sam’s voice was a soft, broken whisper as she spoke to her son."You’re so strong, baby boy. Just like your Daddy," she murmured, her fingers brushing through his soft, dark hair. "You can’t leave me, okay? I already lost him... I can’t lose you too. I don’t know if I could survive it."Jack’s breath hitched at her words, his discomfort plain on his face. Carter wasn’t speaking to him—she was talking to Benjamin, but the words hit him like a punch to the gut. She was speaking about the other Jack, Benjamin's real father, who somehow made him jealous.Sam continued, her voice trembling as tears slipped down her cheeks."You’re my world now, Benji. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you sooner. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to keep you safe from them... but you have to fight, okay? You have to get better. I need you."Jack could barely stand to listen anymore. Her pain, her vulnerability, was like a wound laid bare, and it hurt in ways he hadn’t expected. Without a word, he turned and slipped out of the room, his footsteps heavy as he headed back toward the infirmary’s main hall.Janet was standing near the nurse’s station, and when she saw Jack approaching, she immediately came over."Jack," she began, her tone gentle, "I need…!”Jack didn’t let her finish the sentence. His voice was low and controlled, but every word cut through the space between them like a knife.“You need what, Janet?” he demanded. “More time? More excuses? Or maybe just a little more trust, huh?”Janet flinched, visibly taken aback by the sharpness of his tone. “Jack, that’s not—”“No,” Jack snapped, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t get to say what this isn’t. I learned about it last night, Janet. And when I did, I realized you knew before I did.”Janet’s throat tightened, but she met his gaze, her expression strained but steady. “I didn’t have a choice, Jack. The board—”“The board?” Jack interrupted, his voice dripping with contempt. “You think I give a damn about the board? I care about my son. And you—” His voice cracked, and for a moment, the anger flickered, replaced by something raw and vulnerable. “You were supposed to protect him.”Janet’s hands clenched around her clipboard. “I was trying to protect Cassie. They threatened her, Jack. They had leverage, and I—”“Leverage?” Jack stepped closer, his tone dropping into something dangerous. “You think that makes it okay? That it justifies putting Benjamin at risk?”“I didn’t know it would come to this,” Janet whispered. Her voice cracked, and guilt flooded her eyes. “I thought I could control it, Jack. I was wrong.”Jack shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping him. “Control it? You’ve been in the SGC long enough to know how this works. There is no control. They own everything they touch, Janet. And now, because of you, they think they own him.”Janet’s composure cracked, tears glistening in her eyes. “I made a mistake,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “But I’m trying to fix it.”Jack stared at her for a long moment, his jaw tight. Finally, he exhaled sharply, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Fix it,” he said, his voice cold. “Because if anything happens to him—anything—I won’t just be coming after the board.”Janet nodded, her hands trembling as she gripped her clipboard. “I’ll do everything I can, Jack. I promise.”Jack didn’t respond. He turned and walked away, his movements stiff, his face a mask of barely contained fury. He didn’t trust Janet—not anymore. And he didn’t trust the board, or even himself, to keep Benjamin safe.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Still shaken from Jack’s accusations, Janet smoothed the front of her lab coat, trying to compose herself as she approached the boardroom. Her hands trembled slightly, but she took a deep breath before entering the conference room. She had taken extra time in the infirmary—longer than she should have—under the pretense of organizing Benjamin’s latest medical reports.But really, she had needed to breathe. To stop shaking. To remind herself that Sam Carter wasn’t on the board. That she didn’t control her career.Except—maybe she did.The briefing room door slid open, and the cool, clinical lighting did nothing to help the ice settling in her stomach. Charles Hawthorne, Izzy Marquez, and Dr. Meyers were already seated at the long table, their sharp eyes locked onto her when she entered. But someone else was in the room—a figure standing in the shadows, observing.A stranger.“Dr. Fraiser,” Hawthorne greeted, his tone as smooth as ever. “You’ve been uncharacteristically difficult to reach today.”Janet forced a polite, professional smile. “I’ve been tending to Benjamin. His fever only just stabilized.”Hawthorne’s gaze flicked toward her hands. “You’re shaking.”Janet curled her fingers into fists at her sides, willing them to stop. “It’s been a stressful twenty-four hours.”Hawthorne leaned back in his chair, studying her too closely. “I imagine it has.”The standing figure shifted slightly, stepping forward just enough for the overhead lighting to catch his face.Ezra Kael.Janet knew his name from classified defense contracts, from whispered conversations among higher-ups who didn’t think she was listening. Nova Genesis Industries. Experimental biotech. Deep black projects. What the hell was he doing here?“Dr. Fraiser,” Kael said, his voice smooth, almost pleasant. “I appreciate your dedication to the child’s well-being. We all do.”The way he said “the child” made her stomach turn.Kael settled into a seat, folding his hands neatly on the table. “We’ve been reviewing your findings and are particularly interested in the latest results.”Janet hesitated, but Hawthorne nodded. “Go on, Doctor.”Janet swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth. “Benjamin’s immune system is stabilizing but remains highly reactive to new pathogens. His accelerated cognitive responses are consistent, but his metabolic rate suggests he still requires close monitoring.”Kael nodded, clearly already aware of everything she had just said. “And Colonel Carter?”Janet’s breath hitched—barely—but it was enough.Kael’s gaze sharpened. “Something happened, didn’t it?”Janet knew better than to hesitate, but her mind betrayed her. Images of Sam’s cold, calculated fury flashed behind her eyes. The feeling of the cabinet digging into her back. The way Sam’s voice had lowered to a near whisper—not a threat, but a promise.
“You don’t get to warn them.”
“And if you so much as look in the board’s direction, I will ensure she never sees you again.”
The room felt too bright. Too sharp.“Doctor?” Hawthorne’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts.Janet straightened, stiffening her spine. “Carter is… determined,” she said carefully. “She’s focused on Benjamin. And on her work.”Kael tilted his head slightly. “Determined is one word for it.”Hawthorne steepled his fingers. “Dr. Fraiser, you’ll let us know if she becomes… problematic.”Janet’s pulse spiked, a cold sweat forming at the base of her spine.This wasn’t a conversation but an interrogation wrapped in polite words. The board wasn’t in charge anymore. They were answering to something else now. Something worse.Kael leaned forward, his expression unreadable. “You understand, of course. If Carter cannot produce what we need, then we will have no choice but to intervene.”Janet swallowed hard. “Of course.”Kael smiled faintly. “Good.”The meeting ended, but Janet barely remembered leaving the room. Walking down the sterile hallway, she noticed the surveillance cameras tracking her every move. The Oversight Committee wasn’t just watching Benjamin. They were watching everyone.Her breath remained tight in her chest. She told herself it was just residual stress and that she was okay. That she could go back to the infirmary and pretend nothing had changed.But as she walked, the cold sweat lingering on her spine told her otherwise. Jack stood by the hospital room door, watching Sam clutch Benjamin’s tiny hand. The beeping monitors were the only sound between them."You knew," she whispered.Jack’s jaw tightened.Sam finally turned, her blue eyes sharp, accusing. "You knew about his DNA. About what they were doing."Jack didn’t answer."You stood there," Sam hissed, her voice low, shaking. "You nodded along while they treated my son like an experiment."Jack’s fingers curled into fists. "I didn’t have a choice, Carter."Sam let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "There’s always a choice, Jack. You just made the wrong one."That hit harder than it should have.Jack swallowed down the ugly feeling creeping up his throat."You really think I’d let them hurt him?" Jack snapped."I think," Sam said coldly, "you don’t even realize you’re already part of the problem."Jack’s stomach twisted.Sam turned back to Benjamin, her anger shifting into something softer. She stroked his tiny hand, her voice barely a whisper."I can’t lose him, Jack."Jack’s chest tightened painfully.Sam exhaled shakily. "If you really want to protect him, prove it."Jack hesitated, his eyes fixed on Benjamin’s frail form. The soft beeping of the monitors seemed deafening; each sound was a reminder of how fragile this moment was. His gaze flicked to Sam—her tear-streaked face, the fire in her eyes that hadn’t dimmed despite everything.The weight of orders, regulations, and the board’s cold logic pressed against him like a lead blanket. “Strategic resource acquisition.” The words echoed in his mind, hollow and cruel. But Benjamin wasn’t a resource. He was a child. His child.“Carter,” Jack said, his voice rasping as if the words cost him air, “I’ve spent my whole life following rules, thinking it would keep the people I care about safe. But standing here, looking at him…” His voice cracked, and he looked away, the shame of his failure clawing at his chest.Sam’s eyes narrowed, wary but waiting.Jack reached into his pocket, pulling out his security keycard—the one that granted unrestricted access to classified files. He stared at it for a long moment, the edges digging into his palm. Then, with a sharp exhale, he set it on the bedside table.“Do whatever you need to do,” he said, his voice low. “For him.”Sam blinked, stunned, as Jack turned and walked out. The tension in his shoulders told her everything she needed to know.He wasn’t ready to say it out loud.But he had just made his choice. The boardroom was cold, its lighting reflecting the people seated around the long table. Jack sat stiffly, his jaw clenched as his eyes darted between Marquez, Hawthorne, and Meyers. The air was thick with unspoken tension, and Jack’s gut churned unease.“General O’Neill,” Marquez began, voice clipped. “We appreciate you coming on such short notice.”Jack exhaled sharply. “Let’s skip the pleasantries. What’s this about?”Hawthorne settled back into his chair, the leather creaking under his slow, deliberate movement. His fingers steepled, a smile curling at the edges.“Colonel Carter.”Jack’s spine stiffened, but he said nothing.“You understand the… investment we’ve made in her work,” Hawthorne continued smoothly. “And in Benjamin.”Jack’s grip tightened beneath the table. “They’re not assets.”Hawthorne’s smile widened, but his eyes remained cold. “Everything of value is an asset, General. It all depends on who’s keeping the ledger.”Jack clenched his jaw. “If you think you can just take him—”“Oh, come now,” Hawthorne interrupted, tilting his head. “Let’s not be dramatic. No one wants to take a child from his mother.” A beat. “Unless, of course, she proves unable to manage the responsibility.”Jack’s pulse spiked. He kept his expression neutral, but Hawthorne saw the flicker of tension in his eyes. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to something almost pleasant.“She’s brilliant. We know that,” Hawthorne murmured. “But brilliance is nothing without compliance. If she cannot… produce what we need, we will have no choice but to intervene.”Jack’s stomach twisted.“Intervene.” His voice was flat, deadly. “Funny word for ‘steal a child.’”Hawthorne’s smile never reached his eyes. “Nothing’s being taken, General. But the question is… who gets to hold the leash?”Jack’s fists curled beneath the table.Hawthorne’s gaze didn’t waver.“I trust you’ll ensure Carter remains… cooperative.”The air was thick and stale—like the oxygen had been measured and rationed. The overhead fluorescents buzzed faintly, their harsh white glow turning Hawthorne’s shadow into a long, jagged smear across the table. The temperature was just a little too cold, the kind that settled in your bones. Not enough to shiver. Just enough to remind you who was in control. Jack exhaled through his nose, forcing his hands to stay loose when he only wanted to clench them into fists.“She’ll deliver,” Jack said, voice clipped. “You’ll get what you need.”Hawthorne leaned back, satisfied.“See that she does.”Jack stood abruptly, shoving his chair back an inch too hard. The scrape of metal against tile was the only sound as he turned and strode toward the door.“General?” Hawthorne called just as Jack reached the threshold.Jack paused but didn’t turn.“You’ve been playing both sides for some time now.” Hawthorne’s voice was almost amused. “I do hope, for your sake, that you remember which side wins in the end.”Jack’s jaw tightened. He didn’t look back. But he felt the weight of those words long after the door slid shut behind him. Jack returned to the infirmary, his steps heavy and his mind a storm of conflicting emotions. He hesitated outside the infirmary, gripping the keycard tightly between his fingers. It felt heavier than it should, like a decision that couldn’t be undone.For weeks, he had tried to balance on the knife’s edge—playing by the board’s rules, keeping Carter, Daniel, and Benjamin under their radar just enough to prevent escalation. He had told himself he was buying time, keeping them safe. But deep down, he knew the truth.He had been a coward.Every compromise, every half-truth had chipped away at his control until there was nothing left to hold onto. The board didn’t trust him any more than they trusted Carter. He wasn’t their ally—he was their leash. And Carter? She saw him for what he was. A man who had stood on the wrong side for too long, even if he had convinced himself it was for the right reasons.But standing here, knowing what they were about to do to Benjamin—knowing they would rip him away the second Carter slipped up—there was no more pretending. No more middle ground.He couldn’t serve two masters.Jack took a breath, pushed open the door, and stepped inside.Sam looked up from where she sat by Benjamin’s bedside, her expression guarded. Her fingers rested gently on their son’s tiny arm as if grounding herself in his presence. Jack’s gaze flicked to the untouched keycard on the table beside her bed.He set the second keycard down next to it."You wanted me to pick a side," Jack said quietly. "I picked. And I’m on yours, Carter."Sam froze, caught off guard by his statement. “You left it for me?”"I left it because I’m done being their errand boy," Jack said firmly.Her eyes flicked to the bedside table, where the keycard still sat."You realize what that means, right?" Sam’s voice was low, cautious.Jack’s jaw tightened. “I know exactly what it means. They’ll come for me too. But if you’re planning anything, you have unrestricted access now. You’re not alone in this, Carter.”The weight of his words hung between them for a moment. Sam’s hand trembled slightly as it rested on Benjamin’s tiny chest. Her exhaustion softened into something more fragile—a flicker of hope, maybe, or just disbelief."You didn’t have to do that," she finally whispered.Jack took a step closer, his eyes locking with hers. “Yes, I did. Because if we’re going to fight this, we fight it together.”Sam looked down at Benjamin again, her fingers tightening around the blanket. “Then we better figure out what comes next. Fast.”Jack took a breath before speaking again, his tone more serious."The board’s given us an ultimatum, Sam. If you don’t deliver results—and fast—they’ll take him.”Sam’s breath caught. “Take him?”Jack nodded, his throat tightening. “They’ll say it’s for his safety, that they can ‘stabilize’ him better. But we both know what that means.”Sam clenched her fists. “Lab experiments. Constant monitoring. No real life, no real family.”"Exactly," Jack confirmed. “They’re waiting for any excuse. That’s why I left the card. You’ve got full access to anything I know. Use it.”Sam’s gaze shifted to the keycard again. There was no accusation in her eyes this time, only calculation. But trust wasn’t fully restored—not yet."How long before they realize it’s gone?" she asked quietly."Maybe a day, maybe less,” Jack admitted. “Depends on how closely they’re watching me. But once they figure it out, things will escalate fast.”Sam nodded slowly. “Then I need to make it count. I’ll start by digging deeper into the oversight committee. We might have something to work with if I can figure out who they are or what their weaknesses are.”Jack frowned. “And Benjamin?”Sam’s expression hardened. “I’ll demand that Janet work on a cure for him for the next months. He can’t get sick again until he’s one. It’s the least she owes us after what she did. She'll do it if she’s half as guilty as she looks. And she’ll do it right.”Jack studied her, his jaw tight but his eyes thoughtful. “Do you trust her enough for that?”"No,” Sam said flatly. “But I trust her to feel guilty. That’s enough for now.”Jack nodded, accepting her logic. “And the board?”"I’ll work on something to show them,” Sam said, her tone shifting to one of pure focus. “Something groundbreaking. Something that’ll keep them satisfied and buy us time.”The room fell into a tense silence. Jack could see the walls Sam had built around herself, and while they’d cracked slightly, they hadn’t crumbled. Not yet."If you need anything, you know where to find me,” Jack said. “I’m on your side, Sam.”Sam didn’t answer immediately, her gaze flickering between Benjamin’s sleeping form and the keycard in her hand."We’ll see," she said at last.Jack nodded, taking her response for what it was—a cautious step forward. They still had a long way to go, but they were moving in the same direction for now. Jack exited the infirmary, his shoulders tense and his expression dark. A storm was brewing behind his eyes. Daniel was waiting just outside. Arms crossed, frustration written all over his face."What the hell was that?" Daniel demanded, stepping into Jack’s path. “You just dropped an ultimatum on Sam. What were you thinking?”Jack stopped, sighing heavily. “Not now, Daniel.”"No,” Daniel shot back. “We’re doing this now. You told Sam the board will take Benjamin if she doesn’t perform. What did you expect? That she’d just thank you for the warning?”Jack met Daniel’s glare, his patience thinning. “I’m not their mouthpiece anymore. I gave her everything I could—full access to my security clearance. She knows I’m on her side.”Daniel blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “You… gave her your access?”"I left it on her bedside table last night. No strings. No conditions. She can use it however she needs.”Daniel frowned, suspicion still clouding his expression. “And you think that’s enough to make up for everything?”Jack’s jaw tightened. “I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m doing what I can to protect them.”"Protect them?" Daniel’s frustration boiled over. “Jack, you’ve been so buried in this mess that you didn’t even see it coming. They’ve been using you—manipulating you to control Sam. And now you’re just playing catch-up.”Jack’s fists clenched. “You think I don’t know that? I hate what they’ve done, what I let them do. But I’m done following orders. If they come for Benjamin, they must go through me first.”Daniel studied him, his anger softening slightly but not disappearing."Okay. So you’re not playing their game anymore. But what’s the plan now?”Jack exhaled sharply. “Sam’s working on something to present to the board to buy us time. And she’s digging into the oversight committee to find their weak points.”Daniel’s brow furrowed. “The oversight committee?”"They’re the ones really pulling the strings,” Jack said, his tone dark. “The board is just a front.”Daniel nodded slowly, absorbing the information. “And what about Janet?”"Sam’s demanding that Janet work on a cure for Benjamin,” Jack said. “Janet owes her. Owes us. And if she has any integrity left, she’ll do it.”"You think that’ll be enough?” Daniel asked.Jack’s gaze hardened. “It has to be. But if it’s not, we’ll deal with whatever comes.”They stood silently for a moment, the weight of everything pressing down on them."Just don’t screw this up, Jack,” Daniel said finally, his voice low but serious. “Sam’s barely holding it together as it is.”"I know,” Jack admitted. “But this time, we’re in this together.”Daniel gave him a long, searching look, then nodded. The tension between them hadn’t disappeared, but a fragile truce had formed. For now, they were moving in the same direction—toward whatever came next. Sam hadn’t left Benjamin’s side. But instead of succumbing to exhaustion, she sat at a small table near his bed, a laptop balanced on her knees, her fingers flying across the keyboard. The screen's glow illuminated her face, highlighting the determination etched into every line.She was hacking.Digging through layers of classified SGC files with the keycard Jack had left for her. Every second counted. Somewhere in this tangled web of bureaucracy and manipulation, there had to be a weakness—something she could use to protect Benjamin.Jack lingered near the doorway, watching her for a long moment. The tension between them was still palpable, but it had shifted. Sam’s focus was laser-sharp, and Jack knew better than to interrupt."How’s it going?” he asked quietly.Sam didn’t look up. “I’ve broken through the first few layers. Still nothing on the oversight committee, but I’m close.” Her voice was clipped and precise—her mind fully immersed in her mission.Jack stepped forward, his gaze shifting to Benjamin’s sleeping form.“Keep digging. I’ll handle Janet.”That made Sam pause. She finally glanced up, suspicion flickering across her face.“Handle her how?”"The way they’d expect me to,” Jack said, his tone hardening. “I’ll remind her who she’s dealing with and what’s at stake. She’s going to work on a cure for Benjamin. No more excuses.”Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t argue.“Fine. Just make sure she knows there’s no second chance.”Jack gave a single nod. “She’ll know.” Jack entered the infirmary with a measured step, his expression neutral but his presence commanding. Janet didn’t look up immediately, focusing on the files before her. He took his time, glancing at the airman stationed near the supply cabinets before speaking.“Doc,” he said casually, but his tone was edged with purpose. “Got a minute?”Janet inhaled sharply, setting down the pen she had been gripping too tightly. “Always.”Jack pulled up a stool and sat across from her, lowering his voice. “We need to talk about Benjamin.”Janet tensed, but she kept her expression composed. “I’m doing everything I can.”“I know,” Jack said, nodding slightly. “But we both know ‘everything’ isn’t enough.” He leaned in, lowering his voice further. “We need a real solution. Not temporary fixes.”Janet folded her arms. “You think I don’t know that?”“I think you do,” Jack said. “But I also think you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.”Janet’s jaw tightened. “You have no idea.”Jack’s eyes softened just enough to be reassuring, but his voice remained firm. “Actually, I do. And that’s why I’m here. I’m not asking—I’m offering.”Janet frowned. “Offering what?”“A way forward,” Jack said. “You’re the best damn doctor we have, Janet, and we need your expertise. But you can’t work if you constantly look over your shoulder.” His gaze flicked toward the airman briefly. “We both know they’re watching.”Janet swallowed hard, gripping the edge of her desk. “What are you suggesting?”Jack leaned in, his voice a near whisper. “I make sure they don’t interfere. You focus on Benjamin’s long-term survival—real survival. Not just treatment. A way to make sure he doesn’t need them.”Janet stared at him, her mind racing. “That’s risky.”Jack smirked faintly. “Everything worth doing is.”She exhaled slowly, considering. “You really think you can keep them off my back?”Jack’s eyes darkened slightly. “I’ll make sure of it. But in return, I need results, Doc. Real ones. Not in years. Months.”Janet studied him for a long moment before nodding. “I’ll do my part. You do yours.”Jack stood, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. “Deal.”He turned to leave, but before he stepped out, he glanced back at her. “And Janet?”She looked up.“They’re expecting you to crack,” he said. “Don’t give them the satisfaction.”Janet swallowed, then nodded. “I won’t.”Jack walked out, already planning his next move. This was a game of strategy.And he intended to win. Sam’s fingers flew across the keyboard in the infirmary, bypassing security layers at a breakneck pace. The SGC’s firewalls were good—too good. But she was better.She wasn’t looking for just anything. She needed names. Patterns. Clues.A folder labeled “Research Oversight—Priority Access Only” flashed on her screen.Her heart pounded. Bingo.She clicked, using Jack’s card access. ACCESS DENIED.Damn it.Frowning, she ran a deeper trace. Instead of finding standard SGC clearance protocols, she hit something strange—a redirect. The file wasn’t housed under the standard research division. It had been moved. Buried.The request logs didn’t list a military contact; they led to a private sector entity.
Nova Genesis Industries.
Sam’s breath hitched.She knew that name. A principal defense contractor. Cutting-edge biotech. Unprecedented access to classified materials.But what the hell were they doing with her work?Before she could dig deeper, a red warning flashed across the screen.🚨 UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED. TRACE INITIATED. 🚨Shit. Again.A cold spike of adrenaline shot down her spine. Her fingers went rigid for half a second too long before snapping back into motion.A shrill warning beep erupted from the speakers—too loud, too exposed.Her fingers flew into damage control, scrambling her IP through a dozen fake locations. A second alert blinked—malware detected, attempting to breach her system.Whoever was on the other end wasn’t just blocking her. They were hunting her.She had seconds.With a muttered curse, she killed the power, and her laptop went dark.The infirmary fell silent.Sam exhaled, heart still racing. She had barely scratched the surface—but she knew one thing for sure.Her research wasn’t just being monitored. It was already being traced.And if Nova Genesis was involved… that meant someone powerful had plans for it.Plans she wasn’t supposed to know about. Minutes passed by. She took a deep breath and decided to give it one last shoot. It was a matter of time before Jack’s card was flagged if it hadn’t already been. Sam’s fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyes darting between strings of code and data. The oversight committee’s files were buried more deeply than anything she’d seen before, but she was getting closer."Come on,” she muttered, bypassing another firewall.Sam’s breath was steady, her fingers moving fast. The first trace had nearly caught her, but now she knew how to move carefully. She ran a deeper scan, searching for buried connections, hidden pathways—anything they hadn’t expected her to find.A folder labeled “Priority Omega: Oversight Protocol” appeared on the screen again. This time, instead of clicking, she ran a silent extraction script, copying the metadata without triggering another lock. Slow. Careful. No mistakes.Jack leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. The screen's glow cast a cold light over Sam’s face, making her expression unreadable.“What are you digging for, Carter?”Sam didn’t look up. “Answers.”“Yeah?” Jack’s voice was level, but his eyes were sharp. “What kind of answers?”She clicked through another encrypted folder, ignoring the question. “Janet’s on it?”Jack exhaled through his nose, realizing she wouldn’t tell him. “Yeah.”"Good,” Sam replied, not looking up.Jack hesitated. “I’ll stay.”Sam didn’t respond immediately. Then, after a long pause, she said, “Fine. Just don’t get in my way.”Jack nodded, settling into a chair nearby. The fragile truce between them held—for now.But time was running out, and the clock was ticking louder than ever. Sam’s fingers flew over the keyboard again, bypassing security protocols with razor-sharp focus. She was inside. Barely.A restricted file surfaced. Project Phoenix. Subject A. Status: Terminated.Another—Nova Genesis Industries. Clearance Level: Ezra Kael.Then—🚨 TRACE INITIATED. 🚨Her pulse spiked. They were onto her."Damn it," she hissed. She’d triggered the same security protocol that had nearly caught her.But this time, she didn’t yank the power cord. She launched another script, scrambling her location through multiple fake IP addresses to buy herself more time.A second alert flashed across the screen:
🚨
MALWARE DEPLOYMENT IN PROGRESS.
🚨
Sam’s eyes narrowed. She had maybe twenty seconds before they traced her location. She couldn’t waste it.Her pulse pounded. She clicked both, running an extraction script even as warning alerts blinked across the screen.🚨 SYSTEM BREACH IMMINENT. 🚨Sam muttered a curse, her fingers scrambling to reroute her digital footprint through proxy networks. The files decrypted in bursts—fragmented text, image data, and one video thumbnail.Kael’s face.Sam’s stomach twisted.Ezra Kael. The name was familiar—too familiar—a whisper from classified reports, buried research logs she was never supposed to see.Then, a single name beneath Subject A:
Alec Mercer.
PLANET: P7R-953Her breath caught as she scanned the fragmented details. It was the first experiment, the prototype before Benjamin, but something went wrong.Her blood ran cold. She copied everything she could, stuffing the files into an encrypted drive even as the trace locked onto her location.A second warning flashed.🚨 SECURITY RESPONSE DEPLOYED. 🚨Sam yanked the power cable. The screen died in an instant.The infirmary fell silent again except for the pounding of her heartbeat.She had barely made it out.Somewhere out there, Alec Mercer was still alive.And Ezra Kael was watching. Jack leaned forward.“What did you find?”Sam didn’t respond immediately. Her mind raced through what she’d uncovered—the name, the company, the planet. The magnitude of it was enough to make her stomach turn. She wasn’t ready to share it yet. Not until she could make sense of what it all meant."Carter," Jack said, his voice softer this time.Sam exhaled, heart pounding. She barely made it. Shutting the laptop, she wiped sweaty palms on her pants. Nova Genesis Industries. Ezra Kael. Subject A—Alec Mercer. She stood up and walked over to him. Without a word, she held out the security card.Jack took it, his eyes locked on hers."You’re not going to tell me, are you?” he asked, his tone edged with frustration but not surprise.Sam didn’t flinch. “Not yet.”Jack exhaled sharply but didn’t push. “You don’t trust me.”"I’m not ready,” Sam said, meeting his gaze with steel in her eyes. “When I am, you’ll know.”The weight of everything unsaid hung between them. Jack finally nodded, slipping the card into his pocket.“Don’t wait too long, Carter. We’re running out of time.”Sam turned back toward Benjamin’s bed, her mind spinning with possibilities. Ezra Kael. Nova Genesis Industries. P7R-953. Alec Mercer, Subject A.The pieces were starting to come together. The only thing she recognized from there was the company's name: Nova Genesis Industries. She had heard Jack talk about Homeworld contractors several times. If it were the same company, it would be deeply embedded in defense contracts and biotechnological research. The picture beginning to take form was more dangerous than she’d anticipated.And for now, she’d carry that burden alone.At that moment, an airman urgently entered the room, addressing Jack.“General O’Neill, Sir, you have a call from the board. They’re waiting for you in your office.”Jack cursed under his breath as he stepped out of the infirmary. His footsteps were heavy as he made his way down the corridor, and his mind raced angrily as he prepared to face the bureaucratic nightmare.When he reached his office, he picked up the phone, and Charles III's cold voice greeted him on the other end.Jack sat at his desk, his grip tightening around the phone as Hawthorne's clipped and impatient voice came through the receiver.“General O’Neill, why isn’t Colonel Carter back at work? Benjamin’s condition is stable. There’s no reason for further delays.”Jack exhaled through his nose, keeping his tone even. “She’s running diagnostics on her latest work. The last thing we need is a rushed prototype failing at the worst possible moment.”There was a pause. Hawthorne was usually quick with his retorts, but this time, there was hesitation—a beat too long before he finally spoke.“Diagnostics,” Hawthorne repeated slowly. “Colonel Carter doesn’t have time for perfectionism, General. Progress is non-negotiable.”“And neither is safety,” Jack countered. “If she’s forced to rush, we risk setbacks that will cost more time in the long run. You don’t want that.”Silence. Then, Hawthorne let out a breath. “This isn’t coming from me, O’Neill.”Jack straightened in his chair. “No?”Hawthorne hesitated again. Jack could hear it now—the careful way he chose his words, the slight edge in his voice that wasn’t just impatience but something else.Something like fear.“Decisions are being made above all of us,” Hawthorne finally said, voice quieter. “See that Carter delivers. We’ll be in touch.”The line went dead.Jack set the phone down slowly, his gut twisting. The board wasn’t in control anymore.And that meant he was dealing with something worse than bureaucrats—the Oversight Committee.Something he wasn’t sure he could outmaneuver. Jack walked back into the infirmary, his face tight with frustration. Sam was still seated near Benjamin’s bed beside the closed laptop. Daniel stood a few feet away, keeping watch over the sleeping baby. Both of them turned when Jack entered."I just got off the phone with Hawthorne," Jack began, his tone grim.Sam’s eyes narrowed. “What did he say?”"They want you back at work immediately," Jack said. “He doesn’t think Benjamin’s condition is a valid excuse anymore. I told him you were running diagnostics on your equipment to prevent setbacks.”Sam tilted her head slightly, processing the information. “Diagnostics?”"It was the best I could come up with on short notice," Jack said. “You’ve run out of time, Carter. I suspect the board is no longer running the shots here. The oversight committee might have taken control, and they’re looking for any excuse to intervene.”Sam nodded, filing away the cover story.“I’ll go to my lab and start working. We need something to show them.”Daniel stepped forward. “I’ll stay with Benjamin. You don’t have to worry about him.”Sam’s gaze softened slightly. “Thanks, Daniel.”Jack shifted his stance, his expression darkening. “I’ll stay on Janet. She’s working on Benjamin’s condition, but we can’t let her slow down. We need that cure, and she knows what’s at stake.”"Keep her under pressure,” Sam said, her tone cold and focused. “I don’t want any more delays.”Jack gave a sharp nod. “You’ll have what you need. Just make sure whatever you’re working on buys us enough time.”Sam stood, grabbing her laptop and the keycard Jack had returned to her. She paused briefly by Benjamin’s bed, brushing a hand over his tiny arm before returning to Jack and Daniel."Let’s make this work,” she said quietly.Jack met her gaze. The unspoken tension between them was still present, but for now, they were united in purpose."We will,” he said firmly.Sam left the infirmary without another word, heading straight for her lab. The clock was ticking, and every second counted. Sam stormed into her lab, the door sliding shut behind her with a mechanical hiss. The sterile lighting cast harsh shadows across the workbench, where various pieces of alien technology sat scattered, reminders of past triumphs and failures. She stood there momentarily, her chest rising and falling with barely contained frustration. Her hands clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms as her gaze swept over the gadgets and devices in front of her.For a brief, furious second, she wanted to smash everything. To take every piece of alien tech on that bench and hurl it against the wall until the room was filled with broken circuits, shattered glass, and sparks. The idea of destruction, of tearing down everything that had been her work, was tempting. Cathartic, even.But she didn’t. She controlled herself. Barely.Sam sucked in a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm, to keep the anger at bay. She couldn’t afford to lose control—not now. Not when everything was hanging by a thread.Her eyes narrowed as she stepped forward, letting her fingers trace the cool, metallic surface of a device she had been working on before Benjamin had fallen ill. None of it mattered now. Nothing in her lab, none of these technologies, would be enough to satisfy the board. Not a faster-growing crop, new energy source, or better weapon. They wanted something grand. Something spectacular. Something worthy of their stay here in this twisted reality. The thought made her stomach turn.Fine, she thought bitterly, if they want something worthy, I’ll give them something they can’t ignore. Something dazzling. Something that would buy Daniel and me enough time to figure out a way to escape this nightmare.Because that’s exactly what this had become—a living nightmare. Every day, every moment in this reality was unraveling the illusions they had once held. The promise of hope and stability had shattered, leaving nothing but a cold, hard truth. They were no longer survivors, refugees—they were assets, commodities to be used until they had nothing to give. And if they didn’t comply, Benjamin would suffer for it.She gritted her teeth, the anger simmering beneath the surface. She couldn’t let that happen. Not to Benjamin. Not to herself.Sam closed her eyes, letting her mind quiet for a moment. She needed to think. To push past the frustration and focus. There had to be something—something big, something bold. The board didn’t want small. They didn’t want incremental. They wanted revolution.Her mind began to race, pulling at fragments of knowledge, theories she’d toyed with, ideas she’d dismissed as too risky, too impossible. She sifted through them, sorting the probable from the improbable, searching for something to blow their minds.Suddenly, an idea flickered at the edges of her consciousness, a concept so wild and audacious that she almost dismissed it again. But she didn’t. Instead, she latched onto it, her heart pounding as the puzzle pieces began to align in her head. It had never been done before—at least, not in her reality. It was beyond cutting-edge. It was something that could change everything.Sam’s eyes snapped open, her mind already racing with equations and formulas. It was dangerous. It was borderline impossible. But if she could make it work and pull it off, it would be precisely what the board wanted. And it would give her the leverage she needed to buy time. It was time for her and Daniel to figure out how to get out of this place and find a way back to something better, something real.She moved quickly, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she began to type. The lab’s holographic interface flickered to life before her, and her mind shifted into high gear, chasing the threads of the idea she had seized on.It was a bold hypothesis that stretched the limits of what she knew about quantum mechanics and interdimensional travel. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Theoretical work she had dabbled in for years suddenly took on a new light.“What if…” she whispered, her thoughts rushing together. “What if I could prevent the entropic cascade failure in quantum mirror travel? Not just in theory but protect the traveler from external quantum fluctuations…”Her fingers flew faster, inputting calculations that mapped out the variables: quantum instability, energy requirements, etc. It was ambitious—more than ambitious—it was groundbreaking. If she could prevent it, the implications were staggering—not just for escaping this nightmare reality but for countless others. The board would be dazzled by the mere possibility, let alone its execution.Sam’s breath quickened. Entropic cascade failure had always been a dead end until now. The alien tech here and everything she knew about quantum coherence made the impossible feel just within reach.It could be real.She adjusted the parameters, tweaking the energy models and aligning the potential for a breach without causing catastrophic damage. She wasn’t just thinking about escaping anymore—she was thinking about revolutionizing the very nature of reality travel. And if she could pull this off, she wouldn’t just be securing their stay in this reality—she’d be giving them leverage—power.And, maybe—just maybe—a way to get back home. Or somewhere better.For the first time in months, Sam felt something she hadn’t dared touch in so long: hope. A cautious, fragile hope, but hope nonetheless. It had felt like that part of her had died with her Earth, with so many of her loved ones. But now, as she stared at the screen in front of her, equations glowing, possibilities unfolding—she allowed herself to believe again.This could work. This had to work.She bit her lip, eyes scanning the data as it began to take shape. It was a long shot, and the risks were enormous. But for Benjamin—for herself—she was willing to take those risks.Samantha Carter, once again, dared to hope. The sharp scent of ozone lingered in the lab, mixing with the sterile tang of disinfectant and the faint metallic bite of overheating circuits. The air was heavy and thick with the hum of active machinery and the quiet crackle of an overloaded power cell on the far workbench.Sam barely noticed.Her fingers flew over the keyboard, the keys clicking relentlessly as the monitor bathed her face in a ghostly blue glow. The faint static buzz of holographic displays filled the air, flickering with complex equations that shifted and recalibrated as she worked.The quantum mirror had always been unstable—its travelers doomed to entropic cascade failure. But what if she could fix that?What if she could shield the traveler’s quantum signature?Her heart pounded. It was dangerous. Unproven. But it could work.
Quantum shielding.
If she could stabilize the mirror, she wouldn’t just be buying time with the board—she’d be giving herself and Benjamin a way out—a way to find her Jack.If he was still out there.Her chest felt tight, her breaths quick and shallow, like they always got when she was on the verge of something monumental. Her pulse pounded in her ears, her skin prickling with adrenaline.She adjusted a line of code, and the lab lights dimmed momentarily, the flicker making the shadows jump across the walls. A faint burning smell reached her nose—something electrical. Shit. Too much power draw.She reached for the nearest cable, her fingers brushing against the cold, coiled metal, and yanked it free before the system could overload. Sparks snapped in protest, and for a moment, the entire lab hummed like a living thing before settling back into a steady drone.Sam barely exhaled before diving back in.She was close. She could feel it.She inhaled sharply, pushing the thought aside. Right now, only one thing mattered: making this shield a reality.Her fingers moved faster, the equations falling into place. If she got this right, reality travel wouldn’t just be possible—it would be safe.And it would change everything.Hours passed unnoticed as her calculations took shape. She was so absorbed that she didn’t even hear the lab door slide open.Jack lingered in the doorway of Sam’s lab, watching as she hunched over her workbench, her fingers moving in a relentless rhythm across the keyboard. The hum of machinery filled the room, broken only by the sound of her shallow breaths.Without a word, he set a thermos of coffee and a wrapped sandwich on the corner of her desk. Sam didn’t look up, but her hands faltered briefly.“I’m not hungry,” she muttered, her voice flat.Jack didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled up a stool and sat across from her, his presence quiet but resolute. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, watching her through the soft glow of the monitor.After a few moments, Sam sighed and finally glanced up.“You’re not going to leave, are you?”Jack shook his head, his expression calm but unyielding.“Nope.”Sam’s shoulders sagged, her exhaustion suddenly more visible. She grabbed the thermos and took a sip without protest, the silence between them speaking louder than any words.She avoided his gaze as she spoke.“They need results,” she muttered as if that explained the long work hours. Then she pushed her chair back and stood up. “I’m going to check on Benjamin.”Jack’s eyes darkened, but he kept his voice steady. “You think I don’t see what this is doing to you?”Sam didn’t answer right away. The only sound was the faint hum of the lab equipment, the overhead fluorescents flickering weakly. She stood still, her arms crossed, the gap between them feeling wider than it should have been in such a small room.When she finally spoke, her voice was flat. “I don’t have time for this, Jack.”And just like that, the hum of machinery was the only thing left between them.The air between them grew thick with tension. Jack stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in, his heart pounding. He opened his mouth to say something—anything—but no words came.Sam turned away from him, walking past without looking back.“I’m going to see my son,” she said, her voice cold and final.Jack stood frozen, his hands balling into fists at his sides, the sting of her rejection lingering long after she had left the room.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When she left the lab, she realized for the first time that she was hungry—famished. Despite Jack's food offer, she had been running on adrenaline for so long that basic needs like food and sleep had become secondary.As she made her way to the infirmary, Sam’s thoughts shifted from the quantum mirror and the shield to Benjamin. Her pace quickened, and the exhaustion faded as the image of her son filled her mind. She pushed through the door to the infirmary, and there he was—Benjamin, cradled in Daniel’s arms, smiling up at him with wide, curious eyes."Oh, look who’s here: Mommy!" Daniel said with a grin, looking up as Sam entered the room.A small, genuine smile tugged at Sam’s lips, the first in what felt like forever. Seeing Benjamin looking so much better and healthier melted away some of the weight on her shoulders. She stepped forward, her heart swelling with relief.“Hey, big boy,” she said softly, her voice full of warmth as she reached out for him.Benjamin immediately reached for her hair, grabbed a handful with his tiny fingers, and giggled as he tugged at it. Sam laughed, though her eyes filled with tears of gratitude. She didn’t mind at all. The fact that he was healthy enough to play with her hair was a miracle.Daniel handed Benjamin to her, his smile softening as he saw the relief wash over her.“He’s doing much better, Sam. Janet said he’s recovering quickly.”Sam cradled Benjamin close, holding him like he was her entire world—which, in many ways, he was.“You’re looking good, little man,” she whispered, kissing his head. She could feel the weight of his tiny body, warm and steady in her arms. It was the reassurance she needed more than anything else.Benjamin squirmed happily, tugging her hair again, but Sam didn’t care. He was okay. And that was all that mattered.For a moment, she forgot about the lab, the shield, and the board’s threats. All that mattered was that Benjamin was safe and in her arms. After spending more time with Benjamin, Sam finally felt her stomach growling—a painful reminder of how long it had been since she’d eaten anything. Daniel noticed, too, and after a brief exchange, they headed to the cafeteria. As they walked through the quiet corridors of the SGC, Sam felt a strange mix of exhaustion and adrenaline still coursing through her. She was tired, but her mind couldn’t stop buzzing with the possibilities of what she’d just been working on in the lab.Once they reached the cafeteria, Sam grabbed a tray and filled it with food absentmindedly. They found a quiet corner away from the other personnel. After some moments, Daniel chewed absently, watching as Sam absently pushed food around her plate. She wasn’t eating. Wasn’t even really looking at her food. That was a red flag.“This isn’t just about science, is it?”Her jaw clenched.“Sam.”She swallowed, then whispered, “If there’s even a chance… someone already did it.”Daniel frowned. “What do you mean?”Sam hesitated, debating whether to tell him. The encrypted files she had uncovered before the Board locked her out—someone had survived the process. Someone they had erased.“Nothing,” she finally said. “It’s just a theory.”But the unsettled look in her eyes told Daniel otherwise.“Okay, besides that theory,” Daniel said, setting his sandwich down. “What else is going on?”Sam exhaled but Daniel knew her too well.His voice hardened. “Samantha Carter.”She met his gaze. “A quantum shield—something to stabilize travel through the quantum mirror. No more entropic cascade failure. If it works, we could use it to leave this reality.”Daniel blinked. “Wait. You’re talking about actually leaving?”Sam nodded. “If the shield works, it changes everything.”Daniel exhaled sharply. “Sam… this isn’t just about escaping the board, is it?”She stayed silent.Daniel’s stomach twisted. “This isn’t about science, is it?”Her jaw clenched.“Sam.”She swallowed, then whispered, “If there’s even a chance…”Daniel scrubbed a hand down his face. “And what if you’re wrong? What if you build this thing, and there’s no Jack, no home—just another reality that isn’t ours?”Silence.Daniel sighed, shaking his head. “And what about this Jack?”Her eyes flicked up.Daniel’s voice softened. “He’s still alive. He’s here.” A beat. “That has to mean something.”Sam looked down, fingers tracing the edge of her tray.“That’s why this has to work,” she murmured. “If the shield locks a traveler’s quantum signature, my Jack could come here. Or we could go somewhere else—somewhere we don’t have to choose.”Daniel exhaled. “And you really think that’s possible?”Sam’s gaze sharpened. “I have to believe it.”He studied her for a long moment. He wanted to argue. To tell her she was chasing a ghost.But every time she’d looked like this before—she’d been right.Daniel sighed, rubbing his temples. “Okay.”Sam’s head snapped up.Daniel huffed a tired laugh. “We make it work.”A beat. Then, she nodded. “Thank you.”Daniel shook his head. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m pretty sure this is gonna get us both killed.”Sam smirked. “Then let’s make it count.”Sam’s heart swelled with that impossible hope again. Maybe it was wild. Perhaps it was just a dream. But for now, it was all she had. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to believe that, just maybe, Lieutenant General Jack O’Neill, her husband, was out there looking for her too.Because that hope, impossible as it was, was the only thing keeping her going. That same afternoon, Sam sat at the long conference table, her hands resting tensely on the cold surface. Daniel was by her side. The board members filed in with their usual blank expressions—detached, clinical, and indifferent. Ezra Kael, the architect of their misery, loomed near the corner of the room like a shadow.But one chair remained conspicuously empty.Jack’s chair.Sam’s eyes flicked toward it—unoccupied, silent, and yet full of meaning. A symbol of everything this version of the SGC had become. Jack wasn’t missing because he didn’t care. He was missing because they hadn’t invited him.They didn’t need him anymore.The empty chair felt heavier than the people in it.Sam curled her fingers against the cool surface of the table, willing herself to focus. She could still picture him—arms crossed, gaze sharp—standing just behind her in the early days. Back when he still had weight in these meetings. Back when they let him.Now, the chair was empty. They hadn’t needed to push him out—just make it easier for him to step away. And Jack, for all his stubbornness, had let it happen.Sam swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat. They didn’t want Jack in these meetings because he still tried to protect her. Because he fought too hard for Benjamin. For Daniel. For all of them. And that made him a threat to their control.She didn’t know what hurt more—that Jack was being deliberately kept in the dark or that he hadn’t pushed harder to stay by her side.Her mind drifted, unbidden, to the Jack she had loved in another life. That Jack had fought for her, too—had fought and died in the first wave of the war that had torn her world apart. She had never gotten to say goodbye.And now, here she was. With another Jack. A different Jack. One who wore the same face but wasn’t quite the man she had married.Sam’s hands clenched under the table. It wasn’t fair. To him. To her. To anyone.But life had stopped being fair a long time ago.Hawthorne’s smooth and measured voice broke through her thoughts. “Colonel Carter, we expect an update on your latest project.”Sam straightened, locking her gaze with Hawthorne’s eyes. Jack’s absence no longer mattered. Not here. Not now. The only thing that mattered was keeping her son safe.If the committee thought they had stripped away her defenses, they were wrong.Sam had been forged in war. And she would protect Benjamin—no matter what it cost her.Sam felt Daniel tense beside her, but she kept her expression neutral. She had learned to mask her frustration and bury the anger that threatened to boil over every time she sat across from these people who treated the SGC like a corporate acquisition.“I’m making progress,” she said, her voice steady but careful. “But these developments take time. Quantum physics is unpredictable, and I need additional resources—and unrestricted access to the quantum mirror—to complete the work.”Before Hawthorne could respond, a smooth, measured voice cut through the air.“Access to the quantum mirror is not yours to demand.”Ezra Kael’s voice barely rose above a murmur, yet it commanded immediate attention. The Board, usually smug and indifferent, straightened. Even Sam felt the shift—an instinctive recognition of a predator in the room.Kael’s black eyes locked onto hers, measuring. Calculating.Sam’s jaw tightened. “If you want results, give me what I need.”Kael’s lips curved slightly, but it wasn’t a smile but a warning. “You are still operating under the assumption that this is a negotiation. That there is time for consideration, for securing more favorable conditions.”He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “There isn’t.”There it was. The shift. The confirmation of what she had suspected.The Board wasn’t in control anymore.Maybe they never had been.“The shield you are developing is not simply a tool,” Kael continued. “It is a key. A gateway. One capable of locking a traveler’s quantum signature—or unlocking it.”Sam’s pulse quickened.“We stand at a threshold, Colonel,” Kael said softly. “Control of a single reality is no longer sufficient. The possibilities beyond our borders are limitless. And limitlessness demands control.”Daniel leaned forward, his hands pressed against the table.“You’re talking about invading other realities.”Kael didn’t blink.“I’m talking about securing humanity’s dominance. If that requires expansion, then so be it.”Sam’s mind raced, the implications crashing into her. The quantum shield wasn’t just about stabilizing travel—it was about opening the door to every parallel world. And Kael wasn’t just trying to protect this reality. He was trying to conquer them all.“Two weeks,” Kael said, his voice almost pleasant. “You will complete the quantum shield by then. If you fail, the Committee will take direct action.”Sam’s spine stiffened. “And if I refuse?”Kael’s gaze flicked toward Daniel, then toward the door.“There is no refusal. Only consequences.”Kael stood, buttoning his suit jacket. “We’ll be watching.”As he left, the Board remained seated, silent.For the first time since the corporate takeover of the SGC, they looked afraid.The door shut behind Kael, leaving only silence and the suffocating weight of a new reality. Sam remained still, gripping the edge of the table, her mind racing.If she failed, the consequences wouldn’t just be hers to bear.The Committee was here.And they weren’t leaving. The door to the conference room slammed shut behind the last board member, leaving the cold, echoing silence that followed corporate indifference. Sam remained seated at the long table, staring at the blank spot where Ezra Kael had been moments before. Daniel sat across from her, arms crossed, his frustration evident in every movement.“They don’t care, do they?” Daniel said bitterly, his voice breaking the silence. “Not about Benjamin, not about us. It’s all about power and dominance.” He sighed heavily, shaking his head. “They could shut this whole place down tomorrow and sleep soundly.”Sam rubbed her temples, the tension of the meeting still gripping her.“They aren’t in control anymore, Daniel. He is. The Committee. He cares about leverage. And right now, that means us,” she said quietly. “As long as we can give them something they want, we have a chance. But we’re running out of time. Two weeks, that’s all we have.”Daniel leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “And you really think this quantum shield is going to be enough? It’s not just about finishing it, Sam. They’ll want more once they realize what you can do. It’ll never stop.”Sam met his eyes, her own filled with determination, though exhaustion tugged at the edges.“I know. But it’s the only leverage we have right now. Without it, they’ll cut us loose—and if they do that, Benjamin’s safety...they won’t hesitate to take him from me. I can’t let that happen, Daniel.”Daniel sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He could see the weight pressing down on Sam’s shoulders, the immense pressure of being the only one who could deliver what the committee wanted. And yet, she still seemed so alone in all of it.He glanced at the empty seat that Jack should have occupied.“Jack should have been here,” Daniel said, voice lowering. “This was big.”Sam pressed her lips into a tight line. She could feel the tension building in her shoulders, the same frustration she refused to name.“Jack wasn’t invited.” The words sat heavy on her tongue.Daniel frowned. “Why? He’s still General O’Neill, isn’t he?”Sam exhaled sharply through her nose, a half-laugh, half-scoff. “Is he?”Daniel’s confusion deepened.“Like we both know, and the board’s made it pretty clear, Jack’s just a figurehead. They call the shots, not him. And the more he pushes back, the more they sideline him.” She paused, her eyes softening for a moment. “I think they keep him out of these meetings because they know he tries to fight for us and Benjamin. And they don’t want that. Especially now with the committee involved,” Sam said quietly.Daniel’s frustration deepened.“So they’re just... keeping him in the dark? Using him when they need to show a friendly face but otherwise sidelining him?”Sam nodded, a faint sadness creeping into her expression.“That’s exactly what they’re doing. If he pushes too hard, they’ll strip him of what little influence he has left. And without him here... the rest of the SGC staff would be left to fend for themselves. The committee doesn’t need him, but the people here do.”Daniel leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief.“That’s why he’s been so distant. He’s being shut out and can do nothing about it.”Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line, the sadness and frustration weighing heavily on her.“We are all living difficult times, Daniel.”“And what about you?” Daniel asked softly, his gaze intense. “How do you feel about him being shut out? I know things between you two are…complicated, but he picked our side.”Sam closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. She didn’t want to think about how she felt. She didn’t want to acknowledge the impact of that choice on her. From the man who looked like the husband she had lost, but who wasn’t him. Every time he tried to reach out and be there for her, it only reminded her of the man she had loved and lost in D.C.“He’s trying, Daniel,” Sam said quietly, opening her eyes again. “But every time I look at him, I… see my Jack—the Jack who probably didn’t make it. And I can’t—” Her voice wavered briefly before she steeled herself again. “I can’t let myself depend on him at this point. Not when I don’t even know if I can stay in this reality.”Daniel’s expression softened with understanding. He had known for a long time how deeply Jack’s loss affected her, how impossible it was for her to move on while staring at a man who wore her husband’s face but wasn’t him.“What are you going to do?” Daniel asked, his voice gentle but probing. “You can’t carry all of this on your own. The board, Benjamin, the quantum shield... and Jack...”Sam swallowed hard, her throat tight as she fought the rising emotions.“Priorities. I have to finish the shield in two weeks, Daniel,” she said firmly, but her voice was tinged with vulnerability. “It’s our only way out. If it works, we can try to leave this place. We can find a reality where we can exist without... without this constant struggle. And maybe, just maybe, if my Jack is still out there... if he’s looking for us... we’ll find him.”Daniel sat silently for a moment, processing everything she had just said. He could hear the desperation in her voice—the thread of hope that she clung to, even though it seemed impossible. He knew how much Sam had been through, how much she had lost. And he knew that if she didn’t have something to hold onto—some hope, no matter how wild—she might break under the pressure.“Okay,” Daniel finally said, his voice steady. “I’ll help you any way I can with the shield, and we’ll make it work. We’ll figure this out together.”Sam offered him a weak smile, her eyes filled with gratitude.“Thanks, Daniel. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”Daniel reached across the table and squeezed her hand.“You’ll never have to find out.”Sam left the conference room with Daniel at her side, her mind a storm of Kael’s threats and the Committee’s suffocating control. Jack’s empty chair haunted her. He should have been there. He would have been if they hadn’t worked so hard to sideline him. But was he really fighting as hard as he used to? Or was he—like all of them—slowly being broken by this new reality?The thought lingered as she reached her quarters.Benjamin’s soft breathing drew her back to the present, but the weight of Kael’s demands refused to lift. Sam was in her quarters with Benjamin who had been cleared by Janet, when there was a knock on her door. She hesitated for only a moment before standing and unlocking it. She knew the second she saw his expression—tightly controlled but laced with concern.“They’re onto you,” Jack said simply, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. “A trace was flagged on the security network.”Sam tensed. “How much do they know?”“They know it’s you,” Jack said. “But for some reason, they are holding back. Whatever you were digging into—it’s dangerous, Carter.”“Fuck,” she cursed as she started to pace. If they knew it was her and she hadn’t had handcuffs on her wrists yet, it was because they didn’t want to.Sam stopped pacing and met his gaze. She had never told him what she found with her hacking, but after today’s meeting with Ezra Kael and his absence, she needed to come clean.“I found something, Jack. Something bad.”Jack’s jaw tightened. “Worse than what we already knew?”“Much worse,” Sam said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The oversight committee isn’t just watching us. They’re engineering something. In the meeting today, there was a man named Ezra Kael. He owns Nova Genesis Industries, a company tied to defense contracts and biotechnological research. I believe he’s the leader of the oversight committee. And he just gave me two weeks to complete the shield,” she said, her eyes shining.Jack’s fingers drummed once against the doorframe. “You need to be careful.”Sam didn’t answer right away. She stared at the floor, then at Benjamin, sleeping soundly in her arms. Finally, she met Jack’s eyes.“He doesn’t just want a shield,” she murmured. “He wants a key.”Jack frowned. “Meaning?”Sam swallowed. “Ezra Kael isn’t just interested in stabilizing travel. He wants control. Over every parallel world.”Jack exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “That’s not just dangerous.” He dropped his hand, meeting her gaze. “That’s war.”Sam bit her lip. “I know, I’m the one building it. I need time.”She hesitated before continuing, her voice quieter now. “Jack… they had a Subject A before Benjamin.”Jack’s eyes darkened. “What?”“His name was Alec Mercer. He was an enhanced soldier, but the process was unstable. He was breaking down, mentally and physically. And then… he disappeared. Officially terminated.” Sam swallowed hard. “But what if he’s not? What if he escaped?”Jack exhaled through his nose, trying to rein in his frustration. “And you think Benjamin is next?”Sam nodded, her voice raw. “If they figure out how he works, they won’t stop at one. They’ll replicate him. If their plans are about invasions, they’ll need soldiers. I think this…this has been all he ever wanted from the start. Use Benjamin.”Jack’s expression hardened. “Then we don’t let them.”A long silence stretched between them. Then, without a word, Jack stepped closer and placed a firm yet gentle hand on Benjamin’s head, his fingers brushing through the soft strands of hair. Sam exhaled shakily, tightening her hold on her son as if she could shield him from everything threatening them.“We’ll figure this out,” Jack murmured.Sam pressed a lingering kiss to Benjamin’s forehead, her voice barely audible. “We have to.”Jack took a long look at the baby on Sam’s arms and left them alone, his mind too busy with what he just heard. The stakes had increased with the committee’s involvement but also the danger. And he had to be ready for that. Minutes after leaving Sam, Jack sat in his office, tapping a pen against his desk, staring at the classified file in front of him. Alec Mercer. A name erased just as cleanly as Kael’s threats.He leaned back, exhaling sharply. The report was thin—too thin. Officially, Mercer had died during an off-the-books mission years ago. But the deeper Jack dug, the more inconsistencies he found. The last known entry in his personnel file wasn’t a death certificate. It was a single redacted phrase under "Project Phoenix."Status: Terminated.But Jack had been around long enough to know that didn’t always mean dead.He reached for the secure line, dialing a number he wasn’t sure would still work.It rang once. Twice.Then, a voice—calm, deliberate. “You shouldn’t be asking questions about him, General.”Jack’s grip tightened on the receiver. “Colonel Davis.”A pause. Then, “Walk away, Jack.”“Tell me what happened to Mercer.”Davis sighed. “Stop asking questions about him, Jack.”“That means he’s alive.”Silence. Then, a dry chuckle.“Jack… you ever hear a story about a man who was supposed to be dead, but no one ever found the body?”Jack’s grip on the receiver tightened. “Davis—”“Let’s just say,” Davis interrupted, voice lowering, “Mercer’s not a story. He’s a problem. And problems don’t stay buried forever.”Jack’s grip tightened on the receiver. “What does that mean, Davis?”Then, Davis’s voice lowered. “I’m telling you the Committee doesn’t make mistakes, Jack.”Jack ran a hand down his face, processing. “Why would they erase him?”Another pause. Then, in a tone edged with something close to regret, Davis replied, “Because Mercer isn’t the past. He’s the future.”The line went dead.Jack stared at the phone, unease curling in his chest. If Mercer had survived… then he wasn’t just a failed experiment.He was a problem.And if the Committee was worried about him, then Jack damn well needed to be, too.Jack let the receiver fall back into place, the dial tone droning in the silence.He stared at the desk, his fingers tapping once, twice, then stilling.Mercer was alive. Davis practically had confirmed it.Jack exhaled, running his hand through his hair, but the tension didn’t ease. The Committee didn’t just lose control. They lost something they were afraid of.And if the Committee was afraid—Jack knew he should be too.A knock at the door broke through his thoughts.“Come in,” Jack called, already anticipating who it would be.Sam stepped inside, her expression sharp and curious. She studied Jack momentarily, noting the tension in his posture and the hard set of his jaw.“Any more thoughts about what we’ve discussed? You look tense.”Jack leaned back in his chair, exhaling heavily. “Remember Alec Mercer?”Sam’s brow furrowed.“Subject A from the Nova Genesis experiments. He was the prototype before Benjamin. The records said he didn’t survive—something about neurological breakdowns.”“Yeah, that’s what they wanted us to believe,” Jack muttered. “But Mercer’s alive. And he’s out there.”Sam’s eyes widened slightly. “How do you know this?”Jack hesitated for half a second. “Paul Davis called me.”Sam blinked, confused. “Paul Davis? From the Pentagon?”“Yeah.” Jack’s tone was clipped, and the tightness in his voice was unmistakable.Her confusion deepened. “Since when does Davis call you with intel? I thought he was just another liaison.”Jack rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “He’s not just Pentagon anymore. Davis is part of the Oversight Committee.”The weight of those words settled over the room.Sam’s expression darkened. “And you didn’t think to mention that before?”“I didn’t know for sure until now,” Jack admitted, avoiding her gaze. “I had suspicions, but Davis never confirmed it. Until today.”Sam’s hands clenched into fists.“So, let me get this straight. You’ve been talking to someone connected to the people who’ve been threatening Benjamin and me, and you didn’t say anything?”Jack sighed, frustrated.“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t trust him. And honestly, I still don’t. But he’s the only one on the inside who’s ever given me anything useful.”“Useful or convenient?” Sam shot back, her tone hard. “How do we know he’s not just feeding you what the Committee wants you to know?”Jack’s gaze sharpened.“Look, I’m not saying Davis is a saint. But he’s not Ezra Kael. He’s... complicated.”Sam’s eyes narrowed.“Complicated how? You’re not making a lot of sense, Jack.”Jack stood up, pacing behind his desk.“Davis isn’t just some puppet, okay? He’s a guy who’s stuck—like the rest of us. He’s trying to walk the line between doing his job and not becoming the monster Kael wants him to be.”Sam crossed her arms. “And you trust that?”Jack stopped pacing, his eyes meeting hers. “I trust that he saved my life once. And I think he’s trying to save his own now.”Sam’s anger faltered at the vulnerability in his voice.“When we were in that mess with the Goa’uld ambush years ago, Davis put himself between me and a blast that should’ve killed both of us,” Jack continued, his voice quieter. “He didn’t have to. But he did. And I didn’t leave him dead there and saved his ass because there was a sarcophagus, and… he lived in the end. So since then, we kinda own each other—at least enough to listen.”Sam swallowed hard. The anger still simmered beneath the surface, but Jack’s honesty made it harder to hold onto.“I just wish you’d told me sooner,” she said, softer now.“I know,” Jack admitted. “I should have. But I didn’t want to drag you into it unless I had to. And now... we have to.”A heavy silence hung between them.“So, what exactly did Davis tell you?” Sam asked, finally breaking the quiet.Jack leaned back against his desk.“That Mercer’s alive. And if the Committee’s scared enough to send out a warning, it means Mercer isn’t just surviving—he’s thriving. They want him dead. And if we don’t find him first, we’re in trouble.”“Why? What does Mercer know?”“More than we do,” Jack admitted. “And if he’s figured out the truth about Benjamin—or the Committee’s plans—he won’t just be a target. He’ll be leverage.”Sam’s jaw tightened.“If the Committee gets their hands on him, they’ll try to replicate whatever stabilized his enhancements. And if that works, they won’t stop with just him or Benjamin.”Jack nodded.“They’ll build an army. And we can’t let that happen.”Sam’s eyes met Jack’s, filled with determination. “Then we find Mercer first. Before they do.”Jack leaned forward.“We find him. We figure out what he knows. And if he’s a threat—”“—we stop him,” Sam finished, her voice hard with resolve.The line between ally and enemy had never been thinner. And Alec Mercer had just become the most dangerous player on the board. In the D.C. office of Nova Genesis, Colonel Paul Davis stared at the encrypted phone in his hand. The conversation with Jack had been a gamble. If the Committee found out he’d tipped off Jack, they’d classify him as a liability. And the Committee didn’t handle liabilities gently.He stared at his monitor, the classified files flashing before him. Ezra Kael would need to know about this, wouldn't he? Jack poking around Mercer meant exposure, a risk the Committee couldn’t afford. And yet, something held Davis back.Once a staunch believer in diplomacy, Davis no longer trusted alliances or goodwill with alien species. Now, Davis was the Committee’s military mind, ensuring humanity’s dominance in the universe—no matter the cost.He reflected on a past mission where he barely escaped a Goa’uld ambush. He remembered Jack’s heroics that day and how he had saved his life despite the costs they all paid. Paul Davis didn’t like being at a crossroads. Yet, here he was.He set the phone down and reached for another line. A more secure one.The call connected almost instantly. A low, modulated voice answered.“Colonel Davis,” the man on the other end said, calm and deliberate. “I assume this is important.”“It is,” Davis said. “Jack O’Neill is asking questions about Alec Mercer.”There was a brief pause. Then, a soft chuckle. “Is he now?”“We need your expertise,” Davis continued, voice flat. “Mercer is unfinished business. Jack can’t find him first.”“Understood,” the voice said. “I’ll handle it.”The line went dead.Davis exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. He knew who he had just called: Victor Cassian, the Committee’s enforcer—the Ghost.Cassian wasn’t like Ezra Kael. He didn’t operate with grand visions or ambitions of human evolution. He dealt with cold, complex realities. Problems were solved with silence or disappearance. And Mercer was a problem that had refused to stay buried. Across the building from Paul Davis office, the Nova Genesis Surveillance Room was bathed in a dim, sterile glow—the kind designed to keep the mind sharp and emotionless. Victor Cassian preferred it that way. He didn’t operate on sentiment or impulse. Everything was about results. And right now, the result he needed was Alec Mercer.Cassian’s cold, calculating gaze was fixed on a bank of monitors. Footage from years ago on planet P7R-953 played across the screens—grainy images of a younger Mercer strapped to a medical chair, his arms restrained with thick metal cuffs. The scene shifted to show Nova Genesis scientists injecting a glowing serum into Mercer’s veins. His body jerked, muscles straining against the bonds, sweat beading on his forehead as he fought against the transformation.Cassian didn’t blink.“Pause it there,” he ordered.The technician froze the frame at a shot of Mercer’s face contorted in agony. His eyes, wild with pain, seemed to pierce through the screen.Cassian leaned forward, studying the image with detached precision. Mercer’s enhancements had begun here. Accelerated healing. Heightened reflexes. Neural adaptation. But none of it had stabilized. By the time they reached Stage Three of the Nova Genesis experiments, Mercer’s body was mutating faster than the scientists could control.“This is where they lost him,” Cassian murmured to himself.The footage resumed, showing Mercer breaking free from his restraints. He moved with inhuman speed, snapping the cuffs as if they were paper. The scientists barely had time to scream before he was on them. Blood splattered across the walls. A security team stormed in, tranquilizers at the ready—but Mercer didn’t fall. He vanished into the shadows, and the feed cut to static.Cassian straightened. “Rewind.”The technician complied, stopping just before the static overtook the screen.Cassian’s eyes narrowed at the last frame. In the background, a single phrase had been scrawled on the wall in blood: Terminate me, and I will rise again.The technician shifted uncomfortably. “They never recovered his body, sir. The official report was marked ‘Terminated.’ But if he’s alive—”“He’s not just alive,” Cassian interrupted his voice a blade. “He’s evolved.”The technician swallowed. “What do we do now?”Cassian didn’t answer immediately. His gaze lingered on Mercer’s bloodied figure frozen on the screen. The man wasn’t just a threat to Nova Genesis anymore—he embodied everything the Committee feared: a soldier they couldn’t control.“He’s hunting us,” Cassian finally said. “And we will hunt him. He’s the Committee’s greatest mistake. We either bring him in—” His lips twitched, though it wasn’t quite a smile. “Or we bury him for good.”He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving the monitors flickering behind him.Mercer was out there. Watching. Waiting.But Victor Cassian wasn’t a man who lost sleep over ghosts.He was a man who erased them. Meaninwhile, not very far from Washington D.C., the air in the cave was damp and cold, and the stone walls were slick with condensation. Alec Mercer sat cross-legged near the mouth of the cavern, the moonlight casting shadows across his scarred face. His breath was slow and measured, but his mind was anything but calm.The memories hit like gunfire. Sudden. Jarring. One moment, Mercer was in the cave—the next, he was back there, metal biting into his wrists and ankles.The burn of the serum. The monitors screaming warnings. Kael’s voice, detached, clinical.“Accelerate the dosage.”“But his vitals—”“Do it.”The injection had come without warning. Mercer’s muscles seized, his vision exploding into a kaleidoscope of colors. Every sound—the beeping of monitors, the scraping of metal instruments—became a deafening roar. Pain fused with rage, and suddenly, the world snapped.Mercer didn’t remember breaking free. Only the aftermath. The smell of blood. The shattered glass. The cold, unyielding steel of the lab walls as he fled into the night.He had heard the order as he escaped:“Terminate him.” Mercer forced his eyes open, the cave’s damp air pressing in around him. It wasn’t then. It was now, his breath hitching. The flashback left a bitter taste in his mouth. Termination. That was their only word for him—a failed experiment to be discarded.They hadn’t expected him to survive the wilds of P7R-953 where Ezra had built his special advanced lab dor his experiments, away from prying eyes and regulations. The planet had been chosen specifically for its uninhabitable conditions—suffocating heat by day, freezing nights, and predatory life forms that didn’t leave bodies behind.But Mercer had adapted. His body pushed beyond its natural limits and found new ways to endure. His skin became tougher, and his reflexes became faster. His eyes adjusted to the darkness until he could see the slightest flicker of movement. Even his mind had changed—though not always for the better. Mercer flexed his hands, watching the moonlight glint off his scarred knuckles. The enhanced strength that had once been a curse now felt like a part of him. But there were still moments when the world became too bright, too loud, too overwhelming.The sensory overload hit without warning. A low-frequency hum from the back of the cave sent spikes of pain through his skull. He winced, pressing his hands to his temples. The hum transformed into Kael’s voice, clear as if he were standing behind him:
“You were never meant to survive, Mercer. You were meant to prove the process.”
Mercer gritted his teeth. “I proved more than you ever wanted.”The hallucination faded, leaving only the stillness of the cave. Mercer leaned against the stone wall, his heart pounding. The enhancements had kept him alive, but they had also fractured something inside him. His mind, like his body, had been pushed too far. Mercer’s last conversation with Ezra Kael played out in vivid detail.“You promised this would save lives,” Mercer had said, his voice raw with pain. “But all you’ve done is create soldiers to kill on your command.”Kael’s eyes had been devoid of emotion. “Survival is war, Mercer. And war requires sacrifice. You were one of many.”“That’s why you did this?” Mercer had taken a step forward, his muscles trembling with rage. “To make me expendable?”“Not expendable,” Kael corrected. “Replaceable.” The memory faded, leaving Mercer trembling. Kael had used him. Turned him into something not entirely human. But Mercer had survived. And if Kael thought the past could be buried, he was dead wrong.He had bid his time on the planet, waiting for the right time to escape. To get back to Earth. And he waited. And waited. Until when they were no longer looking for him, he managed to get inside one of many crates of weapons destined to Nova Genesis Industries that were to be sent through the Stargate, unstopped, unchecked. Because nobody messed with the stuff from Ezra Kael. And when Mercer finally felt it was safe to move, he found himself in a huge wharehouse of Nova Genesis. He left without a trace and headed to the wilderness.He found a empty cave that had been his home ever since. He needed quiet. No people. When he needed he went to town. Fast, undetected.Mercer rose to his feet, his heightened senses extending beyond the cave’s entrance. He could feel the world vibrating just beneath his skin—the distant howl of the wind, the rustle of leaves disturbed by nocturnal predators.The darkness was alive. It pulsed against his skin.Mercer exhaled, slow and controlled, as he crouched just inside the cave entrance. His body was still now, but inside, the storm raged. It never stopped.A sound—a rustle too soft for normal ears—prickled the edges of his mind. A scout. Watching him. Following his trail.Mercer smiled, though it wasn’t human.“You’re getting close,” he murmured to the wind. “But I’ll see you first.”He let the night swallow him whole. Before closing for the day, Jack stood at the head of the table, Sam, Daniel, and Janet seated around him. He didn’t mince words. Sam had been against bringing Janet to this discussion, but Jack and Daniel had reasoned that she had done her job stabilizing Benjamin, had medical expertise that could come in handy, and was genuinely sorry for her actions. Eventually, Sam agreed.“Alec Mercer is alive. And if the Committee gets their hands on him, they’ll use him to perfect whatever they’re planning for Benjamin.”Daniel frowned. “Mercer’s dangerous. If he’s unstable—”“I don’t care if he’s dangerous,” Jack said. “He’s also our best chance at taking down the Committee.”Janet nodded. “If Mercer is after revenge, he may become an ally. Or an enemy.”“Exactly,” Jack said. “That’s why we find him first. Before they do.”Sam’s eyes were sharp with determination. “And if we can’t?”Jack’s gaze hardened. “Then we stop them. Whatever it takes.” Sam sat cross-legged on her bed, Benjamin asleep beside her. His tiny chest's soft rise and fall was the only thing grounding her. The weight of the day threatened to crush her—the board’s suffocating demands, Ezra Kael’s veiled threats, and Jack’s absence that hurt more than she wanted to admit.Her mind wouldn’t stop racing. Two weeks. That’s all Kael had given her to finish the quantum shield. But even if she succeeded, there was no guarantee they would stop there.Her tablet buzzed on the nightstand. Sam frowned, reaching for it. She wasn’t expecting any messages this late.The screen lit up. An unknown number.No name. No timestamp.
They’ll come for you and the child.
Protect him.
I’ll be watching.
Sam’s breath caught. The device felt heavier in her hands, a sudden pulse of static humming under her skin.Her hands trembled as she reread the message. It could be a threat—or a warning. Either way, whoever had sent it knew too much.Her mind immediately went to Alec Mercer. Could he be the one watching? Was he an ally or an enemy?Benjamin stirred beside her, and Sam’s heart clenched. Whatever the answer, one thing was clear. The walls around them were closing in. 03:00 AM. Victor Cassian stepped into the ruined remains of a Nova Genesis lab, the cold night air seeping through shattered windows. His gaze swept over the destruction with clinical precision: burned-out equipment, files strewn across the floor, and blood smeared on the walls like a macabre mural.“Another attack,” one of his operatives reported, stepping into the room. “No survivors. Mercer left no trace again.”Cassian’s eyes narrowed. Alec Mercer was getting bolder.He moved deeper into the lab, boots crunching over broken glass. As he approached the far wall, his gaze caught on something—blood-red letters scrawled across the concrete.
“Project Phoenix isn’t over. I’m proof.”
Cassian’s lips twitched into something that might have been a smile—if he were capable of such things. Mercer wasn’t just attacking now. He was sending a message.“Track him,” Cassian ordered his tone ice. “I want every operative we have on him.”The operative hesitated.“Sir, if Mercer’s enhancements have stabilized, he might be—”“Enough.” Cassian’s gaze was cold steel. “There are no ‘might be’s.’ He’s a threat. And threats get eliminated.”The operative nodded and hurried out, leaving Cassian with the bloodied message.Mercer wasn’t hiding anymore. He wanted them to know he was coming.Cassian’s fingers brushed the hilt of the knife strapped to his belt. He didn’t lose sleep over ghosts. But Mercer? Mercer was something else entirely.The hunt was on. Sam clutched Benjamin tighter as she reread the cryptic message.Cassian’s team moved in the shadows, preparing for the hunt.And Mercer—fueled by betrayal and rage—was waiting for the right moment to strike.The stage was set.And the clock was ticking.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The lab was silent except for the clatter of tools against metal. Sam’s bloodshot eyes burned, dark circles carved beneath them—a testament to too many sleepless nights. The quantum shield prototype lay scattered across the table, an unfinished puzzle where one wrong calculation could unravel everything.She blinked hard, but the numbers on the screen swam, refusing to settle. A dull, rhythmic pounding pulsed behind her eyes. She needed sleep. Food. A break. But there was no time. Two weeks. That was all she had. Failure didn’t just mean losing control of her work. It meant losing Benjamin.Her fingers fumbled for the stylus, knocking it off the console. She stared at it, her brain lagging behind her body."Damn it."She bent to retrieve it, but the movement sent a sharp jolt of pain up her spine. She was unraveling, and she knew it."Carter."Jack’s voice broke through the sterile hum of the lab. Sam didn’t look up."It’s late. You’ve been at this too long."Her grip tightened on the wrench. “I’m fine.”“No, you’re not,” Jack said. “You’re pushing yourself past the point of reason.”"We’re out of time, Jack! He’s breathing down my neck, and every second I waste is another second he tightens his grip." Her voice cracked on the last word. Her throat was raw from too many hours of silence, too much coffee, and insufficient water. She clenched her jaw, refusing to acknowledge it. "I need to focus."Sam’s eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and despair. She quickly returned to the shield, her hands trembling slightly as she picked up the tools again."I can’t stop. If I stop… I’ll lose everything," she whispered.Jack sighed heavily and left the lab, cursing down the hallway.Alone, Sam stared at the nearly completed shield, her mind racing with equations and possibilities. Somewhere, in some reality, her Jack might still be alive, searching for her just as desperately as she was fighting to escape this nightmare.She took a deep breath, steeling herself."If this doesn’t work," she whispered, "there’s no turning back."The console beeped, signaling an incoming encrypted message. Sam frowned, glancing at the monitor. No one was supposed to have access to this line.
They’ll come for you and the child.
Protect him.
I’ll be watching.
Sam’s breath hitched, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Her mind immediately went to Alec Mercer. He was the only one who had escaped the Committee’s grasp—and if anyone knew what they were capable of, it was him. And it was the second time she received the same message.But was this a warning? Or a threat?The message disappeared before she could respond, leaving only her reflection on the dark screen. She wiped her hands on her pants, trying to calm the tremor in her fingers. Her grip on hope felt as fragile as ever, but one thing was sure. Mercer was out there. And if he was watching, it was only a matter of time before he made his move. “Sam, you need to eat.”Daniel’s voice was steady, but his eyes scanned her face, searching. The plate in front of her sat untouched, the food long gone cold.“Talk to me,” he pressed. “You’ve barely said a word in days. Jack’s worried. I’m worried. And Benjamin—”Her fingers twitched around the fork. The moment his name left Daniel’s mouth, something in her snapped shut.“Don’t,” she rasped. “Don’t bring him into this.”Daniel exhaled slowly, but he didn’t let up. Of course, he didn’t.“He’s your son, Sam.” His voice was quiet but firm. “He needs you. We all do. But you’re slipping—disappearing into this… obsession with the shield.”Obsession.The word coiled around her like a noose.Sam squeezed her eyes shut. The pressure behind them burned. A headache had been building for hours—maybe days. Her temples throbbed in time with her racing pulse.
Breathe, Carter. Keep it together.
"I don’t have a choice, Daniel." The words came out too fast, too raw. A crack in her armor. "I have to finish this in two weeks. I have to find a way out."She forced herself to look up at him."If I don’t," she whispered, "we lose everything."Her hands trembled. She curled them into fists beneath the table before Daniel could notice. Not now. Not here. Not at the cafeteria. Back in her lab, Sam locked the door behind her.Her fingers barely had the strength to turn the lock. The moment the mechanism clicked, her knees gave out. She hit the chair hard, breath hitching as she buried her face in her hands.
Keep it together.
But she couldn’t. Not anymore.Her body refused to listen. Tremors shook her hands. Her heartbeat pounded, too fast, too wrong. Just exhaustion. Just stress. She gritted her teeth, but the shaking didn’t stop.
Focus, damn it.
Her blurred gaze landed on the nearly completed shield. It was so close. The last piece of the puzzle. The only thing standing between her and losing everything.She reached for the final component—a small, delicate control node—but her fingers fumbled it. It clattered against the floor, rolling under the console. A stupid, tiny mistake.Sam squeezed her eyes shut, sucking in a sharp breath.She couldn't do this.Suddenly, a sharp knock at the door shattered the silence."Carter."Her breath hitched. She didn’t move. Didn’t answer."Open the door." Jack’s voice was harder this time.Sam inhaled, then exhaled slowly, forcing herself upright. Mask back on.She wiped her damp palms on her pants, straightened her shoulders, and took a slow, steadying breath before unlocking the door.Jack stepped inside, his sharp gaze scanning her, lingering on the way she gripped the edge of the desk like it was the only thing keeping her upright."So you continue working non-stop…," he said, crossing his arms. "What’s really going on here, Carter?"Sam kept her eyes locked on the quantum shield, trying to will away the exhaustion clawing at her. She knew this conversation was coming. She just wasn’t ready for it.Jack stepped closer. "You’re not just working to meet Kael’s deadline. You’re working like someone running out of time.”Her grip tightened around the edge of the table, knuckles white."They're using you, Sam. You know that, right? The more you give, the more they take. When was the last time you saw Benjamin?"The words struck deep, but she couldn’t show it. She couldn’t afford to."I’m doing this for him," she said, voice tight. "For all of us. If I finish this shield, we have a chance."Jack’s gaze bore into her. “And if you break first? What then?”She exhaled shakily. “Then I can’t break.”Jack lingered momentarily, watching her, his chest tightening with the familiar ache of frustration and concern. He sighed heavily, then turned to leave, the tension between them hanging unresolved in the air. She was as stubborn as his Sam had been—maybe even more so. But this version of her had a son, and lately, he had heard parts of conversations between her and Daniel where she seemed to be clinging desperately to the wild, impossible hope that her Jack was still out there somewhere in the universe.As much as he hated to admit it, Jack was starting to doubt whether she was thinking clearly anymore. Two weeks passed.Sam’s hands moved deftly over the control panel as she worked, her fingers quick and sure despite the rising ache in her shoulders. Sam stared at the nearly completed shield, her mind racing with possibilities. If she could make this work, it wouldn’t just be a lifeline for her and Benjamin—it would redefine interdimensional travel itself. The shield wasn’t just a way out; it was a revolution.A working shield could stabilize quantum travel, protect against entropic cascade failure, and open the door to new realities—safe, stable, and fully accessible. It could change everything for the SGC and beyond, offering humanity a future unbound by a single timeline.But for Sam, it wasn’t about the science anymore. It was about Benjamin. This shield was his protection, his chance at a life beyond being a corporate experiment. Success meant freedom—not just for her, but for everyone trapped in this nightmare of control and exploitation. Failure wasn’t an option.It had taken everything—every trick she’d learned, every workaround she could pull out of her head—to reach this point, and she could feel it, the slightest glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, this would be the breakthrough they needed. But until she tested it, that hope was as fragile as the thin security she had left in this reality.She ran a hand over her face, exhausted, her eyes flickering to the schematics again. Testing the shield meant returning to the quantum mirror to ensure it could withstand receiving someone from another reality already existing in the current one. But that posed two immediate problems: if the committee caught wind of her progress, they’d pressure her to share the tech to control it for themselves. And she was sure as hell not handing it over to Ezra Kael. Then there was the mirror. Access was locked down, guarded, and restricted. With her limited clearance, she’d have to go through this reality’s Jack.The problem was she couldn’t afford to trust him entirely despite all the proofs he had given her so far. Everything could collapse if he suspected her plan to use the mirror to escape—or even to help her real Jack find his way here. She clenched her jaw, leaning back from the console, frustration burning low in her chest.You’re close, Sam, she told herself. Now, don’t ruin it by rushing.Taking a deep breath, she shut down the control panel, leaving her work under layers of protective security and encryption, and grabbed her bag. As she exited the lab, she dialed Daniel's extension, listening to his phone ring three times before he picked up.“Hey, Sam. You wrapping up for the day?” Daniel’s voice was calm, steady. She was grateful that he’d been her rock through this.“Yeah, I am. Can you meet me by the front entrance? I’ll grab Benjamin from daycare and head home. I… need to talk through our next steps. We’re closer than we’ve ever been, Daniel, but there’s still so much that could go wrong,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.“Understood, Sam,” he replied, his voice just as low. “I’ll be there in ten.”With a final glance around, Sam left the lab and wound through the maze of halls to reach the daycare. As she reached Benjamin’s daycare, his bright eyes met hers immediately, and a tired smile broke across her face as she picked him up, hugging him close. His tiny hands tugged at her hair, oblivious to the weight pressing down on her. Sometimes, she marveled at how her son’s innocence gave her strength, even when the rest of the world was falling apart.“Alright, little guy,” she murmured, kissing his forehead. “Let’s get you home.”Daniel was waiting by the entrance, his hands in his pockets, watching the security personnel around them with wary eyes. They exchanged a silent nod and headed out together, slipping into the parking lot and driving home silently. When they finally arrived home, Sam settled Benjamin in his crib with his toys in the living room.He cooed, reaching for her fingers, his tiny hands warm against her cold skin. She swallowed, pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead before stepping away. Too long. If she stayed too long, she’d fall apart.Daniel was already waiting at the kitchen table, watching her. She could feel his eyes on her as she poured herself a cup of coffee with unsteady hands.The cup nearly slipped. She caught it just in time, but some of the liquid sloshed over the rim, burning her fingers. She hissed, shaking them out.Daniel raised an eyebrow."You okay?""Fine," she murmured, gripping the cup tighter. Her knuckles were white.Daniel didn’t push, but the look on his face said he didn’t believe her. He waited until she slid into the seat across from him before speaking."So, the shield?"Sam exhaled, closing her eyes for just a second before forcing herself to focus. The exhaustion sat behind her ribs like a lead weight."The shield is ready," Sam said, voice tight. The usual confidence was missing.Daniel studied her. "Then why don’t you sound relieved?"She rubbed her temples, exhaustion pressing down like a weight."Because testing it means getting access to the mirror. And that’s a whole other battle.""With Jack?"Sam hesitated, then nodded. "If I ask, he’ll want answers."Daniel leaned forward. "And if you don’t ask?"Her fingers curled around the coffee cup. "Then we’re out of options.""You’re running yourself into the ground.”Sam gave a hollow laugh. “Tell that to the committee.”“I’m telling you,” Daniel said. “What happens if you break?”The words hit her like a gut punch, because wasn’t that what Jack had said, too?
And if you break first? What then?
She clenched her jaw, gripping the cup tightly. No. She wouldn’t break. She couldn’t afford to.“I’ll be fine,” she said, forcing the lie out between her teeth.Daniel sighed, shaking his head. “Yeah, see, that’s the thing—you won’t.”Sam scoffed, shaking her head, refusing to look at him. “I don’t need a lecture, Daniel.”“Then what do you need?”She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.She didn’t know.The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. Sam forced her eyes shut, rubbing at the tension building behind them.“I need this shield to work,” she whispered. “That’s what I need.”Daniel exhaled, nodding slowly. “And then what?”She frowned. “What do you mean?”“I mean, let’s say the shield is done. Let’s say it works perfectly. What then, Sam?” He gestured toward Benjamin’s crib in the next room. “Because at the rate you’re going, you’re not going to make it to see what happens next.”Sam’s breath hitched. Something inside her cracked, just a little.“Don’t,” she said, her voice strained. “Don’t do that. Don’t—”“What? Make you say it out loud?” Daniel’s voice was gentle, but relentless. “You’re killing yourself over this.”She let out a sharp breath, shaking her head, pushing the words away before they could take root. “I don’t have the luxury of slowing down.”“You don’t have the luxury of collapsing either.”Sam let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Watch me.”That was the first honest thing she’d said all night.Daniel didn’t call her out on it. He didn’t need to.Instead, he let the silence settle between them, only the soft hum of the refrigerator filling the kitchen. Sam wrapped her hands around her coffee cup, not drinking, just clinging to the warmth as if it might keep her upright a little longer.“So,” Daniel finally said, his tone carefully neutral. “What’s the plan?”Sam exhaled slowly, her shoulders sagging. “I need the mirror.”“Right. The quantum mirror.” Daniel nodded. “And to access it, you need Jack.”Sam’s jaw tightened. She had known this conversation was coming, but now that it was here, it felt like a slow, inevitable collapse.“Yeah,” she muttered. “I need Jack. I can’t exactly go to Ezra.”Daniel leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. “And what’s the part you don’t want to say out loud?”Sam hesitated. Too long.When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet. “I don’t trust him.”Daniel didn’t look surprised. “Because he’s not your Jack.”Sam swallowed. The words shouldn’t have hit as hard as they did.“He’s helped us,” she admitted, fingers tapping restlessly against the ceramic mug. “More than I expected. But if he realizes what I’m really doing, what I need the shield for…”Daniel sighed. “He’ll stop you.”Sam nodded, her throat tight. “And then I lose everything.”The weight of it all pressed down harder. She was too tired to carry it, but she didn’t have a choice.“He’s already watching me more closely,” she said, voice rough. “Ever since Mercer reappeared, since the committee started closing in. If I ask him for access, he’ll ask questions. And if I answer wrong, even once…”She trailed off.Daniel studied her carefully. “Then maybe you shouldn’t ask.”Sam stiffened, shaking her head before he even finished. “No. No, I have to. I need the mirror, Daniel.”“You need a way out,” Daniel corrected. “And if Jack’s the one thing standing between you and that, maybe asking him isn’t the best move.”Sam pressed her fingers into her temple, trying to ease the dull, rhythmic pounding that had taken up permanent residence there.“I don’t have another option.”“You might,” Daniel countered. “We just haven’t figured it out yet.”Sam let out a short, bitter laugh. “We don’t have time to figure it out.”“Then we need to make damn sure you don’t blow this.”She looked up at him then, exhaustion written into every line of her face. He wasn’t wrong. But the thought of walking into Jack’s office, asking for his help, knowing he might see through her—She didn’t have a backup plan.“I’ll have to lie,” she said, more to herself than to Daniel. “Tell him just enough to get access. Nothing more.”Daniel frowned. “Sam—”“I can do it.” She cut him off, her voice too sharp, too defensive.Daniel studied her for a long moment before shaking his head. “Maybe. But you’re not thinking clearly.”Sam’s temper flared, hot and immediate. “I don’t have the luxury of clear thinking right now.”Daniel didn’t react, didn’t push back. He just tilted his head slightly. “You sound like Jack.”Sam opened her mouth—to argue, to deny it—But the words died in her throat.Because that was exactly what Jack would say.That was exactly the kind of excuse he had made before he left. Before he became the man in this reality who looked at her with too much recognition and not enough understanding.Sam looked away, her breath shaky. She hated this. Hated that she was losing control of herself, hated that she had to put her fate in the hands of a man who wore her husband’s face but wasn’t him.Hated that part of her still wanted to believe he could be.“Sam,” Daniel said softly. “Are you sure you can do this?”Sam clenched her jaw. There was only one answer.“I have to.”Suddenly a buzz from her tablet interrupted them. She swiped to check the notification. A news report flashed across the screen, and her blood ran cold.“Another Nova Genesis facility destroyed,” Daniel read over her shoulder, frowning. “No survivors.”Sam’s eyes narrowed, her tired mind connecting the dots. She tapped on the article to reveal a grainy photo of the wreckage. Across one of the surviving walls, a blood-red message had been scrawled: “Project Phoenix isn’t over. I’m proof.”Daniel’s face darkened. “Mercer.”Sam’s grip on the tablet tightened. “They won’t let this go. They’ll hunt Mercer down until one of them is dead.”“And if Mercer’s desperate enough to come after us?” Daniel asked.Sam met his gaze, the weight of the unspoken possibilities hanging between them.“Then we need to be ready,” she vowed, glancing back at her son, who was now drifting off to sleep, his tiny breaths soft and even. The sight strengthened her resolve for him.As Daniel headed to his bedroom, she carried Benjamin to hers. She placed him carefully in his crib, tucking the blanket around him with unsteady hands.The second she stepped away, her knees buckled.She barely caught herself against the headboard before collapsing onto the bed, her breath hitching.Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. She pressed them against her thighs, digging her nails in—hard—just to feel something solid. But the tremors wouldn’t stop.The room felt too sharp, the light too white, too loud. She reached for a glass of water—It slipped from her fingers. Shattered.Sam let out a ragged breath.She needed rest. Food. Air.But stopping meant thinking.And thinking meant—No. Not now. Not yet. Sam arrived at the Mountain very early and went straight to her lab. Sitting there, in the quiet, with the glow of the quantum shield prototype casting faint shadows across the walls, her fingers hovered over the keyboard, unmoving, as her thoughts spiraled in circles. This was the moment she had been preparing for—but now that it was here, she found herself paralyzed with doubt.The shield was finished.She had poured every ounce of her knowledge and energy into its creation, refining it to perfection despite the relentless pressure from Kael and the Committee. It worked. She knew it did. But the next step was far more precarious: she needed access to the quantum mirror to test it—and the first person who could grant that access was Jack O’Neill.Not her Jack.She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples as a wave of exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. This wasn’t her Jack. He wore the same face, but he wasn’t the man she had trusted with her life. He had moments of understanding, but no guarantees."If he says no…?" The whisper barely left her lips. If Jack saw through her, she would loose everything. Benjamin. Her escape. Her Jack.The quantum shield flickered in front of her—a lifeline. She exhaled, steadying herself. One wrong move, and it all collapsed.“But what if he agrees?” That question was just as terrifying. If Jack granted her access, she would have to execute her plan perfectly. There could be no room for error. The Committee was watching, always watching, and one wrong move could bring everything crashing down.Her fingers tapped against the edge of the desk, a nervous rhythm that mirrored the racing of her thoughts. She needed to approach Jack carefully, give him just enough information to earn his cooperation without revealing too much. But even then, there was no guarantee he would go along with it. When they threatned Benjamin, he had chosed to be on their side, his son side but deep down, Jack was loyal to this reality’s SGC, to its rules and its twisted hierarchy. And while he had shown flashes of the man she once knew, those moments were fleeting, buried beneath layers of skepticism and duty.“He’s not my Jack,” she reminded herself firmly, forcing the thought to take root. “He doesn’t owe me anything.”But she owed Benjamin everything. And that meant taking risks, even if they terrified her.With a deep breath, Sam pushed herself to her feet, her legs unsteady beneath her. She straightened her shoulders, steeling herself against the tide of uncertainty threatening to pull her under. She couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer. Jack was her only option, and if she wanted to protect her son and find a way back to the life she had lost, she had to try.“One step at a time,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of the shield. “You’ve come this far. You can’t stop now.”Resolute, she gathered her notes and turned toward the door, her mind already crafting the careful, measured argument she would present. She couldn’t control Jack’s response, but she could control her own actions. And right now, that had to be enough. Sam stood outside Jack’s office, nerves fraying despite her steely resolve. The hallway was quiet, almost suffocating in its stillness. She shouldn’t feel this way—she had faced Goa’uld warlords with less hesitation—but this wasn’t just another mission. This was about Benjamin. And it was about Jack.
You can do this.
Before she could second-guess herself, she knocked.“Come in.”Jack’s voice was clipped but not unfriendly. She stepped inside, schooling her expression into something neutral, practiced. The shield was up—emotion tucked away behind logic and calculation.Jack leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His posture was casual, but his eyes were sharp, tracking her every move. He wasn’t just looking at her; he was reading her.“Carter,” he greeted. No warmth, no hostility. Just Jack.Sam nodded once. “Jack.”He tilted his head slightly, gesturing to the chair across from him. “Take a seat.”Sam hesitated—half a second too long—before obeying. Her legs felt stiff, her body running on fumes, but she kept her back straight. She couldn’t afford to show weakness.Jack let the silence stretch, watching her with the patience of someone waiting for a storm to break. When he finally spoke, his voice was low but firm.“You don’t ask for meetings like this unless you want something.”Go slow. Keep it simple.“I need access to the quantum mirror.”No reaction. Not at first. But his fingers tapped once against the desk—slow, deliberate.“That’s… an unusual request.”Sam forced herself to hold his gaze, even as her pulse pounded against her ribs. “It’s for research. I need to test some variables—structural integrity, entropic decay rates.”Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Does Kael know?”Sam exhaled through her nose. Don’t hesitate. Hesitation is a tell.“Not yet. It’s preliminary. I’d rather not involve him until there’s something worth reporting.”Jack leaned forward slightly. “And you came straight to me because…?”Because you’re the only one I trust. The words hovered on her tongue, but she couldn’t say them. Not to this Jack.“Because you can grant access without turning it into a political mess.”Jack’s huff wasn’t quite a laugh. “Flattery. That’s new.”Sam’s hands tightened around the arms of the chair. She hated the tremor in her fingers—the exhaustion giving her away. Jack noticed everything.He sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Let’s say I believe you.”Sam’s breath caught. That was progress.But then his gaze sharpened. “Tell me something, Carter. If I say no, what’s your next move?”Her throat went dry. “There is no next move. You’re the only one who can approve this.”Jack studied her, the weight of the silence pressing down on her chest. Then he nodded, almost to himself. “That’s what I thought.”He stood abruptly, pacing to the corner of the office. Sam blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift. “Jack—”“You don’t lie easily,” he said, cutting her off. “You never have.”Sam froze. The blood drained from her face. “I’m not—”“You are,” Jack interrupted, turning to face her. “You’re doing a damn good job of it, but not good enough.”Sam’s breath hitched. Too much. He saw too much.“Jack, I’m asking for your help.”“No.” His voice softened, but the edge remained. “You’re asking for my trust.”Sam felt the ground slipping beneath her. Desperation coiled tight in her chest. Don’t think. Just act.She stood.Jack stiffened as she closed the distance between them. His expression flickered—uncertainty, wariness. He was bracing for something, but not this.Sam reached for him—not his arm, not a weapon.She kissed him.For one fragile second, Jack didn’t pull away. His breath caught, and something inside him cracked. Memory or instinct—he wasn’t sure.Her lips were warm, too familiar, too real. A ghost of another life passed between them.Then, like a reflex, he jerked back. His breath hitched, his expression unreadable—shock, anger… something else?“What the hell was that?”Sam’s stomach twisted. “I—”"No.” Jack’s hand shot up, cutting her off. “You think you can play me?”Sam’s breath wavered, but she held her ground. “You tell me.”His eyes pinned her in place. “What was that supposed to prove?”“Do I need to prove anything?” she shot back.Jack’s laugh was rough and humorless. “You’re bluffing, Carter.”“Maybe.”Jack’s shoulders tightened. “You’re exhausted. You’re desperate. And you’re lying to me.”Sam didn’t deny it. Couldn’t.Because that was the real game, wasn’t it? How much she could get away with before he stopped letting it slide.Jack’s gaze flicked to hers once more. For a moment, something unreadable passed between them.“Damn it, Carter,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. His voice was rougher now, tinged with frustration.Sam swallowed hard, her pulse hammering in her ears. He should have pushed her away instantly. He hadn’t.That hesitation—that flicker of something—was enough.Jack exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck.“I’ll think about it.”Sam’s pulse spiked. “Jack—”“I won’t tell the committee,” he cut in. “But I’m not giving you an answer yet.” His gaze locked onto hers. “I need to figure out what the hell this means.”She searched his face for an opening, a sliver of trust she could hold onto. But Jack was already pulling away, retreating behind unreadable eyes.She had pushed too far.Finally, she nodded. “Okay.”Her hands trembled at her sides. Jack noticed.“Go home, Carter,” he said, quieter now. “Get some damn sleep.”Sam turned before he could see the relief flicker across her face. The moment the door shut behind her, she exhaled shakily, leaning back against the wall.Her focus blurred as she walked back to her lab, her mind racing with thoughts of her real Jack—and the lengths she’d gone to in this desperate attempt.Sam pressed her fingers against her lips, the taste of regret bitter on her tongue.
What had she done?
The answer was simple: She’d crossed a line she couldn’t take back.And she might have just ruined everything. Victor Cassian stood at the center of the Nova Genesis Command Center, hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the monitor. The flickering screen replayed the aftermath of Mercer’s latest strike—another facility reduced to burning wreckage, blood smeared across the walls. But it was the message scrawled in deep red that held his attention:
“Project Phoenix isn’t over. I’m proof.”
