In The Space of A Day
by Suz suzvoy@tesco.net

Disclaimer - MGM/Gekko/Double Secret own them.

Next - and possibly last - in the Remedied series, set soon after Getting There. Spoilers for 'The Serpent's Lair', 'Fail Safe', 'Allegiance', and 'Unnatural Selection'. General knowledge of the show is required. Feedback would be appreciated.

*Finally* I've had the time to write something - how *dare* work suddenly get busy? ;)

To those I owe e-mails to - hopefully this weekend. Fingers crossed!

*

Amazingly, it was the first time she'd actually seen it happen.

Or maybe it wasn't quite so amazing considering that the few times it'd happened before, it'd been SG-1 who'd been out there, trying to stop the very reason it was happening at all - whether by fighting Apophis or diverting huge, planet destroying asteroids.

The evacuation through the gate wasn't quite how she expected it to be. She probably should have known better - these weren't random hysterical civilians; they were almost entirely trained professionals.

Still, she couldn't help but feel that someone should have been panicking. Freaking out.

The way she was.

Maybe it was just because they'd been through it before; they were used to it. She wasn't. She wasn't supposed to be stuck beneath the steel and concrete, planning to abandon the planet she'd lived on since the day she was born - despite, thanks to this place, random and brief visits to other planets. She was supposed to be out there, *doing* something to stop it.

But as they'd already discovered, there was nothing that could stop it.

God, she was getting morbid.

Which probably explained why she was standing in the control room, arms tightly folded across her chest, watching as the latest group of 'necessary personnel' were herded into the gate room.

Trying not to think about those who wouldn't make it.

And selfishly, *selfishly* relieved that-

"Major Carter?"

Davis, turning towards her, holding a phone she hadn't even heard ring. "Yes?"

"Colonel O'Neill's arrived. He's on his way to the briefing room now."

Colonel O'Neill. Ex-Colonel O'Neill. He'd retired. Resigned. Something beginning with 'r'. "Thank you Sergeant."

Turning away from her view of the gate room, though not unfolding her arms, she slowly climbed up the steps to the briefing room.

Funny how everything could change in a single day.

Jonas and Teal'c wouldn't be joining them at the 'briefing' - they already knew what'd happened, and were helping with the evacuation. In fact Teal'c was at the beta site right now, compelling the Jaffa still there to help.

Sam only hoped her dad would arrive there soon. Though the Tok'ra had found a new base on another planet, any and all help was needed. Thoran had - perhaps fortunately for him at least - been unable to stay for long after sharing the Tok'ra's intelligence.

Stepping up into the briefing room, she blearily lifted her head-

He was there already, looking vaguely out of breath. "What happened?" He asked, stepping away from the corridor next to Hammond's office (and where *was* the General?). "Nobody would tell me anything."

God, it was so good to see him. So good to know he was all right, even if logically she knew that, for a while at least, they weren't in danger yet.

But he'd asked, and he needed to know.

So she told him.

The reaction was as she expected: disbelief, confusion, denial - as if she couldn't *possibly* mean what he *thought* she meant.

"What do you mean, 'wiped out'?"

From a personal perspective, it was probably harder for him that anyone else. From a professional one... "As in gone," She told him, still struggling herself to deal with it. "Obliterated. Destroyed. There may be a few isolated colonies or ships somewhere, but for all intents and purposes the Asgard no longer exist."

Jack stepped - stumbled - further into the room, his left hand reaching out to rest on the back of General Hammond's chair, his gaze focusing on - but not seeing the table. "How the hell...?" His head lifted, looking towards - but again, not seeing - her. "Anubis?"

Sam nodded, swallowing heavily. "The Tok'ra picked up a message...a distress call, really. It was badly garbled but they managed to decipher who it was from and what the basic message was. When they went to investigate...there was nothing."

"No Asgard?"

"No," Her fingers dug into her arms. "No planet." Not for the first time, she was gripped by the bitter irony. The Asgard home world had actually been the *new* Asgard home world - thanks to the advanced form of the Replicators taking over Ida - and so soon after they'd taken up residence...

Wheeling the chair backwards he sunk down into it, looking out of place in his jeans and leather jacket. "He can destroy entire *planets* now?"

She well understood his reaction. Even despite the threat posed by the Replicators, the Asgard had always seemed beyond even the concept of being completely eradicated.

"Apparently," She murmured coarsely. "It looks like now that he has this weapon, he's not bothered about taking over or ruling certain planets."

Jack snorted, gaze still away from anything that actually existed. "He just blows them up, instead."

