"Oh my God." Then Sam and the rest saw the light too. "The city, its, its gone Nova, the shockwave will tear this ship apart."

It was too late, the shockwave would reach them in an instant, they all looked at each other and for a split second, they were all one thought; Goodbye my friends, goodbye.

Daniel and SG1 didn't see Vala raise her staff. The light engulfed them for the last time.

"Wha, What the?"

"Sir! Sir!, Gen Landry, General, something's happening in the Gate room, Sir." Shouted Walter. "There's a bright light emitting in the middle of the gate room, Sir."

"I'll be right there, have the guards stand ready. It may be an attack. Code Red, Walter, order a Defcom code Red."

"Yes, sir. All personnel, Defcom code Red, Defcom Code Red, this is not a drill, Defcom code Red."

Gen Landry arrived in the booth. All guards and teams were standing ready with weapons ready and trained on the emitting bright light. It was glowing brighter and brighter, they all had to look away, it was blinding.

The light finally dissipated and everyone looked directly at it now. Something was materializing. They could make out forms, image of something.

"Sir, Look." Stated Walter.

SG1 had materialized along with Vala in Daniels arms.

Gen Landry responded. "Stand down, Stand down. Med team to the Stargate room immediately."

"Oh my God, were back." Sam stated. "Vala brought us back to headquarters. "How? How?

Col Mitchell, Teal'c and Daniel were also perplexed. The last thing they remembered was that the shockwave had engulfed the Ori ship and everything went black.

Daniel looked down at Vala worried. "God No, Vala, Vala, please, please open your eyes, please."

Vala was still holding up the Ori Staff barely. She finally lowered the staff to her side. She was still bleeding badly. She could barely open her eyes and speak.

"Dan—Daniel?"

"Yes, Vala; we made it home, you returned us home to headquarters, you did it, you saved us, you saved us."

Teal'c, Sam, and Col Mitchell were still kneeling next to Vala and Daniel. Everyone in the room stood stalk still. They couldn't believe what they just witnessed.

"Dan – Daniel?

Vala slowly opened her eyes. There were no longer milky white, her eyes were normal but red is if strained. Her hair had turned back to Raven Black. The devices to her head were falling off to the floor. But she was still badly injured.

"Dan- Daniel, gone, gone. The Ori are gone, wi—will not harm you an-anymore."

"Shhh, Shhh, save your strength Vala, you're going to be alright, your home, your home.

Daniel and Sam had tears in their eyes. Teal'c nodded. Col Mitchell shouted.

"Where's the med team? Hurry up! Vala's badly injured."

Gen Landry and Dr. Lam came busting through the doors with the med team.

Dr. Lam instructed the med team. "Get her on the stretcher and to the infirmary, tell them to prep for surgery "stat".

Gen Landry could tell that SG1 was upset about Vala. They hurriedly ran behind Dr. Lam and her med team. Gen Landry was running with them to the infirmary.

Gen Landry shouted to Walter. "Walter, have all personnel stand down and leave a few personnel in the gate room."

"Yes Sir."

Gen Landry turned to Col Mitchell. Col I know it's not the time, but I want a full briefing when we know something about Vala."

"Thank you Sir, It's been a rough time for all of us, especially Vala, we didn't think we would make it back. Vala, Vala saved us all sir, she saved us all."

SG1 was in the hallway in the infirmary. They almost piled in the room with Vala and Dr. Lam. She had to stop them and have them wait outside. They could see she was working furiously to keep Vala alive. Her staff was moving around each side of Vala, they were removing what was left of her clothes carefully and hooking her up to a monitor. Dr. Lam had her on oxygen and preparing to take Vala to surgery.

"Move! people, Dr. Lam shouted to her personnel. "Get her into surgery now. Have a crash cart ready, and I want more units of blood."

SG1 watched as they moved Vala to Surgery. Daniel slid to the floor; Sam met him halfway holding him. Col Mitchell moved toward Daniel to kneel in front of him, Teal'c was standing in meditation.

"Daniel, Daniel? Col Mitchell was trying to get Daniel to look up. He looked at Sam too.

"Daniel she came through, I still don't know how the hell she did it, but were all alive. She's come this far Daniel, she remembered you, all of us. Dr. Lam is going to do everything in her power to save her. No matter what, she knows we didn't leave her behind; she's home with us now, she's with her family, she's with her family."

Col Mitchell was trying desperately not to shed tears welling up in his eyes. But this was devastating to all of them. He remembered what they had seen, Vala fighting for her life and protecting them, when the Ori tried to attack them on Celestis. She had used the last of her Prior powers to somehow send them home. Col Mitchell realized at that moment; Vala had not abandoned them.

Daniel still held his head down; Sam was still holding him and looked up at Mitchell. She could see he was genially moved by Vala's sacrifice. She looked up at Teal'c. He was sitting on the floor with them meditating; she knew he was showing his concern for Vala in this way.

Gen Landry had returned to the infirmary, he walked in and saw all of SG1 on the floor. He shook his head and thought; What happened to them?

Gen Landry walked over to Col Mitchell and lightly touched him on the shoulder to show he had returned. Col Mitchell stood up, looked down on his team with concern and motioned Gen Landry to a corner.