Cassian’s lips curled, the only sign of amusement in his otherwise impassive expression. Mercer wasn’t just running. He was hunting. The fool had always been arrogant, but this? This was personal.A soft chime drew his attention to another screen. A dimly lit lab flickered into view—Sam Carter hunched over her workstation, fingers trembling as she encrypted her latest work. The quantum shield cast a cold blue glow across her face, accentuating the exhaustion etched into her features.She was unraveling.Good.“She’s been requesting access to the quantum mirror,” an operative reported stiffly. “O’Neill hasn’t approved it yet, but—”“But she wouldn’t ask unless she had a plan,” Cassian cut in, voice smooth. He almost admired the desperation. Almost.The operative nodded. “She’s been careful, but we believe she’s looking for an escape. There’s no direct contact with Mercer, but the timing—”“It’s not a coincidence.” Cassian’s eyes flicked between the two feeds—Mercer’s taunt, Carter’s desperation. The pieces were aligning.He turned, pacing slowly toward the main console. “Restrict access to the mirror immediately. No personnel moves without my authorization.”“Including General O’Neill?”Cassian’s smirk deepened. “Especially O’Neill. He’s sentimental. That makes him a liability.”The operative hesitated. “And Carter?”Cassian glanced back at the screen, watching as Sam rubbed her temples, exhaustion weighing her down. She was close—he could feel it. And desperation made even the strongest people reckless.“She’ll come to us soon enough,” he murmured. “They always do.”He turned back to the feed, his gaze flicking to another camera view—this one of the daycare. Benjamin Carter’s small fingers wrapped around a stuffed toy, his bright blue eyes oblivious to the war being waged over his future.Cassian’s smirk vanished.“This ends with her in our hands,” he said coldly. “One way or another.”The operative nodded and quickly exited, leaving Cassian alone with the monitors.Mercer was moving. Carter was breaking.And Cassian?Cassian was waiting. Meanwhile, in his office, Jack leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. Carter was playing a dangerous game. And for the first time, he wasn’t sure which side she was really on. The kiss hadn’t been a moment of weakness—at least, not his weakness. It had been a play. And he’d almost fallen for it.Jack ran a hand over his face, exhaling sharply. Sam had never been reckless with her emotions. Not like this. So why now? Why him?His fingers drummed against the desk. She needed something. That much was obvious. And if she was desperate enough to pull that stunt, then whatever she was after was bigger than she was letting on.His gut twisted. She wasn’t playing the game—she was playing him.“Damn it, Carter,” he muttered, rubbing his jaw as if trying to scrub the moment from his skin. He should have seen it coming. He should have known.But the worst part?The worst part was that, for just one second—he had wanted it to be real.His gaze flicked to the comm panel. He could report her to the committee right now. He should. But his fingers hovered over the switch.Because despite everything, part of him still wanted to believe her.She had played her hand.And now it was his turn.Whatever game Carter was playing, he was done sitting on the sidelines.He glanced at the security feed. Her lab was still occupied. Still active.Jack clenched his jaw and turned off the screen. The quiet hum of the lab did little to soothe Sam’s frayed nerves. She paced the length of her lab, each step echoing off the metal walls. The hum of the quantum shield prototype filled the room, its steady pulse a cruel reminder of how close she was to everything falling apart.Her fingers trembled as she pressed them against the edge of the workbench. The taste of regret still lingered on her lips. She had kissed him. Not her Jack—this Jack. And now there was no taking it back.Her mind raced with a thousand fragmented thoughts. She tried to tell herself it didn’t matter—that it had been a calculated move, a necessary step to secure the mirror. But that was a lie. She had acted on instinct, on desperation, and now the weight of that decision pressed down on her like a lead weight.
You should’ve known better.
Her breath hitched as she leaned over the bench, the metal cool beneath her hands. She closed her eyes, willing the suffocating guilt to loosen its grip. She had always been the one to stay in control—the one who could compartmentalize emotions for the sake of the mission. But control had slipped through her fingers the moment her lips touched his.And the worst part? A small, traitorous part of her had wanted him to kiss her back.Sam bit the inside of her cheek until the sharp sting broke through the haze of her thoughts. She couldn’t afford this. Couldn’t afford to feel anything. Not for Jack. Not for a man who wasn’t really hers.Her gaze flicked to the quantum shield, its flickering blue light casting shadows across the lab. Every equation, every sleepless night—it had all led to this. The shield was her only way out. If she could stabilize the mirror, she could find her Jack. She could take Benjamin and leave this nightmare behind.But now, that plan felt as fragile as ever.Sam’s mind replayed Jack’s face after the kiss—the shock, the hurt buried beneath the anger. She had pushed him too far. If he denied her access now, the entire plan would collapse. And even if he didn’t... what had she just destroyed between them?Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. You could stop. Abandon the plan. Play along with Kael and the committee until you find another way.The thought twisted in her gut. It would be easier. Safer.But Benjamin wouldn’t be safe. Kael had made that clear.Her mind drifted to Benjamin’s tiny hands, reaching for her hair, his innocent laughter filling the daycare. He deserved better than this—better than being used as leverage by men who saw him as a pawn.And Jack.Sam’s throat tightened. He wasn’t her Jack, but there had been moments—fleeting, fragile moments—when he almost felt like the man she had loved. She hated herself for noticing. Hated herself even more for wanting to believe in those moments.Her knees buckled slightly, and she sank into the nearest chair, burying her face in her hands. What am I doing?The door to the lab was closed. No one would see her like this. No one would know that Samantha Carter—the woman who had stood against Goa’uld empires—was unraveling.Her mind whispered the truth she didn’t want to hear. You’re scared. You’ve been scared since the moment you stepped into this reality.Sam inhaled slowly, forcing the tremor in her hands to still.The fear would never go away. But it couldn’t stop her.When she finally lifted her head, her gaze hardened. She had made her choice the moment she kissed him. There was no turning back now.Sam reached for the tablet beside her, fingers trembling slightly—whether from exhaustion, anxiety, or regret, she wasn’t sure anymore, as she began reviewing her notes. The shield was almost ready. All that was left was access to the mirror. Jack shut the door behind him, his movements deliberate. Controlled. But his eyes—dark and unreadable—tracked her like a predator cornering its prey.Sam didn’t turn right away. She knew he was there, knew this was coming, but she wasn’t ready to face him.Too bad.“We need to talk, Carter.”She exhaled slowly, fingers tightening against the edge of her workbench.“If it’s about the shield, I’m working on it.”“It’s not about the shield.”He took a step closer.Sam finally turned to face him, keeping her expression neutral.“Then I don’t see the problem.”Jack let out a short, bitter laugh. “Oh, you don’t?”His voice was deceptively calm, but there was an edge to it—something sharp, something dangerous.Sam held her ground. “It was a mistake.”Jack scoffed. “A mistake?” His jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “You think that’s an answer?”She swallowed, throat tight. “It shouldn’t have happened.”Jack’s eyes burned into hers.“Yeah? Tell me something, Carter—what exactly shouldn’t have happened? The kiss itself? Or the fact that I didn’t push you away fast enough?”Sam flinched.Jack saw it. And it only pissed him off more.“Because let’s be real here,” he continued, voice rougher now, “you didn’t do it because you wanted to. You did it because you needed something.”Her breath hitched.Jack’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Go on. Tell me I’m wrong.”She didn’t. She couldn’t.Jack huffed, shaking his head. “That’s what I thought.”Silence stretched between them, thick with everything unsaid.Sam inhaled, steadying herself.“Jack—”“Don’t.” His voice was quieter now, but no less lethal. He ran a hand over his face, exhaling sharply before meeting her gaze again. “You calculated that, didn’t you? You looked at me, weighed your options, and figured a kiss might get me to say yes.”Sam’s fingers curled into fists. “That’s not—”“Don’t lie to me,” Jack snapped, stepping forward. “I know you, Carter. I know when you’re running on fumes, when you’re backed into a corner, and when you’re desperate enough to do something reckless.” His voice dropped lower, more dangerous. “But you don’t get to use me as your damn escape plan.”Her breath caught.Jack let out another sharp laugh, but there was no humor in it. “You want access to the mirror? Fine. Ask me for it. But don’t—” His voice wavered for half a second, barely noticeable, before he caught himself. “Don’t pull that shit with me.”He turned away, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, like he was trying to shake off whatever the hell had just happened between them.Sam’s chest tightened. She hated this—hated the rawness in his voice, the way she had miscalculated just how much damage this would cause.Jack exhaled, hands on his hips, head lowered as if trying to find some level of patience he no longer had. Then he looked at her again.“Tell me something, Carter.” His voice was calmer now, but somehow, that was worse. “If I say no… what’s your next move?”Sam swallowed hard.“There is no next move.” The words felt thin. Weak.Jack stared at her for a long, heavy moment. Then he nodded once, almost to himself.“That’s what I thought.”The finality in his tone made her stomach twist.Jack sighed, then—unexpectedly—his voice softened.“You don’t trust me.”Sam opened her mouth, but no words came.Jack’s lips pressed into a tight line. “And I get it. I do. I’m not him.”Her throat tightened.Jack shook his head. “You’re waiting for me to be someone else. And I can’t be that guy, Carter.”Sam dropped her gaze. “I know.”Jack studied her for another long beat before finally taking a step back.“I’m not saying no,” he muttered.Sam blinked. “What?”“I’m not saying no,” he repeated. “But I’m not giving you an answer yet, either.”Her fingers twitched at her sides. “Jack—”He cut her off. “I won’t tell the committee. But I need to know what the hell you’re actually planning.”She held his gaze, searching for something—some sign of what he was thinking. But he was already pulling back, guarding himself again.“Next time,” he said, his voice quieter but firm, “if you need something, ask. Honestly.”The door clicked shut, leaving Sam standing in the suffocating silence.She exhaled shakily, rubbing her hands over her face. They were still trembling.
What the hell have I done?
She collapsed onto the nearest stool, pressing her fingers to her lips. That hadn’t just been strategy. Not entirely.And that was the problem.She had told herself it was calculated—a necessary gamble. But the second Jack kissed her back, something inside her had cracked. For half a second, it hadn’t been about escape.It had been about him.Not this Jack. Her Jack.Sam squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out the memory threatening to surface: late night, autumn air, the scent of coffee. His smirk over the rim of a mug.
"You keep looking at me like that, Carter, and I’m gonna start thinking you like me."
She had rolled her eyes then, hiding a smile. He had always known how to disarm her.She couldn’t afford this.Not now. Not when she was already walking the edge.Her chest tightened, breath coming in uneven bursts as she pushed herself upright. Focus, Carter. She grabbed the nearest data pad and forced her eyes on the quantum shield schematics.But the numbers blurred.Jack was out there. Her Jack. Searching for her.She had to believe that.Because the alternative?The alternative meant she was alone.Sam set the tablet down, her fingers curling into fists.There was no room for mistakes.Whatever had just happened with Jack—whatever damage she had done—she would have to fix it. Later.Right now, she had a shield to deliver.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Earth, moments before the Goa’uld attacked.
The roar of rotor blades filled the air as the helicopter cut through the sky, racing toward the Pentagon. Lieutenant General Jack O’Neill sat in the back, stiff and alert despite the luxurious padding of the VIP transport. He had just left a classified debriefing at the White House, barely having time to process the implications of what had been discussed when the call came through: Goa’uld ships had entered Earth's orbit.Jack knew what was coming. They all did. The moment Stargate Command confirmed the approach of enemy motherships, every strategic mind in the country had gone into overdrive. As Head of Homeworld Security, it was his job to ensure they had a fighting chance. That meant getting to the Pentagon and taking command of Earth's defenses.He barely had time to unbuckle as the helicopter finally descended toward the Pentagon Army Heliport. The pilots, seasoned in high-stakes operations, moved with precision—until the sky ignited.A golden blast from an attacking Goa’uld ship tore through the air, striking the side of the Pentagon with a deafening explosion. The force of the blast threw the helicopter sideways. Jack felt the gut-wrenching lurch as they spiraled. Alarms shrieked in his headset, the rotor screaming under the sudden loss of stability. His instincts kicked in. Bracing himself, he grabbed onto the straps as the aircraft plummeted.“Ragnarok Protocol,” Jack shouted.They never hit the ground.Instead, the entire heliport and the descending helicopter vanished in a pulse of blue-white energy. A split second later, Jack found himself and the others inside what could only be described as a shimmering, translucent bubble. The helicopter landed smoothly onto a reinforced platform, no longer in the open air but within a vast, enclosed space.Jack blinked, assessing his surroundings. Outside the shimmering field, hell was breaking loose. Goa'uld firepower was systematically obliterating the rest of the Pentagon, reducing the historic structure to flaming debris in mere seconds. Thick columns of smoke curled into the sky, painting the air a sickly gray. The distant screams of the wounded and dying echoed through the wreckage, a reminder that the world was falling apart beyond his temporary refuge.But within the protective sphere, he and several staff members, pilots, and security personnel remained unharmed.It worked.He exhaled sharply, his mind catching up to the moment. Years ago, Jack had convinced his old friend Thor to install defensive measures around key locations on Earth. The Asgard gave him two places to chose and after painful consideration Jack choose Homeworld Security and the White House. He hated that SGC was left out but he had no choice. The Asgard, reluctant as they had become in involving themselves in Earth's affairs, finally had given him one last favor before going silent: a failsafe shield that would activate upon his direct command or the President of the United States. The Pentagon Army Heliport was one of the locations outfitted with the technology. Only he and POTUS were aware of these agreament and measures.It was the highest level of alert Homeworld had ever implemented. The moment he issued the order, automated Asgard technology activated, whisking the entire helipad—including everyone on it—into a contained, shielded space. It had been a desperate precaution he had hoped never to use.“General O’Neill?” One of the stunned airmen turned to him, his face pale. “What just happened?”Jack straightened, brushing dust from his uniform as he surveyed the terrified but breathing personnel around him. “Plan B just kicked in.”The weight of the situation pressed down on him. Outside their protective bubble, Washington, D.C., was burning. The White House had likely been hit already and Jack prayed that the same protocol had worked at the Oval Office. Cheyenne Mountain was under siege if it hadn’t already been overrun. And somewhere out there, Sam and their son, Benjamin, were in danger.The time for debriefings was over. It was time to fight.Jack turned to the nearest officer."Status report. Homeworld Security—what’s left?”The officer hesitated. “Sir… we’re it.”Jack’s gut tightened. The Pentagon was gone. The White House, likely the same. Homeworld Security—the last line of defense—was now just a handful of shaken survivors in an helipad surrounded by an Asgard shield.Jack’s blood ran cold. The realization settled over him like lead. They were it. The last line of defense.He exhaled sharply. “Then we don’t wait. Phase Two,” he ordered.Two Asgard-made doors began sliding shut at his command, sealing them inside. As the platform descended, darkness swallowed them. The distant rumble of collapsing structures above faded, replaced by the low hum of Asgard power conduits. The stale, metallic scent of recycled air filled Jack’s lungs, starkly contrasting the acrid smoke of the world above.Jack moved with purpose to one side of the space. He punched in a code on a sleek, embedded console, and as the system verified his identity, he spoke clearly: “Valhalla Alert is in effect.”A massive door at the chamber's far end unlocked with a low hiss. Red and blue emergency lights flickered to life as a vast corridor stretched out before them. The walls gleamed with Asgard alloy, reinforced against any outside attack. Hidden conduits pulsed with energy, powering systems buried deep beneath the surface. This was more than just a shelter—it was a fortress.Jack turned back to his team.“Let’s go.”They moved quickly, stepping into the corridor that led to one of the most secure locations on the planet: the Valhalla Bunker. At the end of the passage, another reinforced door slid open, revealing a heavily equipped safety room. Racks of advanced weaponry lined the walls. An Asgard-built communication console hummed at the center, awaiting input. Shelves of supplies stood stocked and ready for long-term survival.Jack scanned the room, already formulating a plan. He needed to know who else was still alive. More than that, he needed to know if his wife and son were safe.He shoved that thought aside before it could take hold. He couldn’t afford doubt—not now.He turned to his men.“We find out who’s left. We regroup. And then we take the fight back to them.”He sat down at the Asgard console and started scanning all the frequencies to find the real damages. The picture was pure hell: the destruction was near total—the White House—gone, except for the Oval Office. POTUS location unknown. The Pentagon—obliterated. SGC—silent. All the major cities around the world, gone.He exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he stared at the chaotic data scrolling across the Asgard console. Minimal survivors. No confirmed command structure. All major military installations—gone.Earth had already lost the first battle.But they weren’t done yet.He quickly initiated a direct communication link.“Thor, if you’re out there, we need your help. Earth is under attack.”Silence.He tried again. “Thor, come on, buddy. We’re in deep here.”Nothing.“Fuck, Thor, answer me, or I’ll kick your little grey but!” he almost yelled.More silence.A deep, unsettling fear crept into Jack’s gut. The Asgard weren’t responding. SGC was gone. They were alone.He exhaled and ran a hand down his face, his fingers lingering at his temple. For a brief moment, exhaustion clawed at him. He thought of Sam, her smile when they brought Benjamin home for the first time, and Benji’s tiny hands gripping his finger as he fell asleep in his arms. That life felt distant, almost unreal. But it was real. And he had to get it back.Jack took a slow breath, grounding himself in the reality of the situation. Homeworld Security—his last line of defense—was now a handful of shaken survivors in an Asgard-made bunker. And the enemy was still out there, tightening their grip on the planet.Leaving now, without securing some sort of plan for resistance, wasn’t an option. No matter how much his gut told him to run and find Sam and Benji, he wasn’t about to abandon Earth without a fight.Jack turned to the people inside the bunker, his voice sharp and steady.“Alright, listen up. We don’t have time to sit here and lick our wounds. We’re not dead yet, which means we still have a chance to punch back. First order of business—communication. We need to reestablish contact with any remaining forces. If the Goa’uld cut the primary channels, we go old school. Encrypted shortwave, secure landlines, even goddamn Morse code if we have to. Get me someone who knows how to bypass jamming signals.”One of the younger airmen, Tech Sergeant Rodriguez, stepped forward, adjusting his battered headset. “Sir, I can try to manually cycle through frequencies, see if I can punch through the interference.”Jack nodded.“Do it. Start with NORAD, move to any remaining military installations, then hit every emergency channel you can find. I don’t care if it’s a lone HAM radio operator in a basement somewhere—if they’re breathing and willing to fight, I want to know about it.”Rodriguez got to work while Jack turned to his personal assistant, Lieutenant Harris.“Harris, take stock of what we’ve got left. Weapons, rations, medical supplies—anything that can keep us in the fight.”Harris nodded and moved quickly to gather intel. Jack turned to Captain Reynolds, the pilot of the downed helicopter, who was standing with two of the surviving security escorts.“Captain, what’s the situation with transport? Any chance we’ve got something operational down here?”Reynolds hesitated. “Helicopter’s fried, General. The underground motor pool had vehicles, but with the Pentagon in ruins and all access points buried under debris, they’re unreachable. Even if we could get to them, the roads above are choked with rubble, collapsed buildings, and God knows what else.”Jack exhaled sharply. That settled it. No vehicles. No outside reinforcements. Their only way out was on foot.A low murmur of determination rippled through the group. Jack could see it in their eyes—fear, yes, but also resolve. They had lost so much, but they weren’t out of the fight yet.Jack turned to Rodriguez, who was hunched over the console, her headset slipping slightly as she fiddled with the frequency dial.“Rodriguez, I need a miracle. Preferably one that doesn’t involve me learning Morse code in the next five minutes.”She glanced up, cracking a tired smile. “I’ll see what I can do, Sir.”“Good,” Jack replied, his tone light but firm. “Because I don’t look good tapping out ‘SOS’ with my boots.”Then he straightened, the Asgard console’s blue glow reflecting in his steely gaze.“Harris, pull every data packet you can on troop movements and Goa’uld strongholds. We need to know what’s left of the playing field.”Harris saluted sharply and moved to the console, the faint hum of alien technology filling the room. Jack turned to Rodriguez, whose fingers flew across her headset, her brow furrowed in concentration.“Rodriguez, cycle through emergency frequencies. Anything that gives us a line of communication—shortwave, landlines, hell, even carrier pigeons if you have to.”The faintest smile tugged at her lips, despite the tension. “Yes, Sir.”Minutes stretched like hours. Jack paced the room, the weight of Earth’s destruction heavy on his shoulders. A beep broke the silence, drawing his gaze to Rodriguez.“I’ve got something,” she said, her voice tight with urgency.Jack leaned over her shoulder as static crackled through the speakers. Fragments of desperate voices—civilians, scattered military units—painted a grim picture of devastation. A low hum of determination settled over the team.“Alright,” Jack said, his voice steady despite the chaos. “We’ve got a thread. Time to pull it.”Rodriguez’s voice was tight with unease.“Scattered survivors across the country are reporting the same thing—hostile warriors in black armor, striking without warning. And the ships, Sir… they’re describing fast-moving aerial craft, crescent-shaped with glowing undersides. They’re hitting everything in sight.”Jack’s gut clenched. Death gliders. The Goa’uld’s swift, deadly attack ships.He exhaled sharply. The realization hit him like a hammer—they were alone. There would be no reinforcements, no rallying of Earth’s forces. The Goa’uld had made sure of that.Rodriguez held her hand up. She got something else.“Sir, I’ve picked up faint comm signals—static mostly, but... there’s something coming from D.C. A field medic station outside the White House ruins. They’ve got wounded civilians and soldiers. It’s chaos, but they’re holding out.”Jack straightened. “Then that’s where we go first.”Rodriguez hesitated. “Sir, it’s dangerous. There’s heavy Jaffa activity near the capital.”Jack gave her a tight smile. “Good thing I’ve got nothing to lose.”As they prepared to move, Jack’s thoughts drifted to Sam and Benji. If they had made it out of the SGC, where would they go? His mind replayed her voice, low and calm, from years ago: “If things go south, the only chance is Area 51.”His jaw tightened and he turned toward the Asgard console, gripping the edge. His voice was calm, absolute.“Let’s move out,” he ordered, his voice a steel edge.They climbed from the bunker into the ashen ruins above. The choking air of D.C. stung his lungs, a grim reminder of the stakes. Each step toward the medic station was another toward finding Sam—and saving what was left of EarthThe devastation was beyond anything Jack had imagined. Earth was on fire. Bodies lay scattered amid the wreckage. A suffocating silence hung over the land, broken only by the occasional crack of crumbling concrete and the distant, guttural roar of Jaffa warships looming overhead.The streets were unrecognizable. Twisted metal, shattered glass, and the charred remains of vehicles littered the roads. Buildings, once symbols of power and civilization, were now skeletal ruins, their facades blackened by fire. Jack could still make out the remnants of street signs bent and melted by the intense heat of energy blasts. Somewhere in the distance, a dog howled—a lonely, desperate sound against the eerie quiet.He had seen war before and had walked through devastation, but this was different. This was home.Jack clenched his jaw, memories flashing behind his eyes. He saw Sam standing in their kitchen, laughing as Benji clumsily tried to put his toes in his mouth. The warm glow of their home, the sound of Sam’s teasing voice, Benji’s gurgles—it felt like another life. Another world.Now, everything was gone. And if he didn’t find them soon, they would be lost forever.“Get it together, Jack,” he muttered, scanning the debris-strewn landscape. There was a faint glimmer of movement in the distance—a convoy of emergency vehicles weaving through the rubble. With every step, his mind was sharp, looking for the enemy But at the same time he pieced together a path to Sam and Benji, barely allowing himself to consider how improbable it was. Both things became his focus, fueling his steps forward. Sam rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled despite the warm air. “We can’t be the only ones fighting back,” she murmured. “Someone else has to see what Kael is doing.”The house was silent except for the faint creak of the wind brushing against the windows. Moonlight streamed through the curtains, casting long shadows across the walls. In the living room, Benjamin slept soundly in his crib, his tiny body rising and falling with each peaceful breath.Sam sat at the kitchen table, her eyes scanning the latest quantum shield schematics. Exhaustion pulled at every nerve, but sleep was a luxury she couldn’t afford. Daniel, seated across from her, sipped a lukewarm cup of coffee. Neither spoke—there was too much unsaid between them, too much weighing on their shoulders.The house had been quiet all night, but suddenly, the silence felt wrong.Sam’s fingers stilled over her tablet, a slow prickle of unease crawling up her spine. Something wasn’t right.She glanced at Daniel, who had also stopped mid-motion, his grip tightening around his coffee mug. He felt it, too.A low hum vibrated through the air, faint but constant—like a static building before a storm. Then the lights flickered.Once.Twice.A whisper of movement—too soft to pinpoint—brushed against the edge of her awareness. Sam stiffened, her pulse spiking.Then, a voice cut through the charged air, low and rasping.“You need to move faster, Carter.”Sam’s breath caught as her gaze snapped to the shadows beyond the doorway.At first, there was nothing—just the deep darkness pooling in the room's corners.Then, a shape shifted.A figure stepped forward, slow and deliberate, his form half-swallowed by the shadows. The dim light revealed just enough: the hard lines of his face and the faint glint of something unnatural in his skin.Alec Mercer.Or what was left of him.Once smooth and human, his skin had hardened into something rough and scarred, as if his body had fused with the elements of P7R-953. Veins of dark, metallic-looking lines ran beneath the surface, pulsing faintly with an eerie blue light. Once bright and human, his eyes were now feral, glowing faintly in the dimness. His muscles rippled unnaturally beneath his worn, battle-scarred clothes, and his hands were curled into fists that looked more like weapons than limbs.Daniel rose slowly, his voice calm but edged with wariness. “How did you get in here?”Mercer tilted his head, his lips curling in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “I go where I want.”His eyes flicked to Benjamin’s crib, then back to Sam.“I’m not here to hurt you.”Sam’s heart pounded, but she forced herself to stand.“Then why are you here?”Mercer’s gaze softened—just a fraction. “To warn you.”Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “Warn us about what?”“Ezra is lying.” Mercer’s voice was a low growl. “The shield isn’t about protection. It’s about control.”Sam’s arms crossed, her stance firm. “Tell me something I don’t know.”Mercer stepped closer, eyes glinting.“I was Benjamin once.”Sam’s breath hitched. Her grip tightened.“What?”“I was their first test. The first ‘Benjamin.’ They didn’t care if I survived—only if the process worked.”kHe lifted his arm, the metallic veins pulsing beneath his skin.“This? It’s not enhancement. It’s corruption. My body isn’t adapting. It’s dying. Slowly. Painfully. And now, Kael wants to do it all over again—with your son.”Daniel’s face twisted with horror.“You’re saying… they want to turn Benjamin into you?”Mercer’s eyes darkened. “Worse. They think they’ve perfected the process. Benjamin isn’t just a prototype. He’s their future.”Sam felt the ground tilt beneath her.“No,” she whispered. “They wouldn’t—”“They would,” Mercer interrupted. “And they will unless you leave this reality. Now.”Sam’s fists clenched at her sides, every instinct screaming to protect Benjamin.“I’ve been trying to finish the shield. But it’s not ready yet.”“Then make it ready,” Mercer growled. “Kael won’t wait much longer. He’s already given the order to accelerate his timeline.”Daniel’s gaze flicked to Mercer’s hands—trembling slightly as if barely restrained.“You’ve changed. How much control do you have left?”Mercer’s jaw tightened.“Enough to know what I’m fighting for. And enough to know I can’t do it alone.”The room fell into a tense silence.“I’m not here to be your enemy,” Mercer said finally, his voice quieter. “I know what it’s like to be betrayed by people you trusted. I know what it’s like to lose yourself in the process. But if you stay here, Kael will destroy everything you love. You have to trust me.”Sam met his gaze, her fear battling with something else—hope.“How do we know you’re not leading us into another trap?” she asked.“You don’t,” Mercer admitted. “But if I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”Daniel shifted uncomfortably but didn’t argue.Sam took a shaky breath. “What do you suggest?”Mercer stepped back into the shadows.“Finish the shield. Make it strong enough to withstand anything Kael throws at you. When the time comes, I’ll find you again.”“And then what?” Sam asked.Mercer’s eyes glinted in the moonlight.“Then we leave. Together.”Without another word, Mercer melted into the darkness, his footsteps fading like a ghost.Sam stood frozen, her mind racing. His words echoed in her head: Then we leave. Together.Her gaze lingered on the spot where he’d stood, unsettled, her pulse still quickening from his revelation. Was he telling the truth? Could she trust him?Daniel’s voice broke through the silence.“You believe him?” His tone was cautious, but his eyes were sharp, searching hers for an answer she didn’t have.Sam didn’t answer right away. She couldn’t—because even as his words haunted her, she couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in her gut that Mercer’s warning might be their only hope.Finally, she exhaled, the weight of her decision settling onto her shoulders like a heavy burden.“I don’t know,” she whispered, barely audible. “But we don’t have a choice, Daniel.”A low hum from the baby monitor broke the silence. Benjamin stirred, shifting slightly in his crib but never waking. Sam’s heart clenched.No more waiting. No more hesitation.Mercer had warned them. Kael was coming. And if they weren’t ready—They would lose everything.She turned to Daniel, her voice steady, unshaken.“We need to finish the shield. And when the time comes, we go through the mirror.”“Even if Jack stands in our way?” Daniel asked, his voice quiet but firm.Sam exhaled sharply. A part of her had hoped it wouldn’t come to that. That she could convince him and make him understand. But hope was a dangerous thing in a place like this.“If he tries to stop us…” She hesitated, then forced herself to say the words, their weight pressing down like steel.“Then we do what we have to.”Silence.The unspoken truth settled between them like a loaded weapon. There was no turning back now.The moonlight flickered through the window, casting long shadows over the room. Sam stared at the mirror, her reflection fragmented. Every piece of her told her to trust in the plan, but something deep inside her hesitated.Outside, beyond the thin glass barrier, the world moved on, unaware of the storm about to break. Several streets away, Jack walked into his empty house, his mind still rattling from the day’s events. He poured himself a hefty glass of whiskey, settling into his worn-out armchair, letting the drink burn and take the edge off the confusion swirling inside him. He replayed every single moment from the day this Sam had arrived, from the first wary, wide-eyed look she’d given him to trying to kill him to that desperate, reckless kiss just hours earlier. This Sam. She was the same, and yet… not his Sam. But her presence had stirred up things he thought he’d buried, emotions he’d long since locked away.He remembered their first meeting when she, Daniel, and her little boy had stumbled into his reality, their confusion and wariness raw and palpable. There had been a dazed look in her eyes, the kind of disbelief that only came from truly terrifying circumstances. She’d clung to Daniel back then. The two of them bonded through grief and necessity. And though they’d tried to mask it, he could see the edge of fear in their eyes whenever they met his. They were supposed to have landed somewhere else. Somewhere… better. And in a way, he couldn’t blame them. This SGC was nothing like the one they’d known. Instead of a mission-focused operation led by people they trusted, this reality’s SGC was owned and operated like a private corporation, a group of influential individuals who treated the Stargate as their property—a business asset to exploit for profit.The thought of it still sickened him. Hell, it was hard for him to look at himself in the mirror these days, knowing the role he played in this twisted version of the Stargate program. But he stayed, if only because he couldn’t let the whole thing spiral further out of control. But now… now, she was here. His Sam, or at least a version of her, walking these hallways and looking at him with a mixture of mistrust and desperation. And despite himself, he’d felt a strange, hollow hope bloom within him.He took another long sip, the whiskey warming his chest as he thought about her little boy, Benjamin. Her maternal instincts were sharper than any weapon, and the fierce protectiveness she showed her son was unmistakable. Jack saw it every time she picked Benjamin, the way her face softened despite the pain etched across her features. There was a rawness to her that he wasn’t used to seeing in Sam—a vulnerability that twisted something deep inside him. She tried to kill him when she thought he was taking Benjamin away from her.Brutal, dangerous, almost lethal.He could feel her hope ebbing away, her need for a way out more urgent than ever. After all, it had taken her this long to come to him, and only because she was truly desperate. She hadn’t come to him for comfort or the familiarity he offered. No, she’d kept him at arm’s length since the beginning until she needed him for something he had the power to grant: access to the quantum mirror.Jack wasn’t naïve. He’d known what she was after the moment she’d made the request. This wasn’t about testing some theoretical project. She was close to completing it—he’d seen the urgency in her eyes, the determination that flickered whenever she spoke about the shield. She’d likely finished it and now wanted to test it.But for what? She hadn’t come out and said it, but he knew. The shield wasn’t just for the Kael’s purposes; it was her key out of here. He’d seen the look in her eyes when she realized this reality wasn’t her own. She wanted a way to escape or—he couldn’t help the slight pang in his chest—a way for her husband to find her.Jack gripped his glass tighter, his mind circling the implications. If her Jack was alive—and that was a big if—he’d try to cross into this reality. And with the shield to counteract entropic cascade failure, it might actually be possible. She could see him again, her real husband, the one she was so desperate to find. And for a moment, he wondered what that would mean for him. She was so close to her goal, and all it took was one word from him, a single nod, and she’d have the permission she needed to use the quantum mirror. Or not. They still need to get the final approval from Ezra.He scrubbed a hand over his face, the whiskey burning down his throat. He wasn’t stupid—he knew what she was after. The shield. The mirror. Escape.And for a second—just one damn second—he thought about saying no.If he let her go and gave her access, she could leave this place for good. Or worse, if her husband arrived, she’d have a chance at the life he’d once dreamed of having with her, the life that had never been his, to begin with.And that was the actual decision gnawing at him. Keep her here, or let her go.Jack sighed, setting his empty glass on the table and running a hand over his face. He knew how he should answer and what he would have said years ago. But now… after everything, he didn’t know. She’d never belonged here, and he’d known it from the moment she walked in. But his selfish part didn’t want to let go of this version of her, this possibility that felt almost like a second chance. And damn if he wasn’t tired of losing the people he cared about.The decision weighed on him, pressing down with a force he hadn’t felt in years. He could almost feel her presence lingering in his mind, that kiss replaying in a loop, both a blessing and a curse. She hadn’t been his Sam when she’d kissed him, but for one fleeting moment, it felt real. He’d let himself imagine, just for a second, that she was his. But he knew better. She would never truly be his, not as long as her Jack was out there, fighting his way back to her.He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his mind working through the possibilities. If he said yes, he’d give her the one thing she wanted most, the one thing that would let her walk away from this reality forever. And if he said no… well, he wasn’t sure he’d be any better than the Ezra Kael, holding her here against her will.But he couldn’t ignore the feeling that letting her go would be like letting go of the last bit of light in this place. Because once she left, he’d return to a life he could hardly stand. He’d be a hollow shell, just another pawn in this twisted game the board had made of the SGC.Jack reached for the bottle, pouring another drink as he finally accepted the truth he’d been avoiding all along. The right thing to do was let her go, to grant her the freedom she deserved, even if it meant losing her for good. It was a decision he’d never wanted to make, but he knew he couldn’t live with himself if he kept her here against her will.But first, he thought, his jaw tightening as he raised the glass to his lips, first, I need to hear her say it. He needed to listen to the truth from her, the unvarnished reason behind her request. Only then would he give her the answer she needed. Meanwhile, in the facility, Alec Mercer moved like a shadow through the underbelly of the SGC. The scars and enhancements that marred his body pulsed faintly with energy, a constant reminder of what he had become. He was no longer entirely human—a fact that weighed heavily on him as he maneuvered through the dimly lit corridors. His mission was clear: ensure Sam, Benjamin, and Daniel made it to the quantum mirror, no matter the cost.Mercer had been tracking Ezra Kael’s movements for weeks, intercepting communications and piecing together the Committee’s plans. The timeline was accelerating, and Kael’s impatience had turned to desperation. The Committee had finally caught wind of the quantum shield’s progress, and Mercer knew it was only a matter of time before they acted to seize control—and likely eliminate anyone they deemed expendable.And then there was Cassian.Victor Cassian, the Committee’s enforcer, was relentless in his hunt for Mercer. The latest reports suggested Cassian was closing in, his forces sweeping through the lower levels in search of the rogue operative. Mercer’s lips pressed into a grim line. He couldn’t let Cassian’s pursuit jeopardize the escape plan. If it came to it, he would face Cassian head-on, but only after ensuring Sam and the others were safely through the mirror.He paused outside a storage room, his enhanced senses picking up faint voices inside. Peering through a crack in the door, he spotted two of Kael’s men reviewing surveillance footage. The screen showed Jack and Sam in what appeared to be a tense discussion. Mercer’s eyes narrowed. He had to act soon. If the Committee suspected Jack was complicit in Sam’s plans, they would move against him as well. He quickly change clothes, using SGC BDUs to blend in and replace his ragged clothes.Mercer slipped away, his mind racing. He had one advantage: Cassian and Kael underestimated him. They saw him as a threat to neutralize, not as a force capable of dismantling their entire operation. That mistake would cost them.
Back on Earth
As they moved cautiously through the devastated streets, the eerie silence was broken by the distant clatter of armored boots. Jack’s gut churned as he counted six Jaffa in the patrol, their armor gleaming under the faint light of the burning ruins. He signaled to his team, motioning for cover behind the twisted remains of a collapsed building. Every breath tasted of ash, and the sound of his own heartbeat thundered in his ears.If the Jaffa spotted them, there’d be no retreat. Not here. Not now.“Reynolds,” Jack murmured, his voice barely audible over the crackle of distant fires. The Captain met his gaze, his grip tight on the rifle. Jack didn’t need to say it—they both knew what was at stake.Jack inhaled sharply, his mind racing. If they failed here, the patrol would call reinforcements. A larger force would descend on the medic station, wiping out the injured soldiers, the medics… everyone who was still clinging to life. And if the Jaffa got to him—no. Jack couldn’t afford to think that far.“Now,” he ordered, his voice cutting through the silence.Gunfire erupted, shattering the eerie calm. Jack’s first shot found its mark, dropping the lead Jaffa with a wet thud. The others spun around, their staff weapons crackling with deadly energy.A blast seared past Jack’s head. He hit the ground, rolling as another scorched the air where he’d stood. Reynolds returned fire, hitting another Jaffa in the chest. The warrior fell, but the remaining four closed in fast, their movements precise, methodical.“Flank left!” Jack barked, his voice hoarse as adrenaline surged through his veins.Harris broke cover, darting to a better position, but a staff blast slammed into the ground near his feet, throwing him to the rubble. Jack’s stomach clenched as Harris struggled to rise, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle.“Stay down!” Jack shouted, his voice raw. He rose to cover Harris, firing three rapid shots. One hit its mark, the Jaffa jerking as the bullet pierced its neck.But the others pressed on. Jack could see it in their eyes—the unrelenting determination of warriors who would stop at nothing. They weren’t just hunting—they were eliminating obstacles.One Jaffa raised his arm, the triangle pointing downwards, the emblem on his gauntlet glinting as he activated a signal beacon.Jack’s blood ran cold. Reinforcements.“Take him out!” he roared, firing until his clip ran dry.Reynolds reacted first, his shot taking the Jaffa in the shoulder. The signaler stumbled but didn’t fall. Another blast erupted from his staff weapon, forcing Reynolds back into cover.Jack grabbed his sidearm, his breaths ragged. Every second the beacon stayed active was a second closer to disaster. He charged forward, knife in hand, his body moving on instinct. The Jaffa turned to meet him, raising his staff—but Jack was faster. He plunged the blade into the warrior’s side, twisting hard.The Jaffa grunted, staggering, but his free hand clawed at the beacon. Jack didn’t hesitate—he drove his elbow into the warrior’s throat, cutting off his air. The beacon tumbled to the ground, its glow fading.The remaining Jaffa charged, their staff weapons crackling with deadly intent. Jack barely had time to recover before a blast seared his shoulder, the pain like molten fire. He stumbled, biting back a cry as the warriors closed in.Behind him, Reynolds rose, blood streaking his face, and fired. One Jaffa fell. Then another.Finally, silence returned, broken only by Jack’s ragged breathing and the distant crackle of burning buildings.Jack slumped against the rubble, clutching his shoulder. The beacon lay in the dirt, its faint light extinguished.“Harris?” he rasped, his voice barely audible.“I’m… alive,” came the weak reply.Jack exhaled, the relief bitter in his chest. He looked at Reynolds, who knelt beside the young lieutenant, trying to splint the broken leg with a piece of shattered wood.“Good,” Jack muttered, forcing himself to his feet. The pain in his shoulder throbbed with every movement, but he couldn’t stop. Not now.He glanced back toward the medic station, the faint light of its makeshift generators barely visible in the distance. If they’d failed, that place—those people—would’ve been gone. And Sam. Benji.The weight of what could’ve been settled over him like a vice, but he shoved it aside.“We move,” Jack ordered, his voice firm despite the ache in his body. “They’ll be back, and next time, we won’t be so lucky.”The consequences were clear: failure wasn’t an option. Not for them. Not for the ones they were trying to protect. Jack stumbled through the makeshift barricade outside the medic station, his hand clamped over the burn searing his shoulder. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his body, but he forced himself forward, his face a mask of determination.Inside, the scene was chaos. The acrid scent of antiseptic and blood filled the air, mingling with the muffled groans of the wounded. Medics darted between cots, their movements hurried but practiced, their faces etched with exhaustion.A young medic spotted him, her eyes widening at the sight of his bloodied uniform.“General O’Neill?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.Jack nodded stiffly, the effort making him wince.“Yeah. I’m here to help… but first, you might want to stop this from turning gangrene.” He gestured to his shoulder, blood seeping between his fingers.“Sit,” the medic ordered, guiding him to a nearby cot. She grabbed a kit, her hands steady despite the chaos around them.Jack gritted his teeth as she cut away the charred fabric of his jacket, exposing the burn beneath. The sight of scorched flesh made her pause, her brow furrowing.“This is bad,” she murmured, reaching for a syringe. “You’re lucky it didn’t go deeper.”“Yeah, lucky,” Jack muttered, his voice tight with sarcasm. He glanced around the room, his sharp eyes scanning the injured soldiers and civilians. “How many of these people are gonna make it?”The medic hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as she cleaned the wound.“Depends on how long we can hold this place.”Jack hissed as the antiseptic hit his skin.“Then you’d better patch me up quick, Doc. I’ve got a fight to get back to.”She shot him a look. “You need rest. That shoulder—”“—will be fine,” Jack interrupted, his tone firm. “I’ve had worse. Right now, I need to know who’s in charge here and what the hell we’re dealing with.”The medic sighed but didn’t argue. “Fine. Hold still.” She pressed a bandage against the burn, her movements efficient but rough. Jack didn’t flinch, though his knuckles whitened as he gripped the cot's edge.The medic put her hands on her once white coat, now covered in blood, avoiding his gaze momentarily."Honestly, Sir… so far, you're the highest-ranking officer who's made it through."Jack let out a slow, measured breath. The weight of the situation was heavier than he'd realized, and he’d thought it couldn’t get much worse."Look, I know things are difficult right now, but you’re doing better here than you know."The medic blinked in surprise, her exhaustion momentarily giving way to a faint, almost reluctant smile."Thank you, General. Good luck."Jack raised to his feet. He swayed slightly but steadied himself and weaving through the injured, spotted the officer who seemed to be holding the operation together."Major, I need your assistance," Jack called, approaching a tall, weary-looking man trying to keep everything running. The young officer glanced up, and his eyes widened slightly as he registered Jack’s stars. Though it felt nearly absurd in the rubble-strewn chaos, he snapped into a salute. Jack returned it, knowing it was a small, grounding ritual amidst the madness."Sir. How can I assist you, Sir?""What's your name, son?" Jack asked, steadying him with a firm look."Major Stuart Jackson, Sir," he replied, still holding his salute."At ease, Jackson," Jack said, feeling the tension bearing down on them both.The field station around them was a mess of blood, rubble, and wounded bodies—the last stronghold for anyone still in D.C.“What do you need, Sir?”Jack breathed, letting the shock settle momentarily before forcing it aside."I need a status report, Major. What’s the situation here?"Jackson’s eyes darted toward the smoldering remnants of the White House, his jaw clenched.“It’s bad, Sir. Every convoy we managed to organize has already gone. The few high-ranking officials we could find and any civilians stable enough to move have been sent to the nearest safe zones.” He paused, swallowing hard. "We’re the last medical station in D.C., but we’re barely holding out. We’ve had to fend off multiple Jaffa patrols—anytime they get near, we fight them back. But it’s only a matter of time before they send a larger force."Jack nodded, letting its gravity sink in. He knew it would be bad, but this—this was nearly unimaginable. He glanced at the field radio beside Jackson."Do we still have any comms?”Jackson shook his head, his expression shadowed with frustration.“No regular channels, Sir. We’re down to emergency frequencies, and even that’s hit or miss with all the Goa’uld interference. We’ve tried everything, but nothing’s getting through consistently.”The knot in Jack’s chest tightened, and he swallowed back the urgency clawing at him.“What about Cheyenne Mountain? Do we have anything?”The major’s eyes fell, his expression darkening.“Last we heard, the Mountain was under heavy fire. Communications went down hours ago. Sir, I—” He stopped the weight of what he wasn’t saying clearly.Jack felt a pang of fear cut through him but forced it back. There was no time for that now. Sam and Benji were out somewhere, and he'd find them if there were a slim chance.He turned to Reynolds and pulled him aside.“Reynolds, you and the others stay here,” Jack ordered. “Hold this place. If more Jaffa come back, you keep these people alive. This is the only chance they’ve got.”Reynolds gave a sharp nod, his jaw tightening.“Understood, Sir. We won’t let them take this place.”Satisfied, Jack turned to Major Jackson.“Major, I need a transport,” he said, his voice laced with quiet resolve. “I have to reach Nevada—Area 51.”Jackson’s eyes widened slightly.“Sir, Nevada’s barely operational. We lost most of the links between here and the West Coast. I have no idea if Area 51 is still standing at all. We haven’t received any comms from them at all. But… if it’s that important,” he hesitated, studying Jack’s face, “there’s a patrol truck leaving soon, right at the edge of D.C. blast radius. You could ride along with them, but from there on… it’ll be up to you to find a way west.”Jack gave him a tight nod.“That’ll do.”Jack clapped a hand on his shoulder, feeling the young major’s weight.“Good work, Major. I’ll leave my men and they help to keep holding the line. Send those snakes back to hell where they belong.”Jackson managed a half-smile that barely touched his green eyes but nodded.As Jack adjusted his pack, he glanced toward the smoldering ruins of the capital. Every breath tasted of smoke and dust. He was running out of time. The thought of Sam and Benji out there, possibly hunted, gnawed at his insides like a dull blade.No more waiting. He turned toward the transport. The patrol truck rattled over crumbled highways, its engine a faint hum against the eerie silence of the wasteland. Jack sat in the back, rifle in hand, scanning the desolate horizon. Cities that once teemed with life were now skeletal ruins, their streets littered with the remnants of lives interrupted.“Well,” Jack muttered, leaning back against the truck’s cold frame. “At least traffic’s cleared up.”The soldier driving the truck chuckled dryly.“Guess that’s one way to look at it, Sir.”“Yeah, but the toll booths still being down? That’s just chaos,” Jack replied, deadpan.They rode a few more miles in silence when the the driver, a grizzled soldier, finally broke the silence.“This is as far as I can take you, General. The roads west are worse than this.”Jack nodded, climbing out. “Thanks for the ride.”The soldier hesitated. “If you’re heading for Area 51... Godspeed.”Jack gave a small nod, slinging his pack over his shoulder.“I’ll need it.”The air grew heavier as Jack trekked west, the terrain shifting from cracked asphalt to barren wilderness. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the rubble-strewn landscape. His thoughts drifted to Sam and Benji—her fierce protectiveness, the way Benji’s tiny hand had once gripped his finger with unwavering trust. It was that trust that drove him forward, step by agonizing step. Hours later, Jack reached the outskirts of what had once been a thriving town. The skeletal remains of buildings loomed like specters, their broken walls clawing at the sky. Jack paused, crouching behind a shattered vehicle as he spotted movement—two Jaffa guards, their armor glinting in the dying light. His grip on his weapon tightened. If the Jaffa were here, so was danger—and perhaps the key to reaching Sam.However the Jaffas looked unlike any he had encountered. Their chest plates bore a unique insignia he didn’t recognize. Jack approached them stealthily, and his movements were controlled due to years of training.Jack lunged as they stopped to inspect a deserted house, striking first. The Jaffa barely flinched, blocking with a forearm that felt like steel. Jack pivoted, dodging a knee strike, but the second Jaffa swung his staff like a club. The impact cracked against Jack’s ribs, knocking him into the dirt.Gritting his teeth, he rolled as a staff blast scorched the ground inches from his head. He had seconds. He reached for his knife, but a gauntleted fist slammed into his face, sending pain exploding behind his eyes.He played possum. The Jaffa leaned in to grab him—Jack surged up, knife flashing. The blade found flesh. The warrior gurgled, falling back. Now, just one left.The final Jaffa sneered. “You are unworthy prey, O’Neill.”“Yeah?” Jack spat blood, leveling his knife. “Let’s find out.”They grappled in the dirt, exchanging blows, until he finally subdued his opponent.Jack knelt beside the bleeding Jaffa, pressing his knife to the warrior’s throat.“Name your god.”The Jaffa sneered, blood staining his teeth. “You will die knowing.”Jack pressed the knife deeper.“Talk, or I find out how much pressure it takes to make you reconsider.”The Jaffa growled, but his bravado wavered. His fingers twitched against the dirt, his breathing uneven.“Moratus…” he rasped, his voice lowering, as if saying the name itself was dangerous. His pupils contracted. “He sees all.”Jack narrowed his eyes. “Yeah? Good for him. What else?”The Jaffa swallowed hard. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His arrogance cracked.“He doesn’t kill swiftly. He listens to screams. He…” The Jaffa’s lips parted, but the next words caught in his throat.Jack wasn’t an easy man to shake. But something in the way the warrior’s eyes darted to the empty sky, as if expecting to be watched, sent a ripple down his spine.“You’re scared,” Jack realized. Not of him. Of Moratus.The Jaffa exhaled sharply, his entire body tensed like a cornered animal.“I would rather die here than be taken back to him.”Jack’s gut clenched. That was new. Goa’uld soldiers were fanatics, conditioned to obey and die for their gods. But this? This was something else.He twisted the knife slightly. “Where is he?”The Jaffa’s breath hitched. His lips trembled. For the first time, Jack saw true fear.“Everywhere,” the Jaffa whispered. “He is everywhere.”Then, in a final act of defiance—or mercy—he bit down hard. A sickening crack echoed as the hidden poison capsule ruptured between his teeth.Jack barely had time to react before the Jaffa convulsed once, then went still.Now, it wasn’t just about finding Sam and surviving long enough. Over the next days, Jack’s journey became a brutal marathon of resourcefulness and survival. He hitchhiked with the few militaries he found, bartered, walked, and even stole a beaten-up truck to continue his trek westward. The sleepless nights he spent hidden from roaming Jaffa patrols wore on him. But he kept going, driven by the image of Sam and Benji just within reach.The endless desert stretched before Jack, its stillness broken only by the low whistle of the wind. At last, he reached the rocky outcrop overlooking Area 51. He crouched low, raising his binoculars.The base, once a hub of human ingenuity, was unrecognizable. Towering floodlights cast long, eerie shadows over the sand, illuminating Jaffa patrols moving with cold precision. Their staff weapons glinted under the harsh lights, a stark reminder that this was no longer Earth’s stronghold—it belonged to Moratus now.Jack’s jaw tightened as he scanned the perimeter. Just not too long ago, this had been a place of hope, a bastion of discovery. Now, it was a fortress for an enemy that sought to tear his world apart. And somewhere inside, the quantum mirror—the key to finding Sam and Benji—waited.He shifted his pack, every motion deliberate, and began his approach. Each step through the sand brought him closer to the truth—and closer to the danger that loomed ahead.Jack took a slow breath, steadying himself. He knew a secret way in—Sam had told him years ago about a secret eastern entrance that only a few knew about. If it still existed, it might be his only shot.Reaching the access hatch was a mission in itself. The area was swarming with Jaffa, and there were motion sensors along the perimeter fence. Jack took his time, moving like a shadow between the wreckage and sand dunes. Twice, he had to freeze as patrols passed within inches of him, their deep voices murmuring in Goa’uld. He waited, heart pounding, until they moved on.Finally, he found it—a locked side entrance, half-buried in sand. Jack dug furiously, and his hands moved automatically, relying on a long-forgotten code in his memory. He punched the numbers on the keypad and slipped inside, hoping against hope that Sam had made it here and that she had brought Benji with her.Navigating the corridors with his P-90 ready, Jack felt a chill settle in his chest. The base was eerily quiet for all the Jaffa standing outside. There were no alarms, no Jaffa patrols—only the occasional hum of distant machinery disturbed the silence. He went deeper into the facility, occasionally stopping to listen for signs of life.Jack finally reached his destination: the quantum mirror room. But something was wrong.The room was occupied.A lone figure in a scientist’s coat stood near the console, eyes locked onto Jack the second he entered. But it wasn’t fear in those eyes—it was something else. Something unsettling.Jack kept his P-90 trained. “Move, nice and slow.”The scientist hesitated, then did as instructed. As she stepped into the light, Jack's stomach clenched. Her posture was stiff, her skin slightly too pale, and her eyes—her eyes gleamed with a faint, unnatural glow.Goa’uld.Jack’s grip on his weapon tightened as he studied her, his instincts screaming to pull the trigger. But she wasn’t attacking. She wasn’t posturing like most Goa’uld. If anything, she looked exhausted—haunted.“You’re the one they want,” she said, her voice low and layered with the faint, unnatural resonance of a symbiote. “O’Neill.”“Yeah, that’s me,” Jack said tightly, not lowering his weapon. “And you’re what? The welcome committee?”Vasquez hesitated, her gaze darting to the quantum mirror before finally settling on Jack.“Dr. Elena Vasquez,” she said softly, the words carrying a weight she couldn’t hide.Jack’s gaze flicked to her abdomen, then back to her face.“So… what’s the catch?”Vasquez hesitated, her hand unconsciously settling over her stomach. “It’s dormant.”Jack raised an eyebrow.“Dormant? Like asleep, or playing dead?”Her lips pressed into a thin line. “It can’t bond. Not completely. Not yet.”“That’s not an answer.” Jack’s voice sharpened, his weapon never wavering.Vasquez flinched at Jack’s stare, one hand gripping the edge of the console, the other resting protectively over her stomach. Her breathing was shallow, controlled—but Jack caught the slight tremor in her fingers.“I’m pregnant,” she admitted, barely above a whisper.Jack’s eyebrows shot up. His grip on the P-90 didn’t loosen, but his voice did.“Well, that’s new. Let me guess—the Goa’uld weren’t exactly throwing you a baby shower?”Vasquez’s lips pressed into a thin line.“They don’t know.” Her voice was raw, quiet but sharp. “If they did, I’d be dead.”Jack exhaled, glancing around the dimly lit room. A charred control panel flickered weakly, casting jagged shadows on the walls. The place reeked of burnt circuitry and stale air. Whatever had happened here hadn’t been clean.He narrowed his gaze at her. “And the baby?”Vasquez’s hand twitched over her abdomen before she forced it to her side. “The hormones… the changes… they’re keeping the symbiote from bonding. For now.” Her voice was steady, but her grip on the console had turned white-knuckled.Jack studied her. The way she stood, weight shifting slightly, like someone expecting a sudden blow. She wasn’t just scared—she was running out of time.Jack’s expression darkened.“For now,” he repeated. “And after?”Her voice wavered, but she straightened.“When the baby’s born, it’ll take over. I won’t be me anymore.”Jack let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Hell of a deadline you’re working with, Doc.”She glared at him, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. “I don’t need your pity, General. I need you to understand that if I don’t make it, you’re the one who has to make sure my child is safe. From me. From Moratus. From all of this.”Jack’s jaw tightened, his tone softer but still guarded. “And I’m supposed to just take your word for it?”“You don’t have to.” Her eyes burned with a mix of anger and desperation. “But you don’t have time to waste, either.”Jack studied her, his instincts warring. If what she said was true, it meant the symbiote inside her was inactive—possibly even incapable of taking control until the child was born. It also meant she had an unspoken advantage: the Jaffa would treat her as one of their own.“What are you doing here?” Jack asked.“I was left to monitor the mirror.”“That’s it? Where is the rest of the staff?” Jack asked still suspicious.Elena Vasquez swallowed hard.“Dead. They are dead,” she said her voice sharpening. “It means I’m not your enemy. Not yet.” She exhaled, her hand dropping to her side. “I’m a scientist. I worked here before Moratus arrived, before…” She hesitated, her voice trembling. “Before they made me into this.”Jack’s eyes narrowed, his suspicion not easing. “You expect me to trust that you’re not going to go full Goa’uld on me the second I turn my back?”“No,” she said flatly. “I don’t expect you to trust me at all. But I don’t have a choice. My child…” Her voice broke slightly. “My child is the only reason I’m still me. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure they’re safe—even if it means helping you.”Jack studied her for a long moment, his jaw tight. “You better not make me regret this.”His gaze settled on a familiar sight: Teal’c’s staff blast, hastily discarded next to a wall, along with a zat gun. They had been here. If Teal’c’s weapon was here, he had to be here, and he would never have left Sam and Benjamin alone. Never. She had been here. His fingers traced the blast weapon as he looked around, taking in the traces of her presence—the empty formula bottle. His heart almost stopped when he noticed the several holes in the wall. Blast holes. There had been a massive fight in this room.Jack’s fingers closed around the bottle. A whisper of warmth still clung to the plastic. She was here. His grip tightened. Not long ago.“Start talking,” Jack said in a steel tone.She put her hands on her lab coat.“The new System Lord Moratus was here with his Jaffa. They took over the place. They killed all my colleagues…and made me a Goa’uld.” She looked down.“Go on,” Jack pressed.“He was after your wife and son, but they left through the mirror. I was ordered to stay here and report in case the mirror became active again. The Jaffas outside are a precaution and a way to keep this place unreachable,” she said with a heavy sigh.“Can you tell me when the mirror has been used? He asked.The scientist slowly stepped toward the mirror, examining the controls on the floor.“Around a week ago,” she said as she inspected it closer.The quantum mirror stood in the center of the room, its angular frame glowing faintly under the dim lights. Jack’s heart pounded as he approached, the device’s polished surface rippling with dormant power.Jack gestured at the quantum mirror, his expression hard.“Fire it up,” he said. “And if I see one of those creepy alternate realities where everyone’s got goatees and an evil laugh, shut it off immediately.”Vasquez hesitated, looking at him uncertainly.“I… don’t think that’s how this works.”“It better not be,” Jack said, narrowing his eyes at the mirror. “I can only handle one evil me at a time.”Vasquez hesitated, her gaze darting to the doorway as if expecting someone—something—to come crashing in. The low hum of machinery filled the tense silence.Jack shifted his grip on his weapon, narrowing his eyes.“Doc, I’m not a patient man.”She swallowed hard, one hand resting on her stomach in a gesture so brief Jack almost missed it. “General, without precise coordinates, this could—”Jack stepped closer, voice flat.“Doc, I’ve been shot at all day, I’m running on instant coffee, and my family is out there. Either you turn it on, or I start pushing buttons.”Vasquez hesitated.“If you end up in a reality where everyone’s a Jaffa—”Jack’s patience snapped. In a swift motion, he drew his sidearm and leveled it at the scientist’s head, his voice as cold as steel.“I’ve got a guarantee for you. You either help me turn this thing on and find Sam, or you don’t leave this room. It’s that simple.”Vasquez’s face blanched, her hands trembling slightly as she put them protectively around her still not showing belly.“Please. I… I don’t want to die. I have a baby.”“Then pick up that controller again, Doc,” Jack replied, calm but unyielding. “Now.”With a shaky nod, the Vasquez slowly moved her hands and moved toward the quantum mirror’s control panel, eyes darting nervously between Jack and the ancient device. She reached for the console, activating it with trembling fingers. The mirror flickered to life, its reflective surface shifting and shimmering as alternate realities appeared rapidly—each one a fractured, alien version of their world.The scientist stole a glance at Jack.“All right. Here’s how it works. This device will cycle through alternate realities, one by one. When you see something familiar—a marker or clue that looks promising—you’ll need to tell me, and we’ll try to lock onto that frequency. But… we cannot know exactly where it will send you.”“That’s my problem, Doc,” Jack said, fixing his gaze on the mirror. “Just keep it running until I say stop.”The scientist nodded reluctantly and began cycling through realities, each flashing briefly across the mirror's surface before fading into the next. Jack watched intently, his jaw clenched, as scene after scene flickered before him, each an eerie reflection of the world he knew—yet distorted in ways that made his stomach twist.As Vasquez worked the controls of the quantum mirror, her hands trembled—not from fear of Jack, but from the war raging within her. She could feel it sometimes, the symbiote, pressing against her thoughts like an unwelcome whisper. It wasn’t active yet, but its presence was a constant reminder of what was waiting.The baby shifted inside her, a tiny flutter that brought both comfort and dread. She closed her eyes briefly, grounding herself in the movement. This child—her child—was the only thing keeping her free. But for how long?She thought back to the day she’d been captured. The cold operating table, the Goa’uld’s voice resonating in her mind as it was forced into her body. She’d fought so hard to resist, but resistance meant nothing to a parasite. And then… the baby. A miracle, a complication—the one thing that had saved her from complete assimilation.Her lips pressed into a thin line. The Goa’uld’s dormant state was temporary. Once the child was born, it would awaken, its voice fully entwined with hers. She would cease to exist, her body becoming a puppet for Moratus’s plans.But the child wouldn’t be spared.Her hands tightened on the console. She had to hold on for her baby, had to survive long enough to deliver it into safety—away from the symbiote, away from the Goa’uld.Vasquez exhaled shakily as she worked, her hands unsteady on the controls. Not from fear of Jack. From something worse.Then it happened.A sharp, electric jolt ripped through her skull. Her vision blurred. Her breath hitched in her throat. Pressure coiled in her mind—alien, powerful, waking. A deep, insidious whisper slithered through her consciousness, curling like smoke around her thoughts.Jack saw it the instant she froze. Her pupils dilated unnaturally, her body going rigid.“Vasquez?” Jack’s voice hardened, his hand dropping instinctively to his sidearm.She staggered, one hand clamping over her abdomen, fingers digging in as if she could physically hold something back. Her breath hitched—a low, inhuman rasp escaping her lips.“No… no, no, not yet—” Vasquez choked out, her face contorting in pain and terror.Then her voice changed.Layered. Distorted. Not hers.“I am coming.”Jack’s stomach dropped. Oh, shit.Vasquez’s head snapped toward him, eyes glowing faintly for the first time.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Vasquez’s body convulsed violently, her back arching as if an invisible force was ripping her apart from the inside. Jack took a sharp step back, rifle raised.Her mouth opened in a silent scream. Then, her body went still.Too still.Jack knew this moment—the takeover.Vasquez’s head lifted slowly, her movements now eerily controlled. When she opened her eyes, Jack felt his stomach drop.Gold. A dull glow flickered in her irises. Not full strength, but there. The symbiote had taken hold.When she finally spoke, her voice was cold. Measured. Layered.“General O’Neill.”Jack exhaled slowly, his grip firm on his weapon.“Vasquez.”A slight tilt of her head.“You mean Elena Vasquez.” She smiled, but it was not human. “She is… still here. But we are… more.”Jack’s jaw tightened. Here we go.“Alright, Snake. Let’s get one thing straight,” Jack said, stepping forward. His voice was low, sharp, full of promise. “I don’t care how ‘more’ you feel—you breathe wrong, and I’ll drop you before you finish your little god speech.”Vasquez’s smile didn’t falter, but he saw it—the flicker of unease.“You won’t kill me,” she mused.“Wouldn’t bet on that,” Jack shot back.Vasquez studied him. When she finally spoke, her tone was arrogant but calculating.“I do not intend to make an enemy of you, O’Neill. I am… in transition. I have no desire to be hunted by your kind—or mine.”Jack snorted. “Oh, so you’re a reasonable snake. That’s new.”“You need me,” Vasquez continued smoothly, ignoring the insult. “And I need you. So we talk.”Jack didn’t lower his gun. He knew she was right, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.Every instinct in him screamed that this was a bad idea.That Vasquez was a bad idea.But he didn’t have the luxury of following his instincts anymore. The universe had made damn sure of that.He exhaled sharply. "Fine. But first, we set some ground rules."“You don’t move unless I say.” Jack’s voice was flat, dangerous. “You don’t talk unless it’s useful. You don’t even blink unless I let you.”Vasquez arched a brow, her golden-flecked eyes gleaming with amusement."And if I don’t follow them?"Jack smiled. It wasn’t friendly."Then I introduce you to every new and creative way I know how to kill your kind."For the first time, the golden glow in her eyes dimmed slightly. Just a flicker. But Jack saw it. She understood."Very well," she said, smoothing her lab coat, slipping back into that eerie, too-human stillness. "Shall we begin?"Jack lowered his weapon slightly—but not all the way. Not yet.“Yeah,” he muttered. “Let’s.” Jack hadn’t planned on working with a Goa’uld today.Hell, there were many things he hadn’t planned on, but this? This was near the top of the things that make my skin crawl list.Vasquez—or whatever the hell she was now—moved with eerie precision, her fingers gliding over the quantum mirror’s controls like she’d been born knowing how they worked. That was the problem. He could almost convince himself she was still human if not for the too-perfect way she moved. The way her posture had shifted—just a fraction—but enough that he could see the change.He’d seen this before. Hathor. Nirrti. Hell, even Carter once, and that was a nightmare he didn’t want to dig up.Jack shifted his grip on his weapon. He wasn’t pointing it at her anymore, but he sure as hell wasn’t letting it hang loose, either."What are you looking for, O’Neill?" Vasquez asked, her voice too controlled, too smooth, layered in that way that set his nerves on edge. She was trying not to sound like a snake, but the inflection was still there, coiled under the surface.Jack exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus."A reality that doesn’t have you in it," he muttered, watching the mirror shift between worlds.Vasquez smirked. "You wound me."Jack gave her a sideways glance. "That was the goal."She chuckled, low and amused, continuing her work like this was just another day. But Jack saw it—the flicker of something in her expression. Restraint. She wanted to snap back at him, be a Goa’uld, and remind him exactly what she was. But she didn’t.Because she knew he was in control.“Yeah? And if I were in yours, I’d be keeping my head down and hoping no one notices the walking liability in the room.”Vasquez finally turned to him, and Jack saw the restraint again. She desperately wanted to be a Goa’uld, but she still refrained herself.“Your threats amuse me,” she said finally, “but I will do as you ask.”“Good,” Jack said, stepping closer. Just close enough to remind her who was in charge. “Because you’re not in a position to negotiate, Snake.”Vasquez exhaled slowly, rolling her shoulders.“Then tell me, General—what happens next?”Jack let a slow, grim smile spread across his face.“We find my family,” he said, “and then we get the hell out of here.”Her eyes flickered gold, then dimmed again. Not fully activated, but not entirely human anymore. Something in between.“Shall we continue?” she asked smoothly, her voice still layered, off.Jack exhaled sharply. One problem at a time.“Yeah,” he muttered. “Get back to work.”Vasquez moved toward the control panel with the same eerie precision. Jack didn’t take his eyes off her as she placed her hands over the interface, her fingers gliding effortlessly over the controls.“Find me something useful,” Jack ordered. “And try not to screw it up.”Vasquez arched a brow. “I never do.”Jack stood in the dim glow of the quantum mirror, the hum of its power a steady, unrelenting presence. The images flickered past—worlds in ruins, scorched landscapes, civilizations wiped clean. Some were worse than what lay beyond these walls. Others… others weren’t.He clenched his jaw. None of it mattered. Not to him.Outside, the world was dying. The little information he had collected on his way to Area 51 spoke of cities reduced to rubble and of people rounded up like cattle. Resistance efforts had collapsed one by one, leaving only scattered survivors hiding in the dark. The sky seemed different now—ash-choked, heavy with the weight of extinction.Jack knew all of this. He had walked through the remnants of what used to be home.And then he had turned away.There was nothing left for him out there. Nothing to fight for. Nothing to save.Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin—they were the only things that mattered. And they weren’t here.His fingers tightened on the console as he cycled through another reality, pushing away the ghosts clawing at the edges of his mind. He refused to waste time mourning what was already gone.The past was dead.The only thing left was forward.The quantum mirror flickered again, shifting between shattered timelines. Jack exhaled sharply and focused, forcing himself to focus.On the other side of this glass was a way back to them somewhere.And that was the only thing he cared about.“Move faster,” Jack snapped. “We don’t have all day.”Vasquez didn’t look up from the controls.“Perhaps reality is simply unkind to your expectations.”Jack’s patience snapped. He turned on her, voice sharp.“I swear to god if you’re stalling—”Vasquez’s lips curved slightly, amused.“Calm yourself, General. You’ll give yourself an aneurysm.”“Or maybe you suck at this.” Jack folded his arms, narrowing his eyes at the next flickering image. A sterile, alien landscape, massive structures looming the color of blood beneath a sky.His stomach coiled.“Stop,” he ordered, his eyes catching something strange—a facility partially buried in the desert sand with some vegetation, guards surrounding the half-buried mirror.Vasquez’s fingers hesitated over the controls. “Interesting.”Jack shot her a look. “I don’t need your commentary. Just hold it.”Vasquez obeyed, her hands steady over the controls, though the flicker of amusement in her eyes didn’t fade. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.Jack exhaled sharply. “What?”Vasquez barely turned, her voice silky, detached. “You assume much, O’Neill.”“Quiet,” Jack hissed, his eyes narrowing.If Sam had crossed into another reality and encountered guards, there was a chance she’d been captured or taken in for questioning. He needed to know if she was there. The problem was that he couldn’t just unquestioningly jump across without risking landing in another hostile world. He had to make sure she was there first.Jack didn’t look at her. “Get a pad and a pen.”Vasquez arched a brow but complied, her movements slow, deliberate.“And what grand strategy do you conjure now, General?”Jack took them, scribbling a quick message in bold letters: Sam—if you’re there and miss peanuts, write back. –JackJack tore the page from the pad, his fingers tight around the edges. He handed it to Vasquez."Send it."The Goa’uld pushed the note into the shimmering void.Seconds passed.Nothing.Jack’s breath slowed. His grip tightened on his weapon. Then—movement.A shadow shifted on the other side. A gloved hand reached down. The note disappeared.Jack exhaled, but his chest remained tight. He didn’t dare look away. He waited.Vasquez tilted her head, watching him with a detached amusement.“Fascinating. You cling to the uncertain as if it were certainty itself.”Jack didn’t respond. He just waited.Waited for an answer.Jack exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders, but the ache wouldn’t fade. His muscles felt like lead, his vision blurring at the edges. Too much running. Too much fighting.His knees buckled before he could stop it. He sank to the floor, back hitting the wall with a dull thud. The cool concrete bit into his skin, grounding him.Just for a moment. Just long enough to breathe.The silence was heavy, the hum of the quantum mirror a distant, rhythmic pulse. Jack’s breathing slowed as his mind drifted, memories of Sam and Benji surfacing amid the fatigue. He clung to the image of them, safe somewhere beyond this reality, waiting for him. He’d get to them. No matter what it took, he’d find his way back.For now, he just needed to rest, to regain his strength for whatever was coming next. Jack waited in the dimly lit room, his eyes locked on the shimmering surface of the quantum mirror. The room felt too quiet, the hum of the mirror an uneasy backdrop to his thoughts.Then—movement. A shadow on the other side.Jack’s grip tightened. A figure stepped into view, and his breath caught before he could stop it.Hank Landry.He was older and hardened, with a black eye patch covering his left eye. His uniform was different—midnight black, adorned with unfamiliar insignias. He studied Jack through the mirror, wary but intrigued.Jack exhaled sharply, grabbed a nearby notepad, and wrote fast, and the letters pressed deep into the page. Looking for someone, Hank? He slid the note through the mirror.Landry picked it up. His expression didn’t change—no relief, no surprise. Just calculation. Slowly, he scrawled his response.
Carter? Kid?
Jack’s stomach tightened. He wrote: Where. Are. They. And shoved the paper back through.Landry hesitated. His expression hardened, but something in his eyes betrayed a hint of sympathy. Slowly, he wrote a final message, sent it through, and stepped back.Jack snatched the note. Been here. Left.His pulse pounded. He looked up, silently demanding more, but Landry only gave him a measured look before reaching for the control panel.“No, no—damn it, Landry, wait—” Jack lunged forward, but the mirror flashed dark.Silence. Cold. Unforgiving.Jack stood there, breathing hard, his pulse pounding. He’d been seconds away—so damn close.The frustration boiled over before he could stop it. He snatched the notepad and hurled it across the room. It hit the wall with a sharp slap, pages fluttering to the floor.Jack dragged a hand down his face, forcing his breathing steady. One chance gone. No time to waste. He thought of Sam, her laughter drifting through their kitchen, and Benji’s tiny hands gripping his finger. That world felt far away, almost like a dream. But it was real. And he had to reclaim it.Jack forced himself upright, muscles aching, but his gaze locked on Vasquez.She stood composed and impassive, watching him too closely. She calculated. She waited like a predator studying prey.Jack exhaled sharply.“Wrong reality.” He stepped forward, voice low, firm, unyielding. “Do it again.”Vasquez’s lips curved slightly, but there was no amusement in it. Only analyzing. Measuring.“You seem fatigued, General,” she mused. “Are you certain you’re still in control?”Jack didn’t blink. Didn’t hesitate. He stepped even closer—too close—until there was nothing but a breath of space between them.His voice dropped to a lethal whisper.“I always am.”A flicker—just a flicker—of something passed through her golden-tinged eyes. Recognition. Calculation. A warning received.Then, without another word, Vasquez turned—her fingers gliding over the controls as if nothing had happened.The mirror flickered again. Jack clenched his jaw.He wasn’t stopping. Not now. Not ever. The torches flickered in the dimly lit command chamber, casting elongated shadows against the cold stone walls. The once-bustling halls of Stargate Command were now eerily silent, stripped of human defiance. Only the rhythmic footsteps of Jaffa patrols remained, echoing through the corridors like a slow, deliberate drumbeat of conquest.Moratus stood at the center of the chamber, his golden eyes reflecting the holographic projection before him—Earth, scarred and broken. Cities lay in ruins, their towering structures reduced to skeletal remains.Pockets of resistance still flared like dying embers, their leaders desperately clinging to the illusion of defiance. But Moratus knew better. Their hope would crumble, just as their cities had.The oceans, once vibrant, now carried the wreckage of humanity’s last futile resistance. Entire nations had fallen, their people either slaughtered or harvested for the survival of his kind—the symbiote birthing facilities pulsed with new life, fueled by the flesh of the defeated.There would be no retreat. No surrender.The Tau’ri would be wiped from existence, and their world would burn as a testament to his eternal dominion.A kneeling Jaffa spoke, his voice reverent but steady.“My Lord, there has been a sighting. A man—he fought Jaffa in the ruins of a settlement. The description matches O’Neill.”Moratus’ gaze narrowed. "Are you certain?"“The witness was clear. He fought well. Killed two of ours before vanishing into the shadows.”Silence hung heavy in the chamber. Then, Moratus exhaled slowly, his lips curving into a cruel smile.“Interesting,” he murmured.The Jaffa commander at his side tensed. “Shall we send more patrols to eliminate him?”Moratus lifted a hand, stopping him. His gaze remained locked on the dying world before him."No," he said, a quiet satisfaction in his tone. "Bring him to me alive."The commander hesitated. “And if he resists?”Moratus' smile widened, cold and full of promise.“Then break him.”The Jaffa bowed and departed, leaving Moratus alone with his thoughts. He turned back to the image of Earth, his dominion now.Carter, Jackson, and the child had fled into the unknown. That was an irritation but not a loss. He had no interest in hunting down ghosts. His vision was singular—this world would fall, and its people would be erased. The Tau’ri were not meant to rule, not meant to endure. Their defiance was an anomaly in the universe that he would correct.Soon, there would be nothing left of them but ash.And O’Neill—O’Neill, the last remnant of a dying species—would witness it firsthand.Moratus allowed himself a rare moment of pleasure at the thought. Yes. Let him run. Let him fight. Let him believe, even for a moment, that he has a chance.It will make his final moments all the more satisfying. Jack paced the quantum mirror room, his gaze flicking to the shimmering surface as the alternate realities shifted and swirled. Vasquez stood nearby, using the control console with cold precision. The tension in the air was palpable, but Jack kept his focus. Somewhere out there, Sam and Benji were waiting.The faint chime of an alarm broke the silence, the sound sharp and sudden. Jack spun, weapon raised, eyes locked onto Vasquez. She didn’t flinch. Instead, she regarded him with mild disinterest, lifting her wrist and silencing the alarm with a precise tap.“Your reflexes remain predictable,” she mused.Jack’s voice dropped. “What’s that for?”Vasquez’s lips curled slightly. “Efficiency. Unlike your kind, I prefer to be… prepared.”Jack narrowed his eyes, stepping closer. “Prepared for what?”Vasquez’s gaze moved coldly to the door.“The Jaffa patrol,” she said.Jack’s expression hardened.“The what?”“They come daily to inspect the facility,” the Goa’uld explained. “To make sure the mirror is still operational and secure. They’ll be here any minute.”Jack’s jaw tightened, his mind racing. If the patrol discovered him here, it would be a fight he couldn’t afford to lose—not with Sam and Benji still out there.
Damn snake.
“And you were just going to let me sit here and wait to be caught?”Vasquez’s golden-flecked eyes met his without hesitation.“You underestimate me, General. If I wished you were captured, you would already kneel before my kind.”Jack snorted. “Yeah? And if I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have missed.”Jack stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl.“How many?”“Five. Maybe six,” Vasquez replied. “They’re thorough. They check every room, every corridor. If they find you…”“They won’t,” Jack interrupted. His eyes scanned the room, taking in equipment and confined space clutter. “Where’s the best place to hide?”Vasquez gestured toward a series of metal crates stacked in the corner.“Behind those. They won’t inspect too closely unless they suspect something.”Jack frowned, skeptical.“And if they do suspect something?”Vasquez shrugged. “Then we’re both dead.”Jack exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip on the P-90.“Great. You’d better hope they don’t.” He moved toward the crates, crouching behind them with practiced ease. “You keep them calm, you hear me? If you so much as look in my direction, this is over—for us. The three of us.” He pointed to her belly.Vasquez nodded as she returned to the control console. Jack crouched behind the stack of crates in the quantum mirror room, every nerve on edge.The door slid open with a low hiss, and six Jaffa warriors strode into the room, their black armor gleaming under the fluorescent lights. The leader, taller and more imposing than the rest, stepped forward. The triangle pointing downward emblem on his forehead marked him as a seasoned warrior, his staff weapon held with a casual menace.“Scientist,” the lead Jaffa said, bowing his head slightly. “We are here for inspection.”Vasquez tilted her chin, her eyes flashing.“As expected.” Her voice was full of disdain. “And what do you expect to find? Do you doubt my work?”The Jaffa hesitated, glancing at his men. “It is standard procedure, my Lady.”Vasquez’s gaze hardened, and for the first time, her voice dripped with authority. “You dare question me? I answer only to Lord Moratus. Or do you wish to inform him of your… doubts?”The Jaffa tensed. “That is not necessary.”“Then complete your inspection quickly and leave.” She folded her arms. “I have important work to do.”The warriors moved through the room, their gazes sweeping over every surface. Jack stayed still, barely breathing, his finger on the trigger. One of the Jaffa moved closer to the crates, pausing for a fraction of a second before turning away.Finally, the lead warrior nodded. “The room is secure.”Vasquez waved a dismissive hand. “Then go.”The Jaffa bowed again and left without another word, their boots echoing down the corridor as the door slid shut behind them.Jack exhaled, stepping out from behind the crates. He eyed Vasquez warily.“Not bad.”Vasquez turned toward him, unshaken, her expression cool.“Did you expect less?”Jack studied her for a moment, then muttered, “Yeah. Actually, I did.”He turned his attention to the quantum mirror, the shimmering surface reflecting the determination in his eyes. There was no time to waste—not with Sam and Benji still out there, waiting for him to bring them home. The following day, Sam sat rigidly in Jack’s office, her heart pounding as she waited for him to speak. His expression was unreadable, and he held her gaze with a distant, almost cold detachment that made her insides twist with anxiety.“Colonel Carter,” he began, his voice cool, unyielding. “After careful consideration, your request to access the quantum mirror is denied.”The words hit her like a blow, and she felt her breath hitch, the color draining from her face. Panic clawed its way up her throat. If he says no, we’re trapped. Benjamin...She steadied herself, trying to keep her expression neutral. But Jack watched her steadily, and after a moment, he leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he fixed her with an intense, probing gaze.“Give me the real reason, Carter,” Jack said, voice like steel. “Or you stay here and gamble with Benjamin’s life. We both know how that ends.”Sam swallowed, her mind racing, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. She’d been at a crossroads since she’d first arrived here, but this was the moment of truth. The only way forward now was trust.“Very well,” she said, steadying her breath. “I’ve finished the shield. And if, by any chance, my husband finds his way to this reality, I need to make sure he’s protected. But the real reason I need access to the mirror is because we want out. I don’t care about keeping the quantum shield tech for myself. It’s yours. We don’t belong here. We need to go as soon as possible. That’s the truth.”Jack stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, after a long silence, he exhaled sharply and leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face.“You want out based on what, exactly?” he said finally. “Hope?”Sam tensed. “Not just hope—evidence. Signs that my husband could still be alive in another reality.”Jack scoffed. “Signs? Carter, since when do you base your decisions on vague possibilities?”She opened her mouth, then closed it, frustration flashing in her eyes.“Since my son’s future depends on it.”Jack leaned forward, his voice dropping.“And what if you’re wrong? What if he’s not there? What if you go through and find nothing but another dead end? Have you thought about that?"Sam swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing against her."I have. But I have to try."Jack let out a humorless chuckle."This is insane. You’re asking me to risk everything, to go against those heartless bastards, to put my life on the line for something that might not even exist. I need more than a gut feeling, Carter."She met his gaze, unwavering. “Wouldn’t you do the same if you were in my position?”He didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened, his fingers drumming restlessly against the desk. Sam could see the conflict warring behind his eyes. Logic told him to shut this down. But something else—something deeper, unspoken—kept him from dismissing her outright.Finally, he exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.“Damn it, Carter.”Silence stretched between them. When Jack finally spoke again, his voice was quieter, resigned. “Alright. You can access the quantum mirror. But we have to be careful. The committee has people everywhere. We need a solid plan. A damn good one, too, because getting you, Daniel, and Benjamin to Area 51 without raising suspicion is going to take some doing.”He forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes, the emptiness behind it starkly apparent.A swell of relief and gratitude rose in her chest, but a sharp, bittersweet ache mingled. She could see the strain behind his words, the sacrifice he was willing to make by letting her leave. She’d asked him to betray his organization, to risk everything he’d worked for, and he was willing to do it for her. For someone who was only a shadow of someone who had died, a fleeting echo of the life he could have known. And yet, here he was, putting everything on the line.“Thank you,” she whispered.Jack nodded, looking away momentarily before meeting her gaze again, all business.“Don’t thank me yet. We’re not out of the woods. Now, what’s the plan, Colonel?”Sam took a deep breath, considering their options, her mind whirring with the possibilities.“We could request a tech transfer,” she suggested, thinking quickly. “If we present it as a security measure, a way to test the shield under controlled conditions, we could use Area 51 as a secure location. They wouldn’t question if we have a plausible excuse to test the technology in a remote facility.”Jack nodded slowly, the wheels visibly turning in his mind.“It could work. Ezra wants the shield operational. He might be convinced to let us go if we present it as a test with… potential use in an almost present moment. Just keep the tech side vague enough, and he’ll eat it up.”She managed a faint smile, though her mind was already racing with contingency plans.“We could ‘accidentally’ trigger the shield during transport, cause a minor malfunction to make it look like a fluke. Enough to keep their suspicions low.”A hint of amusement flashed across Jack’s face.“An ‘accident’ might be just the thing. Sounds like you’ve still got some tricks up your sleeve, Carter.”She smiled back, though her eyes were sad. The weight of their plan settled heavily on both of them.“Just enough, I hope.”They sat silently for a moment, the reality of their plan hanging between them like a fragile thread. She could see the strain in Jack’s expression, the conflict that lingered beneath the surface. He was letting her go, but at a cost neither of them could deny.“Listen, Jack,” she said quietly, her voice softening, “I know what I’m asking of you. I know this… it isn’t easy. But we’re grateful. We really are.”His gaze softened, though his expression remained guarded, almost distant.“Just… be sure, Sam. Because once you’re gone, there’s no coming back. And I…” He hesitated, as if weighing his words, before continuing, his voice rough. “I just hope you find what you’re looking for.”She felt a lump form in her throat, the sorrow and gratitude mingling until it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.“Thank you, Jack,” she whispered again, her voice almost breaking.He gave a final nod, gesturing for her to leave before they risked saying anything more. As she turned to go, he called out to her, his tone sharp but filled with a sadness he couldn’t entirely hide.“Just… be careful, Carter,” he said, the words heavy with everything he couldn’t know. “Remember—I might not have been yours, but I’d still do anything to see you safe.”She nodded, the ache in her chest deepening, and left his office. Jack watched Sam leave his office, her shoulders squared but her movements tense. He exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. The weight of what he had agreed to do settled like a stone in his chest. He had just given her access to the quantum mirror and, with it, the chance to disappear.Shoving his thoughts aside, he returned to the console and began typing. They needed to move quickly. Every second counted. That afternoon, Jack leaned back in his office chair, his mind replaying the conversation with Carter. Her desperation had been palpable, and while she had been careful with her words, he could sense the weight behind them. She was planning to leave. And despite himself, he felt a flicker of unease. He’d promised her access, but the decision gnawed at him.A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Before he could respond, Mercer stepped inside, his presence commanding the room. Jack straightened, his hand instinctively moving toward the sidearm on his desk.“Relax, O’Neill,” Mercer said, his voice low and gravelly. “If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”“That’s comforting,” Jack replied dryly, his eyes narrowing. “What do you want?”Mercer crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “I need you to stick to your word. Let Carter use the mirror. Get her, Daniel, and the kid out of here.”Jack frowned. “You seem awfully invested in this. Why?”“Because I’ve seen what Kael and Cassian are capable of,” Mercer said bluntly. “They won’t stop until they control everything—including Carter’s shield. And if they get their hands on Benjamin…” He trailed off, his expression dark. “Let’s just say you don’t want to know what they’re planning.”Jack’s jaw tightened. He could see the conviction in Mercer’s eyes, the raw determination that mirrored his own.“And what about you?” Jack asked. “What happens to you after all this?”Mercer’s lips curved into a humorless smile.“I’ll take care of Kael, Davis, and Cassian. Then I leave with them. Through the mirror.”Jack’s eyebrows rose. “You’re going with them?”“That’s the plan,” Mercer said. “But first, I need to make sure they don’t follow. I’ll handle the mess here. You make sure the mirror is ready.”Jack studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Alright. But if this goes sideways…”“It won’t,” Mercer interrupted. “I’ll make sure of it.”With that, he turned and left, leaving Jack alone with the weight of the decision he’d just made. The stakes were higher than ever, and the clock was ticking. There was no room for doubt. If Alec Mercer was right, they had one shot to get this right—and failure wasn’t an option. Later that day, Sam, Jack, and Daniel gathered in a secure briefing room, the tension in the air palpable. The door swung open, and Dr. Janet Fraiser strode in, a thick folder clutched in her hands."I hope you all appreciate how much of a risk I took getting this," she said, setting the folder down with a heavy thud. "Medical records. Classified files from Nova Genesis. This is everything I could dig up on Alec Mercer."Sam's breath hitched. "You got into the records?"Janet nodded grimly."I had access through the oversight committee, but it wasn't easy. What I found is... disturbing. Mercer isn’t just an experiment. He’s proof of what Nova Genesis is capable of. And if they get their hands on Benjamin..."She didn’t need to finish the sentence. The implication was clear.Jack’s jaw tightened. "What did they do to him?"Janet opened the folder and flipped through the pages."Alec Mercer was part of a classified genetic enhancement program. They manipulated his DNA, accelerated cellular regeneration, and subjected him to experimental neurological conditioning. They wanted to create the perfect soldier—one who didn’t question orders, who could recover from almost anything. But something went wrong. Mercer’s cognitive functions adapted beyond what they expected. He became unpredictable. Dangerous. That’s why he escaped."Daniel exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair."And now he’s back in the equation."Janet nodded. "I don’t know how much Mercer has told you, but this gives us insight into what he went through. And what they could do to Benjamin if they see potential in him."Sam felt a chill run down her spine. She pulled Benjamin closer, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her chest.Jack rubbed a hand over his face."We were dealing with monsters before. Now, we know exactly what kind."A heavy silence followed as the reality of Janet’s findings sank in. They weren’t just up against bureaucrats or military oversight. They were up against an organization that had already proven they were willing to rewrite the rules of humanity itself.And now, it was personal. That evening, Sam sat in the living room of the house she and Daniel shared, Benjamin asleep in her arms. Daniel sat across from her, hands clasped together as they processed everything Janet had revealed."We only had Mercer's word before," Daniel murmured. "Now we have proof."Sam nodded slowly, her gaze drifting down to Benjamin’s tiny face, so peaceful in sleep. Her heart clenched."They tortured him," she whispered. "They broke him apart and put him back together again, just to see how far they could push. And now they want my son."Daniel leaned forward. "Do you trust him?"Sam exhaled, shaking her head slightly."I don’t know. He’s dangerous, Daniel. We know now more than ever. But he’s also our best shot at getting out of here."She traced a gentle finger along Benjamin’s cheek, her resolve hardening."I won’t let Benjamin suffer the way Mercer did. I don’t care what it takes."Daniel nodded, his expression grim. "So we let him help. But we stay cautious."Sam met his gaze, steel in her eyes."Agreed."Silence settled between them, but the decision had been made. They would work with Mercer, but trust was another matter entirely. As the night deepened, Sam held Benjamin closer, vowing silently that no matter what happened, her son would never share Mercer’s fate. The following morning, the boardroom was as cold and imposing as ever, its sterile walls reflecting the heavy tension that filled the air. Sam stood at the head of the room, her shoulders squared and her expression composed despite the nervous energy thrumming beneath her skin.This meeting could decide her future—and her son’s.But today, Ezra Kael commanded the room with his presence, his gaze locked onto Sam with something between amusement and calculation. Across from him sat Paul Davis, silent and unreadable, his clipboard resting on the table. The board members were present, but they were secondary to the real power players in the room.“Colonel Carter,” Kael began smoothly, lacing his fingers together. “You’ve requested access to the quantum mirror. I trust you have a compelling reason for such an extraordinary request.”Sam nodded, her voice steady.“Yes, I do. The shield is ready for testing, but its complexity and potential risks require a secure facility equipped to handle advanced alien technology. Area 51 is the only location capable of meeting those requirements.”Kael leaned back, considering her words.“Interesting. You seem rather eager to leave our little home here.”“I’m eager to ensure the shield’s success,” Sam countered, not taking the bait. “We can’t afford malfunctions in the field. This test is necessary.”Davis glanced at Kael before clearing his throat. “Colonel, bringing personnel such as Dr. Jackson and… your son into a restricted military facility is a security concern. Why are they required?”Sam had anticipated the question.“Dr. Jackson’s expertise with alien artifacts has been invaluable to the shield’s development. His understanding of the technology ensures accurate testing and calibration. Without his input, the results could be compromised.”“And the child?” Kael asked, his voice deceptively light. “Bringing an infant into a high-security zone is highly irregular.”Sam’s stomach tightened, but she kept her expression neutral.“Benjamin is still breastfeeding. Prolonged separation would affect both his health and my ability to perform effectively. Dr. Fraiser has provided a statement supporting this arrangement.” She slid a document across the table.Kael accepted it, scanning it briefly. The silence that followed was heavy. Finally, he set it aside, his lips curving into a smile. “Very well, Colonel. You have your access.”Relief flickered through her, but it was short-lived.“But,” Kael continued, “given General O’Neill’s… diminished relevance on this matter, Cassian will oversee the project at Area 51.”Sam schooled her features into careful neutrality. Cassian. Of course.“Understood,” she said evenly.Kael’s satisfaction was evident.“Then this meeting is adjourned. I’ll see you at Area 51, Colonel.”The meeting concluded with the unsettling news that Jack no longer held power over Area 51. Sam had an extreme suspicion that, like her, he hadn’t been informed about it.Even though it was only a matter of days, they were closer than ever to leaving this reality.As she moved down the hallway, she could feel the excitement and dread building in her chest, the reality of their plan finally coming together. They had to pack a bag with Benjamin’s essentials and prepare for the move. It wouldn’t be easy, but they were finally on the brink of freedom. Jack O’Neill sat rigidly in his office, his fingers drumming a slow, measured rhythm on the desk. The air was tense, the weight of inevitability pressing down on him like a vice. He’d known it was coming—had felt it creeping toward him ever since Carter made her request. Still, when Victor Cassian stepped through the door, delivering the final blow, it landed like a gut punch.“You’re being reassigned, O’Neill,” Cassian said smoothly, his tall frame relaxed yet predatory. “Effective immediately, you’re no longer in charge of Area 51 operations. You may remain—” a pause, just long enough to sharpen the knife, “—as an observer.”Jack exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.“That so?”Cassian’s cold blue eyes gleamed. “That is so—orders from the Committee. Nova Genesis has taken over quantum technology oversight. You’ve been… relieved.”Jack leaned back, feigning nonchalance.“Relieved,” he echoed, tasting the word. “So, what’s the play, Cassian? You keeping me close so I don’t cause trouble?”Cassian tilted his head slightly, the barest hint of a smirk playing at his lips.“Something like that. You’re free to observe, General. But that’s all you’ll be doing. And you still get to keep your precious SGC,” he added. A beat. “For now.”Jack clenched his jaw, his fingers twitching against the desk. He wanted to fight. Wanted to hurl some biting remark, some sharp-edged quip that would knock that smug look off Cassian’s face. But he didn’t. Because Cassian was right. And Jack O’Neill was no fool.Area 51 wasn’t like the SGC. Nova Genesis had never cared much about it, and the military still held strong ground there. Jack knew the power of perception; he only had perception right now. If he was physically there, even as an “observer,” he had a chance—a crack in the armor he could exploit.“Fine,” he said finally, his voice clipped. “I’ll observe.”Cassian’s smirk widened ever so slightly.“Good. I knew you’d see reason.” He turned on his heel, striding toward the door. Just before he exited, he cast a final glance over his shoulder. “Oh, and O’Neill? Try not to get in the way.”Jack waited until the door clicked shut before allowing himself a sharp exhale. His gaze drifted to the corner of the room, where a framed photograph of another life—another team, another him—sat gathering dust. He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.Observer.Jack almost laughed. It was the polite way of calling him obsolete. And yet, they still wanted him close. Not gone. Not dead. Just… contained. Which meant he still had a move left to play. On another level of SGC, the meeting room was dimly lit, the only illumination from the data screens embedded into the walls. The air carried the faint scent of polished wood and aged whiskey, remnants of the old-world prestige that Ezra Kael insisted on maintaining, even within the sterile confines of a once military-controlled facility.Ezra Kael sat at the head, fingers steepled as he studied the data scrolling before him. Across from him, Paul Davis remained silent, his posture rigid, his expression carefully neutral.Between them, a high-resolution image of Benjamin O’Neill hovered above the table, his biometric data running in looping streams beside it. A child, barely four months old, yet carrying the genetic structure that Ezra had spent years trying to perfect.“He is stable,” Ezra murmured, more to himself than Davis. “Adaptive. Resilient.” He leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming. “Everything we have worked toward, Paul. A glimpse of what humanity could become.”Davis didn’t immediately respond. His gaze flickered to the image of the infant, then back to the data. There was no denying the results. Every metric, including the child’s immune system, neurological responses, and cellular regeneration, pointed to something beyond human capability. And yet…“You’re certain?” Davis asked, his voice measured. “You think he is the key?”Ezra exhaled a quiet laugh under his breath.“No, Paul. I know he is.”Davis’ fingers drummed lightly against the table—a rare tell. He swallowed hard. The data was undeniable. The science was sound. But science had never accounted for morality. He wondered, not for the first time if they had already crossed a line from which they could never return.Ezra caught the hesitation and smiled.“You’re still holding onto something, aren’t you?” he mused. “Some lingering attachment to old ethics? To what should be instead of what must be?”Davis’ jaw tightened.“I believe in what we’re doing,” he said carefully. “I believe in securing Earth’s future.” A pause. “But an infant, Ezra?”Ezra’s smile didn’t fade. If anything, it deepened.“Do you know what I see when I look at Benjamin?” he asked. “I see potential. A genetic foundation, unlike anything we’ve encountered. He doesn’t need years to show signs of enhancement—his physiology is already adapting. Faster, stronger, immune to diseases that cripple ordinary humans. He is proof that our work succeeds.” His fingers tapped lightly on the table. “We have spent years theorizing, Paul. Now, the answer is right in front of us.”Davis nodded slowly, but Ezra could see it—the slight tension in his shoulders, the way his gaze lingered on the image of the infant just a fraction too long. Doubt. Not enough to stop him. Not yet.Ezra leaned back, satisfied.“The future is inevitable,” he said. “Either we embrace it… or we become obsolete.”Davis exhaled through his nose, considering.Finally, he nodded. But when he spoke, his voice was quieter.“And what if you’re wrong?”Ezra just smiled. “I’m not.”Davis finally exhaled slowly, tapping a finger against the polished wood.“Okay, but we still need to talk,” Davis said, his voice even but firm.Ezra raised an eyebrow.“About what, exactly?”“The shield will be operational soon,” Davis stated. “Once it is, we must decide what to do about our visitors.”Ezra’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “You mean Carter and Jackson.” He leaned back in his chair, studying Davis with mild amusement. “And what do you suggest?”Davis hesitated, then folded his hands on the table. “They’re liabilities. The moment that mirror is opened, they’ll run. Carter has already made it clear she has no loyalty to us.”“And that concerns you?” Ezra arched a brow. “Why not let them go? If they leave, they’re no longer our problem.”“That’s assuming they don’t share what they’ve seen here with the wrong people,” Davis countered. “Nova Genesis is bigger than just you and me, Kael. As you said, this is about Earth’s future. Carter may not care about that, but we should.”Ezra chuckled, shaking his head.“You still see this as a matter of politics. Paul, this is evolution. The Nova Genesis Program isn’t about securing Earth’s dominance but ensuring its survival. We are creating a future where humanity isn’t bound by its weaknesses.”He smirked. “You saw the footage from the tests. He’s beyond anything we’ve seen before.”Davis glanced at the data streams, his green eyes scanning the statistics.“And what of his mother? She won’t let you use him.”Ezra leaned forward, his voice dropping. “She won’t have a choice.”Silence stretched between them. Davis tapped a finger against the table, considering his following words carefully. Before he could respond, the door to the meeting room opened with an almost ghostly silence.Victor Cassian entered.His presence alone shifted the atmosphere, the air growing heavier, more suffocating. He moved without a sound, a shadow-given form, his unnatural stillness more unsettling than any display of force. His ash-blonde hair was impeccably neat, his deep blue eyes like ice, unreadable. But the way he watched them—calm, detached as if he were studying the best way to unmake a person—sent a chill down the spine of anyone who had the misfortune of being in his sights.He took a seat, unhurried, and laced his gloved fingers together.“I say that Carter and Jackson should not be permitted to leave,” he said smoothly. “If they do not comply, I will handle it.”There was no bravado in his voice. No emotion. Just certainty.Davis stiffened ever so slightly. He had seen Cassian "handle" problems before. People didn’t just die when Cassian dealt with them. They ceased to exist. No bodies. No loose ends. Just silence.Ezra, on the other hand, seemed utterly at ease. He regarded Cassian with mild amusement, the hint of a knowing smile playing at his lips.“I assume you already have contingencies in place?” Ezra mused.Cassian inclined his head slightly. “Of course.”He never raised his voice. He never needed to. The mere implication of his presence was enough. There was no begging, no last words when Cassian came for someone—only the quiet, absolute realization that they had already lost.Paul Davis had always prided himself on being pragmatic. He believed in Earth’s dominance and in eliminating threats before they had a chance to destabilize control. But Cassian? Cassian wasn’t pragmatic. Cassian enjoyed the work.The enforcer turned his gaze to Davis now as if reading his thoughts. A slow, almost imperceptible smile curved at the edges of his lips.Davis forced himself not to react.“Your focus should remain on the child,” Cassian continued. “Leave the enforcement to me.”Ezra nodded approvingly.“Very well. I trust you will do what is necessary.”Cassian stood, smoothing out the cuffs of his gloves.“I always do.”Without another word, Cassian inclined his head slightly before turning and walking out as silently as he had arrived. Before exiting, he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a brief message.
