Apologies for the long delayed update – who would have thought university would be such hard work!? =P This chapter was going to be much longer and go a lot further. However, I'm having to alter some major plot points and the later bits to make them fit with where I want this to go but I wanted to post what I had done so here it is - enjoy!

Chapter 3

'It only appeared twice?' Daniel frowned sceptically at the squiggles repeated several times on the galvanised computer screen, three or four technicians crowded behind him while he scrutinised the readout.

'Dead sure. We've run dozens of scans since we caught it yesterday but there's been nothing else.' Major Marks moved past Daniel to resume his usual seat in front of the monitor, pulling up the scans taken over the last twenty four hours. 'There have been no transmissions on this frequency since those first ones.' From the tangible excitement in the room, Daniel guessed there was something else. He raised his eyebrows.

'Well? What is it?'

Marks grinned, turning back to the computer and typing as he spoke. 'I thought you'd never ask!' A message flashed across the screen. ANALYSING SIGNAL and then, MATCH FOUND. A record page popped up which Daniel recognised as one of the files downloaded from the Prometheus' database. IDC RECOGNISED: SG-1 'This was SG-1's GDO code at the time of the invasion. Obviously it's not been changed since then.' The major paused and seemed to be trying to take a breath large enough to contain his next revelation. 'Somebody could be trying to contact us.' Daniel looked the man in the eye for several seconds then looked around the small office at the others, seeing hope reflected back from every face.

'I'll call Sam back.'

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Sam was elbow deep in a stack of old medical equipment on the side of the mountain when Daniel's voice buzzed through her radio. Alan helpfully unclipped it from her jacket and handed it over as soon as Sam had both hands free.

Taking the radio, smiled her thanks as she listened while Daniel filled her in on the new development. Sam and Daniel exchanged a brief Q and A until, satisfied, she signed off, telling Daniel she would be back by the end of the day. Allan raised his eyebrows.

'You'll have to move pretty quickly to get back to base before it gets dark Sam.'he told her. He had heard enough of the conversation over the radio to know how eager Sam would be to get back down the mountain. Sam only nodded, clipping the radio back onto her jacket. She glanced up at the two other members of the medical team who had accompanied them.

'Will you three be alright?'

Michael gave her a swift smile. 'We've got enough here to occupy us for a couple of days.'

'I'll let you know when I know what's going on.'

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Sam knew when she arrived back at the compound at least an hour after it had gotten dark that Daniel would be worrying. She found him waiting for her between the building that housed both their quarters and her office and the tiny communications building opposite.

As she crossed the open space between them, Sam made an effort to hide her grimace of discomfort. She had at least a couple of pulled muscles from her swift jog down the mountain. Daniel was smiling serenely when she arrived.

'What took you so long?' he asked her.

'It's been two and half hours Daniel. I didn't want to break a leg coming down that wretched hill.'

Daniel held up a hand placatingly 'Sam, I'm kidding.' He grinned. 'You wanna see this?' he asked, gesturing to the comms building behind him, knowing full well that Sam couldn't wait to see what they'd found.

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An hour later, Sam sat at the table in her brightly lit office with Daniel, discussing for the first time in several years, the possibility that they might not be as alone as they had thought. It was nearing the middle of the night when Daniel stood to leave mumbling about wanting to enjoy a last night in his own bed. Sam laughed, thinking how bizarre it was that an archaeologist turned space-explorer could be so picky about where he slept.

'Daniel, I know we couldn't narrow the signal down much but we won't be away long. If we don't find the source within a few days then we'll scratch the mission and head back. She stood and stretched. Daniel looked worried. 'What?' she asked.

'Nothing. You'll just have to be careful about how you handle this Sam. Word's gotten around. It's SG-1's signal!' He threw his hands wide to emphasise the enormity of the fact. 'If you throw in the towel too soon, people are not gonna take it gladly.'

Sam felt anger heat her face. People had grown excited like this over the retrieval of the F-302. What they had failed to grasp was that the amount of naquadah they had managed to produce would provide little more than a short one-way hop to the nearest moon or provide a few seconds of life from the hyperspace generator. In other words, useless.

Faced with this realisation and the fallout out from the glider attack, Sam had made the decision to focus on basics, medical and defensive requirements.

'I'm not going to waste valuable time and resources on what could be a wild goose chase Daniel!' he raised his hands defensively. Sam sighed and closed her eyes. 'Sorry Daniel, I' don't mean to keep snapping at you.' She stared across at him, considering. 'One week.' she told him. 'That's it, and we can leave a portable transmitter in the area. That should pick up any more unusual signals.'

