Reminiscing
Title:
Reminiscing
Author: Suz W.
Spoilers: After Prophecy,
Feedback: Always
welcomed and gratefully appreciated!
Old
Stories Referenced: “Beneath
A Silent Moon" (parts 1 & 2), “Making
A Difference”, “A
Snowy Adventure (part 1)”, “A
Web Of Deception”, “Along
The Way Home”, “Catching Up”, “Just
As I Am”, “Living Dreams”, “Once
Upon A Time”, “One Halloween
Night”, “Putters Paradise”,
“Stranded (part 2)”, &
“The Ties That Bind”.
Rating: PG-13, S/J Friendship, Romance, Hurt/Comfort,
Action/Adventure, and sexual situations.
Summary: With Daniel back from the dead and rejoining SG-1,
the team finds they have some catching up to do in order to help Daniel’s
memory along.
Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are
the property of MGM, Sci-Fi Productions, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret
Productions. This piece of fan fiction
was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on
copyrights or trademarks was intended.
Copyright: The original characters, situations, and story are
the property of the author. Copyrighted
on March 21, 2007, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.
Author’s
Notes: This story follows “Moments
Shared”. I thought this story would be the perfect opportunity
to review some of my past stories from this series, especially since Daniel
has now rejoined the team. I hope you
enjoy this ‘trip down memory lane’, along with the new content that also makes
up the story. Be aware that if you have not read my stories
up to this point, you should read them before you read this one. Otherwise, this story will spoil previous stories
from my series. As always, your
feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed, and I hope you continue to enjoy
the journey my series takes you on. Thanks
for reading!
Dedication: This story is lovingly
dedicated to all those on my “personal” list (you know who you are!). I thank each of you for all your continued
support, constant feedback, and wonderful friendship that you provide me. This series would have never made it this far
without you!!
The words began to run together in
the journal that Sam was trying to do some research from for one of the current
projects going on in her lab.
Frustrated, she closed her eyes and sat back in her chair, sighing
heavily as she realized that she had been reading the same sentence over and
over again for the last ten minutes. She
had been unable to concentrate on her work since Jonas’ departure from their
world and their team only twenty minutes ago.
It hadn’t hit her until after she’d reached her lab how final it had
really been as she had stood there in the Gateroom with Jack, Teal’c, Daniel
and others from the SGC watching Jonas take his final walk up the ramp and then
disappear into the wormhole, bound for his home planet…permanently.
For the short time that he had been
a member of Stargate Command and SG-1, he had made incredible contributions in
practically everything he had been involved in.
Personally for her, he had saved her life more than once, and it was a
debt she knew she could never repay.
Upon Jonas’ arrival in their lives, she remembered taking an instant
liking to him. Despite Jack’s
reservations, she’d sensed that Jonas would be important to them, though at the
time, she could have never comprehended just how much of an importance he would
become.
Smiling to herself, she remembered
loving his sense of wonder and incredible enthusiasm about anything new he came
across, and how he gave his all to learn everything possible about the things
he knew little of. He also loved any
chance at flirtation with a cute nurse, and was a natural at it, because the
women he would target always soaked up his admiration like a sponge.
Saying goodbye to her friend had not
been easy, and as Sam continued to sit there, she thought back to only a few
hours before when she’d had a chance at a few moments alone with Jonas in what
was once again Daniel’s lab…
Sam
lightly knocked on the door frame that held the entrance to Jonas’ lab. He was standing with his back to her, looking
over artifacts that had been laid out carefully on the workbench in the middle
of the room. At the sound of her knock,
he half turned and met her eyes. A
small, sad smile formed on his lips as he raised his hand in a greeting.
“Hey,
Sam…I was just trying to decide what I needed to pack,” he said, his voice
softer than usual. Turning back around
to his original position, he continued hesitantly as Sam joined him. “But then I realized that none of this is
really mine. I guess just the one bag is
all I need.”
Sam
followed the direction of his gaze to the small duffel bag that sat haphazardly
on a nearby stool. She could feel her
emotions getting the better of her and was trying her best not to cry. “Jonas, I’m sure General Hammond will allow
you to take some of the artifacts that we don’t need. After all, you found some of them…it’s only
right.”
Jonas
looked over at her and gave her a nod.
“True, but what use are they really going to be to me back on Colona? I really don’t see how my new position there
is going to benefit anything I might take from Earth. After all, you never know when something
obscure you have here might come in handy.”
Sam
was at a loss for what to say next. Instead,
she leaned her right side into the counter and studied him for a moment. When Jonas noticed the silence and caught her
stare, he looked over. “What is it?”
Sam
just shook her head. “Jonas, I hope you
know that no one is forcing you to leave.
You’re more than welcome to stay…we could use your help here at the SGC,
and I’m sure Daniel could use the help with some of the interpretations we come
across. As for SG-1, I know General
Hammond would allow a fifth team member for us…especially since it’s you.”
Jonas
laid a hand lightly on Sam’s shoulder.
“I appreciate the offer, Sam, but as much as I’d love to stay, I can’t
lie to you and say I’m not looking forward to going back to Colona…if anything
just to make amends.”
Sam
responded. “I hope you still don’t think
you did something wrong when you helped us prove Daniel’s innocence before
he…well, before he died.” Sounding
strange even to her now that Daniel was back with them, she shook a sudden chill
from her bones.
Jonas
shook his head. “In a way I don’t, but I
still feel like I betrayed my people and their trust…and this is my chance to
make it up to them.”
Sam
smiled at him. “Well, you’ll always have
a home here. If things don’t work out,
please remember you’re always welcome to come back.”
Jonas
returned her smile. “Thanks, Sam. That means a lot.” Taking a moment for reflection, he then
continued. “I must say, it’s been an
interesting year. I’ve learned more than
I ever thought was possible…from universal travel to skiing.”
Sam
let out a quiet laugh and then gave him a more serious look. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t be here to see you
off, or ever go skiing again for that matter, if you hadn’t have risked your
life to save mine. And of course we
can’t forget the time your instincts saved me from that insane man who
kidnapped me. Between him and the fire
that night, I think you saved all of us who were there.”
Jonas
tried to shrug it off. “I’m just glad I
was where I was needed.” Changing his
tone, he spoke up again, this time filling it more genuinely. “Sam, you’ve been an amazing teammate and
friend to me throughout this journey of mine, and I really can’t thank you
enough for all your help and support.”
The
first of her tears outlined Sam’s eyes as she answered him. “You’ve been a great friend too, Jonas, and
you always will be.” Reaching out, she
and Jonas came together in a tight embrace, allowing a moment to slip by. When Sam pulled back, she gave him a
teary-eyed smile. “I’m going to miss
you.”
Jonas,
who had a tear in his eye as well, smiled back.
“Me too.”
Just
then, Jack’s voice sounded in the room.
“Is this a private party or is anyone invited?”
Sam
and Jonas both jumped at the unexpected sound.
Releasing each other, they both turned to find Jack eyeing them from the
doorway, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned into one side with a half
smile plastered on his face. Sam was the
first to regain her wit. “Sir! I didn’t hear you come in.”
Jack
gave her his full attention. “Well that’s
obvious, Carter.” Giving her a small
smile, he continued. “Am I
interrupting?”
Sam
shook her head. “No…I was just saying an
early farewell to Jonas.” Unsure of what
to say next in the ensuing silence, she cleared her throat. “Um, I’m going to get back to my lab. I’ve got some projects that need my
attention.”
Jack
straightened his stance as she approached but kept his eyes on her. “Carter, you always have some project that
needs your attention.”
Sam
gave him a look only Jack could see before turning around and speaking up. “Jonas, I’ll see you later in the Gateroom
before you leave.” When Jonas nodded
with a smile, Sam turned her gaze to Jack and gave him a small smirk. “Sir.”
Jack
tipped his hand to her. “Carter…have fun
with your toys.”
Sam
walked past him and started down the hall, only glancing back for a moment to
find Jack giving her one final look before he moved further into Jonas’
lab. Arriving at the elevators, she
swiped her card and then blew out a breath, leaning against the wall as she
waited for an elevator to arrive. With
her thoughts returning to Jonas, she knew that saying goodbye was not going to
be easy…for any of them.
Sam blinked her eyes several times
and then looked around her lab. Deciding
it was pointless to try and continue to get any work done, Sam ran a hand
through her hair and then got up out of her chair. As she did, her eyes fell on the package of
vacation photos that she had finally developed from their Thanksgiving ski
trip. Having already perused them, she
knew which one her eyes would find first.
Reaching for them, she opened up the flap covering the stack and pulled
out the photos. And there to greet her
was a wonderful group photo that was taken during their first official day of
skiing. They had asked a fellow skier to
take their picture, and the result was a perfect photo of those closest to
her…General Hammond, her dad, Teal’c, Jack, Tessa, herself, and of course
Jonas. Touching the photo, she knew she
would treasure it always, for even though the trip had ended up in a hellish
nightmare, the events leading up to that disaster were irreplaceable and
wonderfully memorable.
As she stared at the
smiling face of Jonas, she found herself wondering what he and Jack had talked
about after she’d left his lab. Deciding
to find out, along with suddenly feeling the need for his company, she made her
way out of her lab and headed for Jack’s office.
Jack sat in his worn leather chair, staring mindlessly at the end of a
half-eaten pink eraser that sat on the end of the pencil he’d been using to
doodle with on old reports that had yet to be filed away. Reclining back, Jack tossed the pencil onto
his desk, leaned his head back and then closed his eyes. Jonas was gone. It just didn’t seem right to him
somehow. Though he was happy to have
Daniel back, despite the fact that Jack knew it wouldn’t take long before
Daniel was royally annoying him once again, Jack had come to respect Jonas on a
level that had even surprised him.
Jack knew that he had made Jonas
work hard for the respect he now had for him, and in a way he regretted his
initial reservations. He would always
respect Jonas for who he had become while he was apart of SG-1, and would truly
miss the man who had given his all to fitting in. But most importantly, Jack knew he would never
be able to truly repay Jonas for the times he had saved Sam’s life…it was like
Jonas had saved his life, and that in his mind was double payment.
Of course, Jonas had managed to get
under Jack’s skin just like Daniel was always capable of doing, but there was
something about him that made his personality a little more tolerant to Jack. Rather it was the fact that he’d worked so
hard to please everyone, or just that he truly cared, Jack was going to miss him.
Letting his mind drift, Jack thought
back a few hours to when he’d walked to Jonas’ lab to say a personal farewell
and had found Sam and Jonas in a teary-eyed embrace that had even wrenched at
his heart. He knew he had been obnoxious
and was sure that Sam would give him heck about it later, but he couldn’t
resist startling them in their quiet moment.
They’d looked like two kids with their hands caught in the cookie jar,
and Jack had enjoyed it immensely.
After Sam had left and he’d watch
her disappear down the hallway, Jack had turned his attentions back to Jonas,
who was anxiously watching him as he stood in the center of his soon-to-be
ex-lab…
Jack
took a few steps forward and entered the lab that was in its usual cluttered,
chaotic state, not much unlike his own office, although Jack knew the lab was a
lot more organized than the pile of trees that constantly sat on his desk and
every other countertop he could find.