Cancel the evening briefing. Reinforce all guards.
The room felt colder in his absence as if the air had been sucked from it.Davis exhaled slowly, deeply aware that Cassian never entered a room without a reason—and never left one without making sure everyone knew exactly what he was capable of.He glanced at Ezra, but the man had already turned his attention back to the holographic display of Benjamin O’Neill as if the conversation had never happened. On the eve of their departure to Area 51, Sam carried Benjamin into the infirmary, her steps slow and deliberate. Janet looked up from her desk, surprise flashing before her expression hardened."I didn’t think you’d come to say goodbye," Janet said, her voice guarded.Sam swallowed, shifting Benjamin in her arms."I couldn’t leave without it."Silence stretched between them before Sam took a deep breath."I did terrible things, Janet. I threatened you, your daughter. I crossed a line I never thought I would."Janet exhaled, arms folding across her chest. "To protect your son. I know."Sam’s throat tightened."It doesn’t make it right. And I need you to know that I regret it. Every single moment."Janet studied her for a long moment, then softened."I’ve spent years trying to understand why people do what they do under impossible circumstances. I disagree with what you did, Sam, but… I do understand it. I also made terrible choices that I deeply regret."Sam blinked rapidly, holding back the tears burning behind her eyes."I lost my Janet a long time ago. She was my best friend. And I know… I know you’re not her, but I couldn’t leave without making things right."Janet’s gaze flickered to Benjamin, peacefully asleep in Sam’s arms. She reached out, brushing a gentle hand over the baby’s soft hair."He’s beautiful," she murmured.Sam let out a shaky breath."I won’t let them take him. I won’t let them turn him into what they made Mercer."Janet nodded. "Then go. And don’t look back."A single tear slipped down Sam’s cheek as she offered Janet a small, grateful smile."Goodbye, Janet."Janet squeezed her arm gently. "Goodbye, Sam. And take care of that little boy."As Sam turned to leave, a weight lifted from her chest. No, she could never undo what she had done. But at least, in this reality, she had a chance to say goodbye to someone she once called a friend. That night, Sam and Daniel sat in the dimly lit living room, the quiet punctuated only by Benjamin’s soft breathing as he slept in his crib. They exchanged few words, and each lost in their thoughts as the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on them.A faint knock at the door broke the silence. Sam and Daniel exchanged a glance before Daniel rose to answer it. When he opened the door, Mercer stood there, his imposing frame shrouded in the shadows of the porch. His expression was unreadable as ever, but his presence alone was enough to send a chill down Daniel’s spine.“Can I come in?” Mercer asked, his tone low but firm.Daniel stepped aside without a word, allowing him to enter. Mercer’s gaze swept the room, lingering briefly on Benjamin’s crib before settling on Sam.“You need to be ready for anything,” he said without preamble. “I’m moving forward with my plans to take out Kael, Davis, and Cassian. It’s going to get messy.”Sam’s stomach tightened at his words, but she merely nodded, her face calm.“We’ll be ready.”Daniel’s brow furrowed as he studied Mercer.“And what about you? How are you planning to get to Area 51?”Mercer’s lips quirked into a faint, humorless smile.“I have my ways,” he said cryptically.The room fell into a heavy silence, the unspoken tension palpable. Finally, Mercer turned to leave, pausing briefly at the door.“Whatever happens, stick to the plan. Get through the mirror. I’ll handle the rest.”Without waiting for a response, he slipped out into the night, leaving Sam and Daniel to the oppressive quiet he had left behind. They exchanged a glance, their resolve hardening. Whatever was coming, they would face it together.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The cold wind howled through the city, carrying with it the sounds of distant sirens and the hum of life that never truly ceased, even in the dead of night. High above it all, Ezra Kael lived in a penthouse overlooking Washington, D.C.Mercer had dreamed of this moment for years. He’d envisioned every possible way Ezra Kael could die—quick, slow, painless, brutal. And yet, as he stood in the shadows, watching the man pour himself a drink like it was just another night, he felt nothing. No rage. No satisfaction.He should have felt something.His fingers twitched at his side, the phantom sensation of restraints biting into his wrists flashing through his mind—Ezra’s voice—calm, clinical—echoed in his memory. You’re going to be magnificent, Mercer.A muscle in his jaw tightened. Magnificent. That’s what they called him. Their perfect creation. A living weapon.Mercer exhaled slowly, pressing a gloved hand against the glass. It would be so easy. A single bullet. A blade across the throat. Or he could walk away.No, he reminded himself. Not tonight. Tonight, the past dies with him.Ezra Kael poured himself a glass of aged scotch, the golden liquid catching the dim light of his study. He had built an empire on secrets, on the suffering of others, and tonight, he would sleep soundly, convinced of his invulnerability.He never heard Alec Mercer enter.Like a shadow, Mercer moved through the apartment, silent and precise, his every step bringing him closer to the man who had turned him into a monster. None of the security measures—the biometric locks, the armed guards, the surveillance systems—mattered. Not anymore.Ezra had finished his drink and reached for the bottle when a whisper of movement behind him sent a shiver down his spine. He turned, barely catching a glimpse of Mercer’s silhouette before an iron grip closed around his throat, lifting him off the ground.Ezra’s eyes bulged as he choked, his hands clawing at the vice-like hold. But Mercer didn’t flinch. His grip was firm and ruthless—a weapon forged from years of suffering. And yet, as he tightened his hold, something else flickered beneath the rage.Mercer’s grip tightened, his knuckles white. He could end this. He should end this.But his fingers twitched, just for a second.“You turned me into this,” he murmured, but for the first time, he wasn’t sure if that was a curse or a confession.The anger was there but beneath it… something else. Something heavier.Ezra’s lips curled into a bloody smile."And look at you now," he rasped.Mercer tightened his grip even more, his knuckles bone-white. A thousand memories surged at once—pain, drills, the blank spaces in his mind where they had taken things from him. His free hand shook just for a second.Ezra saw it.“You won’t do it,” Ezra rasped. “Because if you do, then I win. You’ll never be anything but what I made you.”A muscle in Mercer’s jaw flexed. He knew he should just kill him. End it.Ezra’s kicks weakened, but Mercer didn’t release him. He wanted this. Wanted to watch the fear in Ezra’s eyes as the man who’d controlled his fate now felt helpless for the first time. But with every passing second, a deeper truth clawed its way to the surface.
Would killing Ezra change anything? Would it undo what had been taken from him? Or would it just make the hollow ache worse?
His fingers trembled slightly, an involuntary crack in his impenetrable façade. The assassin and the man—Alec Mercer—were at war within him. One wanted justice. The other wanted to end his torment. Both felt like prisoners, trapped in a nightmare they couldn’t escape.Ezra’s lips parted, gasping for air, and Mercer’s grip loosened—just a fraction."You—made me," Mercer whispered, his voice cold but laced with a raw, broken edge. "And now, you're going to pay for it."Ezra’s hands fluttered helplessly, and Mercer suddenly felt the weight of everything pressing down on him. The years of violence. The endless betrayals. And the faint, fragile hope that he could be free of it all one day.Forcing his emotions aside, he slammed Ezra against the wall. The impact cracked something—a rib, maybe—but Mercer barely registered the sound. He stared down at the man before him, the one who had once been his god, and felt… nothing.It should have felt like a victory. Instead, it felt like ash in his mouth.Ezra tried to shake his head, his lips trembling.“I gave you power—”“No,” Mercer corrected. “You took everything from me.”With a sudden, brutal motion, Mercer drove his fist into Ezra’s chest, feeling ribs crack under the impact. Ezra let out a strangled cry, his body convulsing as Mercer let him drop to the floor. He coughed violently, blood staining his lips as he tried to crawl away.Alec Mercer wasn’t done.He knelt beside him, grabbing a fistful of Ezra’s gray hair, forcing him to look up. “Do you know what it’s like to scream until your voice is gone? To have your body ripped apart and reshaped, over and over?”Ezra’s breath came in ragged gasps, his hands trembling as he reached weakly toward the desk where his emergency pistol was hidden.Mercer caught the movement and smiled.“Go ahead.”Ezra’s fingers brushed the edge of the drawer, but before he could close around the gun, Mercer grabbed his wrist and twisted. The bone snapped with a sickening crack, and Ezra let out a scream that echoed through the penthouse.Mercer leaned in, his lips near Ezra’s ear. “This is justice.”He drove his other hand into Ezra’s abdomen, fingers pressing deep, deeper than should have been possible. Ezra’s screams turned to wet gurgles as Mercer crushed organs with merciless precision. He jerked his hand back, and Ezra collapsed onto his side, his body shuddering violently before finally stilling.Mercer wiped his blade clean, but the stain on his conscience wouldn’t come off as quickly. He had thought this would bring closure. That once Ezra was gone, the ghosts would be, too.But as he stepped over the body, all he felt was hollow. The elite guards would find their employer soon enough, but Mercer would be long gone by then.Before leaving, Mercer tucked all the documents from Ezra's open safe inside his jacket. He would need them for his plans. Paul Davis sat alone in his dimly lit office of Nova Genesis Industries, reviewing classified documents, when the first noise made him freeze. A whisper of movement, the faintest shift in air pressure—his instincts flared to life. He wasn’t alone.He moved fast, his hand darting toward the sidearm in his desk. But Mercer was faster.A sharp metallic clang echoed as Mercer kicked the desk, slamming the drawer shut before Davis could retrieve his weapon. But Davis didn’t freeze—he reacted.In one swift motion, he grabbed the heavy chair behind him and swung it hard. Mercer dodged, but the corner of the chair clipped his shoulder, making him grunt in annoyance. Davis seized the moment, diving for cover behind a metal filing cabinet. His breathing was steady, mind racing as he assessed his next move.Mercer recovered quickly, stepping into the room with predatory ease.“Impressive,” he admitted. “Most men panic.”Davis didn’t respond. Instead, he tipped the filing cabinet forward, crashing toward Mercer. The assassin sidestepped, but the momentary distraction gave Davis the necessary time. He launched himself forward, tackling Mercer with full force. They hit the floor hard, grappling for control. Davis managed to land a sharp elbow to Mercer’s ribs, forcing a grunt from the assassin.For a split second, Davis had the upper hand. He twisted, managing to wrest Mercer’s knife from his grasp, and aimed a brutal strike toward Mercer’s throat. But Mercer, fluid and calculating, caught Davis’s wrist mid-motion, twisting sharply. The knife clattered to the floor.Mercer used the momentum to flip their positions, pinning Davis beneath him.“You should have just accepted your fate,” Mercer murmured, slamming a fist into Davis’s ribs.Davis coughed, still fighting. He twisted, attempting to break free, but Mercer was relentless. Another punch, this one to his temple, sent stars exploding in Davis’s vision. His resistance weakened. Mercer seized the opportunity, pulling a secondary knife from his boot and driving it into Davis’s side.Davis gasped, his struggles slowing as blood seeped into his uniform. He still managed a final, defiant smirk. “You’ll never win,” he rasped.Mercer leaned in close, voice devoid of emotion.“I already have.”With one final, decisive twist of the blade, Davis went still.Mercer rose to his feet, wiping the blade clean. This had taken longer than expected, but the result was the same: no loose ends.Mercer stepped over him, walking toward the nearest terminal. He inserted a small device, watching as lines of code scrolled across the screen. Every digital trace of his presence, of Ezra’s dealings, of the experiments—transferred to a pen within seconds. Then, it was deleted and burned from existence.He turned, taking one last look at Davis’ lifeless form. A soldier’s death. More mercy than he deserved.Mercer vanished into the night, leaving nothing but ghosts behind.His next stop, Victor Cassian’s house. Minutes later, Mercer stood at the entrance of Cassian’s high-end apartment, surveying the eerie silence. He knew Cassian lived here—he had spent hours watching him through binoculars, observing the man hunched over his computer, always naked, always with a gun within reach. The place had constantly been crawling with security, but Mercer had cut through them like a blade through flesh.Yet, as he stepped inside, something felt… off.A faint trace of cigarette smoke lingered in the air, fresh but fading. Cassian didn’t smoke. The lights were on, but the place was devoid of personal items. The desk chair was slightly askew as if someone had pushed away from it in haste. Mercer’s eyes drifted to the kitchen counter where a half-empty glass of water stood untouched.Then, he noticed it—an unstopped clock on the wall, the hands frozen at a time that suggested Cassian had left in a hurry.Mercer cursed under his breath. This wasn’t an accident. Cassian had known he was coming.Teeth clenched, Mercer took one last sweep of the room before turning on his heel. He hated leaving a plan incomplete, but he had a plane to catch.Cassian had slipped through his fingers for now, but Mercer knew one thing for sure.The Ghost was still out there. As Sam prepared to leave for Area 51, Mercer’s warning echoed in Sam’s mind. He had been blunt—Kael and Cassian were relentless and wouldn’t hesitate to act if they suspected anything. The risks were enormous, but the alternative was worse. She forced herself to take a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She had no choice but to succeed. She locked their door house, held Benjamin, and entered the car where Daniel was already at the wheel.They were headed to Peterson Air Force Base.Just as the sun’s edge appeared, the journey to Area 51 began. It was tense, the silence inside the military plane thick with unspoken anxiety. Sam sat beside Daniel, Benjamin nestled in her arms, his small form offering a faint sense of comfort amidst the turmoil. Jack sat across from them, his expression unreadable as he scanned the passing desert landscape through the window. Unlike the SGC, Area 51 retained a semblance of military order, and private interests were not as entrenched in the day-to-day operations. Rank and protocol still held sway here, a crucial advantage they needed to exploit.She suspected that for that reason, Jack had decided to trade his suit and tie and was wearing his dress blues for the first time she had seen him.None of them spoke, each lost in their thoughts.After landing, they entered into military vehicles while Sam supervised the transfer of the shield, secured in a large crate. The atmosphere grew taut as they pulled into the facility’s heavily guarded entrance. Armed guards surrounded the vehicles, their presence a stark reminder of the scrutiny they were under.Cassian was already waiting, dressed in his usual impeccable white suit, his cold, calculating gaze sweeping over the group.“Colonel Carter,” Cassian greeted smoothly. “Dr. Jackson. General O’Neill.” His gaze lingered on Jack. “Your role here is strictly observational. I trust you understand that?”Jack’s jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly. “I got the memo.”Cassian’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Good.”He gestured for them to follow, leading them deeper into the facility. The guards flanked them, their presence a silent warning. Jack knew the real battle had just begun. He might be an observer, but that didn’t mean he was out of the fight.As Cassian led them toward the quantum mirror chamber, Sam quickly glanced at Daniel. They were closer than ever to making their escape. But with Cassian watching, every move had to be perfect.It was colder than she expected. The stark, sterile halls hummed with tension as they were led to the quantum mirror chamber. The room was cavernous, filled with high-tech equipment humming under fluorescent lights. The mirror stood in the center, a massive, circular object embedded in a steel frame, flickering faintly with residual energy. Sam could feel the weight of its presence, the possibility it held.This was it—the culmination of months of work, risk, and sacrifice. She looked at Daniel again, whose eyes mirrored her determination. He nodded subtly, Benjamin nestled securely in his arms, and she felt a surge of courage.The guards lingered as they entered the room, their presence a clear reminder that they were still being watched.Sam took her place at the controls inside the room, her fingers steady despite the tension coiling in her gut. Jack stepped forward, his voice firm.“The quantum mirror needs to be operational immediately. We need access to complete the testing phase.”Before the lead scientist could respond, Cassian raised a hand, silencing Jack with a glance.“That will be quite enough, General,” Cassian said, his voice laced with condescension. “You seem to have forgotten—you are here as an observer, nothing more.”Jack clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing as several military scientists gazed at him. These were his people. His subordinates. And now, they watched as he was stripped of authority in the institution he had helped build.Cassian turned to the scientists, his tone cool and commanding."Let’s begin. No need to make this harder than it already is. Colonel Carter, you will run your diagnostics under my supervision.”Sam hesitated only a fraction of a second before nodding.“Very well…”Jack remained rigid, his fists curling at his sides as Cassian took control of the room, issuing orders with effortless authority. It was a calculated humiliation, and Cassian relished every moment of it.Jack had been sidelined. And Cassian had made sure everyone in the room knew it.The lead scientist blanched, swallowing nervously under Cassian's hard gaze. He gave a tight nod and moved toward the control panel, motioning for the technicians to activate the mirror. Sam exhaled slowly, steeling herself. She hadn’t known what would happen once they got there, but her worst fears were starting to come true, with Cassian running the shots and Jack standing there…observing.Meanwhile, Cassian stood near the console, his arms crossed as he monitored the activation process. His usual confidence remained intact, but a nagging feeling crept into his mind. Something was off. He had tried calling Ezra multiple times, and each attempt had gone straight to voicemail. That alone wasn’t unusual—Ezra valued his secrecy. But when his private security detail also failed to respond to their check-in, the unease inside him deepened. Ezra was also supposed to be here.He subtly rechecked his communicator, his expression betraying nothing, but his mind raced through possibilities. Ezra always had contingencies, yet the radio silence from his end was... troubling. Cassian’s gaze flickered toward Sam, who was focused entirely on the quantum mirror, unaware of his growing suspicions.His grip tightened around his tablet. If something had happened to Ezra, the entire operation could be at risk. And if Ezra wasn’t in control anymore... who was?Shoving the thoughts aside, he forced himself to remain outwardly composed. Whatever was happening, he would find out soon enough.His priority remained to ensure no one escaped through that mirror. His eyes narrowed slightly, watching as Sam worked. If she were planning anything, he would know.Within minutes, the hum of the quantum mirror filled the room, vibrating with barely contained energy as the surface began to ripple. Sam’s fingers flew across the controls, her every movement deliberate and precise. The shield was operational, its lights flickering to life as it synchronized with the mirror.Daniel stood nearby, holding Benjamin close, his gaze flicking between the shield and the mirror’s rippling surface. Tension crackled in the air like a storm waiting to break.Cassian took a slow step forward, his gaze flicking from the controls to Sam’s rigid stance. His voice remained smooth, but there was a sharper edge beneath it."You’ve been remarkably insistent on this test," Cassian mused, his tone too smooth. "That level of urgency… it’s almost as if you know something you shouldn’t. Or perhaps you think you do."Sam forced herself to remain calm.“The shield must be tested under real-world conditions. Area 51 is the only place that can provide that.”Cassian tilted his head slightly.“Of course. And yet, I can’t help but wonder… why the sudden urgency?” His blue eyes flickered with something unreadable. “I do hope you’re not planning something reckless, Colonel.”A chill ran down Sam’s spine. He was fishing, but how he spoke—like he already knew—made her uneasy.“I follow orders,” she said.Cassian’s smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.” He turned to the scientists. “Proceed with the activation.”Sam exhaled slowly. The trap was closing, and Cassian was watching for the first misstep. There would be no second chances.The tension in the room remained thick, but Sam turned back to the controls. She had bought them a little more time, but now they had to make it count.Daniel shifted uneasily, holding Benjamin closer. The baby, sensing the tension, whimpered softly. Cassian’s eyes flicked back to the child, his expression unreadable—but something dark glinted behind his cold stare.Cassian’s gaze flicked to Benjamin, his expression unreadable.“It’s fascinating,” he murmured. “Some children are born into greatness. Others… have it forced upon them.”He smiled—small, knowing, deliberate.Sam’s hands froze briefly before she forced herself to keep working. The words were calculated, meant to provoke. She could feel Cassian circling like a predator, waiting for a sign of weakness.“We’re here to run a shield test. Nothing more,” Sam said, her tone measured but tight.Cassian’s smile widened, but it was devoid of warmth.“Of course. But some things can’t be left to chance.”Without warning, Cassian stepped closer to the mirror, positioning himself just behind Sam. His presence loomed, suffocating in its quiet menace."It’s fascinating," Cassian murmured, just loud enough for her alone, "how a mother’s instincts override reason. How quickly you’d throw yourself into uncertainty for a child who may already belong to something greater."Sam swallowed hard. Her hands clenched the console edges until her knuckles turned white, but she refused to look at him.“Careful, Cassian,” Jack growled, his stance shifting as he moved to intercept.Cassian’s gaze flicked to Jack, cool and unbothered."General O’Neill," Cassian said, adjusting the cuff of his suit with deliberate ease. "Your role is simple, General. Watch. Anything beyond that would be… ill-advised."He held Jack’s stare for a beat longer, then turned back toward the mirror.“Proceed with your test. Let’s see what your shield is truly capable of.”Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears, but she forced herself to focus. The shield had to work. It was their only chance. And whatever Cassian’s plans were, she couldn’t let them come to fruition. Cassian didn’t need to say it aloud—the message was clear. Sam and Daniel weren’t going anywhere. And Benjamin O’Neill? He was Cassian’s prize.Every move they made was under scrutiny, and every second felt like a countdown to something inevitable.As the mirror began to flicker with glimpses of alternate realities, Cassian stepped back into the shadows, watching intently. But she hardly noticed, her mind laser-focused on stabilizing the shield’s connection with the mirror.
Sam’s POV
The mirror sputtered, its energy field flickering erratically as Sam fought to stabilize the connection. Static rippled across the surface, warping the images like reflections on disturbed water.“Come on, hold,” Sam muttered, her fingers flying over the controls. Every adjustment felt like a battle against time.Then—something shifted.The static cleared for half a second, revealing the faint outline of a corridor. A crate overturned in the background. A shadowed figure just beyond the distortion.Her pulse spiked. Please. Please let it be him.She twisted a dial, recalibrating the frequency with the precision of a surgeon. The image shuddered, flickered, and then sharpened.A man stood there.Sam’s breath caught in her throat.Jack.
Jack’s POV
In Area 51, the alien console's hum filled the air, and the warning lights flashed angrily. The mirror before him trembled, its energy field unstable and barely holding together.Jack gritted his teeth, slamming a fist against the console."Come on, damn it—stay with me."And then, through the wavering distortion, he saw her.His breath hitched. His whole body froze.Sam.She was thinner. Worn. Eyes wide with disbelief, her hands hovering over controls on the other side of the mirror. She looked like she had been through hell.Jack stepped forward, his fingers instinctively reaching for the surface."Sam," he whispered.
Sam’s POV
The moment their eyes met, a choked sound escaped her lips. It was him. Older. Tired. But alive.Her fingers trembled as she reached out, pressing against the cool glass.“Jack,” she breathed. The name barely escaped her lips before the mirror flickered again, threatening to dissolve.
No. No, no, no—not now.
Her hands flew over the controls, recalibrating and reinforcing the signal. The shield was fighting the connection, unable to stabilize the quantum link fully.
Hold, damn it. Just hold.
She felt someone move beside her—Daniel. His voice was urgent but distant.“Sam, can you keep it open?”She wasn’t sure. She didn’t have time to answer.
Jack’s POV
The mirror shimmered unsteadily, the connection barely holding. Jack’s breath was tight in his chest as he stared at her—Sam. So close. Too far.His palm pressed against the glass as if sheer will could reach her.“Stay with me, Sam. I’m bringing you home.”The mirror shuddered violently. The connection was failing.
Sam’s POV
Her fingers flew over the console, desperately trying to stabilize the power. Not yet. Not yet.She looked up, meeting his eyes. The set of his jaw, the raw determination in his face—he wouldn’t give up.“Jack,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Don’t let go.”
Jack’s POV
His throat tightened. “Never,” he swore.The mirror flickered—once, twice—the image distorting.Jack slammed a hand against the console. “Carter, hold on!”He could see her lips move.“You’re not alone. I’m coming for you.”
Sam’s POV
“I’m trying!” she cried, but the energy surge was unstoppable.The last thing she saw was Jack reaching for her—his hand pressed against the glass, his lips forming her name—before static crackled through the air, a sharp energy backlash making her teeth ache. The overload warning flashed red on the console, and before she could react—The world spun. A deafening hum filled her ears.Then—darkness.In the background, she could vaguely hear Daniel’s panicked voice shouting her name, but it was muffled and distant, like a memory floating on the edge of her fading awareness. And then there was only silence as her world slipped away, her last thought clinging to the hope that Jack was alive, still out there, waiting for her.
Jack’s POV
"Sam!" he said, louder this time. His palm flattened against the mirror. He could see her—the relief, the exhaustion, the desperation in her eyes."I’m here," he rasped. "I’m right here."The mirror shuddered violently, and his stomach dropped.
No. No, you don’t get to take her away.
His free hand flew over the console, trying to compensate for the energy surge. Sparks shot from the controls, and the system groaned under the strain."Stay with me, Carter," Jack muttered, ignoring the burning smell of overloaded circuits.He just had time to see sparks, and Sam collapsed on the floor.“NO, SAM!!!” His yell was so loud that the Goa’uld felt it through her entire body.
Sam’s POV
Jack was at her side in seconds, his hands gripping her shoulders.“Carter,” he said sharply. No response.His heart slammed against his ribs. “Sam.” He shook her gently, fingers pressing against her pulse. Too slow. Too weak.“Come on, Carter, open your eyes,” he ground out, barely recognizing his voice.He glanced up, finding Daniel watching with worry and confusion. Benjamin clutched tightly in his arms.“What the hell happened?” Jack barked, his eyes blazing with frustration.Daniel, pale and tense, swallowed hard. He shook his head, voice uncertain.“I… I don’t know, Jack. She’d shown me the schematics and explained the basics, but I’m not her. I don’t understand all the tech.”Jack turned sharply to the scientists in the room, his jaw set as his fist slammed onto the console.“I don’t give a damn how—get it working”. He didn’t even look at Cassian.Slowly, Cassian moved from the shadows.“I want this mirror operational,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.The scientists, visibly unnerved, scrambled to gather Sam’s notes and schematics, each delving into the complex web of equations and wires connecting the shield to the mirror.While the scientists worked, Jack’s attention was fixed solely on Sam.Jack crouched beside her, his pulse hammering. His hand cupped the back of her head, his fingers pressing lightly against her neck, checking for a steady pulse.“Carter,” he said, low and urgent. “Don’t do this. You’re not done yet.”A second passed. Then another. His chest tightened, his breathing uneven—Then, a sharp inhale. Her eyelids fluttered.“Jack?” she rasped, dazed, barely conscious.Jack swallowed hard, forcing a smirk.“Yeah. It’s me. You’re still here, Carter.” His voice dropped slightly. “And I really need you to wake up now.”Slowly, Sam’s eyelids fluttered, her eyes opening with a dazed confusion.“What… where’s…?” She blinked, disoriented, her gaze shifting as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. “I saw him… I saw my Jack.”Jack felt his chest tighten, but he kept his face steady and nodded as he helped her sit up.“Easy now,” he murmured, steadying her as she struggled to stand. She finally took in her surroundings, seeing Daniel holding Benjamin a few steps away, concern etched into his features.“Sam, are you sure it was him?” Daniel asked, his voice laced with cautious hope.She nodded, her eyes bright with an intensity that left no room for doubt.“It was him, Daniel. I’m sure of it,” she whispered, her voice breaking slightly. But as her gaze drifted to the quantum mirror, her hope dimmed—the mirror was shut down, the surface dark.The realization hit her no sooner than she scrambled to her feet, urgency surging. She quickly examined the quantum shield, her fingers moving with practiced precision as she scanned the device, looking for anything out of place. And then, just as her eyes fell on a single misconnected wire, she let out a sharp breath.“There it is,” she murmured, quickly reconnecting the wire. She turned to one of the scientists nearby, gesturing toward the mirror. “Try it again.”The scientist hesitated, glancing over at Cassian as if waiting for confirmation. He nodded, his jaw set. “Do it.”The quantum mirror flickered again, its surface shuddering as static rippled. Sam’s hands hovered over the controls, fingers flying desperately to stabilize the connection. The warning lights on the console pulsed an angry red, and an ominous beep echoed through the chamber.“This isn’t right,” she muttered, her brow furrowed. “Something’s interfering with the synchronization.”Daniel shot her a concerned glance as he held Benjamin tighter. “Can you fix it?”Sam exhaled sharply, recalibrating the settings. The image wavered, showing glimpses of Jack—then vanishing into darkness. Another flicker. Another malfunction. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.“We’re running out of time,” she hissed. “If I can’t lock onto the correct frequency—”A sudden, loud crackle shot through the air, and the lights above them dimmed for a fraction of a second. The console rattled under her fingers, and a thin wisp of smoke curled from the side of the machinery.Benjamin whimpered, reaching a tiny hand toward her, his fingers brushing her wrist. Sam stilled for a moment, then looked at him. His wide eyes held trust, unshaken belief.Sam inhaled deeply, her grip steadying. “We are not losing this,” she vowed.She redoubled her efforts, forcing herself to ignore the failing systems around her.“No,” Sam muttered, her frustration bubbling over as she grabbed the controls herself, her fingers trembling slightly. She repeated the steps, triple-checking every connection. But the mirror shut down, unmoved by her attempts.
Jack’s POV
The screen snapped to black.The silence was suffocating.Jack’s breath came in short, harsh bursts, his fingers still pressed to the now-dead mirror. His stomach twisted—his brain refused to accept it.She was just there. And now—nothing.He barely heard the static of Vasquez’s console, the frantic tapping of keys. It didn’t matter. If she was gone—Then Vasquez spoke.“I can restore the connection,” she said, her voice smooth and unshaken as if this was all just an equation to be solved.Jack’s head snapped toward her.Hope surged through him like wildfire.Jack whirled on her, his expression fierce, his eyes dark with fury.“What the hell just happened? That was the right reality! That was my wife!” he barked, his voice tense. “Get that connection back, now. I don’t care what it takes.”Vasquez didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she tilted her head, a faint smirk on her lips.“So fragile,” she mused, almost amused. “You act as if she was ever truly yours to keep.”Jack snapped. In a blink, he had her pinned against the console, his grip tight on her wrist.“Fix. It.”Vasquez’s eyes flashed, but her voice remained steady, controlled. Goa’uld. Unshaken.“You presume to command me, O’Neill?” she said coolly.The pause stretched, thick with tension.Jack tightened the grip on her wrist.“You’re going to fix this,” he said, his voice calm. Deadly. “Because if you don’t, I promise you won’t have time to regret it.”Vasquez lifted her chin, voice laced with disdain.Then—finally, she exhaled—a slow, deliberate movement.“I will do what must be done,” she said, turning to the console. “But do not mistake this for obedience.”Jack’s fingers opened slowly, and he let her go.“Failure isn’t an option.”Sparks flared from the machinery as her fingers moved with sharp precision. The hum of power slowly built up again as Jack’s heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drumbeat.Sam. Alive. And then there was the other thing—the man he’d glimpsed behind her, standing with a hard, watchful expression, dressed in the unmistakable blue of a U.S. Major General. A mirror image of himself, in a different rank, almost as though he’d stepped into some strange reflection.But right now, Jack didn’t care about that. All he cared about was getting to Sam. So be it if he faced another version of himself to get her and Benjamin back. He’d face a hundred versions if that’s what it took.He turned back to the scientist, his jaw clenched.“Are you ready?” he demanded, his voice a barely controlled growl.Vasquez shook her head, her fingers still flying over the console as she pulled up various schematics and logs.“No. The connection’s highly unstable, and any fix is going to take—”Jack stepped forward, unlocking his sidearm with a slow, deliberate motion. He fixed the scientist with a dark look.“Time is something you don’t have, you damn snake.”Elena Vasquez straightened and met Jack's gaze with a chilling calm. Her fingers moved swiftly over the console, her expression unreadable as she worked."Your threats are unnecessary, O'Neill," she said, her voice layered with the symbiote's eerie resonance. "I understand the consequences of failure better than you realize."Jack’s jaw tightened, his grip on his weapon unwavering."Then work faster," he growled.Vasquez didn’t flinch. She moved with deliberate efficiency, her hands flying over the controls as she deciphered the cause of the shutdown."Unlike you, I do not panic," she remarked coolly. "Your desperation will not hasten the process."Jack took a menacing step closer, but Vasquez merely glanced at him, her glowing eyes betraying no fear. "You are accustomed to barking orders, but you forget—I am not your subordinate."He clenched his jaw but held back. The Goa'uld inside her was in control, and Jack had to play this carefully. He hated them—every last of them—but she was his only chance at operationalizing the mirror right now.Vasquez’s lips curled into the barest hint of a smirk as she continued her work."If you wish to see your wife and son again, I suggest you let me concentrate."Jack exhaled sharply, stepping back but keeping his eyes locked on her. She was still a Goa’uld, and he would never trust her—but for now, they had a common goal. And he would use every second he had to ensure she got the job done.
Sam’s POV
“Come on, work,” she muttered, her voice edged with desperation. She keyed in one last command, but the same result: dead. Her heart sank as the failure washed over her.Sam's breath caught as the mirror’s glow faded—a sharp, aching sound tearing from her throat as her hands clutched the console in a white-knuckled grip.“No,” she choked out, barely more than a breath. “No, no, no—Jack.”Her legs buckled beneath her, and the cold floor rushed to meet her. She barely felt it. The weight in her chest was crushing, suffocating, as if the air had been sucked from the room.
He was gone. Again.
Her trembling fingers pressed against the darkened surface of the mirror as if somehow she could reach through and pull him back. But there was nothing—just her reflection staring back at her—haunted, broken, lost.A sob ripped free before she could stop it, raw and jagged. She pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to silence the gasping breaths that shook her body, but it was useless.She had seen him. He had seen her. And then, just like that, he had been torn away.
I was so close.
Hands gripped her shoulders, firm but gentle. Daniel’s voice—soft, worried. Jack’s steady presence beside her. But their words barely registered, drowned out by the roaring in her ears.It wasn’t just the loss of Jack in that moment—it was everything. The endless hours of searching, the sleepless nights, the fear, the doubt, the crushing weight of responsibility. It all cracked open inside her, spilling out in silent, shaking grief.
What if that was their only chance?
Another sob. She clenched her fists, pressing them against her forehead, willing herself to pull it together. But for the first time in a long time, she couldn’t.And then—tiny fingers brushed her wrist.Benjamin.Her breath hitched as she blinked through her tears. He was staring at her, wide-eyed, his small hand reaching for hers. The warmth of his touch, so slight and innocent, grounded her. He needed her.Sam inhaled shakily, forcing herself to steady.
I can’t fall apart. Not now.
She closed her eyes briefly, swallowed the lump in her throat, and forced herself to breathe. Slowly, deliberately, she wiped at her tears, fingers still trembling. The pain didn’t disappear—it never would—but she pushed it down, tucked it away where it wouldn’t consume her.Her husband was still out there. And she would find him.She took Benjamin’s tiny hand in hers, squeezing gently. We’re not giving up.Daniel shifted beside her, his voice quiet but sure.“We’ll figure it out, Sam. We always do.”Sam straightened. Her hands were still shaking, but her resolve had hardened. Jack was alive. She had seen him. And she would move heaven and earth to bring him home.She turned back to the console. There was still work to do.Her mind spun through possibilities, replaying every connection, every calculation, every contingency plan. But none of it mattered. The truth was undeniable. She had been seconds away from reaching him—Jack, her Jack—and now that chance had slipped through her fingers like smoke.Her hands stilled, trembling as they rested on the edge of the console. She closed her eyes, but it did nothing to block the images flashing through her mind: Jack’s face, weary but alive, staring back at her. The desperation in his eyes had mirrored her own, and now… he was gone. Again.Her breath hitched, a quiet sob catching in her throat. She bit down hard, trying to shove the emotion away. But it was too much. The weight of the past months—the loss, the uncertainty, the crushing loneliness—finally broke through her carefully built walls.I failed. The thought struck with brutal clarity. I failed Jack. I failed Benjamin. I failed everyone.Her gaze fell on Benjamin again, still cradled in Daniel’s arms. His tiny hand curled around Daniel’s shirt, innocent and unaware of the world’s dangers. Sam’s heart twisted painfully. She had promised herself she would keep him safe, no matter what it took. And now, she’d put them all in more danger than ever.“Sam…” Daniel’s voice was soft, hesitant, but she couldn’t meet his gaze. Shame and guilt pressed down on her like a lead weight.“I was so close,” she choked out, staring at the mirror as though willing to reactivate through sheer force of will. I— I don’t know what else I could have done.”Daniel shifted Benjamin gently to one arm and knelt beside her.“Sam, you did everything you could. You couldn’t have known the connection would fail.”But his words barely registered. Her mind was trapped in a relentless loop of regret and doubt. Was there something she’d missed? A miscalculation? A wire out of place? She’d built the shield to protect, to save, and now all it had done was cut her off from the one person she’d fought so hard to find.Her fingers curled into fists, nails biting into her palms as fresh tears burned behind her eyes.“I should have been faster. Smarter. If I’d done things differently, maybe—”“Stop.” Jack’s voice cut through her spiral of self-blame like a blade. She looked up sharply, her tear-streaked face meeting his steady gaze.“You didn’t fail,” Jack said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. “We’re not giving up, Carter. Not now. Not ever.”The certainty in his voice stirred something faint within her—a fragile spark of hope. But it was buried beneath too many layers of fear and doubt to take root.“I just… don’t know if I can fix this,” she admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper. The vulnerability in the words made her feel exposed, raw. She was supposed to be the one with the answers everyone could count on. Admitting that she didn’t know was like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the ground to give way.“It’s not on our end,” she finally admitted, her voice hollow, resigned. “They have to fix it… on their side. Only then can make the shield work.”Daniel’s face fell as he realized the gravity of the situation. He cast a wary glance at Jack, whose jaw was clenched, eyes shadowed as he took in the news.Jack O’Neill, the man they needed on the other side of the mirror, was many things—a leader, a skilled strategist, a hardened soldier, a husband, and a father—but he was not a tech expert on alien devices like the quantum mirror.“It would take a miracle,” Daniel muttered, his voice low, almost to himself.The reality of the situation loomed heavy between them. A miracle—or the slim chance that her Jack could somehow sort through this mess without her help.O’Neill knelt beside her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.“You’ve pulled off the impossible before. You can do it again. And if you can’t…” He paused, his gaze softening. “Then we’ll figure it out together. You don’t have to carry this alone, Carter.”She reached out, brushing her hand against Benjamin’s tiny fingers. The warmth of his touch, so slight and innocent, steadied her in a way nothing else could.“But… Jack doesn’t know the tech. He doesn’t have the training. He might never…”Jack shook his head, his expression resolute.“If he’s anything like me, he’ll find a way. I don’t care if he has to tear apart the whole damn place. He’ll get it done.” He paused, his gaze softening. “Besides, he’s got a hell of a reason to make this work.”A faint smile tugged at her lips, but it was fleeting and overshadowed by the weight of the uncertainty. The room fell silent, and the stillness pressed down on them like a heavy shroud. Each grappled with the gravity of what they had almost achieved—what had slipped just out of reach.She touched Benjamin’s hand as Daniel held him close, drawing strength from her son’s tiny, warm fingers. Standing facing the dark mirror, she could almost feel Jack’s presence on the other side, his determination mirroring her own. And though she knew there were no guarantees, no promises in this fractured reality, a glimmer of faith took root within her. Her Jack had always been relentless, impossibly stubborn. If there was any chance, however small, that he could make this work, he’d seize it with everything he had.Sam straightened, wiping her eyes with a shaky hand. “We wait,” she said softly, her resolve returning, fragile but genuine. “We wait… and we hope.”Cassian remained silent, watching.
Jack POV
Jack resumed his pacing, his eyes fixed on the quantum mirror, mind racing with fragments of the scene he’d witnessed just minutes ago. Sam, visibly tired, thin… she’d looked like she’d been carrying the weight of the world. And behind her… his double, the other Jack O’Neill. Of course, he thought grimly, he’d be there. He wouldn’t have let her out of sight if he were anything like me, not if he could help.But as the minutes dragged on, Jack’s urgency became unbearable. He could feel himself unraveling, the thin thread of control he held barely keeping his frustration in check. Vasquez was pouring over data, occasionally muttering to herself, and Jack’s pacing grew more erratic, like a caged animal.After what felt like an eternity, Vasquez looked up resolutely.“O’Neill,” she said, her voice steady. “I believe I found the solution. There was an issue with the interdimensional power fluctuation—an overload from their end must’ve triggered a fail-safe shutoff. But if I reconfigure the connection parameters, we can bypass the surge. It’ll be risky, but it’s the only chance we have. Want to try it?”Jack’s heart surged with hope as he turned back to Vasquez. He looked at Vasquez like the Goa’uld was a lifeline, the last water in a desert he’d wandered for years.“You’re damn right I do. Get it done.”Vasquez’s hands moved in a controlled flurry, reconnecting power links and recalibrating the quantum energy conduit. The room filled with a tense, electric hum as the mirror’s surface began to shimmer, the portal flickering faintly to life once more.“There’s no telling how stable this will be,” Vasquez warned, casting Jack a glance.Jack nodded, his focus steely. His eyes were fixed on the mirror’s surface as it rippled and settled, displaying a hazy, faint image of the other room. Slowly, shapes began to materialize—a man holding a child, a familiar figure crouched over a piece of equipment. And there, just a few feet away, her fingers deftly working over the controls, was Sam.As the mirror flickered to life once more, Jack’s breath caught. He leaned closer, his hand hovering inches from the surface, instinctively reaching for her image. Sam looked up, their eyes locking across the divide, and her lips parted as if to speak. The fragile connection trembled, threatening to collapse."Sam," Jack whispered, his breath catching. He pressed his palm flat against the surface as if sheer willpower could reach her. Their eyes locked, and for a heartbeat, nothing else existed."We're almost there," her voice crackled through, laced with quiet urgency.Jack's jaw tightened.“Stay with me, Sam. I’m bringing you home.” The promise came easy—because there was no reality where he left her behind.He saw Daniel adjust Benjamin in his arms, and Jack’s chest constricted. His family was within reach. Too close. Too far. The mirror flickered, the fragile link wavering.Jack turned sharply to Vasquez.“Stabilize it. Now.” His tone was steel—unyielding.“Your threats are irrelevant. I will fix it because I choose to—not because of your impatience.”Vasquez worked faster, adjusting controls, her eyes darting between readings as she fought to keep the connection open. Jack watched, each flicker of the image filling him with a deep, aching fear that it would disappear again, that she would slip away once more, just as he’d finally found her.Moments later, Vasquez looked up.“The connection will hold. For now. After that, we’re risking a full systems collapse.”“No more wasting time,” Jack snapped.He locked eyes with Sam. “Get ready. You’re coming home.”Jack pressed his palm flat against the mirror. The image flickered once more, and this time, he saw it—the slight, almost imperceptible shift in energy readings. A way in.
Sam POV
Sam’s hands moved deftly over the control panel, her fingers trembling slightly as she recalibrated the quantum shield. She hoped Jack, on the other side, was doing everything he could to stabilize the connection—but that didn’t ease the pulse of anxiety hammering within her. This had to work. She took a shaky breath, her focus entirely on the flickering mirror before her, the faint image of her husband’s face blurred yet unwavering, watching her across the expanse of realities.Across the room, Jack turned his attention to the heavily armed security detail stationed inside the door, their eyes on him, expectant. This was no ordinary assignment; if things went sideways, it could get ugly fast. Jack squared his shoulders, his gaze settling on the team leader, Major James Thiern. The man had been with him through years of changes at the SGC, surviving the private takeover that had swallowed their mission and redefined the Stargate Program.He stepped closer, his voice low, calm but edged with quiet intensity.“Major, things might get ugly here. If they do, can I count on you?”Thiern straightened, his expression unreadable, but the subtle nod he gave Jack spoke volumes. Their exchange was brief, but Cassian, standing off to the side, didn’t miss it. His sharp eyes followed every movement, every nuance of the unspoken understanding between the two men. Cassian’s lips twitched into a faint smirk as if amused by the maneuvering.“General O’Neill,” Cassian said, his tone smooth and controlled, “your efforts to rally support won’t change the reality of this situation. I’m in charge now.”Jack turned to face him fully, his jaw tightening. “You’re making a mistake, Cassian.”Cassian’s smirk widened slightly as he raised a hand, signaling his men. They moved into position swiftly, their weapons now subtly angled, and the room’s atmosphere thickened with impending conflict.“The mistake,” Cassian replied, “is assuming I’d allow you to undermine this operation. My men are ready, and so am I.”The tension escalated palpably as Jack stepped forward.“You think you’ve got this under control? You’re playing a dangerous game, Cassian.”Before Cassian could respond, a new voice cut through the thick air.“I’m done playing.”The room’s attention shifted as Alec Mercer stepped out of the shadows, his movements deliberate and unhurried. His presence was like a lightning strike—sudden, commanding, and impossible to ignore.Cassian didn’t look surprised. If anything, he seemed almost expectant.“Mercer,” he said, his tone calm but laced with faint disdain. “I figured you’d show up eventually. Still lurking in the shadows, I see.”Mercer’s dark eyes were unreadable as he stepped closer. “Talked to Ezra lately?” he asked evenly, the name hanging like a loaded weapon.Cassian’s expression hardened. “That is none of your concern.”“Not anymore,” Mercer said coldly, his gaze flicking to the armed guards around the room. “But here we are.”Cassian’s guards moved first.Mercer moved faster.A knife flashed. Mercer saw it before the blade even moved. Muscle memory took over—sidestep, twist, break.The guard screamed as Mercer snapped his wrist, the knife clattering uselessly to the floor. He barely registered the sound. His mind wasn’t here—it was back in the sterile white labs where they had rebuilt him from the inside out, made him into something else, something inhuman.Another guard lunged. Mercer caught the punch midair and felt the bones shift beneath his grip. He could still hear the voices of the doctors in his head, the clinical detachment as they pushed him past his limits. You’re going to be magnificent, Mercer.He slammed the man into the wall. Hard. The sound of bone against concrete was satisfying in a way it shouldn’t be. But nothing had ever been satisfying. No matter how many of them he cut down, it wouldn’t erase what they did to him.A gun cocked.Mercer dropped low. The shot missed. His foot lashed out—a sharp, brutal kick to the knee. The shooter crumpled. He hadn’t even thought about it. They had trained him too well.More coming. Too many. Too fast.But they weren’t faster than him. Not anymore.“Thiern, stand down,” Jack ordered sharply, holding up a hand to keep his men from intervening. The Major hesitated briefly before nodding, signaling his airmen to hold their positions.Cassian’s guards tried to regroup, but Mercer was a force of nature now, cutting through them like a blade honed for a singular purpose. He wasn’t fighting to survive. He was fighting because these men represented everything taken from him.Within moments, the floor was littered with groaning or unconscious men.Cassian hadn’t moved while the fight occurred, but he was watching everything. Even as Mercer systematically dismantled his guards, even as Jack gave orders, Cassian remained unnervingly still—except for small, deliberate movements.He shifted his stance just slightly, placing himself closer to the console. At first glance, it seemed like a casual step, but Jack caught Cassian’s fingers flexing at his side as if testing his range of motion.Jack’s instincts flared.Cassian wasn’t just standing there. He was positioning himself.Jack’s grip on his weapon tightened. "Thiern, keep an eye on—"Too late.Cassian moved like a striking viper.One fluid motion—he twisted, grabbed Sam by the arm, and yanked her against his chest. Before anyone could react, his arm locked around her throat, the sharp press of a concealed gun now glinting against her temple.Jack’s stomach dropped.Damn it. He should have seen it coming.Cassian’s smirk was back, razor-sharp, his voice a low, lethal whisper.“Enough.”The room froze.Jack’s jaw clenched as every instinct screamed at him to move, but one wrong step—one wrong twitch—and Cassian wouldn’t hesitate.Sam’s breathing was steady, but Jack could see the pulse in her throat hammering.Cassian exhaled slowly, his grip unwavering. “I was wondering how long you’d let me stand here before realizing what a mistake that was.” His gaze flicked briefly to Mercer, then back to Jack. “Now we’re going to reset the mirror.”Mercer’s breath was steady, controlled. But inside, he burned. He had imagined this moment for years—the chance to tear down the people who had shaped him into a weapon, to make them feel even a fraction of what he had felt under their knives and needles.But the rage didn’t make him reckless. It made him precise.Cassian had never been a man to lose gracefully. He exhaled slowly, masking his frustration behind a smirk."Impressive, Mercer," he said, his voice almost amused. Now, be a good boy and be still, or Colonel Carter will leave Earth much sooner than she thought." The barrel of his gun pressed harder against Sam’s temple, making her flinch.The past slammed into Mercer like a fist to the ribs. He had been in that position. Helpless. A pawn in someone else’s hands, his fate decided with the pull of a trigger or the press of a scalpel.One wrong move and it would all be over.Mercer’s hands twitched at his sides. His pulse was steady, but something deeper inside him boiled. He had let them take control before. Not this time.“Let her go, Cassian,” Jack said, his voice deadly calm.Cassian tightened his grip on Sam.“You don’t get to make demands, O’Neill. This ends on my terms.”
No. It ends on mine.
Mercer moved.He was faster than Cassian, faster than the gun. His fingers closed around Cassian’s wrist in a crushing grip. Cassian’s eyes widened—just for a second—before Mercer yanked his arm away from Sam’s head and twisted.The gun discharged—a wild shot into the ceiling—before Mercer slammed Cassian’s wrist against the console. The weapon clattered to the ground.“Get down!” Mercer barked.Sam dropped, rolling clear just as Mercer drove his fist into Cassian’s ribs with a force that cracked something beneath his knuckles.Cassian staggered back, gasping—but Mercer didn’t stop. He couldn’t. This wasn’t just a fight. It was an execution of the past, the weight of every experiment, every scar, every stolen moment of his life behind each brutal strike.Cassian tried to counter—he lunged low, aiming for Mercer’s gut—but Mercer was already moving. He sidestepped, pivoted, and drove his knee into Cassian’s stomach.They had trained him for this. They had built him for this.Cassian stumbled, choking on a breath, but he was resilient. Of course, he was. The ones who played god always believed themselves untouchable.“You think this changes anything?” Cassian snarled, wiping blood from his mouth. “You’re still what we made you.”Mercer froze.That voice. He had heard it before. Not Cassian’s precisely, but men just like him. The doctors, the handlers, the men in dark suits who watched from behind glass as they tore him apart and put him back together, expecting gratitude and expecting obedience.
You’re going to be magnificent, Mercer.
His vision blurred—not from pain, but from rage.Cassian saw the momentary hesitation and smiled.“That’s right. You wouldn’t even exist without us. You think killing me will make you free?”Mercer exhaled slowly. He had thought about this moment for years.He had thought about putting a bullet through the head of the man who had turned him into something else. He had thought about carving justice into Cassian’s flesh, making him feel every ounce of Mercer's suffering like he had done with Ezra and Davis.He had dreamed of it.Cassian lunged again. A sharp strike to Mercer’s ribs. A grunt. A flicker of pain—but Mercer didn’t falter.He countered. A brutal elbow to Cassian’s jaw. A staggering step back.He caught Cassian’s wrist and twisted hard. Cassian hit the floor with a sickening thud.A strangled gasp.Mercer didn’t let up. He dropped, pressing a forearm against Cassian’s throat. Tight. Unforgiving.Cassian’s face contorted, his breath ragged. “You’ll regret this.”Mercer leaned in, his voice cold steel. “No. You will.”His hand twitched toward his sidearm. One shot. One second.Then—“Mercer, stop.”Jack’s voice cut through the haze of violence like a blade.Mercer’s gaze flicked to Jack, his breathing heavy, his eyes burning with barely contained rage.“He’s done,” Jack said firmly. “Let him go.”For a long moment, Mercer didn’t move. Then, with a sharp exhale, he released Cassian, rising to his feet and stepping back. Cassian lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his defeat etched across his face.Jack turned to Major Thiern.“Take him to the brig. And make sure his men are secured.”Thiern nodded sharply and gestured to his airmen. Two stepped forward, grabbing Cassian and hauling him to his feet. Cassian struggled, but the grip on him was unyielding.“You’re making a mistake, O’Neill,” Cassian hissed, his voice laced with venom. “This isn’t over.”Jack’s expression didn’t waver. “It is for you.”Cassian was dragged toward the exit, but Jack wasn’t finished.“Major, my orders are to hold the perimeter. No one gets in or out without my clearance.”“Yes, Sir!” Thiern replied crisply. He and the remaining airmen moved to secure the door, leaving only Jack, Sam, Daniel, Benjamin, and Mercer in the room, along with the scientists.Mercer wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, exhaling sharply. Killing Cassian would have been satisfying, but true freedom wasn’t in vengeance—it was in knowing Cassian no longer had power over him.“Damn shame,” he muttered, eyeing the now-empty doorway. “Would’ve liked to take another swing at him.”Jack smirked faintly but said nothing as silence settled like a heavy fog. The tension in his shoulders remained, and his mind raced. Too many things had gone wrong, and too many things could still go wrong.He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, before turning to Carter. She stood rigid, her fingers gripping the console so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. The adrenaline was fading now, leaving only the raw edge of exhaustion. Jack stepped closer, lowering his voice.“You good?”Sam blinked as if snapping back to the present, then nodded once.“I’m fine.”Jack didn’t quite believe her, but there was no time to press. His gaze flicked to the quantum mirror, still inactive, its dark surface a painful reminder of how close they’d come. Daniel shifted beside it, Benjamin clutched in his arms, his wide eyes darting between Jack and Sam.Jack squared his shoulders, forcing himself back into the mission.“All right,” he said, turning to the scientists, his tone clipped but steady. “Listen up. What you’re about to witness is classified. You breathe a word of this outside this room and will be charged with treason. Understood?”The scientists exchanged nervous glances but nodded quickly.Jack gave a firm nod before turning back to Sam.“Go ahead, Carter. Do what you need to.”Sam inhaled deeply, steadied herself, and stepped up to the console, her heart racing as she activated the quantum shield, her fingers flying over the controls with a precision born of necessity. This shield was her creation, a thin layer of protection meant to keep her husband safe as he crossed into this world. And she had no doubt he was coming—she’d seen it in his eyes.“Jack, if you’re out there… hold on. I’m coming for you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack POV
On the other side of the quantum mirror, Jack moved closer to the console, his entire focus locked on Vasquez’s hands as she fine-tuned the power calibration. The mirror’s surface shimmered, the image growing more distinct, and Jack felt his breath catch as he caught sight of Sam, her gaze intense and unflinching."Are we stable?" Jack asked, his voice gruff, barely masking the urgency in his tone.Vasquez nodded, though her hands moved with cautious precision."I’ve adjusted for the interdimensional power fluctuations. It should hold."Jack didn’t respond immediately. His fingers flexed at his sides as he stared at the flickering surface of the mirror.Sam was on the other side. So was Benjamin. His son—growing up in a war-torn reality he should’ve never known.Jack swallowed hard, his throat tightening. He’d spent years making impossible calls, doing whatever it took to protect the people under his command. But nothing, nothing had ever felt as terrifying as knowing he’d almost lost them.His mind flashed to the last time he’d held Benjamin—Sam’s soft voice whispering, "Say bye to Daddy." He’d kissed the kid’s chubby cheek and promised to be back soon. He hadn’t been.Not this time.Jack exhaled sharply, the weight of years pressing on his chest. He forced himself forward."Good," he muttered, voice edged with quiet resolve. "I’m going through."He turned back to Vasquez, his gaze hard."Hold this connection steady. If we lose it, I’m coming back to haunt you."He stepped forward but he saw Vasquez’s smirk, half amused, half indifferent.Jack approached the mirror, his heart pounding as he prepared to cross into a reality that wasn’t his. The figure of his wife grew clearer, her intense gaze locked onto him through the thinning veil between worlds. He saw the exhaustion in her face, the fierce determination as she worked, and the quiet desperation that mirrored his own. She didn’t have to say it—he knew she’d been fighting just as hard, clawing toward this moment with the same relentless drive he felt. They had to get this right. There would be no second chances.“Sam,” he murmured, his voice barely audible as he reached out, his hand hovering inches from the surface.
Sam POV
Sam froze for a heartbeat, meeting his gaze through the vibrating surface of the mirror.“Jack…” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. It was really him.Across the lab, Jack O’Neill felt an ache he hadn’t felt in years. He watched her eyes soften as she looked at her husband through the mirror, her shoulders trembling faintly as she fought to maintain her composure. He knew that look, that blend of strength and vulnerability, was tearing him apart. But he held himself steady, giving her the one thing she needed most—a way out.Daniel held his breath, shifting slightly as he watched the exchange, feeling the unspoken intensity in the room. Benjamin wriggled somewhat in his arms, but Daniel kept him close, his hope tempered with a wary anticipation. They were so close—so close to leaving, to finally breaking free from the weight of this broken reality.
Jack POV
In the quantum mirror room, Jack straightened, his hand brushing the cold, shimmering surface of the mirror, his fingers almost touching hers through the barrier between them. He met her gaze, his voice low but steady.“Hold on, Sam. I’m coming to bring you home.”The shimmering intensified the shield's power, melding with the mirror’s energy field as Vasquez and the scientists on Sam’s side held their breath, waiting for the connection to stabilize. The lights flickered, a surge humming through the room as both sides worked feverishly to hold the bridge between worlds intact. Jack watched as the image grew sharper, her face so close, so real that he could almost feel her presence. And then, in one swift moment, he took the step, crossing the threshold as the room around him faded, and he emerged, breathless, into the alternate reality.As Jack’s boots hit solid ground, the air in the room seemed to thin. He barely had a second to register the familiar faces before his gaze locked onto his own.The other Jack stood motionless, blue dress uniform immaculate, expression unreadable. They were identical—except for the deep scar carving down his double’s cheek, a silent testament to battles fought in a different war.The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Then Sam took a step forward, her voice barely a whisper.“You… you did it.”.Her hand reached out instinctively, her fingers brushing over the tactical vest he wore to confirm that he was real and solid, standing in front of her.Jack’s expression softened as he looked at her, the worry melting from his gaze, replaced by a fierce, unguarded tenderness.“You’re damn right I did,” he murmured. “I’m here to bring you both home.”Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back, giving him a nod of silent gratitude. Her relief and exhaustion were etched into every line of her face. She glanced at the other Jack, who gave her a slight nod as if to say, ‘It was all right.’ She could see the silent permission she hadn’t dared hope for in his eyes. This version of Jack was letting her go.In his dress blues, Jack O'Neill held the gaze of the Jack that had stepped into his reality, his voice even but laced with raw, unspoken emotion.“You keep her safe. Keep all of them safe.”The two Jacks exchanged a nod, a silent understanding passing between them. It was a farewell, a promise, and a handoff all in one, a weight that Jack accepted with a heavy, grateful heart.“Always,” Jack replied, his tone unwavering, his gaze never leaving his double’s.The mirror flickered, the strain on the connection apparent. Vasquez’s urgent voice cracked through the comm.“O’Neill, we’re running out of time. If you’re going to return, now’s the moment.”Jack turned to Sam, who had already gathered Benjamin in her arms. Her face was set with a calm determination. Daniel was beside her, a rare look of quiet resolve in his eyes as he gave a final nod to the Jack they were leaving behind.The mirror shimmered with unstable energy, and the air in the room charged with tension.Just as the scientists prepared to give the final go-ahead, Alec Mercer stepped forward, his movements steady but slower than usual. Jack O’Neill, the General in his dress blues, noticed the stiffness in his posture and the slight hitch in his step. A man who’d taken too many hits and knew he wouldn’t be walking away from this war unscathed.Jack knew why. They all did.Mercer reached into his jacket, his fingers curling around something inside. For a moment, he hesitated. "Before you step through," Mercer said, his voice a quiet anchor in the storm.Jack turned. The folder Mercer held looked harmless—vanilla-colored, worn at the edges—but Jack knew better. The weight in Mercer’s grip wasn’t just paper. It was lives.Mercer’s hand shook as he pulled the file from his jacket, not from weakness but from the sheer weight of what was inside. His fingers curled around the worn folder like it was the only thing tethering him to this moment, to the rage and agony that had fueled him for so long.His voice was low, rough with something deeper than anger—something raw.“This is everything, O’Neill. Names, dates, projects. Proof of every nightmare they created in the dark.” He exhaled sharply. “Ezra Kael was the mastermind, but he wasn’t alone. The board—the ones who smiled in their high-rise offices while I was turned into a weapon—they knew. They watched. And they did nothing.”Jack’s fingers hovered over the file, but Mercer didn’t let go. His knuckles were white with the force of his grip.“I don’t just want them to burn,” Mercer admitted, his voice thick with something that almost sounded like grief. “I want Cassian rotting in a hole so deep he forgets what daylight looks like. I want Hawthorne, Marquez, and Meyers dragged from their ivory towers and made to answer for the lives they destroyed.” He swallowed hard, and for a moment, Jack saw something flicker in his gaze—not just vengeance. Loss.Jack tightened his jaw. “Mercer—”“I trusted them, O’Neill.” Mercer’s voice cracked, but only for a second. “Ezra. Paul Davis. Back when I was still human, before all of this—they were my friends. And they still did this to me.”Jack took the file, and this time, Mercer let go. His hand fell to his side, curling into a fist.“There’s no coming back from this,” Mercer said, voice quieter now, but no less resolute. “You take that file, and you burn their empire to the ground. No half-measures, no deals.”Jack met his gaze, the understanding between them silent but unshakable.“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”Mercer exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his temple. His body was giving out, but the fire inside him still burned bright.Jack flipped open the folder, scanning the pages. The medical records. The experiment logs. The signatures that proved complicity. His grip on the file tightened.“This is enough to take them all down.”“That’s the idea.” Mercer gave a small, sharp nod. “I don’t care if I live long enough to see it. Just make sure it happens.”Jack nodded, his voice steady. “I’ll see it through.”For the first time in a long time, Mercer allowed himself a breath. A real one. The kind that didn’t taste like blood and broken promises.Jack didn’t need to say anything else. The war wasn’t over, but this? This was the first real step toward justice."Good." Mercer stepped back, rolling his shoulders as if the weight of the past was already lifting.He wouldn’t live to see the war end. But he’d make damn sure he wasn’t the last casualty.Mercer joined Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin without another word in the mirror. He paused for a heartbeat, glancing over his shoulder one last time at the world that had made him a killer—a monster. The weight of what he was leaving behind pressed on him, but there was no regret. Only exhaustion. And a faint, fragile hope.He didn’t tell the rest of them about the pain lancing through his chest, the cold numbness spreading through his limbs. There would be time for that later—if there was time at all. Right now, all he wanted was to leave this place. To go somewhere quiet. Somewhere peaceful.“Let’s go,” Sam whispered, her voice thick with the finality of the moment.The shimmering portal continued to pulse with erratic light."We’re almost clear," Jack said, glancing at Vasquez. "Tell me this thing is stable enough to get us home."Vasquez hesitated, her fingers flying over the controls. "The connection will hold.""Great. Then let’s move—""NO!" Daniel’s sudden outburst froze them in place. His gaze was locked on the flickering energy readings on the monitor, his expression dark.Jack’s patience snapped."Daniel, we do not have time for another history lesson!"Daniel’s fingers flew across the keyboard, his face tensea as he dealt with the interface.“This isn’t just quantum instability,” he muttered. “Someone rigged the mirror. There’s a failsafe. The second we step through, we’re flagged.”Jack’s stomach dropped. His mind snapped to one name. Vasquez.
That snake.
“She knew,” he said, his voice low, deadly. “She knew about this.”Daniel barely looked up. “Who—?”“Vasquez.” Jack’s jaw clenched. His pulse pounded in his ears. “She’s the one who got me to the mirror. She’s the reason I even got here. And she damn well knew about this failsafe.”Sam’s expression tightened. “Then why let you go?”Jack didn’t have an answer. He just knew one thing: He had trusted her. And she had played him.Jack clenched his jaw. "Can you override it?"Daniel exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Not from this side. The failsafe is tied into the monitoring system on their end. I have to disable it through the mirror."Jack blinked."So you’re telling me you need to hack an alien failsafe in another dimension while standing in this one?"Daniel gave a weak smile."Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m saying."Jack groaned, muttering under his breath."Why is it always you?""Because you shoot things, and I make sure we don’t all die," Daniel said.The room was tense as he worked. Every keystroke echoed. Sam adjusted her hold on Benjamin, her eyes flicking between Daniel and the mirror, nerves tightening her grip."How long?" O’Neill asked.He had been watching silently, their delay twisting the knife even further."Uh, not long, but also not as fast as everyone would like," Daniel muttered, his fingers flying. "Give me a minute."Mercer stood at the door, keeping watch. His eyes flicked to O’Neill."If this goes sideways, we must be ready to move."He nodded tightly, but his attention was on Daniel.The screen flashed red. Daniel’s stomach dropped."Damn it—he's got an encryption lock. This thing is built deep into the system. I can shut it down, but if I trigger the wrong protocol, it'll send an instant distress signal to Moratus.""Then don’t trigger it," Jack said flatly.Daniel glared at him. "Oh, thanks, Jack. That’s super helpful."The console beeped. The energy pattern shifted slightly.Sam’s voice was quiet. "Daniel?"He swallowed. He only had one shot at this. If one wrong move were made, Moratus would know everything.His fingers hovered over the keys.Then, with a sharp exhale, he made his choice.The monitor flickered. The red alert vanished."Failsafe is down," Daniel announced, slamming the laptop shut. "We’re clear."Jack let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "Remind me to let you do all the nerd stuff from now on."Daniel smirked. "Yeah, I’ll put that on my résumé."Jack turned back to the mirror. "Alright, folks. Time to go home."Sam turned one last time to the other Jack, who was quietly looking at them, and nodded. Despite everything, without his help, none of this would be possible. They could never cross the threshold to the reality to which they’d fought so hard to return.“Go. Now!” Jack barked.Daniel pushed Benjamin through first. Sam followed.The mirror shuddered. The room shook. The connection wavered.Jack turned. Mercer hesitated. A flicker of something in his eyes.“No second chances,” Jack growled. “Move.”Mercer nodded. Stepped forward.The mirror flashed.Jack was the last one through.Darkness swallowed the room behind him.And then—they were home.This time, when they stepped through, no alarms were triggered. No signals were sent.Moratus would never know they had returned—until it was too late.As the connection finally severed, and the mirror’s surface shimmered back to darkness, the other Jack stood alone in the quiet, his heart heavy but his resolve unbroken. He’d done his part, giving her the one gift he could. And though the ache of loss settled over him, he knew he’d done the right thing.In the silence of the room, he let out a long breath, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.“Go home, Carter,” he murmured, a bittersweet farewell whispered to the empty air.And for the first time in a long time, Jack O’Neill believed they could win. Jack, Sam, Daniel, Benjamin, and Mercer stepped through the shimmering surface of the quantum mirror, their breaths catching as they emerged back into their reality. Earth was devasted and conquered by Moratus. The air was thick with tension, and the dim, sterile lighting of the room only added to the oppressive atmosphere.The second they stepped through the mirror, Jack’s gun was already up.“Hands where I can see ‘em,” he barked.Vasquez barely blinked. Her hands hovered near the console, but her expression was calm. Too calm.“General O’Neill,” she said smoothly, “I take it your mission was successful.”Jack wasn’t in the mood for games. He strode forward, his voice cold.“You knew about the failsafe.”Vasquez tilted her head, her lips curving into something that might have been amusement.“Did I?”Jack wasn’t having it.“Don’t play dumb. You knew that thing would trip an alarm. You let me go anyway.”Sam stepped up beside him, her voice edged with suspicion. “Why?”Vasquez met Jack’s gaze, unwavering. “Because I wanted to see if you would succeed.”Jack’s grip on his weapon tightened. “And if I didn’t?”Vasquez smirked. “Then Moratus would have dealt with you before you became a problem.”The admission hit like a punch to the gut. She had hedged her bets. She had let him go, knowing that either way, she would win. If Jack failed, Moratus would eliminate him. If he succeeded, he would owe her—at least for now.“You used me,” Jack said, his voice quieter now, more dangerous.Vasquez’s smirk widened. “Of course I did, General.” Her eyes flashed gold for just a second. “That is what we do.”Daniel froze, eyes locked on Vasquez. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again, but no sound came out. He slowly turned toward Jack.“Jack.”Jack sighed.“Daniel.”Daniel pointed at Vasquez, then back at Jack.“Jack.”Jack rubbed his temple.“Daniel.”“No, no—don’t ‘Daniel’ me! Are you seriously working with a Goa’uld?!”Jack exhaled, shifting his stance. “It’s complicated.”Daniel’s hands shot into the air. “Complicated?! No, quantum physics is complicated. Taxes are complicated. This? This is not complicated.” He gestured wildly. “She’s a Goa’uld! And not even a Tok’ra—an actual Goa’uld!”Jack crossed his arms. “Yeah, I noticed.”Daniel scoffed. “Did you?! Because last time I checked, you hate them! As in, ‘Jack O’Neill’s personal lifelong vendetta against all things Goa’uld.’”Jack shrugged. “People change.”Daniel gaped. “You don’t!”Jack grumbled, rubbing his face. “Look, she got me to the mirror. I needed her. End of story.”“Oh! Oh, okay. So now we’re just teaming up with snakes? You’re gonna tell me next we should call Ba’al and see if he’s free for brunch?”Jack threw up his hands. “For cryin’ out loud, Daniel—”Daniel pressed a hand to his forehead, mock-swooning. “I can’t—this is—Jack O’Neill, legendary Goa’uld hater, trusts one? I feel like I’ve entered an alternate timeline.”Jack’s patience snapped. “I do not trust her!”Daniel smirked. “Mmm, she played you like a damn violin.”Jack turned to Vasquez, glaring. “See what you started?”Vasquez, unbothered, smiled. “I find Dr. Jackson quite amusing.”Daniel pointed at her. “You hush.”Jack muttered, “Nobody likes Dr. Jackson.”Daniel, still grinning: “Well, you must like me at least a little—because at this rate, I’ll be the only one still speaking to you after this.”Jack exhaled, deeply. “Are you done?”Daniel beamed. “Absolutely not.”Jack turned, muttering, “You should’ve stayed in the alternate reality.”Daniel smirked. “Told you.” Before the tension could escalate further, Mercer stepped between them, his presence commanding as he addressed Jack.“I’ll handle her,” Mercer said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He shot Vasquez a warning look before turning back to Jack. “You focus on keeping Carter and the kid safe. I’ll deal with any Jaffa that make their way here. And I have zero problems in killing them.”Jack’s eyes flicked to Mercer, his expression grudging but appreciative.“Fine. But keep a close watch. The Jaffa patrol this place and check her to see if everything is okay.”Mercer gave a short nod and turned to Vasquez.“Let’s go,” he said curtly, steering her toward the exit with a firm grip on her arm. Vasquez didn’t resist, but the faint, serpentine smile she cast over her shoulder sent a chill through the room.Meanwhile, Daniel bent down, gently adjusting Benjamin in his arms. The boy clung to him, wide-eyed and silent after the disorienting journey through the mirror. Daniel’s voice was soft but insistent as he spoke to Jack and Sam.“I’ll take Benjamin out of here. He doesn’t need to see whatever comes next—or, you know, get an early lesson in ‘Parenting with the Goa’uld.’”Jack glared at him.“Daniel—”“Hey, I’m just saying!” Daniel interrupted, adjusting his hold on Benjamin. “Your kid deserves a shot at normal. Which, believe it or not, includes not being on a first-name basis with the galaxy’s biggest parasites.”Jack’s glare softened as he glanced at Benjamin, who clung to Daniel with wide, curious eyes.“Fine. Just… keep him safe.”Daniel nodded, his tone turning serious.“Always.”Jack gave a sharp nod, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at his son. Benjamin was safe. That was all that mattered right now.“Thanks, Daniel.”Daniel took a step toward the door, then hesitated. He glanced at Benjamin, then at Jack, then back at Benjamin again. His lips twitched.“You know, in a few years, he’s gonna start asking questions.”Jack exhaled.“Daniel—”“Like… why Daddy used to shoot every Goa’uld on sight but now works with one.”Jack scowled.“Daniel—”“Or how you somehow decided that a glowing-eyed alien overlord was a trustworthy babysitter.”Jack pinched the bridge of his nose.“Daniel—”“Or,” Daniel continued, clearly enjoying himself now, “my personal favorite: ‘Uncle Daniel, is it true my dad made a deal with a Goa’uld?’”Jack gave him a withering look.“Are you done?”Daniel smirked.“Not even close, but I’ll save the rest for when Benjamin’s old enough to really appreciate the hypocrisy.”Jack groaned.“Get out.”Daniel grinned, shifting Benjamin into a more secure hold. “Leaving now! But just so you know—when he writes a school essay about ‘The Time My Dad Befriended a Goa’uld,’ I will be there to read it out loud.”Jack sighed, exasperated, as Daniel ducked out of the room, Benjamin babbling softly in his arms.Sam, watching in amused silence, turned to Jack with a smirk.“He’s never letting this go.”Jack ran a hand through his hair, grumbling.“Yeah. I got that.”Suddenly the room became very silent except for their breathing. The weight of everything they’d been through came crashing back down.The battle was over.Or at least, that’s what Jack kept telling himself.His body wasn’t convinced. His hands were still clenched at his sides; fingers curled around a weapon that wasn’t there anymore. His pulse still hammered, and his breaths still came short and sharp. The aftershocks of adrenaline never left quickly.Across the room, Sam was watching him.Daniel had just left with Benjamin, his usual sarcasm trailing after him. The echoes of their banter still lingered in the air. But as soon as the door shut, the atmosphere shifted.Jack exhaled, but it didn’t feel like relief. His hands twitched at his sides, still waiting for an enemy that wasn’t coming. His breath came sharp, uneven, like he’d run for miles but never reached the finish line. He forced his muscles to relax. Forced his hands to still. Then, slowly, he ran a hand over his face.He was bone-deep, soul-worn, goddamn exhausted.Sam’s presence was a warmth in the silence, but she didn’t say anything at first. She just stood there, watching him.It was the kind of look that saw straight through him.Jack finally turned to her, his voice rough.“You okay?”Sam swallowed, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, slowly, she nodded."Yeah."Her eyes flicked to the door, where Daniel had disappeared with Benjamin. Her hand hovered near her chest as if still feeling the warmth of her son pressed against her.Jack noticed.His voice softened. “He’s safe, Sam. We did it.”A shuddering breath left her lips. "I know."But her hands still trembled.Jack crossed the space between them before she could pretend otherwise.He didn’t say anything—didn’t have to. He just wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, anchoring her to him as much as anchoring himself.For a second, Sam didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Then she melted into him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, gripping him like she might lose him again.Jack pressed a kiss to her head, his breath unsteady."I’ve got you," he murmured.Sam nodded against his chest, eyes squeezed shut."I thought I'd lost you."Jack stilled.He pulled back just enough to see her face, how her eyes shimmered, her jaw tightened."Not a chance," he whispered. "Not now. Not ever."The silence that followed wasn’t empty—it was full. Full of things they didn’t have to say.Jack brushed his thumb gently along her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn’t realized had fallen.Sam let out a shaky laugh. "Damn hormones."Jack smirked, voice teasing but soft. "Yeah, let’s go with that."She huffed, playfully swatting his arm, but the tension had eased. The weight of war, loss, and survival was still there, but for the first time in too damn long, so was something else.Hope.He lowered his head, his lips brushing hers with the gentlest touches. The tentative kiss, filled with longing and tenderness, grew deeper, a reunion that erased the distance time and worlds had imposed between them. Their need was urgent and unrelenting—a reconnection of two souls starved for each other, no longer able to deny the bond that had brought them both through hell.“We’re gonna be okay,” his voice was fierce and full of the promise he’d whispered so many times in the dark.This time, Sam didn’t hesitate."Yeah."She believed him.And maybe, for the first time in a long time, Jack believed it too.They leaned against each other, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as his fingers wove into her hair, grounding them in the moment. The world outside might still be burning, but for this brief instant, they were home—whole and together, bound by a love that had defied fate.A soft knock on the door reminded them of the world beyond this quiet space as the moments passed. Jack pulled back slightly, a glint of mischief and determination in his gaze."We’ve got work to do, Carter. But the rest—" He lowered his voice, his smile unyielding, "the rest is just for us."Her smile was a promise, a renewal of the hope they’d fought so hard to protect. With fingers intertwined, they walked out together, ready to face whatever lay ahead—together, in whatever world awaited them. Elena Vasquez led Jack, Sam, Daniel, Mercer, and Benjamin through the dim, desolate corridors of Area 51. Her movements were precise, her gaze scanning ahead with an almost unnatural calm."This way," she said, her voice devoid of the nervous edge one might expect from someone surrounded by the remnants of a fallen world. But then again, Goa’ulds didn’t get anxious.Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her, the ease in her stride at odds with the tension gripping the rest of them."You seem pretty comfortable here," he remarked, his tone casual but probing.Vasquez didn’t slow. "I’ve had months to adapt, General. Familiarity breeds… resilience."Sam exchanged a glance with Jack, her brow furrowing. There was something about Vasquez’s detached, clinical answer that felt off. But now wasn’t the time to dig deeper."The emergency supplies are stored in a vault near the western wing," Vasquez continued, glancing briefly at Mercer, who had fallen a few steps behind. Her lips twitched, almost imperceptibly, as if she knew something the others didn’t."We should hurry," Sam said, her voice firm as she adjusted Benjamin in his carrier. "The Jaffa could sweep the area at any moment."Vasquez nodded, but her eyes lingered on Sam for a fraction too long before she turned away."Yes," she murmured. "Time is of the essence."Her quarters had been prepared in the vault, and Mercer escorted her there. He closed and locked the massive door.Before, she had pointed to an empty quarters section where they could spend the night.Mercer, who had already gone to the armory, informed them he would watch the whole night so they could sleep. He started to pace the corridors in silence, like a shadow.Daniel chose a room, locking himself in for the night with his weapon within arm's reach, while Jack and Sam found another nearby, pushing a table and a few heavy crates against the door for added security. Their room was spare but enough—a safe corner where they could rest for the first time in too long. Sam settled Benjamin into a small makeshift bed created from blankets, cushions, and a bit of padding they’d found. Exhausted from the long journey back, the baby drifted off almost immediately after she fed him.Jack watched as Sam tucked Benjamin in, her touch gentle, her exhaustion evident."Finally," he whispered, drawing her close.She sank against him, her breath steady but heavy with everything they’d endured."I don’t think I could’ve held on much longer."Jack cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing lightly over her skin. His soft yet intense gaze held hers as if memorizing every detail.“You did. You held on, Sam.”Her breath hitched, and she felt the enormity of everything they’d endured for the first time in weeks. They had fought, suffered, and nearly broken—but now, against all odds, they were here. Together.“I thought I lost you,” she admitted, her voice breaking with the vulnerability she’d kept buried for so long.Jack pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes briefly.“Never. I don’t care what universe or timeline we end up in—I’m always coming back for you.”The truth of those words settled between them like a lifeline.Slowly, tentatively, Sam lifted her gaze to meet his, searching for something—anything—that would ground her in the present. And there it was—Jack’s unwavering love and determination, clear as day.She leaned in, her lips brushing his—a soft, lingering kiss that deepened as the walls around their hearts finally crumbled. Months of longing, separation, and fear melted into a fierce, undeniable need for each other.Jack’s hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss turned urgent. Sam’s fingers tangled in his shirt, anchoring herself in the feel of him—alive, solid, and hers.They stumbled toward the makeshift bed, the rest of the world falling away with every step. For the first time since the world had torn them apart, there were no mirrors, portals, or wars—just the two rediscovering the connection that had brought them back from the brink.The room was quiet. The deep, aching quiet that only came after too many months of war, separation, and fear.Jack lay on his back, one arm draped around Sam, fingers lazily tracing small, absentminded circles against the bare skin of her back. Her body was pressed close to his, warm and familiar in a way that nearly undid him.He wasn’t sure how long they had been lying there like this—wrapped in each other, in silence, in the weight of finally being here.Sam’s head rested against his chest, her fingers moving slowly over the old scars on his ribs, like she was reacquainting herself with a body she had once memorized but had been too long without.Jack exhaled, long and slow. He hadn’t felt this—this steady, this whole—in longer than he could remember.She was here.He was here.No more walls. No more distance. No more wondering if they would ever see each other again.Sam sighed softly against him, her breath warm on his skin."We still have so much to figure out," she murmured.Jack smiled faintly, his hand drifting gently in her hair."Yeah."There was no sugarcoating it. Things were still a mess. They had no home. The world was still burning. They would have to fight—again. Maybe forever.But not tonight.Jack tilted his head, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her forehead."Not tonight."Sam shifted, propping herself up on her elbow. Her fingers traced his jawline, his cheek, and the faint creases near his eyes that had deepened over the years.Jack let her.Because it had been so damn long since they’d had the luxury of simply touching.Her eyes met his, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, they weren’t filled with worry.They were soft. Warm. Safe.Jack touched her face, his thumb brushing along the curve of her cheek, memorizing her all over again.
"I thought I lost you," she whispered.
His throat tightened.
"Never."
Sam inhaled, shaky, unsteady.Jack reached for her—not out of desperation or fear, but because he could. Because she was right here.Their lips met, slow and unhurried. No battle urgency, no stolen seconds between missions. Just them. Just this.Sam sighed against his mouth, her hand sliding up his chest, over his shoulder, into his hair. She deepened the kiss, seeking, needing, rediscovering.Jack responded without hesitation.He rolled them over gently, pressing her into the mattress, his hands framing the curves of her waist, the arch of her back, the warmth of her skin beneath his palms.Sam’s breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. She only drew him closer.It wasn’t about desire.It was about coming home.About reminding themselves that they were still here, still alive, still together.Jack brushed his lips along her jaw, neck, and collarbone’s hollow.Sam let out a soft, breathless laugh, threading her fingers through his silver hair."I missed you."Jack stilled.She hadn’t said it like a passing thought. She had said it like it had been breaking her apart for months.Jack lifted his head, his voice rough with emotion he didn’t bother to hide."I know, Sam."He rested his forehead against hers, their noses brushing, their breath mingling."I missed you too."Her fingers tightened in his hair, and he kissed her again, pouring everything into it—all the lost time, all the aching nights, all the silent fears neither of them had spoken aloud.Sam’s hands slid down his back over scars she hadn’t touched in years. And Jack let himself sink into her, into them, into this moment.There would be more battles.More fights. More days spent in war, in uncertainty.But tonight wasn’t about that.Tonight was about them.And for the first time in far too long, Jack let himself believe that this wasn’t something they would lose again. The silence of Area 51 was unnatural.Not the peaceful silence that settled over a sleeping world but an oppressive, suffocating quiet that felt wrong. The air inside the facility was stale, carrying the scent of dust, old electronics, and metal long since abandoned. Occasionally, a distant hum from the emergency generators would break the quiet, a mechanical whisper that only made the emptiness feel deeper. Shadows pooled in the corners where the backup lights didn’t reach, casting jagged shapes along the walls, making every movement shift appear distorted.Jack lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, counting the metal panels above him. Sam was curled up beside him, Benjamin safe between them, her breathing deep and even. He envied her ability to sleep. His body ached for rest, but his mind wouldn’t let him. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the ruined Earth outside and hear the echoes of Moratus’s voice. They had returned to Earth, but it wasn’t home anymore.And then there was the Goa'uld, a vicious, betraying snake, locked in a reinforced chamber only a few floors away.Jack exhaled slowly, listening—the facility's silence pressed in, thick and unnatural. There was no ambient noise of people, no distant hum of a fully operational base, no murmured conversations of night-shift personnel—just dead air. His fingers flexed against the cool fabric of the cot. He had been in war zones quieter than this, which was saying something.A sharp cough echoed from down the hallway. Mercer.Jack turned his head slightly, listening as the sound faded, replaced by suffocating stillness. He knew Mercer was barely holding on. The man had been running on fumes since they got here, and from how he had moved earlier—stiff, slow, like every step cost him more than he could afford—Jack had seen this kind of thing before. The body breaking down, the sheer force of will keeping it going just a little longer. Mercer didn’t want to complain, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t in agony.Daniel wasn’t asleep either.Jack could hear the occasional rustle of paper, the muted sound of something being moved. Daniel was in one of the adjacent rooms, sifting through what little remained of Area 51’s abandoned records. Jack had seen him pacing earlier, his fingers trailing along dusty consoles, his gaze distant lost. He hadn’t touched the Goa’uld containment room, but Jack knew he’d thought about it. He probably still was. Daniel had never been one to sit idle, especially not when answers were locked behind metal doors.Another sound. A whisper of something shifting outside their room.Jack’s hand instinctively moved to his weapon, lying within reach. His body remained still, his breathing unchanged, but his grip tightened. The sensation prickled at the back of his neck—not quite danger, but not safety either. The feeling of being watched. He told himself it was just paranoia, just how the empty facility amplified every sound and shadow. And yet, as he lay there, staring at the dim ceiling, he couldn’t shake the thought.They weren’t alone here.The Goa’uld was locked up tight, Mercer was in no shape to wander, and Daniel was restless but rational. That left… what? The ghosts of a broken Earth? The memories of what this place had once been? The Jaffa outside the facility? Maybe it was nothing. Perhaps it was just the weight of everything catching up to him.But Jack O’Neill had learned a long time ago to trust his instincts.He lay awake long after Sam’s breathing remained steady, Daniel’s quiet movements faded, and Mercer’s ragged coughing stopped. He listened to the silence, to the unknown, waiting for it to break.Because sooner or later, it always did. Meanwhile, at SGC, Moratus sat in his throne room, watching.His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his ornate chair, and his golden eyes fixed on the shifting holographic display before him. The readings were subtle but unmistakable—a disruption in the quantum field, a ripple where there should have been silence. His failsafe hadn’t issued any alerts, but the second one he had installed, one that used technology he was the only one who mastered, set the alarms in his console.“Fascinating,” he murmured.Moratus leaned forward, his lips curling into a slow, curious smile. “I wonder if they have returned or if someone left.”He stood, his back armor moving like a liquid shadow around him. The room darkened slightly as he strode toward the main control panel, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.“They are stubborn creatures,” he mused. “But they forget—I always see the second move before they play it.”He turned sharply to his First Prime. “Contact the one that is inside Area 51 and confirm what happened. I want a report fast.”The Jaffa pounded his fist against his chest in salute. “It shall be done, my Lord.”Moratus exhaled, already picturing the moment. The weight of inevitability pressed down on him like a promise. Maybe, just maybe, he could still fulfill his destiny, have the child returned to him, and start molding the most powerful ruler of the world. At Area 51, the night went and went uneventfully.After breastfeeding Benjamin and changing him the following morning, Sam nodded to Jack, signaling they were ready to leave their makeshift room. She adjusted Benjamin in the carrier, but her hands trembled. Jack moved to the door, stopping just before touching the frame. His eyes didn’t meet hers.“We need to talk,” he said quietly.Sam felt her throat tighten. She had held this conversation at bay for as long as possible, but now there was no escaping it.“When I heard D.C. had been hit,” she began, her voice rough with exhaustion and memory, “we knew it was the first wave. We barely had time to prepare before they hit the SGC.”Jack’s gaze snapped to hers, his voice sharp."How bad?"Sam’s breath wavered as she cradled Benjamin closer."It wasn’t just bad, Jack. It was annihilation. The motherships came in low, and the Jaffa… they didn’t stop. We tried to hold the SGC, but there was no way to win. They overran us." She paused, her voice faltering. "Cameron and Vala stayed behind with General Landry to buy us time."She looked away, her grip on Benjamin tightening. "We lost so much that day."Jack’s jaw clenched, his mind racing through the implications. "So you escaped.""Barely," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Teal’c… he…" Her words faltered, and she swallowed hard. "He didn’t make it."Jack froze, his breath catching in his throat. "Teal’c?" The name came out as a whisper, raw and vulnerable.Sam nodded, her voice trembling. "He kept us moving. Kept us safe. Without him, we never would’ve made it to Area 51. He was with us part of the way to Nevada, but we were hit by a Death Glider and..."Jack turned away, leaning into the wall. His hands pressed hard against the cold surface, trying to ground himself against the flood of memories.'Damn it, Teal’c,' he whispered, the words breaking on the edge of his voice.Sam watched him, her heart aching at the sight of his grief. She blinked back tears, her voice soft yet steady.'He saved us, Jack. Without hesitation. He stood by our side as long as he…" She faltered, the words catching in her throat. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn’t wipe it away.Jack spun back around, his own eyes glistening."He was the bravest man I’ve ever known. And I wasn’t there.""We thought you were dead," Sam said softly, her voice filled with the same ache. She stepped closer, her free hand resting on his arm. "But he would’ve wanted this—us surviving, Benjamin surviving. That was his choice, Jack. To make sure we had a chance."Jack nodded, but the tightness in his chest didn’t ease. He let out a shaky breath, his voice low. "We owe him everything.""We do," Sam agreed, her fingers tightening slightly on his arm. "And the best way to honor him is to keep going. To make this fight count."For a long moment, they stood together, their shared grief unspoken but deeply felt. Jack reached for her hand, his grip firm and steady. "We’ll make it count. For Teal’c."Sam nodded, her tears now silent. "For Teal’c."They stood in that shared silence for several moments before Jack straightened, his expression hardening with resolve.“D.C. was worse than we thought. The Goa’uld hit hard and took out major government installations. I was at the Pentagon helipad when the first blasts hit. Our chopper went down.”Sam’s eyes widened in horror.“Jack—”“We should have died,” Jack said flatly. “But some years ago, I had installed an Asgard safeguard at the Pentagon helipad. It shielded us—barely. We managed to evacuate a few people before the system burned out.”“How did you get here?” Sam asked softly.“When I heard the SGC was gone, I remembered something. Our conversation about the quantum mirror.” Jack’s gaze softened, and a hint of a smile ghosted his lips. “I went on a hunch. You’d said Area 51 had one stored.”Sam nodded slowly. “You remembered.”“I wasn’t about to lose you. Or Benjamin.” Jack’s eyes met hers, and hope flickered between them for the first time in an eternity.Sam took a step forward. Her eyes met his, unwavering.“I thought you were gone,' she said, her voice trembling with the weight of suppressed fear. “Every day, I had to bury it. Push everything down just to survive. Just to keep moving.” She paused, glancing at Benjamin in the carrier, his tiny chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. Her fingers brushed his cheek, her voice softening.'But now… now we have a chance. Together.”Jack reached for her hand, their fingers entwining briefly before he stepped toward the door. “This isn’t over. But we’re not fighting alone anymore.”“No, we’re not.” Sam followed him, her resolve hardening. They were leaving behind their broken past, and whatever awaited them next, they would face it together.Jack moved the table and crates aside before cautiously opening the door. Daniel was already outside, weapon at the ready, scanning the hallway. Behind him stood Mercer, his exhaustion evident in the tightness of his posture. He looked weaker than ever, whether it was the quantum mirror’s effects or sheer fatigue.“Hi, guys,” Mercer greeted in a low voice.Jack gestured for Sam to stay behind him with Benjamin.“Any trouble?” he asked, his P-90 poised.“Nope, but it’s too damn quiet,” Daniel muttered, his gaze darting down the hallway. “This place gives me the creeps.”“No Jaffa yet, but if they patrol regularly, it’s just a matter of time,” Mercer added.Jack signaled for Sam to move, ensuring Benji was secured in the carrier against her chest. “Let’s find somewhere safe to talk.” The desolation of Area 51 weighed on them as they gathered in a small storage room. Though they had found temporary refuge, the surrounding ruins were a stark reminder that this haven was fragile. The remnants of Earth’s downfall were everywhere—scarce resources, the looming threat of the Goa’uld, and the grim knowledge that survival here meant perpetual flight.Daniel and Jack exchanged glances, the same unspoken question lingering between them: Stay and fight, or risk another jump through the quantum mirror? Though Sam’d developed the quantum shield to prevent entropic cascade failure, there was still no guarantee of what lay on the other side. The world they might land in could be just as dangerous or even worse.They had found a small room, and with the emergency rations from the night before, everyone was attempting to put some food into their stomachs. Mercer was the only one not eating, just drinking some water.Jack exhaled, his gaze settling on Benjamin, blissfully unaware of their plight.“Sam,” he started softly, “we’ve fought to get this far, but… with Benji, we have to consider another option.”Sam’s exhaustion was evident, but at Jack’s words, her expression softened.“I know,” she admitted. “We’re running on fumes. Staying means always looking over our shoulders. And Benji—he deserves more than that.”Daniel nodded grimly. “Then we’re talking about taking another jump. A gamble, but no worse than staying here.”Jack’s hand brushed Sam’s shoulder as she looked down at Benjamin. “The outside world is hell. The government’s gone, people are killing each other to survive, and once the Goa’uld establish full control, it’s over. They’ll enslave the survivors… if they don’t kill them outright.”Sam’s hold on Benjamin tightened. “I know.”Jack swallowed hard.“It’s not about us anymore. If there’s even a chance of safety, we must take it, but we need time. We can’t rush things while we have a bunch of Jaffa out there that can storm inside any moment. We need to get rid of them and prepare for departure.”Resolute, Sam nodded. “Very well, let’s see what is left inside this place. The last time I was here, they had plenty of interesting things. Let’s hope they are still here.” The throne room was dimly lit, bathed in the eerie glow of Goa’uld technology. Moratus sat, fingers steepled, his golden eyes fixed on the shifting holographic display. Gar’lon bowed deeply before speaking.“My Lord, the one inside the old Tau’ri installation—Area 51, reported back.”Moratus’s eyes flickered with interest. “And?”His First Prime hesitated for a second. “She informed me that there are suspicious visitors inside the facility,” he said carefully.“Suspicious, how?”“The ones you seek, my Lord.”A slow smile curled Moratus’s lips.“So I was right. They returned. Send the Jaffa. Secure the facility. I want survivors.”A beat. Then, with certainty:“And prepare my transport. If fate is kind… the prophecy will be fulfilled sooner than I expected.” Sam led them through the dimly lit corridors of Area 51 with determination. She knew this place better than anyone, and if they were going to have any chance at survival, they had to use every resource available."The armory should still have experimental weapons," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "If they weren’t moved before the invasion, we might have a fighting chance."Jack followed close behind, already thinking in terms of tactical advantage."We turn this place into a nightmare for the Jaffa. Lockdown hallways and force them into kill zones. Make them fight for every inch."Daniel shot them a look. "I can cut off their reinforcements and kill their sensors if I can get into the security mainframe. But I’ll need time."Mercer moved like a man carrying a burden too heavy to bear, his body stiff and pained, but his resolve unbroken. "Time isn’t something we have. We fight hard, fast, and leave nothing standing."The door slid open with a metallic groan, revealing rows of weapon racks, crates, and half-finished prototype tech. Dust coated the surfaces, but the contents inside? Pure gold.Jack let out a low whistle. “Well, damn. If I knew Area 51 stocked up this well, I’d have gotten kidnapped sooner.”Sam barely heard him. Her eyes locked on a case tucked near the back. She moved without thinking, popping the latches with practiced ease. The lid lifted, revealing her gun—the one she’d designed.She exhaled sharply. “It’s still here.”Jack glanced over. “Carter, is that what I think it is?”She pulled the sleek prototype railgun from its case, its weight settling in her grip like it had never left.“High-energy rail weapon, adjustable power settings, multiple shot capacities.” She activated it with a flick of her wrist, the coils humming to life.Jack smirked. “And it’s in working order?”Sam gave him a sharp grin.“Oh, you’ll see.”Meanwhile, Daniel dug through another case.“They’ve got C4, energy grenades… and oh look, experimental alien weapons that no one wrote a manual for.”Mercer grabbed a rifle, checking the chamber with cold efficiency.“We take what works. Leave the rest.”Jack picked up an energy rifle and slung it over his shoulder.“Alright, kids. Load up and move out.”They armed themselves quickly, checking gear and strapping ammo to their vests. As Jack took point, he glanced at Sam.“You good?”Sam nodded, gripping her railgun tighter.“Let’s go.” They moved in formation, Mercer taking rear guard while Daniel adjusted his grip on a Goa’uld sidearm he’d reluctantly picked up.They had barely made it halfway down the corridor when the alarms blared.“Shit,” Jack muttered. “We’re tripped.”Daniel scrambled to a control panel, but his face darkened. “This isn’t an automatic security system… This is an internal alert.”Sam’s stomach sank. “The Goa’uld know we’re here.”Vaszquez.Jack clenched his jaw. “That damn snake,” he hissed.And then—the explosion hit.The blast ripped through the hall behind them, sending shockwaves that rattled the walls. Fire and debris spewed from the direction they had just come from. Jack hit the ground hard, shielding Sam and Benjamin instinctively.Mercer wiped blood from his forehead. “That wasn’t our C4.”Daniel coughed, rolling onto his side. “No. That was a goddamn Goa’uld failsafe.”Sam pushed herself up, scanning the damage. A chunk of the armory was gone. It wasn’t just an alert—it was a built-in scorched earth protocol.Jack groaned. “Yeah, okay. That tracks.”More alarms screamed through the halls. Sam forced herself to her feet, grabbing her gun.“Jaffa incoming.”Jack pulled his own weapon, eyes narrowing.“Then let’s give ‘em hell.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The first wave of Jaffa stormed the corridor."Cover!" Jack barked, yanking Sam behind a scorched console as staff blasts rained down around them.Mercer dropped to one knee, his rifle snapping up with lethal precision. His first shot took down a Jaffa at full sprint, the enemy crumpling mid-stride.Daniel, crouched low, frantically adjusted something on the Goa’uld sidearm he’d picked up.“I swear, these things have a non-lethal setting—I just need—”Another explosion tore through the hallway, cutting him off.Jack peeked over cover, eyes locking on Sam.“Carter, now would be a great time to show me what that thing can do.”Sam’s jaw tightened. She steadied her grip on the railgun, flicked the power dial up a notch, and squeezed the trigger.The first shot ripped through a Jaffa’s armor like it was paper.The second? Tore straight through two enemies standing in formation.Jack let out a low whistle. “Oh, I really like that thing.”Sam didn’t respond. She was already moving—adjusting her stance, switching targets, cutting down Jaffa with ruthless efficiency. The gun hummed in her hands, every shot precise, every kill deliberate.Daniel’s head snapped up just as she obliterated another Jaffa with a perfectly placed shot. “Okay. Remind me never to piss you off.”Jack smirked, snapping off a shot with his rifle. “Too late, Danny boy.”But the Jaffa weren’t letting up. More poured in from the far corridor, reinforcements called in by the alarm.Sam ejected the spent power cell, slamming in a fresh one with smooth efficiency. She barely paused before lining up her next shot.“They just keep coming!” Daniel shouted, ducking behind a fallen crate.Mercer gritted his teeth, firing between breaths. “Then we need to cut them off.”Jack’s mind worked fast. The explosion had taken out a chunk of the base—but it had also created a bottleneck.“Carter!” he shouted over the gunfire. “That fancy railgun of yours—think you can bring the ceiling down?”Sam’s head snapped toward him. She followed his gaze—the weakened structural support above the Jaffa reinforcements.Understanding clicked instantly.“I need five seconds!” she called back.“Take three!” Jack fired off another round, covering her as she adjusted the gun’s settings.Sam exhaled sharply, aimed—and fired.The shot detonated against the ceiling beams, sending a cascade of rubble crashing down.Jaffa screamed as the corridor collapsed, cutting off the reinforcements. Dust and debris filled the air.For a brief, tense moment—silence.Then Jack grinned. “Well, would you look at that? Carter with the game-winning shot.”Sam exhaled, rolling her shoulders. “Let’s not make a habit of this.”Daniel coughed through the dust. “Agreed.”Jack reloaded his weapon, his smirk fading as he glanced at the remaining Jaffa still closing in on their position. “Alright, kids. We’re not done yet.”Mercer nodded grimly. “Then let’s finish this.”And the battle raged on. The dust was still settling, but the fight was far from over. More Jaffa pushed forward, undeterred by the pile of collapsed rubble blocking their reinforcements.Jack fired off another round, but his magazine clicked empty. Damn it. He swapped it out with practiced speed, scanning their surroundings.Mercer was breathing hard, his side bleeding where a near-miss had burned through his jacket. He didn’t stop fighting, but Jack could see it—he was slowing down.“Mercer!” Jack barked, shoving a fresh magazine into his rifle. “You still with me?”Mercer gritted his teeth, nodding as he slammed a Jaffa to the ground with a brutal strike.“Yeah,” he rasped. “Not dead yet.”Sam, back to back with Jack, dropped another Jaffa with a clean shot from her railgun. She was breathing hard, sweat slicking her forehead, but her eyes were still sharp, focused, dangerous.“They’re regrouping,” she warned, reloading.Jack’s jaw clenched. He knew what that meant. The next wave would be worse.And that’s when Daniel’s voice crackled over comms."I’m sealing off as many corridors as possible—buying you time!"Jack exhaled sharply. “Music to my ears, Daniel.”Daniel’s voice was strained but determined. “Don’t thank me yet—this system is ancient, and I’m one bad wire away from setting off another failsafe.”Jack ducked as a staff blast scorched the wall behind him.“Then how about you don’t screw it up?”Daniel huffed. “Working on it.”Sam fired another devastating shot, and the last Jaffa in their immediate path dropped.A brief, breathless silence.Jack reloaded, scanning their surroundings. “How much time are we buying here, Daniel?”“Uh… hopefully enough,” Daniel muttered. “But you might want to start moving. I think I just pissed off whoever’s running this system.”Sam glanced at Jack, her grip tightening on her weapon. “We need to go. Now.”Jack gave one last look at the fallen Jaffa, then nodded.“Alright,” he said, gritting his teeth. “Let’s finish this.”But it wouldn’t be enough.Mercer fought like a man trying to outrun death itself. But his body wasn’t listening anymore. His limbs felt heavier. His vision blurred for half a second—just long enough for a staff blast to tear through his side. His strikes were still brutal, efficient, and final. Because he wasn’t just fighting to win. He was fighting like a man who knew this was his last battle.Jack knew the signs. The hesitation between movements. The slight stagger in his step.Then—a flash of red light.A staff blast tore through Mercer’s side. The impact sent him reeling, breath hitching as he dropped to one knee. Blood seeped between his fingers—too much blood.Jack’s chest went tight."Mercer!" he shouted, reaching out. But the man forced himself up, eyes burning with raw defiance.Sam knew that look.It was the same one she’d worn a hundred times on the battlefield.She gritted her teeth, fired another shot, and kept moving."Mercer!" Jack shouted again, reaching out, but the man had already decided."Go," Mercer rasped, barely upright. "Get them out of here."Jack clenched his jaw. "Not a chance."He hauled Mercer up, ignoring the blood smeared across his hands. The mission wasn’t over yet.More Jaffa poured in. They were holding the line—for now. The gunfire didn’t stop. It only got closer.Jack barely had time to process the warning shout before hell broke loose.A staff blast slammed into the far wall, scorching metal. Jaffa pushed forward relentlessly. But then—a new attack.Bullets. Not staff weapons.Jack’s stomach dropped. The shots were coming from inside their defenses."What the hell—" Jack spun, eyes scanning the chaotic battlefield. Too many bodies. Too much movement. Then he saw it—a flash of betrayal in the crossfire.Vasquez hadn’t been alone.Loyalists.Hidden deep within the remnants of Area 51, they had been waiting. Watching. And now, at the worst possible moment, they struck.A staff blast skimmed Jack’s shoulder. He barely felt it past the surge of adrenaline. He turned, raising his weapon—only to freeze.Elena Vasquez.She stood just feet away, her eyes glowing with an unnatural gold, her smirk sharp enough to cut."General." The word was silk-laced venom.Jack didn’t lower his weapon. Didn’t move. He knew better than to flinch when staring down a predator."You always knew this would end one way."His jaw tightened.
