TITLE: Fragile Balance
AUTHOR: Sel and Denise
EMAIL: Sel and Denise
SUMMARY: Sometimes a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do.
CATEGORY: Action-Adventure, Drama, AU
SPOILERS: Up to Season 3's 'Shades of Grey'
SEASON/SEQUEL INFO: Season Three
RATING: PG
DATE: 23rd October, 2004
ARCHIVED: Anywhere, but please link to either of our sites
DISCLAIMER:
(To the tune and rhythm of "His eyes are as green as a fresh-pickled toad…" - for my sister Louisa!)
These characters don't belong to this fic-writer,
And this line of writing don't pay;
I wish they were mine - they're really divine,
To archive, please ask me, okay?

Fragile Balance

Part One

Part Two

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
- - Sel - -

The inspiration for this story came from MandieLeung on the samandjack list (message 60319). She wanted to see a 'Shades of Grey' story where Sam went in instead of Jack. I started writing, and in a reasonably short time (about 6 months) had the 'Shades of Grey' story mapped out and written. And then it sat...and sat...and sat...

Over time, Denise and I mapped out the second half of the story, but I could never get into writing it. And then Denise asked if she could. Result: one finished story.

Some of you may recognise the opening vignette of this story from the 'Women of Stargate' contest - it was then named 'Everything She Had' and finished after Sam resigns from the Air Force in Hammond's office.

- - Denise - -

I always have fun plotting with Sel. Both of us have learned the advantages to talking (or typing) out your ideas with someone else. And it helps so much more when that someone is massively demented and 'ebil'. When Sel told me that this story was probably going to just 'not end', I thought 'No, that can't happen. It's too cool of an idea to just die'. So I asked her for permission to finish it. And I almost succeeded. I got a lot of the latter part…then I handed it back to Sel for her to put it to bed.

All in all, and admitting that I'm far from objective, I think it's a nice, warped alternate universe. And I write it with mixed feelings. I love that she trusted me with it, I loved writing it, and I'm sad that it's probably going to be the only story we ever co-write.

My thanks to her for the idea and the trust in letting me play in her universe.