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Duncan had Kyle contact the Phoenix II. The second 'gate would remain on Gamma, hidden away, and both SG-1's and Jacob/Selmak would 'gate to the closest planet to the ship's current location. From there they would return to Norlonda. Sam had the times for several predicted solar flares. Daniel would…enhance one, and theoretically, the alternate SG-1 would be returned home.

The team had changed into BDUs, grabbed their P90's from the armory, and were waiting in the 'gate room for the coordinates that would get them close to the Phoenix. Daniel was braiding Casey's hair. The alternate Daniel watched silently. In his pocket was a two-page letter that the beautiful woman insisted he read as soon as possible. She had also given him a sealed envelope that contained a letter she had written for him to give to the Casey of his universe.

"Take it to her, ask her to read it. I promise she will. You're her Destiny every bit as much as she's yours," Casey had told him. "She'll feel it immediately." Just as she had felt it when she had first looked into Daniel's eyes.

He looked at his counterpart. He had seen the photographs in the office; a daughter…a son. Daniel had even told him of Sha're's visit when Casey had been pregnant with their daughter. Sha're. He still loved her so...was still mourning her death. But every time he looked at the blonde woman, he felt a stirring in his soul like he'd never experienced before. His hand absently moved over the pocket that held the letter. The key to his future.

Sam had given Carter a bit of advice, unaware that Jack was doing the same thing with O'Neill. When something was meant to be, it was meant to be! Both had also given their counterparts lists of what could possibly happen to them, and how SG-1 had managed to walk away from each incident. Sam insisted that since they weren't affecting their own timeline, that the information could be useful. It didn't matter what universe was involved, if there was an SG-1 fighting the Goa'uld, they should have all the intel possible!

A  A  A  A  A  A

The alternate team was impressed by the Phoenix. They were told that the Stargate Command Colonies had two BC303 ships, the Prometheus, taken when the entirety of the SGC had left earth, and the Persephone. The alternate Teal'c had been delighted to learn that the Free Jaffa had two Goa'uld ships and three planets of their own.

If the crew was confused or surprised to see two identical SG-1 teams, not one of them let on. The captain, Colonel Kerry Bailey, relinquished command to Jack, and bit back a grin of excitement as SG-1 took their places on the bridge. She had heard about this team, and their ability to work and function as one living, breathing unit. She was anxious to see it for herself.

The alternate team was just as amused, watching as Sam took communication control, Casey went to weapons, and Daniel and Teal'c went to helm and navigation.

"You know, nothing ever goes as planned for us," O'Neill said dryly, watching as the ship moved into hyperdrive.

"Yeah, we have the same problem," Jack grinned. "So, it's hard telling what the hell is about to happen. Case, any clues?"

With a grin of her own, Casey reached for Daniel. Felt his gentle caress as he moved into her mind. She closed her eyes, looked around the ship. "Selmak?"

The Tok'ra was instantly at the young woman's side. "Yes?"

"I take it that what happened to Yu and company has already made the Goa'uld Times front page?"

Selmak smiled. "Yes. The news was spread quickly. It seems that Kali was able to send a distress call to one of her other ships just before she was killed. Word is that Yu lured them there with the promise of using the weapon to stop the Tau'ri and the Tok'ra. I don't believe that she knew Yu had been destroyed as well."

"Well, there are five…no…six motherships heading right for us. I don't think they know we're here, it's just one of those wrong place at the wrong time things," Casey replied. "And…shit… they know we're here now!"

"Anything on communications?" Jack asked.

"Seems to be a discussion about us," Sam reported.

"You speak Goa'uld?" Carter asked. She recognized a few words of the language.

"And Langaran. A smidgen of Terran," Sam smiled.

"That discussion?" Jack asked.

Sam scrunched her nose at him, and turned back to the console, adjusting the frequency to keep up with the enemy messages. "Well, they know exactly who we are," she said.

"We don’t have time for this," Casey sighed. "Let me arm some Scorpions. We won't even have to slow down…much."