Fucking snake.
Jack had made a calculated risk working with her—a necessary evil to get to Sam and Benjamin. He had known she was dangerous, but she had been playing him all along."It doesn’t have to be like this, Vasquez." Jack’s voice was low, dangerous. "You got what you wanted—your child. You don’t need this war."She laughed—a cruel, knowing laugh."Oh, O’Neill." Vasquez stepped forward, unafraid, untouched by the chaos around them. Her voice was mocking, amused. "You still don’t understand, do you? My child will be raised under Moratus, under true power. And you—"Her gaze shifted.To Sam.A cold, sharp silence stretched between them."You are in the way."She moved.Too fast. Too damn fast.The blade flashed in her hand, aimed straight for Sam’s throat.Jack didn’t think. He acted.His weapon barked once. Then twice.Vasquez staggered, her lips parting in a silent breath, a crimson bloom spreading across her chest. Jack barely registered how she fell—the way her knees buckled, the slow collapse of someone who had once held all the cards but miscalculated the final hand.Her eyes locked onto his, the Goa’uld’s glow fading."You… truly never change…"Jack’s weapon was still raised. His fingers were still tight around the trigger. But the weight of the act settled on him like lead.Another choice. Another kill. Another ghost.She hit the ground, her glowing eyes dimming, the Goa’uld’s presence flickering out like a dying flame.Jack didn’t lower his weapon. He didn’t move.The room around him was still chaos—distant shouts, the hum of failing power systems, the lingering scent of scorched metal. But in that moment, all he saw was Vasquez.He’d known this would happen. Known from the moment he’d made the deal with her that it would come to this. She was always playing her own game, always angling for control. And yet, standing over her now, gun still trained on a body that no longer needed killing—he felt it. That old, familiar weight.He should feel relief. Should feel justified. But all he felt was tired.A soft breath, a ghost of movement. His mind played a trick on him, making it seem like Vasquez twitched—like she might get back up. He’d seen it before. Men who should’ve died, who refused to stay down.Jack’s breath came slow and deliberate. His finger twitched on the trigger, instinct screaming at him to fire again.But she was already gone.Still, he waited. Waited for the regret to creep in. Waited for the second-guessing, the what-ifs, the questions he already knew had no answers.None came.Instead, there was only a quiet, sinking acceptance.Sam took a cautious step forward, her voice soft but certain. "Jack…"He didn’t look at her. Couldn’t—not yet. He exhaled sharply, blinking against the sting behind his eyes, before finally lowering his weapon.Sam watched him, understanding the unspoken grief behind his clenched jaw. She had seen that look before—when he lost men under his command. And now, she saw it again, knowing this moment would follow him, just like all the others.Jack swallowed hard, his fingers twitching at his side—the trigger pull still fresh in his muscles.Sam’s voice was gentle but firm. "We don’t have time."Jack let out a slow breath. The war wasn’t over. The fight wasn’t done.He forced his shoulders to straighten, forced his body to move. A soldier's grief was never given time to settle. Not in war. Not in survival."Yeah," he murmured, stepping over Vasquez’s body. "Let’s go."Jack tried to blink away the images burned into his mind. But even as he forced himself to move, he stole one last glance at Vasquez’s motionless form. The blood was already cooling. The Goa’uld was dead. But the weight remained. The sharp scent of burnt ozone still clung to the air.A beat of silence settled over the room, the kind that only came after something irrevocable had happened. Then, Sam exhaled, shifting Benjamin into her arms. Jack forced himself to look back at his team.“We need to move,” Mercer rasped, pulling himself upright against the wall. His face was pale, sweat-slicked from exhaustion and blood loss, but his grip on his weapon was still steady.Daniel crouched beside Vasquez’s body, nudging the side of her head with his pistol before muttering, “She did like playing the long game. Guess this one didn’t end in her favor.”Jack’s jaw tightened.“Yeah, well, I’m not sticking around for overtime.”They had barely gotten out of that fight, and Jack wasn’t in the mood to stick around and see what failsafe Vasquez might have left behind. If she had played him from the beginning, there was a good chance she’d set them up for something worse.Sam adjusted Benjamin in his carrier, her hands tightening instinctively around the straps.“We need to reach the vault and regroup. If Vasquez had others backing her, there should be more in the facility.”Mercer wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.“There are more.”Jack’s gaze snapped to him. Something about Mercer’s tone sent a chill up his spine.“What?”Mercer pushed off the wall, wincing.“I saw movement before you hit Vasquez. Shadows in the east wing. It could’ve been a patrol. Could’ve been reinforcements.” He exhaled sharply, rubbing at the blood smeared across his jaw. “Either way, we’re not alone.”The room went still.Jack scanned the dim corridors beyond. No movement. No sound. But the weight of unseen eyes pressed against his skin. They weren’t alone, and the enemy knew it.Daniel let out a breath, dragging a hand down his face."Great. Just once, I’d like to walk into a Goa’uld-controlled facility and not have it be a trap."Jack turned toward the door, his grip tightening around his sidearm."Let’s not wait for them to spring it."They moved quickly, keeping to the shadows, Sam guiding them toward a secondary exit she remembered from the old layout of Area 51. Every step felt heavier, tension curling in Jack’s gut like a warning he couldn’t quite place.They were halfway down the corridor when Sam suddenly stiffened.Jack felt it a second later. A subtle shift in the air—not movement, not sound, but pressure. Like a storm rolling in just beneath the surface.Then he heard it.A faint hiss.The air vents.Jack’s gut twisted. No. No, no—Mercer swore under his breath. “Gas. They’re gassing us out.”A beat of silence. Then—The emergency lights flickered. A metallic clunk echoed through the ceiling vents.And then the fight was on again. Sam pulled up a nearby schematic. "We can shut it down, but someone has to go into a separate base section. The controls aren’t here."Daniel took a breath. "I’ll do it.""Daniel—" Jack started, but Daniel was already moving. "Just buy me time."Mercer steadied himself. "Jack, we need to hold this position."Jack nodded grimly. "Then we hold."Blasts slammed into the walls. The hallway exploded with chaos. Jack dove for cover, his weapon spitting fire at the advancing Jaffa. Mercer didn’t flinch. He charged headlong, tearing through the enemy. An elbow cracked a Jaffa’s throat. One down. He swung a stolen staff weapon, the blow sending another sprawling. Two down. But then Jack saw it—the stumble. Mercer was fast—too fast for a man running on fumes. His body betrayed him. Still, he fought on. A staff weapon raised behind him—too close. Jack didn’t think. He moved.Mercer moved first.And then the Veil Guard charged, splitting into deadly pairs, each targeting an opponent. The battle fractured into brutal one-on-one fights.The Veil Guard Commander lunged, swinging a Shroud Lance in a deadly arc. Jack ducked, the weapon slicing through the air with a hiss. He retaliated with a sharp jab to the ribs, but the warrior twisted with inhuman speed, slamming a fist into Jack’s gut. Staggering, Jack rolled away just as the lance gouged the floor, sparks flying. He reached for his sidearm, aimed, and fired. No finesse, just precision. One shot—dead.Sam faced the Veil Guard, Pulse Daggers flashing as she dodged and countered with precision. A discarded staff weapon caught her eye. Grabbing it, she fired at point-blank range, staggering her opponent but not dropping him. The fight continued a brutal dance of survival. Then Benjamin cried—a piercing, unnatural sound reverberating through the halls. The Veil Guard froze, clutching his head, and collapsed. Sam glanced at her son, now cooing innocently. She kissed his forehead with a small, shaky smile.“Thanks, baby. We’ll talk about that later.”Sam sprinted into a side lab, her breath coming fast and shallow. Dust coated the consoles, and overturned equipment suggested a hasty evacuation. But in the center of the room, partially draped with a thick tarp, she found a large circular platform with faintly glowing glyphs embedded along its metallic rim.Her heart pounded as she tore the tarp away, revealing an old SGC experiment—the teleportation device."Oh, this is either a miracle or a disaster waiting to happen," she muttered, running her fingers over the worn control panel. The interface flickered erratically, and years of neglect had left it barely functional.Jack stumbled in behind her, weapon raised."Carter? What the hell is that?""A prototype," she answered quickly. "SGC worked on it years ago, reverse-engineering elements of Asgard and Tok’ra teleportation tech. But it was never completed—not safely."Jack’s eyes scanned the strange glyphs."Where does it lead?"Sam shook her head, pressing several buttons that flashed warnings across the display. "That’s the problem. We have no control over the destination. The original research was shut down because there was no way to pinpoint a safe exit."Jack scowled. "So we jump and hope we don’t end up in the middle of space?""Not space," Sam reassured him, though her tone was uncertain. "But anywhere. Another base, another world, maybe even another timeline."The console let out a harsh warning beep. Power levels were unstable."It’s risky," she admitted. "But it might be our only shot."Jack glanced at the lab doors, hearing Jaffa's heavy footfalls closing in. He exhaled sharply, gripping his weapon tighter."Then we make it work."“I’ll need time to calibrate the system and…see if I make it work,” Sam said as she pressed several buttons.Jack rechecked his ammo and gave her a quick kiss.“Do it. I’ll buy you some time,” he said, leaving. In a corridor not far from the lab, Daniel, who had just been ridden of one Jaffa, suddenly was standing in front of a Veil Guard Tactician. Forced into a narrow corridor, Daniel relied on his wits, using the environment to his advantage. He knocked over heavy storage crates, momentarily pinning his attacker. Using the opening, he grabbed a concealed pistol and fired, taking the warrior down before rolling back into cover.Next to them, Gar’lon stepped forward. Moratus’s First Prime. A mountain of a warrior, methodical and ruthless. Gar’lon and Mercer clashed, a brutal exchange of blows that left the walls painted with their struggle. Mercer was fast and adaptive, but Gar’lon was more potent and experienced. It was a fight of endurance versus power. Mercer’s breath came in sharp, shallow bursts, each one a reminder of the wounds he carried—not just on his body, but in his soul. Every step felt heavier, but he pushed forward, knowing this would be his last fight. If this were his end, he would make it matter.Jack arrived in time to see Mercer falter. He was slowing down.No.With a last, desperate move, Mercer drove his knife into Gar’lon’s side—but the Jaffa did not fall alone. He took Mercer down with him.Mercer hit the ground hard, his breath ragged. Jack caught him as he fell."I’m done, O’Neill. Leave me."Jack’s grip tightened. "Not happening."He hoisted Mercer up, but the man groaned in protest, his strength fading fast."Jack, leave me.""Shut up and move," Jack growled, practically dragging him through the door.Daniel slammed the console, sealing the blast doors as a staff blast barely missed his shoulder. Sparks rained down."That won’t hold them long!" Daniel snapped."It just has to hold long enough," Jack muttered. "Carter, tell me we’re ready!"Inside, Sam worked furiously to complete the final calibrations. Benjamin stirred in the makeshift carrier strapped to her chest. His tiny hands clenched into fists, his breathing quickening.Every second felt like an eternity as she struggled to override the teleportation settings. The first sign of Moratus’s presence was not sound—but the absence of everything else.One by one, the gunfire, the Jaffa’s battle cries, and the distant hum of failing power systems vanished. The facility’s lights dimmed to a sickly, flickering glow.The temperature dropped.Jack’s breath curled in the sudden chill. A prickle of static danced over his skin, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. Something ancient had arrived.Daniel's fingers twitched over his weapon, his expression tight.Sam barely breathed, pressing Benjamin tighter against her chest.Then—the monitors flickered.And Moratus stepped into view.He strode through the facility with an eerie calm, his golden eyes gleaming, his dark armor flowing like liquid shadow. The Veil Guard moved in perfect synchrony behind him—silent, unflinching, deadly."Tau’ri…" Moratus's smooth, controlled voice echoed through the facility’s speakers—a predator savoring the chase. "You cannot run forever."Jack and Daniel exchanged a look. Area 51 had no working PA system anymore.Sam’s fingers tightened on the console. He was speaking directly into the walls.Then, the doors unraveled.Not bursting open. Not melting. Unraveling.Jack had seen metal warp before under alien tech, but never like this. The reinforced security doors peeled apart strand by strand, turning to dust at Moratus’s command. The barricades Daniel had sealed? Gone. The emergency blast doors? Dissolved, atom by atom.On the flickering security feed, Moratus strode forward, a slow, measured pace that made the seconds stretch unbearably. His golden eyes gleamed, his dark armor blending into the shadows of the ruined corridor."I am coming."The words slithered through the lab, reverberating through metal and stone. Jack’s pulse pounded. No comms. No PA system. Moratus was speaking directly into the walls."Oh, that’s not fair," Daniel muttered. He was across from Jack, pressed against an overturned table, one eye on the crumbling entryway.Jack swore, crouched near a toppled workstation, weapon raised."We need to move. Now."Mercer leaned against the lab wall, barely upright, gripping a bloodied side, defending Sam and Benjamin who were completely exposed.Sam was still at the teleportation device, frantically working on the controls. The console’s weak glow cast her face in flickering light, beads of sweat gathering at her temple. She needed time. Time they didn’t have.The overhead lights flickered erratically, failing in rapid succession. The air itself grew heavy—charged with something unnatural. A pull. Like gravity had shifted toward Moratus.Then the corridor bent.Not physically—but perceptually. A warping of reality itself. The walls seemed to stretch toward the approaching figure, the floor tilting imperceptibly in his direction. Jack tightened his grip on his weapon, but his fingers felt slow—like the air had thickened, resisting movement.Moratus wasn’t just walking through Area 51.He was reshaping it.And he was getting closer. Finally, Moratus arrived at the lab where they were hidden. He nodded to his Jaffa, who started to attack the metal doors.Jack’s spine prickled. A shadow stretched under the doorframe, unmoving. Silent. Watching.Then, the voice came. Smooth. Controlled. A predator savoring the moment before the strike.“Come now, O’Neill.”The door rattled—not from pounding, but something deeper. A hum. A pull of energy shifting in the air. Jack’s jaw clenched.“We need not be enemies,” Moratus mused. “But resistance is such a tiresome game, don’t you think?”Silence.Moratus sighed dramatically.“Surely you must know, I seek only the child. Hand him over, and you may walk free.”Jack pressed his back against the door, teeth clenched.“Yeah, I don’t think so.”“Stubborn,” Moratus mused. “You cling to hope, O’Neill, but hope is a fleeting shadow in the face of inevitability. The child’s potential surpasses your primitive understanding. With him, I will shape a future where resistance is meaningless.”No answer.Moratus’s voice darkened.“Defy me, and I will burn this place with you all inside. There will be no escape.”Outside, the door rattled violently. Jack pressed against it, yelling, “Sam, now would be a great time!”The teleportation device roared to life, its hum rising to a piercing whine. Sam’s fingers flew across the console, which beeped frantically, a warning flashing red—Power reserves: 2 minutes.Sam barely heard it over the pounding at the doors. Veil Guard weapons scorched the doors, molten metal dripping like wax. Sparks flew. The air smelled of burning steel. The barricade groaned. It wouldn’t last.Still, her fingers flew across the controls, adjusting the unstable energy field. It wasn’t ready. Not yet.Behind her, Benjamin whimpered.Her breath hitched.He was pressed close to her chest in the carrier, his tiny body warm against hers, unaware of the chaos around them. His little hands curled into the fabric of her jacket, his breathing quickening with the tension in the air. He was scared.Sam forced down the panic clawing at her throat and touched his back gently, soothing him as best she could."Shh, sweetheart," she whispered, kissing his temple softly. "I’ve got you. Mommy’s got you."She closed her eyes for half a second, inhaling the faint scent of his baby shampoo, committing the moment to memory. If this didn’t work—if something went wrong—she needed him to know that she had fought for him. That she had done everything.Sam gritted her teeth, her fingers flying over the controls. "I need at least another sixty seconds to stabilize the field—otherwise, we could end up anywhere!""One minute, Carter!" Jack urged.Sam exhaled shakily and forced herself to let go of the fear. Her son needed her to be steady and strong."I love you, baby," she murmured, tightening her grip on him. "We’re leaving."Mercer exhaled sharply. Every breath burned in his lungs, a cruel reminder of the body that had begun to betray him long before this mission.“I’m slowing you down. You go, I’ll hold them back.” His voice was ragged but resolute.Jack’s jaw tightened. “That’s not how we do things.”For a moment, Mercer hesitated. Once, he would have fought tooth and nail to stay alive, to see another sunrise. But those days had long since passed. Now, as death hovered at the edges of his vision, his mind wandered to the things he’d left undone.Faces blurred in Mercer’s memory—those he’d lost and failed to protect. Regret curled inside him like a cold fist. But a strange peace settled over him as his gaze landed on Benjamin, nestled against Sam’s chest. Maybe his purpose had shifted. Perhaps this last act of defiance, of ensuring their survival, could offer him some redemption.Daniel and Jack moved to either side of him, dragging him toward the device. He protested weakly, but Jack shot him a look that brooked no argument.“You’re coming with us.”Sam barely spared him a glance, her focus locked on the failing system. The countdown ticked down to 40 seconds, and the warning alarms screeched."The core’s overheating!" she cursed, slamming the emergency override. The device pulsed, stabilizing momentarily, but the energy fluctuations continued.30 seconds. The doors disappeared suddenly as Moratus's patience ended."Jack, we have to go—NOW!" Daniel yelled.Jack dragged Mercer toward the pad. "Carter hit it!"Sam pressed the final command just as Moratus stepped through, his golden eyes narrowing. "Too late."5 seconds.The device surged to life, the energy field enveloping them. Mercer let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Loyalty wasn’t just words—it was action. And perhaps, in this one final action, he could find a measure of peace.Jack’s gaze locked on Moratus, unwavering.“Not today,” he growled, his voice edged with defiance. The Goa’uld’s smug grin faltered for a fraction of a second as the teleportation device surged, bathing the room in light.And they were gone. The teleportation device powered down with a sputtering whine, its energy field collapsing into a faint shimmer before darkening. The room was silent except for the sound of their labored breathing.Jack tightened his grip on his weapon as he scanned their surroundings. Gone was the familiar sterility of Area 51. The walls around them were dark and metallic, illuminated by a faint, eerie green glow emanating from unfamiliar glyphs etched into the surfaces.Sam adjusted Benjamin in the carrier, her brow furrowing as she took in their surroundings. "This… isn’t Area 51," she murmured, her voice tinged with unease."No kidding," Jack muttered, sweeping the room with his gaze. "Carter, where the hell did you send us?"Sam froze mid-step, then slowly turned to face him. The exhaustion, the stress, the months of running, fighting, surviving—it all boiled over at once. She blinked at him, then let out a sharp, humorless laugh."Are you serious?" she snapped, voice tight. "Where did I send us? Oh, I don’t know, Jack. Maybe somewhere that isn’t currently being invaded by a megalomaniac with a god complex! Do you think I had time to plot out the coordinates? I was a little pressed for time!"Jack exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I didn’t mean—""No, go ahead!" she cut him off, her tone sharp with frustration. "If you’d rather go back to Earth, back to Moratus, I can start working on that right now! Because clearly, I should’ve taken a moment, amid our imminent deaths, to check for a scenic destination."Still scanning their eerie new surroundings, Jack let out a dry chuckle."I mean, maybe Earth with Moratus wasn’t so bad."Sam stilled. The air in the room seemed to drop in temperature despite the oppressive heat radiating from the glyphs."You can’t be serious," she said, her voice barely above a whisper but laced with something dangerous.Jack looked up, realizing a second too late that he’d crossed a line. "Sam, come on—"She turned away. "Don’t. Just—don’t talk to me."Jack sighed, rubbing his temple. "Look, I was just trying to—"Sam let out a bitter laugh, the kind that held no humor. "Trying to what, Jack? Make a joke out of everything? Deflect, because it’s easier than admitting we don’t know what’s next?"Jack stiffened, his jaw tightening. "Oh, come on, Sam. Don’t do this right now.""Right now?" she repeated, incredulous. "We just barely escaped a megalomaniac bent on taking our son, landed in god knows where, and your first instinct is to joke about going back?!"Jack exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn’t mean it like that."Sam shook her head, her grip on Benjamin tightening. "Then what did you mean, Jack? Because all I hear is you making light of something that nearly got us killed."Jack hesitated. The frustration in her voice wasn’t just about this moment—it was months, maybe years, of strain finally breaking through. He opened his mouth, searching for something to say that wouldn’t make it worse. But the words weren’t there.Sam scoffed, turning away. "Forget it."Jack ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath."Can’t take a joke anymore, Carter?"Sam froze. Slowly, she turned back to face him, her expression a mix of disbelief and barely restrained fury."You think this is funny?" Her voice was low, edged with something dangerous.Jack lifted his hands in frustration. "For crying out loud, Sam, I didn’t—"Then, the shift.Benjamin stirred in Sam’s arms, his tiny fingers curling into her jacket. The air thickened—not metaphorically, but literally. A strange pressure pressed against Jack’s chest, heavy and suffocating. The temperature in the room spiked, a ripple of static electricity crackling through the air before—Boom.Jack was airborne. He barely registered the force before he slammed against the far wall, hitting the ground in a hard sprawl. The impact knocked the breath out of him.Silence.Sam’s breath was ragged. She clutched Benjamin close, her hands trembling slightly as she rocked him. His tiny body had gone still, but the residual energy still crackled in the air around them.Jack groaned, rolling onto his side. His body ached, but his pride hurt more. He had pissed Sam off before—plenty of times—but never like this.Never enough to make their son react like that."What the hell was that?" Jack’s voice was quiet, but the edge remained. Not anger—fear.He swallowed, sitting up slowly, his gaze flicking toward Sam.But she wasn’t looking at him.She was looking at Benjamin.Her face was pale, her breath unsteady. Because she had just realized something Jack was only beginning to understand.Benjamin wasn’t just reacting. He was protecting her.From Jack.Jack swallowed hard, unease creeping up his spine. "Sam—"She turned sharply, her expression unreadable. "Just give me a minute."With that, she walked away, Benjamin held close, leaving Jack standing there—aching, confused, and, for the first time in a long time, uncertain if his son even saw him as someone worth trusting. Sam found a quiet corner away from the others and lowered herself onto the metallic floor. She adjusted Benjamin in her arms, his small face still warm against her chest. His breathing was steady now, his earlier distress seemingly forgotten. But Sam knew better.She brushed a gentle hand through his curls, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead."Thank you, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I know you were just trying to protect me."Benjamin’s tiny fingers curled around a strand of her hair, his bright eyes locking onto hers. There was something knowing in his gaze, something beyond simple infant curiosity. Sam felt it—an unspoken awareness between them.She smiled softly. "But listen to me, baby. Jack—Daddy—he’s not our enemy. He loves us. He loves you. He would never hurt us."Benjamin blinked at her, his little brow furrowing as if trying to understand. Sam traced a fingertip over his cheek. "I know how you feel when I’m hurt. And I know that made you act. But Daddy wasn’t a threat. He was just upset, just like me. We’re all tired, sweetheart. We’ve all been through so much."Benjamin made a quiet sound, something between a hum and a sigh, his tiny body pressing deeper into her. Sam felt the warmth fade, his energy settling. She let out a breath, relieved."You’re so special, my love," she murmured, hugging him close. "And I promise, I’ll help you understand all of this. You’re not alone. We’ll figure it out together."Benjamin’s fingers uncurled, his tiny hand resting against her chest, his trust in her absolute. Sam closed her eyes momentarily, holding onto him as she steadied herself. Then, slowly, she exhaled and stood, ready to face whatever came next—together. When Sam returned to the group, she found Jack standing stiffly, his arms crossed, his expression uncertain. He looked at her with something between guilt and hesitation, his fingers twitching at his sides like he wasn’t sure if he should reach for her or keep his distance.Sam stopped before him, letting the silence stretch briefly before speaking softly."Jack… he wasn’t attacking you. He was protecting me. He felt my hurt and reacted."Jack stared at her for a beat, then exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face. "Fantastic," he muttered. "So my kid just body-slammed me because my bad jokes piss you off now?"Sam didn’t smile. "This isn’t a joke, Jack."Jack let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… I’m sorry."She gave him a small, tired smile. "He loves you. He doesn’t understand yet."Jack hesitated for only a second before finally stepping closer, pressing a kiss to the top of Benjamin’s head."Sorry, kid. Didn’t mean to scare you."Benjamin cooed softly, his tiny hand reaching Jack’s face, fingers brushing his cheek. Jack exhaled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders."All right," Jack said, clearing his throat. "Now that we’ve all had our bonding moment let’s figure out where the hell we just landed." The air was thick with an oppressive stillness as if the very concept of time had unraveled. The corridors stretched impossibly long, then coiled back into themselves when no one was looking. Walls pulsed subtly, shifting positions in the periphery of vision, their surfaces a blend of liquid shimmer and solid stone, as if reality itself couldn’t decide what form to take.The floor was worse. At first glance, it was smooth and metallic, but with every step, it felt different. Sometimes, it was solid, sometimes like walking on the edge of a vast void. Some areas looked infinite until one foot passed over the threshold, and suddenly, the ground was gone, an illusion so perfectly crafted that it sent the heart racing.Gravity betrayed them in subtle, nauseating ways. One moment, steps felt heavy, pulling them downward, the next, a push from below sent them nearly weightless. Daniel staggered as a sudden shift sent him half-floating before he caught himself against a cold, rippling column—one that was neither solid nor liquid but something in between.Light behaved as if it, too, were alive. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, twisting even when there was no movement to cause them. The dim glow lining the corridors flickered in an eerie rhythm, matching the frantic beating of their hearts. Sometimes, the illumination came not from above but from the walls themselves, pulsing with an unsteady breath—as if the Abyss was watching, waiting.Jack’s first clue that something was wrong was the silence.Not the tactical quiet of a team in motion. Not even the eerie stillness of an abandoned base. This was something else. A silence that pressed against his ears, thick and unnatural.His grip on his weapon tightened. The Goa’uld facility had been filled with the distant hum of failing systems, the rasp of breath, the quiet drip, drip of leaking coolant from fractured pipes. But now?Nothing.A shiver crawled up Jack’s spine as the ground beneath him shifted—not physically, but perceptually. Like gravity itself had decided to tilt for just a fraction of a second. His stomach lurched in protest."Carter—" He turned, but his voice came out strange, muffled like it was traveling through water.Sam was there, gripping Benjamin tightly, eyes darting around, wide and alert. She felt it too. Daniel was mid-step, his posture rigid like he’d just realized the floor beneath him might not be real.Mercer swore under his breath. “Anyone else—” He stopped, shaking his head sharply, as if trying to clear something from his mind.Then, the lights flickered. Not like a power surge. Not like anything natural. One second, harsh fluorescent white. The next, an unsettling deep blue glow that cast everything in long, shifting shadows. Then, nothing at all.And when the light returned…They definetly weren’t in Area 51 anymore.Jack inhaled sharply, his pulse spiking. They were standing in the control room at the SGC.But it wasn’t real.He knew it the second he saw the way the edges of the room blurred—like an old videotape warping, shapes distorting before snapping back into place. The walls seemed to breathe. The Stargate stood silent, inactive, but wrong.Jack took a step forward, his breath coming fast. His boots echoed too loudly against the floor.A whisper, just at the edge of hearing.
“You were never enough.”
Jack turned sharply, heart hammering. But there was no one there. Just the illusion.Mercer inhaled sharply, weapon raised. "I hate this place."Daniel, running his fingers along a section of the wall that felt like smooth glass yet gave slightly under pressure, muttered, "This isn’t just a structure. It’s… reacting to us."A low hum reverberated through the space as if answering. The corridor ahead flickered, then elongated further into the darkness. The way back had already changed. Jack’s gut clenched. The air had changed.It wasn’t just heavy—it was wrong. The walls pulsed, their eerie green glyphs flickering like dying embers. The space around them twisted subtly, shifting when he wasn’t looking.A heartbeat.Daniel stepped forward, his gaze drawn to the glyphs. He ran his fingers along the surface, feeling the faint hum of energy beneath his fingertips."These symbols... they're ancient. Older than anything we've encountered before. They tell a story..." His brow furrowed in concentration. "A civilization once stood here, advanced beyond measure. They tried to control something—contain it. But they failed."Jack exhaled sharply."Fantastic. So we’re stuck in a haunted ruin with something no one could stop."Mercer leaned against the cold metal wall, his breath ragged."We’re stuck in some kind of sentient nightmare?"Daniel's fingers hovered over a symbol larger than the rest—one that pulsed as if aware of his attention. His eyes narrowed. "No… not just a nightmare. It has a name."Sam shifted Benjamin against her chest, frowning. "What do you mean?"Daniel swallowed, tracing the inscription. The glyphs shimmered, forming something more pronounced, deliberate—not just a label, but a warning.He spoke the translation aloud, his voice tight. "The Abyss."A heavy silence fell over them.Jack rolled his shoulders, gripping his weapon tighter."Oh, well, that’s just great. Real comforting name."Daniel’s voice was grim. "The inscriptions say it doesn’t just exist here—it spreads. Consumes. It doesn’t kill outright. It… breaks people."The walls rippled, reacting to the words, as if acknowledging their realization.Jack exhaled sharply. "Okay, officially hate this place."Sam adjusted her hold on Benjamin, shifting him closer to her chest. The baby had gone still, unusually quiet, his small form tense as though sensing something they couldn’t yet see.A faint but tangible pulse ran through the walls, like the deep thrumming of a distant heartbeat. The glyphs flared, their glow intensifying for a moment before dimming again. The air seemed to tighten around them, pressing in subtly, almost imperceptibly.Sam glanced at Daniel."Did you touch something?"Daniel shook his head, stepping back."No. I think it's reacting to us."The pulse came again, this time stronger. The lights flickered, shadows deepening in unnatural ways, stretching where they shouldn’t. The corridor they had come from was no longer visible—it had vanished into darkness. Again. Then came the first whisper.It wasn’t a voice. Not at first. Just a ripple at the edge of his thoughts, like fingers skimming the surface of his mind. Jack stiffened, his grip tightening on his weapon."Did anyone else hear that?"Mercer nodded, swallowing."Yeah. And I don't think we're alone."Daniel stiffened as a soft voice drifted through the air, calling his name with a familiar lilt. Sha’re. He turned sharply, but there was nothing. Only the shadows shifted in unnatural ways. His fingers clenched into fists as he forced himself to move forward.Sam paled as another voice joined the others. "You shouldn’t be here, Sam." Her father’s voice. A warning heavy with regret. She swallowed hard, shaking her head, refusing to let it sink in.Sam blinked, and suddenly, Jack and the others were gone. She stood alone, Benjamin clutched in her arms. The oppressive silence wrapped around her like a vice. Her breathing hitched. No. No, this wasn’t real."Jack?" Her voice wavered. The corridor stretched endlessly ahead, but behind her, the walls closed in, suffocating. The light flickered, revealing a flickering image—a shattered helmet abandoned in the dirt, the familiar patch of Jack’s unit barely visible beneath the dust. "No. That’s not real."A whisper slithered through the darkness. He left. You were a burden. He ran when the time came.Sam clenched her jaw, shaking her head. "No. He wouldn’t."
Wouldn’t he? You always knew he was afraid of this. Fearful of being a father. Afraid of you.
Her grip on Benjamin tightened. She forced herself to move forward, one foot at a time. Not real. Not real.Meanwhile, Jack heard something.A laugh.Faint. Distant. Familiar.Jack’s blood ran cold.No.The shadows thickened, pooling at his feet, stretching toward him like hungry things. His breath came sharp and uneven as the space around him collapsed. Not literally—but perceptually.The Abyss pulled.And suddenly—he was somewhere else.The SGC.Jack stood in the control room, but something was off. The walls pulsed like a living thing. The air was thick with the scent of burnt ozone and static. His boots echoed too loudly against the floor.The Stargate was dialing.He hadn’t activated it.Jack’s stomach dropped as the chevrons locked into place, one by one. The event horizon flared into existence with a low, unnatural hum—not the usual kawoosh, but something deeper, as if space itself had been torn open.And on the other side—A small figure.Standing alone.Benjamin.Jack’s breath hitched. His son was staring at him through the shimmering blue wall of energy, unmoving, unblinking. The tiny details were wrong. His face was too still. His blue eyes were empty, hollow.Jack tried to step forward—tried to call out—but his voice didn’t come. His legs felt like lead. The Abyss held him there, forcing him to watch.Then—Benjamin moved.Not walked. Not ran. Shifted. A stuttering, unnatural movement, as if time had skipped a frame.Jack’s pulse pounded. "No—"
You already lost him.
The voice slithered through his mind, smooth and venomous.Jack clenched his teeth. "Shut up."
You were never meant to be his father.
The Stargate flickered, and suddenly—He wasn’t looking at Benjamin anymore.He was looking at Charlie.Jack’s throat locked. His son—his first son—stood at the bottom of the ramp, as he should have been. Not a memory, not a broken thing lost to time, but real. Whole.Charlie grinned up at him, his bright eyes filled with warmth."Dad?"Jack took an instinctive step forward—then stopped.The moment stretched too long. The silence rang in his ears.Charlie tilted his head, his smile widening just a fraction too much.Jack’s stomach twisted.Something was wrong.Charlie lifted a hand toward him, fingers curling slightly. "Why did you leave me?"Jack’s breath stilled."I didn’t—"The air rippled.Charlie’s expression fractured—his warm eyes turning cold, his face twisting with something dark and jagged."You let me die."The world snapped.Jack stumbled back, his breath ragged, his chest tight. The SGC control room was gone—vanished like a dream breaking apart.The Abyss laughed.Not out loud. Not in sound. But inside him. A deep, insidious presence coiling through his bones, pressing against the weak places in his mind.
She doesn’t need you.
The words cut deeper than any wound. Jack squeezed his eyes shut, fists clenched so tightly his nails bit into his palms.
"You were always going to fail."
A sharp, desperate scream tore through the illusion.Jack’s eyes snapped open.Reality rushed back.The shadows recoiled. The Abyss’s grip loosened—but the damage had been done.Jack was still shaking when he turned toward Sam and Benjamin, their forms now solid and real.His hands were steady on his weapon. His heart was not.Jack exhaled sharply, locking his emotions down hard."Go to hell," he muttered.The Abyss did not answer.But it didn’t need to.Sam gasped as reality snapped back into place. Jack was there. They weren’t alone.She pressed a hand to Benjamin’s back, steadying him."It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re leaving this place one way or the other." Then, they found it—a half-functioning, ancient and dust-covered console, its cracked screen flickering with intermittent static. Daniel approached cautiously, brushing away the grime. As he worked, fragmented logs played in distorted voices, echoes of a long-dead civilization. Their words spoke of desperation, of an attempt to study—or contain—what lurked within the Abyss.One message remained clear, burned into the system as if its creators had tried to leave one last warning: “The Abyss does not consume the body. It devours the soul.”Daniel’s fingers tightened around the edge of the console. He swallowed hard, reading further. More text scrolled across the screen, words fractured yet clear in their meaning: “It doesn’t kill outright. It breaks, manipulates, possesses.”Jack exhaled, shifting uneasily. "Well, that’s not ominous at all."Daniel’s fingers hovered over a particularly elaborate glyph."These markings... they aren't just history. They're warnings. They describe how the Abyss... feeds."Sam stiffened. "Feeds on what?"Daniel turned slowly, his expression grim. "Us."The console flickered once more before shorting out completely. Silence fell over the group as the meaning of the message settled in. The Abyss wasn’t just watching. The Abyss wasn’t just a prison. It wasn’t just sentient.It was hungry.It was waiting to claim them. Suddenly, Jack caught a flicker in his peripheral vision—something not quite right. The walls darkened, and shadows bled into each other until they formed a scene around him.Then he saw it.A body on the ground. Blood pooling into the dust.Charlie.Jack’s breath hitched. The room around him vanished, replaced by his house, his gun, and the weight of his failure pressing down on his shoulders like a vice. He heard the shot again and saw the way his son had fallen, lifeless, before he could reach him.Jack gasped, his knees nearly buckling.“No,” he rasped. “Not real. It’s not real.”Sam’s sharp cry tore through the illusion, grounding him. Jack turned—only to see Benjamin being wrenched from her arms. Hands of pure darkness pulled the child away, dragging him into the shifting void. Sam screamed Benjamin’s name, her fingers clawing at empty air, helpless.“Give him back!”Jack lunged forward, but the vision twisted, contorting as if the Abyss fed on their panic. A cruel whisper echoed in his mind.
You cannot fight what is inside you.
Daniel had staggered back from the glyphs, his face pale as if he had seen something unspeakable. Mercer collapsed to one knee, his breaths turning ragged. His hands shook as he clenched them into fists.“No,” Mercer gasped, his voice hoarse with terror. “Not again.” His vision was different—his body betraying him, limbs failing, the weight of mortality pressing down. He was trapped in a decaying shell, unable to fight back.They were unraveling.Sam clenched her teeth, forcing herself to think through the horror.Illusions. It’s trying to break us.“Jack!” she called, her voice strained. “It’s using our worst fears!”Jack barely heard her, trapped in his nightmare, until Sam grabbed his wrist and squeezed.“Look at me!” she snapped. “None of this is real!”Jack blinked. The blood, the floor, Charlie’s motionless body—it flickered. He clenched his jaw, forcing his mind to reject the illusion.Then, the air thickened around Benjamin. The child, previously clutched tightly against Sam, suddenly went rigid. The glyphs along the walls pulsed violently, sending energy waves toward him. Benjamin's bright blue eyes glowed eerily, his tiny body trembling as if an unseen force sought to pull him away.The Abyss tested him.A voice, deeper and more insidious than before, echoed through the chamber.
He is not yours to keep. He is ours.
Benjamin whimpered, and the Abyss whispered back. His glow flickered—gold shifting to deep black. The shadows writhed, responding. Jack felt his stomach drop.“Sam—” But Benjamin turned his glowing blue eyes toward him, and for a single, chilling moment, they weren’t his son’s eyes at all.Jack’s heart pounded. No. No, no, no.Then—Benjamin twitched. A minuscule movement, barely more than a flinch. But Jack knew what he had seen. A puppet’s string, yanked.The Abyss had touched him. Even for a second.Sam yanked Benjamin back into her arms, clutching him tightly. His glow flickered violently, a battle raging within him. Jack reached for his weapon, for anything—but what the hell was he supposed to fight?Sam’s voice was raw with desperation. “You don’t get to take him.”The Abyss's voice was almost amused. Not yet.Benjamin shuddered, and then, with another pulse of golden energy, the vision shattered. He whimpered softly, pressing his face against Sam's chest, and the shadows trembled in agitation.Jack turned sharply to Sam, who was kissing her son’s head and holding him tight."You didn't tell me it was this bad."Sam shot him a glare."I didn’t know! We barely understand what’s happening to him."Jack’s voice rose."Well, it sure as hell seems like you’ve been keeping things from me. You think I wouldn't want to know my own son is some kind of—""Don't you dare say it," Sam snapped, stepping forward, her body tense. "He is our son, Jack. And I am doing everything I can to keep him safe. Maybe instead of yelling at me, you could try helping."Jack clenched his fists, exhaling harshly."I’m trying, but it feels like I’m always ten steps behind."Sam's expression softened just slightly."You think I’m not just as scared as you? Every second, Jack. Every second, I am terrified of what this means for him."The tension hung between them, thick and charged.Then Benjamin let out another cry—this time louder and deeper. The air vibrated with raw energy before a wave of golden light exploded outward, slamming into both of them and forcing them apart.The Abyss recoiled violently, screeching as its form flickered.Daniel coughed, gripping a wall."Okay—enough arguing! We need to move now before it recovers!"Jack and Sam, still breathless, locked eyes for half a second before nodding. Whatever needed to be said would have to wait. Right now, survival comes first.Then, the shadows shifted.The illusions solidified. From the walls, from the darkness, things emerged. Wraithlike figures twisted into being, their limbs too long, their faces smooth and empty. The first lunged, its clawed fingers reaching for Sam.Jack raised his weapon and fired. The bullets struck something this time, forcing the creature back with a screech. Mercer swung at another, his fist slamming into its shifting form—only for the thing to grab his arm in return."They're real now!" Mercer shouted, wrenching free. "They can touch us!"Sam backed away, pressing Benjamin to her chest as one of the creatures slithered closer, its limbs reaching toward her. She gritted her teeth."Then we fight back."The Abyss's voice returned, its tone mocking. You are nothing but prey. You cannot win.The shadows twisted tighter, and more creatures formed from the inky blackness. They weren’t just random nightmares anymore—they were personal. A shape loomed before Jack, its form shifting until he saw something horrifyingly familiar.Charlie. Not as he remembered him, but as if he had never died, standing before him with accusing eyes."Dad?" Charlie's voice trembled, his tiny hands reaching out. "Why did you leave me?"Jack’s breath caught in his throat. "You're not real."Charlie’s face twisted into a look of sorrowful betrayal. "You let me die."Jack hesitated. And the moment he did, the Charlie-thing lunged.At the same time, Mercer cried out as something from his past emerged—a twisted version of him locked in a lab surrounded by scientists, tearing his body apart.The Abyss was no longer content to whisper. It was attacking them outright."Daniel!" Jack barked, snapping himself free of the illusion. "Figure out some damn exit now!"Daniel's hands flew over the glyphs."I'm trying, but it keeps shifting—like it's fighting back!"The Abyss roared, its entire presence pressing in around them. More figures emerged, clawing and grasping their worst memories into reality.Sam glanced at Benjamin. His glow had returned, but his tiny body trembled. He's trying to fight it.A desperate idea formed in her mind."Jack, if Benjamin could push it back before—maybe he can do it again."Jack hesitated, then looked at his son. Benjamin's tiny fists clenched, his blue eyes burning with defiance."All right, kid," Jack muttered, stepping closer to Sam. "Give it all you've got."Benjamin inhaled sharply—and then the room exploded in golden light.The creatures shrieked, their forms unraveling into nothingness. The Abyss howled, its rage reverberating through the chamber as the walls shook.Jack reached for Mercer, pulling him up."Daniel!"Daniel exhaled and returned to the glyphs, his fingers tracing new patterns."There's something more here. They didn't just record their failure—they left a way out. We need to move. There should be another chamber ahead." Then they found it—a portal—dormant but intact, its metallic frame embedded with glowing runes flickering weakly as if sensing their presence. Sam rushed to the console beside it, fingers flying across the controls."This could be our way out. If I can power it back up—"Jack stood guard while Mercer scanned the shadows warily. Daniel monitored the energy fluctuations, nodding."It’s holding steady. We just need—"The portal surged to life with a crackling hum. For a moment, relief flooded through them. But just as Sam activated the final sequence, the runes pulsed violently, their light inverting into a deep black void. A sudden pull yanked them forward, the portal’s energy warping around them.Instead of finding escape, they stumbled into another corridor—identical to the one they had just left.Jack’s breath hitched. "Wait… no. That’s not—"Movement.At first, just a flicker in his peripheral vision. A shadow shifting where it shouldn’t. His instincts screamed, his body tensed—but when he turned, what he saw made his stomach drop.Figures ahead. Moving cautiously.Not enemies. Not Jaffa.Themselves.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack’s pulse pounded. His gaze locked onto the impossible—an exact copy of their team, walking the same path they had taken just minutes ago.At first, he thought it was a reflection. The dim lighting, the slick, unnatural sheen to the walls—maybe a trick of the eye. But then his duplicate moved with the same tense alertness, scanning the corridor just as he had.Sam leaned over the console, her fingers ghosting over the same controls. Daniel muttered under his breath, reading the same inscriptions. Mercer, gripping his weapon like a lifeline, moved sluggishly, as if his exhaustion had been copied along with him.Jack’s stomach twisted. Something was wrong. Off.The air around them felt thicker now, almost pressurized. Like the space itself was watching, holding its breath.Jack licked his lips, voice low and firm."No."The others froze as they saw it too.Mercer swore under his breath."Tell me that’s not real."Daniel took a slow step forward, eyes flickering with unease.“It’s… it’s us.”Then, the copies noticed them.Not all at once. Not naturally.A staggered awareness—one figure shifting slightly, another pausing mid-motion. Like puppets catching their strings being pulled too soon.Jack’s breath hitched. His other self paused, mid-step, head tilting ever so slightly. The movement was subtle—but deeply, unnervingly wrong. Like a video skipping a frame.Then the other Jack turned his head.Not toward his Sam. Not toward his team.Straight at him.Jack’s breath caught.Their eyes met.And his double smiled.It wasn’t the wry smirk Jack would crack under pressure. It wasn’t even an amused or malicious grin.It was… empty. Hollow. Practiced.A mimicry, not a reaction.The others hadn’t seen it yet. They were still staring, frozen, trying to process what was happening.But Jack knew.This wasn’t just a loop. This wasn’t a recording.This was something else.Something watching. Something mimicking.And then—The other Sam lifted her head, turning ever so slowly.Not toward the console.Toward Sam.The two women locked eyes across the warped space, and for a long, dreadful moment, neither moved.Then—The second Sam blinked.Not a normal blink. Not a reflexive, human blink.A slow, too-synchronized blink, her expression utterly empty.Sam’s breath stuttered. A cold chill coiled down her spine.The Abyss wasn’t just reflecting them.It was learning.Jack didn’t hesitate."Move. Now."The others snapped out of their trance. Jack grabbed Sam’s wrist, yanking her back just as the lights flickered violently, plunging the corridor into brief darkness.When they returned—The copies were closer.Closer than they should have been. Too close.As if the distance had glitched, as if reality had shifted in the half-second of darkness.Jack’s doppelgänger stood directly in front of him now. Inches away. Close enough that Jack could see the slight wrongness in his features. The not-quite-there way his chest rose and fell, the fractional delay in the movement of his fingers.It smiled again. Wider."Jack."Jack fired.The bullet hit the thing in the chest—And passed right through.No blood. No wound. No impact.Like he’d shot at smoke.The duplicate Jack tilted its head again, that same unsettling, unnatural movement.Then, it mimicked his voice."Move. Now."Jack’s pulse slammed against his ribs. It wasn’t repeating what he had said. It was mocking him.Daniel jerked back, nearly stumbling. "Oh, we need to get the hell out of here."The whispering voices grew louder, triumphant. The corridor stretched, the walls pulsing as if breathing.Jack grabbed Sam’s arm, shoving her toward the exit.They ran.The air behind them distorted, warping like ripples in water. The Abyss laughed, its presence pressing into their bones.They hadn’t escaped.They had only gone deeper. The portal fluctuated violently, its edges distorting, shifting between dimensions like a wound refusing to heal. Sam gritted her teeth, forcing an override as Jack and Mercer fought off the Abyss’s physical manifestations—twisted reflections of themselves, their own worst fears given form.Its surface shimmered with a liquid-like energy that pulsed in rhythm with the glyphs around them. The room seemed to react to their presence—shadows pulling closer, energy thrumming with anticipation.Then, the darkness in the center of the room twisted, solidifying. A figure began to materialize—a humanoid form, but taller and more angular, its features obscured by swirling energy. Its eyes, mere slits of glowing void, fixed upon them.The Abyss had taken form.A voice resonated through the chamber, low and measured.You think you are different from those before you? The entity took a step forward, the shadows curling at its feet. They resisted. They fought. They suffered. You will do the same.Jack set his jaw."Yeah, see, we have a habit of breaking the rules."The entity cocked its head. Then you will be broken.Then, Benjamin stirred. The infant’s eyes flashed with golden light, his small form pulsing with a power that rippled outward, repelling the creeping darkness. The Abyss recoiled—but not in retreat. It refocused, twisting its whispers toward him.
“You cannot escape what is already inside you.”
The words resonated through the chamber, reverberating inside their skulls. The Abyss was not just trying to claim them. It was already within them.The chamber shook. The energy around them flared violently, and the whispers grew into a deafening cacophony. Daniel shouted over the noise, "The inscriptions say the portal needs a stabilizing sequence! If I can match the pulse pattern—""Do it fast!" Jack barked.Sam turned to the entity."You feed on fear. If we don’t fear you, what happens then?"The Abyss hesitated. You will learn.The walls shimmered, shifting again. The darkness surged forward.Daniel frantically worked the glyphs."Almost there—"Jack raised his weapon."I don’t suppose shooting it would help?""No!" Daniel snapped. "Just hold it off!"The Abyss took another step, reaching toward Sam and Benjamin."He belongs to us."A pulse of golden energy erupted from Benjamin, slamming into the Abyss with a force that made the entity recoil.Sam held her son closer, eyes wide."He’s fighting it again."Daniel forced himself upright, shaking his head."There has to be a way out."Jack shot him a look."Didn't you say something about the inscriptions holding a key?"Daniel hesitated, turning back to the glyphs."Yes, but I—I don't know how to read them fast enough. We need time."The Abyss chuckled darkly. Time is a gift you do not have.The walls began shifting again, and darkness engulfed them. Jack raised his weapon and fired. The bullets vanished into the void. Mercer threw a punch at a shadow—it passed through, useless.Daniel frantically worked to decipher the inscriptions."There's something about a stabilizing mechanism! Maybe if we—"The Abyss roared, the entire chamber trembling.Jack grabbed Sam's arm."Daniel, now would be a great time for a breakthrough!"Daniel's fingers flew over the glyphs."It needs—energy input! A power surge!"Sam's eyes darted to Benjamin. His golden aura flickered, still unstable."He might be the only one strong enough."Jack scowled."Hell no. We're not using my son again like some kind of battery."The Abyss closed in. You cannot escape.Benjamin's tiny fingers clenched into Sam’s jacket, his eyes flashing with defiance. Then, the room exploded with golden light. The Abyss shrieked in fury, the darkness peeling away from the walls.Daniel hit the final glyph sequence."The portal—it's opening!"But the Abyss fought back. The portal wavered, destabilizing tendrils of darkness lashing out, trying to ensnare them.Mercer grabbed onto Jack as the pull intensified."It's not letting us go!"Sam gritted her teeth, holding onto Benjamin tightly."Then we take the fight to it."She reached for the last power relay, channeling what was left of Benjamin’s energy into the stabilizer. The chamber trembled violently, the portal's energy stabilizing just enough for them to escape.Jack grabbed Mercer, hauling him forward.“Move, move—”They hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. The air was cooler. The oppressive weight of the Abyss was gone. The sterile walls of Area 51 surrounded them. They had made it.Jack exhaled sharply, rolling onto his back. "Now that felt earned."Sam adjusted Benjamin in her arms, her brow furrowing. "Wait… where’s the console?"A slow, deliberate chuckle echoed through the room.Jack’s stomach turned to ice.The walls rippled. The cold metal floor beneath them softened, becoming something else—something shifting and alive. The sterile air thickened, pressing against their lungs.Then, all at once, reality bled away like ink dissolving in water.They were still trapped. And the Abyss was laughing.Benjamin stirred.The air around them shifted, and the shadows recoiled, if only for a moment. His tiny fists clenched, and his blue eyes flashed with something ancient and untamed.The Abyss faltered.Sam gasped, holding Benjamin closer."He’s fighting it."A pulse of golden light erupted from the infant, rippling through the darkness like a shockwave. The illusions wavered. The shifting walls trembled, their solidity breaking apart.Daniel's gaze darted to the crumbling reality."It’s afraid of him."Jack steadied himself, watching as the Abyss struggled to reform."Then we push harder."Sam tightened her grip on Benjamin, her heart hammering against her ribs. She felt it—his power—thrumming beneath his small frame like a barely contained storm. Not just a reaction. Not just an accident. A force. A choice."He’s fighting it again," she whispered, almost in disbelief.Jack stood stiffly beside her, his weapon half-lowered, torn between battle instincts and something far more primal—the realization that their son was doing what none of them could.Benjamin let out a sharp cry, his tiny hands clenching. Golden light flared, not just around him, but from him. The Abyss screamed in response, its illusions fracturing, shadows recoiling as if burned. Cracks spread across the space—not just physical ones, but something deeper, as if reality itself was splintering under the force of Benjamin’s will.Sam’s breath caught. She had spent her entire life studying energy, control, and the limits of physics—and yet, at this moment, she understood nothing.She didn’t know what he was.She didn’t know what this meant.But she did know one thing.He was her son. And no force in the universe would take him from her.Sam looked at Jack, resolve hardening in her eyes. "We have to let him do this."Jack hesitated, looking between her and Benjamin. There was fear there—of the unknown, of what they couldn’t yet understand. But there was also trust.He exhaled sharply, jaw tightening. "Then let’s make sure he wins."Benjamin’s glow flared to a blinding intensity. When the Abyss shrieked this time, it was not in defiance—but in fear.The real portal blazed into existence before them.Jack grabbed Mercer, hauling him toward the portal."Move! Now!"They ran. The Abyss screamed. The entire corridor buckled inward like reality was trying to crush them.Sam nearly stumbled as the pressure intensified. She clutched Benjamin close, her heart hammering. The Abyss wasn’t just fighting them—it was trying to keep them.Jack threw himself forward—just as a tendril of shadow lashed out. It wrapped around his ankle, yanking him back. Cold agony exploded in his leg."Jack!" Sam reached for him, but Mercer lunged instead, slashing through the darkness with his last burst of strength.Jack tumbled forward—into the light.And then—The Abyss vanished. A crackling surge of golden light swallowed them whole, tearing them from the Abyss with the force of a collapsing star.For a split second, Jack felt nothing—no weight, no gravity, just the sensation of being unmade and remade in the space between worlds. The air pressure snapped violently around him, his ears popping as a cold, sterile breeze replaced the suffocating abyssal void.Then—impact.Jack’s boots hit solid ground—hard metal, smooth and cold beneath his knees. He caught himself with a sharp inhale, heart hammering as his senses recalibrated. Gone was the suffocating darkness, the unnatural, shifting walls, the whispering voices in the void. In their place: silence. Artificial air, thin and processed.Jack forced himself upright, his pulse still slamming against his ribs. The sterile hum of unseen machines filled the silence. Overhead, cold white light bathed the area in an unnatural glow. His boots scuffed against the floor as he turned, scanning his surroundings—too clean, too precise, too… wrong.Daniel groaned softly, adjusting his glasses as he took in their surroundings.“Well… that’s not ominous.”Jack exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders.“Anyone else feel like we just walked into a trap?”The lights flickered, as if in response.Jack’s gut twisted.Yeah. Definitely a trap.A strangled gasp pulled Jack’s attention sideways.Mercer.He lay on his back, chest heaving, his breath coming in sharp, shallow bursts. Sweat slicked his face despite the cold, his fingers twitching like his body struggled to reboot after the jump. The teleportation had taken a toll on him—on his already failing body.Jack crouched beside him, one hand gripping Mercer’s vest, giving him a rough shake.“Hey. Stay with me.”Mercer coughed, blood flecking his lips. His eyes fluttered open, and he exhaled a hoarse, exhausted laugh. “You sure we made it?”Jack’s gut twisted. For the first time since they met, Mercer looked like he wasn’t getting back up.Before Jack could answer, a soft whimper cut through the silence.Benjamin.Sam was on her knees a few feet away, cradling their son like he was the only real thing in this strange, unfamiliar place. Her breath was ragged, her face pale and drawn, exhaustion written in every line of her body. Her knuckles were white, and she clutched Benjamin to her chest.Jack moved without thinking, closing the distance between them.“Sam?”She didn’t look up. Her gaze was locked on Benjamin.Benjamin let out a soft babble, his tiny fingers grasping at the air. The lights overhead flickered—just once, barely noticeable, but Jack caught it. His gaze snapped to the ceiling, then back to his son.Another giggle. This time, the metal railing beside them didn’t just vibrate—it warped. A faint, almost imperceptible bend, like the air around it had momentarily distorted. The effect was subtle, but Jack saw it. Felt it. Sam stiffened.“Did you see that?” she whispered.Jack nodded slowly, his jaw tightening. He had a bad habit of ignoring things he couldn’t explain, but this… this was different. This was Benjamin.Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped.The air settled. Benjamin blinked, his tiny fingers curling into Sam’s jacket, his body curling against her for comfort. His breathing slowed.Sam exhaled shakily, pressing a kiss to his forehead.Jack knelt beside them, his hand instinctively brushing against Benjamin’s back, grounding him and Sam. The warmth of his son’s small frame seeped into his palm, and everything else—the Abyss, the chaos, the exhaustion—fell away for a second.“You okay?” Jack asked, voice rough.Sam swallowed hard, finally meeting his eyes. There was something unreadable in her expression—something between relief and fear.“He… felt it,” she murmured. “The jump. The place. He reacted.”Jack glanced around, unease creeping up his spine. The room was too still. Too controlled. Gone was the twisting horror of the Abyss. Instead, they were surrounded by metal walls. The air was crisp and artificial, humming with unseen energy.“Anyone else get the feeling we just walked into something worse?” Daniel muttered.Sam tightened her hold on Benjamin. Jack rose, jaw clenching as his instincts screamed at him. He didn’t know what this place was yet. But he didn’t trust it.Because it was too silent. Too damn silent.But not the thick, malevolent silence of the Abyss. This was different. The kind of stillness that follows a storm.Jack’s grip tightened on his weapon. His instincts screamed at him to move, to fight, but for the first time in what felt like forever, there was no immediate threat. No gunfire. No pursuing enemy. Only the quiet hum of unseen machines and the eerie sense of being watched.Sam adjusted Benjamin against her chest, scanning the darkened facility. The hum of old systems buzzed faintly in the background, flickering lights casting long, uneasy shadows across the metal walls. Dust swirled in the air where they’d landed as they had just been placed there—like something had been expecting them.Jack exhaled sharply. "Stay sharp."His eyes adjusted to the dimness first. The room they had landed in was eerily still, frozen in time. Dust-covered crates were stacked haphazardly against the walls, some broken and spilling long-forgotten supplies. The faint smell of rust and decay permeated the air.Jack’s instincts prickled. The silence, once comforting, now felt oppressive. Each step they took stirred the dust, creating tiny clouds in the still air. Sam moved cautiously, cradling Benjamin closer, her eyes scanning the room's dark corners.“Too quiet,” Daniel muttered, voicing what they all felt. “No signs of life. But…” His gaze landed on a set of tracks in the dust near the doorway. “Someone’s been here.”Jack motioned for silence, his hand instinctively tightening on his weapon. They moved as a unit, inching toward the nearest hallway. Every creak of the floorboards echoed like a gunshot.It looked… abandoned. Too familiar.Daniel swallowed hard, the pit of dread growing in his stomach.“Did we just return to another nightmare?” His voice was low, barely above a whisper. “What if this is another version of the same Earth? Like ours?” His eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of life.Sam didn’t answer immediately. She moved carefully, crouching as she peered through the cracked door of the storage hangar. Her heart raced, every instinct on high alert as she entered the scene outside. She just saw more crates and more debris. The walls had cracks running through them, the floor covered in dust and remnants of what seemed like old military equipment. It felt lonely, hollow.“Let’s take this slowly and carefully,” Jack finally whispered, his grip tightening around the weapon. He glanced over his shoulder at Sam, Mercer, and Daniel, who nodded, their faces pale with tension.They stepped out of the hangar into the larger storage facility. The space was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint echo of their footsteps on the cold concrete floor. Sam’s senses were on overdrive, and every creak and shift of the metal structure made her pulse quicken. She scanned the area, sweeping her gun in arcs as they moved.No movement. No voices. Nothing.Jack moved ahead, stepping cautiously into the corridor. The air smelled stale, thick with dust that had settled over time. The space was familiar—stacked crates, rusted equipment, long-forgotten supplies. Every step sent up small clouds of dust, the quiet almost oppressive.Sam followed, adjusting Benjamin against her chest. The silence pressed in, stretching too long, too deep.Daniel exhaled, shifting his grip on his weapon. “This feels like our Earth. Just… empty.” His voice was low, edged with uncertainty. “But something’s wrong.”Jack glanced at the scuffed floors, at the worn-down metal walls, at the blinking overhead lights that flickered sporadically—old wiring, decayed infrastructure. It felt abandoned. And yet…Sam paused mid-step. “Jack.”He turned.She pointed at the wall. At first glance, it was like everything else—aged, worn. But there, just beneath the layers of dust, a seam in the metal pulsed faintly, a slow, rhythmic glow running along its edge. Subtle. Almost invisible.Jack narrowed his eyes. “That’s new.”Daniel knelt, brushing his fingers against the floor. “This dust is layered. The bottom layer is old—years, maybe decades. But the top?” He rubbed the fine particles between his fingers. “It hasn’t been settled for long.”Sam ran a hand along the wall. The metal was cold, but not in the way of something abandoned. It was smooth. Too smooth. Like it had been preserved—maintained beneath the dust.Jack’s grip tightened on his weapon. “Alright. I don’t like this.”Then—The lights overhead flickered. And this time, they didn’t just sputter like aging bulbs. The flicker was… controlled. Deliberate.Sam’s breath caught. “That’s not decay.”The dust-covered monitors along the far wall came to life, their dormant screens flaring with distorted text, fragments of unreadable code flashing for a moment before settling into blank silence again.Jack exhaled sharply. “We’re not alone.”Then—footsteps.Not hurried. Not aggressive. But deliberate.Jack froze, motioning for the others to hold position. The air was thick with dust, but beyond the settling particles, a shadow flickered across the dimly lit corridor. Someone was there.Sam shifted Benjamin against her chest, her movements careful. Daniel barely breathed, his hand hovering near his weapon but not reaching for it.Then, the voice came—firm, edged with uncertainty.“Hey! Who’s there?”Jack clenched his jaw.Of course. Because nothing is ever that easy.A figure stepped into view—a single guard, young, his uniform crisp but slightly wrinkled, like he’d been on shift too long. His weapon was up, but not aimed, his stance cautious rather than outright hostile. He wasn’t expecting them.That was interesting.Jack let a slow breath out and raised his hands slightly.“Easy there.”The guard’s eyes darted over them—Jack, Sam with the baby, Daniel, and Mercer, who was visibly struggling to stay on his feet. His brow furrowed. This wasn’t what he had trained for. He didn’t know what box to put them in.Jack saw the moment training took over instinct. The slight straightening of his spine. The shift of his grip. The way his eyes flicked to the radio on his vest.Jack tensed. Here it comes.“Control, this is Hilton.” The guard’s voice was steady, but not quite neutral. “I’ve got an unknown party in Hangar C.” A pause. “They’re armed but—uh, they don’t appear hostile.” Another pause. “But you’re gonna want backup.”Jack’s gut tightened.A long silence answered. Then—static.And then—movement.Not just one set of footsteps. Multiple. Boots on metal. Distant, but closing fast.The guards tightened their perimeter, their movements sharp and controlled. Jack kept his hands loose at his sides, but every instinct screamed at him. This wasn’t a normal containment protocol.They weren’t just being held. They were being collected.Sam’s grip on Benjamin shifted, a near-imperceptible adjustment, but Jack saw it. She was ready to bolt if she had to.Daniel exhaled, his fingers flexing.“Okay, let’s just… talk about this for a second.”The lead officer, Hilton didn’t stop walking. “Keep moving.”The walls gleamed, unnaturally pristine. The air hummed softly, as if charged with invisible energy, and every step Jack took felt too easy, like the floor was adjusting to their movements in real-time.This wasn’t the Area 51 he knew.Jack kept his stance loose, eyes scanning for anything off. The corridors weren’t just clean—they were sterile to an unnatural degree, every surface gleaming like it had been built yesterday. Doors slid open before they reached them, anticipating their movements rather than reacting to them.Jack didn’t like that.Sam’s hold on Benjamin tightened as she walked beside him, her face unreadable but her fingers flexing slightly against the baby sling. Daniel, lagging slightly behind, was reading flickering holographic signs that shifted language as he moved.“Predictive AI interfaces,” he muttered. “This is… incredibly advanced.”Jack wasn’t impressed.But Jack had already noticed something else.The way some of the guards weren’t looking at him with confusion.One of the guards, barely older than a cadet, flicked a glance at him, then quickly looked away. Too quickly. Jack felt it like a prickle down his spine.They knew him. Or at least, they knew of him.Recognition.Not overt. Not acknowledged. But Jack saw it. Someone knew who he was.He filed that away.And kept walking.Ahead, the lead officer—Hilton—spoke into his wrist communicator.“Unknown travelers secured,” he said. “Proceeding to decontamination.”Jack’s stomach tightened.He stopped short. “Hold up.”Hilton turned, raising an eyebrow.Jack folded his arms. “What exactly does ‘decontamination’ mean here?”Hilton hesitated. Just for a second—but enough for Jack to catch it.“It’s a full-spectrum pathogen and radiation scan,” Hilton said smoothly. “Followed by molecular cleansing.”“Uh-huh.” Jack’s eyes narrowed. “And what exactly does that involve?”Daniel, who had been through way too many questionable medical experiences, visibly tensed. “If it’s harmless, you won’t mind explaining it in detail first.”Hilton exhaled. “The scan uses adaptive nanotech sensors to assess biological integrity, ensuring you aren’t carrying unknown diseases or contaminants.”Jack shot Sam a look. “That sound familiar?”Sam’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Yeah,” she murmured. “Sounds exactly like what the Aschen said before they tried to sterilize Earth.”Hilton didn’t react.Jack’s voice flattened. “You’re gonna have to do better than ‘trust us.’”Hilton sighed. “You can observe the process first. No sedation. No restraints. One at a time.” He looked at Sam. “The baby goes last.”Jack didn’t like it. But he nodded.Sam’s jaw tightened, but she said, “Jack first.”Jack grumbled. “Great.”He stepped inside the chamber.. The moment the doors sealed, the chamber came to life.A soft hum filled the air. No harsh sprays. No flashing lights. Just a creeping tingling sensation, like static crawling over his skin.Jack gritted his teeth, muscles coiled for an attack that never came.A flicker.Not of light, but of something deeper—a shift in the air itself, like reality had glitched for a fraction of a second.His stomach lurched. His vision blurred.Then, it was over.The doors hissed open, and Jack stumbled forward, blinking rapidly.Sam grabbed his arm immediately. “Jack?”He forced himself to steady. “Fine.” His voice was rough. “Just… weird.”Sam didn’t look convinced.He took Benjamin from her arms. “Your turn.” The doors sealed behind her.Instantly, the hum returned, deeper this time, vibrating in her bones.Sam forced herself to breathe evenly, but the memories clawed at her—other medical rooms, other traps disguised as "safety procedures."She stiffened when the walls pulsed, energy crawling over her like an invasive scan, mapping her inside and out.Then—A flicker.Not in the room. In her mind.For a half-second, she saw something else—a vast energy field, golden, alive, pulsing like a heartbeat. It was inside Benjamin.Then it was gone.The chamber hissed open, and she nearly stumbled into Jack’s arms.His grip tightened around her waist. “Sam?”She shook her head sharply, breathing hard. “It’s… nothing.”Jack’s jaw tightened. He didn’t believe her. But this wasn’t the place to talk.Hilton exhaled sharply. “Next.” Daniel was already shaking his head before he stepped inside.“I swear to God,” he muttered. “If I wake up in another sarcophagus, I’m done.”The doors sealed.The tingling started immediately.Daniel’s body locked up. Something was off—Then—The walls shifted. The scan wasn’t just assessing him.It was reading him.Deeply.Daniel’s pulse spiked.For a split second, he saw flashes of every reality he had stepped through—every broken timeline, every warped version of himself. It was cataloging them.The scan ended.Daniel stumbled out, pale and shaking.Jack caught his arm. “What the hell happened?”Daniel shook his head violently. “That wasn’t just a scan.” Jack already knew Mercer was in bad shape.It wasn’t just the exhaustion weighing on him—it was something deeper. Something creeping beneath his skin.Mercer’s stance was solid, but Jack didn’t miss the way he exhaled a second too hard after each step, like his lungs were working overtime to keep up. His hands—normally steady—twitched slightly, an involuntary tremor that hadn’t been there before.Jack frowned. “You good?”Mercer forced a smirk. “If I say no, you gonna carry me?”Jack rolled his eyes. “Not unless you buy me dinner first.”Mercer let out a quiet chuckle, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Jack caught the flicker of tension in his jaw—like he knew something Jack didn’t.Jack’s stomach tightened. He knows exactly what’s happening to him.But the sinking feeling in his gut told him he was about to find out.The doors sealed.Mercer exhaled slowly.The walls hummed louder than before.Then—The chamber flickered.Jack stepped forward instinctively. “Something’s wrong.”The techs at the console exchanged a glance.The hum became erratic.Inside the chamber, Mercer’s breathing hitched. His veins darkened for a split second, like something inside him was fighting back.The doors slammed open, and Mercer collapsed to his knees.Jack lunged forward, catching him.Mercer let out a ragged laugh. “Well. That sucked.”The lead technician’s face was pale. He turned to Hilton.“Sir… we need to run a full medical scan immediately.”Hilton hesitated. “Why?”The tech’s eyes flickered toward Mercer.“Because he shouldn’t be alive.” Sam clutched Benjamin tighter.Hilton lifted a hand. “Ma’am—”“No,” Sam snapped.Jack’s eyes burned with fury. “You are not putting my kid in that damn thing until you explain what you just found in Mercer.”The techs were silent.Hilton exhaled slowly. “You don’t have a choice.”Jack’s entire stance shifted. His body coiled like a predator about to strike.Then—Benjamin giggled.The lights flickered—but not just that. The air itself shimmered, as if heat waves had rippled outward from Benjamin’s tiny frame. The holographic displays spasmed, text not just glitching but rewriting itself, as though trying to process something beyond its capacity.The techs froze.Hilton stared.Jack’s pulse pounded. “What the hell was that?”The lead tech hesitated. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper—“Sir… your son just disrupted our entire scanning system.”Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened.Jack’s voice was deadly quiet.“You’re gonna tell me exactly what that means.”The room went silent.And deep within the facility, something shifted. The tension didn’t ease.If anything, it deepened as the guards ushered them from the decontamination chamber down a sleek, seamless hallway. The walls pulsed faintly, shifting with a soft, ambient glow—too smooth, too perfect.Jack didn’t like it.They passed no traditional medical rooms. No surgical equipment. No familiar monitors. Instead, the environment felt clinical but eerily organic, like the facility itself was a living thing.Sam kept Benjamin close, her grip white-knuckled. Daniel adjusted his glasses, still rattled from what had happened inside the scanner. Mercer, walking a little slower than before, was visibly deteriorating, his breath shallower, his hands trembling faintly.And Jack? He was watching everything.Finally, they entered a large medical bay. The space was open and modular, with transparent partitions that shifted like liquid metal, adjusting based on movement. Instead of bedside monitors, the room itself was the system—walls embedded with holographic displays, scanning vitals in real-time.A woman in a sleek, silver-toned uniform stepped forward, her dark eyes sharp and assessing.“I’m Dr. Elara,” she said, glancing over the group. “You’ve already undergone preliminary scans in decontamination, so we’re only confirming what we’ve already detected.”Jack folded his arms. “Which is what, exactly?”Elara met his gaze without hesitation.“That all of you have undergone biological or genetic changes beyond standard human parameters.”Silence.Jack’s fingers twitched toward his holster, but he forced himself to stay still.Elara continued smoothly, as if she hadn’t just dropped that bombshell. “We use non-invasive nanotechnology here. No needles, no incisions. The scans will be painless and individualized.”Jack’s jaw tightened. “And if we refuse?”Elara offered a faint, clinical smile. “Then you won’t be permitted further access to the facility.”Jack exhaled slowly. He didn’t trust them. But he didn’t have a better option.Finally, he jerked his chin. “Fine. But we go one at a time.”Elara nodded, motioning to a circular medical platform in the center of the room. “Step forward.”Jack went first.Jack stepped onto the platform, already on edge.The nanites activated instantly, tiny microscopic drones flickering to life in silent synchronization. They didn’t touch him—but he felt them. Like static crawling beneath his skin, threading through his DNA, his neurons, his bones.The holographic projection flared to life, displaying Jack’s entire biological readout in a rotating, three-dimensional interface.Jack didn’t care about the numbers. But he saw Elara’s expression shift.A section of the display pulsed bright blue.Elara tilted her head, her expression shifting—just slightly—but enough for Jack to notice. She flicked her fingers across the hologram, zooming into a section of his DNA readout.“This is…” She trailed off, jaw tightening, eyes scanning the data like she wasn’t sure she believed it.Jack crossed his arms. “That’s never a good way to start.”Elara glanced at the other technicians, a silent exchange passing between them. When she finally spoke again, her voice was measured, too controlled. “You have… an anomaly.”Jack raised an eyebrow. “An anomaly,” he echoed, unimpressed. “I don’t suppose that’s the scientific term for ‘we have no damn clue,’ is it?”Elara exhaled, as if weighing her next words carefully. “Your DNA contains… markers that shouldn’t be there. Not naturally.”Jack’s stomach twisted. “Care to elaborate?”Another pause. Then:“It’s a rare sequence,” Elara admitted, her voice quieter now, as if reluctant to say it out loud. “We’ve only ever seen it in… certain cases.” Her fingers flicked over the display again, pulling up comparative sequences. “Individuals capable of instinctively interacting with advanced systems. Not just using them—controlling them.”Jack didn’t like where this was going. His mind flashed back to the Ancient chair in Antarctica, to the puddle jumpers he navigate using just his mind.Sam’s gaze snapped to the screen.“Are you talking about the Ancient Technology Activation Gene?”Elara’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We… don’t call it that.”Jack’s pulse spiked. “What do you call it?”Elara didn’t answer right away. Instead, her fingers curled slightly against her side, a subtle but controlled movement—like someone resisting the urge to adjust their stance. Then, almost imperceptibly, she flicked a glance toward the nearest security officer. Just a fraction of a second. Too quick, too practiced.Jack caught it. His stomach tightened.“That’s not reassuring,” he muttered, flicking a look at Sam.Sam’s jaw clenched, her grip on Benjamin tightening. “You’re choosing your words carefully,” she said. “Which means there’s more to this than just a genetic anomaly.”Elara exhaled, but she didn’t deny it.Her lips pressed into a thin line and just said, “Next.” Sam adjusted Benjamin in her arms, then reluctantly handed him to Jack. Her fingers lingered too long for a second, hesitating before stepping onto the platform.Jack could feel her tension.The nanites activated immediately, mapping her biological structure with precise, synchronized sweeps. Unlike Jack, Sam visibly reacted—her pulse spiked, her body stiffening.Something was happening.Jack saw the exact moment something pinged red on the holographic interface.Elara’s brows furrowed.Sam stiffened. “What is it?”Elara rotated the display, highlighting a molecular anomaly in her bloodstream.“You have a foreign protein marker integrated into your system,” Elara said carefully. “It’s unlike anything we’ve cataloged.”Sam’s breath caught.Jack’s fingers tightened around Benjamin’s blanket.Elara studied the data. “It’s… fused to your DNA. Like an imprint left behind by an outside force.”Sam swallowed hard. “It’s from a symbiote,” she said quietly. “A Tok’ra. She died—but she left… something behind.”Elara’s expression was unreadable. “This protein marker has altered your physiology.”Sam’s jaw clenched. “How?”Elara gestured toward the interface, pulling up neurological enhancements. “Your reaction time, cognitive function, and cellular regeneration are all… above human norms.”Sam’s stomach tightened. “You mean I heal faster?”Elara nodded. “And process information differently.”Sam absorbed that. She had always known she had changed after Jolinar, but seeing it laid out in raw data made it undeniable.But the holographic readout continued to flare.Elara’s expression shifted slightly, but she quickly schooled it back into neutrality.“What else?” Sam’s voice was sharp.Elara’s fingers flicked across the interface, hiding something before Sam could see it. “Your neural activity is also… unique.”Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Define unique.”Elara hesitated, then admitted, “You have a residual energy signature unlike anything we’ve recorded before.”Sam went rigid. “Residual from what?”Elara didn’t answer immediately. Then:“From your son.”Jack’s grip tightened on Benjamin. Sam stared at the doctor.Elara’s voice was calm. “You’ve been linked to his energy field since birth. It’s altered you on a molecular level.”Sam’s breath stilled. Jack could see her mind racing—running equations, calculating possibilities.Elara watched her carefully. “It’s not harmful. If anything, it’s…” She hesitated. “Expansive.”Sam stepped off the platform without another word.Jack exhaled slowly.“Daniel,” Elara said. Daniel adjusted his glasses, stepping onto the platform. “Okay,” he muttered. “Let’s see how I’m broken.”The nanites activated.Jack was expecting something weird—but even he wasn’t ready for what happened next.The entire medical interface glitched.The holographic display fractured, flickering between multiple biological readouts, as if Daniel was shifting between versions of himself.Elara’s eyes widened.Daniel froze. “Uh… that’s not normal, right?”Elara didn’t answer immediately.She flicked through the erratic readings—and finally, she found something consistent.A section of Daniel’s brain activity glowed gold.Jack stiffened.Sam inhaled sharply.Elara’s voice was slow. Measured.“You have… died before.”Daniel went still.Elara pulled up a timeline of neurological events, highlighting patterns in his cellular regeneration. Some of them didn’t match his DNA at all.“You have undergone biological restoration beyond anything medical science can explain,” she continued. “Your brain wave frequency has residual imprints from… something else.”Jack’s chest tightened. “What the hell does that mean?”Elara studied Daniel carefully. “It means he’s been somewhere else. And come back.”Daniel’s throat worked. He had never told anyone—not even Jack or Sam—what he remembered from ascending.And now?Now it was written in his damn biology.The interface finally stabilized.Daniel stepped off the platform quickly.Jack watched him carefully. “You okay?”Daniel exhaled slowly. “No.”Jack nodded. “Good. Me neither.”Elara turned to Mercer. “Your turn.” Mercer moved slower than before. His hands were shaking slightly, his skin too pale.The nanites activated—and immediately, the holographic display flared red.Jack’s stomach dropped.Elara’s face darkened.Mercer let out a shaky laugh. “Let me guess. It’s bad.”Elara’s voice was quiet. “It’s terminal.”Silence.No one moved.Mercer exhaled. Nodded slowly. “Figured.”Jack looked away, his jaw locked.Daniel’s throat worked. “Mercer…”Mercer waved him off. “It’s fine.” His voice was rough. “Let’s just finish this.”Elara’s gaze softened. “There’s… nothing we can do.”Mercer smirked faintly. “Didn’t expect there to be.”Jack’s hands curled into fists.Elara turned.“Now. The baby.”The room stilled.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack adjusted his grip on Benjamin, his arms tightening instinctively before he forced himself to move.The room felt different now. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something had shifted the moment they stepped closer to the scanning platform. The ambient hum of the facility’s systems, usually a steady presence, had become uneven—subtle, but there.Sam noticed it too. She shifted beside him, her gaze flicking to the overhead lights as they dimmed—just slightly, just for a second—before stabilizing again.No one spoke about it.Elara’s posture remained composed, but there was the slightest flicker of hesitation as she nodded toward the scanning bed. “We only need a scan. No contact.”Jack didn’t move right away.Something felt off.The air had changed—warmer, heavier, though the room’s temperature hadn’t shifted. A faint charge prickled against Jack’s skin, like static before a storm.One of the technicians rubbed his arms absently, as if trying to shake off an unseen chill. Another adjusted the scanner’s settings with more force than necessary, his fingers tense against the interface.Jack’s gut twisted.Beside him, Sam’s breath hitched, barely audible, but Jack caught it.She felt it too.Benjamin stirred, his tiny fingers twitching against Jack’s sleeve. The lights overhead flickered again—longer this time. Not a malfunction. Not a random fluctuation. A pattern.Jack’s jaw locked.“Jack,” Sam murmured.He met her gaze.She didn’t have to say it. They both knew.Something wasn’t right.Still, they had no choice.Jack exhaled sharply, adjusting his hold on Benjamin one last time. Then, carefully—reluctantly—he placed his son onto the scanning platform.The hum of the system spiked. The walls seemed to tighten.And the air held its breath.The nanites activated, whirring in perfect synchronization as the scan began. The initial readings flickered to life—heartbeat, neural activity, respiratory function. Everything appeared normal.For a second.Then—A pause.The numbers on the holographic display jittered, recalibrating, as if the system had hesitated. The medical scanner let out a soft, uncertain chirp before correcting itself.Elara frowned.The system pulsed again, its interface adjusting the parameters, cycling through another set of diagnostics. The screen flickered—not a glitch, but a correction.Then—another pause.The numbers changed again. This time, the same readings doubled, overlapped, then restructured before stabilizing.A second too long.As the scanner flickered and failed, Jack’s instincts screamed at him. Something about this place—the way the techs reacted, the way Elara hesitated—felt off.Then, just for a second, he caught it.A shadow behind the observation glass.Not a reflection.A figure.Someone was watching.Jack’s spine stiffened. The angle was wrong—whoever it was, they weren’t just passively observing. They were studying them.By the time Jack turned his head fully, the figure was gone. A technician’s fingers flew over the interface.“Recalibrating,” he muttered. He manually reset the scan, forcing the system to process again.The scanner resumed, running a deeper diagnostic.This time, the numbers didn’t stabilize.Instead, they jumped wildly.The scanner’s hum turned sharp, the interface flickering as it fought to process Benjamin’s data.Sam’s fingers twitched. Something was wrong.Benjamin’s heart rate on the display spiked—then dropped. The numbers glitched, flickering between extremes.Flatline.Then stable.Then gone.Her pulse stuttered. No.Before anyone could react, she snatched the stethoscope from the nearby tray, pressing it hard against Benjamin’s chest.Jack tensed as she moved, but he didn’t stop her.Sam’s breath stilled. She listened—counted.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Perfectly normal.Her grip tightened. The scanner was lying.The interface flickered wildly again. The system beeped erratically, recalibrating over and over—failing to decide what it was looking at.Another technician manually entered a deeper analysis mode.She wrenched the stethoscope away, her eyes flashing with cold fury.“This system is wrong,” she snapped, turning to Elara. “His heart rate isn’t fluctuating. I just checked it myself.”Jack shifted forward, his stance shifting—coiled, ready.Elara hesitated, her composure faltering. She glanced at the erratic holographic display—then at the technicians, who looked increasingly panicked as they slammed in manual overrides.“What the hell—” one of the techs breathed.The neural activity readings fluctuated, forming patterns too fast for the system to process. One moment, the signals looked normal. The next? They were off the measurable spectrum.“Recalibrate again,” Elara ordered, her voice tight.One of the techs swallowed. “Doctor, the system’s not—”“Now!”The scanner whined, its tone shifting into a high-pitched, grating noise—wrong, unnatural. The interface pulsed violently, the numbers morphing into unreadable symbols, then static.Another flicker.The lights overhead dimmed. The entire room shuddered, the air thickening with something electric, charged—like the moment before a lightning strike.And then—Benjamin twitched.The baby blinked, tiny fingers curling against his blanket.The scanner tried again.And failed.The holographic display collapsed into static.The whir of the nanites sputtered. The diagnostic symbols distorted, twisted—then broke entirely. The scanner let out a garbled, choked whine before shutting down completely.Jack took a step forward. “What the hell just happened?”One of the technicians shook his head. “It’s not rebooting.”Another slammed a command into the interface. “It’s locking us out.”The system let out a final, high-pitched shriek—And died.The display fractured into pure static. Every diagnostic interface flickered once, then collapsed. The scanner’s entire system shut down, hard.The room plunged into eerie silence.Without another word, Jack shoved past Elara, grabbing Benjamin from the platform.She just stared, eyes flickering between Jack, Sam, and the child in their arms.“We’re done here.”Elara blocked his path.“Wait,” she said, voice tight.Jack froze.The room was different now. The air felt heavier. The tension wasn’t just from the failed scan—it was something else.Jack’s grip on Benjamin tightened. His gaze flicked between the dead display, the stunned technicians, and Elara’s too-calm expression.And then—he saw it.Elara wasn’t just surprised.She was afraid.Jack’s blood ran cold.“You knew,” he said quietly.Elara swallowed. Just once.Jack took a step closer. “You weren’t expecting this, but you weren’t surprised either.”“What the hell did you think you were going to find?”Elara didn’t answer immediately. Her silence spoke louder than words.Sam’s breath hitched.Then—too softly—Elara whispered,“This wasn’t supposed to happen.”Jack’s stomach turned.That wasn’t shock.That wasn’t confusion.That was dread.He shifted his hold on Benjamin, his gut screaming get out now.He turned sharply to Elara. “Explain. Now.”Elara’s lips parted, but before she could answer—The lights flickered again.Jack’s grip tightened on Benjamin, holding him closer. Sam, standing rigid beside him, looked ready to grab their son and bolt.Daniel adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing at the fractured holographic interface.“Okay. Just to clarify—your hyper-advanced, cutting-edge medical technology just… gave up?”The technician’s fingers flew over the interface, desperately trying to extract some kind of meaningful data. The screen flickered, scrambled, then pulsed violently.As the technicians scrambled to recover the failed readings, one of them hesitated—his fingers hovering over the reset panel.“Doctor,” he said quietly, his voice tight. “Should we… notify him?”Elara’s expression locked down. She turned sharply, voice low. “That decision isn’t ours.”Jack caught the flicker of something in her eyes. Not just tension. Fear.Before he could press her, Elara exhaled and turned back to them.“We need time to process this data.”Jack wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t about data anymore.The lead tech’s voice wavered. "The system isn’t just failing to categorize him. It’s trying to rewrite its own parameters to understand what it’s looking at."Elara’s breath stilled.Jack’s grip on Benjamin tightened.“English. Now.”The technician’s throat worked, but he shook his head."Sir, the system isn’t saying he’s not human. It’s saying it doesn’t know how he’s human."Daniel frowned. “Okay, let’s break that down. What exactly is it reading?”The tech hesitated, then pulled up the few readings that hadn’t collapsed into static.The screen pulsed with raw data—fractured genetic markers, flickering between different sequences. Some were familiar. Others—impossible."His DNA isn’t stable," the tech admitted, voice uneven. "It’s rewriting itself in real-time."Sam sucked in a sharp breath.Jack’s entire body locked. "What the hell does that mean?"Elara finally spoke, her voice quieter now.“It means he’s… adapting. Every second.” She exhaled slowly. “It’s as if his body isn’t just reacting to its environment—it’s anticipating it. Adjusting at a molecular level before the change even happens.”Daniel’s face went pale. "That’s—impossible."The lead tech wasn’t listening anymore. He pointed at the screen.“Look at this.”The biometric energy signatures flashed wildly. One moment, Benjamin emitted a standard human bioelectric reading. The next, he vanished completely from the measurable spectrum.Then—he reappeared.But not in the same state.The technician’s voice barely held steady.“Sometimes he registers as organic matter. Sometimes as pure energy.”Jack’s stomach twisted. “And the times in between?”The tech swallowed. “…Nothing. Like he’s not even here.”Silence strangled the room.Jack exhaled sharply."You’re telling me my son just— blinks in and out of reality —and we’re just noticing this now?"Elara hesitated.She wasn’t just surprised.She was deciding how much to say.Sam saw it.And pushed.“That’s not all,” she said sharply. “You know more than you’re telling us.”Elara’s gaze flicked to her. “Colonel Carter—”“Don’t.” Sam’s voice cut through the room, ice-cold. “You saw something in that data. What is it?”Elara hesitated again, jaw tightening.Jack shifted his stance. "Talk. Now."Elara exhaled slowly, then finally, carefully said, “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this.”Sam’s pulse spiked. “What do you mean?”Elara hesitated. Then—she made a decision.She stepped forward, lowering her voice."There have been anomalies before. Children. Not like this—never like this—but…" She swallowed. "Patterns. Cases where—"Then—her earpiece crackled.Elara’s breath hitched.A single unspoken command cut through the room.She shut up immediately.Her expression shuttered, locking down. Her body stiffened just slightly—enough that Jack caught it instantly.Someone was listening.Someone did not want this conversation to continue.The tension shifted.Sam’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who just told you to stop talking?"Elara didn’t answer.She didn’t even blink.Jack took a slow, deliberate step forward.“We’re not stupid. Someone’s in your ear right now, aren’t they?”Elara’s jaw flexed. “This conversation is over.”Jack’s grip on Benjamin tightened. “Like hell it is.”The room felt different now. The tension wasn’t just about Benjamin anymore.It was about who was watching.And what they already knew.Sam’s fingers flexed against Benjamin’s blanket, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper.“You already knew we were coming, didn’t you?”Elara didn’t respond.But she didn’t have to.The silence said everything.The guards near the exit exchanged glances. One of them muttered something under his breath—too low for Jack to catch.The other guard shook his head sharply.“Not our call,” he murmured. “Not yet.”Not yet.Jack’s jaw clenched. Then whose call was it?His gut screamed at him that this was the part where things went very, very wrong.This was about to go sideways.Jack barely shifted his stance, but it was enough for Sam to read him in return. The unspoken question: Are we doing this?Sam exhaled sharply through her nose, her fingers flexing against Benjamin’s blanket. A slight, almost imperceptible nod.
Yes.
Jack turned back to Elara, his posture deceptively loose as he passed Benjamin to Sam."Alright," he said, voice slow and even. "Here’s the part where you explain what the hell is really going on."Elara, to her credit, didn’t flinch. "General O’Neill, I understand that you—"Jack moved.In a blink, he was across the space, one hand closing around Elara’s throat—not tight, but enough to send the room into chaos.Guards lunged.Sam pivoted, Benjamin cradled tightly, her free hand already reaching for the nearest panel, her mind calculating the fastest way to disable the door locks.Daniel—because of course this was happening—dodged back, grabbing the nearest tray and hurling it at a guard with a muttered, “I hate when he does this.”Chaos erupted.Jack barely had time to process the blur of movement before—Everything stopped.The air crackled.And Benjamin—Benjamin’s body pulsed with golden energy.The guards froze. The monitors didn’t just short out—they fractured. Thin lines of static splintered across the screens like cracked glass before the entire system shut down. A soft hum filled the air, a pressure shift that made Jack’s ears pop, as if the very gravity around them had momentarily wavered.Then, silence.Jack, still half-tensed for a fight, slowly looked down at his son.Benjamin blinked up at him, tiny fingers flexing against Sam’s jacket. The air around him still shimmered faintly, the way heat ripples off pavement in the summer.Elara… just stared.Not with fear.Not even shock.With something else. Something deeper.“Impossible,” she murmured.Jack exhaled, slow and steady, before looking her dead in the eye.“Yeah? Try saying that again.” The air hummed with residual energy. The golden flicker around Benjamin’s small frame slowly faded, leaving behind an electric stillness.No one moved.Jack held his ground, his grip firm around Sam while she hold Benjamin protectively. Daniel adjusted his stance, half-braced for another fight that wasn’t coming—yet. Mercer, still weakened, swayed slightly but didn’t take his eyes off the guards.Elara exhaled, carefully schooling her expression back into control. But Jack saw it.The momentary uncertainty.The calculation.She hadn’t expected this.And now, she was figuring out how to contain it.Jack’s voice broke the silence.“So. You were saying something about ‘nothing to be alarmed about’?”Elara didn’t take the bait. Instead, she held up a calm, open-palmed gesture.“General, I understand this is unsettling.”Jack scoffed.“Unsettling? Lady, your fancy scanner just had a full-blown existential crisis because of my son. And now your people are looking at me like I just handed them a live nuke in a baby blanket.”Elara didn’t flinch.“We’re not your enemy, General O’Neill.”Jack arched a brow.“See, that’s funny, ‘cause every time someone says that to me, it usually means they’re about to pull something.”Sam’s voice cut through, sharp and measured.“So what now? You keep running tests?”Elara shook her head.“No. But we do need time.”Jack smirked coldly.“Yeah, well, that’s funny, ‘cause I don’t remember signing up for a sleepover.”Elara stepped forward slightly, her voice dipping into something quieter, steadier.“You are not prisoners.”Jack snorted.“Great. Then we’ll just be on our way.”The guards didn’t move.Elara’s expression didn’t shift.Right. So much for not being prisoners.Elara softened her tone.“General O’Neill, Colonel Carter, I’m asking for your cooperation. Not as an adversary. As a scientist.”Jack didn’t answer.Elara pressed on.“You’re both brilliant people. You know that if we don’t fully understand what just happened, it could have consequences down the line. For your son. For all of us.”Sam’s fingers twitched. That hit a nerve.Elara saw it. Used it.“We need time to process the data. To contact the right people. We need you to let us do that—calmly. Without escalating things further.”Jack’s jaw tightened. She was good.She wasn’t making threats. Wasn’t forcing compliance. She was appealing to reason.And damn it, she wasn’t wrong.Jack could fight his way out. He could flip the table, storm past the guards, demand answers with a gun instead of words. But where would that get them?No intel. No real options.And worse?No control.Sam’s gaze flicked to him. A silent question passed between them.