'Ok, I just wanted to give you fair warning.' He smiled reassuringly.

'I know. Thanks Daniel.' She checked her watch and laughed. 'We really should get some sleep.' He nodded, reaching for the door. 'Daniel,' He turned back. 'I just don't think we should get our hopes up tomorrow.'

Daniel looked back as he was heading out of the door. 'Don't you think it's a bit late for that?'

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Judging by Daniel's red rimmed eyes behind his glasses the following morning, he had slept about as soundly as she had. Twelve hours hiking however, didn't wear out the crazed cycle of thoughts running through Sam's head and the big, thick bottom line: This could all come to nothing. And yet the analytical side of her mind kept telling her that a signal, received on their radio frequency, containing their ID code, simply could not be a fluke. Surely.

The group consisted of five people, including Marks, who was at this moment, in front, checking the receiver in his hand so regularly, he looked like some parody of a wobbly-headed dog. It was darker than usual for the time of day. They had traveled around the base of the familiar hill, and the sun was now low on the opposite side, and though they had walked in deep shadow for several hours now, Sam was reluctant

to give the order to go to ground. Eventually it was Daniel who suggested they call it a day.

Before turning in for the night, Sam spoke to Marks and managed to establish little except that what she already knew: that the signal could have originated from anywhere within a very large area and that they could spend days searching the surrounding forest and still come up empty.

So she bade him goodnight and climbed into her bedroll, taking a long time to fall asleep.

* * * *

The following day was hot. They started early, moving out in different directions, systematically covering the terrain inch by inch. As evening brought cooler temperatures with it, Sam moved the group on another couple of clicks to start afresh in a new region of forest the next day.

It wasn't until early afternoon, a day later, perhaps five or six kilometres from where they'd set up camp three nights ago that they found what they were looking for. The origin of the signal that had caused so much excitement back at the compound stood about 13 feet tall, round, silent and entirely unexpected.

'Sam that's a--'

'I know...'

'Didn't we check the database on Prometheus to see if there was a stargate here?'

'We did, there was nothing in the system.' Marks provided. 'But we knew that our database of known stargate locations wasn't anything close to the whole picture.'

'Major Carter!' The call came from behind them and Lieutenant Cullums appeared. 'We've found it ma'am. The DHD's intact.' His smile was infectious.

Sam spent the rest of the day fiddling inside the base of the DHD, trying to find the address of the last incoming wormhole, buried in its subroutines. It should have been a relatively easy job but she was lacking equipment and frankly she was struggling to concentrate. There was a stargate – and SG-1s signal. The thought dizzied her, and it was clearly having the same effect on the others. Nobody could stay still. Marks tried his best to help Sam while Cullums and Reichs prowled around the stargate, as though afraid it would disappear if they took their eyes off it, even for a second. Daniel hovered between the two, apparently at a loss about what to do with himself.

By the time it was two dark to distinguish between different crystals, Sam had reluctantly decided that they would have to return to base in the morning and come back with the proper equipment.

There was much excited discussion before anybody slept that night and it seemed to Sam that she had only just drifted of when she jerked awake again, roused by the confusion going on around her. Cullums was shouting, as the other three men struggled to free themselves from sleeping bags. The clearing was filled with pale light and behind them in the clearing was a dull roar as the seventh chevron locked.

* * * *

Sam watched Daniel fairly bouncing with joy as Colonel O'Neill's voice came over the radio. Catching his involuntary movement towards her radio she laughed, handing it over so that he could respond, which he did speaking at such a pace it was almost impossible to follow what was said.

However it seemed that he had been understood because minutes later, Sam found herself being pulled into the strong arms of Teal'c. Tears stung her eyelids as she hugged him tightly, then pulled back to examine him again. He looked weather-worn and his protective vest was faded and torn but that wasn't the most obvious change.

'I almost didn't recognise you with hair!' Sam grinned up at her friend. He smiled, releasing her and glancing over his shoulder.

'O'Neill has informed me that I resemble Whoopi Goldberg.' For some reason, he seemed pleased about this.

'Hey Carter, how've you been?' Sam looked up, startled to suddenly find the colonel in front of her. Her breath was cut short as she took in all the changes in him. He looked older. His hair longer and grayer and the lines around his eyes deeper than before but he looked at her with such an intensity that she almost forgot how many years had been lost between them. He was a different person now, they both were. She could examine the emotions choking her another time.