Daniel snickered from his place beside the helm and navigation console. "You just love your big 'ka-booms', don't ya, Angel?"

"Yep. Haven't had one in awhile," she replied.

"Haven't had…were you with us a couple of days ago? Hot planet, lots of ruins…big honkin' beam that took out seven Goa'uld ships?" Jack asked incredulously.

"But there wasn't a 'ka-boom'!" Casey said. "At least, not that I got to see or hear!"

Jack grinned. "Okay. Arm weapons. One at a time. Let's not waste 'em," he said.

The alternate team watched, listened; wondered if they too would be standing on the bridge of a ship known as the Phoenix II, fighting against approaching Goa'uld ships, bantering with such ease.

The communications screen came to life when Penatil appeared on it. "You will surrender or die!"

"I really hate cliches. You have really got to come up with some original lines," Jack groused. "Not gonna happen. Now, we're a little busy, so you just be a good snake and go play somewhere else."

Penatil's eyes flashed with fury. "You will suffer for your insolence!"

"Yada yada yada," Casey mumbled. "Somebody write those snakes a new script!" The Alternate SG-1 hid matching smiles behind their hands.

The Goa'uld's attention was turned on the slender blonde Immortal. "Ah yes, the little witch who managed to best Nergal! Perhaps I will see for myself what the…fascination is," he sneered.

"Not even in my worst nightmare, Snake-face," Casey retorted. "Now do what Jack said…or I'll let The Chosen whip your sorry ass. He hasn’t whipped a snake in a couple of days." Daniel was chuckling. She smiled at him, threw a wink in his direction

The ship shuddered around them as the Goa'uld ships opened fire.

"They never listen," Jack sighed dramatically. "Fire at will, Case. Keep us moving Danny."

The battle lasted for less than ten minutes. Anyone who had never witnessed Daniel using his power stood open-mouthed as he hurled a fireball into a badly damaged ship that was hurtling toward the Phoenix, breaking it into pieces too large for the ship's shields to repel. His sole purpose for using that power was to keep Casey safe and alive. Had he not stopped the mothership, it would have collided with the Phoenix, with catastrophic results.

When the battle was over, two motherships were nothing more than floating debris. The others had retreated almost immediately, escaping into hyperspace.

"And so it was, that SG-1 came upon the enemy where they traversed. And the great General known as Jack said unto SG-1, 'kick their sorry snake asses'. And SG-1 commenced to kicking. And slew two snakes, and sent the others slithering for safety. And it was good. And SG-1 did the Happy Dance," Casey intoned solemnly, dancing around the weapons console. Her teammates laughed with appreciation.

O'Neill grinned. "I think you need to find this woman, Daniel. I think she'd make a fine addition to our team," he said softly to the archaeologist beside him.

Dr. Jackson grinned in return. He had no doubt about that. He figured she'd certainly be a fine addition to his lonely life!

A  A  A  A  A  A

When they entered orbit around Norlonda, Jacob said goodbye to his daughter and son-in-law, as well as the rest of the team. Selmak led the alternate team to the transport rings.

"I'll give you a three minute warning," Sam told Carter. "That gives you enough time to get the 'gate dialed and opened. Then I'll give you the countdown on when you need to go through."

Carter nodded.

"Wish there was a way to know whether or not you make it," Casey said softly.

O'Neill grinned. "SG-1 luck. It's famous. It's working, or you wouldn't be here doing this right now. I'll put ten on the hockey game tonight in your honor."

She giggled. "Thanks."

There were a few moments of awkward silence as both teams stood by the transport rings. Casey stepped forward. "Give me your hands," she said.

Each of the alternate team members did so. She felt Daniel's approach, his gentle presence. She reached out, touched each of them softly, soothing away the fear, the worry that she found in each mind, then looked around them. She could see a long path stretching out in front of them. She smiled. "Make it twenty," she said, moving away from them.

O'Neill nodded with understanding. "You got it."

Without another word, Sam moved her fingers over the controls, and the alternate team disappeared in a flash of light.