Lifting
the cover of a nearby book with one finger, he eyed it suspiciously for a
moment before letting the cover drop back down.
Shoving his hands casually in the pockets of his pants, he nodded at
Jonas. “So…you all packed?”
Jonas
did a partial sweeping motion with one hand.
“All this is really not mine…so yeah, I think I’ve got everything.”
Jack
moved forward a few more steps and placed a hand on the center workbench. Taking a breath, he finally spoke again. “Look, Jonas, I know I always seemed to give
you a hard time about a lot of things…frankly, I think I did about pretty much
everything.”
Jonas
held his hands up partway. “Colonel,
it’s okay. I understand…especially after
being forced to accept me with what happened to Dr. Jackson on my planet. I probably would have done the same thing.”
Jack
just looked at him. “No you wouldn’t
have. Jonas, you don’t have to make
excuses for me and my reservations about you.
If we’re being honest here…I was an ass and should have been easier on
you.”
Jonas,
unsure of what to say, just stood there dumbfounded by Jack’s confession. When Jack could see he was at a loss for
words, he took the opportunity to continue with what he wanted to say. “Now don’t think I’m going to go around
openly admitting this…I mean I have to hold onto my reputation.” Softening his tone and looking him squarely
in the face, Jack went on. “But I want
you to know you’ve earned my respect.
You’ve done a lot for us here, especially for Carter, and I’ll never be
able to truly thank you for that. But I
at least wanted you to know how much I appreciate what you’ve done for us this
past year.” Jack knew that Jonas wouldn’t
key in to the fact that the “us” he was referring to was actually him and Sam,
so he felt comfortable saying it.
Jonas
allowed a smile to grow on his lips.
“Thanks, Colonel. That means a
lot coming from you.”
Jack
nodded with the satisfaction that came from finally saying what had been
rolling through his head. “Yeah, well, I
guess I’ll let you get back to…whatever it was you were doing. I’ll see you in the Gateroom.”
Jonas
nodded and gave Jack a casual salute.
“We’ll do, Colonel…and thanks again.”
Jack
gave him a quick smile and then headed out of the lab, happy that they’d had
the opportunity to clear the air. He
knew that if they hadn’t, it would have hung over his head like a dead weight,
and he would have had to have paid a visit to Colona just to make amends.
Heading
back to his office, Jack thought about the exchange he’s witnessed between Sam
and Jonas. He knew they’d become a lot
closer since their near-death experience up in the mountains, and he also knew
it was going to be harder on Sam to watch him leave. Making a mental note to stop by her lab after
Jonas’ departure, Jack continued down the hallway to the elevators…
Jack opened up his eyes with a start
and realized that he had yet to check on Sam.
Happy to have an excuse to go see her, he popped out of his chair and
was just about to leave his office when he had to put the brakes on to prevent
a collision with the very person whom he was going to go see.
Sam jumped back slightly to avoid running into Jack, who had appeared in
his doorway at the same time she had.
“Sorry, Sir…I didn’t see you.”
Jack gave her a smile. “Well, I think the apology goes both ways,
Carter. No harm done…I was actually on
my way to see you, so you saved these ol’ bones a trip.”
Sam smiled back. “I’d hardly call them old, Sir.” Holding his eyes with her own for a moment,
Sam then continued. “Did you want to
talk in your office?”
Jack, who always seemed to lose his
train of thought whenever she was around, shook his head to clear his
mind. “Yeah…come on in.” Waiting for her to enter, he closed the door
behind her and then took his seat again behind his desk, moving a pile of
paperwork that was partially obscuring his view of her.
Sam, who had settled into the chair
across from him, gave him a faint smile.
She hated having to put on a front, especially when they were alone, but
they couldn’t chance it, even if there was strictly video feed running into his
office. “So, what did you want to see me
about, Sir?”
Jack did his level best to stay
focused on the fact that they were on base and in his office. “I was coming to see how you were doing…I
know that you and Jonas had become close and I wanted to make sure that you
didn’t need to…talk.”
Sam gave him a warmer smile, loving
how much concern and thought he always showed for her. His compassion for others would sometimes
waver, depending on the person and the situation, but no matter how at odds
they became with each other, she was always first in his mind. “I’m okay…just a little sad I guess. Jonas was a good friend and a great
teammate. He really added to SG-1 and
I’m going to miss him.”
Jack nodded. “We all are.”
Wanting her to know that his response was genuine, he leaned forward in
his chair and placed his arms on the desk.
“Jonas did a great job here and I never gave him enough credit. But after you saw him earlier today, I got a
chance to tell him just that.”
Sam studied him for a moment and
then realized that the conversation between him and Jonas must have been
something Jack had wanted to have with him.
Giving him a look of understanding and love, she responded. “I’m happy to hear that, Sir. I know you weren’t always sure that Jonas would
fit in here, so it’s great to see you’ve changed your mind about that.” Sighing lightly, she adjusted her sitting
position. “I’m just sorry that he didn’t
choose to stay. I just hope he didn’t
feel like he had to leave now that Daniel’s back.”
Jack thought on what she had just
said for a moment. Looking over at her,
he spoke up. “I’m not going to lie and
say I’m totally confident that Daniel had nothing to do with the decision he
made. I mean, think about it, Carter…if
you had been the replacement on a team for a guy who had been killed,
essentially by your own people, and then suddenly he shows up back from the
dead, wouldn’t you feel a bit weird about staying around?”
Sam seemed suddenly startled. “Well, if that’s true, Sir, shouldn’t we have
done more to convince him to stay…convince him that he didn’t have to leave
just because Daniel is now back with us?”
Jack wanted to take her in his arms
and just hold her, but he knew he couldn’t, not with base security possibly
watching them. Instead, he leaned
forward a little bit more and softened his tone while keeping his face as
neutral as possible. “Sam, Jonas made up
his mind on his own. You can’t blame
yourself for him not choosing to stay.
No matter how much he might have wanted to remain here on Earth,
remember the type of person he is…can you really see him turning his back on
his own people when they come begging for his help and offering forgiveness for
betraying them?”
Sam relaxed her shoulders and
dropped her head for a moment. When she
finally looked up at him again, she gave him a look that told him she
understood. “You’re right…I guess I just
needed to hear it. Thanks.”
Jack had to sit back in his chair to
keep from stretching his hands over his desk and taking Sam’s hands. Reclined in his chair, he gave her a half
smile. “Anytime, Carter.” As Jack sat there exchanging looks with Sam,
he had an idea that would hopefully help her get her mind off Jonas. “So, earlier I mentioned to Daniel that
dinner was at seven. I was talking about
just the basics in the commissary, but how about a little barbeque at my
place…say seven o’clock? It might be
kind of fun to have the whole team over, plus it might help Daniel to remember
some things.”
Sam couldn’t help but smile at his
thoughtfulness. “Sounds great, Sir! Can I bring anything?”
Jack couldn’t resist. Lowering his voice and keeping his eyes
focused on hers, he answered. “Just your
sexy self.”
Sam could feel the heat rushing to
her cheeks as his gaze continued to wander over her body. Deciding she’d better leave before they got
into trouble, Sam stood up and hastily moved over to the door. “I’d better get back to my lab and get some
things done between now and then. I’ll
see you tonight.” Fumbling with the door
knob, she swore under her breath as she finally got it open and gave Jack one
quick glance back over her shoulder.
Giving him a smile, she shook her head as she walked out and closed the
door behind her.
Jack couldn’t help but grin. He loved the effect they had on each other,
and it just made the alone time they got together that much more exciting. Getting up from his chair, he decided he’d
better go find Teal’c and Daniel and let them in on the plan for the evening. After that, he figured he better head out and
pick up the groceries he’d need for dinner.
If all went well, it would turn out to be a great evening…with an end
that would hopefully involve only him and Sam.
Five hours later, the team of SG-1
sat around Jack’s dining room table, finishing up the last of the barbequed
ribs that Jack had cooked to surprising perfection. Being only the end of January, the weather
hadn’t allowed them the luxury of eating around the actual grill, so the party
had been held inside the warmth of Jack’s house. Knowing Teal’c was joining them for dinner,
Jack had bought more than enough meat to satisfy even his appetite, and he
couldn’t help but smile at the contented look on his friend’s face as he sat
back in his chair.
Sam, having much less of an appetite
than the Jaffa’s, cleared the plates from the table and brought them into the
kitchen, laying them in the sink. The
chocolate cake she had picked up from the store seemed to be calling her name,
so she picked it up and placed it on the table, along with dessert plates and
forks.
Jack emitted a satisfied sigh. “Carter, I swear you’re trying to fatten us
up. I’m going to have to do twice the
mileage on my run in the morning just to work this off.”
Sam smiled. “Oh, I think those ribs we just devoured have
already done their damage, Sir.” Sitting
down, she began cutting the cake and offered Daniel the first piece.
Daniel, who had been quiet and
reserved throughout dinner, obviously still felt like the outsider. Sam spoke up as she continued serving the cake
to the others. “We’re glad you were able
to come, Daniel. It’s great to have you
back with us…we’ve missed you.”
Daniel gave her an awkward
smile. “Thanks, Sam. It’s good to be back…I think.”
Sam and Jack exchanged looks as she
handed him his cake. Jack cleared his
throat and spoke up as he stabbed at his piece with a fork. “I know you’ve got a lot to remember, Daniel,
but I can assure you, we’ve had a lot of experiences that once remembered,
should hopefully prove to you that you belong here.”
Teal’c looked over at Daniel. “It is true, Daniel Jackson. We have even taken trips together that were
quite memorable.”
Jack nodded. “That’s right. Great times I tell you!”
Daniel adjusted his glasses. “What kind of trips?”
Jack held out his hands. “Well, skiing for one. We took a little Thanksgiving vacation up to
They reached the top and slid off the lift easily, skiing a short
distant away to wait for Daniel and Teal’c.
The sun sat high in the sky, shining down brightly, illuminating the
snow as it sparkled all around them. The
air was cold, and a brisk wind had picked up as they reached the top.
Sam and Jack watched the pair of
skiers that had been in the chair ahead of them as they took off on their run
down the mountain. Unaware to each of
them, Teal’c and Daniel had reached the top and were dismounting from the chair
lift. With their backs turned and their
stocking caps pulled down over their ears, they failed to hear Daniel calling
out to them.
“So, Sam, do you really think that
Teal’c will be able to…..” Jack turned around as he said this, just in time to
see Teal’c sliding quickly, and obviously out of control, towards Sam. “Watch out!”
Sam, confused by his sudden change
in tone, barely had enough time to look behind her. Before she knew what was happening, Teal’c
came plowing into her, and as he instinctively grabbed onto her for support,
both of them tumbled backwards onto the snow.
Daniel came to a stop next to Jack,
who had immediately found humor in the situation, and was laughing as he went
to help Sam up. Finding his laughter
infectious, both Sam and Daniel started in with him as she tried to get to her
feet, with little success. Jack reached
a hand out to her, trying to contain some of his laughter. “Are you two okay?”