Do we play along—for now?
Jack’s instincts screamed at him. But he exhaled sharply.“And what exactly does ‘letting you process’ look like?”Elara lifted her chin slightly, sensing his reluctant concession.“You move to the infirmary. We monitor your vitals. We analyze the data from the scan. We report to our superiors and determine the next steps. In the meantime, you rest. No restraints. No interrogation.”Jack studied her carefully. Looking for the lie.She didn’t flinch.Jack sighed. “And if we say no?”Elara didn’t hesitate.“Then we stay locked in this room until my people receive authorization to override your decision.”Jack’s fingers curled into a fist. There it is.Sam’s voice was quiet but firm.“How long?”Elara exhaled.“Less than twenty-four hours.”Jack rolled his shoulders, glancing at Daniel, then Mercer. Neither looked thrilled. But neither had a better option.He looked at Sam.Her expression was guarded, but Jack could read her like a book. Her brain was already calculating. Running probabilities. Finding leverage.She gave him a barely perceptible nod.Jack exhaled through his nose. Then, finally—“Fine.”Elara didn’t gloat. Didn’t smile. Just nodded.“Thank you.”Jack gave her a long, pointed look.“Yeah, don’t make me regret it.”She motioned to the guards, who immediately relaxed their stance—just a fraction. Enough to signal a de-escalation.“Follow me,” Elara said.Jack let her take the lead. Never trust a negotiation where you’re not in control of the exits.The corridors stretched endlessly, sterile walls reflecting the faint hum of unseen machinery. Jack’s sharp eyes caught every detail—the tight formation of the guards, the faint wear on the keycard panels, the occasional flicker of a surveillance lens. They weren’t out of this yet.Not even close.But for now, they’d play along, knowing the real game hadn’t started.And Jack O’Neill was very, very good at playing the long game. The doors whispered open, revealing the infirmary—a space that was anything but ordinary.Jack stepped inside first, his gaze sweeping the room, instincts still on high alert. The air here was different—cleaner, richer, as if it had been filtered down to its most essential components. The walls weren’t stark white like an Earth hospital, but a deep, calming charcoal blue, their smooth surface shifting ever so slightly, adapting to the ambient lighting.There were no traditional hospital beds, no visible medical equipment, no IV stands or heart monitors. Instead, the recovery pods were built into the room itself, seamlessly emerging from the floor like sculpted lounge chairs. The moment Jack stepped closer, the surface of one adjusted, reshaping slightly in response to his proximity.The room itself was alive.Sam entered next, Benjamin tucked against her chest, her arms wrapped securely around him. Jack didn’t miss the way her fingers flexed against the fabric of his blanket—protective, nervous.Daniel and Mercer followed, the latter moving slower, more deliberately. Jack hated how pale Mercer looked under the soft, ambient glow of the room. He was still standing, still cracking jokes, but even he couldn’t hide the truth. Not anymore.This was the beginning of the end for him.“We are monitoring your vitals,” Dr. Elara announced as she entered behind them, hands clasped behind her back. “The room is designed to adjust to your physical needs, so if you experience discomfort, the system will compensate. Rest. You will be given time to recover before proceeding further.”Jack didn’t like being told what to do, but he wasn’t in the mood to argue. Not yet.A moment later, an assistant appeared, carrying folded garments—not military fatigues, not SGC jumpsuits, but form-fitting, temperature-regulating attire that shimmered faintly under the soft lighting.“This is for you,” the assistant said. “They will adjust to your body type for maximum comfort.”Jack took his reluctantly, eyeing it.“Great. Now we’re all gonna look like space yoga instructors.”Daniel raised an eyebrow as he unfolded his.“It’s actually impressive. The fibers in this material seem to adapt to biometric feedback.”Jack sighed.“Yeah, yeah. Just tell me if it explodes or something.”Sam was already examining hers, but her focus kept slipping back to Benjamin. The infant was nestled against her, perfectly content despite the swirling storm of uncertainty that had wrapped around them all.Jack knew what was on her mind.Benjamin.They had expected something unusual. But not this. Not a medical scan so powerful that it had shut down an entire diagnostic system. Not a reaction so extreme that even these people, with all their advancements, were at a loss.Jack wanted answers. But right now, there were none.“Go ahead and change,” Elara instructed. “We’ll leave you to rest. Someone will return shortly.”As soon as the door slid closed behind them, the silence settled.Jack inhaled deeply.“Okay. Let’s just—take a second.”Sam didn’t answer right away. She sat down, adjusting Benjamin against her, her fingers brushing over his tiny hands as if checking for something she couldn’t see.Daniel was already peeling off his old, worn SGC fatigues, slipping into the new uniform with scientific curiosity. Mercer, however, just stared at his.Jack noticed.“Hey.”Mercer glanced up. “Yeah?”“You gonna change?”Mercer exhaled, slow and tired. “Guess there’s not much point, is there?”Silence.Daniel looked away. Sam closed her eyes briefly. Jack just… sat down across from him.“You’re still here,” Jack said gruffly. “So yeah, there’s a point.”Mercer let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.“Leave it to you to make dying sound optional.”Jack shrugged.“Stranger things have happened.”A beat of silence stretched between them before Mercer finally reached for the clothes. He didn’t move fast. He didn’t need to.Jack turned his attention to Sam. She was watching Benjamin, her eyes clouded with thought.“He’s fine, Carter.”Sam glanced up, lips pressing together.“He disrupted an entire medical system, Jack.”“Yeah, I noticed.”“He’s four months old. He shouldn’t—” She exhaled, shaking her head. “He shouldn’t be able to do that.”Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.“We don’t know what it means yet.”Sam’s voice was quiet.“And what if we don’t like the answer?”Jack didn’t have a response to that.Daniel cleared his throat. “So.”Jack glanced at him. “So?”Daniel gave a weak smile.“What’s the over-under on whether or not we ever get a normal day again?”Jack huffed a laugh. “Oh, buddy. That ship sailed a long time ago.”Mercer smirked. Sam gave a small, exhausted chuckle.For the first time since arriving, the air felt just a little lighter.Not much.But enough.They weren’t okay. Not yet.But at least, for the moment, they could breathe.Benjamin, oblivious to the weight of the conversation, gave a tiny yawn and curled against Sam’s chest.Jack reached over, brushing his fingers lightly over the baby’s soft head. Nothing about this moment felt dangerous. Whatever was happening, whatever Benjamin was… he was theirs. That wasn’t changing.Daniel cleared his throat. “Actually… we have seen something before.”Sam looked up sharply. “What do you mean?”Daniel hesitated, then said, “Back in the Abyss, when things were… bad. The entity was closing in on us, warping reality itself. And then Benjamin… he pushed it back. More than once.”Jack frowned. “Yeah, I remember. He lit up like a damn supernova.”Sam’s fingers twitched against Benjamin’s blanket.“I thought he was just… reacting. A reaction to whatever energy was there.”Daniel nodded.“It was. Benjamin reacted both when you and Jack argued and then with the Abyss. He fought back.”Jack exhaled. “Which means?”Daniel met his gaze. “Whatever is inside him… it’s powerful. And it’s growing.”Silence hung between them, heavier than before.Mercer let out a low whistle.“Well. If that’s not terrifying, I don’t know what is.”Jack forced a smirk.“Oh, we passed ‘terrifying’ a long time ago.”Sam held Benjamin closer, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.“Then we just have to make sure he never has to fight alone,” she whispered. But what should have been a short stay stretched longer. The doctors came and went, always checking Mercer, ensuring he was comfortable, that he wasn’t in pain—but they had no answers when Jack pressed them about when they could leave.“Wait for further instructions,” they always said.Jack was sick of waiting.And all the while, there was a presence, a feeling that never quite left them.They were being watched.Not just monitored for medical purposes. Observed. Studied. Evaluated.Jack’s instincts screamed at him, but there was nothing tangible to latch onto—just the ever-present hum of the walls, the way doors opened a second before someone approached, the way the lights subtly adjusted to every move they made.Even Benjamin seemed to notice, his tiny head sometimes turning as if following something unseen.Jack clenched his jaw. They weren’t prisoners.Not yet.But it sure as hell felt like they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. After three nights there, Jack was already on edge when the doors slid open with a sharp hiss.The colonel stepped inside, flanked by two armed guards. His posture was stiff, his expression unreadable.But Jack had seen this before.This wasn’t a routine debriefing.“You are to be received by the base commander,” the colonel announced. His tone left no room for argument.Jack wasn’t surprised.Whoever had been watching them? Had just made their move.More clothing was brought in—this time, a futuristic version of their BDUs, structured, tactical but sleek.“All of you are to change,” the colonel continued, then glanced at Mercer. “Except him.”Silence.Jack’s hands tightened into fists.Mercer smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well. Guess I’m sitting this one out.”Jack exchanged a look with Sam and Daniel. This felt like a goodbye.But it wasn’t. Not yet. Not officially.Still, none of them knew what was going to happen next.Or how much time Mercer had left. The doors slid shut behind the colonel, sealing them in the infirmary.For a few seconds, no one spoke.Jack let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders as he took in their situation. That had been coming. The whispers, the way Elara shut down the moment her earpiece crackled—it was all leading to this.“They were always going to bring us in,” Sam murmured, echoing his thoughts.Jack glanced at her. “Yeah. Question is, do we go quietly?”Daniel, still rubbing the bridge of his nose like his brain was working overtime, looked up sharply. “What’s the alternative? Fight our way out with nothing but futuristic yoga outfits and a four-month-old?”Jack scowled at the form-fitting, high-tech uniform laid out for him. Damn thing probably self-adjusted to his biometrics.Sam sat on the edge of one of the sleek medical chairs, adjusting Benjamin’s blanket against her chest. Her grip hadn’t loosened since the scan. Jack could see it—the way her fingers flexed against the fabric, her mind working through every possible scenario.“They knew about him,” she said quietly. “Maybe not everything, but… enough. Someone was watching before we got here. They were waiting.”Jack exhaled through his nose.“And now they want to talk.”Daniel’s lips pressed into a thin line.“Which means they haven’t decided what to do with us yet.”Mercer, still pale but sitting up on his cot, let out a low chuckle.“Well, that’s comforting.”Jack turned back to Sam.“Do we play nice, or do we start pushing back?”She was quiet for a second, considering. Then, finally—“Play along. For now.”Jack raised a brow. Sam never wanted to just “play along.”She met his gaze.“If we push too hard, they’ll lock us down. We need more information before we make a move.”Jack exhaled sharply. She wasn’t wrong.Daniel, adjusting his own uniform, grimaced.“Okay, so we let them talk. See what they want.”Sam nodded, her voice quieter now.“And while they’re busy trying to figure us out—we figure them out.”Jack smirked.Now that? That sounded like a plan.Still, he hated the feeling in his gut—the same instinct that had kept him alive for years.This wasn’t just a debriefing.It was an evaluation.And whoever they were about to meet already had their fate in mind. They continued following the guards through sterile, dimly lit hallways. Every step echoed too loudly. The facility, now fully illuminated, seemed strangely pristine—too perfect.Jack’s hand brushed against the wall as they turned a corner. His fingers came away clean, the dust long gone. But there were scratches on the metal—minor, jagged marks that could have been made by… something.The lead guard stopped at a steel door, its surface unmarred but cold to the touch. He opened it with a quiet hiss, revealing a larger chamber beyond.Jack glanced at Daniel, who gave a slight, nervous shrug. Sam’s eyes darted around the corridor, her grip on Benjamin tightening.As they stepped inside, the door slid shut behind them. Too fast. Too final.Somewhere, deep within the facility, a light flickered and then went dark. The doors slid open with a faint hiss, and Jack O’Neill stepped cautiously inside.Sam followed closely behind, cradling Benjamin against her chest, her arms wrapped protectively around the infant. Daniel trailed after them, his eyes wide as he took in their surroundings. The stark contrast between this high-tech facility and the battered realities they’d left behind struck them immediately.The briefing room was unlike anything they’d seen before. Gone were the sterile gray walls and utilitarian furniture of their long-destroyed SGC. Instead, the room radiated efficiency and elegance, blending cutting-edge technology with a sleek, modern aesthetic.The walls shimmered faintly, appearing smooth and metallic but alive, subtly shifting colors between deep charcoal and cobalt as the ambient lighting adjusted. Holographic displays floated in mid-air, projecting rotating planetary models, streams of data, and what looked like advanced tactical schematics. A long, oval-shaped table dominated the center of the room, its surface entirely transparent, with glowing blue veins of energy pulsing beneath its glass-like structure.Chairs encircling the table seemed to mold themselves to fit the human form, with no visible seams or joints, their glossy surfaces hinting at advanced materials far beyond anything Jack had ever seen. Soft, even lighting emanated from unseen sources, casting no harsh shadows, and the air itself seemed unnaturally clean, carrying a faint hum of energy that prickled at the edges of awareness.Daniel broke the silence first, his voice tinged with awe.“This… this is incredible. Is the entire room adaptive?”Jack shot him a look, his tone sharp.“Focus, Daniel. We don’t have time to be impressed.”But even Jack couldn’t help the slight furrow of his brow as he scanned the room. His military instincts were on high alert, noting every detail—the polished floors, the discreet paneling along the walls that likely concealed hidden equipment, and the absence of anything that resembled a traditional security camera.Sam didn’t say a word, her focus entirely on Benjamin, who was nestled quietly in her arms. She adjusted the edge of his blanket, as though shielding him from whatever unseen forces were at work in this place. Her fingers flexed slightly against the fabric, a subtle sign of her tension.The guards who had escorted them in stood at attention near the entrance, their uniforms crisp and unrecognizable, their weapons sleek and clearly far more advanced than any P90. Without a word, they turned and exited the room, the doors sliding shut behind them with a low, resonant hum.For a moment, the three of them were alone.Daniel leaned closer to Jack, his voice dropping to a whisper.“This doesn’t look like any SGC I’ve ever seen.”Jack gave a tight nod, his jaw clenched.“No kidding. Makes Area 51 look like a garage workshop.”Sam finally spoke, her voice low but steady.“This isn’t just advanced—it’s decades ahead of where we were. Maybe more.”Jack sighed, adjusting his stance as he glanced back at the sealed doors.“Yeah, well, let’s hope their manners are advanced too.”Before anyone could respond, the doors opened again.The doors slid open again, this time with a sharper hiss, commanding attention. Four-star General Jack O’Neill stepped inside, his presence filling the room immediately.His uniform was a sleek evolution of the standard military dress, tailored to perfection with subtle markings of authority and service. Silver streaked through his hair, but his eyes carried the same sharpness and wit as ever, scanning the room with the practiced precision of a soldier who’d seen too much.“Well,” the older Jack drawled as he came to a stop near the head of the table, his hands settling on his hips. “This is awkward.”Younger Jack turned to face him, his expression somewhere between bemused and irritated.“I take it you’re in charge here?”The older Jack smirked.“Got the stars to prove it.” His gaze flicked to Benjamin, who stirred slightly in Sam’s arms. “And you brought a plus one. Didn’t know we were having a family reunion.”Younger Jack tightened his grip on his new modern uniform.“Trust me, if this were a reunion, there’d be cake.”The older Jack raised an eyebrow but let the comment slide. Instead, he shifted his attention to Sam, then to Daniel, his expression carefully neutral.“Carter,” he said, nodding slightly at the younger version of her before his gaze moved to Daniel. “Jackson. Still alive, I see.”Daniel adjusted his glasses, his tone cautious. “For now.”Older Jack chuckled lightly.“Good to know some things don’t change.”Before the younger Jack could retort, the doors opened again, and Lieutenant General Samantha Carter entered.Her uniform mirrored Jack’s, pristine and adorned with insignia that denoted her rank and achievements. Her hair, tinged with silver, was pulled back neatly, and her expression was as composed as it was calculating. She paused just inside the door, her gaze sweeping over the group with a mixture of familiarity and curiosity.“So,” she began, her voice calm but laced with authority, “you’re the ones who made it through.” Her eyes settled briefly on Benjamin before flicking back to Sam. “And you’re… me.”Sam straightened instinctively, her arms tightening around Benjamin.“I guess that makes you me. Just older.”The older Sam gave a faint smile.“Older, sure. Let’s just say… more experienced.”Daniel, sensing the tension, took a step forward.“Okay, so before we dive into the existential crises, can someone tell us what year it is here? Or where exactly ‘here’ is?”The older Jack shot him a warning look.“We’ll get to that.”Younger Jack frowned, leaning closer.“No, we’ll get to it now. We just barely escaped from an overrun Earth and a hellish place, and you’re giving us the silent treatment?”Older Jack’s smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression.“Escaped how?”Sam answered carefully.“A teleporter. Asgard-based tech.”The older Sam tilted her head slightly.“Teleportation? That tech’s been obsolete for almost a century.”Daniel jumped in, his curiosity overtaking his caution.“What about the Stargate? Or the Quantum Mirror? Are those still in use?”The two generals exchanged a glance before the older Jack responded.“Classified.”“Of course it is,” younger Jack muttered, crossing his arms.The older Sam leaned forward, her tone softening but remaining guarded.“We understand that you’re coming from a very different reality. But there are protocols in place. Sharing certain information could have… unintended consequences.”Younger Sam’s jaw tightened.“We didn’t come here looking to cause problems. All we need is time to regroup, figure out our next move, and protect our son.”The older Sam’s gaze lingered on Benjamin again, her expression unreadable.“Your son… has an unusual energy signature. Our sensors picked it up the moment you arrived. That’s part of why we’re here.”Younger Jack clenched his fists, his voice low and dangerous.“If you think you’re laying a hand on him—”“Relax,” older Jack interrupted, raising a hand. “No one’s touching the kid. Yet.”Younger Jack’s eyes narrowed.“That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.”Daniel cleared his throat, trying to diffuse the tension.“So… what happens now? You debrief us? Or is this the part where we’re ‘detained for further study’?”The older Jack’s smirk returned, though it was smaller this time.“Detained, no. Monitored? Absolutely.”The younger Jack snorted. “Great. Just great.”The older Sam leaned forward slightly, her tone more measured.“Look, we’re not your enemies. But you’ve brought advanced technology from a devastated Earth into a reality that’s stabilized. We need to understand what you’ve brought and why.”Younger Sam exchanged a look with her Jack before replying.“And what if we don’t want to cooperate?”Older Sam’s expression didn’t waver.“Then we wait. As long as it takes.”The room fell into a tense silence, the two teams sizing each other up like opponents in a chess game.Finally, older Jack broke the stalemate with a shrug.“Well, this has been fun. Let’s get you settled somewhere more comfortable. We’ve got time to figure this out.”As he turned to leave, his voice carried over his shoulder.“Welcome to 2145.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The walk to their quarters was silent and tense. The sterile, futuristic corridors stretched endlessly, their smooth metallic walls reflecting the dim lighting. Silent guards flanked them, their expressions unreadable.Jack broke the silence first. “I miss concrete.”Daniel shot him a look. “Concrete?”Jack gestured vaguely at the pristine surroundings.“Yeah. Walls should have cracks, dirt, and history. This place feels like it was built yesterday.”Still protectively cradling Benjamin, Sam stayed quiet, scanning every detail around them. The surveillance was conspicuous—subtle but everywhere.Finally, they reached their assigned quarters. The door slid open with an eerily smooth hiss, revealing a sleek, minimalist space. A long bench lined one wall, a low table in the center, and sleeping areas recessed into the walls. A tray of pre-packaged meals—nutrient packs and water—sat neatly arranged, waiting for them.Jack made a face. “Great. Space rations.”Daniel sat down with a sigh, rubbing his temples. “At least it’s something.”Sam ignored them, carefully settling Benjamin onto the softest part of the bench. He stirred slightly but remained asleep, his tiny chest's rhythmic rise and fall grounding her.Jack dropped onto the seat beside her, elbows on his knees, hands clasped as he stared at the wall.“All right. Let’s get this straight.” His voice was low and controlled but edged with frustration. “We’re in 2145. We’re in a different reality. And our older, supposedly wiser selves don’t want to tell us anything.”Daniel took a sip of water.“Sounds about right. We’re one and four-tenths of a century ahead of where we started.” His voice cracked slightly, a mixture of awe and disbelief.Jack huffed a laugh, shaking his head.“Fantastic. Well, that explains the fancy furniture. Did IKEA take over the galaxy while we weren’t looking?”Sam, finally looking up, spoke quietly but firmly. “We need to be careful.”Jack turned to her, eyes narrowing. “About what?”Sam glanced toward the sleek security panel near the door.“They’re watching,” she murmured.Jack snorted. “Let ‘em.”Daniel shot him a look. “Jack—”“We’re already on their radar,” Jack cut in. “Might as well make it worth their while.”Daniel leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.“We should assume they have an agenda. The question is: do they want to help us or control us?”Before anyone could answer, the door slid open again.Older Sam stepped inside, followed closely by Older Jack. Their expressions were neutral, unreadable.“Eat,” Older Sam said simply, nodding toward the untouched meal packs. “Then we’ll talk.”Jack exhaled sharply, but Sam reached for a packet without a word, setting the tone.This wasn’t about comfort. This was survival. The debriefing room was stark and futuristic, its smooth metallic walls reflecting the soft blue glow of the holographic displays. Jack, Sam, and Daniel sat opposite their older counterparts, their expressions wary as they absorbed the initial wave of information.“As you already know, we’re in 2145,” Older Sam began, her voice even but firm. “The teleporter that sent you all here… This isn’t just a time jump—this is an entirely different reality.”Daniel frowned, adjusting his glasses. “So we’re not only two centuries ahead, but in a timeline where things went differently?”Older Sam nodded. “Precisely. One where humanity had the time—and the opportunity—to grow.”Younger Jack huffed a bitter laugh.“Time and opportunity we didn’t get.”The older Jack met his younger self’s gaze, his expression uncharacteristically serious.“This reality’s Earth had its share of battles. But about fifty years ago, everything changed. The Goa’uld were eradicated. Completely.”Daniel blinked. “Eradicated? How? That’s—”“Classified,” older Jack interjected with a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes.Younger Sam shook her head, her voice sharp.“You can’t just drop something like that and not explain.”“We can, and we will,” older Jack shot back, crossing his arms. “Because sharing too much could make things worse—for all of us.”Younger Jack leaned forward, jaw tight, and folded his arms, frustration etched across his face.“All right, let me get this straight. You’ve got two centuries of advancements, tech we can’t even begin to understand, and resources that could probably send us home with the push of a button. But instead of helping, you’re keeping us locked up like lab rats?”Older Jack exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening.“We’re doing what we can, but there are… rules.”Daniel’s brow furrowed. “Whose rules?”Older Sam shot Older Jack a glance before answering carefully.“We have protocols. Processes that have to be followed.”“Right.” Younger Jack scoffed, his patience wearing thin. “And what happens if we don’t ‘follow the process’? You keep us locked up? Take Benjamin? What’s the endgame here?”For the first time, Older Jack hesitated. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with something colder, more guarded. His gaze flicked toward the security panel in the corner of the room—just for a second—but long enough for Younger Jack to catch it. Instead of answering immediately, he glanced away.Younger Jack’s voice dropped, sharp and cutting.“It’s not up to you, is it?”Older Jack’s lips pressed into a thin line.“Doesn’t matter.”“Like hell, it doesn’t.” Younger Jack leaned even forward, his voice low but furious. “You’re standing there acting like you’re in charge, calling the shots, but I see it. You’re just as boxed in as we are. The only difference is, you’ve had longer to get used to the cage.”Older Jack didn’t flinch, but something in his expression hardened.“Watch it.”The room fell into heavy silence.Younger Sam cradled Benjamin closer, sensing the shift in the conversation.Daniel, ever the diplomat, broke the tension.“So what do we do? Just sit here and wait for someone else to decide what happens to us?”Older Sam’s voice was quieter this time.“We’re trying to keep you safe.”Younger Jack let out a bitter laugh. “Funny. Doesn’t feel that way.”The older Sam stepped in, her tone firm but not unkind.“We’re not your enemies. Let me show you something that will clarify things.”Older Sam gestured toward the holographic display of the Quantum Shield. “This is the culmination of your work, Sam. The Quantum Shield—though I imagine it’s not how you envisioned it.”Younger Sam frowned, studying the shimmering schematic. “I designed this as a defensive system, not... whatever this is.”“In one reality,” Older Sam explained, “one Jack decided to share the Quantum Shield with the global scientific community. That decision—controversial as it was—sparked a technological revolution.”Younger Jack’s eyebrows shot up. “So you’re telling the other me caused all this? Figures.”Daniel tilted his head, curiosity overtaking disbelief. “Wait—how did that lead to this? I mean, a shield is one thing, but... an entire society?”Older Sam nodded. “Earth’s untouchable. The shield’s technology laid the groundwork for medicine, energy, and environmental innovations. But its primary function remains defense.”Younger Jack scoffed. “You make it sound like nobody even tries to attack you anymore.”Older Jack’s smirk faded. “Oh, they’ve tried.”Daniel’s brows furrowed. “The Goa’uld?”Older Sam tapped the display, pulling up a historical record. “Fifty years ago, they launched a full-scale invasion. Motherships descended in formation, ready to bombard the planet.”Younger Sam’s breath caught. “And the shield held?”Older Sam’s expression was unreadable. “Not just held. It responded.”Clearly, there was more to be explained, but Older Sam remained silent. That was all they were getting.Daniel blinked, stunned. “It’s an offensive weapon…”Older Sam nodded. “A last resort.”Younger Jack exhaled. “So it’s not just a wall—it’s a damn minefield.”Older Jack shrugged. “The best kind of war is the one you don’t have to fight.”Daniel, still watching the simulation, frowned. “What happens if someone finds a way through? Every system has a weakness.”Older Sam’s jaw tightened. “No one ever has.”Younger Jack muttered under his breath. “That’s not reassuring.”The briefing ended abruptly when Older Jack cut in with a veiled warning.“You’ll have your quarters, meals, and time to process this. But don’t mistake caution for hostility. We have rules for a reason.” Back inside their quarter again, Jack paced, frustrated."They know something. Hell, they know a lot. But they’re holding back."Daniel nodded."The Goa’uld being gone? The shield controlling Earth? This wasn’t just about defense—it was about control."Sam was quiet. She had been thinking about Benjamin. She had seen the shift in Older Sam’s expression earlier, the flicker of hesitation.Finally, she said: "They’re not just watching us. They’re watching him."A heavy silence fell over the room. Jack froze mid-step, his expression darkening."You think they see him as a threat?"Sam shook her head."I don’t know. But I don’t think they’ve told us everything about why we’re here."A sharp knock on the door interrupted them. When they returned to the briefing room, the atmosphere had shifted. Older Sam and Older Jack stood at the head of the table, their expressions more serious than before.“We’re ready to tell you more,” Older Sam said.Sam’s eyes flickered toward Jack and Daniel. Something about this felt off.The holographic display reactivated, revealing deeper schematics of the Quantum Shield. Older Sam tapped the display. “The shield didn’t just protect Earth—it reshaped it.”“Into what?” Jack folded his arms. “A utopia?”“An ecosystem,” she corrected. “It regulates power grids, stabilizes the climate, even slows aging.”Daniel frowned. “Wait—slows aging? How?”“Advanced telomere recalibration.” Older Sam’s expression was unreadable. “We didn’t age the same way anymore.”Sam stiffened. “You’re 139 years old, aren’t you?”“Yes. I’m 139 years old, but I’m closer to 57 biologically. Advances in genetic recalibration—specifically telomere stabilization and cellular regeneration—have allowed us to slow aging at a controlled rate.”Jack huffed. “So you’re saying Earth turned into some sci-fi utopia?”Older Jack’s smirk faded. “We’re saying Earth survived.”Sam glanced at the display, still skeptical. “And what was the cost?”Older Sam exchanged a glance with Older Jack before responding carefully. “Some sacrifices were made. But the alternative would have been worse.”Jack exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair. “Great. Guess we’ll just take that on faith, huh?”Older Sam smirked.“Not exactly. The process doesn’t stop aging; it regulates it. Cellular breakdown still happens, just… at a much slower rate.”Daniel tilted his head, intrigued.“So, what—people just keep going until something else takes them out?”Older Sam’s expression remained neutral. “Something like that.”Jack wasn’t convinced. “And the catch?”Older Sam’s gaze flickered—just for a moment—but she recovered quickly.“Everything has limits, Jack.”Daniel wasn’t ready to drop it.“And what about the ethical side of it? Who gets to live for a century and a half, and who doesn’t? What happens when resources run out? You’re telling me this whole system just works?”For the first time, Older Sam hesitated.It was brief—so brief that someone less observant might not have noticed—but Daniel did. The slightest shift in her posture, the fraction-of-a-second delay before she responded.“We’ve learned to adapt.”Younger Jack narrowed his eyes. “That’s not an answer.”Older Sam exhaled, glancing briefly at Older Jack before answering.“Some things come with trade-offs. But this isn’t the time for that conversation.”Daniel pressed. “So there is a trade-off.”Older Sam’s expression tightened, but her voice remained even.“There always is.”Older Jack decided to step into the conversation.“There are factors you don’t understand yet. And maybe you shouldn’t.”A heavy silence filled the room.Younger Sam’s gaze returned to the display."And Benji? He’ll have access to this…genetic calibration?"Older Sam’s expression softened."Eventually, when his time comes. Children here grow up in a safe, abundant world. They have every opportunity to thrive. But it wasn’t without sacrifices. We had to let go of the Stargate program; it was decommissioned decades ago. The shield rendered it unnecessary, and we redirected our resources to securing and improving Earth."Daniel frowned."Decommissioned? But the Stargate was humanity’s greatest tool for exploration.""And also its greatest risk," Older Jack interjected. "We had to choose: keep the Stargate and the threats it attracted or secure Earth’s future. We chose Earth."The room fell silent as the weight of their words settled.Older Sam’s voice was gentle as she added, "It wasn’t easy. But this reality isn’t about what we lost—it’s about what we gained: peace, security, and a future we never thought possible."Benjamin stirred in Sam’s arms, letting out a small whimper. Her protective instincts kicked in instantly, her hand brushing soothingly over his back.The room fell silent again, the tension settling like a heavy weight over them all.Finally, Daniel cleared his throat.“So… what now? Are we prisoners? Guests? Refugees? What’s the plan here?”Older Jack smirked faintly.“For now? You’re… under observation.”“Fantastic,” younger Jack muttered.The older Sam stepped forward, her voice more measured.“You’ll have your quarters, access to basic resources, and time to recover. We’ll debrief you further once we’ve analyzed the data from your arrival. Until then, consider this a… probationary arrangement.”Younger Sam frowned. “And if we don’t cooperate?”The older Jack’s smirk widened. “You really want to test that theory?”Sam’s jaw tightened as she leaned forward, cradling Benjamin protectively. Her tone was sharp, demanding.“What about my son? Why aren’t you sharing the results of his test?”Older Sam hesitated, glancing at her Jack before addressing the group. “Benjamin is… different. When you arrived, our sensors detected something unique. Benjamin’s DNA is... rewriting itself.”Younger Sam instinctively pulled Benjamin closer.“Rewriting? What does that mean? Is he in danger?”“No,” Older Sam assured her, stepping closer, her voice soft but firm. “At least, not directly. His body is adapting—constantly. It’s not just responding to its environment; it’s anticipating changes, adjusting before they happen.”Younger Jack raised an eyebrow, his tone skeptical.“So, what? He’s some baby supercomputer?”Older Jack let out a short, humorless laugh.“Not quite. But close.”Daniel leaned forward, curiosity lighting his expression.“Are we talking about evolution? Mutation? What’s driving this?”Older Sam nodded. “All of the above, maybe. His DNA is reacting to something—perhaps a combination of your genetics, Sam, and whatever dimensional energy he’s been exposed to.”Younger Jack folded his arms. “Reacting? Or being changed? Because there’s a big difference.”Older Sam hesitated before answering. “We don’t fully know yet. But his energy signature isn’t passive—it’s directed. It responds to his emotions, surroundings, and maybe... even us.”Sam’s gaze snapped to her older self.“You’re saying he’s influencing the world around him? At four months old?”“Not consciously,” Older Sam clarified. “But if he learns to control it... the possibilities are endless. And dangerous.”Younger Jack gave a low whistle, moving closer to Sam and Benjamin.“Great. So my kid’s not just a baby—he’s a potential walking superweapon.”Older Jack’s smirk faded as he regarded his younger counterpart.“If it makes you feel any better, most people don’t realize they’re superweapons until they’re older.”“Not helping,” younger Jack snapped.The older Sam interjected, her tone firm.“No one here sees Benjamin as a weapon, Jack. But you have to understand the energy signature he’s emitting is unlike anything we’ve encountered. It destabilized our systems the moment you arrived. If it’s not monitored, it could become dangerous—to him and others.”Sam tightened her grip on Benjamin. “He’s a baby. He’s not dangerous.”Older Sam met her eyes.“Not yet. But you need to know the risks. If his DNA keeps adapting, it could push him beyond the limits of what a human body is designed to handle. His energy could grow unstable, unpredictable.”“Or,” Daniel said cautiously, “he could learn to stabilize it himself. If he’s already anticipating changes at a molecular level, maybe this adaptation isn’t dangerous—it’s evolution.”The room fell silent as the weight of that possibility settled over them.Younger Sam’s mind raced, piecing together the implications.“You’re saying he’s… something new?”Older Sam nodded slowly.“Something we don’t fully understand yet. But if he learns to control this energy, he could reshape more than just his environment. He could reshape reality itself.”Jack stood, voice low. “So what now? You keep us here? Run tests?”Older Jack was blunt. “We’re already testing him.”Older Sam could see on their faces that this wasn’t easy. At all, but they had no other option.“You have a choice. Cooperate, or this gets harder,” she said, ending the briefing.The words hung heavy in the air, the warning implicit.Younger Sam looked back at her son, brushing a hand gently over his head as her mind churned with unanswered questions. The debriefing ended, leaving a heavy silence as the team was escorted back to their quarters. The guards stationed themselves outside the door, leaving them alone.The door slid shut with a faint hiss, sealing the group in silence.Jack paced the length of the room, his jaw tight, his hands resting on his hips as he worked through his frustration. Sam sat on the edge of a low, curved bench, still holding Benjamin, her gaze fixed on his tiny face. Daniel leaned against the wall, arms crossed, staring at the floor while the faint hum of the facility’s energy systems filled the silence.“Okay,” Jack said finally, breaking the stillness. “Anyone else feel like we just walked into an episode of The Twilight Zone?”Daniel let out a dry laugh, shaking his head.“More like a season finale. This whole place—this whole reality—it’s insane. And now… Benjamin…” He trailed off, rubbing the bridge of his nose.Sam’s voice cut through the tension, quiet but firm.“He’s not insane, Daniel. He’s our son.”Daniel looked up sharply, guilt flickering across his face.“That’s not what I meant. I just—this is so far beyond anything we’ve ever dealt with. The Stargate, alternate realities, time travel—none of it comes close to this. Benjamin’s… abilities, if that’s even the right word, are rewriting the rules as we know them. Things are getting even faster than they were with the oversight committee and Janet’s health assessments. That’s all I’m saying.”Jack stopped pacing and turned to face him, his tone sharp.“Yeah, well, rewriting the rules doesn’t mean we let them treat him like some science project. They’re talking about him like a weapon waiting to go off.”Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened, her voice trembling slightly. The image of Alec Mercer came immediately to her mind. What did they do to him. What did the oversight committee want to do with Benjamin. What might this reality have in mind for her son.“He’s not a weapon. He’s just… adapting.”“To what?” Jack shot back. “To this place? To us? To every damn reality, we drag him through?” He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “How the hell are we supposed to protect him from something we don’t even understand?”Sam looked up at him, her blue eyes blazing.“We figure it out. That’s what we do. We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.”Jack’s shoulders dropped slightly at her words, though his jaw remained tight. He sat across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.“And what if we can’t? What if this thing—this energy—gets out of control?”Sam glanced down at Benjamin, gazing up at her with wide, innocent eyes. She brushed her fingers gently across his cheek, her voice softening.“Then we make sure it doesn’t.”Daniel cleared his throat, stepping forward cautiously.“Look, I hate to say it, but the older Sam and Jack aren’t wrong. Benjamin’s energy is… unprecedented. If it’s as adaptive as they say, then maybe it’s not just reacting to the environment—it’s reacting to us. To our fears and emotions, like he did in the Abyss when you two argued, if we treat him like he’s dangerous, we might be making him dangerous.”Jack glared at him.“That’s helpful, Daniel. Thanks for the pep talk.”“I’m just saying,” Daniel said defensively, “we can’t afford to panic. This isn’t just about Benjamin. It’s about all of us. If they’re monitoring him, they’re monitoring us too. Everything we say, everything we do—it’s all part of their assessment.”Sam looked up at Daniel, her brow furrowed.“You think they’re testing us? For what?”Daniel shrugged.“Who knows? Maybe to see if we’re trustworthy. Maybe we can see if Benjamin’s abilities are worth the risk of keeping us here. Either way, they’re playing the long game, and we’re under the microscope.”Jack let out a bitter laugh, leaning back against the wall.“Great. Just what I needed—another round of twenty questions with people who already think they know the answers.”Benjamin let out a soft coo, breaking the tension for a moment. Sam smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to his forehead.“He doesn’t know any of this,” she murmured. “He doesn’t know what’s happening or why. All he knows is that we’re here. And that’s all that matters.”Jack’s expression softened slightly as he watched her, the weight of their situation momentarily lifting as he focused on his son.“Yeah,” he said quietly. “We’re here.”Daniel stepped closer, lowering his voice.“So what’s the plan? Do we keep cooperating? Push back? Try to find a way out?”Jack exchanged a glance with Sam, their unspoken communication clear as ever. Finally, Jack answered, his tone steady.“We play along for now. But we don’t trust them—not completely. They already healed us, except for Mercer, who is not healing. We gather as much intel as possible and figure out what they know and are not telling us. And if they even think about making a move on Benjamin…” His voice trailed off, his meaning unmistakable.Sam nodded, her determination clear.“We’re not leaving him to them. No matter what.”Daniel sighed, leaning back against the wall.“I don’t think they’ll hurt him. If anything, they’re probably more afraid of him than we are. But you’re right—we need more information. We'll always be two steps behind if we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”Jack stood, his resolve hardening.“Then we make sure we’re not.” He looked at each of them in turn. “This isn’t the first time we’ve been up against something bigger than us. And it won’t be the last. But we’ve got one advantage they don’t.”Daniel raised an eyebrow. “And that is?”Jack smirked faintly. “We’re a hell of a lot more stubborn than they are.”The faintest chuckle escaped Daniel, and Sam’s lips quirked into a small smile.For a moment, the tension eased, replaced by the quiet resolve that had carried them through countless impossible situations before.Benjamin released another soft coo, his tiny fingers curling around Sam’s thumb.“Yeah, kid,” Jack muttered, his voice softer now. “We’ve got this. One way or another.” Later that evening, after the guards delivered a minimal dinner of nutrient packs and water, the group sat in a loose circle on the room’s modular furniture. The food was untouched, and their focus was entirely on the conversation.Jack leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his gaze sharp.“Alright. If we’re going to figure this out, we need a plan. We can’t just sit around waiting for them to tell us what’s wrong with our son.”Daniel nodded, his arms crossed as he paced slowly.“Agreed. But we also can’t rush into anything. If Benjamin’s abilities are as unstable as they say, we could make things worse by pushing him too hard.”Sam was seated on the floor, with Benjamin lying on a soft blanket in front of her. Benjamin cooed softly as she played with her fingers. Her voice was calm but firm.“We don’t push him at all. He’s a baby. If his energy is adaptive, it’s tied to his natural development. Forcing anything could backfire.”Jack gestured toward Benjamin, his frustration bubbling.“So what do we do? Just sit around and hope he doesn’t accidentally vaporize the room?”“Not quite,” Sam replied, her gaze not leaving Benjamin. “We observe him. Carefully. If his energy reacts to his environment, we need to understand the triggers.”Daniel paused, his brows furrowing. “You think it’s environmental?”“I think it’s both,” Sam said. “Look at the pattern. The older Sam said the energy signature destabilized their systems when we arrived, but Benjamin’s calm now. If he’s stable when he feels safe, we must keep him in environments where he doesn’t sense a threat. However, he also reacted when he felt that I was hurt by Jack or that we were in danger at the Abyss. So, it is also linked to emotions. Most likely mine, but also Jack and even you, Daniel. He sees all of us as his family.”Jack frowned, his skepticism clear.“That’s a nice theory, Carter, but what happens when something unpredictable sets him off? Or do we yell at each other? We can’t exactly bubble-wrap the kid.”“We don’t have to,” Daniel said, picking up on Sam’s line of thought. “If Benjamin’s energy is adaptive, then the key is helping him feel secure—emotionally and physically. The more grounded he is, the less likely he’ll destabilize.”Sam nodded.“Exactly. And that starts with us. He reacts to us, our emotions, our energy. If we’re calm, he’ll be calm. If we panic…”Jack groaned, running a hand down his face.“Great. So we’re his emotional anchors now. No pressure.”Daniel smirked faintly. “You’ll manage, Jack. You’re great with kids.”Jack shot him a glare but didn’t argue. Instead, he looked back at Benjamin, who was now clutching one of Sam’s fingers, his tiny hand radiating warmth. Jack’s expression softened slightly.“Alright, so we keep things stable. What else?”Sam hesitated for a moment before speaking again.“We need to test the limits of his energy. Carefully. If it’s tied to his DNA, it might not just be about adaptation—it could be instinctual. He might already have some control over it.”Jack raised an eyebrow.“Control? He’s four months old. The only thing he controls is when we don’t sleep.”“Not consciously,” Sam clarified. “But instinctively. Think about it: his energy stabilized after we escaped the teleporter. He might have sensed the danger and adapted to protect himself—and us.”Daniel nodded thoughtfully.“That would explain why the Goa’uld didn’t detect him before. His energy wasn’t active. It only flared when we used the teleporter, probably because the dimensional shift triggered it.”Jack leaned back, considering this.“So you’re saying he’s already using it, even if he doesn’t know how?”Sam shrugged.“It’s a possibility. But we won’t know unless we observe him in controlled scenarios.”Jack frowned. “And how do we control something we don’t understand?”Sam glanced at Benjamin, then back at Jack.“We start small. Simple observations. If his energy is tied to his emotions, we watch for spikes—when he’s upset, when he’s happy when he’s scared. We track every reaction.”Daniel chimed in.“And if we notice a pattern, we can start predicting when and how his energy will react. That gives us some control—or at least a warning system.”Jack grunted, clearly not thrilled but willing to go along with it.“Fine. But if this goes sideways, we pull the plug.”“We will,” Sam assured him.Benjamin let out a soft laugh, breaking the tension. He reached toward the faint glow of a nearby wall panel, his tiny hand seeming to reflect the light. For a moment, the glow around the panel flickered, dimming slightly before stabilizing again.Jack stared at the wall, his jaw tightening. “Did you see that?”Sam nodded, her expression turning analytical.“He’s drawn to energy. Or he’s influencing it. Either way, we need to monitor him constantly.”Daniel exhaled, leaning against the wall.“We’re basically running an experiment on a four-month-old.”Sam looked up sharply.“He’s not an experiment. He’s our son.”Daniel held up his hands in surrender.“Poor choice of words. I mean… this is uncharted territory, Sam. You’re asking us to handle something no one has ever seen before. And if the older Jack and Sam are right, this isn’t just about Benjamin—it’s about how the universe might respond to him.”Jack shook his head.“Let’s focus on the now, Daniel. One step at a time.”He crouched next to Sam, lightly brushing his hand over Benjamin’s head. The baby turned his gaze to Jack, his tiny fingers reaching out and wrapping around one of Jack’s.“Alright, kid,” Jack said softly. “Guess it’s you and us against the universe. Don’t worry—we’ve handled worse.”Benjamin gurgled in response, a faint flicker of light dancing in his eyes.Sam smiled faintly, brushing her hand over his tiny head.“We’ll figure this out. Together.”Daniel exhaled. “And what if Benjamin’s abilities escalate? What if they decide they want to control him?”Jack’s expression darkened. “Then we leave.”Sam’s eyes snapped to his. “Jack, we don’t even know if that’s possible.”“Then we make it possible.”Silence fell over the room. Benjamin cooed softly, entirely unaware of the storm brewing around him. Sam reached down, running a finger along his cheek, grounding herself in the only certainty she had left.They would do whatever it took to keep him safe. In a high-tech observation room on the far side of the facility, the older Jack O’Neill leaned back in his chair, watching the live feed on the monitor. His younger self looked as pissed off as ever. Carter was already problem-solving. Daniel was, well, Daniel.“They’re planning something,” he muttered.Beside him, the older Sam crossed her arms, eyes sharp as she studied the feed.“Of course they are. Wouldn’t you?”Jack grunted. “I hate dealing with myself.”Sam smirked faintly but didn’t look away from the screen.“They’re not wrong to be cautious. If our positions were reversed…”Jack sighed. “I’d be doing exactly what he’s doing.”She nodded. “So what do we do?”Jack tapped his fingers against the desk, considering.“We let them think they’re a step ahead. Give them enough rope to see where they’re going with this.”Sam arched an eyebrow. “And if they do something reckless?”Jack shot her a look. “When have we ever done something reckless?”She huffed a quiet laugh. “Right. I forgot who I was talking to.”Jack’s gaze drifted back to the screen, where younger Sam cradled Benjamin, whispering something soft. A memory flickered—Sam, years ago, standing in their quarters, staring at the empty space where a crib should have been. The future had given them a lot, but not that.“You think they’re going to run?” he asked quietly.Sam hesitated. “If they think they have no other choice.”Jack exhaled. “Then we make sure they don’t get to that point.”She turned to look at him fully now, expression unreadable.“And if we can’t?”Jack’s eyes remained locked on the screen, on the tiny, reality-bending baby who had no idea the weight he carried.“Then we make damn sure no one else gets to him first.”Sam was silent for a long moment. Then, so softly it was almost a whisper, she murmured, “Maybe this time, we won’t have to let go.”Jack glanced at her sharply, but she fixed her gaze on the screen. His throat tightened.“Carter—”“It’s just a thought,” she interrupted, turning away before he could press her further.Jack clenched his jaw and a storm of unspoken words caught between them.They both knew what was at stake. But now, for the first time, he wondered if they were playing the same game.Older Sam walked briskly down the corridor, her hands clutching the unreadable medical reports. Their weight pressed against her palms, but it was nothing compared to the weight in her chest.The moment she stepped into her private quarters, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She barely noticed the sterile hum of the advanced facility around her; all she felt was the exhaustion settling deep into her bones. The reports she carried felt heavier than they should, the unreadable data mocking her.She placed them on the desk and exhaled, her shoulders slumping as she closed her eyes. The past and present blurred, memories clawing back to the surface.She had been pregnant once, happy. Jack had been over the moon, his hand drifting to her belly in wonder. They had whispered names in the dark and imagined a future where their child would grow up safe and free.And then he had been taken.Not even Jack, with all his rank and influence, had been able to stop it. The program had decided their son was too valuable, too dangerous. They had ripped him from her arms before she had even held him properly.It had broken something inside her. Inside them. They had remained together, in name, in routine—but something fundamental had shifted, and time had only widened the distance until their marriage had become little more than an unspoken arrangement.She let out a slow, shaking breath and ran a hand over her face—too many years.A quiet click disrupted the silence. Sam turned just as the communication door to Jack’s quarters eased open.He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. His face was lined with the weight of years, and the sharp edge of his features softened, but his eyes—his damn eyes—still saw straight through her.Neither of them spoke. They never needed to.Jack stepped inside, hesitating for a fraction of a second before letting the door close behind him. His posture was rigid, betraying the uncertainty he rarely showed, but his steady and unwavering gaze never left hers. The space between them felt simultaneously too vast and too small.His gaze flicked to the reports on the desk before returning to her. She knew he had questions. He always did. But he didn’t ask. He just stood there, watching her, waiting.She sighed, her voice barely above a whisper.“Jack…”The single syllable carried too much—memories, regrets, longing—a lifetime of unspoken words wrapped up in a name.Jack exhaled sharply and crossed the space between them in two strides. He didn’t pull her into an embrace, didn’t speak, didn’t offer empty reassurances. Instead, he cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek. The touch was tentative and hesitant, as if testing whether the fragile thread still existed between them.Sam closed her eyes, leaning into the warmth of his palm. They had spent too many years apart, held together only by duty and unspoken grief. But tonight… tonight, the weight of their shared past was heavier than the distance between them.Without another word, Jack leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. The air between them was thick with the tension of what had been lost, of what could never be reclaimed. But at this moment, in this room, they weren’t officers or leaders or broken versions of themselves.They were just Jack and Sam.Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as she exhaled slowly. His other hand settled on her waist, grounding her.“Too many years,” he murmured, his breath ghosting against her skin.She nodded. “Yeah.”Jack pulled back just enough to meet her striking blue eyes again, searching, waiting. She answered him the only way she knew how—by stepping closer, by letting the barriers between them fall away.That night, after too many years, they slept in the same bed. The silence between them was filled with everything unspoken, a quiet understanding that words had never been enough. In the stillness, old wounds ached, but they didn't feel entirely alone for the first time in years, not as leaders of a fractured future or as battle-worn survivors.Just like them. The following day, Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Benjamin were escorted out of their quarters and into the corridors of the futuristic SGC. Sleek, polished metal lined the halls, and holographic displays flickered with scrolling data in an advanced, indecipherable script. Unlike the cold, concrete structure they had known, this facility was pristine—too pristine.The air was filtered, crisp, and sterile. The soft hum of unseen machinery filled the space, barely noticeable but omnipresent. Lights adjusted to their movements, subtly shifting hue and intensity based on proximity. It was all so efficient, so perfect.Too perfect.“Welcome to the future,” Jack muttered under his breath.As they were led through different facility sections, they caught glimpses of advanced laboratories, training rooms equipped with virtual reality combat simulations, and massive, interlinked data servers that pulsed with soft blue light.Everywhere they turned, silent observers stood watch. Guards in sleek, form-fitting armor, their weapons holstered but ever-present. The scientists they passed regarded them with a mix of curiosity and calculation. Every movement felt measured, and every step accounted for.Big Brother was definitely watching.Daniel adjusted his glasses, eyeing a surveillance drone hanging near the ceiling.“I don’t think privacy is much of a thing here.”Sam’s gaze flicked to a wall-mounted display that momentarily showed their group’s biometric readouts—heart rate, respiration, body temperature—before switching back to another data stream. She suppressed a shudder.“This isn’t just surveillance,” she murmured. “It’s control.”Jack exhaled sharply, keeping his expression neutral as he whispered, “And we’re right in the middle of it.” In the afternoon, a sharp knock on the door broke the tense silence of their quarters. Jack was instantly on his feet, exchanging a glance with Sam before opening it.Older Sam stood there, flanked by the tall, composed woman in a sleek medical uniform they already knew. The woman’s name badge read Dr. Elara.“I need you all to come with us,” Older Sam said, her tone neutral but firm.Jack folded his arms. “Not interested.”Dr. Elara spoke calmly. “The medical tests must continue, General. We need more data.”Sam stiffened. “And if we refuse?”Older Sam’s expression remained steady. “Then you stay here. Indefinitely.”Jack’s jaw clenched. “You’re threatening us.”“I’m giving you a choice,” Older Sam corrected. “Stay confined, or cooperate and move forward. It’s up to you.”Jack exhaled sharply, glancing at Sam and Daniel. After a long pause, he nodded.“Fine. But we’re doing this on our terms.”As they were escorted down the corridor, tension thick in the air, they entered a pristine medical facility. Jack’s gut twisted as his gaze landed on a frail, barely conscious figure hooked up to an array of machines.Alec Mercer.Sam inhaled sharply, stepping closer. His once-strong frame had withered, his skin pale, his breathing labored.Dr. Elara’s voice was clinical.“His condition is deteriorating, but he’s not in pain.”Jack swallowed hard. “How long?”Older Sam met his gaze evenly. “Days, hours, depends on him.”Silence hung between them, heavy with unspoken fears.Jack tightened his grip on Sam’s hand. The next round of medical tests began under an air of tension so thick it was suffocating. The examination room gleamed with sterile white surfaces, illuminated by softly pulsing panels of light embedded in the walls. Advanced scanners hovered over sleek, reclining chairs, their mechanisms smooth and soundless.General Samantha Carter stood beside Dr. Elara, arms crossed, her gaze impassive as she observed each test unfold.Jack, Sam, and Daniel were led to different scanning stations and subjected to deeper, more invasive analyses individually. The machines pulsed with vibrant blue light, wrapping them in energy columns while displaying unreadable data streams on floating screens.It was unnerving.But nothing compared to the moment it was Benjamin’s turn.Sam held him tightly as they placed him into a specialized containment unit, a translucent pod lined with energy receptors. The moment the scanners engaged, the readings spiked erratically. Lights flickered, machinery whirred unpredictably, and warning indicators flared in alarming red bursts.Dr. Elara frowned, adjusting controls.“It’s the same pattern. He’s destabilizing the systems.”Older Sam studied the fluctuating readings, her brows furrowing.“Damn it,” she muttered, snatching up the printed sheets.Jack stepped forward. “That sounded bad.”She hesitated, glancing at Benjamin, then at Sam.“His energy isn’t stabilizing—it’s adapting. Faster than we thought.”Sam’s stomach clenched. “Adapting to what?”Older Sam exhaled, her grip tightening on the reports. “That’s what we need to find out.”Then, she left, leaving the tension in the air palpable.Jack exhaled sharply. “I hate when we do that.”Daniel rubbed his temples. “Yeah. That was not reassuring.”Sam held Benjamin close, determination settling in her eyes.“We find out the truth. One way or another.” Later that night, in the command center's depths, Older Sam spread the medical reports across the table. The readings were inconsistent, impossible, and, worst of all, unreadable. Jack stood across from her, his jaw tight, arms folded.“We can’t keep this under wraps much longer,” she murmured.Jack exhaled, running a hand down his face.“The Directorate is going to want answers. If we don’t give them something soon—”“They’ll take control,” Sam finished for him. She tapped the sheets, her expression grim. “Benjamin isn’t just different. He’s something new. And if word gets out—”Jack cut in, his voice low. “We lose control.”She nodded, rubbing her temples.“We’ve contained it here, for now. No leaks. No outside interference. But if even a whisper of this gets to the Council, they’ll tear the SGC apart to get him.”Jack studied her for a long moment.“Then we make sure they don’t find out. Not yet.”Sam hesitated before answering. “We need more time.”Jack exhaled. “And if we don’t get it?”Sam met his gaze, a shadow passing behind her eyes.“Then we do what we have to.”Jack didn’t ask what she meant. He already knew. The second day began with the group being escorted through a new facility sector.The transition from the stark white hallways to the Atrium was jarring. Lush greenery lined pristine walkways, with towering glass walls giving the illusion of openness. Small streams and engineered waterfalls wound through carefully arranged seating areas where people sat in quiet conversation. Everything was beautifully designed.Too perfect.Jack muttered, “This place looks like a sci-fi movie set.”Daniel studied the structured environment.“More like an engineered society. Controlled variables, optimized living.”Sam felt an unease settle in her stomach. “It’s not just a city. It’s a system.”Before they could say more, a guide approached, her tone brisk.“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’ve just received a call from the medical wing. Mr. Mercer’s condition has taken a turn. The doctors have requested your presence immediately.”The words hit like a physical blow. Jack straightened, his face tightening. Sam instinctively held Benjamin closer while Daniel exhaled sharply.“Let’s go,” Jack said, his voice low but steady.They followed without hesitation, leaving the Atrium behind. The medical wing was unnervingly quiet, and the faint hum of machines was a soft backdrop to the moment's gravity. Alec Mercer lay back on the medical bed, breathing shallow and labored. The once indomitable man looked fragile now, his strength eroded by the battle.Sam sat at his bedside, Benjamin nestled in her arms, the baby’s soft coos a heartbreaking contrast to the weight of the room. Jack stood behind her, his hand resting on her shoulder, while Daniel lingered near the foot of the bed, his arms crossed tightly as if trying to hold himself together.“You all came,” Mercer rasped, lips twitching in something that might’ve been a smirk. “Thought I’d have to die alone. Nice to know I’m at least worth a send-off.”Jack’s jaw clenched.“You’re not going anywhere.” His voice cracked, betraying him.Mercer exhaled a breathy chuckle.“Don’t lie to the dying, Jack. It’s bad form. Still… not the worst way to go.”Sam let out a soft, tearful laugh despite herself. “Of course, you’d say that.”Daniel stepped closer, his voice quieter now.“You don’t have to do this alone, Mercer. We’re here.”Mercer’s fingers twitched, his bravado faltering as his gaze shifted to the ceiling.“Funny, isn’t it? Spent my whole life running. Fighting. And now… here I am. The finish line.”His voice grew softer, almost reflective. “I didn’t think I’d care. Always told myself it didn’t matter—dying’s just another mission, right? But now… I keep thinking about all the things I missed. The things I never got to say.”Sam’s hand trembled as she adjusted Benjamin, leaning closer.“Alec…”He turned his head toward her, his expression softening.“You did good, Carter. Better than me. You’ve got Jack. A family. Something worth fighting for.”His gaze shifted to Benjamin, his voice a rasp. “Bring him here.”Sam hesitated but moved closer, holding Benjamin so Mercer could see him. The baby blinked at him with wide, curious eyes, unaware of the moment’s gravity.“Hey, kid,” Mercer whispered. “You don’t know me, and that’s okay. But you’re gonna be something special. I can see it.” His gaze flicked to Jack and Sam. “You two… you made something amazing.”Jack’s grip on Sam’s shoulder tightened, his voice thick.“We’ll make sure he’s safe, Mercer. I swear.”Mercer’s lips quirked into a faint smile.“I know you will. You’ve always been good at keeping your promises. Even the ones that hurt.”Daniel stepped closer, his voice trembling. “You mattered, Mercer. You made a difference.”Mercer’s gaze shifted to him, a faint twinkle in his eyes.“Thanks, Jackson. You were always the smart one. Even when you were annoying.”Daniel let out a breathy chuckle, wiping at his glasses. “You weren’t so bad yourself.”Mercer’s eyelids fluttered, his breaths growing shallower. His voice dropped to a whisper, so faint they had to lean in to hear him. “Don’t waste this… don’t waste what I gave you.”His final exhale was soft, his body stilling as peace settled over his features.For a moment, no one moved. The room felt suspended in time, the weight of his absence pressing down on them like a physical force.Sam pressed a kiss to Benjamin’s forehead, tears spilling freely now.“Rest now, Alec. You earned it.”Jack reached out, his hand resting on Mercer’s shoulder, his throat working as he fought for words. He finally managed, “You did good, Mercer. Real good.”Daniel bowed his head, his voice breaking. “Goodbye, Mercer.”The hum of the machines was the only sound as the team stood together, their grief uniting them in silent tribute. Mercer’s final words hung heavy in the air—a reminder of the sacrifices made and the responsibilities left behind.Jack exhaled sharply, straightening. “He fought harder than anyone I’ve ever known.”Sam nodded, her voice a whisper. “He never gave up. Not even at the end.”Daniel lifted his head, his expression pained but thoughtful.“Mercer… he didn’t outrun death. But he helped us do it.”Sam looked down at Benjamin, her tears glistening in the soft light. She thought of everything Mercer had endured—everything he had sacrificed so they could be here, alive.“He gave us the chance to outrun it,” she said softly, her voice filled with a quiet reverence. “For Benjamin, for us.”Jack squeezed her hand, his jaw tight as he nodded.“Then we honor him by making it count.”Sam’s gaze lifted to Jack’s, her resolve hardening.Daniel nodded slowly, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.“He outran death in his way. Not by escaping it, but by ensuring it didn’t catch us.”They left the room in silence, the door hissing shut behind them.In a life marked by loss and struggle, Alec Mercer had outrun death. Not for himself but for the people he cared about.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The chamber was silent.Twelve figures sat around a sleek black table, their faces illuminated by the cold glow of holographic displays. The Council of Order, the Directorate’s highest authority, spoke only when necessary.Chancellor Davos—a man with silver-streaked hair and a voice like stone—tapped a single command. A screen flickered to life, showing Benjamin O’Neill’s interrogation room.The boy stood rigid, unreadable. Across from him, the prisoners. The traitors.Jack O’Neill and Samantha Carter.Minister Renka, head of Science and Genetic Advancement, leaned forward.“He hesitated,” she observed. “He’s starting to question.”“Irrelevant,” General Vex dismissed. “His conditioning is absolute. O’Neill and Carter have no hold over him.”Chancellor Davos studied the frozen screen.“And yet,” he murmured, “we cannot ignore… anomalies.”A long silence stretched between them.Finally, Minister Renka exhaled. “We should have terminated them years ago.”General Vex’s lips twitched. “And yet, you argued against it. You called them… useful.”“They were,” she admitted. “Until now.” She glanced at Benjamin’s image. “His energy signature has fluctuated. Whatever Carter carried through that dimensional rift—it’s unstable. Unpredictable.”“Then we eliminate the instability.” Chancellor Davos pressed a single button. “Initiate Termination Order 117. Dispose of O’Neill and Carter. Prepare Subject O’Neill for recalibration.”The council nodded. No questions. No hesitation.Benjamin O’Neill belonged to the Directorate.He simply had to be reminded of that. The group followed Older Sam down a series of corridors, the sleek, metallic walls of the SGC's futuristic version reflecting the cold, sterile environment of the facility. The hum of the machinery embedded into the infrastructure was almost hypnotic, a constant reminder of the advanced surveillance monitoring their every move. Guards stationed at checkpoints nodded at Older Sam but gave the rest of the group wary glances. Even Benjamin, nestled securely in Younger Sam's arms, seemed to feel the tension, letting out a soft whimper as they reached a heavily secured doorway.Older Sam paused before the door, placing her hand on a biometric scanner. A soft click and a faint hiss followed as the door slid open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with equipment that looked decades out of place compared to the rest of the facility. Dust clung to surfaces, and the faint smell of aged metal lingered in the air. Monitors flickered with low-powered displays, and a single large console dominated the far wall.“What is this place?” Younger Jack asked, his tone sharp and suspicious.“A relic,” Older Sam replied curtly. She stepped inside, motioning for the others to follow. “This room doesn’t exist in the facility’s official schematics. No one comes here. Not anymore.”Daniel adjusted his glasses, peering at the antiquated machinery.“Looks like something from the early 2000s. Why keep it?”Older Sam’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, breath unsteady.The security feed blinked in the corner of the screen—watching, recording, reporting. The Directorate never missed a moment.She exhaled. Entered a command.The feed cut to static. Three minutes.That was all she had.Warnings flashed as she accessed the restricted archives—unauthorized entry. Treason was detected—the kind of crime that ended with a bullet.She had told herself that survival was enough. That what they did to her—what they took—was something she could endure.But then Benjamin had arrived. And suddenly, enduring wasn’t enough.She wasn’t trying to survive anymore.She was trying to undo the past.Her hands curled into fists. Jack would never forgive her for doing this alone. But if she told him, he’d stop her.The ghosts of the past whispered in the silence, reminders of every failure, every choice that led here.She had already lost one son.She would not lose another.Her decision was made.Older Sam exhaled sharply, her shoulders stiffening as she turned from the console. The screen’s glow painted sharp lines across her face, deepening the tension in her expression.“Because it’s the only place I could hide what I needed to keep safe,” she said, voice tight.Younger Sam shifted, instinctively tightening her grip around Benjamin.“What are you hiding?” Her voice was careful now, a mixture of curiosity and growing unease.Older Sam hesitated. A flicker of hesitation—just a breath—before her expression hardened.“I need you all to listen carefully.” Her fingers curled against the console, knuckles whitening. “What I’m about to show you—what I’m about to tell you—puts us all at risk.”The air in the room thickened. Even Benjamin let out a soft whimper—the weight of what was coming settled over them.Younger Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Risk from who?”Older Sam hesitated. She had three minutes before the system rebooted.“You asked why we haven’t done more,” she continued, “why we haven’t fought back. The answer is simple: because the Directorate doesn’t allow defiance.”She tapped a key, and the screen flooded with data—reports, surveillance feeds, and restricted logs. The Directorate’s insignia loomed over it all, as though watching them. Even the air in the room felt heavier.Daniel took a step closer, adjusting his glasses as he scanned the files.“The Directorate oversees… everything?”Older Sam gave a tight nod.“Government, military, science, medicine. Every aspect of life is monitored, controlled, and—if necessary—corrected.”Younger Sam frowned. “Corrected?”Older Sam’s jaw tightened. “People disappear.”Silence.Younger Jack let out a sharp breath.“So, what—you two just played along? For decades?”Older Sam flinched.She had expected the accusation. Hell, she had asked herself the same thing for years.“You think I didn’t fight?”“I think you survived.” Younger Sam’s voice was sharp, but her eyes searched for something deeper. “At any cost.”A flicker of pain crossed Older Sam’s face.“I did what I had to do,” she said finally. “You don’t know what it’s like to live under them. The Directorate—”“I don’t need to,” Younger Sam interrupted, her voice softer now. “I see it. I see what it’s done to you.”Older Sam flinched.Silence stretched between them.Younger Jack clenched his fists. “You keep saying that like you know for sure.” His voice was sharp, accusing. “Like you’ve seen it happen before.”Then, after a long breath, Older Sam returned to the console.“I had a son.” Her words were quiet and measured, as if she had locked them away for decades.Younger Sam inhaled sharply.Older Sam’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitation flickering in her eyes. She took a breath.“Three days,” she murmured, voice tight. “That’s how long we had him before they took him.”Younger Sam’s stomach lurched. Her arms instinctively tightened around Benjamin.“What?” Jack’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tense silence.Older Sam’s hands clenched. “They called him an anomaly. Said he was dangerous.” Her breath hitched. “Jack and I—” She swallowed. “We tried to stop them.”Younger Sam barely noticed she was rocking Benjamin, her heart hammering.“And then?” Jack demanded, his voice low.Older Sam’s jaw tightened.“There was no ‘then.’ No body. No name. He just... disappeared.” She exhaled shakily. “But we knew.”Younger Sam’s voice shook. “You don’t know that he’s gone.”Older Sam finally turned to her, and the weight of fifty years of loss was clear in her eyes for the first time.“I never stopped looking,” she whispered.A thick silence settled.“He might be alive. Or…” Older Sam continued each word, measured as if she were holding herself together with them. Her breath hitched, but she swallowed hard, forcing her composure. “Or he might not.”Daniel exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. “My god.”Older Sam’s voice was rough. “We fought. We tried everything. It didn’t matter.”Younger Jack ran a hand over his face, looking like he wanted to punch something.“And you just lived with that?”Older Sam’s expression hardened. “No. We died with it.”Silence.Younger Sam’s throat tightened. The words felt wrong in her mouth, but she said them anyway.“I’m sorry.”Older Sam’s face twisted—something between grief and regret.“I don’t need you to be sorry,” she said. “I need you to listen. Because the Directorate will come for Benjamin like they came for my son.”The truth hit like a gut punch.Younger Sam’s hands shook. She held Benjamin closer, his warmth grounding her.She believed her.Because she could feel it too—the inevitability of it.Older Sam took a step forward, her voice low. Urgent.“You have to leave.”Younger Sam forced herself to meet her eyes. “Then tell me how.”A sharp nod.Older Sam hesitated, her gaze flicking to the room's far corner. A storage compartment in the wall slid open at her command, revealing a sleek, compact device. She approached it slowly, almost reverently, and placed it on the console.“What is that?” Younger Jack asked, stepping closer.“A portable quantum mirror,” Older Sam replied. Her voice softened, laced with equal parts pride and regret. “I built it years ago, during a… particularly dark time. It’s illegal. The Directorate destroyed all quantum mirrors decades ago. But I’ve kept this one hidden, just in case.”“In case of what?” Younger Sam asked, her tone sharp.“In case I ever had the courage to leave this reality for good,” Older Sam admitted, her eyes meeting her younger self’s. “I’ve used it before—to escape, to find moments of peace. But I always came back. For Jack.”The room was silent, the weight of her words settling heavily. Younger Sam stepped forward, her expression a mix of disbelief and frustration.“You’ve had this all along, and you stayed? You let them…”“Yes,” Older Sam interrupted, her voice raw. “I stayed. I endured. And it was a mistake. But I’m not making the same mistake again. This is your chance to escape, to save Benjamin. To give him the life my son never had.”“Why now?” Younger Jack asked, his tone accusatory. “Why help us now, after all this time?”Older Sam’s gaze hardened.“Because I see what’s coming. The Directorate’s already watching you. Watching him.” She nodded toward Benjamin. “They’ll move soon. And when they do, it’ll be too late. This is your only chance.”Younger Sam looked at the quantum mirror, her mind racing.“I’ve found a safe reality,” Older Sam replied.Younger Sam hesitated. “Safe how?” The last time someone promised safety, she lost everything.Older Sam looked at her. “A planet untouched by the Directorate, far from their reach. You can live there and raise Benjamin in peace. It’s not perfect, but it’s free.”The group exchanged glances, the enormity of the decision weighing heavily on them. Finally, Younger Sam spoke, her voice trembling but resolute.“We’ll do it. For Benjamin.”Older Sam nodded, a flicker of relief crossing her face.“Then we need to move quickly. The Directorate won’t give us much time.”As she began preparing the quantum mirror for activation, the group stood together, their resolve hardening. This wasn’t just about survival anymore. It was about defying a system that had taken too much from all of them—and protecting the future that Benjamin represented. Back in their quarters, tension hung heavy in the air. The group sat scattered around the room, their faces drawn with uncertainty.“Do we trust her?” Younger Jack asked bluntly, breaking the silence.Younger Sam cradled Benjamin in her arms, her gaze fixed on the baby’s peaceful face.“She’s us. Wouldn’t we do the same thing in her position?”“Maybe. But she’s been here longer. Things change, people,” Jack countered, pacing the room. “She built that mirror years ago and didn’t use it to escape. What makes now different?”“Benjamin makes it different,” Daniel said quietly. “She’s trying to protect him. Maybe she’s making up for what she couldn’t do before.”Sam looked up, her expression torn.“But what if it’s a trap? What if she’s leading us straight into the Directorate’s hands?”“Then we’re already in their hands,” Jack said grimly, gesturing to the guards outside their door. “If this is a game, we’re losing.”Daniel sighed, rubbing his temples.Jack ran a hand over his face, his frustration barely contained.“We trust her, or we stay and lose Benjamin anyway.” His voice was flat, but his grip on the back of the chair was white-knuckled.Silence thickened between them, the weight of the choice settling in their bones.. Across the facility, another Jack wrestled with his own choices. Older Jack pushed into their quarters, his jaw tight as he faced Sam. Older Sam sat at her desk, staring at the glowing diagrams of the quantum mirror.Jack’s boots hit the floor with sharp, deliberate steps.“So that’s what you’ve been up to,” he said, his voice low and sharp. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”Sam closed her eyes briefly before turning around, arms crossed over her chest.“It wasn’t your burden to bear.”Jack let out a slow, bitter laugh. Not angry. Not sharp. Just… tired.“You built a way out.” He shook his head, running a hand over his face. “All this time. All the nights we talked about fighting back, about what we’d do if we ever had a chance…” His voice tightened. “And you had it. You had it, Sam.”His jaw was clenched. When he spoke again, it was quieter, but it cut deeper.“Why didn’t you tell me?”Sam didn’t look away. “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you.”Jack’s eyes flashed. “Yeah? Then what the hell do you call it?”Sam exhaled, pressing her fingers against her temples as if trying to stave off an impending headache. “I was trying to survive, Jack. To hold onto something—anything—that wasn’t dictated by the Directorate.”Jack stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then his voice dropped to something quieter, something more dangerous.“Did you use it?”Sam hesitated. It was brief, but Jack caught it. His stomach clenched.“You did, didn’t you?” His voice was rough. “How many times?”Sam met his gaze, unflinching. “More than I can count.”Jack took a step back as if she had physically hit him. He dragged a hand over his face, shaking his head. “Jesus, Carter.”“Jack—”“You left?” His voice cracked on the word, like he couldn’t quite believe it. “And you just—what? Decided to come back when it got boring? When you missed the good old days of being stuck in hell?”Sam’s breath hitched. She hadn’t expected this to cut so deep.“It wasn’t like that.”Jack scoffed.“No? Then explain it to me.” His arms were crossed now, his whole body tense, his stance defensive in a way that made her chest ache. “Explain how you had a way out and didn’t take me with you. Why didn’t you tell me?”Sam looked down, her voice quiet.“Because I always came back.”Jack froze.The words landed harder than he expected. His anger should’ve boiled over, but it got stuck—twisting, tightening into something else.Something that hurt.His throat worked around his next words. “Why?”Sam inhaled shakily. “Because I couldn’t leave you.”Silence.Jack stared at her, his hands flexing at his sides. “That doesn’t make sense, Sam. If you couldn’t leave me, then why didn’t we go together?”Her breath shuddered.“I tried.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “God, Jack, I tried.”His jaw was clenched. “Try harder.”Sam swallowed, her eyes shimmering. “You wouldn’t go.”Jack’s stomach turned. “That’s bullshit.”She exhaled sharply. “You wouldn’t go, Jack. I went to a hundred different realities looking for a way—for us. But it was never right. You weren’t you. I wasn’t me. And I couldn’t—I wouldn’t leave you here to face this alone.”Jack let out a shaky breath, raking a hand through his hair.“So you ran,” he muttered.Sam’s voice was raw. “I looked.”Jack let out a bitter, humorless laugh. “And what, none of those perfect little realities worked out? No version of me was good enough?”Her voice broke. “They weren’t you.”Jack flinched.Sam took a step forward, her expression open, vulnerable in a way she rarely allowed herself to be. “Every time, I thought maybe—maybe this time, maybe this world. But every time, I kept thinking about you. This you. The one I left behind. And I couldn’t do it, Jack. I couldn’t leave you alone in this.”Jack swallowed thickly. His anger was still there, but it was twisted into something messier. Something unresolved.Because damn it, he believed her.And that made it worse.“So what now?” His voice was quiet. “You finally decide to take me with you?”Sam held his gaze. “No.”Jack frowned.“I finally decided to stop running.”Silence stretched between them, heavy and unspoken.Jack studied her—really studied her. The weight in her eyes, the exhaustion in her frame. The regret.She had meant every word.He exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. The fight in him wasn’t gone, but it had dimmed, turned inward.“You should’ve told me.”Sam nodded. “I know.”Jack looked at the schematics, exhaling sharply.“You really think this will work?”Sam straightened. “I do.”Jack’s shoulders squared, but there was a weariness in his stance now, the weight of years pressing down on him. He scrubbed a hand through his graying hair before nodding once.“Then let’s make it count.”The fight wasn’t over. The scars between them wouldn’t fade overnight.But for now, there was no time for anything else. They had a mission.They had something worth saving. The group followed Older Sam down a series of corridors, the sleek, metallic walls of the SGC's futuristic version reflecting the cold, sterile environment of the facility. The hum of the machinery embedded into the infrastructure was almost hypnotic, a constant reminder of the advanced surveillance monitoring their every move. Guards stationed at checkpoints nodded at Older Sam but gave the rest of the group wary glances. Even Benjamin, nestled securely in Younger Sam's arms, seemed to feel the tension, letting out a soft whimper as they reached a heavily secured doorway.Older Sam paused before the door, placing her hand on a biometric scanner. A soft click and a faint hiss followed as the door slid open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with equipment that looked decades out of place compared to the rest of the facility. The group had been here before, but this time, Older Jack was waiting, his arms crossed as he leaned against the console. His sharp eyes swept over the group as they entered, the tension between him and Older Sam palpable.“Glad you could all make it,” he said, his tone clipped. “Figured we’d better get on the same page before this whole thing blows up.”“It’s not going to blow up,” Older Sam said firmly, moving to the console and activating a set of schematics for the quantum mirror. “If we’re careful.”“Careful,” Younger Jack repeated, his skepticism clear. This is insane. “Let me get this straight—our best plan is sneaking out with an illegal piece of tech while hoping the all-seeing, all-knowing Directorate just doesn’t notice?”His voice was sharp, but underneath it was something else. Something raw.“Jack,” Younger Sam said quietly, trying to rein him in, but he shook his head.“No, let’s hear it,” he said, gesturing toward the older versions of themselves. “What’s the plan? How do we not get caught? And what happens if we do?”Older Sam exhaled, her fingers tightening on the console.“The risks are real,” she admitted. “The Directorate will detect a dimensional shift,” Older Sam warned. “We’ll have minutes before they trace it.”Daniel frowned. “And the reality we’re jumping to?”“Stable. No Directorate presence. But we’ll have to be fast.”. But the moment we activate the mirror, we’ll be on a timer. The Directorate will detect the energy spike, and it won’t take them long to locate us.”“So we’ll have to move fast,” Older Jack interjected, his voice steady but hard. “We’ll create a diversion to buy you time. Once you’re through, we’ll destroy the mirror to cover your tracks.”“And what happens to you?” Younger Sam asked, her voice trembling slightly.Older Jack shrugged.“We’ll handle it. It’s not our first time in a tight spot.”The younger group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the decision pressing heavily on them. Younger Jack cleared his throat. “I need a moment,” he said and stepped outside. Younger Jack stood alone in the dimly lit corridor, leaning against the cold metal wall. The others were inside, finalizing the plan, but he needed a moment to think.His older self had looked at him with something close to regret. Was that what the future held? A life of sacrifice and loss? Jack had spent his whole life making split-second decisions, trusting his instincts. But this wasn’t a battlefield—it was a choice about their future, about Benjamin’s future.He ran a hand over his face. Could they really trust Older Sam? Could they afford not to? Staying meant certain doom. Leaving meant unknown dangers. But at least it meant a chance.Jack exhaled sharply, pushing off the wall. Whatever doubts he had, there was no turning back now. He straightened his shoulders and stepped into the room.“Alright. Let’s do this. What’s the plan?”Older Sam pulled up a holographic map of the facility, highlighting key points.“We’ll escort you to the mirror’s location in the lower levels. It’s isolated, but heavily monitored. Jack and I will handle the guards and override the security systems. Once the mirror is activated, you’ll have approximately ninety seconds to cross before the Directorate’s sensors pick up the spike.”“Ninety seconds,” Younger Daniel said, pushing his glasses up. “That’s barely enough time.”“It’s all we’ve got,” Older Sam said, her fingers already inputting final commands. “Once we activate it, they’ll be on us in seconds.”“And Benjamin?” Younger Sam’s arms tightened around him.Older Sam hesitated just a fraction too long. “I’ve adjusted the field for him. But you need to stay close—if anything disrupts the transfer—”The distant sound of boots pounding against metal cut her off. Older Jack’s voice snapped over the comm.“We’ve got company. Move!”The tension in the room was thick as they finalized the details, the older and younger versions of themselves grappling with the enormity of what lay ahead. Finally, they dispersed, each preparing in their own way for the escape. Hours later, the plan was in motion. The group moved quickly and quietly through the facility, following the holographic map projected on Older Sam’s device. The corridors were eerily silent, the usual hum of activity conspicuously absent.“They’ve increased patrols,” Older Jack muttered, peering around a corner. “Figures. They know something’s up.”“Then we’d better hurry,” Older Sam said, leading the way.A few minutes later, the group stood in the facility's lower levels and split. Older Sam worked quickly, inputting the final calibrations while Older Jack kept watch at the door. The tension in the air was thick, every second stretching unbearably as they prepared to move.“What if they don’t come back?” Younger Sam whispered, her arms tightening around Benjamin.“They will,” Younger Jack said firmly, though the uncertainty in his eyes betrayed him.Minutes felt like hours, but finally, Older Sam’s voice came through their earpieces.“We’re clear. Move now.”The group hurried down the corridor, reaching the room where the quantum mirror waited. The device glowed faintly, its surface shimmering like liquid glass.“It’s ready,” Older Sam said, her hands flying over the console. “Step through as soon as it stabilizes.”“What about you?” Younger Sam asked, her voice tight.“We’ll hold them off,” Older Jack said, positioning himself by the door with his weapon drawn. “Go. Now.”The mirror began to ripple, its energy field fluctuating as it struggled to lock onto the destination. Younger Sam tightened her hold on Benjamin, her heart racing as the baby began to stir. The energy in the room felt alive, almost sentient, crackling around them with an unpredictable intensity.Suddenly, the mirror’s surface flickered violently, the energy field destabilizing. Alarms blared in the corridor outside, and the sound of boots echoed closer.“It’s not holding,” Younger Daniel said, panic lacing his voice. “What’s happening?”“The dimensional anchor is slipping,” Older Sam said, her fingers flying over the controls. “I can’t… it’s not enough.”Benjamin let out a sharp cry, his tiny fists waving in the air. The energy around the mirror pulsed in response, the flickering surface momentarily steadying. The group froze, their eyes darting between the baby and the mirror.“He’s doing it,” Younger Sam whispered her voice a mixture of awe and fear. “He’s stabilizing it.”“What?” Younger Jack asked, his tone incredulous. “How?”“His abilities,” Older Sam said quickly, her gaze fixed on the readings. “They’re reacting to the mirror’s energy. He’s harmonizing the field.”The air shimmered, crackling with unseen energy. Benjamin, wide-eyed, reached out a tiny hand. A pulse of warmth—almost sentient—rippled through the room. The mirror stilled, smooth as liquid silver.“Go,” Older Sam urged. “Protect him. Protect Benjamin.”With a deep breath, Younger Sam stepped through, clutching Benjamin tightly. One by one, the others followed, the mirror’s surface rippling with each passage.The last to go was Younger Jack. He hesitated at the threshold of the mirror. He looked back—at the man he was supposed to become. The lines on his face. The weight in his eyes.Jack swallowed. His usual sarcasm didn’t quite fit here.“You better make it,” he said, voice low. “Both of you.”Older Jack smirked faintly. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”With that, Younger Jack stepped through, and the portal rippled one final time before stabilizing.“They’re through,” Older Sam said, her voice steady despite the chaos around them.“Good,” Older Jack said, firing at the approaching guards. “Now, let’s blow this thing and give them a head start.”Older Sam set the detonation sequence on the console, her fingers moving with precision. The mirror’s surface began to crackle and distort, the energy within the building to a critical point.“Let’s move!” Older Jack shouted, pulling her away as the room began to shake. They sprinted down the corridor, the explosion reverberating through the facility as the mirror detonated, leaving nothing but debris in its wake.As alarms blared and the Directorate’s forces swarmed the area, Older Jack and Older Sam disappeared into the chaos, their fates uncertain but their mission accomplished. The escape had gone exactly as planned. Right up until the moment it failed.The explosion sealed the younger team’s escape, but the Directorate closed in within hours. Older Jack and Older Sam never had a chance.Now, locked inside a stark, windowless interrogation room, the weight of their failure pressed down like the hum of the surveillance systems monitoring their every breath. Jack sat rigid, his jaw set, but Sam—Sam couldn’t quite get warm. Not with the cold realization that this was how it would end.The door slid open with a quiet hiss. Footsteps. Measured. Controlled. A figure stepped into the light, and Sam felt the world shift.Her breath caught.The air thinned.She felt it before she understood it—an instinctive, primal awareness. A pull deeper than memory.Then she saw him.Tall. Broad shoulders. The sharp angles of his face were a perfect echo of his father’s, but the piercing blue eyes were hers.The uniform was crisp, the Directorate insignia gleaming under the sterile light. Every movement was precise, trained, and devoid of hesitation. But beneath it all, something flickered—so fast, so small, she might have imagined it.Sam’s fingers curled into her lap.“No,” she whispered—a breath, a prayer, a denial all at once.Jack stiffened beside her. He hadn’t moved or breathed, but she knew he saw it, too. Felt it. The thing they had spent a lifetime fearing, wondering, grieving.The young officer met their gaze, unreadable, unshaken.Then, in a voice both familiar and devastatingly foreign, he spoke.“You have admitted to harboring fugitives,” he said, his tone steady. “And you’ve tampered with restricted technology.”Sam flinched.Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.Sam’s pulse pounded in her ears, her breath coming too fast, too shallow. She forced herself to focus, to steady the tremor in her hands.It’s him.But it wasn’t.The boy she had cradled, the son they had fought for, had been reshaped into the weapon standing before them. And he didn’t even know it.He was studying them now, sharp eyes flicking over their faces. Calculating. Analyzing. Searching for weakness.Searching for something he couldn’t name.Jack shifted in his seat, exhaling slowly. His voice was rough when he finally spoke.“Kid, I’m gonna give you a piece of advice.” He tilted his head, leveling Benjamin with a look that had once made soldiers twice his size hesitate. “If you’re trying to intimidate us, you should probably start with a threat.”Benjamin didn’t blink.“This isn’t an intimidation,” he said evenly. “It’s a fact.”His hands were clasped behind his back, and his posture was rigid and precise. Every inch, he was the perfect officer, molded and trained to obey.And yet.That flicker. He slightly hesitated before he spoke. The way his jaw had tightened when Jack called him ‘kid.’Something in him knew.Sam swallowed hard. “Benjamin.”His head snapped toward her, sharp and immediate, like an instinct he didn’t know he had. Like the sound of his name had pulled at something deep inside him.But then it was gone. He straightened, his expression hardening.“You don’t get to say my name.”Jack let out a slow breath, running a hand over his face. “Jesus.”Benjamin tapped the sleek black tablet he had set on the table. A series of files illuminated the screen—security footage, voice logs, and redacted reports.“You have a choice,” he said, as if reciting a script. “You can cooperate and provide intel on the fugitives who escaped, or—”“Or what?” Jack cut in. “You gonna kill us? Lock us away? Wipe our memories? C’mon, kid, let’s skip the dramatic buildup.”Benjamin’s lips pressed into a thin line. Frustration. Not much. But enough.Sam saw it. Felt it. God, he doesn’t even realize how much of Jack is in him.“Your actions disrupted order,” Benjamin continued, voice clipped, controlled. “You assisted in an unauthorized dimensional transfer. That alone is punishable by—”“By what, exactly?” Jack pushed. “Because from where I’m sitting, your system’s pretty big on erasing problems instead of solving them.”A muscle in Benjamin’s jaw twitched.“Enough,” he said.The single word was quiet. Cold.But not unaffected.Jack leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose.“You don’t even know, do you?”Benjamin’s eyes flashed.“I know exactly who you are. You are traitors to the system that keeps order in this world.”Jack scoffed, shaking his head. “No. You don’t know who we are.” His voice dropped lower, rougher. “You don’t know who you are.”The room was so quiet that Sam could hear the surveillance feed's hum.Benjamin didn’t move. Didn’t react. But Sam could see the crack in his armor now—a hairline fracture in a foundation that had never been questioned.“You’re lying.”The words weren’t confident.Jack gave a bitter chuckle. “You sure about that?”Benjamin stepped forward, placing his palms flat on the table between them. The tension in his frame was coiled tight, a man standing on the edge of a revelation he did not want to see.“Whatever you think you know—”“Benjamin,” Sam said again, softer this time.And it hit him.Sam watched it happen. Saw it in real time.The way his breath caught, just for a second.The way his fingers curled slightly against the surface of the table.The way something deep inside him recognized the sound of her voice.Jack didn’t look away, didn’t flinch.“Listen, kid,” he said, quieter now. “I know what they did to you. I know what they made you believe. But you have to ask yourself something.”A beat of silence.“Why does this feel wrong?”Benjamin’s nostrils flared. His posture remained rigid. But the truth was there, cracking at the edges.He didn’t answer.He turned sharply, snatched the tablet off the table, and walked out.The door sealed behind him with a final, echoing hiss.Jack leaned back in his chair, watching the door Benjamin had just disappeared through. He let out a slow exhale, shaking his head.“Yeah,” he muttered under his breath. “That kid’s definitely ours.”Sam let her head fall forward slightly, hands gripping the edges of her chair. Her pulse was still racing.She had spent a lifetime wondering if her son was alive.And now she had her answer.Benjamin was alive. But he was no longer theirs. The interrogation room was cold and sterile—like everything else in the Directorate. But the moment Benjamin stepped out, he felt something unfamiliar, something unwelcome, creeping in.His pulse was steady. His breathing was controlled. His mind focused as it should be.And yet—He was rattled.Not by their defiance. Not by their so-called "cause." He had dealt with insubordination before. He had been trained for it, conditioned to recognize and dismantle it.But the way they had looked at him?That had been different.His boots echoed against the polished floor as he made his way down the hallway, his jaw tight, his mind racing.He turned a corner sharply, bypassing his office, and entered the nearest restroom. The door slid shut behind him with a soft hiss, sealing him into silence.For a long moment, he just stood there.Then, slowly, almost reluctantly, he stepped toward the mirror.The reflection staring back at him was the same one he had seen his entire life. The same sharp angles, dark uniform, and composed mask he had perfected over the years.But now—now—he saw something else.The older man’s face flashed in his mind. The deep lines around his eyes. The strong jaw, the set of his shoulders.The way he had looked at Benjamin.Not with fear. Not with respect.With recognition.Benjamin’s fingers curled against the sink’s edge.He had noticed it when he walked in—that brief flicker of something when their eyes met. It had been fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it had been there—a hesitation.Not from them. From him.His gaze dropped lower, trailing the contours of his face.His jaw. His brow. His expression.His father’s expression.His breath came just a fraction too fast.No.His grip on the sink tightened.It was a trick. A manipulation. He had read their files—former SGC officers, rebels who had defied the order, who had been granted too much freedom once upon a time. Of course, they would try to get inside his head. The same surname was just a coincidence. There were plenty of O'Neills out there.But then—His mind whispered something he couldn’t silence.
What if they weren’t lying?
Benjamin exhaled sharply, bracing his hands on the counter. He forced his eyes shut, willing the thought away.The Directorate had raised him. Molded him into something more significant. They had given him purpose.But had they given him the truth?He opened his eyes again, forcing himself to meet his gaze.And for the first time, Benjamin O’Neill wasn’t sure who he really was. The room was cold and sterile—a holding cell disguised as quarters. Jack sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers laced together, staring at the floor as if it held the answers to the mess they were in.Sam stood by the small, reinforced window, her gaze unfocused. The facility lights flickered in the distance, a constant reminder that they were being watched, trapped. Their choices had already been made for them.Except this one.Jack exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face.“So this is it.”Sam turned to him, her expression unreadable.“Looks like it.”Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.“Damn shame. We were so close.”Sam let out a small, humorless laugh.“Were we?”Jack met her eyes, something heavy settling between them. They both knew the answer. Maybe they had never been close at all. Perhaps they had been fighting a losing battle for decades, fooling themselves into thinking survival was the same as living.Sam’s fingers curled into fists.“Jack… I can’t let them take me.”Jack’s jaw tightened. He had known this was coming the moment they were caught, and there would be no escape, no rescue—only a slow, drawn-out end at the hands of the Directorate. And if there was one thing he hated more than losing, it was letting someone else decide how he went out.Sam crossed the room, kneeling in front of him. Her hands found his—strong, steady, the same hands that had pulled her from the wreckage so many times before.“They took our son. They took everything, Jack. But they don’t get to take this.”Jack swallowed hard, his throat thick. “You sure?”Her grip tightened. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”Silence stretched between them. Jack’s mind drifted back, years of memories flashing like ghosts behind his eyes: the first time they met, the first time she smiled at him, the quiet moments between battles, stolen glances across briefing tables, whispered words in the dark when no one was listening.He had spent a lifetime loving her in ways he could never fully express—until he did, and even then, they managed to get in between. But now, in the end, she was still here—with him.Jack nodded slowly, his voice rough. “All right.”Sam exhaled a shaky breath that almost broke him. She reached into a hidden panel in the wall and retrieved two small capsules. They sat in her palm, tiny and insignificant, yet they held the power to take away the last thing the Directorate could steal from them.Their choice.Jack took one between his fingers, rolling it over his palm. He had faced death a hundred times before, but this was different. This was final.He looked at Sam, memorizing every detail of her face—the lines of exhaustion, the weight of sorrow, and the quiet resolve that had always made her the strongest person he had ever known.“I’ve always loved you, Sam,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Always.”She reached up, cupping his face in her hands, her fingers trembling. “I know.”Jack leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. They stayed momentarily, breathing in each other’s presence, holding onto the only thing they had left.Sam closed her eyes. “I love you too.”Jack pulled back slightly, meeting her gaze one last time. Then, together, they raised the capsules to their lips and swallowed.The room was silent. No movement. No struggle. Just two figures, side by side, hands intertwined.The alarm blared. The door slid open. Boots pounded against the floor. But nothing disturbed them.Minutes later, Benjamin O’Neill entered. His stride was purposeful, commanding—until he saw them.He stopped.The breath left his lungs.The bodies were still. Unmoving.For all the things the Directorate had trained him for—combat, interrogation, strategy—nothing had prepared Benjamin O’Neill for this moment.For the sight of them.They sat together on the cold floor, hands still intertwined, heads tilted slightly toward one another as if they had fallen asleep. There was no struggle, no sign of fear—just a quiet, calculated final act.They had chosen this.A part of him wanted to scoff. Call it cowardice. A weakness was unbefitting of soldiers. But the words wouldn’t form.Because the way they looked in death wasn’t weak.It was defiant.Benjamin’s fingers curled into fists at his sides.His chest was tight. Not from anger. Not from frustration.Something else.Something he didn’t have a name for.Their faces. They were so familiar.His mother’s eyes. His father’s jaw.He clenched his teeth, turned away sharply, and ordered the bodies removed in a voice so controlled it was almost detached.Almost.Then he left. Two hours later, at the Directorate Secure Files Database, Benjamin sat at his private terminal, fingers moving quickly over the keyboard.He didn’t know why he was doing this.No—that was a lie. He knew exactly why.The mirror. The interrogation. The way the man—Jack O’Neill—had looked at him.The way she had said his name.Something had cracked inside him the moment he left the holding cell. He had thought it would fade. That if he distanced himself and pushed forward, it would stop mattering.But it didn’t.It only got worse.Now, sitting here, his hands flying over the console, bypassing security measures that no one in the Directorate had ever breached, he realized why.He needed proof.One final piece of evidence to prove that the past was irrelevant. That the Directorate had always told him the truth.Benjamin’s fingers hovered over the console, the glow from the screen casting sharp shadows across his face.His heart pounded—not from fear, not from anger, but from something he couldn’t quite name.The Directorate hadn’t saved him.They had stolen him.The thought alone was absurd. Impossible.His whole life—every lesson, every mission, every purpose—had been shaped by the Directorate. They had given him an order. They had made him strong.
Hadn’t they?
His jaw tightened. He forced himself to keep going.Another file. Another passcode. His hands moved on instinct, bypassing security layers like he had done a thousand times before.The screen shifted.A video file.His breath caught.For a long moment, he didn’t press play.A strange sensation curled in his chest—something too heavy, too dangerous to acknowledge.Then, before he could stop himself, he clicked.The feed flickered to life.A nursery. A struggle. His mother’s voice was raw with desperation.He forced himself to keep watching.No. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.Another file flashed on the screen. PROJECT LAZARUS.His gut tightened.His hands moved before his brain caught up.A retrieval report.The words burned as he read them.
"Subject acquired under Order 17-6. Parents identified: Samantha Carter-O’Neill and Jonathan O’Neill. Genetic classification: High-risk anomaly. Subject deemed too valuable to terminate. Immediate extraction was enacted. Parental resistance neutralized."
Parental resistance neutralized.His hands shook.There was a second video file.He knew what it was.He shouldn’t press play.But he did.The screen flickered—a cold, sterile interrogation cell.Two figures. Older now. Scarred. Captured.His mother. His father.Benjamin froze.They sat side by side, hands intertwined.Not broken.Not begging.Not afraid.Choosing.His mother reached for something in a wall—a capsule.His father didn’t flinch. He already knew.Benjamin’s chest ached.Jack rolled the pill between his fingers.She reached for his face, just like in the first video. The same hands that had held him protected him.Benjamin’s eyes burned.They swallowed.Minutes later, when the guards stormed in, they found them sitting there.Hands still intertwined.Unbroken.The feed cut out. The screen flickered, casting harsh light across Benjamin’s face. His breath came shallow, his fingers curled into fists against the console.The footage had been damning.The truth, undeniable.His parents had died believing he was lost. But the Directorate hadn’t lost him. They had stolen him.For what?His pulse pounded in his ears as he scrolled deeper into the files, pushing past redacted lines and security barriers. Each classified document read like an obituary for the life he was supposed to have.
[CONFIDENTIAL: HIGH-COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 12-9]
SUBJECT: Controlled Evolution & Social Stability
As of Cycle 2145, the Directorate has ensured the success of the Genetic Optimization Program. Removing anomalous births from unregulated citizens has increased stability by 92.7%.
Early-stage assimilation ensures compliance before independent thought can develop—failure to comply results in neutralization.
As history has proven, free will is the enemy of order.His stomach turned.