Yes, he did. And it made Anubis vastly more dangerous than any Goa'uld they'd faced before. He wasn't bothered about gaining or controlling the populace - he just wanted them gone.

She saw the moment it happened. When his mind snapped back into his body, when he sat back, blinked, turned towards her, and actually *saw*.

She'd told him on the phone of course, but given the bombshell she'd just dropped it was understandable he'd forget temporarily. But now...he knew.

Sam spoke. "He entered the solar system two hours ago."

He didn't flinch; didn't look away. "We can't stop him, can we?"

She didn't answer.

She didn't need to.

Instead, Sam moved, releasing her grip on herself as she unfolded her arms, lowering her body into the seat to the right of his. "The only good news," Good news. Ha. "Is that we know he's here - the Asgard didn't even see him coming. He has some kind of cloaking device."

"Like the one Apophis had?"

"Yeah, though I'm assuming Anubis' is vastly more complex. In any case, even though the Asgard didn't know he was there until he started attacking, they were able to decipher his cloaking device before..." Pausing, she glanced down. An arm stretched out across the table, touching the back of her hand. Clearing her throat, she continued. "When the Tok'ra cargo ship arrived where Ida used to be, they found a message buoy with the information of how to see 'through' the cloak, giving off a much smaller signal - probably on some kind of timer."

He spoke. "So it would activate after a reasonable amount of time, when Anubis would have left. And the signal was so low that it wouldn't attract any attention unless someone was deliberately looking for something."

She'd missed that when not working with him - the way their thoughts would sometimes align together, and they'd know precisely what the other was thinking. "Which Anubis wouldn't bother to do, *especially* after he left."

Studying their hands, he continued speaking. "So what now? Evacuation?"

Sighing, Sam nodded. "We're estimating he'll be in range of Earth in a little under three hours. All necessary personnel are being taken through the gate to the beta site."

Lifting his head, he met her gaze, and said it:

"Then why am I here?"

Her heart lurched.

It was General Hammond who replied; having appeared in the same corridor Jack had come from. "Because you're necessary, Colonel. The beta site may have limited resources, but you were the leader of our flagship team for six years. You've experienced situations that could prove invaluable to surviving on an alien planet, not to mention your obvious leadership skills."

Jack's eyebrows went up at that one, as he pulled his hand away from Sam and turned to face the General.

Somehow managing some kind of smile, Hammond nodded. "You were in the most senior position here after me for a long time. Despite the training most of them will have been through, things are going to become...trying, on the beta site for a while. Most of them know you, and respect you. That'll be much needed."

"Uh...what about *you*, sir?"

"Rest assured Jack, I'll be there too. But I know when to ask for help. It's not going to be easy."

"Well, uh..." Jack glanced between the two of them. "Is there anything I can do right *now*?"

Hammond finally moved further into the room. "Actually Colonel, there is. We now have a majority of those who are going already through the gate. Though we of course have supplies out there, we want to take through everything from the mess and armoury."

Jack pushed himself up, understanding. "Every little helps. You want me to co-ordinate?"

He nodded. "Please Col-"

The phone in his office rang. He didn't look surprised - and Sam wasn't either, given how often she'd heard that sound over the last two hours.

After the General excused himself into his office, Jack turned towards her. "I'd better get down there. Uh...up there."

"Sure," She nodded tightly. "Limited time."

"Right," He responded, even as a frowned. A few moments later he surprised her by moving, pulling her into a hug.

Her arms went around him, the side of her head pressing against his chest. He was warm, real, *there*, and she was far too possessive, so glad that, unlike the others-

"Sam?"

She was crying.

Had been for a while.

He pulled back slightly, his hands coming up to cup either side of her face. "Hey, I know this is scary as hell, but-"

"No," Her words were thick, choking. "It's not..." She licked her lips, which was pointless - her own tears were making them moist enough. Oh *God*... "It's the ones who won't make it." The pain was like a scalpel cutting its way through her chest. She could only imagine how Janet was feeling... "Like Cassie."

"Cassie?"

"General Hammond said it himself - limited resources. She didn't make the list. She's not coming through with us."

But it wasn't just Cassie. It was her brother. His wife. Sam's niece and nephew. Mrs Robinson who lived next door. The man who ran the local mart. The paperboy. The woman in the park who sat on the same bench every single day, who Sam had told herself she'd get to know one day yet never had.

She should have known what he was going to do. Anything related to children...she should have known.

He broke away from her, heading straight for Hammond's office and not even bothering to knock as he opened the door and thudded inside.

She almost called after him, almost stopped him, because she knew very well what he was trying to do.

Unable to stay as he interrupted whatever conversation General Hammond was having and their voices raised, Sam headed towards the control room.