Taking Jack’s hand, Sam pulled
herself to her feet, still laughing at how funny the situation actually
was. “Yeah, I’m fine, thanks. My tailbone may be complaining in the morning,
but then, since I’ll be skiing for the next few days, the rest of my body will
probably be sore too.”
Teal’c, failing to see the humor in
the situation, spoke up as Daniel helped him to his feet. “I am truly sorry, Captain Carter. I lost control as I got off that lift. I did not expect to have to ski right away.”
“Hey, no problem, Teal’c. I’m just glad I was able to help you
stop.” Sam gave him a reassuring smile,
letting him know that it was fine as she brushed the snow off from the back of
her ski pants.
“Yeah,” Jack said, still running
through the incident in his mind.
“Otherwise, who knows where you might have stopped. I don’t think a tree would have been as
forgiving.” He patted Teal’c on the
shoulder, who finally seemed to be relaxing about the situation.
After a few moments, Daniel spoke
up. “So, are we ready to try this?”
“How ‘bout it, Teal’c? You ready?
Cause there’s really only one way down this mountain.” Jack smiled at Sam and gave her a quick wink,
knowing that Teal’c could always take the chair lift back down, but didn’t want
to give him that option.
“I am ready, O’Neill.” Teal’c had managed to regain his composure,
and it was obvious the warrior in him was not going to letting a small mishap
steer him away from a challenge.
“Okay, well Sam and I will lead off,
and just do what we do.” Jack put on his
goggles, preparing to start his run.
Daniel couldn’t resist being a
little sarcastic about the obvious confidence level Jack was displaying. “Wow, Jack…are you sure that you’ve got that much
confidence in your skiing abilities?
Cause back on the bunny slope, you kind of had a few shaky moments….”
“Yes, Daniel, I’m sure. Now, are you going to ski or not?!” Jack, trying to ignore the display of
sarcasm, went back to focusing on the path in front of them. Sam turned around and gave Daniel a hidden
smile, and he returned hers. The deep
friendship and appreciation that had been established between the four of them
was defined by the moments that found them.
And each of them knew just how to enjoy the special ones.
Daniel smiled. “Sounds cold…but fun.”
Jack looked between Teal’c and Sam and then back to Daniel. “It was…on both accounts.”
Daniel took a small bite of his cake. “Did we ever go anywhere warm on vacation?”
Sam
adjusted in her chair. “We did…a few
times, although the trips didn’t always start out as a vacation. There was a trip we had to take to
Daniel, who was listening intently, spoke up. “It doesn’t seem like it was a very good time in paradise.”
Jack, who was nearing the end of his cake, smiled. “Oh, it ended up that way though…”
And so Jack found himself lying on the beach
in a lounge chair, enjoying the warm rays of the sun and the tropical
breezes. The only thing that was missing
was Sam. They had barely had any alone
time together, especially with Janet and Cassie joining them. Cassie had latched onto Sam immediately, and
it seemed wherever she went, Cassie went.
Jack understood, he really did, but he couldn’t help but feel a little
jealous in not being able to have her full attention. So as the group approached him, he was really
surprised not to see Sam with them.
Cassie ran up beside him and bent
down, giving him a hug and almost toppling them over. Jack smiled.
“Whoa! Hey kiddo! You’d better slow down or we’ll both be lying
face down in the sand.” Smiling at her
and then up at Daniel and Janet, Jack commented. “You three look like you’re ready for an
adventure.”
Cassie could barely contain
herself. “We are, Jack! We’re going to go take a jeep tour of the
island. Mom and I never got a chance to,
and Daniel says he knows all these cool back roads and great places to drive
to. He even knows this great spot in the mountains where we can see the stars
really clearly.”
Jack pulled his sunglasses partly
down his nose and looked up at Daniel, eyebrows raised. “Really?
Well, Daniel, it seems you’ve been holding out on us. I didn’t know you knew the islands so well.”
Daniel shrugged, smiling. “Yeah, well I’ve been to these islands quite
a bit. I use to…know someone who lived
here.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at that,
grinning. “Oh, you use to know someone,
huh? Well, it seems I haven’t given you
enough credit, Daniel. Apparently you do
know how to be more than just a geek. I wasn’t
aware you had a romantic streak in you.”
Jack looked at Janet and winked, who proceeded to blush bright red,
despite the nice tan on her face. Jack
just laughed.
Daniel rolled his eyes and
sighed. “Jack, you just have no sense of
tack sometimes.”
Jack looked out at the ocean as he
continued to smile. “Nope, and I’m proud
of it.” Pausing, he looked back over at
them. “So, who else is going besides the
three of you?”
Daniel snorted. “Well, since we haven’t been able to get your
butt off that lounge chair in the last two days, I’m assuming you’re not
coming.”
Janet smiled as Jack simply ignored
Daniel’s comment. Softly laughing, she
spoke up. “Teal’c is going with us. He’s very excited because Daniel is going to
let him drive the jeep we rented.”
Jack looked over and then back at
the ocean, shaking his head. “A
Janet just shook her head. “No, she says she’s not feeling well
today. I checked her out, but I think
it’s nothing more than a headache and fatigue.
She’s resting in her room, and hopefully napping.”
Jack furrowed his brow
slightly. Sam had seemed fine at dinner
last night. He didn’t like the idea that
she wasn’t feeling well. Before he could
think of anything else, Cassie spoke up.
“Well, have fun Jack! Don’t wait
up! Come on you guys, Teal’c is
waiting!” Jack waved a hand at them as
he watched them retreat back towards the lobby of the hotel. And he couldn’t help but smile as he watched
Daniel discreetly take Janet’s hand as they made their way through the white
sand, strolling comfortably behind a very excited Cassie.
Daniel raised his brow. “Wow. It sounds like I’ve got a lot to remember. How many places in the world have I been exactly?”
Jack placed his hands behind his head. “Daniel, you speak more languages than I know how to count. So I guess you could say you’ve been to quite a few.”
Daniel finished off his cake and then put his fork down. Looking up, he continued his inquiry. “So does every vacation or mission we undertake always put our lives in such danger?”
Jack glanced over at Sam and then back to Daniel. “I guess you could say trouble seems to find us…even when we’re not looking for it.”
Sam spoke up. “That’s true,” she said, agree with Jack’s assessment. “Do you remember that trip home from Whiteman? It started out normal, but certainly didn’t end up that way.”
Jack
nodded. “Yep.” Looking over at Daniel, he elaborated. “We’d been visiting Whiteman AFB to check out
some new technology and you had suggested driving out there so you could stop
off in
Daniel just looked at him. “Nerd convention?”
Sam couldn’t help but smile at the banter that was already settling back in between them. “What he means is an archeology convention.”
Jack glanced over at Sam and then back at Daniel. “Exactly…anyway, while you did your thing, the rest of us had an enjoyable day in the Plaza.” Memories flashed through Jack’s head of the wonderful time he’d had with Sam. It had been just the two of them since Teal’c had elected to take a tour of the fountains. The day had been just for them, and they had connected as a normal, run-of-the-mill couple, only if it was just for a few hours.
Looking over at Sam, Jack could see she was thinking the same thing he was. Trying to hide his smile or from being to obvious in their sudden eye contact, Jack forced himself to tear his eyes away from hers. Clearing his throat, he was grateful when Teal’c took over the telling of the story so he could compose himself again.
Teal’c, who
was very aware of what Major Carter and Colonel O’Neill were thinking about,
wanted to draw Daniel’s attention away from them, so he continued with the
story. “After we picked you back up,
Daniel Jackson, we were driving through what I believe is called
The radio crackled in and out of range as
they listened intently. “…Again, a tornado warning has been issued
for the following counties: Sali…” The
radio lost its signal; its crackling sound seemed to pinch every nerve in their
bodies as they waited for the signal to find strength again. “…Cities
and towns in the path of this storm include….and WaKeeney. If you are in the path of this storm, seek
shelter immediately. Move to a basement
or an interior room of your house. Stay
away from windows. This storm has been
known to produce pea-sized hail, wind gusts of over 70 mph, torrential rain,
and dangerous lightning……in your car, seek shelter in a ditch or low-lying
area…do not attempt to outrun a tornado….”
“Oh, well that’s just great! We’re in the middle of nowhere and now all we
know is that a tornado may or may not be in this area!” Daniel personally hated storms. He’d never been through a tornado though, and
he would prefer to keep it that way.
“Jack? Are you just going to keep
driving?”
Jack didn’t attempt to use any
patience in his response. “Damn it,
Daniel! What do you want me to do? As you said, we’re in the middle of nowhere! How do I know what county we’re in, let alone
what city we’re near. I don’t see any
signs, and if this stupid radio station could hold a signal, maybe we could
learn something else. Sam. See if you can find an AM radio station. Maybe it’ll have more luck out here in the
wheat fields of
As Sam searched for another radio
station, Daniel had another thought.
“I’m surprised it isn’t raining.”
Sam looked up at the black sky,
still being lit up with lightning strikes.
“Actually Daniel, that’s a good thing.
Tornados are usually located on the edge of the updraft of a storm. Therefore, a burst of heavy rain or hail can
sometimes signal a tornado’s arrival, if conditions are right.”
Teal’c spoke up for the first time
since the storm had exploded overhead.
“What is a tornado?”
Jack followed Teal’c question with
one of his own. “What the hell is an
updraft?”
Sam turned down the endless static
on the radio and sat back up in her seat.
Answering their questions might actually have a calming effect on
her. Taking a breath to ease her nerves,
she responded. “A tornado is a weather
anomaly that forms from a thunderstorm, if the conditions are right. It is a violently rotating column of air that
comes in contact with the ground, moving along it at speeds anywhere from 20 to
70 mph, picking up anything in its path, and destroying it. They form from the air rising into a thunderstorm,
or the updraft. The edge of the updraft
will be the most likely place that will spawn a tornado, simply due to the
cooler air that is descending from the thunderhead, meeting the warmer rising
air from the ground. The rain or hail
falling from the clouds causes the sudden downdrafts of air, which is why
tornados are usually supported by sudden downpours of rain or hail.”
“How long does a tornado last?” Even Teal’c’s voice sounded a little on edge as
Jack continued to drive through the storm.
“That depends on the size and type
of tornado. Their size and strength is
based on how much destruction they leave behind. It is ranked on what we call the Fujita
scale. Basically, we don’t know how big
they will be until after they have come and gone. They can be relatively small, only traveling
a few miles, and lasting on the ground only a few minutes. Or, they have been documented to be over a
mile wide, staying on the ground for over an hour. But those are rare.” Sam looked over at Jack. His eyes were sealed to the road as his hands
gripped the wheel.
“What are the chances that we’ll
actually run into one?” Jack was trying
to stay rational. The weather service
always issued watches and warnings to keep people alert, but most storms usually
passed without incident. He was hoping
for the same case now.
Sam looked back out into the
darkness ahead of her and got a sudden chill.
“Well, higher than normal, considering we’re in ‘tornado alley’.”
“Tornado alley?” Jack didn’t like the sound of that.