"Col Mitchell, I know I wanted a briefing after you found out about Vala's condition, but I have never seen your team this way. Just tell me briefly what happened to all of you? You were gone for days; no one knew where you went or why, nothing. I finally called Jack in after no one had a clue to your team's whereabouts. He's on his way; I contacted him to tell him you were all back.

Col Mitchell hesitated and composed himself.

"Sir, I have seen a lot of strange things in my travels with SG1, but. Mitchell hesitated. "But sir, briefly I can only tell you that Vala saved all our lives, the whole galaxy Sir. Vala destroyed the Ori as far as we know; I don't know how we are even alive after what we've been through and witnessed. I'm sorry sir, but I can't go into detail right now. It's, I'm worried about my team and that includes Vala, she has gone through a lot of pain to protect us and I'm scared Sir. I'm scared for Vala sir, she, she."

Gen Landry put a hand on Mitchell's shoulder; he could tell he was uncharacteristically upset.

"I'll wait here with all of you. Vala is important to all of us, and if she sacrificed herself to protect the galaxy, then I can wait as long as it takes."

"Thank you, Sir. My team and I appreciate you waiting with us. I have to get back to them; we need to see if Vala is alright."

Gen Landry sat down and watched SG1 interact with one another. This was not only his elite team, but he could see they have gone through more than hell and it seemed Vala was paying the price. He sat in silence watching them and he prayed.

It was hours and still no word on Vala. SG1 did not move from their spot. Jack had finally arrived at the infirmary. As soon as Sam saw him come through the doors, she ran to Jack and threw her arms around his neck and cried. He had never seen Sam this so upset. He held her and didn't say anything. He looked over and saw Daniel sitting on the floor staring at nothing; Col Mitchell was on the chair also just sitting staring at Daniel. Teal'c was sitting on the floor, head held down silently meditating. He saw Gen Landry sitting away from the team, eyes closed. He thought; What happened?

After several more hours, Dr. Lam came out to see everyone. Everyone stood up, hoping for some good news on Vala.

Daniel asked first. "Dr. Lam, how, how is she?"

"She's alive; I have to be honest, we almost lost her. She had massive internal injuries, broken ribs, ruptured spleen, 1st degree burns, massive concussion, a massive loss of blood; she was barely alive. I have her in ICU under constant monitoring. I don't know if she's going to make it. I'm sorry; I can't give you a more positive diagnosis. Before she went into surgery; she kept saying something about, safe, safe they're safe. Do any of you know what that means?"

Col Mitchell answered. "Yes; Dr. Lam, we all know to well what she means."

JACK'S LAKE HOUSE

"Hey Danny Boy, how's those steaks coming?"

"The same as the last ten minutes you asked me."

"Well, I'm hungry, and the fish aren't biting."

"I don't think you have any fish Jack, No one's ever caught anything from your lake except mosquito bites."

"Hey it's my lake. If I say there's fish in there, there's fish in there."

"Uh Huh."

"How many times do I have to tell you boys? It's not alright to cool Uncle Cameron down with water balloons. I don't care if Uncle Jack told you that was alright."

Cody and Sam both answered their mother. "Yes Maam."

"Now go get cleaned up, your father is cooking steaks, I don't care what Uncle Jack said; there are no fish in that lake."

"Ok, Mom." Cody answered. Can we go swimming later? Uncle Cameron said something about throwing us in the lake later."

"I bet he did."

"Later, go get cleaned up and no water balloons in the house."

"Yes Maam."

Daniel looked over at Vala and smiled, he could hardly believe he was a father to two curious boys, just like their mother; and mischievous too, thanks to Jack.

"So Daniel, Vala still doesn't remember much about what happened about the Ori?"

"She remembers some of it, but while she was Dakara, I think her knowledge on how she became a Superweapon has left her. She does remember somewhat of what Adria did to her, but she doesn't say much about it anymore. It's still very painful to her."

"And the Ori, what about them?

"Vala believes that the Ori may have ascended, we don't know. We know that Adria may have ascended also. I have a theory though."

"What don't keep all us non intellectuals waiting?"

"Well, I believe that the Ancients refused to interfere because Dakara was of the Ori making. They had not interfered for millennia and why would they interfere now. I say to hell with the Ancients; they were or as bad as the Ori. They let Vala do their dirty work and sat back and did nothing. Vala."

Daniel looked up to find Vala; she was sitting by the lake with Sam. Jack's wife now.

"I almost lost her Jack, the Ancients long ago hid their descendents and when the Ori found us, they didn't lift a hand to protect us, Vala did."

Jack looked at his friend and saw the pain in his face of almost loosing Vala.

"I think they did help, Daniel."

"I don't think so, and how do you theorize that?"

"They had Vala."

Daniel had to ponder what Jack said. He looked at Vala and what had happened. By all rights they all should have been dead, including Vala. But all he could realize though was what he had with his wife Vala, their two sons, Jack and Sam with a baby on the way, Gen Landry laughing at Mitchell being bombarded by water balloons, Teal'c baiting the boys hooks, and Cam with Dr. Carol Lam down by the lake fishing and they were all happy.

"I guess in a way Jack; you're right, they had Vala, and now we have her too, we have her back."

Jack smiled and then looked down at the grill.

"I'd like my steak medium rare please, and don't burn it."