The Best of Both Worlds

Season: 3

Spoilers: Point of View

Disclaimer: Stargate is not mine. Oh well.

I just got this great urge to write something. I've been thinking about this one for a while. I just saw this episode recently and thought it was so moving and sad. The song at the end is called "Written in the Stars". Hope you like it!

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Dr. Samantha Carter sat at a table in a darkened room trying to explain for the hundredth time her identity and how she came to be at Area 51.

"For crying out loud!" she put her hand to her forehead.

Why did I have to just say that? Her eyes welled up for not the first time in the last few days. She blinked quickly, now grateful for the darkness. She opened her mouth and started her explanation once more.

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She stared unbelieving as her Jack walked through the infirmary doors.

"Jack!"

"Yeah?"

Something wasn't right. Why was he looking at her like she'd grown a second head?

"Would someone please explain what is going on here?" he demanded.

"It's not the same here, is it?"

How could they not be together? How could he look at her like she was a complete stranger? What was going on?

"Sorry, Sam."

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Sam entered the briefing room and consciously took the seat beside Jack. He may not know her the way she would like, but she would take what comfort she could from his nearness.

"The Goa'uld have taken over our planet. There's nothing for us to go back too. We'd like to stay."

Please, please just let us stay. I don't want to leave you. Don't make me have to leave you again.

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"Just leave it on the table, and close the door on your way out." Sam stared at their picture, retreating to her memories, tucking away the nagging accusations that she should have done better, should have been able to save her own people.

"I'm sorry, leave what on the table?"

"Jack! I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you." She sniffed. "Your Dr. Frasier keeps insisting I eat something."

"Yeah, well, she's your Dr. Frasier now too. Hammond just got the word. You can stay."

"Oh, that's good." Could she stand living in a world where he didn't really know her? All she really wanted was her Jack back. But that could never happen.

Sam walked over to her meal once it was dropped off.

"I haven't had a hot meal in forever." Neither had she felt warm in so long. Once her Jack died, so did her hope that they would ever be able to defeat the Goa'uld, that she would ever be happy again.

Jack held her.

After he left, she felt better. Perhaps it would be okay here after all. She could start over, make a new life for herself. The Stargate program could use her. They already were.

I can do this, she resolved. I'll just have to make this work.

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But she couldn't stay. She would die. They had to send her back. She wouldn't get to stay in this perfect world.

She contacted the Asguard. They weretheir only hope for making her world possible again. And they did. The Goa'uld left, and General Hammond was alive. Sam cried when she saw him. If there was any reason to come back, it was for General Hammond, who had always been like a father to her. She'd hated to think of him at the Goa'ulds' mercy. She put her arms around him and kissed his cheek, then turned to say her good-byes. This was not going to be easy.

The others went ahead. It was just her and Jack. Her last moment of connection with their perfect world. Sure, the Asguard would help them now, but things would never be the same. They had lost so much, would have to rebuild so much.

"You really aren't him, are you?"

Major Samantha Carter sighed inwardly as she looked through the mirror. At least you had him for a time.

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Nothing can be altered

There is nothing to decide

No escape, no change of heart, nor any place to hide

Oh, you are all I ever want but this I am denied

Sometimes in my darkest thoughts, I wish I'd never learned

What it is to be in love and have that love returned.

Is it written in the stars

Are we paying for some crime

Is that all that we are good for

Just a stretch of mortal time

For some god's experiment

In which we have no say

In which we're given paradise

But only for a day.

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Well, there it is.Hope you liked it! Ah, my schoolwork is starting to nag! Lots of love!

macisgate