“It’s an expression used for this
area. From the Rocky Mountains going
east, across the Plain states,
Daniel fingered his seatbelt
nervously. “It would help if this was
going on during the day. At least we’d
be able to see any oncoming threat.”
Jack rolled his eyes and gritted his
teeth. “You think, Daniel! And though I appreciate you pointing out the
obvious, how about doing something useful like watching for road signs so we
know exactly where we are!”
Just as Jack finished his sentence,
Teal’c pointed out a sign up ahead.
“What does that say?”
As the car drew closer, Sam was the
first to be able to make it out.
“WaKeeney, 4 miles.” She got an
uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Not trying to unnerve anyone, but didn’t the announcer mention WaKeeney
as being in the path of the storm?”
“I believe you are correct, Major
Carter.”
Everyone grew silent as they
realized they were in exactly the wrong place.
No one was on the road ahead of them, and behind them, only distance
headlights could be seen. After another
few minutes, rain began to suddenly fall in heavy amounts against the
windshield. Jack flipped on the wipers
and decreased his speed slightly in order to see the road ahead of him. In the distance, Jack could barely make out
the faint twinkling of a few lights.
WaKeeney. If they could only make
it there…
As if the storm could read his
thoughts, hail suddenly began to pelt the car relentlessly. “Damn!”
Jack could feel his palms beginning to sweat as Sam’s words about the
edge of an updraft floated through his head.
The wind had picked up tremendously.
For all he knew, Jack could be driving straight into the tornado
itself. He couldn’t see anything.
“Jack, pull over! Just stop the
car!” Daniel’s voice rose up a notch in
fear so he could be heard over the hail that was reigning down from the
sky. “We can get in a ditch if we need
to!”
“Jack…” Sam’s voice penetrated his
ears in a desperate sound.
“I know, I know. I’m trying to find a place to pull over. I just can’t see a damn thing!” Easing his foot off the gas pedal, he began
searching the side of the road.
Suddenly,
no more than 20 feet in front of them, the headlights captured a car crashing
down on the road, falling from out of the black sky. Jack jerked the steering wheel hard to the
left, trying to go around the pile of metal.
Their car narrowly missed the debris in front of them, skidding around
it. But the force of the motion made the
tires lose their grip on the pavement, and the oil from the newly wet road sent
the car into a spin. Jack tried to
regain control amid the vocal screams coming from Sam and Daniel.
But it was too late. The car did one final complete spin before
going off the road and slamming into a ditch on the passenger’s side. As the engine died and all that was left was
the noise of the hail and rain, Jack shook his head slightly to get his
bearings. The car was half tilted on its
side in a low-lying ditch. “Everyone
okay?”
All their mumbled voices met his
ears, telling him they were at least alive.
Looking over at Sam, he saw her gripping her shoulder, obviously in
pain. It had been her side of the car
that had come in contact with the ditch first, and he knew she had to be
hurting. Reaching over, he put his hand
on her arm. “Sam! You okay?
What hurts?”
She let out a groan. “Mainly my shoulder. It must have slammed into the side of the car
upon impact. And, I think I cut my
forehead on some glass, but overall, I’m okay.
What about you?” She looked over suddenly,
forgetting her pain.
“I’ll live. No permanent damage. Daniel, Teal’c? You guys alright?” Jack had gone into soldier mode, and his
instincts told him they needed to get out of the car, and fast.
“We are fine, O’Neill.” Teal’c seemed to be handling the situation
amazingly well.
“Well, we need to get out of this
car. A tornado could be right on our
tails.” Suddenly, the rain and hail
subsided as quickly as it had started.
Jack listened as his heart raced.
Looking over at Sam, he didn’t realize he was holding his breath until
he spoke. “Sam? Does this mean we’ve lucked out? You seem to be our weather expert.”
It seemed like an eternity before
she finally spoke, shaking her head in a way Jack didn’t want to see. Her voice almost carried a certain air of
eeriness to it. “No, not it the
least. This is actually worse. I told you that the heavy rain and hail
signals the arrival of a tornado. What I
didn’t tell you was that it usually physically arrives when there is, what some
people call a ‘dead calm’ outside. Where
nothing moves, not a leaf, not a tree, nothing.
And then it just drops out of the sky.”
She hesitated for only a second as Jack processed what he was just
told. “We need to get out of here, now!”
Daniel sat motionless as he listened to the rest of the tale, now being told from all of his teammates. When they had finished, Daniel sat back in his chair. “Well, it seems that not only does trouble find us, but apparently we’re also extremely lucky.”
Jack got up from the table and grabbed some more beers from the fridge. “Yeah, knock on wood. Let’s just hope that luck continues. I’m not going to lie and say I’ve never wondered how much longer we can keep dodging death.” Cracking opening the top of one of the beer bottles, he offered it to Sam, who took it. Teal’c, who was nursing a glass of water, declined a refill. Opening the rest of the beer, he sat a new one in front of Daniel and then himself before nodding to the living room. “Why don’t we continue this little trip down memory lane in there…it will be a little more comfortable on the butt and the back.”
Following his lead, they made their way into the living room. Teal’c took one of the overstuffed chairs while Daniel sat down next to him in the other, leaving the couch for Sam and Jack. Kicking off her shoes, Sam tucked her feet under her as she settled into her seat, watching Jack as he got a fire going in the fireplace. The evening so far had turned out well, and Sam was happy to see how interested Daniel was in learning about their past experiences. The only thing she hated was how proper she and Jack had to be with each other. His house was so familiar to her, just as watching him make a fire was. It was hard not to just naturally cuddle up to him as they sat there talking to their closest friends.
Sighing quietly, she looked over at Daniel. “Are you remembering anything more from your past?”
Daniel studied the beer label for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “Some but not a lot…it’s frustrating.”
Jack looked over at Sam as he sat down next to her. Moving his gaze over to Daniel, he spoke up. “We know, Daniel. But you’ll remember…you’re a smart guy. Those memories have got to be in that head of yours somewhere. We just have to find that switch.”
Daniel looked over at Jack. “I do seem to have a lot of memories of situations with you in them.”
Jack could see out of the corner of his eye Sam trying to hide a smile. Taking a swig of his beer, he responded. “Yeah, well we tend to get on each other’s nerves a lot…”
Jack gave him a contented sigh as he leaned
back in his chair and rested his hands behind his head. He was really enjoying making Daniel squirm
with curiosity. “Relax, Daniel. I didn’t do anything to you…well, not
directly anyway.” Sitting back up, he
took another bite of his oatmeal. He
couldn’t help but smile as he watched Daniel look over at Sam. The not knowing was really bothering him, and
he was loving every moment of it.
Daniel adjusted his glasses as he
looked back over at Jack. “Jack…”
Sam put her hand on Daniel’s arm as
she looked over at Jack. “Come on,
Sir. You can’t leave us hanging.”
Jack looked at her and knew that his
little game could go no further. He
found it impossible to deny her anything, especially when she cast those blue
eyes his way. He loved her more every
minute that went by, and he couldn’t wait to be alone with her again so he
could remind her just how much he did.
His memory quickly flashed back to their special night, only a few days
ago. They had told each other what their
hearts had been telling them all along: I love you. And through that emotional confession, they
had shared an amazing night of passion, making love as if it were for the first
time for each of them. He now found his
dreams filled with her touch, her caress, the feel of her skin against his…and
he couldn’t wait to feel it again.
Sam cleared her throat at Jack’s
obvious daydreaming. “Sir?”
Jack blinked and looked back at
Daniel and Sam. “Sorry,” he said,
suddenly realizing that he had become consumed in memories once more. “What were we talking about?”
Daniel threw up his hands in
frustration and grabbed the top of his head, pulling on the strands of hair
that were unlucky enough not to escape his grasp. A stifled groan became a frustrated growl. “You know what Jack…never mind. Forget it!
I have artifacts in my lab that pay more attention to me than you
do!” With that, he got up from his
unfinished Eggo waffles and made a beeline for the commissary door.
“Daniel!” Jack hollered, very aware
of the attention they were drawing.
Looking briefly at Sam, her eyes searching his, he got up and followed
Daniel out into the hall, with Sam right behind him. Seeing that Daniel hadn’t slowed his pace
any, Jack called out again.
“Daniel! Oh, for cryin’ out
loud! Will you hang on a second?”
With that, Daniel stopped, rolled
his eyes briefly, and turned around, waiting for Jack to catch up with
him. Seeing Sam trailing along after
him, Daniel tried to calm down. She
didn’t deserve to have to put up with his bad mood just because Jack was trying
to irritate him. Sighing, he looked at
Jack with a weary expression. “What
Jack? I’m tired of playing this little
game you’ve got going. I don’t really
care anymore about what you did in the time loop.”
Jack put a hand on his
shoulder. “Oh, come on! Sure you do!”
Looking over at Sam, who had come to a stop beside him, he smiled at her
before turning his attention back to Daniel.
He wasn’t sure why he felt he had to satisfy Daniel’s curiosity. Usually, he didn’t care what Daniel thought
about him. But now having Sam in his
life in a way he had only wished for in dreams, he didn’t want to risk her
regretting the decision to follow through with her heart. Though he certainly had no intention of
hiding who he really was, he thought in this instance, he could oblige Daniel’s
curiosity. But there was one moment that
had happened that he would only share with Sam…
Daniel looked at him
impatiently. “Well? Are you going to
tell us or not?”
Jack fought the urge to just blow up
in Daniel’s face at his persistence. But
with Sam next to him, the unusual calming effect she had on him was working in
full-force. “Well, let’s see,” Jack
said, turning for the elevators at the end of the hall as Daniel and Sam kept
pace with him. “I found out that I’ve
got an amazing swing to my golf game.”
Jack filled them in on all the
“advantages” that he and Teal’c had been able to take part in. Everything from his newly acquired pottery
skills, to the feeling of riding a bike down the halls of the SGC. The kiss he had given Sam was the only thing
he left out, and it was something he never intended to share with anyone but
her.
As Jack reached out and swiped his
card for the elevator access, Daniel looked up with a sudden thought. “So Jack...if that was everything you did,
what was the look about that you gave Sam when I asked you if you’d taken
advantage of the time loop? Nothing you
did seemed to have anything to do with her.”
Jack was taken by surprise. It was almost as if Daniel had just read his
mind. Feeling Sam’s eyes on his face, he
looked over at her and then at Daniel.
“You know, Daniel, you tend to let your imagination run a little
wild. I really don’t know why you’re
analyzing something that wasn’t there.”
Daniel put his hands in his
pocket. “Oh, come on Jack! You really don’t think I’m that ignorant, do
you? I know what I saw.”
Jack was ready to string Daniel up
on the wall. But before he had a chance
to, the elevator doors opened. “Daniel,”
Jack said, getting on the elevator, followed by Sam and his very annoying
shadow, “I really don’t care what you saw.
Maybe, just maybe, I prefer to look at her face instead of yours.”
Daniel looked up and sighed. “Oh, that’s really mature, Jack. Just skirt the issue if you want. It doesn’t matter.”