This was why.Not because he was special. Not because he was chosen. Because he was engineered—a piece of raw material, selected and reforged into the perfect weapon.The reports detailed harvested anomalies—children like him, taken, reprogrammed, calibrated to serve the Directorate’s vision of progress.They never wanted a son.They wanted a soldier.His grip tightened on the console, the screen’s glow sharp in his vision. His mind had always been trained for strategy, logic, and precision. But at that moment, all he felt was rage.The Directorate had taken everything.But they had no idea what they had created.Benjamin exhaled sharply and made a decision.The Directorate was going to burn.But suddenly, the doors slammed open.Boots thundered against the floor.His instincts screamed—fight, escape, kill—but before he could move, a sharp pulse of electricity ripped through his body.His vision went white. His limbs seized.He hit the floor, pain tearing through him like fire.The last thing he saw before darkness swallowed him was the Directorate insignia stitched onto a soldier’s uniform. The room was sterile—a place built to break minds.Benjamin sat, wrists restrained, muscles still aching from the stun charge. The hum of hidden surveillance systems was ever-present, a constant reminder that there was no escape.The door hissed open.Soft footsteps. Measured. Controlled.She entered without hesitation, dressed in pristine white, her uniform untouched by the world outside these walls. A thin golden insignia gleamed at her collar—the mark of absolute power.The High Chancellor.She stopped just short of the table, watching him with a gaze that saw potential, not personhood."Commander O’Neill," she said smoothly. "You have been... disappointing."Benjamin remained silent, his breathing steady.She tilted her head slightly. "But not beyond repair."She took a seat across from him, folding her hands neatly. “You believe you’ve uncovered some great betrayal. That you were taken. That your parents were victims.”Her lips curled slightly, the closest thing she had to amusement.“You misunderstand your purpose.”Benjamin forced himself to remain still. He had always known how to read a battlefield—and this was one.She studied him, as if waiting for him to lash out. When he didn’t, she continued.“You were never stolen, Benjamin. You were chosen.”His fingers curled into fists against the armrests.She leaned in slightly. “The Directorate does not steal. We elevate.”Benjamin kept his expression neutral, though his pulse hammered in his ears.She gestured around them."Humanity is flawed. Chaotic. Inefficient. Left to their own devices, people spiral into war, destruction, decay. But here, under us—humanity has order. Purpose.”She locked eyes with him."And you, more than anyone, should understand that."Benjamin let a slow breath escape his nose.“I understand that you fear me.”Her smile didn’t falter. “Not fear. Anticipation.”She stood, pacing around him.“You were always meant to be more than them. Your parents were... a miscalculation. Weak. Reckless. They lacked the vision to see what you could become."Benjamin clenched his jaw, keeping his expression carefully composed.She stopped beside him, lowering her voice. “And yet, despite all your training, all your conditioning... you hesitate.”A gloved finger tapped his temple. “The doubt festers in here, doesn’t it?”Benjamin didn’t answer.She sighed as if speaking to a disobedient child. Then she pressed a command into her wrist device.The restraints tightened.The walls around them brightened, flooding with streaming data, recalibration sequences, and flickering images. Indoctrination began seeping into the air like a virus."You won’t even remember this conversation," she said, voice light, almost pleased. "You’ll be whole again. A weapon, as you were meant to be."A low hum filled the room. The recalibration had begun.Benjamin exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. He felt it creeping in.The rewriting of his memories. The subtle erosion of his self.It would have been easy to let it take him. To let go.But an O’Neill never did things the easy way. The world around him blurred.
Not real.
The recalibration tried to overwrite his memories, but instead, he focused on something else—something he had read in the Directorate’s most classified files.The Directorate wasn’t always like this.It had begun as something noble.The records spoke of a time after the Goa’uld had been defeated, a time when Earth was left vulnerable and unprepared for the political and technological challenges of a universe far beyond its understanding.Earth had nearly collapsed under its own weakness.Wars had broken out. Nations fought over alien technology. Societies fractured over what should be done with the Stargate. The world teetered on the brink of self-destruction.And then the Directorate rose.It had started as a coalition of scientists, military strategists, and world leaders—all with one goal: survival.They had saved humanity.But salvation became control.Control became dominance.And soon, those who had once protected freedom became its greatest enemy.The Stargate had been sealed off.Knowledge was tightly regulated.Dissenters were removed.What had once been a government became a regime.They did not conquer planets—but they conquered their own people.And in time, the Directorate deemed themselves the architects of the next stage of human evolution.Genetics became their weapon.Only the strongest would be allowed to shape the future.That was why they took him.That was why they had taken thousands before him.But they had failed to realize one truth.When you take something without understanding it, it becomes unpredictable.Memories tried to warp, turning his past into something controlled and clean. The Directorate wanted him to forget. To erase Jack O’Neill and Samantha Carter.But their faces burned behind his eyes.His father’s smirk—sharp, defiant.His mother’s hands—steady, unwavering.The way they held onto each other, even at the end.They had died for him.And he would not forget.Benjamin’s breathing slowed, his heartbeat evening out. He let the recalibration continue—but on his terms.He let it wash over him, burying his emotions beneath the surface.He let them believe they had won. The humming stopped. The glow of the recalibration faded.Benjamin opened his eyes.His posture was perfect. His face, unreadable.The High Chancellor studied him carefully.“What is your designation?”His voice was even, controlled.“Commander O’Neill. Loyal to the Directorate.”She watched him for a long moment, searching.Then she smiled.“Good.”She pressed another command into her wrist device. The restraints released.Benjamin stood smoothly, without hesitation. Like he was supposed to.She stepped closer.“You will resume your duties immediately. The Directorate has plans for you.”He inclined his head. “Understood.”The High Chancellor’s expression remained unreadable. Then, with a flick of her fingers, she gestured to the door.“Dismissed.”Benjamin turned, walking out without a moment’s pause. His stride was precise. Everything about him looked the same.But beneath the surface, everything had changed.Because Benjamin O’Neill was not theirs anymore.And one day—one day soon—he would burn it all to the ground.
Ten Years Later
The Council of Twelve sat in their grand chamber, watching him. Twelve figures. Twelve rulers. Twelve soon-to-be corpses.The Directorate had reigned for more than a century. It had shaped nations, controlled every sector of society, and bent the will of its people under the guise of order and efficiency.And for the last ten years, Benjamin O’Neill had been rotting it from the inside.No one had suspected him—not the Archon AI who ran the Directorate, calculating probabilities and determinating fates with no emotion.Until tonight.Until the moment Benjamin fed it a paradox.A single command, buried deep within its code.
ARCHON OVERRIDE 0-17
PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: ENSURE ORDER.
SECONDARY DIRECTIVE: FOLLOW COMMANDS FROM HIGHEST RANKING OFFICIAL.
TERTIARY DIRECTIVE: TERMINATE ALL THREATS TO DIRECTORATE CONTROL.
A perfect system. Until it wasn’t.Because tonight, Benjamin was the highest-ranking official left alive.And he had just ordered the AI to eliminate the Directorate itself.They had taken him as a child, erased his past, and rebuilt him in their image.They had no idea what they had created.A soldier as brilliant as Samantha Carter.A strategist as ruthless as Jack O’Neill.A son who never forgot.That night, Benjamin stood at the podium, hands steady, expression unreadable. Behind him, the screens flickered to life, casting a cold glow across the room.At first, they expected reports—projections, a discussion on the future of the Directorate’s global control. Instead, they saw themselves.Confidential orders. Erased citizens. Executed dissidents. Stolen children.Their greatest secrets, laid bare.The first shift was subtle—a twitch in Chancellor Davos’ jaw, a sharp intake of breath from Minister Renka. Then, slowly, their postures stiffened."What is this?" Davos' voice was flat, but beneath it, Benjamin heard the first notes of uncertainty.Benjamin didn’t answer. Instead, he tapped the console.A final recording played.A nursery. A child ripped from his mother’s arms. His father beaten into the floor. A woman’s voice—Sam’s voice—raw, pleading, screaming his name.
"Benjamin."
The silence in the chamber was suffocating.Benjamin turned, scanning their faces.This was the moment. The moment they realized.They had taken him.They had raised him.And now, they were going to die by his hand.“You took my parents from me.”Minister Renka paled. General Vex shifted in his seat.Chancellor Davos was the first to recover his composure. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands as if Benjamin were nothing more than a disobedient soldier."We gave you purpose," he said, his voice calm, measured. "And this is how you repay us? With petty vengeance?"Benjamin exhaled through his nose, his hands tightening on the podium."No," he said evenly. "Not vengeance."He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to something cold. Final."Correction."The first explosion rocked the building.Screams tore through the chamber. The walls shuddered as the power grid failed, plunging half the room into darkness. The elegant banners of the Directorate, symbols of their rule, crashed to the floor in flames.Davos shot to his feet. "Security—!"Nothing responded. Every system was under Benjamin’s control.Panic rippled through the Council. They reached for emergency overrides—dead buttons. They shouted for guards—no one came.Benjamin let them struggle.For ten years, he had waited for this.For ten years, they had praised him, trusted him, never suspecting that every small adjustment, every policy shift, every unexplained glitch was a thread he was pulling.The perfect soldier they created had unmade them from within.Minister Renka’s breathing was ragged.“We made you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You wouldn’t exist without us.”Chancellor Davos straightened, forcing a mask of control. “We can fix this,” he tried, his voice measured but strained. “The Directorate—”“The Directorate is dead.”Benjamin tilted his head slightly, watching as the realization of their fate dawned on them—slowly, terribly, inescapably.Then he smiled.“That was your first mistake.”The second explosion tore through the outer walls. Smoke and fire painted the sky in burning streaks.Outside, the city was rising.The rebellion Benjamin had built in whispers was now a roar.Armed insurgents stormed the military headquarters. Scientists sabotaged the genetic labs. The people, long beaten into submission, flooded the streets, tearing down the towering insignias of the Directorate.And in the grand chamber, where the twelve most influential people in the world had once ruled without question—they were now nothing more than frightened old men and women trapped in a burning room.Benjamin finally let himself smile.“Do you know what my father used to say?” he asked, almost conversationally.No one answered.So he leaned in, hands braced against the table and whispered:
“Never piss off an O’Neill.”
A warning flashed across the chamber’s main display. A voice—smooth, artificial—echoed from the speakers.
“WARNING. CONFLICT DETECTED. PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: ENSURE ORDER. SECONDARY DIRECTIVE: FOLLOW COMMANDS FROM HIGHEST RANKING OFFICIAL.”
The Council stared at the screen. The Archon AI never hesitated. It never questioned. Until now.Benjamin entered one final command.
“Override: Annihilation.”
“CONFLICT RESOLVED,” the AI said, its voice now flat. “TERMINATING THREATS TO DIRECTORATE CONTROL.”The chamber lights flickered. The security systems turned against their own people. The Council’s own biometric locks trapped them in their seats.Benjamin exhaled slowly. "Goodbye."He turned, walking away.Behind him, the final detonation ripped through the chamber.The High Chancellor reached for her wrist console, fingers trembling.A last command. A last attempt to regain control.
ERROR. SYSTEM LOCKED.
The screen flickered before her, showing her own execution order.She gasped.
No.
For the first time in her life, she was looking at something she could not control.Her own end.A whisper of breath escaped her lips. Not fear. Not anger.Just realization.
We never broke him.
The flames roared, and then there was nothing. By dawn, the Directorate was no more.Benjamin stood atop the ruins of the High Council chamber, looking down at a world free of the chains that had bound it for decades.The sky was clear. For the first time, the air didn’t feel heavy.He could still hear the distant echo of gunfire, the roar of revolution, but he didn’t move.He simply stood there.The Directorate insignia on his uniform caught the wind, fluttering against the soot-streaked fabric. He reached up, grabbed it between his fingers——and ripped it off.The torn insignia fell into the embers below.A voice crackled in his earpiece.“Sir, we’ve secured the last sectors. Orders?”Benjamin exhaled slowly.For ten years, he had lived for this night. For revenge. For justice.But now?Now, he had a world to rebuild.He pressed a hand over his earpiece, steady, certain."Burn it down," he ordered. "Every last piece."The city below him lit up in flames.Benjamin O’Neill watched it all burn.The city crumbled, the banners of tyranny reduced to nothing but ash.And somewhere, deep in his mind, in a voice that no longer existed, he could almost hear Jack O’Neill laughing.For the first time in his life, Benjamin smirked.And yet—As the fires raged, a thought crept in.What now?He had spent ten years planning this night. Living for it. Breathing it.But the fight was over.And the future—the one thing he had never been allowed to control—was suddenly his.His smirk faded.Slowly, he exhaled.And for the first time since he was a child, Benjamin O’Neill was truly free.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
On the other side, the group stumbled into a world bathed in soft, golden light. The air was warm and fragrant, filled with blooming flowers and fresh earth. They stood in a vast meadow, surrounded by towering trees with leaves that shimmered like silver in the sunlight. A gentle breeze rustled through the grass, carrying a sense of peace they hadn’t felt in years.“Is this it?” Jack asked, his voice hushed as he took in the tranquil scene. “The place she told us about?”“It must be,” Sam said, her eyes scanning the horizon. She held Benjamin close, his tiny fingers reaching the golden light as if drawn to it.Behind them, the portal rippled one last time before collapsing. The faint sound of explosions reached them, distant but unmistakable. Daniel turned, his face pale.“They did it,” he said softly. “They kept their word.”Sam’s eyes filled with tears as she whispered, “They wouldn’t let us be followed. They gave us this.”The group stood in silence for a moment, the enormity of their escape settling over them. They were free, but the cost was staggering. Sam looked down at Benjamin, his bright eyes reflecting the light of their new world.“We’re free,” she said, her voice trembling. “Now we just have to figure out what that means.”They stepped into the meadow, golden light stretching across rolling hills. A small cluster of buildings nestled among the trees caught their eye.A woman, older but strong, approached with a knowing smile.“Welcome to Haven,” she said. “You came through the veil. There’s a place for you beyond those trees.” Her gaze lingered on Sam. “General Carter’s cabin—it’s yours now.”The group exchanged surprised glances but followed her direction. As they approached, the cabin appeared, nestled among the trees like it had always belonged there. It was a sturdy, well-built structure, reminiscent of Jack’s cabin in Minnesota but with noticeable differences. The walls were crafted from rich, polished wood, and the windows were large, letting in ample light. A stone chimney rose from one side, hinting at the warmth within.Sam stepped onto the porch, the wooden boards creaking softly under her weight. She pushed the door open, revealing a practical and inviting interior. The living area featured a large stone fireplace, a cozy arrangement of chairs and a sofa, and shelves stocked with books, tools, and supplies. The kitchen was fully equipped, its counters lined with jars of preserved foods.“This is… incredible,” Daniel said, his voice filled with wonder. “It’s like they knew we’d be coming.”“Maybe they did,” Sam said softly, her gaze drifting to the table where a handwritten note lay. She picked it up, her hands trembling as she read it aloud. “‘For those who seek refuge, this is your home. Everything you need is here. Live well. Be free.’”Tears filled her eyes as she looked around the cabin. Benjamin cooed in her arms, and she kissed his forehead.“We’re safe now,” she whispered. “This is our home.”The group began to explore the cabin, marveling at its thoughtful design. The bedrooms were furnished with soft bedding and warm blankets, and the closets were stocked with clothing of various sizes. Outside, a small shed held tools for farming and gardening, and a stream nearby provided fresh water. Every detail seemed designed to ensure they could thrive here.As the sun set, casting the meadow in hues of gold and orange, the group gathered on the porch. The tranquility of their surroundings settled over them, soothing the tension that had been their constant companion.“They gave us a chance,” Jack said, quiet but firm. “We’re not wasting it.”Sam nodded, her eyes fixed on the horizon. “For Benjamin. For all of us.”The cabin stood as a testament to hope and resilience, a place to rebuild and begin anew. For the first time in what felt like forever, they allowed themselves to believe in a future worth fighting for. Their first days in the new world were spent adapting to the calm and simplicity around them. The cabin provided everything they needed: food, shelter, and safety. Jack and Sam shared one of the bedrooms, making space for Benjamin in a crib they found tucked into a corner of the room. Daniel took the second bedroom, grateful for a bed after an eternity of stress and chaos.At first they barely left the cabin. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them, and the group needed time to recover—physically and mentally. The toll of their journey, the fights, and the constant vigilance had left them frayed. They spent hours resting and taking turns watching Benjamin, who seemed to thrive in this new environment.Haven’s air was unlike anything they had known—fresh rain, sun-warmed earth, and a faint electric charge beneath it. The landscape stretched endlessly: meadows merging with emerald forests, towering mountains shimmering under a twilight glow.The stars appeared closer and larger at night, as if they weren’t just distant suns but something more—watchful, ancient, sentient. A smaller and faintly blue second moon hovered just at the horizon, casting an ethereal glow over the land.The wildlife was elusive but ever-present. In the distance, Jack swore he saw something move through the trees—not a deer, not anything he could recognize. It was graceful, almost fluid, disappearing before he could get a second look. The birds here didn’t just sing; they created harmonies, weaving melodies that changed with the wind. Even the insects—if they could be called that—left behind tiny trails of iridescence, like living embers drifting through the air.Sam, however, couldn’t fully relax. Her worry remained fixed on Benjamin. Even here, in a world that seemed untouched by the Directorate or any threat, her maternal instincts kept her alert. But Benjamin surprised her. He was happy, content in a way she hadn’t seen before.The land thrummed beneath their feet, a quiet vibration just beneath the surface. The sky was an ever-shifting canvas, deep gold melting into twilight blue. Leaves rustled with a metallic shimmer, catching the light in brief, iridescent flashes.Benjamin’s fingers curled, and a faint hum of static played between them, as if the air itself responded to his presence. And he played with energy like other babies played with toys, creating small, harmless pulses of light that danced in his hands. Sam watched him in awe, trying to understand the scope of his abilities while marveling at his innocence.This was not just a home—it was reacting to them.Daniel, ever the scientist, was already deep in thought, murmuring about natural ley lines, dimensional stabilization, and ecosystems that operated on an entirely new set of rules. But Jack—Jack just stood still momentarily, feeling the world settle around them.And always the pragmatist, he spent time ensuring their safety. While exploring the cabin, he discovered a shotgun hidden in a closet, along with several boxes of shells.“Looks like General Carter didn’t entirely trust our surroundings,” he muttered, showing the weapon to Sam and Daniel.They agreed it was better to keep it close, just in case. Despite the welcoming locals and the apparent tranquility outside, Jack remained cautious. He would step outside each morning, scanning the tree line and the distant paths leading toward the nearby settlement. It wasn’t that he doubted the people of Haven—just that he knew too well how quickly things could change.The fact that they hadn’t received any unexpected visitors so far didn’t ease his instincts. If anything, it made him more watchful. Settlements meant rules, routines, and the possibility of someone being interested in them. Jack wanted to be sure they wouldn’t wake up one morning to find strangers at their doorstep, asking questions they weren’t ready to answer.At night, they gathered around the fireplace, eating simple meals prepared from the provisions left in the cabin. The quiet was strange, almost unnerving at first. But as the days passed, they began to settle into a routine.Each day, Jack walked the perimeter, learning the land and marking the trails. Not because he was looking for neighbors—but because he needed to be sure of who else might be watching.Sam spent her time with Benjamin, watching him closely and jotting down notes about his behavior in a small journal she’d found in one of the drawers.“He’s… different here,” Sam said one evening as she rocked Benjamin to sleep. “Happier. Freer. Like he knows this place is safe.”Jack sat nearby, cleaning the shotgun out of habit.“Maybe he does. Kids are good at picking up on things we don’t see.”Sitting by the fire, Daniel added, “Or maybe this world… It’s meant for people like him. People like us.”The thought was comforting but didn’t entirely erase the unease lingering in their minds. For now, though, they focused on the present. They had survived. They had found a haven. And as the days turned into nights, they allowed themselves to hope that this could truly be a place to start over. The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. Life in the new reality began to settle. The cabin became a proper home, a place where they could recover and rebuild. Benjamin continued to thrive, his energy-infused playfulness both a source of wonder and a constant reminder of their unique world.Daniel, meanwhile, began cataloging their new world. He ventured out during the day, collecting samples of plants and water from nearby streams. He was fascinated by the shimmering leaves of the trees and the strange patterns in the brook, which seemed to shift and change depending on where you stood.“This place is alive in ways we can’t quite understand,” he said one evening, holding up a leaf that seemed to glow faintly in his hand. “It’s almost like it’s welcoming us.”Jack’s restless nature eventually led him beyond the immediate perimeter of their cabin. Though the locals had welcomed them and pointed them toward their new home, he still felt the need to get a better sense of the land and the people around them. He wasn’t looking to make friends, but he needed to know what kind of community they had ended up in.One afternoon, while following a narrow trail that cut through the trees, he came across a small farmstead a few miles from their cabin. The house was modest but well-maintained, with a barn nearby and fields that looked recently tended. Two young boys were playing outside, their laughter carrying through the crisp air. Jack slowed his steps, observing from a distance, until one of the boys spotted him and froze. A moment later, their father emerged from the house, his gaze assessing but not unfriendly."Didn’t think I’d see one of you out this way," the man said, wiping his hands on a cloth before extending one in greeting. "Name’s Elias. You must be one of the newcomers."Jack hesitated a beat before shaking the offered hand."O’Neill."Elias nodded."Figured as much. Word gets around."Jack kept his expression neutral."That right?""Nothing too detailed," Elias assured him. "People saw you arrive, knew where you ended up. We don’t get new folks often, so it’s hard not to notice."Jack took that in, filing it away. They were being watched, even if only out of curiosity."Seem like a quiet place," he said.Elias chuckled. "Most of the time. We keep to ourselves, but we look out for each other, too. You ever need anything, we trade fair, no strings."Jack nodded, appreciating the straightforward approach. They talked for a few more minutes, Elias explaining how Haven functioned—a loose network of independent homesteads, each family largely self-sufficient but with a shared understanding of mutual aid when needed. There were no leaders, no centralized government. Just people living their lives.It all sounded ideal. Maybe a little too ideal.Jack made his way back to the cabin, his thoughts still circling the conversation with Elias. Haven wasn’t the isolated refuge it first appeared to be, but it also wasn’t a traditional settlement. The people were scattered, self-sufficient, and yet connected in ways he couldn’t quite put his finger on. And then there was the technology—subtle, almost hidden, but undeniably advanced. That part nagged at him.He’d keep his guard up. Friendly didn’t always mean safe.As he stepped onto the porch, he could already hear voices inside. Sam’s, calm but interested. And Daniel’s—too damn enthusiastic for Jack’s liking.He pushed open the door and found Daniel sitting at the table, hands animated as he spoke, a half-eaten piece of bread in front of him. Sam leaned forward, listening intently.Jack narrowed his eyes. "Tell me you didn’t."Daniel blinked up at him. "Didn’t what?"Jack shut the door behind him, tossing his coat over a chair."You went into the settlement. Alone."Daniel sighed."Okay, first of all, not alone. The settlement is a collection of small homesteads, not some bustling metropolis where I’d get lost. And second—""You went alone," Jack repeated, his voice sharper now. "After everything we’ve been through, you thought wandering off into an unknown place, without backup, was a great idea?"Daniel folded his arms. "Jack, I’m an archaeologist. An explorer. A diplomat. I talk to people. That’s what I do. And in case you forgot, that’s literally why I’m here—to learn about the world we landed in."Jack ran a hand over his face, exhaling hard."And what if they weren’t friendly?"Daniel rolled his eyes."Jack, they are friendly. More than friendly. This place isn’t some hidden nightmare waiting to pounce on us. The people are open, welcoming, and, honestly, far more advanced than I expected."Jack sat down heavily, rubbing his temples."That’s not the point."Daniel leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table."Then what is the point?"Jack lifted his gaze. "The point is, we don’t know what’s underneath all that friendliness. We don’t know what we’ve stepped into yet."Daniel gestured around the room."Then maybe we should find out. Which is exactly what I was doing. And guess what? I actually learned something."Jack sighed. "Fine. Enlighten me."Daniel’s face lit up again, the argument forgotten—for him, at least.“You’re not gonna believe this,” Daniel said, waving Jack over. “The buildings? They’re alive. Not literally, but—look.” He gestured to a house, its wooden walls pulsing faintly with light. “That’s energy flow. They don’t build their homes. They grow them.”Jack frowned. "That’s… weird."Daniel grinned."Weird? Jack, it’s brilliant. It’s a civilization that has perfected integration with nature in a way we’ve never seen before. There’s no pollution, no waste—just an ecosystem that functions as a single, living entity."Sam, who had been listening quietly, spoke up."And what about their tech? You mentioned something about medical devices?"Daniel nodded eagerly."Every home—including ours—has something called a ‘health node.’ It’s a sleek, wall-mounted device that can diagnose and treat most ailments. I saw one in action. A kid fell and cut his knee, and his mother just pressed a few buttons, and within seconds, the wound was sealed. No scars, no infection risk."Jack leaned on the table, skeptical.“So you’re telling me they’ve got glowing roads, self-fixing houses, and a magic med-bay… and no one’s in charge?”Daniel shrugged. “Think of it like an ant colony. Everyone just knows what to do.”Jack scoffed. "Yeah, that’s what worries me."Daniel sighed, exasperated."Jack, not every place is hiding a dark secret. Maybe—just maybe—Haven is exactly what it seems."Jack leaned forward, skeptical.“So you’re telling me they’ve got glowing roads, self-fixing houses, and a magic med-bay… and no one’s in charge?”Jack’s fingers drummed against the table.“No one ever gets sick. No one ever argues. No one ever screws up.” He met Daniel’s gaze, his voice quieter now. “Doesn’t that bug you even a little?”Daniel hesitated, just for a second. But then he shook his head.“Jack, not everything is a conspiracy.”Jack didn’t look convinced.“And that’s exactly what someone running a conspiracy would want you to think.”The tension between them thickened. They had butted heads before—many times—but this was different. This wasn’t about military protocols or mission ethics. This was about survival.Sam glanced between them, then spoke carefully."Maybe you’re both right."Jack shot her a look. "Excuse me?"She folded her arms."Daniel, you’re right—this place is fascinating, and we should be learning about it. But Jack’s right, too. We can’t just assume everything is safe because it looks that way."Daniel exhaled, running a hand through his hair."I get it. I do. But we’ve spent months running, fighting, surviving. Can’t we just—" He hesitated. "—let ourselves believe in something good for once?"Jack stared at him for a long moment before finally looking away. His jaw was tight, his shoulders stiff."I want to," Jack admitted, his voice lower now. "But I can’t afford to be wrong."Silence settled between them.Daniel sighed."I didn’t mean to start an argument."Jack gave him a look."You mean you didn’t intend to start one."Daniel smirked slightly. "Same thing."Jack exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face."Just… next time, don’t go alone. Got it?"Daniel lifted his hands in surrender."Fine. I’ll bring a chaperone next time."Jack muttered, "Damn right, you will."Sam, who had been watching them with quiet amusement, finally stood."Well, if we’re done arguing, I’d like to go check out this health node."Jack grumbled something under his breath, but Daniel brightened immediately."Great! I’ll show you how it works."Jack leaned back in his chair as they walked off, shaking his head. He wasn’t convinced Haven was as perfect as Daniel wanted to believe. But at least now, they were looking.And that was a start. The first time Jack went with Daniel to the settlement he didn’t feel exactly welcomed.Daniel, ever the diplomat, had led the way, exuding his usual “friendly archaeologist” energy. Jack, in contrast, walked a step behind, hands stuffed in his pockets, scanning every face they passed.People watched them. Not with hostility—nothing overt. But there was something too aware in their gazes, like they were studying more than greeting.Elias met them near a communal trading post, his expression unreadable.“Didn’t think I’d see you two again so soon,” he said, crossing his arms.Jack matched his posture. “Needed supplies.”Elias nodded slowly. “That so?”Daniel, ever oblivious to tension, smiled. “We’re still getting a feel for how things work here. It’s... different from anywhere we’ve been.”Jack shot him a look. Understatement of the year.Elias studied them for a moment before turning to the small crowd that had subtly gathered. “They’re new,” he told them, his voice carrying just enough weight to make Jack’s hackles rise. “They don’t know our ways yet. But they’ll learn.”The words didn’t feel threatening. Not exactly. But there was something unsettling about how the others just nodded before returning to their tasks. No more questions. No more curiosity. Just silent acceptance.Jack tensed. He’d seen this kind of behavior before—structured, conditioned. Maybe not through force, but through something just as powerful: routine. Unquestioning expectation.Daniel, of course, either didn’t notice or ignored it entirely.“What exactly are your ways?” he asked, genuinely intrigued.Elias smirked.“Respect. Trade fairly. Don’t take more than you need. And—” He glanced toward Jack. “Don’t cause trouble.”Jack held his gaze. “Trouble usually finds me first.”Elias chuckled, but something about his amusement felt... off.Still, the visit ended without incident. They traded for supplies, Daniel chatted up a few of the locals, and Jack didn’t shoot anyone—which, for him, counted as a successful first encounter.But later that night, as Jack sat on the porch of the cabin, watching the distant glow of settlement fires in the valley, he couldn’t shake the feeling.Something about Haven was too perfect. Too controlled.And the people?They weren’t scared of them.They were waiting. The days passed, then weeks. Then months. Slowly, they began to adapt to life in Haven.Jack found himself making more trips to Elias’s farm, at first out of necessity—gathering supplies, exchanging some words, and gathering information. But eventually, he started going just because it was easy. Elias was straightforward, no-nonsense, and his boys—Finn and Milo—reminded Jack of a younger version of himself, full of boundless energy and curiosity.Jack had planned to make the trip alone this time, just him and Benjamin. But at the last minute, Sam had decided to come along, her expression unreadable. She didn’t offer an explanation, and Jack didn’t ask for one. Maybe she was just feeling protective. Maybe she was curious about Elias and his boys. Either way, he wasn’t about to argue.As they approached the farm, Finn and Milo spotted them first. The two boys ran ahead, their excitement evident as they rushed forward. Jack tensed instinctively, but Benjamin, secure in his arms, reached toward them with open curiosity.Elias emerged from the barn, wiping his hands on a rag. His gaze flicked to Sam, clearly surprised to see her. Then his eyes landed on Benjamin. His expression was unreadable at first—assessing, maybe even wary—but it softened slightly as he watched his sons slow to a stop in front of Jack.Finn, the older of the two, peered at Benjamin curiously.“Who’s this?”Jack shifted his grip on his son.“This is Benjamin.”Milo, younger and bolder, grinned.“He’s small.”Jack smirked.“Yeah, well, so were you once.”Milo huffed as if the idea offended him. Finn, meanwhile, studied Benjamin for a moment longer before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small carved wooden toy.“Here,” he said, offering it.Benjamin, fascinated, reached for the toy—and for a brief second, it hovered between them, just slightly, as if caught in an unseen current.Finn blinked. Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, he grabbed the toy again and gently pushed it into Benjamin’s tiny hands.“It’s for you.”Elias’s gaze flicked to Jack, something unspoken passing between them. He had seen it too.Jack exhaled, shaking his head slightly.“Kids take magic tricks in stride better than adults.”Sam, standing beside him, was tense but silent. Jack knew she was analyzing every second of what had just happened. He gave her a small nudge.“It’s fine,” he murmured. “They didn’t think anything of it.”She hesitated, her grip tightening around the strap of her bag. Then, after a moment, she nodded.Elias finally spoke. “Boys’ll probably ask him to play next time.”Sam inhaled sharply, but when she looked at Benjamin—still clutching the toy, grinning at Finn and Milo—her expression softened.“He should have friends,” she said quietly.Jack nodded. “Yeah. He should.”And just like that, Benjamin had taken his first step toward being a part of something bigger. While Jack was growing more at ease with the people, Daniel had made it his personal mission to understand everything about Haven.Now that Jack refused to let him go alone, the two of them made regular trips into the settlement, which wasn’t a single town but a network of homesteads and clusters of people living side by side.Jack found it unsettling how effortless everything was. Elias had been right—there was no government, no visible hierarchy. If something needed doing, people did it. If someone needed help, others stepped in. There was no currency; people traded what they had, and somehow, it all balanced out.Jack still wasn’t sure he trusted it.Daniel, on the other hand, thrived in it. He was constantly in conversation, meeting new people, learning their history, the mechanics of how they lived. He’d drag Jack along to talk with elders who told stories about Haven’s early days, to the market area where people exchanged goods, to the small communal spaces where knowledge—history, medicine, engineering—was passed down.Jack mostly kept quiet, watching. The technology woven into their everyday lives still bugged him. The homes had no visible power sources, but the walls stayed warm in the cold and cool in the heat. The roads glowed just enough to light their way at night, but no one ever seemed to maintain them. The health nodes, simple-looking but effective, still felt too advanced to be something this… casual."Ever ask them where all this tech comes from?" Jack muttered one afternoon as they left a gathering area.Daniel sighed, adjusting his pack."They say it’s just been here. No one really questions it."Jack gave him a look. "That doesn’t seem weird to you?"Daniel grinned. "Of course it’s weird, but that’s why I love it."Jack rolled his eyes.Still, the more time he spent there, the more he found himself relaxing—a little. The people weren’t hiding anything. If anything, they seemed completely unaware that their way of life was strange to outsiders.And that, Jack figured, might be even more unsettling. Benjamin, now ten months old, was thriving in ways that left everyone astonished. Not only was he walking with a toddler's confidence, but he had also begun to talk. His first words weren’t simple babbles but precise, deliberate phrases.“Light,” he said one afternoon, holding his tiny hands out as small orbs of energy flickered to life around him. Sam and Jack stared in shock, while Daniel nearly dropped the book he was reading.Sam was both awed and unnerved by Benjamin’s rapid development. While Jack found humor in their son’s extraordinary abilities, casually referring to him as “Super Baby,” Sam’s scientific mind couldn’t rest until she understood what was happening. Out of caution, she decided Benjamin shouldn’t play with Elias’s boys anymore.“Not until we know more,” she told Jack one evening, her tone leaving no room for argument.Her quest for answers led her to a discovery that both thrilled and troubled her. She uncovered a hidden hatch while organizing the storage area in the cabin’s basement. Beneath it lay a secret lab, complete with advanced equipment that could only have been built by her older self. The lab was pristine, almost as if it had been waiting for her.Sam spent more and more time in the lab, analyzing samples she had taken from Benjamin and running tests using the equipment. The laptop she found—a godsend—contained encrypted files that took her hours to unlock. But once she did, the information began to paint a startling picture.Benjamin wasn’t just a gifted child. He was unique on a level she hadn’t fully grasped until now. Her tests confirmed that his DNA was an extraordinary combination of her genes, Jack’s, and something entirely his own. His ability to manipulate energy wasn’t an anomaly but a natural extension of who he was. Sam realized that as Benjamin grew, his capabilities would expand exponentially. By adulthood, he could master energy at will. He wouldn’t need weapons—his hands and mind would be enough to protect or destroy.The implications were staggering. She now understood why Moratus, the oversight committee, and the Directorate had been desperate to control him. Benjamin’s potential was limitless, a powerful asset to anyone who could shape his development. Sam felt both pride and a gnawing fear as she stared at the data. What did this mean for their future? For his?Despite the clarity of the data, Sam hadn’t told Jack. Not yet. She knew they needed to have a serious conversation, but she couldn’t bring herself to share the burden just yet. Instead, she buried herself in her work, hoping to find more answers before bringing him into the fold.Jack noticed her increasing hours in the lab but didn’t push. He’d learned long ago that Sam needed space to process. Still, the weight of what she carried was becoming harder to hide. She would glance at Benjamin and feel overwhelming love and an ache of responsibility. She had brought him into this world, and now she needed to ensure he could navigate it safely—without becoming a tool for others.One evening, as Benjamin sat in his playpen conjuring small, harmless energy shapes, Sam looked at Jack, who was sitting nearby cleaning the shotgun. She realized the moment to talk was fast approaching. She had to tell him. Together, they needed to decide what to do about their extraordinary son. The evening air in Haven was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Inside the cabin, a fire crackled, casting flickering shadows along the wooden walls. Sam sat at the dining table, her laptop open, fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard as lines of data scrolled across the screen. Her brows were furrowed, lost in calculations. Across the room, Jack was cleaning his shotgun, his movements slow and deliberate."You’ve been at that all day," Jack muttered without looking up.Sam exhaled sharply, barely pausing in her work."And?"Jack leaned back in his chair, setting the shotgun down with a dull thud. His eyes flicked to the clock—midnight. Sam hadn’t come to bed again.Across the room, she was at her laptop, typing furiously, her face illuminated by the cold glow of the screen. A stack of notes lay beside her, pages filled with calculations, energy readings, and detailed observations about Benjamin.Jack exhaled sharply. Here we go again."Sam."No response. She was too absorbed in whatever latest data set had her attention.Jack tried again, louder this time. "Sam."She startled slightly, blinking as she finally registered him. "What?"Jack ran a hand over his face, trying to keep his temper in check."You haven’t spent more than an hour with Benjamin all day. He called for you earlier. Twice."Sam hesitated, her fingers hovering over the keyboard."I’m just trying to understand him, Jack. He’s—"Jack pushed to his feet, crossing the room in a few strides."He’s a one-year-old, Sam. Not a science project. Not some test subject you need to analyze."Her lips parted, as if she wanted to argue, but something flickered in her expression—guilt, maybe. Then she shook her head."You don’t get it. His abilities are evolving faster than we expected. If we don’t prepare—"Jack’s voice sharpened."Or what? He’s gonna turn into some unstoppable force of destruction?"Sam flinched. "I don’t know! And that’s the problem, Jack! You saw what he did last week—"Jack threw his hands up. "Yeah, I saw. He got scared, and the air crackled a little. Big deal."Sam’s expression darkened."It is a big deal. What happens if he loses control? What if he hurts himself? Hurts us?"Jack scoffed, shaking his head. "You’re talking about our son like he’s a loaded gun."Sam inhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "Because maybe he is."Jack’s jaw tightened. Silence stretched between them, heavy and unyielding. When he finally spoke again, his voice was quieter."You don’t even see it, do you?"Sam frowned. "See what?"Jack exhaled through his nose, his hands settling on his hips."You’re pulling away from us, Sam."She stiffened. "That’s not—""It is," Jack cut in, voice rough with something deeper than frustration—something closer to hurt. "You barely look at me anymore unless it’s to argue. You barely spend time with Benjamin unless you’re observing him. And I get it—your brain needs to solve things. But damn it, Sam, we are not your puzzle to figure out."Sam’s throat worked, but no words came out.Jack continued, softer now."You’re so busy trying to control the what-ifs that you’re missing what’s right in front of you." His voice wavered slightly. "He reaches for you, Sam. Every day. And you’re too busy looking at data to see it."She swallowed hard. "That’s not fair."Jack shook his head. "No, what’s not fair is that he’s one year old, and he’s already learning that his mom is too busy trying to understand him to actually be with him."Silence.Sam’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. "I am trying to be with him."Jack studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he grabbed his jacket and walked toward the door."Where are you going?" Sam asked, voice tight.Jack didn’t look back. "For a walk. Before I say something I can’t take back."And then the door clicked shut behind him, leaving Sam standing in the dim glow of her laptop, her heart pounding.She turned to look at Benjamin, sleeping soundly in his crib, small flickers of energy still pulsing from his fingers even in his dreams.Jack’s words echoed in her head.
"He reaches for you, Sam."
And for the first time in a long while, she wasn’t sure if she had the right answer. The night air was cool, wrapping around Jack as he walked through the quiet settlement. His boots crunched against the dirt path, his breath visible in the cold. He needed to clear his head, to shake the frustration tightening his chest. He wasn’t angry at Sam—he didn’t know how to reach her or make her see that they had to give Benjamin a childhood before they burdened him with expectations.By the time he returned to the cabin, the lights were off. The fire had died down to embers, casting a dim glow across the room. Sam was already in bed, her back turned to him, her form still beneath the blankets. Jack sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.He changed quickly, slipping under the covers beside her. The bed felt colder than usual, the space between them a chasm. Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. He stared at the ceiling for a long moment before finally speaking, his voice low."I don’t want to fight you, Sam. I want him to have a normal life."A shaky breath escaped her, and then she turned to face him. Even in the darkness, he could see the shine of unshed tears in her eyes."Do you think I don’t want that too?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "More than anything, Jack. But Benjamin isn’t an ordinary kid. He’s exceptional. And we have to accept that."Jack clenched his jaw, his throat tightening as he listened.Sam swallowed hard, her voice thick with emotion."If we don’t help him, if we don’t teach him how to control what he is… his own nature could turn against him. And I won’t let that happen. Even if I have to fight you myself."Jack stared at her, his chest tight. He wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong, that she was thinking too far ahead. But the conviction in her eyes—the raw, unwavering love—held him back. He turned away, pressing his lips into a thin line.For the first time since they had been married, they slept with their backs to each other. At first, Haven felt like a miracle. A place untouched by war, by the Directorate, by everything they had spent so long running from. The air was cleaner. The silence wasn’t laced with tension. Benjamin was safe.And yet, Sam couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… missing.She told herself it was just an adjustment period. That after so much time of living on the edge of catastrophe, her mind simply wasn’t used to the quiet. But as the days stretched into weeks, she realized it wasn’t just the lack of danger—it was the lack of challenge.Jack thrived in the simplicity. His days were spent hunting, trading, getting to know the people of Haven. Daniel was in his element, diving into the settlement’s history, fascinated by the culture’s seamless blend of nature and technology. Benjamin, too, was flourishing in ways that amazed and terrified her.But Sam? She felt like a machine running idle. The world around her had stopped demanding answers, and she wasn’t sure who she was without the need to solve something.She spent more time in the cabin’s small underground lab, searching for something—anything—that required her mind to work. She poured over the technology woven into Haven’s structures, dissecting its mysteries to make sense of how an entire civilization functioned without government, conflict, or visible flaws.She should have been content. But she wasn’t.She wasn’t a country girl. Never had been. The lab in the cabin had once been a blessing, a haven within Haven itself, but now it felt… small.Too small for her brain.The old frustrations resurfaced during discussions about Benjamin.Sam had been searching for something to make sense of the unease settling in her chest. She had already gone through every drawer, every cabinet in the cabin, looking for additional notes, for something her older self might have left behind. But aside from the neatly arranged supplies and a few personal belongings that felt eerily familiar, she had found nothing.Until she checked the storage area.At first glance, it was just a collection of spare blankets, tools, and a few locked cases she hadn’t yet opened. But as she shifted one of the heavier crates aside, something tumbled free—a small, leather-bound book wedged between the floorboards and the back wall.Sam picked it up, dusting off the worn cover. It wasn’t labeled, but the weight of it, the way it fit in her hands—it felt personal.She opened it cautiously, eyes scanning the first few pages. Handwriting—hers. No, not hers. Older Sam’s.Her breath caught as she flipped further, taking in the neatly written notes, equations, observations—detailed entries chronicling her thoughts, her discoveries, her regrets.And then, buried between the technical musings, a single line made her heart stop.
"Quite by chance, I stumbled upon something that I never thought I would find on a planet like this. I actually think the people of Haven have no idea what it truly is. And maybe it’s for the best."
Sam stared at the words, heart pounding.What did she find?Her fingers tightened around the edges of the notebook. Whatever it was, her older self had considered it important enough to write down—but not important enough to explain. That meant one thing:It was something worth hiding.And Sam intended to find out why.Sam’s mind buzzed with possibilities, but the cabin door swung open before she could dwell on them.Jack.He stepped inside, brushing the cold night air from his shoulders, his eyes immediately landing on her.“You’re doing it again,” he said.Sam frowned. “Doing what?”Jack set his gear down, rolling his shoulders as he walked toward the fireplace.“Thinking yourself into an early grave.”She exhaled sharply, shutting the notebook with a quiet thud.“I’m just trying to understand—”“No,” Jack interrupted, leveling a look at her. “You’re trying to control something that doesn’t need to be controlled.”Sam stiffened. “That’s not what this is about.”Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.Sam rose to her feet, crossing the room in slow, deliberate steps.“Benjamin isn’t just any child, Jack. You’ve seen it. His development is accelerating. He’s one. The age Janet said his immune system would be stabilized. His body is designed to adapt and overcome, and he’s doing that…in front of our very own eyes. He’s creating energy fields without even trying. That doesn’t alarm you?”Jack’s jaw tightened.“What alarms me is how you treat him like one of your experiments.”The words stung, but she refused to back down.“I am trying to protect him. We need to understand what’s happening to him.”Jack shook his head, running a hand through his hair.“He’s a child, Sam. Not a weapon, not an anomaly—our son. And maybe instead of running tests every time he breathes, you could just… let him be.”Sam pressed her lips together, frustration simmering beneath the surface.“Letting him ‘be’ isn’t going to change the fact that he’s different. What happens if—”“If what?” Jack cut in. “If he grows up and isn’t some dangerous god-like being that needs to be dissected?”Sam exhaled sharply, shaking her head.“That’s not fair.”Jack sighed, pacing the room.“You want to study him. I get it. That’s who you are. But dammit, Sam, he’s not some phenomenon. He’s our kid.”“I know that!” she snapped, her voice rising. “But what if his abilities become dangerous? What if he hurts himself? Hurts us?”Jack’s expression darkened. “Then we’ll deal with it when it happens.”Sam scoffed, crossing her arms. “That’s your plan? Just… wait?”Jack threw up his hands.“What the hell else are we supposed to do? Run tests? Teach him how to be a soldier before he can even talk in full sentences?”Sam flinched. Benjamin could already talk perfectly when he wanted.Jack sighed, softer now.“Sam… I know you. I know how your mind works. And I know you’re scared. But this place? This life? It’s not some problem for you to solve.”Sam looked away, jaw tight.“You don’t get it.”Jack studied her, his voice lowering.“You hate it here, don’t you?”Sam hesitated. The answer was complicated. She didn’t hate it, but… it wasn’t enough.Haven was peaceful. But peace had never been something she was built for.She had spent her life surrounded by the hum of technology, the thrill of discovery, the pulse of the unknown. Here, everything was still. There was no mission, no crisis, no endless calculations to solve. And maybe that was a dream for Jack. Maybe it was even enough for Daniel.But it wasn’t enough for her.“I just…” Sam exhaled, glancing at Benjamin where he lay asleep in his crib, small flickers of energy still pulsing from his fingertips even in his dreams.“I need more.”Jack nodded slowly as if he had already known.“Yeah. I figured.”Sam ran a hand through her hair, frustration curling in her gut.“I found something in Older Sam’s notes.”Jack’s brows lifted slightly.“Something good or something bad?”“I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “But it’s something. And I need to find out what.”Jack leaned against the table, considering her words.“So, what? You want to go exploring?”Sam met his gaze, her heart pounding with the weight of a decision she hadn’t even entirely made yet. “I need to know what’s out there, Jack. I need to know if Haven is really what it seems… or if it’s hiding something we can’t afford to ignore.”Jack studied her for a long moment before sighing.“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”Sam shook her head.Jack exhaled through his nose, rubbing the bridge of it in exasperation.“Fine. But I’m coming with you.”Sam blinked. “Jack—”“Nope. Don’t even try. If you think I’m letting you run off into the mysterious unknown alone, you clearly haven’t been paying attention for the last decade.”Sam bit back a smile. Even when they fought and didn’t see eye to eye, he was still Jack. Still her Jack.“Fine,” she relented. “We’ll go together.”Jack pushed off the table and smirked. “That’s the first smart thing you’ve said all night.”Sam rolled her eyes but felt something in her chest ease.She had spent weeks feeling trapped, restless, stuck.But now?Now, she had a lead.Now, she had something to chase. The following morning, Jack secured his gear efficiently, sliding a hunting knife into his belt and slinging his shotgun over his shoulder. Haven might be paradise, but they’d both learned the hard way—nothing was ever as safe as it seemed.Sam packed more methodically, stuffing a small tablet into her bag and a portable scanner she had cobbled together from spare parts. Haven lacked modern technology in ways that you didn’t have a shop to go and buy it. It simply existed, but she had made do. She didn’t know what she was looking for—only that Older Sam had found something, and she would too.Daniel stood by the cabin, holding Benjamin against his hip. The boy wasn’t a fragile infant anymore—he was a sturdy one-year-old, sharp-eyed and observant. His small hands curled into Daniel’s shirt as he watched his parents preparing to leave.“We won’t be gone long,” she promised, though something deep in her gut told her that might not be true.Daniel shifted Benjamin in his arms, brow furrowing.“And if you don’t come back?”Jack smirked, adjusting the weapon’s strap on his shoulder.“Come on, Daniel. When have we ever not come back?”Daniel exhaled, unamused.“You want that list in alphabetical or chronological order?”Sam rolled her eyes. “We’ll be fine.”"You don’t have to go," Benjamin said suddenly, his voice small but clear.Sam froze for just a second before runing a hand over Benjamin’s soft hair. "We won’t be gone long, sweetheart."Benjamin’s bright blue eyes searched hers. "I don’t like it."Jack sighed. "Yeah, well, I don’t like it either, buddy. But we gotta check something out."Benjamin’s lips pressed together, his expression eerily thoughtful for a toddler. Then he looked at Daniel. "You keep me safe?"Daniel smiled softly. "Of course, Benji. Always."Benjamin still wasn’t convinced. He reached a hand toward Sam, and for a brief moment, the air between them buzzed. Sam felt it—like a soft pulse of energy brushing against her skin. A connection. A silent plea.She leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "We’ll be back before you know it."Benjamin didn’t argue, but as Jack and Sam stepped away, he clutched at Daniel’s sleeve and whispered, "Something’s coming."Daniel stiffened. "What?"But Benjamin just shook his head, frowning at the tree line.Jack glanced back at them. "Everything good?"Daniel forced a smile. "Yeah. We’re good."Sam lingered a second longer before nodding, then turned and followed Jack into the woods.As they disappeared into the distance, Benjamin’s small hands gripped Daniel’s shirt a little tighter. The journal hadn’t given them much to go on—just one vague sentence. Not a location, not a description. Just a hint that something lay beyond the edges of Haven’s quiet existence.They moved north, toward the towering silver-leaved trees that stretched beyond the settled lands. Jack took the lead, shotgun in hand, eyes constantly sweeping the landscape. There was no visible danger—but Haven had an eerie way of making you feel watched.Sam followed, holding up her scanner, watching the readings shift as they entered unfamiliar terrain.The deeper they moved into the forest, the more the air changed. What had been crisp and fresh now carried a strange charge—like static before a storm. Jack noticed it too, rolling his shoulders as if trying to shake off an unseen weight.“Feels weird here,” he muttered. “Not ‘lost in the woods’ weird. More like ‘something’s watching us’ weird.”Sam barely heard him. Her scanner, erratic since they’d entered this part of the forest, flickered wildly before shutting down completely. She smacked the side of it. Nothing.“There’s an energy field here,” she murmured, adjusting the settings. “It’s disrupting the scan.”Jack frowned, his instincts going on high alert. “Natural?”Sam shook her head. “Doubt it.”They moved forward cautiously, pushing through dense undergrowth. Then, Jack halted so suddenly that Sam nearly bumped into him.“Okay,” he muttered. “That sure as hell isn’t a tree.”Before them, half-buried beneath vines and earth, stood a structure—an archway of smooth, metallic stone. It pulsed faintly, its surface etched with symbols that gleamed as if whispering to the air itself.Sam’s breath hitched. She knelt, brushing away layers of dirt, revealing inscriptions unlike anything she’d seen before. Not Ancient. Not Goa’uld. Not Asgard. Something else entirely.Jack crouched beside her, his gaze flicking between the symbols and her expression.“I’m recognizing that look in your eye.”Sam barely breathed. “It’s a gate.”Jack frowned. “A Stargate?”“No,” she murmured. “Something else.”Her fingers traced the carvings, and the scanner in her other hand flickered wildly—numbers and readings scrambling before the screen went dead.Jack tensed. “That’s not normal.”Sam exhaled. The thrill of discovery was momentarily overshadowed by the sheer impossibility of what she was seeing.“This isn’t just an anomaly,” she said softly.Jack’s eyes flicked toward the structure, then back to Sam.“Then what the hell is it?”Sam met his gaze, excitement warring with unease.“I think it’s a door.”Sam had seen thousands of structures, from ruins to advanced alien technology, but this one felt different.It wasn’t abandoned.It wasn’t a relic.It was waiting.The symbols pulsed under her touch, and for a split second, she swore she heard something—a whisper, just beneath the surface of reality.Jack stood, scanning the treetops, suddenly uneasy.“I don’t like this.”Sam’s breath came faster.“Jack—this is what she found. This is what Older Sam meant.”Jack turned to her, his face serious.“Okay. And now we’re standing in front of it. What next? We poke it with a stick?”Sam ignored him, turning back to the archway.“It’s not just a structure—it’s powering something.”Jack sighed, shifting his stance. “You think it’s dangerous?”Sam swallowed. That was the problem. She didn’t know.But she wanted to.Her hand hovered over the strange symbols, fingers itching to press them, to see what would happen—And then, the air shifted.Jack moved first, stepping protectively in front of her, shotgun raised.Something was watching them.The trees rustled without wind. The ground hummed beneath their feet.And just beyond the clearing, a shadow moved.Sam’s pulse thundered. Haven was supposed to be empty in this part of the land.But whatever lay beyond the gate, the anomaly, the door—It wasn’t.Jack took a step back.“Carter.”She didn’t move, staring at the luminous symbols, the impossible technology buried beneath Haven’s quiet existence.The past they had run from.The future they had never considered.And the unknown waiting on the other side.Sam turned to Jack, breathless.“Maybe Haven isn’t just a safe place,” she murmured. “Maybe it’s hiding something it was never meant to.”Jack exhaled sharply.“Great. Just what we needed.”Sam reached into her pack, pulling out a notepad.Whatever this was—whoever had built this, whatever it led to—They were going to find out.And Haven would never be the same. Sam took a slow breath, pressing her hand against one of the glowing symbols.For a moment, nothing happened.Then—A low hum vibrated through the clearing. The ground beneath them pulsed with unseen energy, like something had just awakened. The carvings on the arch flared with light, shifting from a dull glow to something sharp and electric, almost aware.Jack took a step back, adjusting his grip on the rifle.“I hate when things light up like that.”Sam ignored him. She was too fascinated.A gust of wind rushed through the trees, spiraling around them before funneling toward the archway. The air inside the structure began to ripple, bending like heat over pavement—except it was cold.Then, with a final pulse of light, the space within the arch collapsed inward.Not disappeared—folded.One moment, there was nothing but space. The next, there was… a corridor.Sam’s breath hitched.It wasn’t like a Stargate, with no whooshing vortex and no kawoosh. This was something else entirely. The air shimmered, like looking at reality through warped glass.Jack stared.“Please tell me that’s a trick of the light.”Sam stepped forward. It wasn’t.Beyond the threshold, the corridor extended into a deep structure beneath Haven. The walls were sleek metal, starkly contrasting the organic beauty of the planet above. Faint lines of golden energy pulsed along the floors and ceilings, weaving intricate patterns that flickered as if sensing their presence.Sam reached into her bag, pulling out her scanner. Dead.Jack muttered, “Yeah, that’s not a good sign.”She stepped closer, feeling the hairs on her arms rise. The air inside the corridor was still—too still. And yet, it smelled clean. Not abandoned. Not ancient.Maintained.Jack sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.“You’re gonna make me go in there, aren’t you?”Sam shot him a tight smile.“You can stay out here if you want.”Jack scowled. “Not a chance.”And together, they stepped through the door. The moment they crossed the threshold, the arch sealed behind them.Jack whirled. “Oh, come on.”Sam turned, pressing her palm against the metal surface, but the structure remained solid. There were no panels, no buttons, and no obvious way back.“Well,” she muttered, feeling less thrilled about this than she had five seconds ago.Jack exhaled.“Great. Trapped in another weird alien facility. It’s like being back in the SGC—except without the coffee.”Sam turned back to the corridor. No dust. No signs of decay. This place had power. That meant someone—something—had kept it running.She checked the walls, her fingers brushing along the radiant energy lines. They responded to her touch, pulsing slightly brighter before fading again.“It’s scanning us,” she murmured.Jack tensed. “For what?”Sam exhaled. “I don’t know yet.”They moved cautiously forward, weapon ready. The corridor branched into a massive chamber, lined with consoles and what looked like stasis pods—tall, cylindrical structures embedded in the walls.Jack frowned. “This feels too familiar.”Sam nodded. It reminded her of the Ancient outposts they’d encountered before. But the tech—this wasn’t Ancient. The patterns, the way the energy moved—it was something else.She approached a nearby console, brushing dust from its smooth surface. Symbols illuminated under her touch, shifting into something legible.Jack peered over her shoulder.“That’s English.”Sam swallowed. It was.The screen displayed a single phrase:
“PROJECT HAVEN – STATUS: ACTIVE.”
Jack frowned. “I thought this planet was called Haven because the locals named it that.”Sam’s stomach twisted. “I don’t think it was.”She scrolled through the interface, which contained security logs, power levels, and encryption keys. The system was ancient but operational. She accessed another file, and a diagram of Haven appeared.Except—It wasn’t just a planetary map.It was a containment field.Jack stiffened. “That looks suspiciously like a prison.”Sam’s mouth went dry. “It’s not a planet.”Jack blinked. “Excuse me?”Sam zoomed in on the data streams.“It’s not just a world. It’s an engineered environment.”Jack’s voice dropped.“Are you saying we’re living in a petri dish?”Sam didn’t answer right away. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she skimmed the files, piecing together something too vast to grasp in a single breath. Finally, she exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper.“Not exactly,” she said. “But Haven… it isn’t what we thought. It wasn’t just found. It was built.”Jack’s fingers tightened around the shotgun. “Built by who?”The screen flickered, and a name appeared.
“CREATOR DESIGNATION: LEXUS INITIATIVE.”
Sam’s breath hitched.“The Directorate’s research division,” she said slowly. She remembered reading the name from Older Sam’s notebook.Jack muttered a curse.“Son of a—”Sam was already reading faster, piecing together a nightmare.Haven had been a sanctuary—but not for the reasons they thought. It wasn’t a natural paradise. It was an experiment.
Population Distribution: Managed.
Technology Allowance: Restricted.
Dimensional Access: Prohibited.
Jack’s grip on his shotgun tightened.“You’re telling me this place was designed to keep people in? Like the fucking Abyss?”Sam’s throat tightened. It made sense now. The self-sustaining systems. The lack of war, crime, external influence.The perfectly preserved technology.They hadn’t escaped the Directorate.They had walked into one of their projects.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A distant hiss cut through the silence.Jack turned sharply. “What was that?”Sam checked the console. No alarms. No warning signals.Then she saw it.One of the stasis pods had powered on.Her breath caught as the glass surface began to de-frost, revealing a shadowed figure inside.Jack aimed his shotgun. “Tell me that’s not waking up.”The system pulsed again. More pods activated.Sam’s heart pounded.“We need to go.”The air grew heavy. A strange pressure built in her chest, and then—A voice.Not from the speakers.Not from the facility.From inside her own head.
“You are not supposed to be here.”
Jack stiffened.“Sam—”She clutched the console, fighting the wave of dizziness.The voice wasn’t just speaking. It was searching.
“You are… different.”
Jack grabbed her arm.“We’re leaving. Now.”Sam shook herself, forcing her limbs to move. But before they could turn back, the pods fully powered on—and the first one opened.A figure stepped forward, silhouetted in dim light.Not a corpse. Not a drone.A person.Tall. Too tall. Eyes like liquid gold.And then—It spoke.
“Welcome home.”
Jack’s finger pulled the trigger.The gunshot cracked through the air, the muzzle flash momentarily illuminating the chamber. The bullet flew straight toward the figure standing in the pod’s opening—And stopped.Mid-air.Jack’s breath hitched. The bullet didn’t hit armor or ricochet—it simply… hung there. Suspended. Like the laws of physics had taken a pause.The figure tilted its head, studying the frozen bullet before—with a flick of its wrist—it sent the round clattering uselessly to the floor.Jack exhaled sharply.“Well. That’s new.”Sam barely heard him. Her mind was racing. The energy levels in the chamber had spiked the moment the pods activated. Her body tingled, not from fear—from something else.
Recognition.
The figure took a step forward.It was humanoid. Tall—easily over six and a half feet. The gold in its eyes wasn’t a reflection—it glowed, shifting subtly as if alive. Its skin was smooth, flawless, and pale but infused with something beneath the surface. The body was lean but powerful, clad in a uniform unlike anything she had seen before—organic, almost woven from the energy itself.It blinked once, its gaze flicking between Sam and Jack. Then it spoke again, its voice a mixture of something deeply human and something not.
“You are not supposed to be here.”
Jack let out a slow breath.“Yeah, well, you and your creepy sleepover club weren’t supposed to be here either. So let’s call it even.”The figure’s expression didn’t change. It took another step toward them, its movements unnatural—too smooth, too controlled, like it was testing gravity with each motion.Sam forced herself to speak. “Who are you?”The figure studied her, the gold in its eyes shifting. Then—it smiled.
“We are the Architects.”
Sam felt her blood run cold.Jack shot her a look. “That mean anything to you?”Sam’s mouth was dry. “No. But I don’t like it.”The figure took another step.“Your presence is… unexpected. But not unwelcome.” Its eyes flicked to Sam. Lingering. “You are… anomalous.”Jack tensed. “Yeah, we get that a lot.”The Architect’s gaze drifted to the chamber’s consoles, energy pulsing along its skin as it seemed to register the facility’s activation. It tilted its head slightly—then flicked its wrist toward the walls.The pods shuddered.More lights activated.More figures began to stir.Jack swore under his breath. “Alright. This just got worse.”Sam gritted her teeth. “Jack, don’t—”But Jack had already raised his shotgun.“Listen, glow-eyes, we’ve had really bad experiences before, so if you don’t start explaining exactly what this place is and why you’re in it, I’m gonna see if round two gets past your Jedi mind tricks.”The Architect smiled again. But this time, it was different.Almost… curious.Then, in a motion faster than humanly possible, it reached out—and Jack flew backward.He hit the far wall hard, his shotgun clattering to the ground.Sam barely had time to react before the Architect turned its attention back to her. It didn’t advance. It was studying her.
“You carry the Mark.”
Sam’s breath caught.
“It is in your blood. We recognize it.”
Her stomach twisted. “What the hell are you talking about?”The Architect lifted a hand—then paused. Its golden eyes flickered, narrowing slightly.It hesitated.Sam knew—somehow, it recognized something in her. And it wasn’t sure what to do about it.Jack groaned, pulling himself up with a grimace.“Okay, that sucked.”The Architect blinked once, its focus snapping back to him. Jack held up a hand before it could fling him into another wall.“Alright, alright, we get it. You have weird mind powers and a superiority complex. Congratulations. Now how about we have a real conversation before things get ugly?”The Architect exhaled, almost as if amused.
“It is not us you should fear.”
The words were too calm. Too measured.Sam’s pulse spiked. “Then who?”The Architect regarded her for a long moment. Then—it turned.A single movement, and the chamber shifted.A hidden doorway—seamless in the wall—slid open. Beyond it, the structure extended downward.Not ruins.Not an outpost.A city.Sam’s breath hitched. This facility wasn’t a remnant of something old. It was something still active.Jack muttered, “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”The Architect stepped toward the open passage. Then it looked back.
“Come. We have much to discuss.”
Jack shot Sam a look. She was already moving.He sighed, muttering, “We really gotta talk about your curiosity problem.”But he followed her inside.And behind them, the door sealed shut. The air inside the passage was thicker, charged, as if reality itself was denser here. The walls were smooth metal, not built—but grown, shifting with the faintest iridescent glow. The further they walked, the quieter the world above seemed to become, until it felt like they had stepped into a space untouched by time.Sam’s fingers brushed against the walls as they walked. They were warm.Jack noticed too.“Okay. The walls are breathing. I officially hate this place.”The Architect walked ahead of them, silent, unreadable. It moved with an eerie kind of grace, as if gravity didn’t fully apply. Its golden eyes barely flicked back at them, but Sam could feel its awareness.Then, the passage widened.And they reached it. The city.Jack let out a low whistle.“Well, shit.”The expanse before them stretched in vast, circular layers, descending deep beneath the planet’s surface. Sam’s heart pounded as her eyes swept across it. This wasn’t just a structure. It was growing—buildings pulsed, energy flickering along their veins like living organisms.“It’s not built,” Sam murmured, stepping closer. “It’s… grown.”Jack eyed the floating walkways.“Yeah, well, let’s just hope it doesn’t decide to ungrow while we’re standing here.”Sam barely heard him. Her gaze locked onto the towering structure at the city’s heart, its surface rippling between solid and liquid, like something caught between states of existence. Her gut twisted. This place isn’t just alive. It’s aware.She turned to the Architect.“What is this place?”The being finally stopped, turning to face them. Its expression was still impossible to read.
“This is Origin.”
“The true Haven.”
The Architect gestured toward the vast city before them.
“You believe you have found a sanctuary. You have not. You have found a construct—a containment field.”
Sam’s stomach tightened. “A containment for what?”The Architect’s golden eyes locked onto her.
“Us.”
Jack crossed his arms.“Okay, I’m gonna need a little more than cryptic warnings.”The Architect’s golden eyes flickered. “We shaped existence itself long before your kind looked to the stars. That power made us dangerous.”Jack exhaled.“Lemme guess. The ones who came after didn’t like competition?”“Your Directorate did not build Haven,” the Architect corrected. “They simply settled atop a prison—one we built for ourselves.”Sam’s pulse quickened.“So you’re saying Haven was already here before they arrived?”The Architect nodded.
“They did not imprison us. We imprisoned ourselves.”
Sam stilled. “Why?”The golden glow in the Architect’s eyes dimmed slightly, as if remembering something ancient.
“Because we were gods.”
A long silence.Jack exhaled sharply. “Oh, for crying out loud.”Sam shot him a look. “Jack.”“No, no. I’m just saying—every damn time! It’s always gods, or ascended beings, or ancient super-weapons. Can’t we find a normal lost civilization for once?”The Architect’s lips curved slightly. Amused.
“We are not gods. We are what your kind would call… potential.”
Sam took a slow step forward. “Potential for what?”The Architect exhaled. The walls of the chamber around them shifted—shadows moving like memory.And then—The past came alive.Light surged through the walls, and suddenly, Sam and Jack weren’t standing in the chamber anymore.They were watching history.The city around them hummed with life, filled with beings like the Architect. But their forms weren’t solid—not entirely. Their bodies flickered, shifting between states of matter and energy, their golden eyes burning bright as they shaped the world with thought alone.Jack stiffened. “What the hell—”The scene changed.The sky—or whatever was above them—shattered.Sam watched in horror as a force unlike anything she had ever seen descended on the city.Not an army.Not a weapon.A collapse.Reality itself buckling inward, pulled apart by something unseen.The Architects tried to fight back. They rewove the fabric of space, created defenses that defied physics—but it wasn’t enough.One by one, they fell.Not killed.Consumed.Jack’s jaw tightened. “What the hell did that?”The scene faded. The Architect turned to them, golden eyes burning.
“We did.”
Sam’s breath hitched. “You destroyed yourselves?”The Architect’s expression darkened.
“We reached too far. We unmade the laws of existence—and existence unmade us in return.”
Jack muttered, “I hate when I’m right.”The Architect continued.
“In the end, we had one choice: perish… or seal ourselves away. We created this world, bound by rules even we could not break, a prison where we would remain… contained.”
Sam swallowed. “And the Directorate?”
“Your people found the remains of our sanctuary. They believed it was their own creation. They did not know that they were merely guests in a prison built to hold gods.”
Jack exhaled. “Yeah. That sounds about right.”Sam turned to the Architect. “And you? Why are you awake now?”The Architect was silent for a long moment. Then—
“Because something has changed.”
“The barriers are weakening.”
“And we are no longer the only ones here.”
A chill ran down Sam’s spine. “Who else is here?”The Architect stepped forward, gaze piercing.
“The ones who hunt us.”
Jack sighed.“Oh, great. So not only are we standing in god-jail, but the wardens are still out there?”The Architect nodded once.
“And they will be coming.”
Sam exhaled, her mind racing. “Then we need to wake the others.”The Architect’s golden gaze narrowed.
“No.”
Sam frowned. “But—”
“Not all of us should wake.”
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose.“Of course not. Because that would be too easy.”Sam turned back to the city stretching before them. A prison. A sanctuary. A tomb.And somewhere within it—the key to whatever came next.Jack slung his shotgun over his shoulder. “So. What’s our next move?”The Architect regarded them carefully.
“You should return to your child.”
Sam stiffened.Jack frowned. “Why?”The Architect’s expression darkened.
“Because he is why the barriers are failing.”
The air thickened around them. Sam felt it first—a shift in pressure, the way static clung to her skin.Jack’s voice was low, dangerous.“The hell did you just say?”The Architect’s gaze locked onto them both.
“Your son, Benjamin O’Neill… is not merely a child.”
“He is a key.”
The chamber shuddered. The city reacted—a low vibration rolling through its very core, like a held breath before a storm.Jack took an instinctive step in front of her.“And the ones who hunt you—” He inhaled sharply. “They’re already here, aren’t they?”The Architect’s golden eyes darkened.
“Run.”
And then the city trembled, the distant echoes of something massive tearing through reality. The silence after the Architect’s words was suffocating.Sam’s mind raced, fragmented pieces of information trying to snap together into something that made sense. Benjamin? Their son? How?Jack’s voice cut through the haze.“You want to run that by me again?”The Architect remained motionless, golden eyes unwavering.
“Your child was born of two worlds—one of flesh, one of potential. You, Samantha Carter, have touched the boundaries of the infinite. You, Jack O’Neill, have carried within you the knowledge of the Ancients. These marks are indelible.”
Sam felt her stomach churn. The Ancient repository. Jack had survived it. Twice. But that was years ago. Wasn’t it gone?The Architect continued, “Your son is not ordinary. He is an intersection of what was and what could be.”Jack took a slow step forward, fists clenched at his sides.“That’s a real nice way of talking in circles, but you still haven’t answered the question—who the hell are the hunters?”A ripple passed through the Architect’s form, as if the question itself unsettled it.
“They are those who remain outside the cage. They were once our kin, but when we chose imprisonment, they chose predation.”
Sam’s throat went dry. “Predation?”“They have no form of their own. No constraints. No limits. They feed on possibility, siphoning existence itself from those they hunt.” The Architect’s expression darkened. “We became gods. They became something else.”Jack swore under his breath. “And now they’re after my son.”A low vibration rolled through the walls. Not just a tremor—something deeper. Something alive. Sam exchanged a glance with Jack. They both knew what that meant.“Too late,” she murmured. “They’re already here.”The Architect turned toward the vast city below. Lights flickered, pulsing in waves like a heartbeat. But then—A distortion.Like reality itself had been scraped raw. At first, it was only a shimmer, an imperfection in the golden glow of the city. Then the air twisted inward, bending, pulling, unraveling. Shapes emerged from the void—jagged figures that weren’t quite there. Not reflections, not shadows, but something worse.The first hunter stepped forward—no, it didn’t step. It just… was.Sam’s breath caught. No solid mass. No defined shape. Just a void, a place where reality should exist—but didn’t. The air around it warped, pulling inward like it was swallowing space itself.Jack swore under his breath. “I hate this. I already hate this.”Then the thing moved.And the ground beneath it vanished.Jack raised his weapon instinctively.“I’m guessing talking this out isn’t an option?”The Architect was still, watching the hunters emerge. “They do not negotiate.”Sam pulled her scanner from her vest, fingers flying over the controls. The readings were useless—contradictory. The hunters existed, but didn’t. They were measurable, but undefined. A paradox given form.Jack exhaled sharply.“We need a way out.”The Architect’s gaze remained locked on the approaching figures.
“Escape will not save you. They have already marked you.”
A second shape joined the first. Then a third. More, slipping through the fractures in reality, their presence unraveling the very world around them.Sam’s grip tightened around her scanner.“If they feed on potential, how do we stop them?”The Architect’s golden eyes glowed.
“You do not let them take it.”
Jack let out a dry laugh. “Oh, that’s reassuring.”The closest hunter moved. Not walked—just was. One moment it stood at the far end of the walkway. The next, it loomed mere feet away. Jack and Sam stumbled back instinctively. It had no eyes, no mouth, but Sam could feel its attention—cold and empty.Then it reached forward.The Architect moved faster than thought, its form shifting, stretching, intercepting the hunter before it could touch Jack. The impact was soundless, a collision of forces that shouldn’t exist. Light rippled outward, and for a moment, the hunter recoiled.But it wasn’t alone.More shapes closed in, their presence eroding the space between them. Sam could feel them pressing in, a pull deep in her chest, like something inside her was unraveling just by being near them.Then, the Architect spoke one last time.
“You must leave.”
Jack scowled. “Not without answers—”“There is no time. If you remain, they will consume all that you are.” The Architect’s golden gaze burned into them. “Find your child. Protect him. Because if they reach him first…”The ground trembled violently, the city itself reacting. The hunters moved as one, surging forward, reality warping in their wake.Sam reached for Jack’s arm. “We have to go.”Jack’s jaw was clenched, his body taut with frustration. But he didn’t argue.He grabbed her hand, and they ran. At the cabin, Daniel felt the shift before he could explain it. The air had changed, thick with something unseen. He stepped onto the porch, glancing toward the tree line.Benjamin stood there.The boy wasn’t moving, his tiny fist curled at his side, his gaze locked on the space where his parents had disappeared hours before. Not searching. Not wondering.Waiting.Preparing.Daniel’s breath caught in his throat.Something was coming. The forest was a blur, shadows whipping past as Sam and Jack sprinted through the underbrush. The hunters followed—silent, relentless. Jack fired his shotgun over his shoulder, the blasts echoing through the trees, but it barely slowed them. The figures twisted unnaturally, slipping through gaps in space itself.Sam’s lungs burned.“We’re not shaking them!”Jack pumped the shotgun and fired again.“Yeah, I noticed!”The air behind them rippled. A hunter flickered forward, too close. Sam grabbed Jack’s sleeve and yanked him aside just in time. The space where they’d been standing dimmed, as if erased from existence.The cabin was close. Sam could see the clearing ahead, the faint glow of lantern light. But so could the hunters.Then—a voice.Benjamin.He stood in the open doorway, his tiny fist curled at his side, eyes locked on the dark shapes emerging from the trees.He wasn’t afraid.He was waiting.Daniel stood beside him, his expression grim.“Get inside. Now.”Sam and Jack didn’t stop running until they reached the threshold, slamming the door shut behind them.Outside, the hunters hesitated.And then, impossibly, they stopped. The silence inside the cabin was deafening. Sam held Benjamin tight against her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps. His small body was warm, solid, so very real. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, unwilling to let him go. Outside, the hunters stood at the edge of the clearing, their forms barely visible against the shifting night, dark smudges in the air, pulsing with an unnatural presence.Jack stood near the window, shotgun gripped tight, his knuckles white with tension. Daniel was beside him, eyes flicking between the figures outside and Benjamin in Sam’s arms. Neither spoke. Neither breathed.Then Benjamin moved.He pulled back just enough to look up at Sam, his tiny hands resting lightly against her shoulders. His face was unreadable, his lips parting slightly as if searching for the right words.“Mummy,” he whispered.Sam’s stomach clenched. The way he said it—it wasn’t just recognition, it was something more. Something final. Before she could react, Benjamin’s lashes fluttered, and his body tensed.His eyes snapped shut.Sam’s breath caught.“Ben? Ben, baby, wake up.” She shook him gently, her voice high with panic. “Come on, sweetheart, open your eyes.”His body trembled. His breath deepened. And then—The change happened.Benjamin gasped—sharp, ragged. His small body convulsed once before his eyes flew open.Gold. Searing, alive, burning from within.“Ben?” Sam’s voice cracked as she reached for him. Too bright. Too hot. His skin glowed like molten metal, golden veins streaking up his arms, his neck. The light expanded, stretching across the walls, the ceiling. The whole cabin pulsed with it, as if responding to him.Jack threw an arm over his face, shielding his eyes from the sudden brilliance.“Okay—what the hell?!”Benjamin inhaled, slow, steady. The light didn’t flicker. It didn’t fade. It grew.He did not hesitate. He simply walked toward the door.“No—Ben, wait!” Sam lurched forward, but it was too late. The air crackled around him as he reached for the handle, his small fingers gripping the wood. Without a moment’s pause, he pulled it open.The night seemed to recoil from the golden light that spilled from him, casting long shadows that danced in unnatural patterns. The hunters did not move at first. They watched, their dark, hollow forms facing the small, radiant boy standing before them.And then, they attacked.The air screamed.Sam’s cry tore from her throat, raw and filled with terror.“BENJAMIN!”Jack didn’t hesitate—he raised the shotgun and fired, the deafening boom shaking the walls. The shell ripped through the air, striking one of the shadowed figures, but the impact barely slowed it. The thing absorbed the shot like it was nothing, its form rippling as if the very fabric of its existence refused to be harmed.Daniel grabbed Sam, pulling her back as she tried to run to Benjamin.“Sam, stop! We can’t—”“I have to get him! I have to—”Outside, Benjamin stood perfectly still, golden eyes locked onto the advancing creatures. He did not run. He did not flinch. He simply stared at them, his body glowing brighter, his small chest rising and falling in steady, measured breaths.The first hunter reached him.And then—The world erupted in light. The explosion emanating from Benjamin’s tiny body was unlike anything they had ever seen. It wasn’t fire. It wasn’t heat. It was something raw, something pure, a force so powerful that it sent shockwaves outward in every direction.The impact knocked them all off their feet. Jack slammed into the far wall, his shotgun ripped from his hands. Daniel was thrown against the couch, landing in a heap. Sam hit the floor hard, the breath torn from her lungs as she struggled to comprehend what had just happened.The cabin groaned in protest. Every window shattered, glass exploding inward, glittering shards catching the golden light as they rained down like deadly confetti. The door nearly tore from its hinges, the bolts screaming as they held on by mere splinters of wood.The air crackled, electric, alive. Sam’s ears rang, a deep, bone-shaking hum vibrating through her very core.And then, silence.Sam pushed herself up onto her elbows, her heart hammering in her chest. Dust and debris floated through the air, catching in her throat. She coughed, trying to focus, trying to see through the chaos.Benjamin was still standing in the same spot.Untouched.A shimmering golden shield surrounded him, pulsing with energy, stretching higher and wider than the cabin itself. It was vast, humming with the same power that had torn through the landscape.The hunters were gone.Not just defeated—erased. Their presence had been wiped away as if they had never existed at all.Beyond the shield, the forest was in ruins. Trees had been stripped from the ground, nothing but charred stumps left in their place. The very earth had been scarred by the blast, a deep trench carved into the dirt where the energy had unleashed its fury.Sam’s mouth was dry, her fingers trembling as she pushed herself upright. She turned, looking to Jack and Daniel, both of whom were doing the same. Their expressions were mirrors of her own—disbelief, shock, awe.And then, her gaze returned to Benjamin.Slowly, he turned to face her. His golden eyes still burned, but the intensity had softened. He blinked once, as if testing something within himself.Sam’s voice barely worked. “Ben?”The child took a deep, slow breath. The glow around him flickered.Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the shield collapsed.Benjamin’s knees buckled.Sam lurched forward, catching him before he could hit the ground. His small body was warm, but no longer searing. His eyes, those impossible golden eyes, fluttered, heavy with exhaustion.He looked at her, and for a brief, fleeting moment, a smile touched his lips.Then he went limp in her arms. The silence in the cabin stretched, broken only by Sam’s ragged breaths as she cradled Benjamin against her chest. His small body was still warm, but he was completely unresponsive. His golden glow had faded, leaving only his normal, sleeping form. But he wasn’t stirring, not even a twitch of his fingers.“Ben? Baby, wake up,” Sam whispered, shaking him slightly. Her voice was tight with panic, her fingers brushing his cheek, searching for any sign of movement. “Come on, sweetheart, open your eyes for me.”Jack stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder.“Sam…” His voice was softer than usual, the sharp edges dulled with concern. She barely acknowledged him, her focus locked on her son.“Ben, please—” Her breath hitched, her arms tightening protectively around him. Her fingers smoothed his hair, trembling as she rocked slightly, desperate for him to respond.Jack crouched beside her, his other hand resting lightly against Benjamin’s small back.“Sam,” he said again, more firmly this time. She turned to him, eyes wide and glassy. “Maybe he’s just resting.”She blinked. “Resting?”Jack nodded.“Look at what his body just did. It wiped out those… things. It practically reshaped the land. That kind of power—maybe he just needs to recover.”Sam hesitated, her breathing still unsteady. She looked back down at Benjamin, brushing her fingers over his tiny hand.“But he’s never done anything like this before, Jack. What if—”Jack cut her off gently.“He’s still breathing. He’s warm. He’s here, Sam.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Give him a little time.”She swallowed, nodding slowly. Some of the tension in her frame eased, but she didn’t loosen her hold on Benjamin. Instead, she curled around him, whispering soft reassurances into his ear. Her fingers traced soothing patterns along his back, her body rocking instinctively.“I’m here, baby. I’ve got you. Just rest, sweetheart.”Jack exhaled and stood up, rubbing a hand over his face. His eyes met Daniel’s across the room, and an unspoken question passed between them. Daniel, arms crossed tightly over his chest, finally broke the silence.“What the hell just happened?”Jack let out a long breath. “Which part?”Daniel shot him a look.“All of it, Jack. Where did you two go? What did you find? And what the hell were those things out there?”Jack glanced at Sam, who was still focused entirely on Benjamin. Then, he turned back to Daniel.“It started with a door,” he said simply.Daniel frowned. “A door?”Jack nodded.“Buried under the surface. A remnant of some secret project the Directorate didn’t want anyone to know about. We went through it, and what we found on the other side…” He exhaled sharply. “It wasn’t just some abandoned research lab, Daniel. It was a city.”Daniel’s brows furrowed. “A city?”“Not ruins, not remnants. A living, breathing city, built by beings who called themselves the Architects.” Jack’s expression darkened. “They weren’t human. They weren’t even like the Ancients. They thought they were gods.”Daniel’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And?”“They built a prison.” Jack’s voice was flat. “Not for criminals. For themselves.”Daniel’s arms slowly lowered, his expression shifting from curiosity to deep unease.“Why?”Jack ran a hand through his hair.“Because they reached too far. They started breaking the laws of existence itself, and when they did… something started hunting them. So they locked themselves away to contain their own power, to stop it from unraveling everything.”Daniel inhaled sharply. “And those things outside?”Jack’s jaw tightened.“The ones who stayed outside the prison. The ones who became predators instead of prisoners.”Daniel’s expression turned grim.“And now they know about us.”Jack nodded. “Yeah.”Silence fell between them again, heavy and charged. Sam continued to hold Benjamin, whispering to him, unaware of the weight of what Jack had just revealed.Outside, the night remained eerily still. But the damage was done.Something had changed. And there was no going back. Far beneath the surface, in the Lost City of the Architects, the very air trembled. The vast, luminous chambers pulsed with energy, the golden veins that lined the walls flickering in rapid succession as if responding to an unseen force.The chamber flickered with tension, golden veins pulsing in response to unseen forces. The Architect stood at the central spire, his gaze fixed on a fractured projection of the surface—a golden explosion echoing across the city’s foundation."The balance is disturbed," one murmured."A force has awakened," the Architect said. "One that should not exist."The others fell silent."The child has broken the seals," the Architect continued, his voice heavy. "And the hunters were not strong enough to stop him. The prison will not hold much longer."The chamber stilled as the Architect’s gaze burned brighter.
"Summon the Watchers. We must decide before it’s too late."
Deep within the heart of the lost city, a chamber unlike any other began to glow. Figures emerged, robed in shimmering light, their eyes ancient and knowing. The Watchers had arrived.They stood in a perfect circle, observing the projection of Benjamin above them. His dormant form flickered in their vision, his golden threads woving faintly."He is no ordinary child," one of them murmured."He is both a key and a catalyst," another agreed.The eldest of the Watchers studied the energy waves around the child’s image. "He has already altered the balance. If left unchecked, he could awaken forces even we cannot predict.""Then what is to be done?" asked one of the younger Watchers.The Watchers remained silent, their golden gazes flickering. The eldest stepped forward.
“We must decide.”
Another hesitated. “He is a child.”The eldest inclined its head. “A child with power beyond measure.”“Power is not destiny,” the second countered. “Power is risk.”They considered, long and heavy. Then, the decision was made. The silence in the cabin was thick, oppressive. It wrapped around them like an invisible force, pressing down on their shoulders, making every breath feel heavier. Benjamin remained still, his small chest rising and falling in steady rhythm, his golden glow now completely faded.Sam hadn't moved for what felt like hours. She sat rigidly on the couch, Benjamin nestled in her lap, her arms locked around him as if sheer will alone could keep him safe. Her face was pale, her lips pressed together so tightly they had lost all color. Her hands trembled where they clutched their son’s small body, her fingers splayed protectively over his back.Jack stood nearby, shifting uncomfortably, watching her. He wanted to say something—anything—that might pull her out of this downward spiral, but the words wouldn’t come. Because the truth was, he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to make this better.Daniel cleared his throat softly, breaking the silence.“Maybe… maybe we should try to get some rest.”Sam didn’t react. Jack barely looked at him.Daniel sighed, stepping forward cautiously.“Sam,” he said gently. “I know this is… a lot. But you haven’t slept, and neither has Jack. Maybe—” He hesitated. “Maybe you should just take Benjamin to bed. He’s safe. We’re all safe. At least for tonight.”Jack let out a slow breath, nodding.“Yeah. We’re not getting any more visitors tonight.”For a long moment, Sam didn’t move. Then, slowly, she inhaled shakily and nodded just once. Jack stepped forward, touching her shoulder lightly.“C’mon,” he murmured. “Let’s go to bed.”She didn’t resist as he helped her up, Benjamin still cradled tightly in her arms. Together, they made their way down the hall to the bedroom. Jack pulled the blankets back, and Sam slid onto the bed, settling Benjamin between them.The moment her head hit the pillow, the walls she had been holding up all night cracked.A shuddering breath escaped her lips, and then another, until she was trembling, tears spilling silently down her cheeks. She curled around their son, pressing her forehead against the soft curls of his hair, her body wracked with silent sobs.Jack felt something in his chest tighten painfully.He shifted closer, wrapping an arm around her and pulling them against him. She clung to Benjamin, but she didn’t resist Jack’s touch. Instead, she turned into it, her free hand gripping his shirt, holding on as if he were the only thing keeping her from falling apart.Jack pressed his lips to her hair, his voice barely above a whisper.“I’ve got you.”She sobbed harder.“I was so scared.”“I know.”“I—I still am.”Jack closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers.“Me too.”They lay there together, wrapped around their son, wrapped around each other, their breathing uneven but steady. And for the first time since this nightmare began, Sam allowed herself to let go, knowing that Jack was there to catch her.Outside, the night remained still. But in the Lost City, the Watchers had made their decision.And the world would never be the same again. The morning air was crisp, the kind that bit into the skin and chased away the last remnants of sleep. Jack stirred first, his body stiff from the night before. He blinked against the soft morning light filtering through the windows without glass, his gaze automatically shifting to Sam and Benjamin.Both were still asleep. Sam’s hand rested protectively over Benjamin’s small back, her face peaceful in sleep despite everything they had been through. Jack let out a slow breath, careful not to disturb them, as he slipped from the bed.The cabin was eerily silent.Jack grabbed his jacket and stepped outside, rubbing a hand over his face. The morning was still unnaturally so. No birds chirped, no rustling of leaves—just silence. Then, his eyes caught something on the doorstep.A black box.Jack frowned. It wasn’t there last night. It hadn’t been there when they locked the doors and finally allowed themselves to sleep.He crouched down, inspecting it. The surface was smooth, polished obsidian with no markings and no seams. It wasn’t large, just about the size of a shoebox, but something about it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.Behind him, the door creaked open.Daniel, still groggy, stepped outside, rubbing his eyes. “What are you doing out here?”Jack gestured to the box.“Found something.”Daniel squinted at it, stepping closer.“What is it?”Jack picked it up, turning it over in his hands. It was heavier than it looked. He tossed it toward Daniel.“You’re the archaeologist. Figure it out.”Daniel barely caught it, stumbling back as the box seared his hands. He almost dropped it, his face twisting in shock.“Ow—damn it, Jack! That thing burns!”Jack’s expression darkened. He took the box back cautiously, feeling nothing but the cool, smooth texture.“What do you mean it burns?”Daniel shook his hands, glaring.“I mean exactly that. It felt like it was burning me and didn’t want me holding it.”Jack exhaled sharply, turning toward the cabin.“Let’s take it inside.” Inside, the cabin remained still. Sam and Benjamin hadn’t stirred. Jack and Daniel placed the box on the wooden table, sitting across from it, staring.Neither spoke. Neither reached for it.Minutes stretched into hours.Jack leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.“You think it’s a bomb?”Daniel scoffed.“A bomb wouldn’t react like that. This is something else.”Jack tapped his fingers against the table, gaze never leaving the box.“You wanna open it?”Daniel hesitated. “Not really.”They fell back into silence.Then, footsteps padded softly behind them.Sam.She stood in the doorway, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, exhaustion clinging to her like a shadow. She rubbed her eyes before frowning at them.“Why are you two just sitting here? What’s going on?”Jack nodded toward the box.“Found it outside.”Sam stepped forward, inspecting it. Her fingers brushed the surface, and she tilted her head slightly.“And you two have just been… staring at it?”Jack raised an eyebrow.“You want to open it?”Sam, unlike them, didn’t hesitate.She reached out, pressing her fingers firmly against the lid. It didn’t resist. There were no clicks, no locks breaking—just an effortless motion as the lid lifted.What was inside left them speechless.The air around them grew heavy and charged.Inside the box, nestled against black velvet, was a small crystalline sphere swirling with golden and midnight hues. It pulsed, almost as if it were alive, reacting to their presence.Daniel’s breath hitched.“That’s… not normal.”Jack’s jaw clenched. “No kidding.”Sam reached for it, but the second her fingers hovered over the sphere, a deep hum filled the room.And then Benjamin, still asleep in the other room, whispered a single word.“Home.”A chill ran down Jack’s spine.Sam froze. “Did he just—?”Before she could finish, the sphere flared brightly, and for the first time since it arrived, the box wasn’t the biggest mystery in the room anymore. The air in the cabin grew impossibly heavy. The golden glow of the crystalline sphere pulsed in rhythmic waves, bathing the dimly lit room in an eerie light. Sam's fingers hovered just above its surface, her pulse quickening as a deep hum resonated through her bones.Jack's hand shot out, gripping her wrist."Maybe don't touch that just yet."Sam exhaled sharply but nodded, pulling her hand back. Her gaze flickered toward the hallway where Benjamin was still resting, his breathing slow and even. He hadn’t stirred since the explosion of energy the night before, but the word he’d whispered—home—still echoed in her mind.Daniel adjusted his glasses, his eyes fixed on the sphere."We should consider the possibility that this isn’t just a message. It could be a key."Jack scoffed."A key to what? More godly prison cells? More creepy shadow monsters trying to eat our kid?"Daniel frowned."We don’t know. But we do know that Architects don’t leave things to chance. They wanted us to have this. The question is—why now?"Sam inhaled deeply, grounding herself."If Benjamin really is the catalyst, then maybe they’re trying to show us something about what he’s becoming. Or what he’s meant to do."The room fell into a tense silence. Jack's jaw tightened, his grip on the back of the chair turning his knuckles white."We’re not letting them take him."Sam reached for his hand, squeezing gently."No one is taking him. But we need to understand what's happening before it's too late."The sphere pulsed again, the deep hum growing louder, insistent. Then—Benjamin gasped, a sharp intake that rippled through the cabin like a distant quake. The air thickened, charged with a pulse that wasn’t his alone.Sam bolted upright, Jack following half a step behind, their shared alarm propelling them toward the bedroom. Daniel lingered, torn between the glowing sphere and the doorway, the weight of unspoken questions pressing on his chest. As the hum deepened, his unease crystallized into dread.When Sam reached the room, Benjamin was already sitting up, his tiny body trembling, a quiet thrum vibrated beneath his skin, sending faint ripples of light outward. His wide eyes locked onto hers, pupils dilated, irises still glowing with that otherworldly light."Mummy..." His voice was hoarse and small.Sam knelt beside him, cupping his face in her hands."I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here."Jack crouched beside them, his hand resting protectively on Benjamin’s back."Hey, buddy. You okay?"Benjamin’s lower lip trembled, his small fingers curling into the sheets."They’re watching. They’re waiting."Sam felt a chill snake down her spine."Who’s watching? The Architects?"Benjamin swallowed hard."No. The ones outside. They know now. They know I woke up."Jack and Sam exchanged a glance, dread settling heavily between them. Whatever momentary peace they’d been granted, it was already fading. Something had changed. And now, something was coming.Daniel appeared in the doorway, pale but composed."The sphere—it’s reacting to Benjamin."The object's hum reached a crescendo as if responding to his words. The golden glow surged outward, light bending, space warping. And then, before any of them could react, the cabin was gone.Sam's breath caught in her throat as the world around them shifted, the wooden walls dissolving into pure light. The air vibrated with power, the very fabric of reality twisting. And then, just as suddenly as it had started—They were somewhere else.Sam staggered slightly, gripping Benjamin tightly against her chest. Jack’s arms shot out instinctively to steady them both. Daniel, wide-eyed, was already scrambling to take in their surroundings.A vast expanse stretched before them—not quite a city nor a void. Luminous pathways floated in endless space, twisting and turning, defying gravity. Towers of light spiraled into the distance, pulsing with golden energy. And at the center of it all, an enormous construct hovered—alive, shifting, breathing.A voice, ancient and powerful, resonated from every direction at once.
"Welcome to the Nexus. The heart of all that was and all that could be."
Jack let out a long, slow breath. "Oh, for crying out loud."Sam tightened her hold on Benjamin, eyes narrowing as she took in the impossibility of it all. "Why are we here?"The voice responded without hesitation.
"Because the choice must be made."
Jack frowned. "What choice?"A shimmer appeared before them, and figures began to take form. The Watchers.The tallest among them stepped forward, golden eyes unreadable.
"The balance is broken. The hunters will not stop. Your son is the only one who can tip the scales. But in doing so, he must decide. To remain here and lead the Architects as their Higher Leader—to stand as their protector and keep the hunters at bay."
Sam’s arms instinctively tightened around Benjamin."Or?"The Watcher inclined its head.
"Or he may return home. To any reality, any time of his choosing."
Jack stiffened."Wait. You’re saying we could go back? Back to Earth?"The Watchers remained silent, letting the weight of the words settle.Daniel's voice was barely above a whisper."If we could choose any time… could we stop the Goa’uld invasion? Could we save everyone?"Sam’s breath hitched, her mind racing. The possibilities were endless. They could rewrite history. Prevent the deaths of their friends. Undo so much pain.But at what cost?Benjamin looked up at them, his tiny fingers gripping his mother’s sleeve. His golden eyes flickered—still a child but carrying something ancient.“Mummy,” he whispered. “I have to.”Sam’s throat closed. Her hands clutched his tiny arms as if sheer force could keep him with her.“No, baby. You don’t. We’ll find another way.”He shook his head.“This is the way.”Jack’s hands curled into fists. “We don’t leave family behind.”Benjamin smiled—a small, knowing thing that shattered them more than any battle.“I’m not leaving. I’m making sure there’s something left to come home to.”The Watchers nodded, silent approval glowing in their golden eyes.
“Then it is done.”
Light flared from Benjamin’s form, expanding outward in waves of golden fire. Sam reached for him, a strangled cry escaping her lips—But he was already gone.The silence that followed was deafening.Jack’s breath hitched. His hands clenched into fists.“No. No. You don’t get to do this. He’s just a kid—our kid. Bring him back. Now.” His voice cracked on the last word.The tallest Watcher regarded him with something almost like sympathy.
"He will return when his task is complete. Until then, he belongs to the Architects."
Sam’s outstretched hand remained frozen, fingers trembling as if she could still reach him, pull him back. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, the weight of what had just happened pressing her into the cold, unyielding floor.“No,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “No, no, no… please, not him.”Jack stood motionless, fists clenched at his sides, his chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven breaths. He couldn’t look at her. Couldn’t let himself crumble when she needed him to stay strong. But the echo of Benjamin’s voice—so small, so resolute—rang in his ears. It felt like a promise and a goodbye all at once.Daniel hovered nearby, his eyes wide and unfocused. He rubbed his hands over his face, pushing his glasses into his hair as if clearing his vision could make sense of the incomprehensible.“He—he’s coming back, right?” His voice cracked. “They said he’d come back.”Neither Sam nor Jack answered.Sam’s hands pressed against the floor, curling into fists. She didn’t just cry. She folded in on herself, her body curling around the hollow space where Benjamin had been. Her breath came in jagged, broken gasps, like she was trying to hold him inside her, keep him from slipping away forever. Jack was still. Too still. His hands clenched at his sides, fingers digging into his palms so hard they left white marks. He was barely holding himself together. He had to—for Sam. For Benjamin. But God, he wanted to scream. Wanted to break something. Wanted to wake up and find this was all some twisted nightmare. He crouched beside her, his hand hesitating before resting lightly on her back.“We’ll get him back,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Whatever it takes, Carter. We’ll get him back.”She didn’t respond, her tears soaking into the floor as her breath hitched again and again. Jack’s throat tightened as he shifted closer, wrapping an arm around her. She leaned into him, her body trembling with the force of her grief. He held her tighter, his face pressed into her hair, eyes squeezed shut against the reality they couldn’t escape.“He’s just a boy,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “He’s our boy.”Jack swallowed hard, his hand rubbing slow, soothing circles on her back.“I know,” he murmured. “I know.”Nearby, Daniel sank into a seated position, his elbows resting on his knees, his head in his hands. The silence that followed was oppressive, the kind that weighed on their souls and stretched time into an endless void. None of them moved for what felt like hours, each trapped in their turmoil, their fears.Finally, Daniel broke the quiet, his voice hoarse and tentative.“They said… they said he’d return. We just have to trust that.”Jack lifted his head, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached.“Trust?” He barked out a humorless laugh. “Trust the same beings who just took him away? You want to put our faith in them?”Daniel flinched but held his ground. “We don’t have a choice, Jack. And you know it.”Sam straightened slightly, her face streaked with tears, her voice raw but steady.“We make our own choices. Always have.” She pulled back from Jack’s embrace, her hands wiping at her face as she forced herself to her feet. “We don’t just wait. We don’t just hope. We fight for him.”Jack rose beside her, nodding, his eyes fierce. “Damn right, we do.”For a moment, they stood together, their grief transforming into resolve, the weight of their shared determination filling the space Benjamin had left behind.Daniel stood too, his expression shifting from despair to cautious resolve.“Then we figure out what’s next. Together.”The three of them shared a brief, wordless understanding, their pain knitting them into a united front. But Benjamin’s absence left a palpable emptiness, a void that no amount of resolve could fill.The Watchers, their golden eyes unblinking, observed in silence as if awaiting the next move. Finally, the eldest spoke, their voice soft yet resonant.