'Not too bad Sir.' She held his gaze.

'Glad to hear it.' He pulled her gently to him and she wrapped her arms around him, unwilling to stop the tears stinging her eyelids. He held her tightly for a moment and pulled back smiling. 'So, is this all of you?' He asked, eyeing the cluster of sleeping bags and the rest of the group. Marks offered a casual salute.

'No sir. There's actually quite a few of us. The main compound is a long day's hike from here.' O'Neill's eyebrows creased.

'Why so far from the gate?' Daniel opened his mouth to respond but Sam cut across him.

'We can explain all of that Sir but why don't we start making a move? Then you can see for yourself?'

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Sam spent a lot of the return journey filling the colonel in on their situation. He was openly impressed with what they had managed to achieve given their limited resources and asked question after question, which she answered as best she could, all the time ignoring the questions preying on her own mind. How was he here? How did he survive when the last time she had seen him she had been certain she was leaving him to die. How had he escaped? He however, seemed to be carefully avoiding the topic and she wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. It could wait.

Behind them, Daniel and Marks were explaining to Teal'c why they had discovered the gate only days ago. Catching part of the conversation, Jack turned around to Daniel, eyebrows raised.

'So you haven't been off this planet for nearly six years!?'

'No. Prometheus is still half crushed. Even now, there are areas of the ship thats it's too dangerous to venture into.'

'That's a shame. There've been plenty of times we could've done with more people in the field.'

'Wait -' Sam stopped walking. 'You've actually been using the gate...to, to what?'

'To do battle with the Goa'uld.' Teal'c supplied. Daniel gaped.

'You've been fighting!? But I mean, with what? With who?'

'Well, we haven't exactly been able to do a lot, but we've conducted a few...incursions, been the proverbial pain in Ba'al's ass.'

'We have also been able to gather ongoing information as to the details of Ba'al's operations.' Added Teal'c. Jack grinned at the stunned look on Daniel's face.

'Well, we weren't gonna sit around and do nothing for six years were we?' He clapped Daniel on the shoulder. Daniel caught Sam's eye. She looked away but not before Daniel had seen the momentary hurt in her eyes. She turned and walked on in silence.

By mid afternoon, they were nearing the compound. The trees around them had thinned but those that remained in this region were mainly charred and blackened, scattered branches lay around the uneven ground. The five members of Sam's group were quite used to the site. While they had hidden in the mountains months ago, listening to the distant sounds of glider fire on their homes, the jaffa in command of the attack had ordered the pilots to fire into the trees, hoping to flush out survivors. Sam barely registered the damage as she walked between burned logs but Colonel O'Neill did.

'Carter?' She looked up. 'What's with the trees?' Sam looked confused for a moment.

'Oh! They were hit by glider fire.' She stared around at the scorched landscape.

'And it still looks like this after all this time?'

'No sir, this was done recently. We were hit during the night.' Her voice took on an edge as the bitterness that she always associated with that night returned. It must have shown on her face because the colonel stepped closer, his eyes concerned.

'Nobody was hurt.' She told him 'We were able to make it out. They did a lot of damage but we were fine.' She smiled bleakly at Daniel, who nodded.

'We were very lucky. We had advance warning and a lot of the important resources were retrievable.' He moved on to walk beside Sam and they went the rest of the way in silence.

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Their return to the compound was greeted with shouts of excitement. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c could barely move as they shook hands with everybody, hands raining down on their backs. Women hugged them with tears dampening their faces, and Jack was struck by the thought of seeing the same joy on the faces of his own people. For years they had dialed gate after gate and finally they had been answered. And by the two people he had missed more than anything else that had been taken from him when Ba'al attacked.

He was struck for a moment by the same fury that had assaulted him for years whenever he remembered the evacuation. He looked over the heads of the crowd to where Carter and Daniel stood to one side. They wore identical grins as they watched the new celebrities, unable to escape the throng that simply didn't want to let them go. Catching Carter's eye he gave her a pleading look but she shrugged, grinning at him. He was on his own. For a moment he just stood and watched her smile. It could wait until later, when the four of them were able to be alone, that he would be able to ask the question praying on his mind.

AN This chapter is nowhere near as good as I'd like it to be but like I said, the next bit has all the excitement in it. I hope to post chapter 4 over the Christmas break so hopefully not too long to wait. Watch this space and thanks for all your reviews, you guys are awesome!

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