Jack clenched his fists and looked
at the floor number they were on. Level
4. It was going to be a long ride down
to level 28. He was considering getting
off and taking the next elevator, but with Sam so close to him, he decided he
could take about anything Daniel could dish out, as long as she was with him.
Sam could see that Jack was hiding
something, but she had no idea what.
What she did know was that it had to have something to do with her and
Jack, which would explain his resistance in revealing it. She looked over at Jack and gave him a brief,
reassuring smile before moving closer to Daniel. As the elevator started it’s decent, Sam
nudged Daniel gently with her elbow.
“Maybe you did read too much into it, Daniel. If he says it meant nothing, then I’m sure
that’s exactly what it was: nothing.”
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, Sam. You don’t have to defend him just because
he’s your CO. Jack’s just being an ass.”
“Hey!” Jack said, irritation coating
the tone of his voice. “You know I’m
standing right here, Daniel. I can hear
everything you’re saying! And for your
information, I’m not obligated to tell you anything. So why don’t you stop being an ungrateful…”
Suddenly, the elevator jumped as if something had bounced off of it. The emergency brakes kicked in at the
detection of the motion, and the elevator came to a screeching halt.
For a moment, no one moved or
breathed. Finding his voice, Daniel
spoke up. “What was that?”
Jack moved slowly towards the
control panel. “You’re guess is as good
as mine. Carter? Any ideas?”
Sam looked around in thought. “I can’t really say, Sir. It sounded like a spring or wire might have
snapped.” When they both whipped their
heads around to look at her after she finished her sentence, she quickly
continued. “Or maybe not.”
Jack reached out and pushed the
“door open” button. When it didn’t
respond, he pushed it again. “Damn.”
Daniel nervously adjusted his
glasses. “Uh, Jack? Are you so sure you should be pushing
that?”
Jack didn’t have any patience
left. “Daniel. What exactly do you expect me to do? We can’t just stand here and wait for the
elevator to start working!”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Well, you could try using the emergency
phone.”
Jack hesitated before
answering. He could feel his teeth
grinding. “Gee, thanks Daniel, for
clearing that up for me. I didn’t know I
could do that!” Reaching out for the
compartment that held the phone, Jack had just unlatched the handle when a
loud, eerie creaking sound echoed above them.
“Okay, that doesn’t sound good.”
Opening the compartment, Jack quickly picked up the phone and waited as
the other end of the line began to ring…
“…and so we managed to get out of the elevator alive…but then I guess that’s obvious since we’re all sitting here.” Jack could feel the beer he’d been drinking beginning to relax him, which he knew was probably a good thing if they were going to rehashing Daniel’s life all night.
Daniel pushed the glasses up on his face. “Well, if you and I were at odds with each other so much of the time, I can’t imagine you gave me a glowing review at my funeral.”
Jack’s face became serious. “Daniel, just because you and I didn’t…don’t always see eye to eye, doesn’t mean that your death didn’t affect me!” Jack had to take a breath because he knew his tone was on edge. Softening his voice, he continued, doing his best to emphasize his point. “You left a real hole in our team that was pretty much impossible to fill. Jonas tried, and he ended up being a great asset to our team, but he wasn’t…well, he wasn’t you.”
Sam wanted to reach out and take Jack’s hand. She knew he was doing his best to hold his emotions together, and talking about Daniel’s actual death was a hard subject for all of them. Seeing that Jack needed a moment to collect him, she stepped in. “Daniel, you have to believe us…it was really hard to lose you, hard on all of us, and the funeral was even harder, but we did our best to give you the recognition that you deserved. We knew that it had to come from us…”
Two days
later, Sam and Jack found themselves, along with practically the rest of the
base, assembled in the Gate room. The
mood was somber, and conversation was kept to a bare minimum. Sam, Jack, and Teal’c stood together at the
front of the crowd, facing the gate. The
podium used for all formal affairs at the base stood in its familiar place
about halfway up the ramp, centered to its audience. A number of floral arrangements had been
placed around the Gate room. Two of the
largest sat to the right side of the ramp, with a large picture of Daniel
placed between them.
Sam stared at the photo, her eyes
beginning to water with fresh tears.
Janet had chosen the picture. It
had been taken on their white water trip, only a few weeks ago. Daniel’s smile was so carefree, so
happy. His eyes sparkled in the picture,
and his skin held a new tan that glowed warmly.
It was such a stark contrast to the serious archeologist that most of
the people there had known. But it also
portrayed the real Daniel, the person he had been outside of the base, and how
his friends had best known him.
Jack looked over at Sam and caught
her looking at the picture. “Carter,” he
whispered, “are you going to be able to do this?”
Sam looked back at him, giving him
the best courageous smile she had.
“Honestly, I don’t know. But I’m
going to try. Daniel deserves nothing
less.” Studying Jack for a moment
longer, she looked into his eyes. “How
about you? Do you think you’ll be able
to do this?”
Jack took a breath and looked at the
empty podium facing them. “We’ll
see.” Just then, the doors opened and
General Hammond and Jacob walked through the door. Each was dressed in their best dress blues,
decorated with all their stars, strips, and metals. Sam was surprised but pleased to see her
father don his dress blues. Ever since
he had become host to Selmak, she hadn’t seen him wear his formal military
uniform.
Everyone stood to attention as the
two generals made their way past those who had gathered, watching as they made
their way up the ramp, coming to stand behind the podium. The silence in the room as their footsteps
stopped could have been cut with a knife.
No one even seemed to breathe as General Hammond looked back at each of
them. When he finally spoke, his voice
sounded tired and drained of the energy it normally possessed. “At ease.”
Taking another moment to gather his thoughts, he continued. “We are gathered here together on this day to
honor the memory of yet another of our fallen heroes. Dr. Daniel Jackson was an intricate part of
our operations here. Civilian in
standing, he fought bravely against some of the most evil enemies seen to date,
and along with his team, SG-1, pulled out victorious time and time again. He will be remembered for his compassion,
kindness, knowledge, bravery, and humble pride.
I feel privileged to have not only known such a man, but to have been
able to call him friend.” Taking a
breath, he looked at Sam. “Major
Samantha Carter and Colonel Jack O’Neill would now like to share with you what
made Dr. Jackson such a great man. Major
Carter…Colonel O’Neill?”
Jack and Sam moved forward, keeping
their eyes forward, walking in strict military fashion, exchanging places with
General Hammond and Jacob. Reaching the
podium, Sam took her place in front of it, looking out at her co-workers and
friends. With a shaky breath, she
began. “Dr. Daniel Jackson was a man of
many qualities. He was not only brave,
but found compassion in the worst of times.
His feelings on equality and peace were infectious, and he set an
example to all that knew him. His
knowledge on the ancient civilizations was a crucial part to all of our missions,
and was a constant resource in times of need.”
Pausing for a moment, she went on.
“But more than that, and most importantly, he was a great friend…” Starting to choke up, she swallowed hard,
trying to contain her emotions and calm her shaking hands. She could feel Jack take a small,
unnoticeable step closer to her and brush a disguised finger over her hip. As if giving her the strength to continue,
Sam took a breath and went on. “He was a
great friend who cared more about others then his own well being, evident by
the final act of his life. I feel
privileged to have not only known him and call him friend, but to have been
witness to the extraordinary qualities that he brought to this base, and to the
fight to keep our planet free from enemy hands.
He will be missed.” Offering a
subtle smile, mostly in her father’s direction, she stepped to the side,
allowing Jack room to move to where she had been standing.
Jack gingerly approached the
attention of the room. He looked over at
Sam and gave her a brief nod that would have only been read by those in
attendance as an act of respect; but to Sam, she knew it meant so much
more. She gave him the smallest of
smiles before he turned his eyes back to his audience.
Clearing his throat, he began. “I had the privilege of knowing Daniel longer
than most of you. He was among those of
us who traveled through the Stargate on the very first mission to
Jack could feel Sam’s eyes on him as
he held up his hand and continued. “Now,
I’m sure you’re all wondering why I would bother to bring up anything about
Daniel that may seem less than noble.
It’s no secret that Daniel and I had our differences. My team can attest to this many times
over. But it was these qualities…that
actually gave SG-1 some of the victories we’re known for. Daniel was a friend, companion, teammate, and
genuine good guy. I can say this now
because he’s not here to give me that annoying ‘I was right’ smile.” Quiet laughter filtered through the room,
giving Jack a moment to take a much-needed breath.
When the laughter subsided, Jack
continued. “Daniel’s shoes will be hard,
if not impossible, to fill. He will be
missed on every mission when SG-1 steps through the Gate. And I know he will be missed here on the base.” Stepping back from the podium, he moved
around it and joined Sam as she descended the ramp to rejoin Teal’c. Once in place, a bugle began to play “Taps”,
the song honoring fallen heroes. As it
was played, the Stargate was then dialed to one of the yet unexplored
destinations from the dialing program.
The wormhole exploded out in front of them in a watery blue wave,
sending light everywhere. Aiming high,
two airmen then sent a 12-gun salute through the wormhole, signifying that
Daniel’s journey had only just begun.
Standing in salute formation, Sam
and Jack kept their eyes forward, focused on the wormhole. As long as the wormhole was sustained, it was
easy to avoid thinking about the finality of what they were witnessing. As the echoing from the gun salute silenced,
the wormhole was disengaged, leaving behind a sudden and all too empty feeling
of loss. General Hammond stepped forward
and turned around. Saluting those before
him, he spoke, carrying dignity in his voice.
“Dismissed.”
Silence filled the room around them as Sam finished telling Daniel about his funeral. With no one knowing quite what to say, Teal’c finally broke the silence with his deep voice. “As you can see, Daniel Jackson, you were missed by many, and just as many are pleased to have you back among us.”
Daniel looked over at Teal’c and gave him a hesitant nod. “Thanks, Teal’c.” Looking over at Sam and Jack, he gave a shy smile. “I’m touched, really. It means a lot to know what you said about me…no matter how weird that may feel.”
Jack, who had managed to calm himself down with another few swigs of his beer, raised his bottle at Daniel in a salute. “Well, we’re glad to have you back, even though I’m sure it will take no time for the two of us to be back on each other’s nerves. Cheers.”
The tension in the room released as everyone smiled and raised their drinks to Daniel. After taking a sip of his beer, Daniel spoke up. “So did we ever manage to work together on something without biting each other’s heads off?”
Jack gave him a half smile. “Oh, sure…there were times when, well, let’s see…” Jack could feel Daniel’s eyes probing him as he waited, and he was enjoying making him squirm a little.
Sam gave Jack a playful slap across the shoulder. “Oh, come on, Sir, there were plenty of times that the two of you managed to get along in a team effort.”
Jack looked over at Sam and gave her a quick wink. “Well, there was that time on that planet where we had to repair the ship that Jacob and Daniel crashed, and we discovered that Elliot wasn’t really dead after all…”
Jack and Daniel made the trek to the
Stargate without much conversation. Jack
wasn’t in the mood to talk about anything.