Casey stood near her husband as Sam monitored the solar flares of a nearby sun. "Get ready," Sam said quietly. "Carter…start dialing," she said into her radio.

Casey reached out. There. It would be that one. 'Daniel, look. Do you see it?'

He focused his full attention on her, let her lead him to what he needed to 'see'. 'Yeah.'

'Concentrate, my Heart. Pull up the Fire. When I tell you, release it into that spot. Make sure that it's a narrow…beam.'

'Got it.'

She continued to watch. Another part of her brain could hear Sam counting down.

Daniel began to pull the Fire toward his fingertips, felt Casey put her hands on his chest, her Fire moving into him as well. Every time he used the Fire to do something…significant…there was always a change. Since using the Ancient Weapon, he felt as if he had more control, even as the Fire burned ever hotter in his veins.

"Now, Daniel! Now!" Casey cried out.

He focused, and sent a beam of blue light into the sun. Everyone on the bridge watched as the solar flare built in intensity.

"Now, Carter!" Sam shouted into the radio.

The shields prevented the Phoenix II from being completely fried in the ensuing solar flare that lit up the entire sector of space. So bright that it was visible with the naked eye on the planet below.

Jacob radioed that the alternate SG-1 had gone through the 'gate, which had just closed.

A  A  A  A  A  A

An hour later, Casey sat down with her husband and teammates for a late lunch. Duncan joined them. "Is it just me, or was that the strangest two hours we've ever had?"

Jack snorted, took a swallow of coffee, and shook his head. "Doesn't even register on the 'strange-shit-that-happens-to-SG-1' meter."

"It was…odd," Duncan insisted. "For two hours the SG-1 of an alternate timeline, one twelve years in our past, sat right here!"

"Actually, they never came down to the commissary," Casey replied, licking mayonnaise from her finger, just before taking a bite of her turkey sandwich.

"You know what I meant," Duncan retorted.

"They're right, Duncan," Sam said. "This really wasn't all that odd."

The Highlander looked at the faces the people at the table with him. "The five of you are just way too damned cynical!" He stood, shook his head, and walked away.

"It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced," Casey said softly.

"We've been through it four times now," Sam agreed. "It's just as…weird…every time."

"I will never get used to seeing…me!" Jack declared.

Daniel grinned, wrapped his fingers around his Wife's hand. "Well, if that Daniel is smart, and I know he is, he'll contact Casey as soon as he's finished with the debrief."

Casey smiled, looked into incredible blue eyes that set her heart and soul on Fire. She raised her cup. "Here's to SG-1, no matter where they are. May that fabled good luck never desert them, or us!"

"Hear, hear," Jack said, clinking his cup against hers.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, his tea mug firm against those of his teammates.

"To all of the SG-1's in every reality," Sam said softly.

"Yep, everyone of them," Daniel agreed.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Dr. Steven Rayner looked at the envelope and grinned. It had taken long enough! He really shouldn't be this eager to go. Especially when it would mean working for someone whom he had hated for so long. Granted, after that whole thing with Dr. Jordan and Sarah, well, maybe the guy wasn't such an ass after all. He'd certainly been right in all of his theories. And everything written about him said that he was a modest, shy man. Maybe he wouldn't be too overbearing to work for. He sure as hell had a knockout for a wife. Seeing her every day would be a nice bonus, and the articles all said they worked together.

Tossing the envelope on the counter, he poured a drink, then sat down and took a sip. Even if he did have to work for Dr. Daniel Jackson, it would beat the hell out of being the last to know about anything. Doing nothing more than working to correct all of the incorrect theories that had been taught for decades, repairing centuries of inaccuracies. He wanted to be out there making new discoveries, not studying old ones, even if it was with new information. Yep, he could work for Daniel. As long as he had the chance to make a few discoveries of his own. Danny could use a little competition. He picked up the new Time magazine. There he was, on the cover again, that sweet little blonde hanging on his arm. Yep, Danny needed some competition. And Steven Rayner was sure that he was just the man to offer it.

THE END

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