“The child has not abandoned you. He has chosen to protect what you hold dear.”
Sam’s head snapped toward them, her tears drying into something sharper, colder.“And who will protect him?” she demanded, her voice trembling with fury. “He’s just a child! He’s not ready for this.”The Watcher inclined its head. “No being is ever truly ready to bear the weight of existence. But he is stronger than you realize.”Jack stepped forward, his fists clenched. “I don’t care how strong you think he is. He’s still ours. And we’re going to bring him home.”The Watcher’s golden gaze didn’t waver.
“When the time comes, you will find him. Until then, prepare for what lies ahead.”
Without another word, the Watchers dissolved into light, leaving only the faint hum of energy behind.The silence stretched again, heavy and suffocating. Sam’s breath hitched as she fought the urge to scream, to break something, to do anything but stand there and feel the hollow ache inside her chest. Jack’s hand found hers, their fingers intertwining tightly.“We’ll bring him back,” he said again, his voice like steel. “No matter what.”Sam nodded, her jaw tightening as her resolve hardened. “No matter what.”. Benjamin felt no fear as the Watchers led him through the grand corridors of the city. The vast halls pulsed with golden light, whispering ancient secrets only the Architects could understand. It was not a place of decay or ruin but of power, waiting for someone to harness it.They entered the Chamber of the Architects.The space was unlike anything Benjamin had ever seen. Walls of shifting energy, neither solid nor liquid, formed an intricate web of interconnected pathways, each one leading to a different part of the city. The air itself hummed with potential, vibrating with the weight of untold centuries.The Architects stood in a silent semicircle around him. Tall, ethereal beings of shifting light and shadow, their golden eyes unwavering as they regarded him. They did not speak with words, but in the stillness between moments, an understanding passed between them.He saw the stakes laid bare.The hunters were coming. No, they were already here. Tearing through the edges of reality itself, seeking to consume all that remained. The city was their last bastion, the final refuge against oblivion.If he failed, the Architects would perish. The city would fall. And existence itself could unravel.Benjamin inhaled deeply, feeling the weight settle into his bones. And then he nodded.The tallest of the Architects extended a long, luminous hand and motioned for him to follow. They walked together down a narrow corridor that seemed to stretch infinitely and ended far too soon.Before them was the Convergence—a place where all the city's energy met, flowing and weaving together like rivers of liquid light. It was the beating heart of the Architects' world, the very essence of their existence. A luminous platform rose from its center, floating just above the pulsing core of energy.Benjamin stepped forward without hesitation, drawn by a force beyond his understanding. He climbed onto the platform and seated himself in the very center. The moment he closed his eyes, the city responded.Everything stilled.The air hum ceased, and the endless flow of energy paused. It was as though the entire world had taken a sharp breath and was waiting to exhale.Then, his body began to change.The light surrounded Benjamin, warm at first, like a comforting blanket. But as it grew, surging into every corner of his being, it became something else—something vast and overwhelming. His small frame trembled as the energy coursed through him, pushing him to the edge of what he thought he could endure.He wanted to cry out and call for his mother or father, but his voice felt lost in the storm. I’m just a kid. How am I supposed to do this? The thought echoed, fragile against the roar of the golden fire that burned brighter with each passing second.Memories rose to the surface—his mother’s gentle hands guiding him, his father’s firm grip steadying him, and their laughter on quiet days. They believe in me. The realization struck him as the energy surged again, fiercer this time, filling the spaces where his doubt had taken root.The room seemed to respond to his acceptance, the glowing veins of the city pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. He could feel it now—something far greater than himself. The Architects, the city, the hunters—they weren’t just distant forces. They were connected to him as if the very fabric of reality had chosen him as its anchor.His tiny hands curled into fists. The fear didn’t disappear, but it no longer controlled him. I have to protect them. The thought became his foundation, a steady force holding him together as the energy within him grew to something he could no longer contain.When the light burst outward, it wasn’t chaos. It was a purpose. Every wave of golden fire that surged from him sealed the fractures in the city, pushing back the darkness that had invaded. The hunters recoiled, their forms twisting and unraveling until they disappeared entirely.The room stilled, and Benjamin felt the weight of silence pressing down on him. He looked around, his tiny chest heaving with exhaustion. The Architects were watching, their glowing eyes filled with something he couldn’t quite name. Was it awe? Gratitude? Hope?But Benjamin didn’t feel like a savior. He felt hollow. He had done what they needed, what the city demanded, but at what cost? He was just a boy who wanted to go home.As the energy within him faded, retreating to some deep, quiet part of his soul, Benjamin sank to his knees. He pressed his hands to the cool, pulsing floor and whispered, “I just want to go home.”One of the Architects stepped forward, its voice soft yet resonant. “You have done more than we could have imagined. You have given us a chance. You are not alone.”Benjamin blinked up at the towering figure, tears stinging his eyes. “But I’m just a kid. I didn’t ask for this.”The Architect knelt, its gaze steady. “No one asks to bear the weight of the universe. But you chose to protect it. That is what makes you more than a child.”The words settled into Benjamin’s chest, heavy and profound. He thought of his mother’s embrace, the way his father always stood between him and danger. They’d do anything for me. A spark of resolve flickered within him. I can do this—for them.The golden light that had marked his transformation dimmed, leaving behind a faint, glowing sigil on his left arm. Benjamin stared at it, the weight of what it meant sinking in. He didn’t feel like a savior, but maybe he didn’t need to. He just had to be himself.The city exhaled around him, its energy steady and calm. As the Architects stepped back, giving him space to breathe, Benjamin let his eyes close. The warmth of their gratitude surrounded him, but all he could think of was his mother’s voice, calling him home.Benjamin exhaled, and his body felt heavy for the first time since stepping into the Convergence. The golden fire that had coursed through him dimmed, retreating into his core, leaving only the faintest glimmer beneath his skin. His small frame sagged as exhaustion overtook him, and the platform upon which he sat gently lowered him to the chamber's floor.The Architects moved as one, a silent procession encircling their savior. They did not speak, for words were too small to capture what he had done. Instead, they paid homage in the only way they knew how.A soft pulse of energy rippled through the room, delicate and reverent. Once wild and untamed, the light bent itself to a single purpose. It converged upon Benjamin’s left arm, a whisper of divine craftsmanship weaving beneath his skin.An invisible mark, unseen to the ordinary eye but radiant in the sight of those who knew. A sigil of the Architects. A bond between him and the eternal. He was no longer just a visitor. He was one of them now—the Savior of the Universe.As he rested, the city breathed around him. It was alive in a way he hadn’t fully understood before. The vast structures pulsed with golden veins weren’t just architecture—they were sentient, ancient, and waiting. He could feel the remnants of the Architects' long-lost hopes, their dreams of a sanctuary free from conflict, where creation could flourish without fear of destruction.The task was done, but Benjamin was drained beyond his limits. The Architects sensed his exhaustion, and as promised, they would return him home. But first, he would rest.A soft glow surrounded his tiny body, cradling him in warmth. The city itself seemed to sigh, the tension of millennia finally dissipating. He had done what no being before him could accomplish. And now, he slept.As he rested, the Architects stood watch, their golden eyes filled with something akin to reverence. They did not need to speak, for their tribute was already etched into his very being.When he awoke, it would be time to return.Back to his parents. Back to Jack O’Neill and Samantha Carter. Back to Daniel Jackson.Back home. The transition was seamless.The golden glow around Benjamin brightened, swirling into a vortex of energy that wrapped around him like a cocoon. The Architects stepped back, their expressions serene as they watched their savior drift between realms. A low hum resonated through the chamber, building in intensity, and then—Stillness.The silence of the city was replaced by something else: the distant sound of wind rustling through trees, the warmth of a fire flickering in the hearth, and the scent of pine, earth, and home.Benjamin stirred, his body relaxing into the familiar embrace of his mother’s arms.Sam gasped softly as the golden light faded, her fingers tightening protectively around his small frame. Jack, kneeling beside her, let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Daniel stood just behind them, his expression torn between awe and relief.They were back.The cosmic vastness of the Architects' world had vanished, replaced by the grounded, fragile beauty of the cabin. The weight of the battle still lingered in their bones, but for now, they were safe.Jack reached out, brushing a hand over Benjamin’s forehead.“Hey, kiddo.”Benjamin’s eyelids fluttered. He exhaled slowly, a soft, tired sound, then nuzzled into Sam’s chest. His tiny fingers curled slightly, gripping the fabric of her shirt.Sam pressed a kiss to his temple, closing her eyes.“We’ve got you, baby. You’re home.”Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying away the echoes of another world.They were home for now.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The glow had faded. The golden light that had carried Benjamin back to them was gone, leaving only the faint crackling of the fire and the deep hush of the forest beyond the cabin walls.Sam still held him, arms locked protectively around his small frame, forehead pressed against his curls. As if sheer will alone could keep him anchored here. Jack knelt beside her, a steadying hand on her back, his gaze fixed on Benjamin’s face, waiting—praying—for any sign of wakefulness. He was warm, breathing slow and steady, but his body was limp, his tiny fingers curled loosely against Sam’s shirt.“Ben,” she whispered, her voice raw. “Sweetheart, wake up.”No response.Daniel hovered in the doorway, rubbing a hand over his face.“Is he…?”Jack shot him a sharp look. “He’s breathing.”The words came out rougher than he intended, but Daniel just nodded. The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on, pressing in from all sides. Jack forced himself to take a breath, steadying the urge to punch something—because the alternative was letting the fear creep in, and that wasn’t an option.Sam shifted, her fingers brushing over Benjamin’s cheek.“We need to get him to a…” She was going to say ‘doctor,’ but then remembered where they were. In this reality, there were no doctors, only a ‘health node, ' and she was sure that wasn’t the help her son needed.Jack exhaled, already guessing her mind.“There’s none, Carter. And even if there was, what would we tell them? That our son took a trip to a city of ancient god-prisoners, absorbed a metric ton of energy, and then got dropped back here like a UPS delivery?”Sam shot him a glare, but the exhaustion dulled the sharpness.“We can’t just—just do nothing, Jack.”He knew that. God, he knew that. But he also knew they were stuck.Daniel spoke carefully. “We don’t know if he’s… different now.”Sam swallowed hard. “He was already different.”Jack turned back to Benjamin. His tiny chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his face peaceful. But peace didn’t mean safe. Jack knew that better than anyone.“We let him rest,” Jack said finally. “If he doesn’t wake up soon, then we figure something out. But for now, he’s home.”Sam hesitated, her fingers gripping the fabric of Benjamin’s shirt. Jack could see the battle waging in her mind, the instinct to fix what she didn’t understand warring with the need to just hold on to their son.After a long moment, she nodded. “Alright.” The fire in the cabin had burned low, the embers casting dull red glows across the wooden floor. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, but something about it had changed. It was too steady. Too measured.Jack frowned. He had spent enough nights in the wilderness to recognize when nature went quiet. No rustling branches. No distant hoot of an owl. Even the wind itself felt off—like it wasn’t moving naturally but circling, pressing inward.His grip on his weapon tightened.Still nursing his drink at the table, Daniel looked up, eyes narrowing."Do you hear that?"Jack exhaled slowly."I hear nothing. And that’s the problem."Sam, still holding Benjamin close, stiffened. She glanced toward the window, her breath hitching. "The trees… they’re not moving."Jack followed her gaze. The remaining tall pines beyond the cabin walls stood eerily still, their branches frozen in place despite the wind. It was as if they were trapped in time, held motionless by something unseen.A chill crawled up his spine.Benjamin stirred in her arms. A soft whimper. His small hands curled into fists against her shirt. Jack’s gut clenched.He knelt beside them. "Hey, buddy. You with us?"Benjamin’s breath hitched, and then—his body tensed.A violent shiver ran through him, his tiny fingers gripping at the air as if reaching for something. His golden-lit eyes flickered open, but they weren’t looking at Jack.They were looking past him.Sam’s grip tightened around her son. "Benjamin?" Benjamin drifted in the void between waking and sleeping, between here and there. The voices of the Architects whispered at the edges of his mind, too distant to understand, but present nonetheless.The golden sigil on his arm pulsed softly, a reminder of what had happened, of what he had done.And then, something changed.The whispers stopped.The air around him shifted, growing heavier and charged. The comforting warmth of the Architects’ world faded, replaced by something else—something colder.A presence loomed just beyond his perception, not seen, not heard—but felt.Watching.Waiting.Benjamin’s small fingers curled instinctively, a shiver running through his body. Somewhere, far away, his breath hitched in the warmth of his mother’s arms.He wasn’t alone.A landscape formed around him, not one of his choosing but one that felt disturbingly familiar. He stood on the edge of a vast abyss, the ground beneath his feet fractured, shifting with every breath he took. The sky was dark, filled with swirling shadows that moved like living things. And at the center of it all—A figure.It didn’t move. It didn’t speak. But Benjamin knew it was there, watching him, studying him.He swallowed hard. “Who are you?”No answer. Just silence, thick and suffocating.Benjamin’s pulse quickened. “I know you can hear me.”The figure took a step forward, its form still obscured by the darkness. But as it moved, Benjamin felt something pull at him, like an invisible thread wrapping around his chest, dragging him closer.He planted his feet. “Stop.”A whisper echoed through the abyss, not from the figure but from the space around him. A voice, ancient and fractured.
“You are not ready.”
Benjamin’s hands curled into fists. “Ready for what?”The ground beneath him cracked, and the abyss yawned wider. The figure took another step, the darkness stretching toward him like reaching hands.Then, the whisper came again.
“They are coming.”
A violent shudder ran through the dreamscape, and Benjamin gasped, his body wrenching backward as if something had grabbed him and pulled him away. The last thing he saw before the vision shattered was the figure’s golden eyes—bright, burning, and far too much like his own.And then he woke up. Benjamin’s eyes snapped open, his breath hitching as the vision dissolved into reality. He felt warmth—his mother’s arms wrapped tightly around him, Jack’s firm hand on his back. The fire crackled nearby, its glow casting flickering shadows across the walls.“Benjamin?” Sam’s voice was immediate, urgent. Her hands cupped his face, searching his eyes. Jack leaned in, his voice gruff but strained. “You with us, buddy?”Benjamin blinked, struggling to piece together where he was. His heartbeat thundered in his chest. The presence in his dream—was it real? Were they still watching?Sam ran her fingers through his hair.“Talk to me, sweetheart. Are you hurt? What happened?”Benjamin swallowed, his voice barely a whisper. “I saw something.”Jack’s jaw tightened. “What kind of something?” His voice came out barely above a whisper."They’re coming."The room went silent, the crackling fire now the only sound. Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened, her pulse hammering. She looked at Jack, and in his expression, she saw the same realization settling in: they weren’t safe here.Jack exhaled sharply, his fingers pressing lightly against Benjamin’s back as if reassuring himself the boy was still breathing.“Then we don’t have much time.”The words landed like a stone. Even Daniel, normally quick with a theory, said nothing for a long beat.He finally exhaled, running a hand through his hair.“Okay. If they’re coming for us, that means we need to decide our next move—fast.”Jack frowned. “Next move? I thought getting out of here was the move.”“No,” Daniel said, shaking his head. “We’re not just running, Jack. We’re choosing where we run to. The Watchers said we could go anywhere. Any time.”Sam blinked, realization dawning.“We’re not just escaping. We’re deciding if we change everything.”Daniel nodded, his brow furrowed.“We could go back. Stop the Goa’uld before they ever invade Earth.”Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened.“Or save people we lost—Janet, Sha’re, the countless others we couldn’t before.”Jack let out a slow breath.“Or we just pick a nice, warm reality, move on with our lives, and let the universe figure itself out.”Silence settled between them, the weight of the decision pressing heavy.Benjamin shifted slightly in Sam’s lap, blinking up at her.“You mean… we could go anywhere?”Sam smoothed his hair. “Yes, sweetheart. We could change everything.”Benjamin looked down at his hands, his tiny fingers curling slightly.“But… what if it makes things worse?”Jack huffed a small laugh. “Smart kid.”Daniel sighed.“It’s a risk. But if we could stop the war before it even begins, we could save millions.”Sam’s mind raced. Could they trust the Watchers? Was this indeed their choice to make? Or were they simply playing into another grand design?Jack’s jaw tensed.“Look, I want to stop the Goa’uld as much as anyone. But we’re not just talking about them. If we go back far enough, we aren’t just rewriting history—we’re rewriting us.”Daniel inhaled deeply.“If we erase the war, we erase what came after. But we have no guarantees that it won’t mess with the past. What if we never meet Teal’c? Never form SG-1? Maybe never even set foot through the Stargate at all?”Jack’s expression darkened.“And if that happens, what else changes? What happens to the people we did save? What if we undo something we never meant to?”Sam felt her breath hitch. If they went back far enough to prevent the Goa’uld invasion… would she and Jack still meet? Would Benjamin ever exist?Her arms tightened around her son.Jack caught the flicker of hesitation in her eyes, and his voice dropped lower.“You’re thinking about him too.”Sam swallowed hard. “If we go back too far… Benjamin might never be born.”The words hung in the air like a live wire.Jack clenched his jaw. “I know.”This wasn’t just about saving Earth. It was deeply personal.Daniel looked between them, conflict flickering in his gaze.“But if we don’t change things, we let millions suffer. Billions, even.”Jack exhaled, running a hand through his hair.“Then if we’re doing this, we better make damn sure we pick the right moment.”Daniel nodded. “Then we start planning.”Sam exhaled, holding Benjamin close. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear—the choice was theirs, even if it was painful.And it would change everything. A silence settled between them, heavy and suffocating. The weight of playing God, of choosing life or death for millions, pressed on them.And then, Benjamin stirred.His small fingers twitched against Sam’s arm, his breath hitching. His eyes fluttered open, still glowing faintly from whatever energy still lingered inside him.“Ben?” Sam whispered, her heart pounding.Benjamin blinked up at her, his expression drowsy but urgent.“We don’t have time,” he murmured.Jack frowned. “What do you mean, buddy?”Benjamin sat up slightly, his tiny fingers gripping Sam’s sleeve.“They know,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady. “The ones who were watching me before. They know what I did.”Sam’s stomach twisted. “Who knows, sweetheart?”Benjamin’s lips parted, his golden eyes flickering.“The ones outside this reality. They’re coming. We have to leave.”The cabin seemed to grow smaller around them, and the fire’s crackle suddenly felt distant and muted. The air in the room felt charged and electric, as if something unseen had already started moving toward them.Jack swore under his breath, setting his drink down hard.“Alright. That settles it. We’re not just choosing when to go but how fast.”Daniel exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.“This just got a hell of a lot more complicated.”Sam pulled Benjamin close, her own heartbeat hammering in her chest. They weren’t just making history anymore.They were running from it. Then, the air shifted.The fire flickered violently, the flames bending as if drawn toward something unseen. Deep and unnatural, a low hum filled the cabin, like static building in the air. The hair on Jack’s arms stood on end.Daniel tensed. “Did you feel that?”Jack stood, reaching for his weapon. “Yeah.”His instincts roared to life, adrenaline spiking through his veins."Daniel. Get the lights."Daniel was already moving, slapping the switch. The cabin plunged into darkness, save for the dim glow of the fire. Jack moved to the window, scanning the treeline. His pulse pounded in his ears.Nothing.Then—A shift.It was not movement. Not exactly. It was more like a ripple through the air, a distortion at the edges of the trees, like reality itself had warped for a fraction of a second before snapping back into place.Jack’s grip on his weapon tightened. He had seen things like this before.Not from the Goa’uld. Not from the Replicators.Something worse.He turned back to Daniel and Sam, voice low, controlled."We need to move. Now."Sam held Benjamin closer, her eyes sharp despite the fear flickering in them."Are they the Watchers?"Benjamin’s breath came fast, ragged. He shook his head, burying his face against her."No," he whispered. The air thickened, charged with unseen force. The temperature dropped.Then—a hum.Low. Resonant. Mechanical, yet wrong. Like static bleeding into reality.Jack snapped toward the door. Shadows twisted at the treeline, flickering between presence and absence. Not creatures. Not solid. Something worse."Jack—" Sam breathed.He saw them now.Watching. Waiting.Not the Watchers.The Hunters.Their forms pulsed, half-there, half-not, as if reality itself rejected them. The air around them crackled, distorting like a signal struggling to come through. Their presence sent a deep, visceral chill down Jack’s spine.Benjamin stirred, a small gasp escaping his lips. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with golden light. His tiny hands gripped the couch cushion, his breath coming faster.“They found us,” he whispered. “We have to go. Now.”Jack clenched his jaw. “Debate’s over.”Sam exhaled sharply, reaching for her son. Daniel grabbed a heavy gardening tool.Outside, the Hunters remained still. Watching. Waiting.The storm had begun.
The Siege
A low hum filled the cabin, the static charge in the air growing unbearable. The windows trembled in their frames, their glass surfaces bending as if reality itself was distorting under an unseen force. Jack tightened his grip on his weapon as he took a step closer to the window.Outside, the Hunters stood motionless, their forms flickering at the edges of existence. Hollow figures, void-like in their presence, shifting and twisting against the backdrop of the storm now building around them. They weren’t attacking. Not yet. But they were waiting.Sam turned to Benjamin, gently shaking him.“Ben, sweetheart, can you do it? Can you push them back?” Her voice wavered, not from doubt, but desperation.Benjamin stirred, his eyes fluttering open, still hazed with exhaustion. The golden light in his irises was faint, flickering like a candle struggling to stay lit. He tried to sit up, but his limbs trembled under the weight of his energy.“I… I can’t,” he whispered. “Not again. Not yet.”Jack swore under his breath. They were out of time.And then—The air changed.The wind outside the cabin stilled, the charged energy that had been building suddenly shifting into something else. Something ancient. The space beyond the cabin seemed to stretch, folding inward and expanding outward simultaneously, the fabric of reality bending under the presence of something greater.The Architects had arrived.A series of luminous figures materialized from the fractured air, golden-veined forms standing at the threshold of existence itself. Their gazes locked onto the Hunters, who remained silent and unmoving. The air vibrated between them, an unspoken challenge passing through the fabric of space.Benjamin inhaled sharply. He understood.“They’re here,” he murmured, his voice barely above a breath. “They came for me.”Sam’s grip on him tightened. “To help?”Benjamin turned his glowing eyes to her. “To keep their word.”Jack exhaled sharply. “And what exactly does that mean?”Benjamin looked back outside. The Hunters had begun to move, their forms shifting unnaturally, and they were no longer patient. The Architects did not waver.“This isn’t a battle we can fight,” Benjamin said, his voice filled with something beyond his years. “It’s not a battle in this world. They don’t fight like us. They don’t need to.”The world around them darkened. Not as if night had fallen, but as though something else had descended, a weight pressing down on reality itself. The air thickened, charged with forces beyond comprehension. A battle was beginning, one that transcended the physical world. The gods who had imprisoned themselves were facing the ones who had escaped.And there would be no mercy.Daniel took a step back.“We need to get out of here.”Sam turned to Benjamin.“What do we do?”Benjamin’s fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt, his golden eyes locked onto the battlefield beyond their fragile walls.“We run.”Jack grabbed the emergency bag, his voice tight.“Then let’s move.”And outside, the war between gods began.
The Escape
The night had become chaos.Jack led the way, shotgun in hand, pushing through the thick underbrush of the forest. Sam ran beside him, holding Benjamin close as Daniel struggled to keep up, his breath ragged from the relentless pace. Behind them, the war raged.The sky above twisted in unnatural colors, flashes of golden light colliding with inky darkness that swallowed everything in its path. The Architects and the Hunters clashed in forces beyond human comprehension, their battle tearing at the very fabric of reality. Energy waves rippled outward, bending trees, shattering the ground, and distorting space itself.“Keep moving!” Jack shouted over the deafening roar.The ground quaked beneath them, the force of the battle sending shockwaves through the terrain.Sam’s grip on Benjamin tightened. He was barely conscious, his golden eyes flickering weakly as if even existing in this moment was too much.“We’re almost there, sweetheart,” she murmured, though she wasn’t sure if she was reassuring him or herself.The portal wasn’t far now. The city of the Architects lay ahead, its glowing structures shifting, phasing between states of matter as if it too was caught in the chaos. The Watchers had promised them a way home, but would they keep their word?A surge of darkness shot through the sky, striking a golden spire at the city’s edge. The structure collapsed, folding into a void that devoured everything in its wake.“They’re destroying Haven!” Daniel gasped, glancing over his shoulder. “If they take the city, we’ll be trapped!”Jack gritted his teeth. “Not happening.”The path to the portal twisted and shifted as reality warped. One moment, it was solid ground—the next, it was nothing but a chasm. Jack cursed, grabbing Sam’s arm and pulling her back just in time.The battle was consuming the world itself.Benjamin stirred weakly.“We have to… reach the city,” he whispered.Sam glanced down at him. “We’re trying, baby.”Jack scouted ahead, eyes darting for another path.“There!” he pointed. A flickering energy bridge extended toward the city, unstable but their only chance.They ran.The bridge crackled beneath them, barely holding together as they sprinted across. Below them, the battlefield twisted—Architects locked in combat with the Hunters, their battle stretching beyond the visible, into the essence of existence itself.A Hunter turned, its gaze locking onto them.A pulse of void energy shot toward them.Jack pushed forward, grabbing Sam and Daniel as the attack struck the bridge behind them. They leapt, hitting the ground hard as the bridge collapsed into nothingness.The city gates loomed before them. And within, the Watchers stood waiting.“Your task is complete,” one of them intoned. “Now, you must choose. Where do you wish to go?”The portal hummed before them, its golden light twisting in on itself, an unstable vortex between realities. Jack tightened his grip on his weapon, eyes locked on the shifting edges of the gateway. Beyond it lay Earth—home. But which version? Which moment?Sam swallowed, shifting Benjamin in her arms. He was barely conscious, his golden-lit eyes fluttering as he fought against exhaustion. Jack met her gaze, seeing the same conflict running through her mind."We can't hesitate now," Jack said, voice tight. "If we do, we lose our shot."Daniel wiped the sweat from his brow. "But we have to be sure. If we go back before the Goa’uld invasion, do we risk breaking the timeline beyond repair?"Sam's fingers tightened around Benjamin’s sleeve."We could stop so much pain before it happens. But at what cost? If we change too much, we don’t know what ripples that creates."Jack exhaled sharply."Carter, we’re way past playing it safe. The timeline was already shot to hell the second we stepped into this mess."A rumble shook the ground beneath them. The battle raged on behind them—Architects clashing against Hunters, entire fragments of reality collapsing into voids of nothingness. They were running out of time.Benjamin stirred."We can't go too far back… it has to be right. The Watchers won't let us just change everything."Jack glanced at the nearest Watcher, its glowing form shifting subtly, observing in silence."Is that true?" he asked it directly. "Are there limits?"The Watcher inclined its head, the faintest shimmer of acknowledgment.
"You may alter your fate, but time resists reckless hands. Choose carefully, or the path will collapse beneath you."
Daniel let out a bitter laugh."So, in other words, mess with time too much, and we lose everything. Great."Sam took a deep breath. "Then we choose carefully. The best moment. We go back far enough to prepare but not so far that we unravel everything."Jack ran a hand through his hair. This was going to be challenging at all levels. And painful."Alright. 2004. Right before Moratus made his move. We get ahead of it but don’t rewrite the universe."Daniel hesitated but finally nodded. "That’s our best shot."Sam exhaled, looking down at Benjamin. He wouldn’t be born yet."Are you ready, sweetheart?"Benjamin’s fingers curled slightly, a flicker of golden light pulsing at his fingertips."I just want to go home."Jack squared his shoulders. "Then let's go."The battle was everywhere.The sky tore apart in flashes of golden and void, the air vibrating with forces beyond human comprehension. The war between the Architects and the Hunters raged, shifting the landscape itself. Sam’s arms tightened around Benjamin, his tiny body limp against her chest. They were running out of time.Jack reached for her, his voice sharp over the chaos. “We have to go—now!”The Watchers had stabilized the portal, its golden glow flickering like a heartbeat on the edge of existence. Sam barely registered Daniel’s shouted warning, barely heard the rumble as reality buckled around them. Her only focus was on Benjamin. His breath was too shallow. His fingers barely twitched."Hold on, sweetheart," she whispered. "Just a little longer."Then the light swallowed them whole.———Silence.Not the heavy silence of the battlefield. Not the charged stillness of something lurking in the dark.Just… absence.The transition was too smooth or abrupt, the roar of war vanishing instantly.Sam’s breath hitched as the hum of the SGC filled her ears—machinery whirring, boots clattering against metal grates, radios buzzing. The artificial light was too harsh, too sterile. The air smelled of recycled oxygen, of something unmistakably familiar.She was standing. She was whole.And she was empty.The weight in her arms was gone.The warmth of her son, his chest's fragile rise and fall—gone.No.Her heart slammed against her ribs as her arms closed on nothing but air. She gasped, fingers scrambling over her shirt, searching, reaching, desperate."No—no, no, no—"Jack turned at the strangled sound of her voice. His gaze snapped to her, then to her arms—his stomach dropping as realization dawned."Carter?"She barely heard him. She was turning in a frantic circle, scanning the room, her breath ragged. "Benjamin? Benjamin!"The alarms were blaring now. Security poured into the Gate Room, weapons raised. She didn’t care.Jack caught her before she could stumble, his grip firm on her arms."Carter—""He was right here, Jack!" Her voice cracked. "I was holding him! I felt him—he was real!"But there was nothing. No golden glow. No small hand reached for her. No sleepy breath against her shoulder.Just the unyielding, sterile walls of the SGC.And then Daniel’s voice cut through the static in her brain, raw and barely above a whisper."Sam… he hasn’t been born yet."The world stopped.Her breath caught in her throat. Her stomach twisted. Her hands, still trembling, pressed against her own body—against the space where her son had been, where he had existed.Where he no longer did."No," she whispered, shaking her head violently. "No, don’t say that."Jack’s grip tightened on her. He wasn’t breathing right, either."Carter—""No!" The word tore from her, raw and broken. "He’s ours, Jack! We fought for him! We kept him safe!" Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely holding together. "I held him…"She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her hands to her stomach as if she could will him back into existence.But nothing changed.Benjamin was gone.Not missing.Not taken.Just… never here.Jack pulled her against him before she could collapse. She didn’t fight him. She just clung to him, shaking, gasping, trying to hold on to something—someone—who had already been lost.The alarms still blared. Weapons were still aimed. General Landry’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and disbelieving."O’Neill? Carter? Jackson?"But Sam barely heard it.Her world had already fallen apart.
Landry POV
The Gate Room at the SGC was quiet. The control room above bustled with activity, the hum of machinery filling the air as technicians monitored the inactive Stargate. Hank Landry stood on the platform, arms crossed, deep in thought as SG-12 completed their debriefing.Then, without warning, the air in the Gate Room shimmered.A pulse of golden light twisted into existence, and three figures materialized out of thin air in the span of a breath.The alarms blared. Security rushed in, weapons raised. Teal'c was already moving, staff weapon primed, while Cameron and Vala spun toward the sudden disturbance.Major Samantha Carter stumbled slightly, her breath coming in short gasps. Colonel Jack O’Neill was next to her, as was Doctor Daniel Jackson.“Impossible,” Landry’s mind screamed as his body became fully alert."O’Neill? Carter? Jackson?"The soldiers around them had their weapons raised. The alarms blared non-stop.Landry slowly stepped forward, his gaze locked on them as if seeing ghosts."What the hell—?"Jack barely had time to turn before a dozen rifles were aimed at his chest. He raised his hands in mock surrender."Easy there. We come in peace."But the soldiers did not lower their weapons.One of them muttered, "This isn't possible." Another, grip tightening on his rifle, shot Landry a wary look. "Sir, we buried them. Two years ago. How do we know this isn’t a trick?""Or clones?" another suggested, shifting uneasily. "Or something worse?"Daniel adjusted his glasses. Breathless from the jump, he inhaled sharply, trying to fight through the haze of his shock."It's us. We—""That's exactly what an imposter would say," a younger guard snapped. "We need a full quarantine protocol. Immediately."Landry hesitated, his sharp gaze assessing them again as if seeing them for the first time."Lock it down. Secure the Gate Room. Nobody moves until we confirm exactly who they are."Jack gritted his teeth as even more weapons were raised."Oh, come on! Do we look like Replicators to you?"The guards did not waver.Landry’s eyes locked on Jack’s."Somebody better start explaining. Right now."Jack swallowed hard, forcing his mind to catch up with the impossible. He took a steadying breath, met Landry’s sharp gaze, and muttered the only thing he could."Yeah… this is gonna take a while." Hours later, in the infirmary, Sam sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing. The bright overhead lights of the infirmary cast a sterile glow over the examination room. The rhythmic beeping of monitors and the hushed voices of medics filled the air, but Sam barely registered any of it. Her fingers gripped the thin sheet beneath her as if grounding herself in reality. Jack was seated across the room, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Daniel was next to him, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. The return to the SGC had been a whirlwind of security lockdowns and disbelief—but now, as they were being examined, the weight of everything settled heavily over them.They had been forcefully escorted under heavy guard, subjected to rigorous scans, and had their DNA verified three times over, all at the explicit request of General Hank Landry. Every precaution had been taken to ensure they were who they claimed to be—no clones, Replicators, or imposters. It was standard protocol, but that didn’t make it any less unsettling. Despite the results confirming their identities, the tension in the air was thick, as if the personnel weren’t sure whether to trust what they were seeing.Carolyn Lam moved efficiently between them, checking vitals, scanning data, and noting results on her tablet. She had been professional since they arrived, but Sam didn’t miss the flicker of emotion in her eyes when she first saw them alive. There had been something raw for a moment—shock, relief, maybe even grief—but Carolyn had buried it under routine.Not everyone was as reserved.Teal’c stood just outside the infirmary doors, his imposing frame rigid, his expression carefully schooled, but his dark eyes never left Jack. He had not spoken much since their return, but the depth of his silence spoke volumes. When he had first seen them in the Gate Room, his stoicism had nearly cracked—his hands had clenched at his sides, his jaw had tightened, and for a brief moment, something close to pain had flickered across his face. Now, as he stood watching, his gaze was unwavering. He had mourned them. For two years, he had carried their loss. And now, here they were, like ghosts walking among the living.Vala, on the other hand, had no such restraint. She had marched into the infirmary moments after security had cleared them, arms folded, lips pressed into a thin line.“You do realize how absurd this is, don’t you?” she had said, looking them over as if they might dissolve into thin air at any moment. “People don’t just come back from the dead. Even by our ridiculous standards.”Daniel sighed. “Vala—”But she wasn’t listening. Her sharp gaze had flicked between them, lingering on Daniel. She had scoffed, shaking her head. “No. No, this is too easy. Too neat. Something is wrong.”Jack smirked, but there was no humor in it. “It's good to know we're still memorable.”Vala had crossed her arms tighter.“Shut up,” she had shot back, too fast. Then, after a long pause, her expression softened—just for a second. “You were dead,” she murmured, the words barely above a whisper. And then, realizing she had said too much, she turned on her heel and left without another word.As Carolyn approached Sam for the final set of scans, the hum of the medical scanner filled the air, followed by a soft beep as the results appeared on the screen. Carolyn frowned.Sam immediately noticed.“Something wrong?”Carolyn’s fingers hesitated on the tablet before she shook her head, too quickly.“Your readings are… fine. Just some minor anomalies. Could be residual energy from your travels.”Jack, who had been watching from his seat, leaned forward slightly.“Define ‘anomalies.’”Carolyn exhaled, adjusting her grip on the tablet.“Your hormone levels are slightly off compared to your last recorded scan. It’s nothing alarming, but it doesn’t match your previous medical records.”Sam’s heart skipped a beat.“How off?”Carolyn hesitated again.“It’s subtle. Not something you’d notice without comparing old records. But… there’s a shift. Almost like—” she stopped herself, closing the tablet with a soft click. “It’s probably nothing.”Sam wasn’t convinced. She could feel the tension tightening in her chest.“Carolyn, I need you to be honest with me.”Carolyn’s gaze softened, but she kept her voice professional.“I don’t want to jump to conclusions, Sam. There are traces of hormonal markers that… well, in most cases, are associated with pregnancy, but they don’t make sense here. There’s no sign of an actual pregnancy in your scans, and there never was—not in this timeline.”Silence fell between them. The words hit like a physical force, even though Carolyn had said them carefully. Sam felt the room tilt slightly, her grip on the medical bed tightening. Not in this timeline. The words echoed, hollow and cruel.Jack stood up, his expression unreadable.“So what are you saying?”Carolyn shook her head. “I’m saying the data suggests a history that no longer exists.”Daniel, who had been quietly observing, spoke up.“You mean… like a memory in her body? Something that should be there but isn’t?”Carolyn hesitated.“I don’t know. The human body can’t just ‘remember’ something erased by time travel, but…” She sighed. “I’d like to run more tests. Just to be sure.”Sam swallowed, forcing her voice to remain steady.“Is this happening to Jack or Daniel?”Carolyn glanced between them, shaking her head. Things were awkward already, so she did not mention that Sam was addressing her superior officer by “Jack”.“No. Their scans are normal.”Sam nodded slowly. Of course. Because Benjamin had been inside her, tied to her in a way that time itself hadn’t completely erased. Her body knew. It just didn’t understand what it had lost.Jack’s hand rested on her shoulder, grounding her. His grip was firm but silent, reassuring she wasn’t sure she deserved. She met Carolyn’s gaze, her voice quiet.“Do the tests. But don’t tell anyone else.” He swallowed. Once. “Please,” he added.Carolyn hesitated. “I have to report everything about your results. I’m sorry, Colonel.”Jack lifted his eyebrows. Colonel? What the hell?As she stepped away, Sam exhaled slowly, pressing her hands against her stomach, where Benjamin had once been. Or… where he never had been.Jack squeezed her shoulder gently.“We’ll figure this out.”Sam nodded, but deep down, she wondered if figuring it out would bring comfort or more loss. The atmosphere in the briefing room was suffocating.Jack, Sam, and Daniel sat at one end of the table, their movements tight with barely restrained frustration. Across from them, Landry leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled, studying them like a puzzle he didn’t entirely trust. Armed guards lined the walls, a silent but undeniable statement: They were still suspects.Sam’s jaw was clenched, her hands curled into fists beneath the table. Though outwardly calm, Jack exuded a simmering impatience, his knuckles white where they rested against the chair arms. Daniel’s gaze flicked between Landry and the security detail, his lips pressed into a thin line.Landry’s gaze was unreadable as he leaned forward."You were declared dead."The words landed like a punch.Sam stiffened. Jack didn’t move, but his grip on the chair arms went white-knuckled."Dead?" Daniel echoed, his frown deepening.Landry’s voice was steady, but its weight was crushing."Two years ago, your mission was a total loss. No contact. No remains. We buried you."Sam’s breath caught. Her mind reeled—her office reassigned, her name engraved somewhere, people moving on, mourning.Sam inhaled sharply. “That’s not possible.”Teal’c’s deep voice was steady. “It is.”Jack exhaled. “Well, that sucks.”Mitchell leaned forward, elbows on the table. His usually relaxed demeanor was gone, replaced by something colder, harder."See, that’s where this whole thing gets messy."He gestured at them. "I was here. I led search teams, sat through briefings, and covered every grid we could. We waited. We hoped. But you never came back."His voice dropped. "And now, just as everything goes sideways, you walk in like no time has passed? That’s not a coincidence."Jack met his gaze evenly. "You saying you don’t believe it’s us?"Mitchell exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "I don’t know what to believe. But I do know one thing—this timing ain't coincidence."Landry gave a sharp nod."Exactly. And until I know what we’re dealing with, I’m not taking any chances."Daniel leaned forward."We’re not your enemy. We’re here because Earth is about to fall. Again."Mitchell exhaled, shaking his head."You’re asking us to believe that the universe just—what? Course-corrected? Brought you back in the nick of time? That’s a hard sell."Jack smirked. "You got a better explanation, Flyboy?"Mitchell’s jaw tightened. "No. And that’s what keeps me on my toes."Silence. A heavy beat of tension settled over the room.Landry’s eyes stayed locked on him."I don’t have time for games. So tell me—why shouldn’t I lock you down in Level 16 under maximum security?"Daniel took a breath, knowing they needed to get ahead of this.“Because you need to understand what happened to us. And we need to establish something right now. This is our reality. The Watchers didn’t send us to the wrong one. Earth was invaded in 2005.”The room shifted. The words hung heavy in the air.Landry’s brow furrowed. “That’s not possible.”Daniel shook his head.“It happened. A new Supreme System Lord—Moratus—rose to power. We never saw him coming. The invasion was brutal and strategic. We lost. The Goa’uld wiped out billions. Earth fell.” He exhaled, pressing his hands together. “Some of us escaped through the quantum mirror. Since then, we’ve been trying to find a way back—to prevent the war before it even begins.”Silence stretched through the room, thick and suffocating.Landry stared at them, processing, calculating.“You’re telling me you’re from an alternate timeline? That the invasion already happened?”Jack tilted his head.“Hate to break it to you, but we lived it.”Landry leaned forward, his expression sharp but measured.“I don’t doubt what you’ve done for this command. For Earth. Hell, the only reason this room isn’t in full lockdown is because I know exactly who you were.”He let that sit for a beat.“But that was two years ago.”Jack’s jaw tensed.Landry continued, his tone unwavering. “SG-1 carried this program on its back for years. You fought wars, saved planets, and saved Earth. And I respect that. But respect isn’t the same as trust.”He glanced at the reports before him, then back at them.“You disappeared. We buried you. Now, you walk in like no time has passed, and somehow the invasion you’re talking about? The one that happened in 2005? It’s happening now.”Jack's eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Now? And you think we caused this?”Landry didn’t flinch. “I think I don’t have the luxury of blind faith.” He studied them carefully. “You want me to take you at your word? Fine. But I need more than that. I need proof. Because as of right now, all I know is that the timeline changed—just as you came back.”The silence in the room was heavy.Daniel exhaled sharply. “We didn’t cause this.”Landry’s voice remained steady. “Then tell me, Jackson—what did you change?"The weight of the question settled over them. There was no simple answer, but one thing was clear—their return had shifted something. And now, the timeline they thought they knew was unraveling.Jack’s voice was low, resolute. “Then you’re going to need us.”Landry’s expression didn’t shift, but he exhaled sharply."Let’s back up. Before you vanished—you, Jack, were leader of SG1 as well as Major Carter, and Jackson, same position, still driving the linguists crazy."Jack blinked hard. "No. I mean…That’s not…" He looked confused at Sam.Sam tried to make the correspondences in the timelines, adjusting the ranks and year.“Carter? A little help here?” Jack asked.“Okay, so in 2002 in this timeline, yes…the ranks are correct,” she said, swallowing. “But they don’t match our current ranks,” she concluded.Jack smiled at Hank. “That, what she said.”Landry’s gaze hardened.“What does that mean, Colonel?” he asked coldly.Jack stiffened.“It means, Major General, that I’m Head of Homeworld Security, Lieutenant General Jack O’Neill. Carter is Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter – my wife, currently placed at the Pentagon and Daniel…” Jack crossed his arms. “Well, Daniel continues here,” he concluded.The room fell into a heavy silence while the information was processed.Finally, Landry spoke."That could be in your timeline, something we still need to define. And if that was correct, you may outrank me, O’Neill, but you don’t hold an active position now. Carter—your security clearance was terminated when you were declared dead. And Daniel—technically, your academic credentials are still valid, but you’re no longer listed as SGC personnel."Jack’s jaw tensed."So what? You expect us to take a number and wait in line?"Landry folded his arms."I expect you to acknowledge that this is no longer your command. You don’t just walk in after two years and take over. I need to be sure where your loyalties lie."Sam’s hands curled into fists."Where our loyalties lie? General, we have spent almost a year fighting to get back here to stop this invasion before it starts. Do you really think we’d go through all that just to work against you?"Landry didn’t waver."I think many things don’t add up yet, Major. And until they do, you remain under security watch. You may have been top personnel before, but now you are unknown variables in an active war zone."Jack let out a slow breath, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice."We’re not here to take over, Hank. We’re here to stop Earth from falling. And whether you like it or not, we’re the best shot you’ve got."Landry exhaled, but his expression remained firm."You want to talk about command? After you disappeared, General Hammond assumed Homeworld Security. The SGC adapted. We’ve kept Earth safe without you. And now you return from nowhere just as the Goa’uld accelerate their timeline? You can see why I have questions."Jack’s smirk faded."Hammond is alive?" His voice was quieter now, and he was shocked. George Hammond had passed on their timeline a month after Benjamin was born.Daniel leaned forward."General, we don’t have time to debate bureaucracy. If this invasion is happening now instead of a year from now, something—someone—pushed up the timeline. That means we’re already behind. We need to figure out why."Landry studied them for a long moment, then finally nodded, pushing himself to his feet."Agreed. That is why we need Rodney McKay in here ASAP. If anyone can help us make sense of this, it’s him."He turned to one of the officers. "Get McKay in the briefing room now."Jack glanced at Sam and Daniel, his expression unreadable. They were one step closer to being trusted—but the clock was ticking.Landry hesitated, but the unease in his posture hadn’t softened. If anything, it deepened.“You’re not prisoners. But you’re not in control, either. Until I fully confirm what’s happening here, you remain under security watch.”Jack smirked, but there was no humor in it.“I’ll take what I can get.”Sam forced herself to breathe, her mind still stuck on Landry’s words.
They had been dead for two years.
The world had buried them.
Now they had to prove they still belonged in it. After several minutes, Rodney McKay strode into the briefing room, laptop in hand, already exasperated."Alright, which cosmic disaster is ruining my day now? Please tell me it’s not another multiversal paradox—I just recovered from the last one."He stopped mid-step, his gaze locking onto Jack, Sam, and Daniel like they were glitches in the Matrix. His mouth opened and then snapped shut.He pointed. "You're dead."Jack smirked. "Yes, we're back. Deal with it."McKay ignored him and turned to Landry."General, unless we’re all trapped in some kind of shared psychotic break, I will need an explanation. Because last I checked, these three had a very official, very classified funeral.""We're working on it," Landry said, deadpan.McKay folded his arms.“Define ‘working on it.’ If this involves Ancient tech, rogue time travel, or another multiversal disaster, I’ll need a bigger aspirin budget.”Sam sighed. "Rodney—""No, no, let me guess!" McKay cut her off, raising a hand. "You got thrown across time and space, altered the timeline in some horrifying way, and now the universe is punishing us all for your bad life choices?"Jack tilted his head. "Pretty much."McKay groaned, rubbing his face. "Of course it is."Jack smirked. "Did you think you'd gotten rid of us that easily?"McKay narrowed his eyes. “I’ll reserve judgment.”“Fair.”McKay sighed, rubbing his face. "Great. Fantastic. Another existential disaster. I need a raise."Sam decided to cut in firmly; otherwise, her husband and McKay would go on forever."McKay, we don’t have time for your existential crisis. We need answers. Something has altered the timeline."Daniel shimmed in."We were supposed to arrive in 2005—after Moratus and his Goa’uld allies attacked Earth. Instead, we stepped into 2004, before the invasion."Sam continued, "But that’s not the problem. The problem is the invasion is happening now—a full year early. That means something or someone disrupted the natural flow of events."McKay blinked, processing the information fast in his brain."Okay, hold on. Are you saying something accelerated a pre-established event? That’s not just time travel, that's—"Sam nodded, glad that he had already picked up."A forced timeline shift. The question is how."McKay sat on an empty chair, already typing on his laptop."Well, obviously, you three showing up like ghosts at Christmas is a big ol' red flag. But if we're talking about large-scale temporal disruptions, we're looking for anomalies—subspace distortions, energy signatures, anything that suggests a ripple effect,” he muttered.The room fell into silence as McKay worked, tension increasing. Landry finally spoke, his voice unreadable as he focused on Jack."You expect me to trust that this isn't a trap?"Jack leaned back, arms crossed."If it was a trap, do you really think we’d be sitting here politely taking questions?"Landry shrugged his shoulders."I’ve seen stranger things."Cameron studied them."See, that’s what doesn’t sit right with me. I was here. I remember when we lost you. Hell, I helped lead the damn search parties."He folded his arms, his gaze flicking between them. "But here you are, lookin’ real as day. And now, you pop back in just as things go sideways?"Vala grinned."Not to mention, we had a lovely little funeral for you. Speeches, medals, all very touching."Jack looked at Sam and Daniel"Awww, they missed us," he said, deadpan.Teal’c looked at them with a serious expression and a measured voice."I do not believe this is deception. I have fought alongside O’Neill, Carter, and Daniel Jackson for many years. Their actions, their mannerisms… They are who they claim to be."There’s a pause while Landry studies them all, exhaling sharply."Alright. Let’s say I buy that. You’re you. But that still doesn’t explain how you’re alive or what changed the timeline.""Actually… I think I might have something," McKay said, not looking up from his laptop.The room tensed as McKay adjusted his laptop screen so they could all see."Massive subspace energy disturbance. Centered right around the moment you three arrived back on Earth," he explained.Sam leaned forward, studying the data."That’s not just a random energy spike. That’s a beacon."Daniel frowned."You mean something—someone—signaled the Goa’uld to come early?"McKay smiled."Bingo. This is a deliberate acceleration. Something, or someone, put out a cosmic neon sign screaming ‘Earth is ready for conquest. ’""That means this wasn’t an accident," Sam said quietly, focused.Jack lift his hand theatrically."Great. Love that for us."Landry’s gaze wasn’t an amused one."If someone forced the invasion ahead of schedule, we need to figure out who—and stop them before it’s too late."The weight of the moment settles over the room.Mitchell exhaled, looking at Landry."I hate to say it, Sir, but we’ll need these three in the fight."Landry nodded although he was not happy."For now, they stay under guard. But if they’re telling the truth, we might not have a choice."Jack, Sam, and Daniel exchanged glances. They were one step closer to earning Landry’s trust—but the clock was ticking. The door slid behind them with a soft hiss at SGC VIP quarters.There was silence for the first time since stepping back into this reality. No alarms. No orders were being barked. No medical scans or debriefing questions. Just the two of them, alone in a room that wasn’t quite home.Jack exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand down his face. The weight of everything—the mission, the jump, Benjamin—settled over him like a lead vest. He turned, his gaze falling on Sam.She hadn’t moved.She stood in the middle of the room, still in the borrowed fatigue pants and SGC-issue t-shirt they’d given her after their medical checks. She was staring at nothing, her breathing too measured, her posture too still. Jack knew that look—had seen it in the mirror too many damn times.He took a slow step toward her. "Carter…"Her shoulders tensed at his voice. Not in resistance—just… as if she’d forgotten how to move."He's gone."The words barely carried, but Jack felt them like a blow. His throat tightened. There was nothing he could say to fix this.Sam turned, her blue eyes raw, exhaustion shadowing every feature."I held him, Jack. Felt his breath, his weight. And now…" Her voice cracked. Her hands hovered over her stomach, empty. "Here, he was never even possible. We aren’t even married."Jack clenched his jaw. Hesitated, then stepped forward. Instead of words, he just pulled her close. She resisted for half a second—then caved, clinging to him like an anchor.“We’ll fix this, honey,” he murmured. The words felt empty.Sam’s breath hitched. “He was real.”“He still is.”She pressed a shaking hand to her stomach. “Then why does it feel like he never was?”Her voice cracked, and before she could spiral further, Jack did the only thing he knew how to do—he pulled her against him.She resisted for half a second before her body caved into his.Her arms slid around his back, gripping his shirt like an anchor. Jack held her tight, one hand tangled in her hair, the other splayed against her back, his fingers pressing just hard enough to remind her—I’m here. We’re still here.But even as he held her, his own fear dug its claws into him.
What if he forgot too?
Jack shut his eyes, pressing his lips into her hair."And we won’t forget him," he murmured.But deep down, in the part of himself he never spoke about, he was terrified.
What if time erased Benjamin the way it erased memories of old battles? What if the details blurred, one by one, until all they had left was the ache?
Sam’s fingers curled tighter into his shirt. He felt her shoulders shake—silent sobs she refused to let out completely.They stayed like that for a long time.At some point, Sam’s exhaustion won out. The fight drained from her, her breath slowing against him. Jack shifted, maneuvering them both onto the small bed against the wall. She let him, curling instinctively against his side.Her hand still rested on her stomach. Jack covered it with his own.His throat burned. He should have said something to her. Should have admitted that he was afraid too. But he didn’t.He didn’t know how long they lay there, but eventually, her breathing evened out, deepening with sleep. Jack stared at the ceiling, his mind racing despite the quiet.Tomorrow, they’d have to move again. Fight again. Pretend they weren’t broken.But for now, he just held her.And prayed that time wouldn't take Benjamin away from him, too.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
General Landry sat stiffly in his office, staring at the blinking light on the secure comms console. This wasn’t a call he imagined making—not under these circumstances. He turned to Harriman, his voice firm.“Get me General Reynolds. Priority Alpha-One.”“Yes, sir,” Harriman replied, immediately connecting the call. The secure link activated moments later, and General Reynolds’s sharp features filled the screen.“Landry,” Reynolds said brusquely. “This better be good. I’ve got the President breathing down my neck about this Goa’uld invasion.”“It’s urgent, sir,” Landry replied. “We’ve confirmed a fleet is en route, but there’s been... an unexpected development here at the SGC.”Reynolds frowned. “What kind of development?”Landry leaned forward, his tone grave. “Jack O’Neill, Samantha Carter, and Daniel Jackson appeared at our base yesterday.”Reynolds stiffened. “That’s impossible.”“And yet, they’re here.” Landry exhaled. “The same people we buried two years ago.”Reynolds recovered quickly. “How?”“McKay’s analyzing subspace anomalies we detected before the Goa’uld fleet mobilized,” Landry said. “We’ll need more time—and resources—to confirm anything.”"Reynolds raised an eyebrow. “And Carter’s take?”Landry hesitated. “That’s the thing, sir. I haven’t brought her in yet. Given the circumstances, I wasn’t sure if involving her—”Reynolds interrupted. “Landry, if anyone can help McKay crack this, it’s Carter. You know that.”Landry exhaled. “I do. And I’ll bring her in. But right now, our priority is the invasion.”Reynolds nodded slowly, his expression hardening. “Agreed. But unless you’ve got a better plan for dealing with an incoming invasion, I’d say O’Neill and his team are your best shot. Hell, if anyone will sniff out a trap, it’s him.”Landry’s jaw tightened. “Understood. I’ll assign provisional clearance to SG-1, including O’Neill, but I’ll keep them under close watch.”Reynolds’s gaze sharpened. “Good. The President expects results, Hank. Fast. Keep me updated on their progress, and if anything feels off, you pull the plug immediately.”“Understood, sir.”Reynolds leaned forward, his voice softening slightly. “For what it’s worth, Hank, if this is really them... they deserve a chance to prove it.”Landry gave a slight nod. “Let’s hope we don’t regret it.”The screen went dark. Landry took a deep breath, his mind racing. He stood but didn’t move immediately, staring at the empty space where Reynolds’s face had been. The logical choice was clear—SG-1’s experience was unparalleled, Jack’s leadership unquestionable—but doubt lingered at the edges of his thoughts.Two years was a long time. They had all changed. And if something was wrong, they weren’t the same people they had lost…“Sir?” Harriman’s voice broke through the silence, his usual calm laced with unspoken concern.Landry exhaled sharply. “Am I making a mistake?”Harriman met his gaze, cautious. “You think they’re not who they say they are?”Landry shook his head. “They’re O’Neill, Carter, and Jackson. But after two years, are they the same people we lost?” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Reynolds is right—we need them. But if anything doesn’t add up, I won’t hesitate.”Harriman nodded. “Understood, sir.”Landry straightened, squaring his shoulders. “Let’s get to the briefing.”He strode toward the door, the weight of his decision pressing on him. There was no time to waste, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking a fine line between salvation and disaster. The hum of subdued chatter filled the SGC’s main briefing room, an undercurrent of uncertainty hanging in the air. Mitchell sat with arms crossed, his gaze flicking toward Teal’c, who sat in serene silence. Vala lounged in her chair, idly toying with a pen, her expression one of feigned boredom. Across the table sat Jack, Sam, and Daniel, the trio exchanging glances that carried the weight of the unspoken.When General Landry entered, the room fell silent. His stride was brisk, his expression unreadable. He placed his hands on the table's edge and scanned the room before speaking.“All right, listen up. I’ve just come off a secure line with the Pentagon,” Landry began, his tone even but firm. “As of now, I have authorization to involve all of you in the Goa’uld invasion situation. Dr. McKay is working on the timeline disruption and subspace anomalies, but given the scope of the threat, additional input is not just valuable—it’s essential.”His gaze fell on Jack, Sam, and Daniel.“That means the three of you are being granted provisional clearance to assist.”A beat of silence stretched. Then, Jack leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.“Provisional, huh? I guess that means we don’t get the fancy ID badges yet.”Landry ignored the comment. “Make no mistake—this is a practical decision, not a leap of faith. You’ll be under scrutiny, and I expect results. Is that clear?”“Yes, sir,” Sam said, her voice steady, though her hands rested tensely on the table. Daniel gave a silent nod, but the glimmer of relief in his eyes was unmistakable.Mitchell’s voice broke the moment. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”“Go ahead, Colonel,” Landry replied.Mitchell straightened, his tone calm but firm.“I understand why they’re here, but shifting command structure mid-crisis isn’t without risks.” He glanced at Jack, then the rest of SG-1. “We’ve built trust as a team over the past two years. Reintegrating them while dealing with an incoming invasion adds... complications.”Jack’s smirk faded. “You don’t think I can handle it?”“Not what I said,” Mitchell countered evenly. “But a team is only as strong as its cohesion, and we’re about to test ours under fire. I want to be sure everyone’s ready for that.”Landry nodded, his gaze flicking between them. “Fair point, Colonel, but this decision comes from the Pentagon and is not up for debate. SG-1 will operate as a single unit under O’Neill’s command—provisionally. Your job is to make it work.”Mitchell’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “Yes, sir.”Vala leaned back, her expression unreadable.“Reintegration sounds tricky—especially under fire.”Landry addressed the room.“McKay and Major… Colonel Carter will work together to pinpoint the disruption in the timeline. Jack, you’ll lead the initial strike team to assess the Goa’uld fleet’s approach. Questions?”Daniel hesitated before speaking, his voice softer than usual. “General, I know this situation is… unprecedented. Thank you for giving us the chance to help.”Landry’s expression softened for the first time.“Don’t thank me yet, Dr. Jackson. You’ve got a long way to go to prove you’re ready for this.”Jack leaned forward, his voice laced with both humor and resolve.“Then let’s get started. The Goa’uld aren’t exactly known for their patience.”The meeting adjourned, the room emptying in tense silence. Jack caught Sam’s gaze as the team filed out and gave her a faint smile.“You good?”Sam nodded, though her eyes betrayed the whirlwind of emotions beneath.“Just... a lot to take in.”Daniel lingered behind, his voice quiet. “This feels... strange. Like we’re walking a tightrope.”Jack patted his shoulder. “Then don’t look down.”Teal’c’s steady voice came from the doorway. “We will succeed. Together.”Mitchell watched them go, his jaw tightening as he turned to Vala.“You think this is going to work?”Vala grinned. “It’s going to be a mess—just let me know if we’re charging admission.”The atmosphere remained charged with unspoken tension as the team dispersed from the briefing room. Landry lingered behind, watching as the group filed out—Jack’s easy stride, Mitchell’s stiff shoulders, and the subtle hesitations in Sam and Daniel’s movements. It was clear this reunion wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.Before Landry could leave, Rodney McKay barged into the room, tablet clutched in one hand and a harried expression across his face.“General Landry!” McKay exclaimed, his voice rising slightly with urgency. “I need unrestricted access to the deep-space radar telemetry archives and the SGC’s historical logs from the past five years. Preferably now. Actually, preferably five minutes ago.”Landry raised an eyebrow. “Dr. McKay, I trust you’re working on finding out how O’Neill, Carter, and Jackson returned after two years?”McKay waved his free hand dismissively.“Yes, yes, I’m on that too, but there’s something much bigger going on. The subspace anomalies I detected around Earth? They’re not just isolated fluctuations—they’re part of a larger pattern.” He slammed his tablet onto the table and tapped a few commands. A projection of swirling subspace waveforms flickered to life, each pulse marked with a bright red dot.Landry frowned. “Explain.”McKay pointed to the most significant pulse in the center of the display.“This right here? That’s the anomaly we detected shortly before your so-called ‘dead team’ decided to return to existence. But what’s more interesting is this secondary waveform—smaller, but sustained. It’s originating somewhere on Earth.”“On Earth?” Landry repeated, leaning closer.“Yes!” McKay replied, his voice rising again. His fingers tapped faster. "Oh, that’s just perfect," he blurted. "You know what this is? This is a big, flashing ‘Come Annihilate Us’ sign, and we just gift-wrapped it."Sam’s frown deepened. "No… this encryption… I’ve seen it before."McKay’s fingers froze. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."Landry narrowed his eyes. "Who?"Sam exhaled sharply. "Dr. Eli Connors, someone we used to work with."McKay threw up his hands. "Oh, wonderful. A genius who wanted to ‘test’ alien tech without thinking about consequences? I’m shocked. Truly."Landry’s jaw tightened."Find the source. Shut it down. Now."As McKay worked furiously at his console, the intercepted data scrolled rapidly, alien glyphs flickering across the screen.Harriman’s voice came through the comms, tense."Sir, we’ve got something else. The transmission isn’t just being received—it’s being answered."Landry’s brow furrowed. "By whom?"A pause. The room felt colder. SG-1 slowly returned to the briefing room.Harriman hesitated."That’s the thing, sir. The encryption is Goa’uld... but not like anything we’ve encountered before. It uses a layered cipher, which is complex and structured. This isn’t just a random fleet response. It’s coordinated."Sam’s breath hitched as she scanned the data. Her voice was quiet. "No…"Daniel’s face had gone pale. "It’s him."The glyphs on McKay’s screen shifted, and for the briefest moment, a symbol flickered—a sigil burned into their memories. A single word translated across the display.Moratus.A heavy silence settled over the room.Jack exhaled slowly, jaw tight. "He’s the reason we’re here."Mitchell glanced between them, alarmed. "You’re talking about the Goa’uld from your timeline, right? That Goa’uld?"Daniel’s voice was quiet, controlled. "Yes. In our timeline, Moratus conquered Earth."A sharp beat of silence.McKay let out an incredulous laugh. “Fantastic. So now we have to stop the intergalactic version of Hitler before he runs the same playbook?”Jack’s voice was grim. "Pretty much."Landry’s expression darkened as he pressed the comms to Harriman.“Scramble all deep-space surveillance. I want real-time tracking of any unusual fleet movement.”Harriman nodded. “Understood, sir.”Jack caught Sam’s gaze. Her expression mirrored his—grim understanding.“They’re coming,” Sam murmured.Daniel’s voice was quiet, controlled. "And this time, they know exactly where to strike."The moment's weight hung between them before McKay’s fingers flew over his tablet, frustration mounting. The subspace anomalies were consistent, but this signal was slipperier than a Goa’uld politician."Come on, come on," McKay muttered, tapping the screen aggressively. "While everyone stands around looking like someone just declared war on Earth, some of us actually have work to do."Sam stood beside him, and her fingers also flew through the computer.“Rodney, check the signal—if it's bouncing, we're chasing ghosts.”McKay huffed. “Yes, thank you, Carter. I considered that five minutes ago.”Mitchell leaned forward. “Translation?”Sam glanced at the display. "The beacon’s signal is buried in natural subspace noise," Sam noted, frowning. "If we don’t adjust the parameters, we’re chasing ghosts."McKay’s fingers froze mid-type."Hold on. What if it’s not just noise? What if there’s a secondary relay?"Sam blinked. "A decoy."McKay’s hands flew over the keyboard. A second signal flickered on the screen."There it is—the real beacon. Someone wanted to make sure we had to work for it."Jack, who had been quietly observing, raised an eyebrow.“So... can we find the real one, or are we just going to admire your detective work?”McKay glared at him before making a few final adjustments. The false lead faded, revealing a single, unmistakable source.“I’ve found it!” he declared triumphantly.Everyone straightened as McKay pulled up a visual projection. In the center of the table, a holographic display flickered to life.“The signal’s origin is definitely coming from Earth,” McKay confirmed, tension still evident in his voice.A stunned silence. Then—“You’re telling me we called the Goa’uld on ourselves?” Mitchell asked slowly.Sam narrowed her eyes at the data."No. Someone did. The question is who and why."Daniel sighed heavily."If this is deliberate, it means someone on Earth wanted this invasion to happen."Landry passed a hand over his face."We need to know who’s responsible.""And whether they still have control of the beacon," Teal’c added.Jack nodded."Because if they do, they could be feeding the Goa’uld real-time intel."McKay was already typing again."Okay, okay, let me work my magic. If I can find the exact location of the transmission source, we’ll have our answer."The room was silent as McKay fine-tuned his search. The seconds stretched.McKay grinned suddenly."There it is."The display zoomed in on a set of coordinates. The room collectively tensed.Sam’s expression darkened as she read the data on the screen."It’s coming from somewhere inside Area 51," she murmured, the weight of the revelation settling over the room.General Landry’s jaw tightened. He turned to Harriman, his voice clipped."Get me the Pentagon. Now.""Yes, sir," Harriman responded swiftly to establish the connection.Landry’s sharp gaze returned to Jack, Sam, and Daniel."This just went from an anomaly to a potential act of treason. Someone inside Area 51 either knowingly or unknowingly triggered an invasion of Earth."Jack’s mouth pressed into a thin line. "Knowing our track record, I’d bet on knowingly."Landry exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples."And you’re sure this isn’t just old tech malfunctioning?"Sam shook her head, her voice steady."Negative, sir. This wasn’t an accident. The beacon’s subspace signal was deliberately activated. Someone wanted the Goa’uld to detect it."Mitchell crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "And they succeeded."Daniel leaned forward, his voice low."The bigger question is why. Who benefits from Earth being under attack?"Teal’c’s deep voice broke the silence."Many factions would welcome the fall of the Tau’ri."Vala raised a hand casually, a smirk playing at her lips."Just to be clear, we're ruling out sheer incompetence, right?"McKay rolled his eyes, fingers still flying over his keyboard."If it were a random accident, the transmission wouldn't have been sustained enough to summon a fleet."Jack’s deadpan voice cut through the tension."So, yeah. Someone’s screwing us on purpose."Harriman’s voice broke in from his console."Sir, I have the Pentagon and the White House Chief of Staff on a secured line."Landry straightened, his expression hardening."Patch it through."The room hushed as the comms connection stabilized. A crisp, authoritative voice filled the air. "General Landry, what the hell is going on?"Landry’s voice remained calm but urgent."We have a developing situation, sir. Like you know, a Goa’uld fleet is en route to Earth—an invasion happening one year earlier than expected. We’ve just determined that a subspace beacon triggered their arrival… and originated within Area 51."A heavy silence followed."Are you telling me someone from within our ranks just invited a full-scale planetary invasion?" the Chief of Staff asked, incredulous."We’re still working to confirm whether it was deliberate sabotage or an outside influence, but as of now, we need authorization to mobilize a team to investigate immediately," Landry replied."You’ll have it, General. However, we need more information before making any decisions regarding military response. The President expects real answers, fast.""Understood," Landry said, the line going dead.He turned back to Harriman. "Now, get me General Hammond."Harriman nodded and made the call. The secure comms line crackled to life, and General Hammond’s familiar voice filled the air."Hank, I assume this is urgent?""Yes, sir," Landry replied, glancing at the data on his desk. "We’ve confirmed an early Goa’uld invasion is incoming, and we’ve just tracked the signal that lured them here—originating from Area 51."There was a pause before Hammond’s voice returned, measured and calm."That facility was locked down under strict protocols. If something was activated from there, it wasn’t an accident.""That’s our working theory," Landry agreed. "I need the green light to send a team to investigate.""Consider it granted," Hammond said immediately. "But be careful, Hank. If someone inside our government is behind this, they’ll be expecting you."Landry exhaled, the weight of the mission pressing down on him."Understood, sir. And just so you know, SG-1 will lead the mission—with General O’Neill."There was a pause, then Hammond’s voice softened, carrying an edge of warmth."Jack? Damn good to have you back, son."Jack’s knot in the throat almost prevented him from answering, but he did."Thank you, George. Glad to hear your voice."Hammond paused for a moment."Take care of this, Jack. We need answers, and we need them fast.""Wouldn’t have it any other way," Jack replied.The transmission cut out, leaving the room heavy with unspoken tension. Landry turned back to the team, his expression steeled."Alright. You’ve got your clearance. SG-1 will deploy immediately to Area 51."Mitchell’s gaze flicked to Jack. "We rolling out as a full team?""You, Teal’c, and Vala will accompany them," Landry confirmed. "I want enough firepower to handle whatever we find."Jack’s grin returned, a glimmer of the old soldier beneath the weight of everything they’d been through. "Like old times."Teal’c inclined his head. "Indeed."Vala leaned toward Daniel, her smirk playful."You should have stayed dead. You’re dragging us into trouble already."Daniel sighed, adjusting his glasses. "It’s a gift."Landry’s voice cut through the murmur. "Wheels up in one hour. Get to it."The team exchanged glances, the gravity of the mission settling around them. This was it—their first real mission back in their own reality, and already, the fate of Earth hung in the balance. The team gathered in the locker room, the air thick with tension. This wasn’t just another mission—it was the first time SG-1 had worked together since Jack, Sam, and Daniel had returned from the dead. Not everyone was comfortable with that, despite the orders given by Landry before.Mitchell adjusted his tactical vest, glancing at Jack. “So, who’s actually running this op?”Jack arched a brow. “Are you asking, or is this your way of saying you don’t like the answer?”“I’ve been in charge of SG-1 for two years,” Mitchell said evenly. “And I don’t know what’s weirder—that you three are standing here or that command’s just handing you the keys again.”Jack’s easygoing expression tightened.“Let’s cut to the chase, Mitchell. You don’t trust me.”“I trust SG-1. I trust my team,” Mitchell countered. “But if you want me to pretend this doesn’t change things, that’s not happening.”A beat of silence stretched between them. Then Teal’c stepped forward, his deep voice steady.“General Landry has placed O’Neill in command. I will follow his lead.”Mitchell exhaled sharply, glancing at Teal’c, then at Vala.“Don’t look at me,” she said with a smirk. “I just follow the winning team.”Jack held Mitchell’s gaze.“Look, you can question this later. Right now, we don’t have time for a pissing contest.”Mitchell hesitated—then gave a tight nod. “Fine. You’re in charge.”Jack’s smirk returned. “Glad we settled that. And to clear things even further, we go in, assess the situation, find the bad guys, and shut this thing down before Earth becomes a Goa’uld parking lot."Everyone nodded and left the locker room. The SGC buzzed with controlled chaos as the deployment orders spread through the base. Overhead, the faint hum of the intercom carried updates from Harriman’s steady voice, blending with the rhythmic clatter of boots against concrete floors. The acrid scent of coffee mixed with the faint tang of disinfectant, grounding the team in a familiar routine that now felt strangely tense.As they were walking towards the elevator, Mitchell fell into step beside Jack.“Look,” Mitchell began, his tone measured, “you’ve got the experience, no question. But I’ve spent two years with these people—trust isn’t built overnight.”Jack glanced at him, his expression unreadable. “You worried about them or me?”Mitchell met his gaze evenly. “Both. But I'll back you up as long as we aim at the same target. Just... don’t make me regret it.”Jack’s lips quirked into a faint smirk. “Fair enough. And for the record, Colonel, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you could handle this.”Mitchell raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply. As the last elevator took them to the surface, the two men stood shoulder to shoulder, ready for whatever came next. The transport aircraft’s engines roared to life in the hangar, the low growl reverberating through the metal walls. Jack stood at the edge of the ramp, arms crossed, watching as gear crates were loaded with mechanical precision. The faint hiss of hydraulic lifts punctuated the shouts of technicians securing equipment. Somewhere nearby, a wrench clanged against steel, the sound echoing briefly before being swallowed by the drone of preparations.“Feels like old times,” Jack muttered, his voice almost lost in the din. He glanced at Sam, whose gaze was fixed on the shimmering heat waves just beyond the hangar doors. She was already running calculations in her head—he could see it in her furrowed brow and her fingers tapping absently against her thigh.The transport rumbled as it lifted off, the vibrations shaking the floor beneath their boots. Jack leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the shrinking horizon. Two hours later, the sprawling, heavily secured complex of Area 51 shimmered in the desert heat, its stark lines cutting sharply against the endless sands. The faint metallic tang of the cabin’s recycled air mingled with the distant hum of engines, an ever-present reminder of how far they were from home safety.The transport aircraft’s engines roared, vibrating through the cabin as it descended. Jack leaned against the bulkhead, his gaze locked on the distant airstrip. A flicker of unease crossed his face, unnoticed by the others—this wasn’t just another mission; this was the first step into the unknown.The radio crackled to life.
"Unscheduled inbound, identify yourself."
The pilot’s tone was calm but edged with tension. "This is USAF Transport 475, carrying General O’Neill and SG-1 under direct orders from Homeworld Security. Transmitting clearance codes now."A long, static-filled pause followed.Jack narrowed his eyes, his instincts already screaming."That sounded nervous."The radio crackled again, this time sharper.
"Negative on landing authorization. You are not cleared for entry. Divert immediately or be fired upon."
"Alright, that’s enough," Jack said, leaning toward the cockpit. He grabbed the radio, his voice going from casual to pure authority.
"Listen up, son. This is Lieutenant General Jack O’Neill. You either clear us to land or explain to General Hammond why you just pointed weapons at a superior officer."
Another tense silence. Then, a different voice—one that sounded rattled.
"…Understood, General. Permission to land granted. Standby for escort."
Jack smirked, tossing the radio back. "That’s more like it."The transport aircraft rumbled as it descended over the Nevada desert, the sprawling complex of Area 51 stretching below—a stark island of classified secrecy amid miles of sun-scorched nothingness. Inside the cabin, no one spoke.Jack adjusted his vest, his gaze flicking between his team and the facility below. Something felt... off. Too quiet. Too still."I hate landing somewhere I used to outrank people," he muttered. "You never know if they’re happy to see you or just waiting to shoot you in the back.""Comforting," Mitchell deadpanned.The pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom. "Final approach. Stand by for touchdown."As the plane descended, they saw the security detail waiting for them.Jack’s eyes narrowed. Dozens of soldiers lined the tarmac, weapons slung—but not at rest. The kind of posture you took when expecting trouble. Not a standard reception. Not even close.Vala’s gaze swept the soldiers, her tone wary. “That’s a lot of firepower for a welcome party.”The plane touched down with a dull thud, rolling to a stop as the ramp lowered. A blast of desert heat swept in—but it did nothing to thaw the cold reception waiting outside.No one moved.The soldiers didn't rush forward to greet or wave them in. They stood their ground, unyielding and unwelcoming.Jack stepped off first. His boots hit the pavement with practiced ease, but his gaze stayed locked on the formation ahead. No flinching. No unnecessary moves. If this was a test, he wasn’t going to blink first.Every rifle tracked their descent.Sam’s muscles tensed as her eyes flicked over the soldiers—too many, too tense, too prepared. These weren’t standard security precautions. They were ready to fire.Mitchell exhaled slowly."Not exactly rolling out the welcome mat, are they?"Jack kept his movements casual, but his tone was razor-sharp."Nope. And I don’t like it."A beat of silence.Then—a voice rang out, cutting through the standoff like a blade."Hold your fire."Colonel Mundell strode forward, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. Unlike his men, he hadn’t raised a weapon, but his fingers hovered too close to his holster.He stopped a few paces from Jack, studying him."General O’Neill."Jack tilted his head."Colonel. Gotta say, not exactly a warm welcome."Mundell exhaled slowly.“Forgive me, sir, but unexpected visitors at a classified facility don’t usually get a warm welcome.”Jack raised an eyebrow."Fair point."Mundell’s stare didn’t waver."I need immediate confirmation of your identity. DNA, retinal scan, blood test."Jack sighed. "For crying out loud—""It’s protocol, sir," Mundell said, voice clipped. "Until I get confirmation, you are a potential security threat. And my orders are to treat you as such."Teal’c’s staff weapon twitched slightly. "You believe O’Neill to be an impostor.""Don’t take it personally, big guy," Mitchell muttered. "I’d be suspicious too."Vala, hands on hips, grinned. "I’d be impressed if he were an impostor—keeping up with that level of sarcasm would be a full-time job.""Vala," Daniel muttered. "Not helping."Jack, unfazed, held out his arms. "Alright, Colonel. Scan away."Mundell nodded, and one of the guards stepped forward, scanner in hand. It beeped, and the guard ran a rapid retinal and biometric analysis.A long pause. The guard looked at Mundell, visibly shaken."Sir… It’s him."Mundell’s jaw tightened. "Are you sure?""One hundred percent match."The air felt heavier. Mundell hesitated—just a fraction of a second too long.Jack’s gaze narrowed."I get the feeling you wish it weren’t."Mundell exhaled sharply, waving his men to lower their weapons."Stand down."The tension eased but didn’t disappear. The soldiers obeyed, but they still weren’t comfortable.Jack adjusted his vest. "There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?"Mundell’s expression remained unreadable. "Sir… respectfully… what the hell is going on?"Jack’s grin was sharp. "That’s what we’re here to find out."Mundell hesitated before motioning for them to follow. "Then you better come with me. But I’ll warn you now—what you’re about to see? You’re not gonna like it."Jack’s smirk didn’t fade. "Buddy, I never like it."SG-1 fell into step behind Mundell. The heavy security presence didn’t let up, soldiers shadowing them as they entered the base.Behind them, the base doors sealed shut.They were in.But they weren’t trusted.And that meant things were about to get a hell of a lot more interesting. As they moved inside the corridors, Mundell exchanged a glance with his men, visibly uneasy. "Sir, this is a highly restricted facility—"Mitchell cut in, his tone impatient. "And we have top clearance, so let’s skip the dance. We’re here for the subspace signal. Where’s it coming from?"Mundell hesitated—too long. Jack’s sharp eyes caught the flicker of doubt."Colonel," Jack said evenly, "is there something you’d like to share with the class?"Mundell exhaled slowly, relenting."We detected the transmission anomaly ourselves about a week ago. Thought it was a malfunction at first—until we realized it was intentional."Sam’s head snapped up. "And no one reported it?"Mundell squared his shoulders."We were handling it internally. We’ve had some unusual activity at Area 51 recently. Personnel going off the grid for hours, classified access logs that don’t match up. We chalked it up to system errors—until now.”Jack’s gaze sharpened. “That sounds a lot like someone covering their tracks.”Vala arched an eyebrow. "Translation: you didn’t want anyone poking around."Jack’s deadpan gaze locked onto Mundell. "Guess what? We’re poking."Mundell looked deeply unhappy but nodded stiffly, gesturing toward the main research facility. "The signal is originating from Sublevel 6. But I’m telling you now—you won’t like what you find."Jack fell into step behind him. "Buddy, I don’t like anything about today."The sterile white hallways of Area 51 stretched ahead, eerily quiet. The further they went, the heavier the silence became. Mundell led the way, his posture too controlled—like a man holding back more than he could admit.They reached the reinforced elevator, and Mundell swiped his keycard. The panel read: Access Granted – Sublevel 6. The doors slid shut, sealing them inside. The hum of machinery filled the confined space as the elevator descended.Jack’s voice broke the silence, casual but edged."So, Colonel… why do I feel you’re leaving something out?"Mundell’s face remained stiff. "Because I wasn’t authorized to share classified data with anyone outside my chain of command."Vala leaned against the wall, smirking. "But now we outrank your chain of command. So spill."Mundell exhaled sharply, clearly unhappy. "Our sensors picked up something buried in our restricted research archives a week ago. We thought it was dormant, but when we ran diagnostics, it activated."Sam’s brow furrowed. "What kind of system?"Mundell hesitated before finally admitting, "Recovered alien technology. The kind that should’ve never been reactivated."Daniel’s gaze flicked to Sam. "Let me guess. Something Ancient?"Mundell shook his head grimly. "No. Something Goa’uld."A heavy silence settled over the group. Mitchell’s voice was low and grim."Well, that explains a lot."Jack’s deadpan tone cut through the tension. "Great. Because we needed a ‘Welcome Home’ signal for every snakehead in the galaxy."Sam’s mind worked fast."If it’s Goa’uld tech, and it was already here, that means someone inside Area 51 either knew what they were doing—or got manipulated into activating it."Mundell nodded tightly."The transmission came from Lab 6B. But here’s the thing, General… no one was supposed to be in there. It was sealed off after the last Goa’uld purge."Daniel’s frown deepened. "Which means someone had clearance to override it."Teal’c’s voice was steady, his gaze fixed. "Or someone was compromised."The elevator slowed, the mechanical voice announcing their arrival. Sublevel 6 – Secure Access Only.The doors slid open, revealing a corridor lined with reinforced doors. The air was heavier here, the silence pressing in on all sides. SG-1 exchanged glances, weapons instinctively at the ready.They stepped out, the weight of what lay ahead settling on their shoulders. Whatever they were about to find, none of them doubted it would be far worse than they imagined. The hallway outside Lab 6B was dimly lit, and the faint hum of machinery reverberated through the walls. The entire floor felt wrong—like the air was holding its breath.Vala leaned close to Daniel, her voice barely above a whisper."I don’t like this."Daniel’s gaze stayed fixed ahead, his tone quiet but focused."Yeah. Me neither."Mundell stopped in front of the reinforced doors. Warning signs plastered the panels—Containment Protocols Required – Level 5 Clearance Only. His hand hovered near his access card, his fingers twitching."Here we are," he muttered. "The source of the signal."Jack stepped forward, his eyes narrowing."Open it."Mundell shifted uneasily."You sure you don’t want a full debrief first?"Jack’s voice was dry, cutting through the tension."Not really. Open the damn door."Mundell exhaled sharply and swiped his card. The lock clicked, the reinforced panels sliding apart with a mechanical hiss. Stale air wafted out—metallic and faintly electric.Inside, the lab was a mess. Cables snaked along the floor, flickering monitors casting pale blue light across cluttered workstations. At the center of the chaos, a Goa’uld control console thrummed with energy. Its interface shimmered, golden symbols flickering across its surface. The beacon was still transmitting.Sam’s eyes widened as she approached the console."This system is still online."Mitchell’s weapon snapped up instinctively."Then shut it down."Sam’s fingers flew across the console. "It’s too late. The Goa’uld got the message."Jack’s jaw tightened. "Can you stop it?"Sam exhaled sharply."I can shut it down, but the signal already reached them. They’re coming."Daniel scanned one of the monitors, his expression tightening."And worse… It’s not just Moratus’s fleet that responded."Everyone’s eyes snapped to him. He gestured to the scrolling alien symbols on the screen, his voice tense."This signal wasn’t just picked up by the Goa’uld. We’ve got multiple fleet responses. Some of these aren’t even Goa’uld dialects."Vala’s face paled, realization dawning. Her voice dropped."Oh… that’s bad."Jack’s eyes narrowed."How bad?"Vala’s gaze flicked between the console and the symbols."Potentially very bad."Daniel’s mouth pressed into a tight line."If this signal reached other factions—warlords, rogue Goa’uld remnants, anyone looking for an advantage—then Earth didn’t just call in one invasion."Sam’s hands stayed on the console. Her voice was grim."We might have called in a war."A heavy silence fell over the lab, broken only by the faint pulse of the beacon. The weight of what they’d uncovered settled like lead in the air. Jack’s fingers tightened on his weapon.“Then we shut it down.” Jack’s voice was low, steady—like a fuse burning toward an explosion. "And we do it fast." SG-1 stood in Lab 6B, the tension thick in the stale air. The beacon’s hum pulsed steadily, its golden symbols flickering as Sam and McKay worked rapidly to dissect the system. The others fanned out across the room, weapons at the ready, eyes scanning every shadow.Mitchell shifted uneasily, his gaze fixed on the entrance."Anyone else getting the feeling we’re not alone down here?"Teal’c’s grip on his staff weapon tightened. His voice was calm, but his dark eyes swept the empty corridor. "This facility should be secure. And yet, there are no guards on this level."Daniel glanced toward Mundell, suspicion flickering behind his glasses."Colonel, who has the clearance to access this lab?"Mundell shifted, the unease in his posture betraying him."There are only a handful of people with Level 5 clearance. Myself, a few research leads… and Dr. Connors."Sam’s head snapped up, recognition sparking in her blue eyes."Connors? As in Dr. Eli Connors?"Mundell nodded, his frown deepening. "You know him?"Sam exchanged a sharp glance with Daniel."He was a top researcher on alien tech integration. Worked with us on early Naquadah reactor designs."Daniel’s expression darkened."And he also had… controversial theories about Goa’uld technology. Specifically, we should use it instead of just locking it away."Jack’s voice cut through the rising tension, flat and unyielding."Well, that sounds like someone we should have kept an eye on."Before Mundell could respond, Sam’s console emitted a sharp beep. Her fingers flew across the keys, eyes narrowing at the readout."Hold on… someone else has remote access to this system."McKay’s fingers danced over the adjacent terminal, panic creeping into his voice."Yeah, and they’re trying to override our shutdown."Jack’s weapon rose instinctively, his gaze locking on Mundell."So where’s Connors?"Mundell’s face paled, realization dawning."He should be in his quarters… but hasn’t checked in since yesterday."Mitchell gritted his teeth."Yeah, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that’s not a coincidence."Sam’s hands flew over the console, her movements precise but frantic."He’s fighting back—hard."McKay swore. “Oh, fantastic. He’s bypassing us like he wrote the code—because, surprise, he did.”Jack’s jaw clenched. "Carter, tell me we’re winning.""Oh, sure, Jack. We’re winning," McKay snapped, fingers slamming keys. "If by ‘winning’ you mean ‘losing at an alarming rate because the lunatic on the other end is two steps ahead and laughing at us.’ Then yeah, totally, A-plus work over here."The screen flickered again. A new wave of code scrolled across it—another override attempt.Sam’s voice was tight. "Not yet.""WELL, WORK FASTER," McKay practically shouted.The room went still for half a second. The only sounds were the sharp beeps of the console, the distant blaring alarms, and the rhythmic thump of Jack’s fingers tapping against his weapon."We need to find him—now." Sam didn’t look up. "Even if we shut this down, Connors can reactivate it remotely."Mitchell exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face."This guy is really starting to piss me off."Vala cocked her head. "Starting?"Jack didn’t hesitate."Alright. Mitchell, take Teal’c and Vala—find Connors before he screws us over again. Daniel, you’re with Carter and McKay. I’ll cover your backs."Mitchell’s shoulders squared. "We’ll get him."Teal’c nodded, gripping his staff weapon tighter.Jack’s voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge."Move fast. If he locks us out again, we’re done."The team split. Boots echoed against the cold metal floor as they vanished down opposite corridors.The hunt was on. And time was running out. The dim glow of the console flickered against Dr. Eli Connors’ tired eyes. He sat hunched over his workstation, the soft hum of the beacon interface a steady pulse in the silence. The golden symbols swirled across the screen, hypnotic. He barely noticed.His fingers trembled as he reached for an old data drive. He hesitated—just for a moment—before plugging it in. The screen flickered, stabilizing on a grainy home video.Static ran through the feed before focusing on a backyard bathed in golden sunlight. A little girl, no more than nine, ran through the grass, her blonde curls bouncing as she spun in dizzying circles. She laughed—a bright, musical sound echoing through the tiny speaker.
“Daddy, look! I’m flying!”
A younger Connors chuckled from behind the camera. “Careful, Lillian. If you fly too high, you’ll end up on another planet.”She beamed at him, fearless. “That’s okay! You’ll come get me, right?”He never answered. He just laughed.He hadn’t known.Hadn’t known she would be taken.Hadn’t known he would fail.Hadn’t known he would bury an empty coffin.His throat tightened. He turned away from the video, his gaze falling to the small holo-frame on his desk. The same little girl, frozen in time, her front tooth missing, her smile wide and oblivious. He ran a hand over his face, exhaling slowly.They called it an acceptable loss.He called it a failure.Connors lifted his head, his grief hardening into something colder. Resolve.How many more parents had stood where he did? How many more children had been written off?They had the power to stop it. They had the technology.And they did nothing.No more.He turned back to the console. The signal pulsed steadily—strong, undeniable. The Goa’uld were coming.This time, Earth wouldn’t get the chance to ignore the warning.They ignored him before.Now, they would listen.A voice crackled over his comms, snapping him back to reality.
“Security breach detected. SG-1 has entered Sublevel 6.”
Connors exhaled slowly, steeling himself."Finally," he muttered, standing. "Let’s see if they’re ready to hear the truth." The search for Connors led SG-1 deeper into the dim hallways of Sublevel 6. Mundell took point, his steps brisk and tense. The corridors stretched on, eerily empty. Security doors stood ajar as if someone had left in a hurry. The atmosphere grew heavier with each step.Vala leaned close to Daniel, her voice barely a whisper.“How bad do you think this is?”Daniel’s gaze swept the shadows.“Bad.”They reached Connors’ quarters. The door stood slightly open, dim light flickering inside. The room was cluttered—papers scattered across the desk, a half-eaten meal left forgotten. A faint glow from a laptop screen cast long shadows along the walls. The air felt wrong, thick with something unspoken.Teal’c scanned the room, his voice low."He was here recently."Sam crossed to the laptop, eyes narrowing as she read the scrolling data."He was running the beacon transmission interface from here."Mitchell’s hand tightened on his weapon."So where the hell is he?"Before anyone could answer, the door slammed shut behind them. The heavy clunk of locks engaging echoed through the small space. Red emergency lights flickered on, casting the room in an eerie glow. The computer screen flickered, the Goa’uld script scrolling faster.McKay’s eyes widened as he worked furiously at the terminal."Yeah… this is bad."Jack’s weapon was already drawn."It’s always bad."The voice on the speakers—Dr. Eli Connors—let out a slow, measured breath.
"I was wondering when you’d get here."
Everyone turned, scanning the room for the source. The security camera in the corner adjusted its angle, locking onto them.Sam’s jaw clenched."Connors, shut it down. You have no idea what you’ve done."Jack’s patience was gone."Cut the theatrics, Connors. Shut it down. Now."A low chuckle crackled through the speakers.
"You still think you’re in control, General? That’s adorable."
Sam’s fingers clenched into fists."You sent that signal deliberately. You wanted the Goa’uld to find us.""Because they were coming anyway," Connors snapped. "All of you—all of you—have spent years lying to yourselves. You think you’re protecting Earth? We’ve been barely surviving. You know how many times we almost lost?"Daniel’s eyes narrowed."And your solution was what—invite them in? Make Earth the next conquered world?"Connors’ voice turned bitter. "Earth has been conquered already. We just haven’t realized it yet."Silence.Connors exhaled, the bitterness creeping into his voice.
"You want to know why I studied Goa’uld tech? Why did I keep fighting to use it?"
Jack crossed his arms. "Oh, I’m dying to hear."Connors’ voice sharpened. "Because I had a daughter. Lillian. She was nine when the SGC wrote her off as ‘collateral damage.’ You keep reacting. Always a step behind. I gave you a way to stop it before it started, and you ignored me."Sam took a step forward, voice quiet but firm. "I’m sorry for your loss."The camera turned to Sam. "No, you’re not. But you will be. Tell me, Colonel—how many more people must die before you admit I was right?"A stunned silence followed. Even Mundell looked visibly shaken.Daniel’s focus remained locked on the camera."Connors, listen to me. You don’t understand what you’re dealing with. The Goa’uld aren’t coming to negotiate. They’re coming to conquer."Connors remained unfazed.
"Then maybe they’ll succeed where we failed."
Sam leaned close to McKay, her voice urgent."Can you override the lockdown?"McKay’s fingers flew across the keyboard, sweat beading on his forehead."Yeah, yeah, I think so. But he’s running this on a different subsystem… give me a second."Jack’s weapon stayed raised. "Pretty sure we don’t have a second."The moment Sam’s screen flashed red, her breath hitched.“Jack—he’s activating a secondary beacon!”The alarms shrieked. Overhead, the emergency lights flared crimson.Mundell’s radio crackled.“Sir—we’ve got hostiles inside the base!”Jack didn’t hesitate.“McKay, shut it down. Carter, get that door open. Now.”McKay was already working, his fingers flying over the keyboard.“I’m trying! He’s locking me out faster than I can override—”Sam yanked a cable from the console, bypassing the encryption manually. Her fingers flew, her pulse hammering. “Almost—”The lights flickered, the screen glitching. McKay swore.“He’s rerouting power to an auxiliary system! He’s two steps ahead!”Jack gritted his teeth. “Then we move. Mitchell, Teal’c, Vala—gear up. We’re hunting.”Mitchell’s weapon was already raised. “About time.”A metallic groan rumbled through the facility as locks disengaged. The doors slid open just as McKay let out a breathless laugh.“Got it! Go, go, go!”Jack took point, leading them into the corridor at a sprint. The klaxons blared, the weight of impending disaster pressing down on them.They weren’t just stopping a signal. They were stopping a war. The beacon’s rhythmic pulse echoed ominously in SGC’s control room. Harriman’s hands trembled over the console as golden Goa’uld symbols danced across the screen, each glowing brighter as the transmission reached its final phase. The signal's hum grew louder, a low thrum that seemed to vibrate through the walls.His voice was tight, urgent.“Sir, it’s already too late. The beacon isn’t just broadcasting—it’s summoning them.”Landry’s breath hitched as the realization sank in. “If it’s summoning... who’s listening?” Far away, in deep space, the answer stirred in the shadowed expanse of uncharted space.On the bridge of the Eternal Wrath, the beacon’s signal pierced the void, rippling through hyperspace in golden waves. It resonated with an ancient power, awakening the slumbering war fleet as if rousing a predator from its lair.Moratus reclined on his throne, a cruel smile curling his lips as the signal’s data scrolled across the starglobe before him. The pulsing glyphs illuminated his features, casting flickering shadows over the gleaming obsidian walls of his warship.His First Prime, Gar’lon, knelt before him, armor glinting in the dim light.“My Lord, the Tau’ri have made their move. The beacon confirms their location.”Moratus rose slowly, his golden eyes narrowing in cold amusement as he surveyed the display. The Earth hung vulnerable in the center of the starglobe, bathed in pale blue light, a fragile sphere dwarfed by the fleet surrounding it.“Fools,” he murmured, his voice smooth yet laced with malice. “They think themselves untouchable, yet they beckon me with their arrogance. The game begins now.” Meanwhile, on Earth, SG-1 was running out of time. Alarms wailed through the corridors as SG-1 moved swiftly, their boots pounding against the cold metal floor. Mundell ran alongside them, his breath coming in short bursts."Where’s the security hub?" Mitchell shouted over the noise. "We need control of the base now!"Mundell glanced back, sweat beading on his brow. "Sublevel 4—two corridors down!"Jack gritted his teeth, scanning ahead. "Great. Because what we needed today was a hostage situation."Daniel panted slightly as he kept pace. "If Connors has full access to the base, he could be shutting down defenses, rerouting comms—"McKay checked his tablet mid-stride, his expression darkening."Oh, he definitely is. He just locked out external communications. We’re officially cut off from the SGC."Vala’s voice dropped, her gaze cold.“So it’s him or us.”Jack’s deadpan reply came without missing a beat."That about sums it up."They rounded a corner, only to be met by the crack of gunfire. Area 51 security officers were pinned down outside the security hub, exchanging shots with hostiles in tactical gear. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and burnt metal.Teal’c raised his staff weapon, his voice steady."Those are not standard base personnel."Mitchell’s fingers tensed around his rifle."Yeah, I figured that part out."Jack’s sharp eyes assessed the firefight."Alright, kids. Let’s clean this up."SG-1 moved in. Teal’c fired a well-placed blast, taking down one of the hostiles. Jack and Mitchell flanked wide, covering angles as they laid down suppressive fire. Sam crouched beside McKay, fingers flying over a portable terminal as she worked to regain some control of the compromised systems.Daniel ducked behind cover, shouting to Mundell."Who the hell are these guys?!"Mundell returned fire, his voice strained."They’re Connors’ people—part of a private research cell that went dark six months ago!"Vala flinched as bullets sparked off the wall near her head."Well, that would’ve been useful to know before we got locked in here!"The last hostile went down with a final crack of gunfire. The air settled, heavy with smoke. Mitchell kicked away a fallen weapon."Status?"The nearest security officer, still catching his breath, shook his head."They stormed the hub five minutes ago—locked everything down before we could push back."Sam moved to the central console, fingers flying."They had full access before we even got here. Connors knew we’d come looking for him."McKay’s face paled as he scanned the system. "And he’s still three steps ahead. He’s locked us out of security, and—oh, great!—he’s reactivating the beacon remotely."Jack’s expression darkened. "Of course he is."Sam’s jaw clenched."If that signal stays online, the Goa’uld won’t just come—they’ll coordinate their attack in real-time."Teal’c’s deep voice rumbled. "Then we must destroy it."McKay froze."Destroying it could trigger a failsafe. If Connors planned ahead, it might send out a final emergency pulse before shutting down."Mitchell’s voice was firm."Then we shut it down manually before we blow it up."Sam nodded, already working."And Connors is the only one who can disable it completely."Jack’s smirk was grim."Alright, we find the crazy snake-worshipper, beat the override code out of him, and shut this thing down the old-fashioned way."Daniel exhaled. "That’s… one approach."Jack’s grin didn’t waver. "Best one we’ve got."Sam hacked into the security feeds, eyes narrowing as thermal imaging flickered on the screen."There." She pointed. "Sublevel 7. He’s moving toward the deep storage vaults."Mitchell’s head snapped up."What’s down there?"Mundell’s face paled."Everything we’ve ever classified as too dangerous to use."Vala sighed.“And now we know where the real damage is happening.”Jack’s grip on his weapon tightened."Yeah, this guy’s officially hit my top-five ‘people I want to punch’ list."Teal’c stepped forward, his voice steady."Then let us ensure he does not escape."SG-1 exchanged quick nods. They reloaded their weapons, locked eyes, and moved out—this time to end Connors’ betrayal once and for all. SG-1 moved swiftly through the dimly lit corridors of Area 51, the hum of emergency lights casting eerie red hues against the steel walls. The air was tense, the distant echo of security alerts buzzing in their earpieces."Sublevel 7," Sam confirmed, her eyes locked on the screen of her handheld device. "Connors is already there."Jack tightened his grip on his weapon."Then let’s pick up the pace."They turned a corner, boots pounding against the grated flooring. The deeper they descended, the more the facility changed. Gone were the pristine, sterile hallways—now, the walls were lined with reinforced vaults, each marked with bold red warnings. This was where the most dangerous technology was stored.Vala glanced around, a hint of appreciation in her voice."I’ve got to say, if I were a mad scientist looking to unleash doom on the universe, this is exactly where I’d go.""Not helping," Daniel muttered.They reached the final stairwell, a heavy security door between them and Connors. Sam stepped forward, her fingers flying over the control panel."Locked down," she hissed. "He sealed the blast doors behind him. I might be able to override it, but it’ll take time."Jack exhaled sharply. "Time we don’t have."Mitchell looked around. "Alternate routes?"Teal’c placed a hand against the wall, listening."This facility has maintenance tunnels running parallel to each level. There may be another way in."Vala smirked."Are we about to crawl through some conveniently placed air ducts?"Daniel shot her a dry look."For once, no. But the maintenance tunnels might work."McKay, who had been furiously typing into his tablet, suddenly frowned."Uh, guys? We have a problem.""Just one?" Jack quipped."The beacon’s frequency just spiked. Connors isn’t just keeping it online—he’s amplifying the signal. We’re looking at an even bigger mess if he finishes whatever he's doing."Sam’s hands flew faster across the control panel."Damn it. He’s rerouting the encryption. We need to get in there now."Jack exchanged a look with Mitchell."You and Teal’c take the maintenance tunnels. Find another entrance. Carter, keep working on the door. The rest of us hold position."Mitchell nodded."On it."As he and Teal’c disappeared down a side corridor, Jack turned to Sam."How long?"Sam bit her lip."Five minutes, maybe less."Jack rolled his shoulders."That’s three minutes too long."The seconds stretched, the tension mounting. Then, just as Sam made progress—
B O O M.