There was something unsettling in his gut, and the quiet around them
only added to his edginess. The trees surrounding
them seemed to be watching them, whistling out warning songs as a light wind
blew through their branches. Small twigs
crunched under foot as they moved, echoing loudly all around them.
“Jack,” Daniel said in a low tone,
“you don’t seriously think…”
Jack held up his hand and quickly
looked at Daniel, indicating to him that he’d heard something. Motioning with two fingers, Jack and Daniel
hunkered down and moved forward, hiding behind a large boulder. Jack clinched the gun tightly in his hand,
his trigger finger ready for anything.
Taking a breath, he inched his head out from behind the boulder,
surveying the sight ahead of them. There
was the Stargate on the horizon, only about a half a click away. But it was what was in front of it that had
Jack frowning. Jaffa, at least two
dozen, could be seen milling about the makeshift base camp. There was a variety of activity going on,
everything from guard duty to weapons maintenance. But the most unsettling thing was that none
of them appeared to be any worse for wear.
Bringing his head back around the
boulder, Jack clinched his jaw in frustration.
“Damn!” he swore as quietly as he could.
“I knew something didn’t smell right.”
Daniel took a quick look for
himself, bringing his head back a moment later to meet Jack’s eyes. “I guess the poison didn’t work.”
Jack wanted to hit him. Instead, he just gave him an irritated
look. “Gee, ya think?!” Taking a breath, he closed his eyes and
focused for a moment, trying to figure things out. When he spoke again, his voice held an uneasy
tension. “My guess is that Elliot never
got the chance.”
Daniel looked at him. “You mean they just killed him?”
Jack shook his head. “No, he’s not dead. But something went wrong.”
Daniel was confused. “Jack, how do you know he’s not dead? Lantash told us that there was nothing he
could do to save either of them.”
Jack looked back at the area
again. “I know that, Daniel. But I’ll give you three guesses as to who is
in that tent that is being so heavily guarded.”
Daniel looked again. Hanging his head and sighing quietly, he
spoke. “Elliot. Do you think he still has the poison?”
Jack thought for a moment as he
surveyed the area around them. “I doubt
it. Otherwise, he would have used it by
now.”
Daniel looked at Jack. “Well, I guess the next question is why are
they keeping him here? What are they
waiting for?”
Jack went stiff as if he’d been
shot. “Not waiting for….looking
for. Damn! We should have never left the ship. They’re looking for us. I bet they believe that if there is one human
here, there are more.” Reaching for his
radio, he quickly clicked it on, keeping his voice quiet but firm. “Carter!
Do you read me?” Releasing the
button, they waiting, but got no response.
He tried again. “Carter! Respond!”
When nothing came back over the
radio, Daniel spoke up. “Maybe our
signal isn’t reaching.”
Jack looked over at Daniel briefly
and then moved his eyes all around them.
“Yeah, maybe, but I’m not going to sit here and just guess. Let’s get back. We’ve got to warn them.” Not waiting for a response from Daniel, Jack
moved forward quietly but swiftly, doing his best to avoid making any large
noises as they retreated from their position and made their way back to the
crippled ship…
Daniel seemed to be waiting for more as Jack finished telling that part of the story. When he didn’t go on, Daniel raised one of his hands. “What…that’s it?! That’s the extent of our teamwork together? Maybe I was better off as an ascended being.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, Daniel, don’t get your shorts in a wad. I’m just messing with you. Yes, okay, you’re a valuable team member and there have been plenty of times we’ve helped each other out! Geez…give me a little credit.”
This time it was Daniel who was smiling. “Why thank you, Jack. Now was that so hard to say?”
Jack just stared at Daniel as both Sam and Teal’c suppressed their laughter. Jack caught their grins and looked between both of them. “Hey, you two are not helping!” Unable to actually be mad, he let out a breath in defeat and allowed a smile to grow on his face. Eventually, they were all enjoying some easy laughter from the moment.
After a few minutes, Daniel suddenly looked perplexed. “Hey, wasn’t there some kind of mission that involved some sort of Middle Ages timeline?”
Teal’c answered him. “You will have to be more specific, Daniel Jackson. There have been several.”
Daniel was obviously growing excited at the possibility of remembering something. “Oh yeah…specific…well, was there a time where someone dressed up in armor? I have a vague recollection of a jousting match.”
Sam and Jack both looked at each other before Jack nodded at Daniel. “Yeah, actually, there was, and I would be the one who was dressed up in armor…”
Jack, Teal’c, Daniel, and Saul hunkered down
behind a large row of bushes as they watched two servants assist a knight with
his armor. They had reached the village,
and could see the castle where Sam was being held, looming above them on a
hilltop. But in the village, people had
begun to gather in a large arena.
“So let me get this straight,” Jack
said, attempting to formulate a plan.
“This is a jousting arena.”
Saul gave him a quick smile. “That is correct, Jack. The tournament is a competition for all the
best knights to compete for the chance to sup with the king tonight. The best five will be chosen for that
glorious opportunity.”
Daniel spoke up. “Why tonight?
Is this a common occurrence?”
“Indeed not,” Saul continued. “Do you see that bright blue flag that flies
hence over the castle? That is the
indication that the king has chosen his queen, and tonight will be the ceremony
that binds her to him forever.”
Jack’s heart pounded in worry. “I’m assuming that queen-to-be is
Carter. Damn it! This is all my fault!”
Teal’c looked over at Jack. “How is this your fault, O’Neill?”
Jack gave him a frustrated
look. “Because Teal’c, I should have
gotten us undercover immediately after we walked through the Stargate. That area was way too open. I knew better than that! My instincts were telling me to move, but I
didn’t listen. If Carter becomes a
Goa’uld, it’ll be my doing!”
Daniel watched him as he drenched
himself in guilt. “Jack, you couldn’t
have known those guys were there. Sam’s
sensors couldn’t decipher if the signs of life were just animals or human. We all just assumed.”
“Well, we assumed wrong!” Jack
whispered furiously. “Forget it. We’ve got to get into that castle. Saul.
I need you to go talk to those servants.
Distract them...in fact, Daniel, Teal’c, go with him.”
Daniel looked confused. “What are you going to do?”
“What do you think?! I’m going to become a knight. It’s our only way into the castle. Distract them long enough for me to get a
good thump on that knight’s head. I
suggest you do the same with the servants once I strike.”
Saul looked at him in
amazement. “But good sir, are you sure…”
Jack cut him off. “Aah!
Saul, you said you wanted to come along.
This is part of it. I really need
your help with this.” Looking up at the
castle, Jack continued. “Major Carter
needs your help with this.”
Saul smiled. “You are right. I will do it.
Come! Let us go!”
Jack watched as Saul, Teal’c and
Daniel walked over to the knight and servants and began spinning a tale. Jack reached down and grabbed a nearby
rock. Seeing Jack’s approach, Saul
picked up the dramatics, giving Jack the opportunity he needed to gain ground
on the knight from behind. Lifting the
rock high above the knight’s head, he sent it crashing down on his skull with a
loud thump. The man collapsed to the
ground in an unconscious heap at Jack’s feet.
Moments later, the servants found themselves in the same condition.
Daniel looked at Jack. “Now what?”
Jack bent down and started taking
off the knight’s armor. “Now, you’re
going to help me put this on.”
Daniel gave him a confused
look. “And do what?! Don’t tell me you’re going to go in there and
pretend to joust!”
“Yes, Daniel, that’s exactly what
I’m going to do.”
Daniel began his protest.
“Jack! Do you even have the slightest
idea of how to do it? I mean, come on,
we’re not talking about a simple sword fight.”
Jack became frustrated. “Don’t you think I know that?! But Carter needs our help, and I see no one
here more qualified to try. Teal’c
doesn’t even know what we’re talking about, and you’ve got your nose so buried
in Archeology books that you probably couldn’t even hold up the joust. So that leaves me.”
Daniel tried to stay patient. “Look, I know Sam needs our help, but come
on, what good are you to her when you break your neck and die? Again, I ask my original question. Do you know how to do it?”
“I’ve been to a few Renaissance
Festivals, and I’ve seen the movies. I
know the basics. I’ll just have to
figure out the rest as I go. Now, are
you going to help me get this on or not?!”
Daniel and Teal’c both looked at each other before walking over to help
Jack suit up for the joust.
Twenty minutes later, they had
managed to get Jack mounted on his horse after putting on the armor. They had bound and gagged the knight and his
servants to a nearby tree that was well covered by surrounding bushes. Saul had gone ahead to find out Jack’s
starting time, returning quickly with news that there was no time to
practice. He was up next.
They walked into the arena and took
their positions. It was a bright sunny
day, and the arena was filled with people all looking for entertainment. The king and his royal court sat under a
covered area on one side of the arena, surrounded by guards. Colored ribbons and flags blew in the wind,
and cheers of anticipation could be heard from the crowd.
Saul looked up at Jack. “Good sir, I wish you luck! If you strike your opponent off his horse in
one blow, you win. I suggest you try for
that method of attack!”
Jack lifted the shield of his
helmet. “Thanks, Saul. I’ll do just that! No problem!”
Realizing that Saul wasn’t use to his sarcasm, he sighed. “I appreciate the suggestion. Now, hand me that joust. Let’s get this over with.”
Teal’c handed him his shield. “Good luck, O’Neill.”
“Thanks Teal’c. Hey, if I don’t make it through this, make sure
and get Carter out of there…somehow.” He
wanted to ask Teal’c to tell her how much her cared for her, but knew he
couldn’t. He only hoped that if he did
die, Sam would know that he was doing this to protect her, and her honor.
Teal’c bowed his head to him. “I promise you O’Neill, it will be done.”
Daniel and Teal’c then handed him
his joust. It was incredibly long and
heavy, pointing up towards the sky. As
Jack lowered it, securing it under his right arm, the red and white patterns on
it swirled as he tried to balance it.
Lowering his face shield with the hand that held his shield, he waited
for the announcement of his name, and that of his opponent’s. As Jack’s name, or rather that of the knight
he was portraying, was announced, the crowd swelled with cheers, giving Jack a
boost of confidence.
His adrenaline was pumping hard
through his body as trickles of sweat started running down his temples. The armor was incredibly hot and heavy, and
the joust was hard to keep balanced. He
could see the ease with which his opponent sat upon his horse, having done this
probably a million times. And even
though he’d never done it, he was prepared to give it his best shot. Sam needed him, and if this was the only way,
so be it.
The trumpets sounded and the horses
stomped their hooves on the hard ground, sending dust swirling up into the air
around them. A man with a flag walked
out between them, looked to both knights, and then waved his flag, running
quickly out of the way. His opponent’s
horse reared up and shot forward with confidence. Jack applied his heels to the flanks of his
horse and steadied himself as the seasoned horse took off towards the center of
the arena.
Jack could hear his ragged breaths
in his ears as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Using his training with guns, he scoped out
the best position to aim his joust at his opponent as they drew closer to each
other. The horse pounded forward,
forcing Jack to have incredible control of his mount. He squeezed the sides of his legs tighter
around the saddle, and lifted his shield in preparation of a blow. Placing the face of the man who’d taken Sam
on his opponent’s head, he mustered up all his anger, all his courage, and all
his strength. He knew that if he didn’t
dismount his opponent, his body wouldn’t be able to take another turn at this,
and he would lose Sam.
