Epilogue

Alice was trying to zip her bag one-handedly; it was not going so well. In the five weeks that elapsed since the Prometheus was destroyed, she had to learn how to do a lot of things without using her left hand. The cast was removed just yesterday, but she had the arm secured tightly with a sling. A knock on the door interrupted her silent struggle with the zipper.

"Come in!" Alice half-turned to see who was it. She was surprised to see Colonel Carter; she didn't realize the senior officer even knew where she lived at the base.

"Hello, Lieutenant!" The lieutenant colonel greeted her, closing the door and stepping inside the apartment. It was bare; Alice never had much stuff and everything fitted into two suitcases and a go-bag.

"Colonel, I didn't expect to see you." Alice smiled. It was nice of her to come.

"Yeah, I thought I'd check up on you before you go. Do you need help with that?" The older officer pointed at the half-zipped bag.

Alice shook her head. "I'll get it, ma'am. I need to practice. It will be at least six more weeks before I'm allowed to begin physical therapy."

"So I've heard."

"Please, sit down." Alice gestured to the sofa. "I'm afraid I don't even have coffee to offer..."

Carter waved her hand. "No need." She sat down on the sofa and Alice put the bag down on the ground and dropped onto an armchair opposite her.

"So," the older officer began with a rueful smile. "I presume there isn't anything I can say to change your mind about this?"

Alice shook her head. "I'm afraid it's a done deal, ma'am. Besides, there isn't much I could do for the next few months if I stayed."

"Still, we could use your brain."

"Well, ma'am, in a way you will be. I'm planning to do research into artificial intelligence systems, with the future use on board of our space vessels in mind." Alice shrugged, which was a curious experience, because she was able to do it only with her right shoulder. Nevertheless, it sent a ripple of dull ache through her left one. "Of course my eventual dissertation will need to exclude any classified data, but there is no rule that says I can't draw on the knowledge we've brought through the Gate during the research phase, as long as I take proper precautions to avoid any leaks."

Carter nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds interesting." She paused for a moment. "You're sure this is what you want?"

Alice sighed. Sure wasn't the word. "I feel like it's what I'm supposed to do." The colonel's pale blue eyes were boring into her searchingly, so she continued haltingly: "Even before what happened on Tegalus I began feeling a bit… redundant, if you know what I mean? We were constantly on practice mode, nothing was ever happening that would require the F-302s engagement, and even as an engineer, it felt like my particular skillset wasn't being put to use. Don't get me wrong," she rushed to assure. "I was glad to be of service in any capacity… but the most useful I felt was when I was your research assistant during the deep space reconnaissance mission we went on before this Ori hell has broken loose."

The lieutenant colonel nodded again. "I understand."

"I'm actually looking forward to having a chance to do some of my own research," Alice continued in a lighter tone. "Although I have to admit I still can't believe they've let me do this."

"How so?"

"Well, the Air Force has spent an awful lot on training me to pilot an F-16 first, then an F-302, and now they are willingly putting that on hold for me for four and a half years so that I can get a degree? I didn't think it would fly. Especially that it's the middle of the academic year."

"Well, Lieutenant, I think you'll find that the Air Force can be very flexible if it's in its best interest."

"Yeah, but what's the reward for the Air Force here?" Alice shook her head. "I don't understand."

Carter chuckled. "You still undervalue yourself, Lieutenant. The Air Force might not really care about your getting the degree, but I assure you everyone is really interested in what kind of research you might come up with at the AFIT. Even if you can't work on Gate-related technology directly, we're quite sure it's going to be something brilliant."

Alice huffed. "No pressure, then." They both laughed. "So that's why they okayed it?" Alice had wondered about it ever since she was informed that her request to be reassigned to Air Force Institute of Technology to do research and ultimately get a PhD was granted. "They actually think I might contribute in a meaningful way?"

"Of course." The older officer looked surprised. "That, and we take care of our own. It was something you obviously wanted really bad. I assume it had more to do with your mother's conditional release, though."

Alice looked away for a moment. "My mom is better now, but the doctors who led her case felt it would be prudent to release her into a relative's care." She didn't add that her mom's brother was reluctant to help, too busy laying the groundwork for his congressional campaign in the fall. And Jake spent most of his time at the SGC, only coming back to his apartment for weekends, so he wasn't very well disposed to take care of a sick person. "So she's coming with me to Ohio. I hope that by the time I'm done with my degree, she'll be completely self-sufficient and ready to go back home in L.A."

"I'm sure she will," Carter said reassuringly.

"Anyway it was like serendipity." Alice smiled, amused by the thought. "You know, me getting hurt and needing a long recovery. Mom's feeling better and being released from inpatient care. It kinda all fell into places."

"Yeah, sometimes things just do." Carter stood up. "I have to go. I'm glad I had a chance to talk to you, Lieutenant. Study hard and think up something useful, shall you?"

"Yes, ma'am." Alice stood too and walked the senior officer to the door. "Thank you for coming over. Good luck in the fight with the Ori."

Carter nodded solemnly. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Alice closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. Then she turned around and went back for her bag, still only half-zipped. She finally managed to finish that, and looked around on the apartment without regret. Her day-to-day was going to change much now; she would be living in Ohio, at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, where the Air Force Institute of Technology was located. Her mother would be living with her again, readjusting to life on the outside, while Alice would be studying and doing research. Her shoulder would heal; she didn't yet know if it would ever get back to the way it was before the injury, but she was now ready to accept whatever lay before her. What would she do after she got her degree? She didn't know. Would she be allowed to go back to flying space-fighters? Or any fighters at all? There was no way of knowing. But she realized now there was also no point in worrying about it just yet; she had four years ahead of her before that decision would have to be taken; and it wouldn't be hers, anyway. All she could do now was to enjoy what was coming, and try to make the most of it.

Alice took the midnight blue bag into her right hand and stepped through the door. Jake was waiting for her downstairs; he would drive her back to L.A. where they would pick up their mother and all her things and then drive all the way to Ohio. The new life was beginning now.

A/N: I've been trying to keep to a weekly schedule, but this week's Easter (and we celebrate the shit out of Easter in my country - not as much as Christmas, but still!), so I'm not gonna have time to update in the weekend as I normally do. And this was very short so I thought I'd just get it over with already.

So this is the real end. Midnight Blue is done. It's been real fun to write and I loved every moment of it. Most of all, I am beyond happy that my writing was appreciated by others. I did not expect such a wide readers' group, and I am thankful to each and every one of you who read the story and decided to leave a mark, either by adding to favorites, following or making a comment. Thank you. You shall never know how much that means, but I do and I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This is not the last you can read about Alice. Part II of the story is already begun and I hope to post the first chapter the week after Easter, if I manage to finish the next one. (I never post until I'm at least one chapter ahead with my writing.) As promised, I shall leave here a link to the new story and I hope you will continue this adventure with me. Therefore I am not marking Midnight Blue as 'Completed' yet - I shall do that after I post the link to the next part.

Thank you for your attention. I hope you enjoyed the ride :)

Hello dear readers.

Part II of the story is up! Woohoo!

Please head over to my profile and look for Azure - which is the name of the continuation. In it, Alice comes back from Air Force Institute of Technology to receive a new assignment... which will put her way beyond her comfort zone.

I very much hope that you will find the continuation of the story of Alice Boyd enjoyable, and that you will continue to support me with your comments, favs and follows... they are very appreciated. Thank you once more for all of them!