It was one of the few times in her life where she didn't really care if anybody saw her crying.

The thought process over what Jack was doing was brief: if he really did manage to convince Hammond to take Cassie instead of him (an argument Janet had already tried - but she was a doctor and much, *much* too necessary) she'd cope. She had no other choice.

Just like now.

No more whining about not being used to it, about not being out there stopping it. She'd do whatever the hell needed to be done - even if that turned out to be organising supplies.

Stepping free of the stairs she wiped a hand over her face, and grabbed the first SF who came into view. "Are you busy, Airman?"

Lewis stood to attention. "Actually, I've just finished helping transferring the injured from the infirmary so...no, sir."

"Good." She replied firmly. "You're with me."

*

Time flies when the world's about to end.

It was just as well she'd thought that internally - Jack would have killed her for such a lame ass line.

The last of them stood in the gate room, staring at the open wormhole.

She couldn't believe this was how she was going to see the SGC for the last time. Not leaving to go home, not jumping through the gate to explore a new planet or try to save the Earth from destruction.

No, she was running away with her tail between her legs. They all were, but there was no other choice.

She glanced towards Jack; he'd changed into green BDU's, an image she'd missed considerably since taking command of SG-1. His obvious anger was still bubbling - boiling - beneath the surface. As relieved as she was that he was going, he was just as annoyed that Hammond hadn't granted his-

Hasty footsteps drew her attention towards the doorway, and a shocked mixture of horror and gratitude flittered through her mind when Cassie pounded into the room. Seeing who was there, she stumbled to a stop.

"Where's Mom?!"

Hammond, who until then had remained stoically silent, pointed towards the gate. "Through there. Go and join her, sweetheart."

How much or how little Cassie knew about what was going on Sam didn't know, but the girl...woman?...didn't hesitate, barely nodding at them as she moved again, feet clanging heavily on the ramp before she dived through the gate.

By the time a stunned Sam had turned back to look at Jack, he was already facing the General and apparently knew exactly what was going on.

"You were never intending to go, were you?"

Hammond smiled wistfully. "This is my place, Jack. I can't leave it. And I've had a good run. A good life. It looks like yours is just starting to head in a new direction." He looked deliberately towards Sam, a move that under any other circumstances would have made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

"You can't do this just because-"

"I'm not," the General insisted. "I'm doing this because it's right. Because this way, someone else gets to live."

"General,"

"Jack, I'm not arguing about this. I'm staying, right here."

There was no doubt in his face, nor no obvious fear. For the second time that day, Sam felt the tears spill free.

"You know," Jack said eventually in that typical, laconic way he had - the voice he used when he was trying to act as if everything was normal. "Saving Cassie like that will probably be seen as favouritism."

"Maybe it is," Hammond shrugged. "But a choice had to be made, so I made it." He paused, making it sound so easy when it must have been anything but. "You should go, Jack. The responsibility's yours now."

"Oh, *just* what I want to hear at this moment in time," He growled - though it was purely for effect.

Hammond chuckled. "I never told you how much I appreciate your sense of humour, did I?"

Jack's head straightened up in surprise. "No sir. You didn't."

"Well I do," He responded, holding a hand out. "A great deal."

Staring at it for a few seconds, Jack then took the offered hand. There were no salutes, no mention of 'honour' or other cliches.

Just two friends, saying goodbye.

"Thank you, sir. I've always appreciated your...baldness."

Another chuckle echoed around the room, as their hands fell away from each other.

Sam stepped towards the General, barely giving him time to breathe before she was hugging him. Propriety be damned - she was saying goodbye the way *she* wanted to. "I'm going to miss you, sir."

His hand rubbed gently on her back. "You've exceeded every single one of my expectations, Major. Now go on," He pulled away, looking distinctly teary-eyed himself. "You're the only one keeping Jack in line these days. You have to go. Now."

He was right, of course. A quick study of her watch showed that in a little under five minutes, Anubis would be within range.

Wiping her face again (she really had to stop crying) she nodded, even as she felt another hand - Jack's no doubt - rubbing her arm. "Yes sir. *Thank* you sir." Glancing back towards Jack she nodded, and they shared one last look with the General, before swivelling away, proceeding up the ramp.

Side by side they traipsed along, their positions and movements echoing the first time they'd ever done this together. At the mouth of the gate they paused and, feeling Jack's gaze on her, she turned towards him.

His head was tilted to one side, his hand extended towards hers. "Come on. Do the sappy thing with me?"

Finding something - in the middle of all this - to smile about, she grasped firmly on to his hand, closed her eyes, and stepped through the gate.

~FINIS

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