Within reaching distance now, at the center of the arena, he thrust his joust forward, delivering an incredible blow to the chest of his opponent. In the same instance, he felt an immense hit upon his shield, sending vibrations through his body. Fighting for control to stay on the horse, he bent over, trying to keep his balance as pain seared through his body. Reaching the other side of the arena, he turned his horse around amidst wild cheering, only to find that to his surprise, he had succeeded. His opponent lay stunned on the ground, his servants attending to him, helping his up. Letting the moment of victory overtake him, he threw down his shield and joust, bringing his hands up in celebration. Grabbing the reins, he rode down the full length of the arena and back to where he had started.
As Jack and Teal’c finished filling in Daniel’s memory with that part of the tale, Sam spoke up with an easy tone. “As you can see, we’ve been through about everything.”
Jack held up a finger. “Ah…Carter, don’t be jinxing us now. You never know what tomorrow will bring.”
Sam gave him a smile. “Sorry, Sir, you’re right. You never know.”
Daniel, now obviously excited about something familiar returning to him, pushed on. “What about the Wizard of Oz? Why does that reference keeping running through my head?”
Teal’c gave him a controlled response. “Perhaps because O’Neill has referred to it on several occasions…I believe his deepest wish is to go the place he calls Oz.”
Jack looked over at his friend. “It’s a classic movie, Teal’c, and who wouldn’t want to go to Oz?”
Teal’c gave an unexpected response. “Me.”
Jack sat forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he pleaded his case. “Well, that’s because you haven’t seen the movie as much as I have. It’s a great place…munchkins, beautiful good witches, and having your greatest wish come true.” Jack looked over at Sam when he said this and gave her a smile that sent her heart up a couple of notches.
Teal’c broke their moment as his voice filled the room. “I thought the wizard had been found to be false.”
Jack waved him off. “It’s a movie, T, and I choose to forget that part.”
Daniel furrowed his brow. “Well, if the phrase is just a movie reference, why do I vaguely remember dressing up as a character in it?”
Jack sat up. “That’s right! We had dressed up as the characters from the Wizard of Oz for that Halloween party the SCG threw a few years ago…my idea by the way…”
“Hey, Sam,” Daniel said, giving her a
smile. “Teal’c and I figured since it
was Jack’s idea for the group costume effect that we’d ride to the party
together. If that’s….okay.” Daniel hesitated slightly as he watched Sam’s
face alter slightly, almost as if she didn’t want to go as a group.
Sam, catching Daniel’s suspicious
look, quickly composed herself, concealing her disappointment at losing ‘alone
time’ with Jack, and smiled. “Of course
that’s okay. He should be here any
minute. You both look great by the way!”
She opened the door all the way and
stepped aside to let them in. Closing
the door behind them, Sam followed them into her living room. “You guys want something to drink while we
wait?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Daniel said,
attempting to figure out how to sit down in the costume he was wearing. Giving up, he leaned against the fireplace.
“I require nothing, Captain Carter,
but thank you,” Teal’c said, standing perfectly erect as he always did.
For the first time, Sam took in the
view of her two friends in the living room, dressed up in their costumes, and
laughed.
Daniel, looking slightly offended,
got a defensive tone. “What’s so funny?”
Sam, trying to stifle her laughter,
answered him. “Oh, nothing, really. It’s
just…look at us. Here we are, the great
team of SG-1, explorers of the universe, fighting the Goa’uld at every turn, along
with creating new diplomatic relations with practically every step. Now, we’re wearing make-up, wigs, and
costumes, ready to attend a Halloween party.
I guess it’s just quite a switch.”
Daniel
couldn’t hold his scowl for long, and decided to give it up for a chuckle
instead.
Teal’c
just watched them enjoying the moment, still very confused as to what he was
even doing dressed up in this manner. He
did not see the purpose in the evening’s activities, even though Colonel
O’Neill had attempted to explain the tradition as they picked out his
costume.
“Well,”
Daniel said, still smiling, “it was Jack’s idea. And I hope for his sake we win this costume
contest. It’s the only way I’m going to
survive the ridicule I’m going to get for wearing this getup.”
“Oh,
com’ on, Daniel,” Sam said, trying to sound sincere, still smiling as well,
“it’s not that bad. I mean, look at
me! How is anyone going to take what I
say seriously again?”
“Trust
me, Sam, you look great. At least you
aren’t dressed as an animal!”
They
both laughed again, and they were still laughing when a knock came at the
door. Bright eyed and smiling, Sam
turned and walked to the front door, opening it without a thought to her
previous nerves at doing so.
And
their eyes met, slowing the moment. Jack
caught his breath at the sight of her.
Her eyes matched the color of her blue and white dress, with her lips
painted red, making her skin look like it belonged on a china doll. Her cheeks were pink from smiling,
contrasting beautifully off the dark brown color of her wig. Jack inhaled a quick, cold rush of air,
hoping to revive his senses.
“Well,
Dorothy, are we ready to travel down the yellow brick road to Oz?”
Sam
smiled, regaining her senses after capturing Jack’s eyes. Even dressed up as a scarecrow, he looked
adorable. “I think so. The Tin Man and The Lion are just inside,”
she said, letting out a small laugh.
“Oh,”
Jack said, surprise evident in his voice, “the gang’s all here, huh?!”
Sam
stepped aside to let him in out of the cold.
As he passed her, the fake straw hanging from the cuff of his sleeve
brushed her arm, sending a chill through her body. As he walked into the living room to join
Daniel and Teal’c, she was still trying to figure out it the chill came from
the simple brush of straw on skin, or from how close he was to her when he
passed her, looking at her briefly from under a painted face.
“Teal’c,
Daniel! You guys look great.” Jack’s enthusiasm was slowly catching
on. Looking at Teal’c, Jack
grinned. “Teal’c, buddy! The tin really suits you!”
“This
is not tin, O’Neill. It is in fact made
of something called cardboard and tin foil.”
Teal’c matter-of-factness had the rest of the group smiling.
“Yeah,
I got that. It was an expression,
Teal’c,” Jack said, shaking his head as he smiled at his friend.
“Well,
I don’t think anyone will have problems figuring out what I am supposed to be,”
Daniel said sarcastically, fluffing his mane.
“Daniel,”
Jack said, a slightly hint of irritation in his voice, “it’s a costume
party. The point is for you to dress
up. And with our ‘Wizard of Oz’ theme,
we’re sure to win the contest. You look
fine.”
“I
look ridiculous, Jack,” Daniel protested.
“Well,”
Jack countered, “as the Lion, you’re supposed to be on a quest for
courage. Maybe by the time we get to the
party, you’ll find some.”
Sam
smiled, watching the exchange. Deciding
to attempt to change the subject, she looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, I suppose we should start traveling
down that ‘yellow brick road’ if we’re to make it to the party before the end
of the night.”
“I
think ‘Dorothy’ has a point,” Jack said, agreeing that any ensuing argument
might ruin the fun of the evening. It
had been like pulling teeth to get Daniel to finally agree to wear the Lion
costume. And, explaining what Halloween
was all about to Teal’c had been a whole other ordeal. But in the end, they had all agreed to Jack’s
request to present a united front at the costume party. Deciding on the ‘Wizard of Oz’ theme hadn’t
been hard. He frequently liked to quote
the movie, and had always thought that each of them matched the character they
were dressed up as, to a certain extent.
Teal’c, as the Tin Man, seemed to lack ‘the heart’ in certain areas,
especially when it came to being tactful.
Daniel, as the Lion, seemed, at least to Jack, to lack ‘the nerve’ when
confronting certain matters of diplomatic reasoning. Sam, as Dorothy, well, it always seemed she
was stuck with the task of finding a way ‘home’ for them when they got stranded
on other planets. And as for him, the
Scarecrow, well, let’s just say he always found himself wishing for ‘a brain’
whenever Sam attempted to explain one of her latest theories.
They were all smiling at the memory of that night, and Daniel was beginning to realize just how deep their friendship ran…and how much of it he still needed to recover. But from what he’d heard so far, he was more determined than ever to do just that.
Jack, now on the hunt for other fun memories to keep the feeling going, spoke up. “Hey, Danny…do you remember when we took Teal’c out for miniature golf? That was a fun night.” Looking over at Teal’c, he smiled at him. “Remember, T? You did great job at it and we all had a lot of fun…”
Jack parked his truck in the parking lot of
‘Putters
Teal’c, wearing a hat to conceal the
symbol on his forehead, looked at the place that Jack had taken them too. The ground was covered with various
structures, ranging from what looked like a miniature mountain, to what Earth
books had described as castles. Each
object sat on various stripes of green, increasing and decreasing in
elevation. He watched as people went
from structure to structure, hitting a small round object with a metal
stick.
Jack came up beside Teal’c and put a
hand on his shoulder. “So, Teal’c, you
ready for some putt-putt?”
Teal’c raised an eyebrow at
him. “What is ‘putt-putt’?” Sam and Daniel joined them as Jack attempted
an explanation.
“Well, it’s a game…of sorts. You see that metal stick those people are
holding? That’s called a club, and you
use it to hit a colored ball into whatever do-hickey they have on that part of
the course.” Jack looked back at Teal’c
for any sort of sign that he’d understood what had just been said to him.
“What is a ‘do-hickey’?” Teal’c looked to Daniel and Sam for an
answer.
Daniel spoke up first. “I think what Jack meant was that you hit the
ball into whatever structure is in front of you.” Daniel adjusted his glasses with one of his
hands, while gesturing with the other.
“The structures can be anything from that pyramid, or that miniature
house, or that giant….elephant’s head.”
Daniel proceeded to explain the game to Teal’c in the easiest terms that
he could until Jack became impatient.
“Tell you what, let’s just go and
show him. T’s smart, he’ll figure it
out!” Sam looked at Jack and gave him a
smile. Catching Sam watching him out of
the corner of his eye, he returned her smile as they started up towards the
course to begin their ‘mini’ adventure.
After Jack, who had insisted on
paying for all of them, bought their tickets, they sized up the right club and
proceeded to the first hole. Sam had
been designated the scorekeeper.
Jack looked at her and smiled. “Sam, why don’t you show us all how it’s
done. After all, ladies first.”
Sam gave Jack a hesitant look. “No pressure, right?” She moved forward and positioned herself
behind the white line. As usual, the
first hole wasn’t as challenging as others, requiring her to hit the ball
straight up the green and into the front door of a miniature house. Once it past through the door, the ball was
dumped out onto a lower level where the hole was. Sam placed her club behind the ball and
tapped it with enough force and precision that it went right where it was
suppose to, coming out very close to the final hole.
Jack gave her shoulder a
congratulatory pat. “Good job, Sam. See, Teal’c, nothing to it.” Sam stepped out of the way and proceeded to
watch as Jack set himself up for his turn.
When he hit the ball, it rolled up, bounced off a plastic window on the
house and rolled back. Jack stepped on
the ball to prevent it from rolling away any further. He looked down his ball, and then back up at
Teal’c.