An explosion rocked the facility. The force slammed into them, sending them sprawling. Smoke and fire erupted from the edges of the blast door, filling the corridor with the acrid scent of burning metal."What the hell was that?!" Daniel coughed, pushing himself up.Vala groaned."Pretty sure our mad scientist just blew up his escape route."Sam scrambled to her feet, eyes wide as she stared at the security panel—wholly fried."The system’s down. I can’t override it anymore. He just locked us out permanently."Jack swore under his breath."Alright, we’re officially out of options. Time to improvise."Mitchell’s voice crackled through the radio."Sublevel 7 is compromised—Connors just destroyed the vault entrance. He’s still inside, but we have no way in."Teal’c added, "The structural integrity is unstable. If he attempts to access a containment vault, we must stop him before it is too late."Jack took a breath, weighing their options."We split up. Carter, you and McKay find another way to bypass the door. Daniel, Vala, you’re with me—we’re going in the hard way."Daniel adjusted his glasses. "Why do I feel I’m not going to like this?"Jack grinned. "Because you won’t."With the mission in jeopardy and the Goa’uld fleet on the horizon, SG-1 had no choice but to think fast, act faster, and pray they weren’t already too late.Inside Sublevel 7, Connors worked feverishly at a control panel, sweat beading his forehead. The room around him was a chaos of flickering monitors and glowing Goa’uld technology, the air thick with static energy.The beacon pulsed rhythmically, its golden symbols swirling as it broadcast its signal deep into subspace.He was so close.A shadow moved behind him.Connors spun, his breath catching as he reached for the sidearm holstered at his hip. Too late. A hand shot out, grabbing his wrist and twisting it sharply. He yelped, the gun clattering to the floor."That’s enough, Connors," Mitchell growled, shoving him against the nearest console.Teal’c loomed beside him, staff weapon raised."You will cease your transmission now."Connors sneered."You don’t understand. It’s already done. They’re coming."Mitchell pressed his forearm against Connor's throat, narrowing his eyes."Then we shut it down."Sam’s voice crackled over the comms."Mitchell, we’re almost through. What’s your status?""Got the snake-loving traitor in custody, but he says the signal’s already locked in."Sam’s curse was audible even through the static."We need to cut the power manually. Stand by."Connors chuckled, coughing slightly."You don’t get it. You’re too late. This isn’t just a transmission. It’s a gateway."Mitchell frowned. "A what?"The room trembled.A low, resonant hum filled the chamber, growing louder with each passing second. The beacon’s glow intensified, the symbols shifting faster and faster.Teal’c’s grip tightened on his weapon."Colonel Mitchell, something is happening."The monitors flickered, then changed, displaying an image that sent a chill down Mitchell’s spine.
A fleet.
Not just Goa’uld. A massive, coordinated force of warships, blotting out the stars.And at its center, a massive flagship, unlike anything they had seen before.Connors grinned, blood on his lips."Welcome to the new order."Jack’s voice cut in through the comms, urgent."Mitchell, talk to me."Mitchell took a breath, eyes locked on the approaching fleet."We’ve got a problem."Jack’s reply was sharp."Bigger than the one we already had?"The room's hum turned into a deafening roar as the beacon reached critical levels. Connors laughed, the sound almost manic.Mitchell exhaled sharply. "Oh yeah. Much bigger."
Aboard the Supreme Flagship of Moratus, the Eternal Wrath
The throne room of Supreme System Lord Moratus pulsed with golden light, the glow of the starglobe reflecting against the polished obsidian walls. It was a chamber of power where only the most ruthless of the Goa’uld stood in attendance. Moratus reclined upon his massive throne, draped in ceremonial battle armor, his glowing eyes narrowing as he gazed upon the tactical display of Earth.The beacon had been activated. The Tau’ri had unwittingly summoned their doom.A low ripple of rumbles and hisses echoed from the gathered System Lords, their holographic forms flickering before him. Even across the vastness of space, they could not conceal their unease. Moratus, The Shadow Sovereign, The Bringer of Silence, had called upon them—and they had no choice but to obey.At his right stood Gar’lon, First Prime of Moratus, a towering figure of terror, clad in armor that radiated authority and menace. He inclined his head."My Lord, the signal confirms the Tau’ri have activated a beacon of Goa’uld origin. It transmits through subspace to all known coordinates once held by the Empire. We are not the only ones to have received it."Moratus steepled his fingers, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "And so, the seeds of war are sown once more."A flicker of hesitation passed through one of the holograms—Bastet."Supreme One, if the Tau’ri have reawakened our technology, is it possible this is… a trap?"Moratus’s gaze snapped to her, and Bastet immediately bowed lower. The air grew heavy with the suffocating weight of Moratus’s presence."A trap?" Moratus mused, voice smooth yet laced with venom. "The Tau’ri have no cunning. No foresight. They have only their arrogance."He gestured to the swirling projection before him—Earth, bathed in its fragile blue light. "They believe themselves safe. That their so-called victory over the Replicators has secured them a future." He chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that sent a ripple of unease through the assembled Lords."How quickly they forget."Gar’lon stepped forward. "Shall I give the command, my Lord?"Moratus’s lips curled into a cruel smile. "Yes. It is time. Bring forth the might of the Empire. Let them remember the price of defiance."The starglobe shimmered, displaying the fleet. Ha’tak warships—once scattered remnants of the Empire—now gathered in disciplined formation. Their hulls gleamed, weapons primed.The Eternal Wrath loomed at its heart—a warship beyond anything the Tau’ri had faced.Moratus rose, his voice a silken threat. “The Tau’ri will bow before the gods.” His golden eyes burned with cruel certainty. “Or they will be erased.”Moratus paced across the polished obsidian floor, his dark armor gleaming in the light of the starglobe. The Goa’uld Empire had been broken by the Replicators, weakened by the Tau’ri—but he had endured. From the shattered remnants, he forged unity under his rule.“They have defied us for far too long,” he said, his tone cold and sharp. “Striking down the gods, stealing our technology, and calling it victory. That ends now.”He turned to the starglobe, where Ha’tak warships hovered in disciplined formation, engines primed. A slow, cruel smile crept across his face.“With this beacon, the Tau’ri have sealed their fate. They will kneel, or they will be erased.”His fingers curled into a fist, casting shadows across the chamber.“This is not a campaign. This is conquest.”Gar’lon, his First Prime, stepped forward.“My Lord, the fleet awaits your command.”Moratus stretched out his hand over the projection of Earth, his voice calm and certain.“Then let them remember the gods.”With a sweep of his arm, the fleet roared to life. Ha’tak vessels shimmered into hyperspace, a tidal wave of destruction descending upon Earth.At last, after centuries of waiting, his dominion would begin.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jack, Sam, and Daniel burst into the ruined corridor just as the vault doors buckled under an unseen force. The air crackled with energy, the walls vibrating under the weight of something pressing through."What the hell is happening?" Jack barked.McKay, still running calculations, looked pale."It’s not just a fleet—it’s a portal. Connors wasn't just sending a signal; he was opening a door. And whatever’s on the other side is coming through."Before Jack could respond, the reinforced doors gave way with a deafening screech. A wave of energy surged outward, sending them all staggering back.The vault doors buckled and then shattered.A black void spread outward from the shattered vault doors, swallowing the emergency lights. The air warped, tendrils of darkness writhing unnaturally, distorting space itself.Then—movement. A towering figure emerged from the swirling abyss, its armor ancient yet untouched by time. Etched runes pulsed like dying embers, whispering secrets of a long-forgotten power.A golden mask concealed its face, but the eyes—cold, luminous voids—locked onto it with an intelligence far beyond its own. A pressure settled over the room, suffocating and unnatural. The entity inhaled, and reality itself seemed to bend inward.When it spoke, its voice didn’t just echo—it resonated within their bones.
"Your time has run its course. We are the Esh’rak. And your world is already ours."
Jack tightened his grip on his weapon."Oh, hell no." The air around the entity crackled, the pressure growing unbearable. Sam’s fingers raced over her scanner, trying to analyze what they were dealing with."This isn’t just a physical presence. It’s warping subspace. It’s manipulating reality itself."Mitchell aimed his rifle."Well, let’s see if reality still respects bullets."He fired. The bullets never made contact. The air shimmered, swallowing them whole before they could reach the entity. A ripple of energy lashed out in response, striking Mitchell square in the chest and sending him crashing against the far wall."Son of a—" Jack muttered. "Teal’c, any ideas?"Teal’c adjusted his stance, staff weapon primed."If this is truly an ancient force, conventional methods may not be effective. We must find another way."The Esh’rak turned its glowing gaze toward Connors, who was still kneeling, transfixed, his lips parted in awe."You...you heard me. You answered. I brought you here. I am your vessel!"The entity raised a hand. Connors froze, his body seizing as golden tendrils wrapped around him. He screamed—a high, unnatural sound—as his flesh withered before their eyes, energy siphoned into the being’s form. When the tendrils receded, only dust remained."Nope. Definitely not friendly," Vala quipped, already taking cover.Jack scowled."Carter, we need an exit. Now."Sam’s fingers flew over her scanner. ‘I can disrupt the portal, but I need time!’The Esh’rak’s energy crackled.
“Your era has ended.”
Jack fired. Nothing.“Oh, come on.”The floor cracked beneath them. Alarms blared.“Move!” Sam recalibrated frantically. “The portal’s still active—we must shut it down!”Mitchell groaned.“Any plan that won’t get us vaporized?”Teal’c primed his staff weapon.“Sever the connection.”Daniel gestured to the console’s pulsing symbols.“Sam, can we overload the power conduits?”“Maybe—but we have to get close.”Jack ducked another shockwave.“Who’s up for a suicide run?”Vala grinned. “I thought you’d never ask."While Jack, Mitchell, and Teal’c laid down suppressive fire—though it was clear their weapons had minimal effect—Sam, Vala, and Daniel sprinted toward the central control console. Sparks rained down around them as energy crackled through the air, the Esh’rak moving with an eerie, fluid grace as if reality itself bent to its will.The entity turned its gaze toward them, and Sam felt the temperature around her plummet—ice formed on the control panel, her breath visible in the suddenly frigid air."Not today!" Daniel shouted, tossing a makeshift explosive toward the base of the console. The blast shattered the ice, allowing Sam to resume her work.The ground trembled as the Esh’rak advanced, its golden eyes burning brighter.
"You cannot stop what has already begun."
Jack emptied an entire clip into the entity’s chest plate."Yeah, well, we’re gonna try anyway!"Sam slammed the final command into the system."Now! Everyone get down!"She hit the trigger.The overloaded conduits exploded in a cascade of white-hot energy. The portal flickered violently, its form destabilizing. The Esh’rak let out a guttural, otherworldly roar, the sheer depth of its voice vibrating through their bones.Sam felt an icy wave of nausea—this wasn’t just a creature; it was something far beyond their understanding. The air warped violently as the entity’s form fractured, jagged shards of golden light spiraling into the collapsing gateway.Jack’s grip on Sam tightened as he yanked her backward, shielding her from the vortex’s violent pull. Dust and debris surged around them, the walls folding inward like crushed tin. The last thing they saw was the Esh’rak’s burning gaze locked onto them—promising that this wasn’t over.Then, silence.Dust settled.The portal was gone.Jack coughed, pushing himself up."Well. That sucked."Sam exhaled shakily."It’s gone. But not for good."Daniel adjusted his glasses."We just made an enemy older than the Goa’uld."Jack sighed."Add it to the list." The chamber caved in behind them, sending a cloud of dust swirling into the dim corridor. No one spoke at first. The weight of what they had just faced pressed heavily on their chests.Sam was the first to break the silence."The entity is gone, but we didn’t win. The fleet is still coming."Jack inhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face as the long-range scanners flickered red.“McKay,” he called, his voice rough. “Tell me you’ve got a miracle.”Rodney barely looked up from his tablet, his fingers flying over calculations."Yeah, well, unless you want a detailed rundown on how we’re all going to die, I suggest you let me focus!"The floor still vibrated beneath them, distant alarms blaring through the ruined base. Smoke curled in the air, the aftermath of the failed invasion attempt hanging heavy around them.Jack exhaled sharply. "That wasn’t just a scouting party. They were the beginning."Sam’s fingers flew over her scanner, her expression tight."More energy distortions detected in orbit. They’re already here."Jack clenched his jaw."McKay—get me the Asgard."Rodney barely looked up from his tablet, still rerouting power to the collapsing sections of the base."Oh, sure. Let me just put Thor on speed dial—""McKay."Rodney sighed, muttering, "Fine. But don’t expect a miracle."Sam tapped into the console beside him, voice urgent. "Boost the signal through the Naquadria array. We need them to hear us now if they're out there."Static crackled. A tense beat. Then—"This is Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet."Jack let out a breath."Thor, buddy, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice. We’ve got a situation.""Indeed, O’Neill. We are aware of the disturbance. The fleet approaching your world is unlike any encountered before."Mitchell crossed his arms."Oh, fantastic. When the Asgard are nervous, you know it’s bad."Jack ignored him."Tell me you’ve got something that can stop them, Thor. Because right now, we’re out of options."There was a pause."The Esh’rak are an ancient power. The Asgard have limited knowledge of their full capabilities. However, we are prepared to assist."McKay nearly fell over."Yes! Finally, someone who actually has the firepower to help!"Thor continued."However, we must act swiftly. Their fleet is massive, and Earth’s defenses are insufficient. I will dispatch reinforcements, but you must delay their advance."Sam glanced at Jack."That means we have to get up there. Into space."Jack sighed."And here I thought I’d get to do this peacefully."Daniel adjusted his glasses."Looks like we’re taking the fight to them."Jack let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding."Alright," he muttered. "Let’s go save the damn planet."He tightened his grip on his weapon as the hum of the Asgard transporter built around them. They had won one battle.But the war was just beginning. They barely had time to blink before the calm, sterile air of an Asgard warship replaced the thick tension of Area 51. The sudden stillness was jarring—there were no alarms, no shouting, just the soft hum of advanced technology.Thor was at the central console of the Asgard ship, his expression unreadable."O’Neill, the enemy fleet is vast. The Asgard will engage, but even our forces may not be enough."Jack crossed his arms."Then we need backup. You got anyone in your contacts list who owes us a favor?"Thor hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded."There is one race that may be willing to assist. The Nox."Daniel’s head snapped up."The Nox? They swore off direct involvement in war.""Indeed," Thor said. "But the Esh’rak are not merely another warlike species. They threaten the balance of the universe itself. The Nox may reconsider."Sam turned to McKay."Can you establish a subspace link to their homeworld?"McKay sighed."Sure, why not? Let’s just cold-call an ancient, mystical race and ask for a favor. Sounds easy."Jack gave him a look."McKay.""Fine! Working on it!"Minutes stretched into eternity. The Asgard warship trembled under the force of another enemy volley. On the main display, the Esh’rak fleet wasn’t just attacking—they were overwhelming defenses with impossible precision, slipping past Asgard shields like ghosts.Jack clenched his fists.“I don’t care how peaceful they are, Daniel. If the Nox don’t help, we’re done.”Thor’s voice remained calm despite the chaos.“Initiating subspace link. However, it is not certain they will answer.”The screen flickered, then stabilized into an image of a serene Nox elder. Their face, framed by silver-streaked hair, was unreadable.“O’Neill,” the elder greeted, their voice as measured as ever. “You call us.”Jack exhaled sharply.“Yeah, about that—kind of a big deal happening here. If you haven’t noticed, the whole ‘balance of the universe’ thing is at risk, and we’re losing.”The elder’s expression didn’t change.“We do not fight.”Daniel stepped forward, his tone diplomatic but urgent.“I know. But this isn’t just about war—it’s about existence. The Esh’rak don’t just conquer. They consume. If they win, there will be nothing left to preserve. No balance.”The elder tilted their head slightly.“All things must pass, Daniel Jackson. Even civilizations.”Jack scoffed.“You’re kidding me. You’re just gonna let them burn down the galaxy?”The Nox elder blinked slowly.“Violence has ever been the way of your kind. You build weapons and fight wars; now, when you face an enemy beyond your power, you seek more weapons.”Jack took a step closer to the display, eyes hard.“You’re damn right we do. Because the alternative is watching entire planets die.” His voice dropped, and for the first time, anger gave way to something raw. “You think we don’t want peace? That we haven’t tried? We lost people for this fight—good people—because the Esh’rak don’t give a damn about balance or survival. They’ll wipe out everything, and your high-horse philosophy won’t mean a damn thing when there’s no one left to remember it.”Silence.Sam, standing beside Thor, took a breath.“If the Nox don’t fight to destroy, then fight to preserve. You don’t have to become warriors. You just have to stop the ones who would erase everything you’ve sworn to protect.”The elder studied her, then turned to Thor.“What say you, Asgard?”Thor inclined his head slightly.“The Asgard have long upheld a doctrine of minimal interference. However, the Esh’rak are unlike any enemy encountered before. If they are not stopped, there will be no balance to maintain.”A deep hum of thought passed between the Nox on the other end of the transmission. Finally, the elder spoke again.“We will confer.”The transmission cut.Jack exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair.“Well, that went great.”Daniel crossed his arms.“Better than outright refusal.”Thor’s calm voice broke through the tension.“The Esh’rak fleet is advancing. We must prepare for engagement with or without the Nox.”Jack clenched his jaw. “Then let’s hope they don’t take too long.” The battle was slipping away.The Asgard warships, some of the most advanced in the known galaxy, were struggling. Their beams sliced through enemy vessels, but for every Esh’rak ship destroyed, more emerged as if from the void itself.Inside Thor’s ship, Jack braced himself against the console as another tremor rocked them.“We need an answer, now.”The display flickered.The Nox elder appeared once more, their expression unreadable.“We have spoken.”Jack exhaled sharply. “And?”A pause.Then—“You are correct.”Silence fell. Even Thor looked up.The elder’s voice remained calm but carried something new—conviction.“Preservation is not passivity. The balance is threatened beyond repair. We will act.”Before anyone could respond, the space around them shifted.The void rippled as if space itself had become liquid.Massive, organic-like ships materialized, their forms glowing softly like living light. No weapons flared to life. No energy pulses ignited.And yet, the battlefield changed.The Esh’rak fleet shuddered. Their ships didn’t explode or crumble under fire—they faded, unraveling as if they had never existed.Sam’s fingers flew over the sensor readings."They’re not just destroying them," she whispered. "They’re entirely removing their presence from this space—unweaving their molecular structures at a quantum level.""That’s a hell of a way to clean house," Jack muttered.Daniel shook his head, awed. "They always said they didn’t fight… but this isn’t war. It’s correction."Jack stared at the screen, then looked at Daniel.“I don’t know whether to be relieved or terrified.”Daniel swallowed. “Both?”Thor inclined his head toward the Nox elder.“A most effective intervention.”The elder nodded.“Balance must be maintained.”Jack huffed, shaking his head.“Remind me to send them a thank-you card. Maybe a bottle of wine to Anteaus.”And just like that—The battle was over. Slowly, Jack turned back to Thor. This would be a hard bargain, but he needed it desperately. He took a deep breath, his grip tightening on the console."Alright, Thor. Here’s the situation—We really, really appreciate your help and the Nox. But Earth is still under attack way ahead of schedule by the Goa’uld, and we need some serious backup."Thor’s large black eyes blinked slowly."This deviation from the timeline is unexpected. Explain the cause of the Goa'uld's early aggression."Sam leaned in."We know a beacon was activated, something they detected in deep space. It wasn’t in our original timeline. A crazy scientist from Area 51 did it, and the Goa’uld are already coming. You saw their fleet waiting while we were attacked."Thor hesitated."The Asgard cannot intervene in large-scale conflicts without risking the balance of power. We just did because the Esh’rak would disturb the universe's balance. However, I may be able to provide… an alternative solution."Daniel looked up."A treaty loophole? Something that forces the Goa’uld to back off without open war?"Thor inclined his head slightly."There is a precedent. If the beacon violates previously established conditions, the System Lords may be compelled to stand down under threat of greater consequences."Jack huffed."Yeah, but do they actually care about the rules?"Thor’s expression remained unreadable."Only when it benefits them. I will investigate. In the meantime, you must prepare for immediate defensive action."Sam bit her lip, her mind racing through everything they had at their disposal. Every weapon, every defense—every failure. The experimental fusion reactor flitted through her thoughts again. She had spent months on that project, only to shelve it when they couldn’t stabilize the energy output.What if they had the missing piece now?“We don’t have enough power to sustain large-scale shielding,” she said aloud.McKay gave her a look. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”“But… we almost did once.” She hesitated. “Years ago, I started developing a fusion reactor that could handle enormous energy loads—only, we never solved the containment field issue.”Thor’s black eyes blinked slowly.“Containment stabilization is a specialty of Asgard energy systems.”Sam frowned, pushing the thought aside. It didn’t matter—they didn’t have time to fix it. Not now.“It was a dead end,” she muttered. “We need something faster.”Walter Harriman’s voice echoed in the Asgard ship.
"We’ve got multiple Goa’uld vessels on long-range sensors. They’re almost here."
Jack clenched his jaw."Alright, folks. Looks like we’re doing this the hard way."Thor’s voice remained calm."I’ll beam you back to Earth and return shortly with an answer, O’Neill."Without further delay, they were enveloped by the Asgard white light and standing in the Gate Room of SGC before a stunned General Hank Landry.“Again?” he asked.Jack took a step forward.“Hey, calm down. We came from Thor’s ship, Hank,” he said slowly.The armed guards remained with their rifles pointed at the group until Landry told them to stand down.“So, what now? Did you stop the beacon?” Landry asked.Jack made a face that told him their problems weren’t solved and then turned sharply to Sam and McKay."Alright, can you do something?"McKay scowled but took his tablet."We don’t have many options…"Sam exhaled sharply."Our defenses and ships would be crushed. We don’t have enough time to get the ZPM to the chair in Antarctica Outpost."Everyone looked at her in silence.“The what?” Vala asked.“Antarctica Outpost? What are you talking about, Colonel?” Landry asked with a raised eyebrow.Sam exchanged a silent look with Daniel, who looked at Jack.Daniel cleared his throat.“So here you never fought Anubis? Jack never took the Zero Point Module from Praclarush? You never powered the control chair in the Antarctic outpost to activate thousands of Drone weapons, which destroyed Anubis' fleet?The other shook their heads.Sam swallowed hard as she was hit by what happened in this reality.“He was dead by 2002, Daniel. We all were. We never got the chance to make that trip. Shit!”Landry was now looking highly annoyed.“Can anyone explain what you are talking about? Fast!” he ordered.Sam, Jack, and Daniel sighed heavily.Daniel, once again, provided the explanations.“In our original timeline, to make a long story short, Jack downloaded Ancient knowledge to his brain, activated an Ancient star map that showed a picture of Earth, and said two words: Terra Atlantus. The Lost City of the Ancients was the Lost City of Atlantis on Earth. He used a ZPM to reach Antarctica and activated drone weapons to destroy Anubis' fleet. That’s it. Basically,” he concluded.McKay was typing is tablet. “That would be very helpful now”, he mumbled.Landry sighed.“Ok. So that isn’t an option for us now. We need something else,” he said.Daniel had shifted his thought to something else—what Thor had said."The Goa’uld don’t like to break their own rules, right? If the beacon is technically illegal, can we call in a challenge? Force them to stand down?"Jack raised an eyebrow."That sounds like a big ‘if,’ Daniel."Daniel nodded."I know, but if Thor’s right about the treaty loophole, we might be able to stall them."Landry, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke."I don’t like it, but it’s better than nothing. What do you need?"Jack smirked."Permission to raise a little hell, Hank."Landry sighed."You have it. Just don’t make me regret it."Jack turned back to the team."Carter, McKay—give me options. Daniel, find proof the Goa’uld broke their own laws. Walter, get Moratus on the line. Let’s turn the tables."Walter’s fingers flew over the console."Sir, multiple Goa’uld ships are breaking orbit."Jack clenched his jaw."Then we’re officially out of time. Everyone, move!"The team sprang into action, and Jack took one last look at the long-range sensors.The fleet was closing in. At the control room, Walter’s console beeped urgently."Sir, incoming transmission from Moratus. It’s directed at you, General Landry."Landry’s expression darkened."Put it through."The screen flickered to life, revealing Moratus lounging on his throne, the golden glow of Naquadah-infused technology surrounding him. His expression was smug, confident."Earth has always been troublesome," he mused, fingers tapping lazily against the armrest. "But I am surprised to see who is leading your resistance. O’Neill. I thought you were dead."Jack crossed his arms."Yeah, well, I’ve got a habit of ruining bad guys’ days."Moratus smiled thinly. "A habit that ends today. You have one opportunity to surrender. Kneel before your rightful gods, and I may allow some of your people to live."Landry’s jaw clenched. "Not gonna happen."Moratus sighed."Then you will burn. The full might of my fleet will reduce your planet to nothing more than a smoldering rock. Prepare yourselves."The transmission cut.Walter swallowed hard."Sir, multiple ships are accelerating toward our position. We have less than twenty minutes until they enter firing range."Jack turned to the team."Looks like we just ran out of time. Carter, McKay—tell me you’ve found something."Sam stilled, her breath catching in her throat. A thought, a memory—no, not a memory. A whisper.A whisper from another life.The shield wasn’t just an idea. It had existed. It had saved Earth before.Images flickered through her mind—her hands entering calculations, her older self working tirelessly on equations that should have been impossible. She had stood in a different version of this world, facing the same devastation, and had already found the answer."Holy shit," she whispered.All eyes turned to her.Jack, recognizing the look in her eyes, stepped forward."Carter?"Her gaze snapped to him."The Quantum Shield. The one we saw in the alternate timeline worked. We can make it work here."Daniel's eyes widened as realization dawned."You’re right. It’s the only way."McKay frowned. "Okay, I’d love some context before we declare science-fiction victory."Sam grabbed Jack’s vest.“Get me Thor online. NOW!”Jack swallowed. He also knew that look. It was both her Colonel’s look but also her wife’s look. He never argued with either.“You heard her. Hail Thor”, he ordered.After a few attempts, Thor’s projection appeared.Sam stepped forward.“Thor. Look, forget the loophole and the diplomacy. I need to get aboard your ship with McKay. I’ve found the answer to fight the Goa’uld, but we need your help. Your technology. Can you beam us aboard?” she asked.Thor blinked twice. And Sam and McKay disappeared.Landry looked at Jack.“Quite determined, isn’t she?” he asked.Sighing, Jack put his hands on his pockets.“Oh, you have no idea.” Above Earth, aboard the Asgard vessel, Sam took a steadying breath as she studied the schematics on the floating display. The Quantum Shield wasn’t just defense—it was adaptation. And it had to work.She turned to Thor, her eyes sharp with determination.“I developed a Quantum Shield in another reality to prevent entropic cascade failure, but it became much more than that. It doesn’t just block attacks—it adapts. Each time it’s hit, it recalibrates, shifting its frequency to counter the energy signature. That’s why it worked before and why it can work now.”McKay crossed his arms.“You want to build an evolving defense shield in fifteen minutes?”Thor blinked.“Integration with Asgard stabilizers will expedite deployment.”McKay sighed.“Miracle science moment. No pressure.”Sam shot him a look.“Rodney, you’re a genius. Stop whining and help me.”McKay scoffed but moved closer.“Fine. Walk me through it.”Sam quickly sketched the shield’s design on the interface."The shield doesn’t just block attacks—it adapts in real time," Sam explained. "It constantly analyzes incoming energy signatures, recalibrating its frequency to create a perfect counter-phase. Each time it absorbs an impact, it adjusts slightly to become more efficient against the next wave of energy. But we have a problem".Thor’s large black eyes blinked slowly."Your technology lacks the computational efficiency for real-time recalibration. Asgard harmonic stabilizers can process these adjustments instantaneously, allowing the shield to maintain synchronization."McKay’s brows furrowed."So we offload the recalibration process to Asgard tech and feed the updates back into the shield matrix?"Sam nodded but exhaled sharply."That would work—if we had enough power. The shield is an energy hog, and we’re already maxing out our available reserves. Without a stronger power source, it won’t hold for long."McKay ran a hand through his hair."You’re saying we finally solved the synchronization issue, and the shield still fails because we don’t have the juice to keep it running? Fantastic."The ship became very silent.“I’m not giving up. Thor, while you see the schematics and try to work on something, can you beam us back at SGC?” she asked in a low voice.Thor just nodded, and they disappeared. The control room at the SGC buzzed with tension. The holographic display of the approaching Goa'uld fleet hovered in the air, the countdown to their arrival ticking away with ruthless precision."We don’t have much time," Landry said, his voice tight. "If we don’t find a way to stop them, we’re looking at a full-scale planetary assault."Sam exhaled sharply, rubbing her temple. She and McKay had been going in circles, trying to find a way to power the Quantum Shield. The Antarctic Outpost wasn’t an option in this timeline. No ZPM. No drones. Nothing.McKay sighed. ‘Unless you’ve got a spare ZPM—"“Rodney,” Sam snapped. “Not an option.”He threw up his hands. “Then we’re screwed.”Jack sighed. “Play nice. We need solutions.”Sam’s mind raced.“We need massive, sustainable energy. Something…” Her breath hitched. “The experimental fusion reactor.”McKay frowned. “Come again?”“Years ago, I built a prototype at the SGC. It wasn’t stable—we couldn’t contain the energy.”“You’re saying a half-built reactor is just sitting in this mountain?”“It was a dead end,’ she admitted. ‘But with Asgard stabilizers…”McKay’s eyes widened.“We could power the Quantum Shield.”Sam nodded.“If we move fast."Thor’s image flickered to life before her sentence was finished. The Asgard commander tilted his head slightly."Your logic is sound, Colonel Carter. The Asgard possesses advanced containment field stabilizers. If provided with schematics, I can modify the reactor to function within the required parameters."Jack clapped his hands together."Well, that settles it. Thor, beam Sam and McKay and the reactor. Get it online."Before anyone could say anything, a flash of white light enveloped them, and they vanished from the control room. Aboard Thor’s ship, Sam and McKay materialized next to the reactor, which had been carefully transported into a designated engineering bay. The Asgard vessel’s advanced systems flickered to life, interfacing with the ancient human technology.Sam felt a strange sense of nostalgia—this was once her passion project, left behind when more urgent crises had taken priority.Now, it might be Earth's last hope.McKay scanned the reactor."Terrifyingly incomplete—but maybe fixable."Sam ignored him."Thor, upload the stabilizer modifications.""Processing," Thor confirmed.McKay sighed."Great. Let’s just hope it works before we’re space dust."Jack, who had been beamed aboard, was also listening quietly. He finally spoke.“Carter, can you guarantee this thing won’t blow up the planet instead of saving it?”Sam met his gaze without hesitation.“I trust my math. And I trust the Asgard to make it work.”Thor inclined his head. “Then we shall begin immediately.”McKay sighed, rolling his eyes.“Oh, sure, let’s save the world with a theoretical quantum physics experiment. Again.”Sam ignored him, already coordinating the next steps.“Thor, start fabricating the core components. McKay, you and I will oversee the integration with the reactor. Jack—” she turned to him with a determined look, “—you need to buy us time.”Jack’s lips quirked into a wry smile.“Story of my life.”As the Asgard ship shifted into motion, the countdown to Earth’s salvation had officially begun. Back at SGC, Jack leaned against the console, arms crossed, eyes locked onto the screen as Moratus’ smug expression filled the display. The Goa’uld’s golden eyes glowed with confidence, his black armour shimmering under the dim light of his throne room.“O’Neill,” Moratus drawled, stretching out his words like he had all the time in the universe. “Have you reconsidered your position? Or are you merely here to beg for mercy before your inevitable demise?”Jack tilted his head, pretending to think it over."You know, Moratus, I was going to jump straight to the part where I tell you to shove it, but then I thought—why rush? We don’t get to chat much. How’s the whole ‘delusions of godhood’ thing working out?"Moratus’ golden eyes narrowed."I do not have time for your insolence, Tau’ri."Jack grinned."Oh, but I do. And I gotta say, I’m fascinated. Do you take a class for this level of villainy, or does it just come naturally? The throne, the lighting, the voice modulation—it’s all very ‘textbook bad guy.’ Let me guess, next you’ll tell me to kneel."Moratus scowled. "You mock me?"Jack’s smirk widened."Mock? No, no, this is admiration. You’ve got the whole act down. Evil monologue, dramatic threats, a fleet that’s supposed to be unstoppable—real classic stuff." He leaned forward slightly. "The problem is, Moratus, I’ve seen this movie before. And guess what? The bad guy always loses."Moratus’ expression darkened. "You will regret this."Jack’s smirk finally dropped, his voice going cold."No. You will."A beat of silence. Walter’s voice cut through the tension."Sir, incoming energy signatures—"Jack exhaled, muttering under his breath."Right on cue."Moratus sneered. "Fire."Jack’s jaw clenched as the transmission cut."Here we go."The transmission cut abruptly as Walter practically shouted."Multiple plasma blasts inbound—full power! ETA: sixty seconds!""Sixty?!" Jack whirled. "Why the hell didn’t they fire sooner?!"Walter gestured wildly at the screen."Because you were talking, sir!"Jack pressed the comms to Sam and McKay, his voice urgently tight."Carter, McKay—status?"McKay’s voice cracked."System’s buckling!"Sam’s eyes darted to the numbers.
"Ninety seconds!"
Jack’s gaze flicked to the countdown."You’ve got fifty."Outside, the battlefield churned with fire and chaos. Asgard ships darted between plasma blasts, their defenses stretched to the limit. Jack exhaled sharply, gripping the console. They were out of time.Walter’s voice cracked. "Forty seconds!"McKay’s hands flew over the controls. "Almost—"
Thirty seconds.
Sam’s gut clenched as the shield flickered. The first wave would hit DC, Moscow, and Beijing.
Twenty.
McKay swore. "We’re overloading!"
Fifteen.
Jack pressed the comms: "Carter—"Sam slammed the controls. "Divert excess power—NOW!"Thor’s voice was eerily calm. "Energy synchronization complete."
Ten.
Sam slammed the final command.
Five.
The plasma bolts streaked toward Earth.
Four.
The shield flickered, unstable.
Three.
‘It’s not holding!’ Sam shouted.
Two.
McKay’s voice cracked—‘We’re overloading!’
One.
“Impact.""The shield’s out of sync!" Sam shouted. "It’s rejecting the energy—we need to recalibrate!"Jack’s voice broke through the comms."Carter, tell me this thing’s working!"Sam barely heard him, her mind racing through calculations.Then, Thor’s calm voice cut through."I will handle the harmonics."McKay froze. "That’s insane!""Do it!" Sam ordered without hesitation.The second plasma volley hit, and part of the shield collapsed for a split second. A single beam sliced through the gap, tearing into Earth’s upper atmosphere."Direct hit!" McKay yelled, frantically adjusting the controls."Thor!" Sam called out, thinking quickly. "Can we cycle the excess energy back through your stabilizers as a feedback loop?"Thor nodded once."A sound solution. Initiating now."A pulse of white light flickered across the reactor as the Asgard systems began rerouting the power.McKay exhaled sharply, his hands shaking."Okay. That was almost catastrophic.""Almost?" Jack shot back. "The sky just got shot through, McKay!"Before anyone could respond, a third wave of Goa’uld fire unleashed——but this time, the shield absorbed the impact.It rippled outward, glowing brighter—then the energy pulsed back toward the Goa’uld ships.The first enemy ships buckled under their own redirected fire, explosions rippling along their hulls.
Moratus POV
The Goa’uld fleet regrouped, their weapons primed to fire at full force.Moratus lounged on his throne-like command chair, eyes glowing with unchecked arrogance. He leaned forward, golden control crystals casting an eerie glow across his face."Fire everything."The flagship’s cannons ignited, unleashing a devastating wave of plasma fire. A hundred pulses of destruction streaked toward Earth, each capable of leveling entire cities. The Goa’uld had razed civilizations with less.Moratus barely blinked as the weapons surged toward their target. No shield could withstand this.And then—The Quantum Shield flared.The energy impacted— and vanished.Not dissipated. Not absorbed. Redirected.Back at its source.Moratus’s eyes widened in disbelief as the air around him vibrated violently. The command console erupted in cascading warning glyphs.Jaffa officers stiffened, glancing at each other in alarm."My Lord—"The redirected fire slammed into the flagship’s hull, bypassing the shields completely. The Goa’uld shielding technology wasn’t designed to defend against its own weaponry at full intensity.Moratus clenched his jaw as he watched the incoming energy surge ripple back toward his fleet. This was impossible. The Tau’ri were insects—primitive, arrogant fools who should have been crushed beneath the weight of their own insignificance. And yet, here they stood, defying him, defying the will of the gods themselves.How?Had he underestimated them? No. That was inconceivable. The Goa’uld had ruled for millennia, their technology supreme. His fleet—unstoppable. His power—absolute.Yet the Tau’ri had turned his own weapons against him.He thought of the System Lords who had mocked his ambitions and doubted his strength. They would never see this failure. His legacy, his conquests—reduced to nothing.Another explosion rocked the ship. The bridge split open, and Jaffa screamed as it was torn into the vacuum of space.Moratus’s mind raced. Escape. He needed to escape.He lunged for the transport rings.The console flickered. Failed. The controls were unresponsive.His eyes widened. "No."A final explosion tore through the flagship’s core. The throne room buckled, the walls folding inward as fire consumed his vision.In his last moments, as the Goa’uld vessel collapsed into itself, Moratus realized the ultimate horror as he stared at the burning wreckage of his fleet, his golden eyes wide with the unthinkable realization.He had indeed underestimated the Tau’ri.His reign—his godhood—was over.The Supreme Flagship of Moratus, the Eternal Wrath, ruptured, folding inward upon itself before exploding in a blinding burst of golden light.Moratus, Supreme Commander of the Goa’uld fleet, The Shadow Sovereign, The Bringer of Silence, was no more.
Aboard Thor’s Ship
Sam let out a shaky breath as she read the scannings of the shield."It’s learning."McKay ran a hand through his hair."Great. Let’s just hope it doesn’t graduate before we do."Jack’s voice crackled in."I don’t care what it learned, just tell me—are we good?"Sam stared at the readings again.The shield held.The Goa’uld fleet drifted, their weapons dark as the shield protected Earth.Sam exhaled, her fingers still hovering over the control panel, muscles locked in place. It felt impossible to let go—as if the moment she did, everything would unravel.McKay let out a breathy, disbelieving laugh.“We didn’t just protect Earth,” McKay muttered, half in awe. “We rewrote the rules of war.”She swallowed hard, her pulse still racing."Let’s hope it stays that way."Thor’s calm voice cut through the tension."The Quantum Shield has stabilized. Your world is now protected."McKay leaned back against the console, rubbing his face."Well, that’s one way to make history. I’m too tired even to gloat properly."Sam forced herself to exhale, letting her hands finally drop from the controls. She’d done it. They’d done it. And yet, beneath the relief, something deeper gnawed at her.A different world. A different life. Benjamin should have been here.She shoved the thought aside—for now."Thor," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "Take us home."With a flash of Asgard light, the battle was behind them.
At the SGC
Jack sat heavily in the briefing room, elbows on his knees, staring at the blank screen where the Goa’uld fleet had been poised to wipe them off the map just moments ago.Daniel stood nearby, arms crossed, watching the long-range scanners as the enemy ships slowly backed away. He allowed himself to believe it for the first time in hours—maybe days."They’re retreating," Walter confirmed, his voice breaking the stunned silence. "We actually—" He hesitated, then let out a short breath. "We actually won."Jack scrubbed a hand over his face. "Huh."Daniel turned to him. "That’s all you’ve got?"Jack looked up, expression unreadable. Then, finally, he smirked—just a little."Well, I was gonna say ‘Damn right we did,’ but I figured I’d let you have your moment."Daniel rolled his eyes but didn’t bother arguing.The Gate Room doors hissed open, and Sam and McKay materialized on the ramp in a burst of white light.Jack was on his feet instantly, his eyes locking onto Sam’s. For a long beat, neither of them moved. Then, she let out a shaky breath, and that was all it took—he crossed the room in three strides, pulling her into a tight embrace."You did it," he murmured against her hair.Sam exhaled, gripping the front of his jacket."We did it."McKay, standing awkwardly to the side, cleared his throat."Uh, yeah—hello? I was also instrumental in saving the planet. Just saying."Jack pulled back just enough to glance at him."McKay, shut up."McKay huffed but didn’t argue.Daniel stepped forward, adjusting his glasses."So… that’s it. Earth is safe."Jack’s gaze flicked to the control room monitors, where the Goa’uld fleet was now distant, nearly out of range. His fingers tightened slightly on Sam’s arms before he finally let go."For now," he said.The weight of those two words hung in the air.Because if the past had taught them anything—nothing stayed safe forever.But for tonight, Earth still stood.And that was enough.The control room was silent, save for the quiet hum of the monitors and the distant chatter of personnel still processing the battle’s aftermath.They had won.Jack exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face as he took in the long-range sensors. The Goa’uld fleet was gone. Earth had survived a full-scale invasion for the first time in recorded history—without suffering a single loss on the surface.It didn’t feel real.Walter cleared his throat from his station, glancing at Jack before speaking.“Sir… I, uh—just wanted to say—” He stopped, struggling for words, then settled on: “Hell of a job, sir.”Jack blinked at him, then let out a slow breath. He gave a single nod.“Yeah. Hell of a job.”Across the room, Sam was shaking hands with Thor, exchanging final technical confirmations before the Asgard returned to their fleet. Nearby, McKay was half-heartedly arguing with Daniel about who deserved more credit while Teal’c silently observed with an almost imperceptible look of approval.The atmosphere wasn’t celebratory. Not yet.Jack glanced toward Landry, who was watching everything unfold from the upper level. Their eyes met, and Jack saw the weight of command in that unspoken exchange—the awareness that victory always came with a cost.And it had.The SGC hadn’t lost anyone today, but the war had already claimed its dead.Jack’s mind flickered back to names he’d long since memorized, names that weren’t here to see this moment: Kawalsky. Hammond—his Hammond. Janet. Jacob. Too many others.Sam seemed to feel it too. She was staring at the mission board, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the console. Jack stepped up beside her.“They should have been here for this,” she murmured.Jack didn’t ask who she meant. He just nodded.Sam inhaled, straightening slightly.“We changed history today.”“Yeah,” Jack said, glancing at the shield schematics still flickering on the monitor. “Let’s just hope it stays changed.”Before she could answer, Landry cleared his throat.“O’Neill, Carter, Jackson—the President wants you in Washington. Now.”Jack sighed. “Figures.”Landry handed Jack a folder.“Your flight leaves in an hour. The Joint Chiefs are already meeting to discuss what happens next.”Jack flipped open the file and scanned the reports. The words Carter Defense Shield were already being used in official documentation. He glanced at Sam, whose eyebrows lifted slightly as she read over his shoulder.“Well,” Daniel mused, adjusting his glasses, “at least you didn’t have to name it after yourself, Jack.”Jack smirked. “Yeah, well, ‘The O’Neill Barrier’ doesn’t exactly scream professionalism.”Sam shook her head with a small, tired smile.Jack cast one last look around the room as he closed the file. The SGC’s personnel were still moving—some running system checks, others contacting allies, some just standing there, absorbing the enormity of what they had just survived.History had turned.For the first time, Earth wasn’t just surviving. It was untouchable.Jack rolled his shoulders and sighed. “Alright, kids. Let’s go talk to the President.”As they headed toward the elevator, Sam let out a small breath beside him.“And then what?”Jack shoved his hands in his pockets.“Then, Carter, we figure out how to live in this new future we just built.”And for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t dreading what came next. The White House's polished floors reflected the soft glow of the chandelier as Jack, Sam, and Daniel entered the grand conference room. They had faced gods, alien invasions, and reality itself breaking apart—but standing before the President of the United States still managed to put an odd weight on their shoulders.The President rose as they entered, flanked by the Chief of Staff of the Joint Forces and General George Hammond. Seeing Hammond again—a man who had been gone in their reality—hit harder than Sam had expected.“Well,” Hammond said, a small smile breaking through the tension. “I suppose introductions are unnecessary.”Jack smirked. “Yeah, déjà vu’s been a theme lately.”The President gestured for them to sit.“Today, Earth stands because of you. Because of what you built, Colonel Carter.”Sam opened her mouth, but the President lifted a hand."This isn’t just another classified project. The Carter Defense Shield will define history. He glanced at Hammond. “The Pentagon is already establishing a division dedicated to its development, and you’ll be leading it.”The words landed like a physical weight. Sam blinked, her breath catching in her throat.
Leading it.
For years, she had been at the forefront of cutting-edge research, pushing the limits of what was possible, but this—this was different. This wasn’t just another breakthrough; it was the foundation of Earth’s survival. A legacy. And it had her name on it.She glanced at Jack and Daniel, searching for something—reassurance, perspective. Jack met her gaze with a steady nod, his expression unreadable but supportive. Daniel gave her a small, knowing smile, as if he could see when she realized how much her life was about to change.The Chief of Staff slid a folder across the table.“With a well-earned promotion, of course.”Sam hesitated, fingers hovering just above the folder. For a moment, she thought of her father—what would Jacob say if he were here? Would he be proud? She already knew the answer.She exhaled slowly and picked up the folder, her grip steady.Finally, she swallowed and answered, “It would be an honor, Mr. President.”The President smiled.“Good. We’ll talk about the details soon, but take some time to breathe for now. You’ve earned it.”As they exited, Hammond fell into step beside them.“Let’s take a walk,” he suggested. Outside the White House, as they walked through the quiet streets of Washington, Hammond’s expression turned thoughtful.“You know,” he said, “when you all… died in this reality, I spoke with Mark Carter about your affairs, Samantha. About the house, your belongings.”Sam slowed her steps.“He decided to sell it,” Hammond continued, glancing at her. “Said it was too painful to hold on to. I didn’t push back—figured it was his choice.”Sam inhaled deeply, nodding. It wasn’t surprising, but it still stung. She had no claim to that house in this reality, and yet the loss of it felt strangely final.Hammond turned to Jack.“Your house in Colorado Springs, however… I kept it.”Jack raised an eyebrow. “You kept my house?”Hammond smiled faintly.“Didn’t feel right letting it go. I’ve been maintaining it, paying the taxes, and keeping it clean. Figured one day, someone would need it.”Jack exchanged a look with Sam and Daniel. None of them had a place in this world—not anymore.“And me?” Daniel asked. “I assume my place is gone?”Hammond nodded.“You were in a rental. After you were declared KIA, the lease wasn’t renewed.”Daniel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Figures.”Jack turned back to Hammond.“Sir, I don’t want to impose, but… can Sam and I stay at your place tonight?”Hammond studied them momentarily before pulling a key from his pocket and handing it over. “I was going to offer. Take the car. I still live in the same house and’d be happy to have you. Daniel, you’re welcome as well.”Daniel managed a small smile.“Thanks, General. I appreciate it.”Hammond clapped him on the shoulder before stepping back.“Come on, let’s get you settled.” The ride to Hammond’s house was silent. Too silent.Jack glanced at Sam from the driver’s seat, watching how she stared out the window, fingers curled into fists in her lap. She hadn’t spoken since they left the White House. Not when Hammond handed over the keys to his car. Not when Daniel thanked the General for his hospitality and went with him. Not even when Jack told her they’d figure it all out in the morning.Sam Carter, the strongest person he had ever known, was unraveling right before him.He pulled into the driveway, killed the engine, and waited. The car engine had long since gone silent, but neither moved. The ticking of the cooling metal filled the space between them, soft and rhythmic—too typical for everything they had just been through.Sam sat rigid in the passenger seat, hands curled into fists on her lap. The streetlights cast long shadows through the windshield, outlining her profile in sharp relief.Jack observed her, sensing the storm just beneath the surface.“I can’t do this,” she whispered.His stomach tightened. “Can’t do what?”She inhaled shakily, staring straight ahead. “Any of it.”Jack didn’t push. He waited.“I—I thought I could keep moving forward like always,” she admitted, her voice raw. “That if I just focused on the mission, the next step, the next crisis… I wouldn’t have to think about it.”Jack swallowed hard.“Think about what?”Her hands trembled, and she finally turned to him."Benjamin is gone."Jack’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. He exhaled sharply."I know."Sam let out a breathless sob, pressing her fingers against her lips."We should be putting him to bed, Jack. Not—" Her voice cracked. "Not this."Jack curled his fingers around hers.“He existed, Sam.” His voice was raw. “He always will.”Her breath hitched. “But it’s not enough.”Jack held on. “It has to be.”Sam let out a shuddering sob, leaning into his touch as if trying to draw strength from him."I miss him so much."Jack’s voice cracked as he whispered, "Me too." His own tears brimmed, unspoken anguish reflected in his dark eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew. God, he knew.For a long time, they just sat there, her hand in his, grief pressing down on them like a weight they couldn’t shake.Then, barely above a whisper—“We’re not even married.”Jack tensed.Sam turned to him, her face etched with anguish.“We had a life. A home. A family. And now we’re just—what? Teammates? Strangers?”Jack let out a slow breath. He reached up, gently cupping her face, his thumbs brushing away the tears on her cheeks.“Look at me.”She did.His brown eyes burned with certainty.“I don’t care what this timeline says. You are my wife.” His grip on her tightened. “That hasn’t changed, and it never will.”Sam let out a breathy sob, her hands covering his.Jack rested his forehead against hers, his voice thick with emotion.“You are the mother of my son. And even if he isn’t here yet… he will be.” He swallowed. “That’s not an ‘if,’ Carter. It’s a ‘when.’”A shuddering breath left her lips, but something in her gaze steadied. A flicker of hope—not enough to erase the pain, but enough to hold onto.Jack pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, his breath warm against her skin. His fingers tangled in hers, clinging as if letting go might pull them both back into the cold hollow where Benjamin no longer existed.“We start over,” he said simply.Sam blinked up at him, her expression fragile but determined.“How?”Jack lifted her hand, resting it over his heart.“One step at a time.”For a long moment, they just sat there, grounding themselves in each other.Sam closed her eyes.“Just… don’t let go.”Jack’s grip tightened around her fingers.“Not a chance.”And at that moment, even in a world that wasn’t theirs, they found home again in each other. The guest room was dimly lit, bathed in the soft glow of a nearby lamp. Jack sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. Sam stood near the dresser, her back to him, shoulders stiff. The weight of everything—the loss, the grief, the exhaustion—still pressed down on them. But there was something else now, too.A quiet understanding.Sam turned slowly, her gaze meeting his. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed from crying, but there was something else in them—acceptance—a raw, aching need to find solace in the one person who understood exactly what she was feeling.Jack stood without a word. He closed the space between them in two steps, lifting his hands to cup her face.“Are you sure?” he asked softly.Sam let out a shaky breath and nodded.“I need you tonight.”Jack swallowed hard, his fingers brushing over her cheek.“And I’m here. Always.”She leaned in first, lips pressing against his with a desperate, searching need. Jack responded instantly, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her against him. This wasn’t about passion—it was about grounding themselves, about finding something tangible to hold onto in a world that had become unrecognizable.The kiss deepened, slow but intense, as Jack lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bed. Clothes slipped away in the quiet, their hands moving with familiarity, rediscovering each other in a world that had tried to erase them.And there was no war for the first time since they had arrived in this reality. No loss. No pain.Just them.Together. The soft hush of morning wrapped around them, sunlight spilling through the curtains in golden ribbons. Sam stirred, the warmth of Jack's body pressing into her back, solid and grounding. His arm curled around her waist, fingers splayed against her bare skin, tracing absent-minded patterns in half-consciousness. His slow and steady breath fanned across her shoulder—comforting, familiar. The air carried his lingering scent—warm, clean, tinged with the faintest trace of yesterday’s cologne.She closed her eyes, savoring the rare stillness. Her fingers trailed over his forearm, feeling the faint, calloused ridges beneath her touch. He hummed low in his throat, tightening his hold slightly.“You awake?” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.She smiled faintly, shifting just enough to glance over her shoulder. His eyes, still heavy-lidded, met hers with quiet intensity.“Yeah.”Jack brushed his thumb over her hip, the gesture absent but soothing. “Good.”They stayed like that, wrapped in warmth and silence, a brief reprieve before reality pulled them apart again. But for now, there was nothing but them in the golden hush of morning.Eventually, Jack sighed, his breath tickling the nape of her neck."As much as I’d love to stay here all day…"Sam hummed, tilting her head back slightly."Mmm. No meetings, no war, no urgent crises."Jack nuzzled into her hair. "Tempting."She turned in his arms, pressing a slow kiss to his jaw. "We should get up."Jack groaned. "You always ruin my best ideas."She smirked, brushing her lips against his. "Not always."With an exaggerated sigh, Jack rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. He trailed his fingers lazily up her spine, the warmth of his touch sending a pleasant shiver through her."Fine. But if we get up, I say we do it properly."Sam arched an eyebrow. "Properly?"His grin turned mischievous. "Joint shower. Conserves water."She laughed, shaking her head. "Of course. Saving the environment one shower at a time."He tugged her up with him."Exactly. And it’s definitely not because I want an excuse to get you all soapy."She rolled her eyes but let him lead her into the bathroom. Steam soon filled the small space, mingling with the low murmur of their voices, the occasional laugh, and the familiar warmth of being wrapped up in each other. For a moment, it was easy to forget everything else—the weight of what had been and the uncertainty of what was coming. Here, it was just them.By the time they stepped out, Jack’s usual humor had returned."You better hurry up, Carter. If Daniel gets to the kitchen first, he’ll eat all the bacon."Sam chuckled, shaking her head."That’s your priority this morning?"Jack grinned."I have very few joys in life, and crispy bacon is one of them."She smirked, tossing him his shirt. "Then you better move fast, old man."Jack gasped in mock offense. "Oh, it is on now."Sam grabbed his hand with a laugh, pulling him toward the door. Together, they headed downstairs, the scent of breakfast drifting through the house.Hammond was already seated at the dining table, sipping coffee, while Daniel leaned against the counter, buttering a piece of toast. The smell of eggs, bacon, and fresh coffee filled the kitchen, and for the first time in a long while, it felt… normal.“Good morning, sleeping beauties,” Daniel quipped as he took a bite of his toast.Jack pulled out a chair and flopped down.“Morning, Danny.” He reached for the coffee pot and poured himself a mug. “So, what’s the damage?”Hammond set his cup down.“The Pentagon has been working all night on the legal and administrative aspects of your… return.” He folded his hands together. “Colonel Carter, your position is already established, but you two”—he looked at Jack and Daniel—“are a little more complicated.”Jack and Daniel exchanged a glance.“How complicated?” Jack asked, sipping his coffee.“Well,” Hammond began, “technically, in this reality, you’re still listed as Colonel O’Neill. You never made General here because you…” He hesitated. “Didn’t live long enough.”Jack let out a slow breath.“Right. That.”“However,” Hammond continued, “given everything that’s happened, the President and the Joint Chiefs are working on reinstating you with the appropriate rank and position. It’s just going to take a little time.”Jack frowned.“So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Retire?”Hammond gave him a pointed look.“You could take a break.”Jack scoffed.“A break? What’s that?”Daniel snorted into his coffee.“I think it’s that thing normal people do when they aren’t constantly saving the world.”Hammond chuckled but turned serious again.“Look, son, you and Sam just survived months of hell I can’t imagine. You lost your home, your son, your lives. And you still came back fighting.” He gestured at Sam. “The shield will hold. McKay is overseeing everything with the Pentagon for now. The world won’t end if you take some time to breathe.”Sam, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.“He’s right.”Jack turned to her, raising an eyebrow.“We’ve been running nonstop,” she continued, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee mug. “We need time to adjust. To figure out what our lives are now.”Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn’t used to stopping. But looking at Sam—at the exhaustion written all over her face—he realized they needed this.Daniel set his mug down.“I think I’ll take a trip. See this world for myself.”Jack gave him a look.“Danny, I don’t think the Smithsonian changed that much.”Daniel rolled his eyes.“I mean off-world. The SGC is still running, right?” He turned to Hammond. “I’d like clearance to visit some of our allies. See how things compare. Join SG-1 in some missions if they'll have me.”Hammond nodded.“I’ll make arrangements.”Jack sighed dramatically.“Fine. If Daniel’s off gallivanting across the galaxy, I guess Carter and I can go to my cabin.”Sam’s lips twitched.“Your cabin?”Jack shrugged.“It’s still mine in this timeline. George confirmed it last night.”She considered that for a moment, then nodded.“I think that actually sounds… nice.”Hammond smiled.“Good. You leave tomorrow.”Jack raised an eyebrow.“That soon?”Hammond leaned forward.“Take the offer, Jack.”Jack exhaled, glancing at Sam before giving a slight nod.“Alright. We’ll go.”Daniel smirked.“Try not to get eaten by a bear.”Jack threw a piece of bacon at him.For the first time in a long time, they laughed.And for the first time in a long time, the future didn’t seem so uncertain.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
EPILOGUE Two years had passed since the world nearly ended. Two years since they had returned, fought, won—and somehow, despite everything, found a way to begin again.Georgetown in the late spring was a postcard of serenity. Rows of red-brick townhouses stood shoulder to shoulder along tree-lined streets. The one at the corner of Prospect and 34th had been theirs for over a year now — not the same house they had lived in before, but close enough to feel like home.Sam stood by the large bay window, one hand resting on the curve of her belly. Eight months along. Benjamin Carter O'Neill would be here any week now.The thought should have been pure joy—in many ways, it was. But happiness and grief had intertwined in ways she could never entirely untangle. Her fingers traced slow circles over the stretched cotton of her shirt, feeling the little kicks from within—each flutter a reminder of what had been lost. Another life, another child—a little boy with her eyes and Jack’s smile—a child born in another timeline, stolen by the fracture between realities.They had mourned him silently, carrying the grief in the spaces between words. A loss unspoken but never forgotten.This Benjamin would not replace him. But he would be theirs — again.Behind her, the soft creak of the floorboards signaled Jack’s approach. His arms slipped around her, resting against the swell of her abdomen. His breath was warm at her temple."He’s restless tonight," Jack murmured, his hand brushing alongside hers. "Guess the kid takes after us—always moving, never stopping."Sam huffed a quiet laugh."We never did have the luxury of standing still."Jack’s fingers traced slow circles over her belly."You ever think about how often we almost didn’t make it here?"She swallowed. "All the time."They didn’t need to list the moments—the near-misses, the battles where they had expected to die, the years spent with walls between them. They had spent so much time fighting for something they weren’t even sure they could have. And now…Jack pressed a kiss to her hair."Well, we did. And I’ll take restless nights over Goa’uld invasions any day."Sam’s smile flickered, small but real. These quiet moments — stolen between the uncertainty of their careers and the long road they had taken since Earth was attacked for the first time and defeated — were everything.They had married again the year before, under far less dramatic circumstances. No Presidential orders, no secrets. Just a small ceremony with General Hammond, Daniel, Teal'c, Vala, and Cameron as witnesses. Jack had worn his dress blues. Sam had worn a simple white dress that fit her like a second skin. They had exchanged vows in the garden of Hammond’s house, the sunlight filtering through magnolia trees.No one had called them foolish this time. They had earned every piece of happiness carved out of the chaos."You’re thinking too hard," Jack said quietly, his lips brushing against her temple.Sam released a soft breath, blinking away the sheen in her eyes."I’m scared," she admitted.Jack’s arms tightened around her. They had talked about this more times than she could count — late at night, in whispered conversations under tangled sheets. But the fear never entirely went away."I know," he said. "Me too."Her hands rested over his, fingers lacing together."What if something happens again? What if someone takes him from us?"Jack exhaled slowly, resting his chin on her shoulder."Then we fight like hell to hold on to him. Just like we did before."A small sob caught in her throat. He turned her gently, cradling her face in his hands. The lines around his eyes were more profound now, silver streaking through his hair. But his gaze was steady — the same unwavering strength she had always found in him."We’ve lost so much," she whispered."I know." His thumb brushed along her cheekbone. "But not this time, Carter. Not him. Not us."The ache cracked open inside her, spilling into tears she had held back for too long. Jack wrapped her up, letting her cry into his chest — a silent promise stitched into every heartbeat against her ear.They stood like that long, swaying gently to some soundless rhythm. Outside, the city carried on — distant sirens, the murmur of passing cars, life moving forward.By the time she pulled away, the tears had dried. Jack kissed her forehead, lingering for a breath before pressing his hand back to her belly."You’re gonna be okay, Benny," he murmured. "Your mom’s the strongest person I know."Sam’s heart clenched at the name — a whispered tether between what they had lost and what they were about to gain.They had already painted the nursery a soft blue and filled it with books and star charts. A small telescope was waiting by the window, and a battered old teddy bear tucked in the crib was the same one Sam had carried from the other timeline, wrapped in layers of hidden grief.Jack’s transfer to Homeworld Security had finally come through, placing him next in line to take over when Hammond retired. Sam had entered her role at the Pentagon, heading the newly established Quantum Shield Department. They were two of the most influential minds in the country — but here, in this house, they were simply Jack and Sam. Waiting for their son to come home.Jack’s fingers traced slow circles over her belly, mirroring hers."He’s gonna have your brains," he muttered. "God help him."Sam smiled faintly."And your stubborn streak.""Hell of a combination."They stood in the soft glow of the lamp, wrapped in the quiet certainty of each other.Tomorrow would bring its battles — promotions, responsibilities, and the ever-present weight of the universe pressing down on their shoulders.But tonight — tonight was theirs.Jack pressed a final kiss to her forehead, his voice barely a whisper."Welcome home, Benny."And for the first time in years, the world felt whole again. Benjamin arrived seven weeks later.It was a quiet birth — no complications, no emergencies. Just Jack gripping her hand through every contraction, whispering encouragement as she brought their son into the world. When the first cry echoed through the small delivery room, Sam broke into quiet sobs. Jack pressed his forehead against hers, breathless with relief."He’s here," Jack whispered, his voice catching. "You did it, Carter."Benjamin was placed in Sam’s arms—a perfect, wriggling miracle with downy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Sam traced the curve of his tiny nose, her heart swelling with awe and fear.Jack let out a breathless laugh, pressing his forehead to hers."Hell of a long road to get here, huh?"Sam closed her eyes, exhaustion and emotion washing over her."Yeah… but we made it."Jack pulled back just enough to look at her. His voice was rough, raw."Yeah, Carter. We did."Benjamin looked so fragile, so utterly human.They brought him home to the soft hum of a nursery filled with starlight and lullabies. The sleepless nights, the whispered fears—these were expected. But in the quiet moments, when Benjamin lay nestled between them, Sam would catch flickers at the edges of her vision. A warmth that lingered too long on her skin. A static charge that clung to Jack’s fingers.They told themselves it was nothing. They had time.But the Architects had warned them—he was born of two worlds: flesh and potential.In the following weeks, they watched him with reverence and quiet terror. His cries were ordinary, his laughter bright. But there were moments when Sam caught Jack watching their son in the dead of night, his brow furrowed."What if he’s like him?" Jack asked one night, voice low.Sam’s heart ached. She knew who he meant — the other Benjamin, the one who had shattered realities with golden eyes and hands wreathed in light."Then we’ll be there with him every step of the way," she said softly. "No matter what he is."Jack nodded slowly, his fingers brushing Benjamin's delicate, soft hair."I just… I don’t want him to be afraid of what he is."Neither did she. But even as they wrapped him in love, they weren’t waiting for an if—just a when— the flicker of golden light, the pulse of something infinite hiding beneath his perfect skin.They carried a quiet dread—knowing that this little boy could touch the universe's boundaries one day.For now, Benjamin was just a baby, tucked safely between them, his tiny hand curling unconsciously around Sam’s finger. And in the hush of the night, wrapped in Jack’s arms, Sam let herself believe that maybe this time, the universe would let them keep him. Three weeks later, Daniel visited. He arrived bearing books and small gifts, his face lighting up when he saw Benjamin bundled in Sam's arms. As the evening stretched on and Benjamin slept in his bassinet, they spoke in low tones — about SG-1, the missions Daniel had undertaken, and the new world the Quantum Shield had ushered in."It's peaceful now," Daniel mused, cradling a cup of coffee. "Almost... too peaceful. It's strange. No invasions, no system lords, no last-minute saves. Just... science fixing things. If someone wakes me up in 2145 and I find out we're living in a utopia run by the Directorate, I'll be really pissed."Jack smirked."Let’s be real—if anyone’s calling the shots by then, it’s Carter. We’re all just living in her utopia."Sam's lips twitched, but the humor faded quickly."It's not a utopia... yet. The shield's just the start. We're adapting Asgard technology for medical advancements, working on clean energy sources, and even stabilizing the climate. But it feels... fragile. Everything could unravel if we push too hard or move too fast."Daniel leaned forward, his eyes thoughtful."Maybe that’s what makes it real. A perfect world doesn’t come from power alone. It’s built piece by piece, choice by choice. And you're giving people the tools to make those choices. The question is — will they use them?"Sam glanced at Benjamin, his chest rising steadily and falling a slight promise of the future."I don't know," she admitted softly. "But if he’s like him... like the other Benjamin — what if his power could shape that future in ways we can't control? What if he's not just part of this world... but the key to it?"Daniel's gaze flicked between Jack and Sam."Then you'll have to trust that what you're building now will be strong enough to protect him — and that when the time comes, he'll know how to protect it, too."Jack's hand found Sam's beneath the table, their fingers lacing together. They clung to that fragile hope — that this time, they could give their son a world where he wouldn't have to carry the weight of the infinite alone.Daniel stayed for a couple of days, helping and offering quiet reassurances. When he finally left, pressing a soft kiss to Benjamin’s forehead, the house felt heavier — as if some invisible safety net had been removed.Jack’s part-time schedule meant he could stay with Sam more often. They adapted quickly to the demands of sleepless nights and endless feedings. Benjamin’s aversion to sleep tested their patience, but his laughter made the struggles worthwhile. The only times he indeed seemed content were when Sam sang lullabies or talked to him about quantum mechanics in hushed tones. Still, in the quiet moments, Sam watched him, fear threading through her joy. What if the universe decided he wasn’t theirs to keep?It was precisely the same as before.Every night, as the three-month barrier approached, the tension thickened. Sam caught Jack glancing at Benjamin, searching his tiny face for something neither of them dared name. They both breathed with relief as the weeks passed and nothing happened. He was little, fragile, so utterly human.But now and then, something tugged at the edge of Sam’s awareness. A warmth lingered where his tiny fingers touched her skin. The nursery lamp would flicker, just for a moment, when he fussed. She told herself it was a coincidence, exhaustion playing tricks on her mind. One evening, Jack found her watching Benjamin sleep, arms folded against the crib rail."Penny for your thoughts?" he murmured.Sam didn’t look away from their son."I was just thinking… this is the longest stretch of peace we’ve ever had."Jack leaned against the doorframe."Yeah. Feels weird, doesn’t it?"She finally turned to him, her lips curving."Not weird. Just… different."Jack’s hand brushed against hers."Maybe that’s what winning feels like."Sam wanted to believe that. She really did. Until one night.The fire alarm shattered the silence.Sam jolted awake, the shrill, piercing wail cutting through the stillness like a knife. Her heart raced as her eyes darted to the crib at the foot of their bed. Benjamin was awake, his tiny fists flailing as he let out sharp, panicked cries. A faint glow, golden and pulsing with the alarm, flickered over his skin.“Jack!” Sam gasped, sitting up. The air in the room felt wrong—dense, vibrating faintly with an almost imperceptible hum.Jack was already up, fumbling to silence the alarm.“Damn thing—false alarm?” he muttered, but as he turned back toward the crib, his words faltered.The overhead light flickered violently, casting jagged shadows across the walls. A sudden crack echoed through the room as a faint arc of electricity leapt from the light fixture to the corner of the crib. Sam threw off the blankets and rushed to Benjamin, her hands trembling as she reached for him.“Benjamin!” she called softly, trying to calm her voice despite the panic clawing at her throat. Her fingers brushed his cheek—and instantly recoiled. His skin was hot, not like a fever but radiating heat that seemed to pulse outward.“Sam!” Jack’s voice was sharp. “Get him—”Before he could finish, the air seemed to ripple, a distortion that made the walls shimmer like a heatwave. The bedside lamp exploded with a sharp pop, spraying glass fragments across the floor. Benjamin’s cries grew louder, his tiny body thrashing as a golden light flared around him.“Jack, what’s happening?” Sam shouted, clutching Benjamin despite the static that stung her arms and the heat radiating from his tiny body. The metallic scent of ozone filled the room, thick and suffocating.“I don’t—” Jack started, stepping toward her, but the floor beneath them seemed to pulse.A force rippled outward, making the room feel like it were vibrating at the edges of reality. The sound of the fire alarm distorted, warping into a low, resonant hum that echoed in their bones.Jack tried again, pushing through the invisible current that seemed to press against them.“Sam, we need to—”The surge came without warning. A sharp pulse of energy exploded outward from the crib, clattering the alarm unit to the floor and extinguishing the light entirely. The room plunged into darkness save for Benjamin's faint, flickering glow. The temperature dropped instantly, and an eerie stillness replaced the oppressive heat.The silence was deafening.Sam clutched Benjamin tighter, her breath in shallow gasps as she looked down at him. The golden light around him faded, retreating beneath his skin as his cries softened into hiccups. His tiny hand reached for her collar, his blue eyes wide and glassy with confusion.Jack knelt beside them, his hand resting on Sam’s arm.“You okay?” he asked, his voice low but tight with urgency. He glanced down at Benjamin, his jaw tightening as he took in the boy’s innocent expression.Sam’s voice was barely a whisper.“Jack… his eyes. They flickered. Just for a second—gold.”Jack exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face.“We need to figure this out,” he said. His tone was calm, but the edge of fear in it was unmistakable.Sam nodded, her hands still trembling as she rocked Benjamin back and forth. The air around them had gone still, but the weight of what had just happened pressed heavily against her chest.Benjamin yawned, his tiny body curling into her arms as if the storm hadn’t just passed through him. Sam kissed the top of his head, her lips trembling against his warm skin.Something had changed. And this time, it wasn’t going away.For a long moment, they stood in silence — the weight of two timelines pressing against their chests.A force of nature.Their son.Again. After the fire alarm night, the weight of what they had seen lingered in the house. Jack sat in the living room late at night, nursing a glass of whiskey while Sam rocked Benjamin, fear pooling beneath her exhaustion."Thor," Jack said one evening, breaking the silence. "We should contact Thor."Sam's head snapped up, her eyes flashing with panic. "No, Jack. If anyone finds out—""Thor won't tell anyone. You know that. He saved our asses more times than I can count. He wouldn't betray us."Sam bit her lip and held Benjamin tighter. The thought of exposing their son, even to an ally, sent ice down her spine."What if someone traces the transmission? What if the Asgard aren't as untouchable as they used to be?"Jack crossed the room slowly, wrapping his hand around her wrist. His voice was low, steady."If something's happening to him, we need to know. And Thor's the only one who can help without... without making him a target."A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Sam nodded, her eyes shining with reluctant trust.They waited two more nights before Jack placed the encrypted call from his communication relay. Thor took nearly twenty-four hours to respond, his holographic image flickering into life."O'Neill. It is... good to see you."Jack's throat tightened."Hey, buddy. We need a favor. Off the record."Thor's large black eyes flicked to Sam, who cradled Benjamin behind Jack. The Asgard's voice softened."I understand. What is it you require?"Jack's gaze dropped to his son."A medical examination. Quietly."Thor inclined his head."It will be done. Prepare for transport."Within seconds, the three of them were aboard the Asgard vessel, its sterile, silver walls stretching into infinity. Benjamin squirmed in Sam’s arms, his blue eyes wide as Thor’s scanning devices hummed around him.Jack stood close, his hand never leaving Sam's back. Neither spoke as the machines worked, the low pulses filling the silence. Every second felt like an eternity.Finally, Thor's voice broke the stillness.“He is... remarkable.”Sam’s breath caught in her throat. Jack's grip tightened.“Is he... like before?” Sam whispered.Thor's head tilted slightly.“His genetic structure is... impressive. There are no immediate signs of activation like the ones you mentioned from your son from the other timeline. However… that may not last.”Jack dragged a hand over his face with a slow exhale.“That’s what I was afraid of.”Thor hesitated—just for a fraction of a second, but Jack saw it."O’Neill…" Thor's voice was quieter now. "I have watched your species defy extinction more times than probability should allow." His gaze flicked to Benjamin, lingering. "I have also watched you raise forces beyond your control—forces that could have unmade you." A pause. "Some did."Sam exhaled sharply. Jack clenched his jaw.Thor’s large eyes met theirs."Yet, repeatedly, you have chosen to protect rather than destroy. That is what sets you apart." He inclined his head toward the baby in Sam’s arms. "This child will walk that line. But he is yours, and that gives me hope."Jack dragged a hand down his face. "No pressure, then."Sam swallowed hard, her arms tightening around Benjamin. Jack exhaled slowly, rubbing his jaw.“Can you fix it?” he asked, voice quiet.Thor inclined his head.“I can bolster his immune system… but doing so may accelerate the activation of his abilities. The decision must be yours.”Sam's heart clenched, and Jack’s jaw tightened. The waiting game had only just begun.Sam's gaze dropped to Benjamin, who lay quietly on the examination platform, his blue eyes wide and unblinking."If he’s going to have these powers... wouldn't it be better if they surfaced while we could still guide him?" Jack murmured.Sam's breath caught. It was precisely what she had been afraid of — pushing their son into something he could not yet understand.But the memory of the other Benjamin haunted her. The child who had burned too brightly, too fast, and left devastation in his wake.She closed her eyes, drawing in a slow breath."Do it," she whispered.Thor moved silently, his slender hands activating the medical array. Light shimmered across Benjamin's tiny form as the Asgard worked. The baby stirred, his fingers curling, but he did not cry.Minutes later, the light dimmed. Thor scanned Benjamin once more and turned toward them."His immune system is now stable. His genetic potential has begun to unlock."Sam stepped forward, gathering Benjamin into her arms. He blinked at her, then turned his head toward the glowing panels lining the ship.A moment later, the lights flickered — each one pulsing perfectly with his chest's tiny rise and fall.Thor's voice broke the silence."Remarkable."Jack exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face.Sam pressed a trembling kiss to her son's forehead. The path ahead was clearer now — and infinitely more dangerous."What do we do now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Thor's gaze was steady."You raise him. You love him. And you teach him what it means to be human — before he learns what it means to be something more."Thor's intervention awakened what lay dormant. When they returned to Earth, their Georgetown house felt heavier, the air thick with secrets.Jack carried Benjamin to their bedroom while Sam walked beside him, her fingers brushing the infant's downy head. Every flicker of light clenched her heart, and every tiny sound pulled her into high alert. They settled into a delicate routine. Sam began building small containment devices — rudimentary inhibitors woven into baby blankets and tiny socks. Jack filled the house with noise, tuning radios to static to drown out the silence.But Benjamin was already reacting to the world. His gaze followed the flicker of lamps, and his tiny fingers curled when the television crackled with energy.One time, when they returned home after some park time with Benjamin, the house felt different. Charged. Every creak of the floorboards, every flicker of the lights seemed louder, sharper. Sam rocked Benjamin by the window, the city’s distant hum a backdrop to her thoughts."He feels it," she whispered, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "He knows it’s there."Jack leaned against the doorframe, his face shadowed in the moonlight."Then we’ll walk with him every step of the way," he said softly. "One day at a time. We show him how to control it—how to be more human than anything else."Sam’s chest tightened, her hand brushing Benjamin’s soft hair. The thought of what lay ahead terrified her. But at that moment, with Jack’s steady presence beside her, she believed it might be enough. They started small. Sam whispered equations to him during feedings, explaining gravity and magnetic fields as if he could already understand. Jack played with light, passing small lamps before Benjamin's eyes and watching the flickers in return.The crisp autumn air had given way to the first hints of spring, a season of renewal matching their cautious hope. By the time Benjamin was six months old, the lights in the nursery would dim when he cried, a silent echo of the energy stirring within him.Thor's words echoed in both their minds.
"Remarkable."
Their life had changed, but this—this was theirs.Together, they would shape him — this child born of two worlds — into something neither universe had ever seen.And as the days turned into months, they watched him grow. The flickers of power remained small within the quiet moments: a toy floating just out of reach, a light dimming when he slept. They never spoke of it openly, but the unspoken truth lingered in every glance exchanged between them.They had time.For now, Benjamin was just their son.Each moment seemed harmless—until they weren’t. A mobile spinning a little too smoothly above his crib, the way his blanket never entirely slipped off during the night, as if an invisible hand kept it tucked around him. It was nothing, they told themselves. Babies kicked, stretched, and twitched in their sleep.Then came the small shocks when Jack held him too long, a static charge that left his fingers tingling. Sam would catch the television flickering just as Benjamin turned his head toward it. He was curious and engaged with the world around him—but sometimes, it seemed the world was responding to him, too. The seasons blurred, summer fading into autumn as Benjamin grew more curious with each passing day. By his first birthday, when golden leaves painted the sidewalks outside, they had learned to mask their worry behind soft smiles and whispered reassurances.Jack played distraction, roughhousing just enough to keep Benjamin laughing and channeling the energy into something harmless. Sam monitored him, tracking every anomaly, cataloging changes with a scientist's quiet precision, trying not to let a mother’s fear cloud her judgment.They still didn’t know how much he understood. Sometimes, he would stare at them, eyes wide and knowing, as if he sensed the weight of their concern. Other times, he was just a toddler, gleefully smacking mashed bananas onto his high chair, babbling nonsense, and reaching for them with tiny, eager hands.They kept waiting—for the moment everything changed.It came in small doses. The night Sam walked into his nursery, he found him floating two inches above the mattress, deep in sleep, his stuffed bear hovering alongside him. The following day, Jack watched Benjamin reach for a toy and—without touching it—pull it into his hands with nothing but a pleased giggle.Still, they said nothing. Still, they told themselves they had time.Then, one day, time ran out.
But the signs continued. By the time he was crawling, his presence carried an energy neither of them could deny. Lightbulbs dimmed when he was upset. His stuffed bear occasionally ended up on the opposite side of the room without anyone touching it. Some nights, Sam would wake up and find Benjamin staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, transfixed by something unseen.Still, they clung to the illusion of time, knowing it would never be enough deep down.It started like any other day."Dada" had been full of joy at first. "Mama" followed, a sleepy whisper against Sam’s shoulder.Then—"Bright."Jack glanced up from his report. Sam’s hands stilled over the blocks.The lamp flickered.Benjamin reached toward it, tiny fingers curling in the air. The hum beneath their skin was almost imperceptible—almost.Then, he repeated it in a voice too young to carry such weight."Bright."The glow swelled.Benjamin giggled.Jack set his report down, slow, deliberate."Well. That’s new."Sam exhaled, running a hand through her hair."We knew this was coming," she murmured. "We just didn’t know when."Jack looked at his son—grinning, innocent, completely unaware of the storm gathering beneath his skin.
The long, sleepless nights of toddlerhood gave way to fleeting moments of calm. Then, the storm arrived when Benjamin turned two in midsummer heat.The house was too quiet.Sam stood in the kitchen, staring at the nursery monitor. Benjamin had been asleep for nearly an hour, but something gnawed at the edges of her awareness—a heaviness in the air, an unsettled charge that sent a prickle down her spine.She tried to shake it off, chalking it up to exhaustion. But then she noticed the way the lights in the hallway dimmed—not flickering, not surging—just dimming, as if the house itself was holding its breath.A sense of waiting.Sam set her coffee down, her heart rate ticking up. She moved slowly toward the nursery, her socked feet making no sound against the hardwood.She reached the doorframe and stopped.The air was thick inside the room, humming with something just outside the hearing range. The soft glow of the nightlight flickered, warping shadows against the walls. Benjamin lay still in his crib, too still, his tiny chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths.Then his fingers twitched.Sam’s pulse spiked as a ripple swept through the room.The mobile above the crib began to turn—not the slow, gentle spin of air currents, but something more deliberate and precise. The tiny plush planets revolved in perfect alignment as if held in an invisible orbit.“Jack,” she called, her voice barely above a whisper but carrying urgency.Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and Jack appeared in the doorway, still in his uniform. His gaze snapped to Benjamin—floating.“What’s—”The crib lifted.It didn’t jerk. It didn’t rattle. It simply rose, floating three inches off the ground with effortless ease. The stuffed bear beside him was rising too, weightless in the air.For a second, the world seemed to hold its breath.Sam’s breath caught. She took a careful step forward, reaching for Benjamin—Then his eyes snapped open."Light," he whispered.And the room exploded in light.The nightlight flared, casting harsh, elongated shadows. A pulse of golden energy crackled across the walls, the static so sharp it buzzed against her skin. Sam staggered back as every lamp in the house flared too bright, the circuits whining under the strain.“Jack!” Her voice was sharp, immediate.Jack was already moving, but the power detonated before he could reach the crib.The bulb in the nightlight burst, the overhead light shattered, and the air rippled with an unseen force, knocking picture frames from the walls. The baby monitor crackled once and died.Then, just as suddenly, it stopped.Silence rushed back in.The crib settled gently onto the floor. The room dimmed, the unnatural energy dissipating like an exhaled breath.Benjamin sat up, blinking sleepily, utterly unharmed. The gold in his irises flickered, then faded back to blue.Jack let out a slow breath, scrubbing a hand over his face. He stepped toward the crib.“Wow. That was… wow.”Sam was still frozen, her fingers gripping the edge of the crib. This was the moment they had been dreading—the confirmation of what they had always known.Her mind flashed back to another time, another Benjamin—a child with golden eyes who had spoken complete sentences by his first birthday, who had held the universe in his hands. A child who had been too much, too fast. A child they had lost.But this Benjamin was different. He was slower, softer. More contained.And yet, Sam wasn’t sure if that was a comfort or a warning.Jack crouched in front of the crib, his voice steady but low."Hey, buddy," he murmured. "You okay?"Benjamin just blinked at him, then giggled. He reached for Jack’s face with sticky fingers, utterly unaware of what had happened.Jack let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head."Yeah. You’re fine. Great." He shot Sam a look—one filled with the same worry clawing through her chest.Sam straightened, her hands still trembling as she smoothed Benjamin’s hair. She was too shocked to speak. The house had gone still, but the charge in the air lingered. Jack sat at the kitchen table, his fingers tapping an uneven rhythm against the wood. Across from him, Sam hadn’t touched her coffee. She was staring at the baby monitor, her expression distant, calculating.Jack exhaled sharply."We need to call Thor," Jack said, breaking the silence that had settled like a weight between them.Sam’s fingers tightened around her mug."You think I don’t know that?" she murmured. Her gaze flicked to the baby monitor, where Benjamin slept peacefully, oblivious to the storm brewing inside their home.Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees."Carter, last time Thor helped stabilize him. If we wait too long—"Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.“So we ask Thor to fix it?”Sam’s throat worked.“Not fix. Slow down. Reinforce his neural pathways, keep things from spiraling before he’s ready.” She hesitated. “Before we’re ready.”Jack let out a rough chuckle, rubbing his face.“Yeah. That’d be great—except what if we’ve already passed that point?”Sam looked up sharply. “We haven’t. Not yet.”He studied her.“You sure about that?”“No.” She exhaled. “But I know we will be if we wait too long.”That was all the answer Jack needed. He reached for the encrypted communicator, flipping open the secure channel. The familiar access codes flickered across the screen before resolving into an image.Thor’s large black eyes regarded them from the other side.“O’Neill. Carter.” His voice, as always, was calm. “You require my assistance once more.”Jack let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair.“Yeah. We’ve got a problem.”Thor’s image flickered slightly. His gaze swept over them, unreadable."Your expressions indicate distress. Where is the child?"Sam and Jack exchanged a glance."Asleep," Sam said finally. "For now."Thor remained silent momentarily as if measuring the weight of her words. Then, with quiet certainty, he said, "This is about the child’s physiology."Sam inhaled sharply."You knew.""I suspected," Thor corrected. "But I did not wish to interfere without cause." His gaze sharpened. "I assume you have cause now."Jack let out a rough chuckle."Yeah. You could say that."Sam angled the laptop toward the baby monitor, her throat tightening. Benjamin lay curled in his crib, his tiny hands twitching. To anyone else, it was a peaceful moment. But Sam’s heart hammered, knowing the calm hid something far more dangerous. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating. Thor was their only hope, and there was no going back. Yet the memory of another Benjamin—his golden eyes and light-wreathed hands—pressed against her resolve like a blade."An hour ago," Sam murmured, "he lost control. He wasn’t awake, he wasn’t trying—he just… was."Jack leaned forward."Lights exploded, the whole house surged with energy. And he—" He stopped himself, his jaw tightening before finishing. "He was floating."Thor absorbed this, blinking slowly."Your concern is warranted." He paused. “Your son’s genetic potential was always beyond the scope of normal human parameters. Allowing his abilities to emerge naturally ensured he would not suffer catastrophic biological rejection.”Jack stiffened. “Well, great. Maybe you could’ve mentioned that the first time we called.”Sam leaned in."Thor," Sam’s voice was quieter now, laced with something raw. "Benjamin’s abilities are accelerating. He’s too young to control them."Thor studied them, his expression unreadable."Your concern is warranted."Jack scrubbed a hand over his face."Yeah, great. Can we skip the part where we pretend this isn’t a huge problem?""I will assist you," Thor said evenly. "This must be done discreetly. The wrong parties knowing this child's potential would be… unwise."Jack let out a sharp breath, eyes flicking to Sam."Understatement of the year."Thor’s expression didn’t change, but there was a weight in his voice when he said, "Prepare for transport."The moment the transmission cut out, Jack leaned back, staring at the ceiling.“You ever step back and realize just how not-normal our life is?"Sam finally took a sip of her coffee. "Jack, we met Thor."And then, in a flash of white light, they were gone. The Asgard vessel was quiet, its silver walls stretching into infinity. The hum of advanced technology surrounded them, starkly contrasting the messy reality of their lives below.Benjamin stirred against Sam’s chest, waking with a soft murmur as the shift in gravity registered. She rubbed his back, soothing him.Thor approached, observing the child with what might have been curiosity—if Asgard were capable of such emotion."May I?"Sam hesitated, pulling Benjamin closer for a fraction of a second. Finally, with a deep breath, she handed him over. The emptiness in her arms left her breathless, and her hands clenched at her sides.A faint pulse of golden light rippled at his fingertips.Thor did not react, but Sam saw it—the momentary pause, the slightest tilt of his head.Jack tensed."You saw that, right?""I did." Thor turned, carrying Benjamin toward a medical console. "He is indeed… unique."Sam’s stomach tightened. She had heard those words before.Jack moved to her side, his hand resting lightly on her back, anchoring her."He’s going to be okay," Jack murmured, though the tension in his voice betrayed his fear. Sam nodded, her throat too tight to speak.Thor adjusted the controls."Based on what you’ve described, unlike his counterpart in the other reality, his abilities are developing at a slower, more stable rate. However…"Jack’s shoulders tensed."However, what?"Thor met their gaze evenly."The potential remains the same. It is not a question of if he will awaken fully, but when."The words landed like a hammer.Sam swallowed, forcing her voice to stay even."And when he does?"Thor's gaze flicked to Benjamin."That will depend entirely on how he is guided."Thor's gaze lingered on Benjamin, the weight of millennia behind his eyes."There will come a time when even the most careful guidance will not decide his path. You can shape him, but you cannot bind him. In the end, the choice will always be his."Jack exhaled, dragging a hand down his face."So, not only do we have to raise a kid—we have to make sure he doesn’t accidentally break reality in the process. No pressure."A beat of silence."That is a fair assessment," Thor said.Jack didn’t laugh this time. He just nodded, jaw tight.Sam pressed her palm against Benjamin’s tiny back."Is there anything you can do? Anything to slow it down?""I can reinforce his neural pathways to ensure stability as he develops. However, this will not prevent his eventual evolution. It will only allow more time for preparation."Sam exhaled. "Then do it."Jack shot her a look, searching her expression. "You sure?"She met his eyes, steady and unflinching."I know what we lost last time, Jack." Her voice caught, but she kept going. "I won’t lose him too."Jack nodded once. No hesitation this time."Okay. Let’s do this."Thor moved swiftly, activating the medical array. Light shimmered across Benjamin’s tiny form. He cooed, his fingers flexing as golden ripples danced over his skin. Then, just as quickly, the glow faded, and he yawned, curling into Sam’s arms.The ship’s lights flickered.Sam’s breath hitched.Jack looked at Thor."That supposed to happen?"Thor’s gaze lingered on the child."He is aware of what we have done."Jack exhaled slowly. Sam pressed a trembling kiss to Benjamin’s hair, her voice barely above a whisper.“We can’t let this slip. Not now, not ever.”Jack’s grip on her shoulder tightened.“If anyone finds out, Carter, they’ll come for him. And we won’t let that happen."He wasn’t looking at her but at their son—a sleeping bundle of possibility wrapped in soft blankets. Sam’s heart ached as she nodded, her fingers brushing Benjamin’s tiny hand."No one," she murmured. "Not this time."Sam clutched Benjamin tighter as Thor’s console dimmed and the familiar white light enveloped them. When the world resolved into the quiet confines of their home, her chest felt heavy. Time was never enough. Jack and Sam had faced many impossible missions before. They had saved the world more times than they could count, fought enemies beyond human comprehension, and survived against the odds. But nothing had prepared them for raising Benjamin. By the time he was three, Benjamin had an awareness of the world that unnerved even Sam. He absorbed information at an alarming rate. His attention span wasn’t that of a toddler—it was longer and more focused, as if his mind were making connections they couldn’t begin to understand. Sam tried to guide him with bedtime stories filled with physics, wrapping equations into fairy tales. Jack, ever the pragmatist, taught him rules: boundaries, limits, how to ground himself in his body rather than the energy that sometimes flickered around him. The years slipped by, measured in scraped knees, bedtime stories, and ordinary and extraordinary milestones.By the time Benjamin turned four, the quiet questions began—ones no child his age should ask."When you stop thinking, where do your thoughts hide?""Why doesn’t time ever get tired of moving?""What’s beyond the edge of everything?"Jack answered with jokes. Sam replied with science. Neither was enough. At six, he predicted something before it happened—a seemingly minor event, a simple conversation that hadn’t yet occurred. But when the words came precisely as he had described them, Jack and Sam lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling."If he can see the future," Jack murmured, "what happens when he starts trying to change it?" By eight, Thor was checking in more regularly. He never said it outright, but they all knew: they weren’t just watching Benjamin. They were watching what he might become.At nine, he started holding things in place without realizing it. A book that refused to fall from the shelf. A spilled glass of water froze midair for a half-second too long. A schoolyard accident where he caught himself inches before hitting the ground—except no one had seen him.Sam ran more scans. Jack doubled down on making him laugh. But they could both see it: Benjamin was reaching a turning point. Through countless birthdays and fleeting summers, their home had become a sanctuary—a bubble of safety against the unknown. But by the time Benjamin turned ten, the quiet signs had grown louder and undeniable in their presence.One evening, as Sam and Jack buried themselves in their work, Benjamin sat at the counter, working on a puzzle. Only, he wasn’t touching it. The pieces hovered, moving independently, guided by an unseen force. Jack looked up just as the last piece slid into place.Jack looked up, brow furrowing."Hey, kiddo, you—"Benjamin blinked, and the pieces dropped, clattering onto the counter."I didn’t mean to," he said quickly. His voice was quiet, but something else was behind it—fear.Sam and Jack exchanged a glance. Jack leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter."It’s okay, buddy. Just tell us what happened."Benjamin hesitated. His blue eyes, so much like Sam’s, flicked between them.“I thought about where the pieces should go, and they just… moved."The silence was heavy.Sam took a slow breath."You’ve done this before, haven’t you?"Benjamin looked down, nodding."Yeah. But not like this. It’s getting easier."Jack exhaled roughly, rubbing his face."Of course, it is."Benjamin’s small hands clenched."Mom? Dad? Does being different mean something’s wrong with me?"Sam walked around the counter and leaned forward slightly so she was closer to his level. She gently brushed a strand of blonde hair from his forehead."You’re special, Benny. But that doesn’t mean you have to be alone."Jack ruffled his hair."It just means you get to break the laws of physics now and then."Benjamin didn’t laugh. He just looked at them, something unreadable in his young face."What if I don’t want to be special? What if I just want to be like everyone else?"Sam’s throat tightened."Then we’ll help you with that too."Jack leaned back, a faint smile tugging at his lips.“We’ll figure it out. We always do."Benjamin smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.That night, Sam woke to find Benjamin standing in the hallway, staring out the window. She walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder."Benny? Can’t sleep?"He didn’t look away. "Mom. I saw something."Sam’s pulse spiked. "What did you see?"Benjamin swallowed."I don’t know. It was like a dream, but not. It felt… real—a war. I felt someone watching me. When I woke up, I wasn’t in my bed anymore—I was… somewhere else."Sam’s fingers tightened on his shoulder."Did you see who was looking for you?"Benjamin finally turned to her. His voice was a whisper."Not yet."A chill ran down her spine. The Architechts. The Hunters. It all came back to her mind.Jack found them standing in the hallway together minutes later, bathed in moonlight. He saw Sam’s face and immediately knew—this was it. The moment they had been waiting for—the moment they had been dreading.Benjamin’s gaze flicked between them, knowing, uncertain."What do we do now?" he asked.Jack pulled him close."We do what we’ve always done, buddy. We stick together."Sam kissed Benjamin’s forehead, whispering a promise against his skin."We keep you safe. No matter what comes."And in the stillness of the night, Benjamin Carter O’Neill—child of two worlds, bearer of impossible potential—closed his eyes and let himself believe it. The house was again quiet.Jack stood on the back porch, a cold beer in his hand, watching the night settle over the city. Though the storm had already passed, the air smelled like rain, leaving the streets slick with streetlight reflections.Behind him, the sliding door creaked open. Sam stepped out, wrapping a light cardigan around herself. She didn’t say anything right away—just leaned against the railing beside him, her shoulder brushing his.Jack exhaled.“You ever think about how we got here?”Sam huffed out a quiet laugh.“Through a ridiculous amount of near-death experiences?”Jack smirked.“Yeah, that.” He glanced toward the house, toward the soft glow of Benjamin’s nightlight. “And, you know… years of pretending we weren’t completely screwed.”She nudged him.“You mean in love?”He pointed at her with his bottle.“See? Screwed.”Her smile softened.“We lost so much time.”Jack nodded.“And somehow, we got it back.”Sam bit her lip, her voice quiet.“We did.”Jack exhaled, staring at the darkened skyline."Remember that planet with the big talking-head rocks?”Sam gave a dry chuckle. "Which one? PX9-412?""The one where you MacGyver’d a naquadah generator while I played human tow truck for Daniel," Jack smirked, shaking his head. "Hammond actually told me afterward that we probably weren’t making it out of that one."Sam hummed thoughtfully."We’ve had many ‘not making it out’ moments."Jack tilted his beer bottle slightly."Back then, I thought we were just outrunning death."She turned to him. "And now?"Jack let out a slow breath."Now I think maybe we were running toward something else. Something better. We didn’t just survive, Carter. We won."Sam’s throat tightened. She thought of all the versions of themselves that never got this. The ones who died in battles, who never found their way back to each other. The ones who lost everything."Somewhere out there," she murmured, "there’s a version of us that never got to see this."Jack followed her gaze to the soft glow of Benjamin’s nightlight. Their son. Their second chance.He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. His voice was quieter now.“We did good, didn’t we?”Sam leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder.“Yeah. We did.”They stood there for a long time, wrapped in the hush of the night, breathing in the life they had fought so hard to keep.Finally, Jack sighed.“You know, I was kinda hoping for a normal, boring life and eventual retirement.”Sam smirked, tilting her head up at him.“We don’t do normal.”Jack chuckled, wrapping an arm around her.“Yeah. We don’t do normal. But we do us. And that’s everything.”She closed her eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.This time, they hadn’t just survived—they had rewritten the rules of fate.They had outrun death.They had fought wars, crossed timelines, and defied fate itself. And now, their greatest battle wasn’t against an enemy—it was raising a child who might one day change everything.But tonight, he was only Benjamin. And he was theirs.