Jack cleared his throat. “And that’s what you’re not supposed to
do. I did that…on purpose, to show you
what could also happen.”
Sam and Daniel exchanged looks,
smiling at each other as Teal’c raised an eyebrow at Jack.
Getting the approval of the rest of
the group, Jack redid his shot, and made it this time, his ball coming out and
stopping close to Sam’s.
Teal’c
was up next, and after lining up with the ball, proceeded to hit it, with a
little bit too much strength. It bounced
off the roof and came slamming back into a neighboring bush.
Jack took off his sunglasses,
whistling in the process. “Teal’c,
buddy, I guess I forgot to tell you, you don’t need to use a lot of strength to
hit the ball. Just….tap it.” Meanwhile, Sam had managed to fish Teal’c’s
ball out of the bush and handed it back to him.
Redoing his shot, Teal’c got it
right, and gave a nod as his ball dumped out onto the green on the other side
of the hole from Sam and Jack’s. Daniel
took his turn, pushing his glasses up his nose before releasing his shot, which
went in and came out, miraculously going straight into the hole. Daniel stood there with his mouth slightly
ajar, as Jack spoke up, smiling at his friend.
“Good job, Daniel!”
Daniel, regaining his wits, slowly
smiled, pleased with the unexpected stroke of luck. “Uh, thanks, Jack. Nothing to it.”
Jack looked at Teal’c. “That, Teal’c, is what we refer to as ‘a hole
in one’.” Teal’c looked at Jack, still
slightly confused. “It’s a good thing,
trust me. You want to do that.”
Teal’c bowed his head to Jack in
acknowledgment. “Indeed, O’Neill, ‘a
hole in one’ seems most efficient.”
Sam smiled. “Well, how about we finish up this
hole.” She looked behind her. “I think this family is ready to start the
course.”
Jack joined Sam as she started down
the sidewalk, with Daniel and Teal’c close behind them. They finished up the first hole, Sam getting
her ball into the hole with her next swing, with Teal’c and Jack making a par 3.
They continued through the next nine
holes, with Teal’c improving his ‘game’ at every stroke. Sam and Teal’c were tied for the lead, with
Daniel following in a close second, while Jack brought up the rear. They enjoyed each other’s company, laughing and
jeering each other as they went.
The tenth hole presented a little
more of a challenge. A miniature
windmill stood on the green, with rotating blades that rivaled the size of the
structure itself. The ball had to pass
in between the blades and through a tiny door, coming out onto a second, lower
level, where, once the ball found it’s way to that hole, fell to a third level,
where the finishing hole sat atop a small hill, with not much level ground
around it.
Teal’c went first, having picked up the
game well and equally enjoying it. He
managed to get the ball through the doorway with his first shot, and looking
quite pleased, stepped out of the way for the others to take their turn. Sam and Daniel followed, both taking two
separate shots in order to get their ball through.
Jack’s turn was a little
different. Throughout the course, Jack
had become increasingly annoyed with himself, blaming his bad luck on the
weather, which seemed contradictory, since it was such a beautiful day.
Jack shot for the fifth time, after
which his ball came bouncing back. He
whacked at a nearby bush with his club.
“Oh, for crying out loud!” He adjusted
his cap and tried to compose himself.
“It appears that your shots are
ineffective at getting the ball through to its destination.” Teal’c said astutely. “Perhaps if you try….”
“Aaah…..I’ve got it, thanks Teal’c.”
Jack said through gritted teeth, putting his hand up sharply to convey his
point.
Sam smiled, deciding that even
frustrated, Jack was still charming.
Cautiously, she approached him from the side. “Uh, Jack, if I may…..” she said quietly,
gesturing towards his club.
Jack smiled as naturally as he
could, trying to calm himself down in the process. “Sam?” he said, leaning ever so slightly
against his club, trying to appear as carefree as possible.
“Well, it’s really just a
mathematical thing….if you take into account the speed of the blades
versus…..” She stopped herself, noticing
the stiffening smile that was taking place of the warm and friendly one that
was there just moments ago. “Here, let
me show you.”
Daniel nodded in confirmation of a memory flash. “I think I do remember some of that…and as I recall, we were also celebrating something. An accomplishment maybe?”
Sam tilted her head to the side. “You could say that. It was in celebration of your return from the dead…the first time.”
Daniel looked at her incredulously. “How many times have I died exactly?”
Jack spoke up. “Too many…and you need to stop doing that. As they say, third times a charm, and I really don’t want to test that theory on you.”
Between the three of them, they explained the mission where Daniel had appeared to have been consumed by fire. Throughout those moments, he sat enraptured, attempting to take it all in and allow his mind to sift through the facts, hoping it would find some remembrance of what they were telling him.
Jack could see that Daniel was doing his best to keep up with them. “You getting all this, Daniel? I know it’s a lot to take in, but I’m sure that brain of yours will eventually remember everything. And until then, we’ll be here to help you.”
Daniel gave Jack a brief smile. “Thanks, Jack. I really do appreciate each of you taking the time to help me remember.”
Sam then spoke up. “Are you remembering anything concrete?”
Daniel gave her a look that reflected sadness. “Sharay. I remember my wife.” Looking over at Jack, he nodded. “I spent practically a whole night looking at that photo on the nightstand in my quarters on the base, and it finally donned on me who she is…or rather was.”
Jack cringed. “I’m sorry, Daniel. It’s gotta feel like you’re losing her for a second time.”
Daniel picked at a piece of lint that had found a place on one of his pant legs. “It’s hard…I guess I would have preferred to have remembered happy times rather than heartbreaking ones.” As he sat in silence for a moment, still staring at his pant leg, Jack looked over at Sam and gave her a weak smile. How many times had he come so close to losing her? He knew that it was enough to know he never wanted to be sitting where Daniel was right now, wallowing in despair and hurt that would never truly leave him. The question was how much longer did they take such incredible risks before the stakes would become too high, and the price too high to pay?
Before Jack had the opportunity to answer himself, Daniel looked up, opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again. Teal’c noticed his hesitation first. “What is it Daniel Jackson?”
Daniel hesitated a moment more before answering him. “Um…I was just wondering if there was ever something between myself and someone else.”
Sam and Jack looked at each other before Sam responded. “Do you think there was?”
Daniel looked at her. “Well…it’s kind of awkward to say, but for some reason Dr. Fraiser’s face keeps running through my mind.”
Sam could see that it was her turn to tell the story. “Well…that’s a little bit harder to answer. Um…you and Janet had grown close throughout the years before you left us, and well…from what I gathered from Janet, right before your death, the two of you had expressed feelings for each other beyond that friendship.”
Daniel studied her face. “How serious were we?”
Sam didn’t feel comfortable being the one to answer that question. “You might want to discuss that with Janet. I really don’t think it’s my place to say.”
Daniel was silent for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “Something about that trip to Hawaii that you told me about…the reference that Jack made to me about having a romantic side...that was about her wasn’t it?”
Jack
thought he’d help Sam out. “I guess you
could say that was when we started seeing a pattern. But it was when we got stranded on that
island on our way to
It was night, and a stiff wind was blowing
off the surface of the water. As they
sat in a circle shivering, Daniel finally spoke up. “So, what are we going to do now?” His voice echoed the exhaustion they all
felt.
Jack rubbed on his arms. “I really don’t have a clue yet. But I think the best thing we can do right
now is get some sleep and try to stay warm.
Once the sun comes up, we’ll be a lot warmer and hopefully be able to
get some kind of bearing on our position.”
Cassie let out a small sound. “Mom, I’m really cold.”
Janet brought her arms around
Cassie, pulling her close. “I know,
sweetheart, so am I. We’ll just have to
keep each other warm.”
As Janet kissed the top of her
daughter’s head, Daniel watched them quietly.
Suddenly getting up, he moved over carefully to stand in front of them
and squatted down, his eyes focused on Cassie, doing his best to give her a
warm smile. “Got room for one more?”
Cassie smiled and nodded. Daniel moved a little ways past them to the
end of the boat and then sat down, his back reclined against it. Holding out his arms, he waited while Cassie
got up and moved over to one side of him, snuggling close.
Janet smiled at the two of them
before looking directly at Daniel.
“Thanks, Daniel. I know she
appreciates it.”
Daniel nodded. “Well, you know, I do happen to have an extra
arm just hanging out. And I don’t think
that Teal’c really wants to be apart of this whole bonding experience.”
Janet looked over at Teal’c and then
let out a little laugh. He was wearing
his usual serious expression while he held himself erect, staring out in all
directions. When he registered Daniel’s
comment, Teal’c looked over and commented.
“I am not cold, Daniel Jackson.
My symbiote is keeping my body temperature up. Therefore, I have no need to, as you say,
‘bond’.”
Jack, who had been watching the
whole exchange with an amused expression, spoke up, looking at Teal’c. “Man!
Even though I would never have one of those snakes in me, they certainly
do come in handy. It’s too bad there’s
not a way to spread Junior’s warmth.”
Jack looked back at Sam and
smiled. Then they both watched as Janet
got up quietly and moved over to the other side of Daniel. When she had taken her seat, Daniel put his
arm behind her back and pulled her close.
Looking at her, he smiled.
“Remember Janet, I told you just a few days ago when Cassie was so sick
that if there was anything I could do for you, I would.”
Janet smiled up at him. “Thanks, Daniel.” They looked at each other a moment longer
before she carefully put her head down on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Cassie was already asleep. Content and a little warmer, it didn’t take
Daniel long to follow their leads.
Sam
continued for Jack. “We started noticing
it after that…little things that the two of you did…from looks to small
gestures. We all took a whitewater
rafting trip together right before you left us, and Janet went with us. I don’t want to speak out of turn, but from
what I got from Janet, the two of you got a lot closer on that trip.
“Sam, please…you have to tell me what happened. I really believe it will help me.” Daniel’s voice was notably sincere and it was hard for Sam not to tell him.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Sam shook her head. “I don’t know, Daniel…it’s really not for me to tell. That’s something that you need to talk to Janet about. Honestly, I think she’d kill me if she knew that her name had even come into our conversation.”
Daniel got up and moved over to the window. Looking out at the night that had settled in around them, he suddenly found himself struck with a memory so strong, it was like a brick had hit him. Closing his eyes, he relived it, word for word…
A short distance away, as Sam and Jack fell
asleep in each other’s arms, Janet and Daniel found themselves sitting by the
river’s edge, quietly listening to the steady rhythm of the current. The quiet rippling of the water over the
rocks and other unseen objects played out a melodic song that beat in time with
their hearts. They had spent the last
hour talking about everything, from their trip to life in general. The one thing they hadn’t touched on was what
was happening, or not happening, between them.
With all the times they had shared
thus far, from
Daniel adjusted his glasses and
looked over at her, freezing at the look she was giving him. Slowly lowering his arm, he nodded. “Okay…what’s that?”
Janet didn’t know how to phrase
it. How do you tell someone that you
think they know how they feel about you, but you’re still not sure? With her previous failed relationships,
including her ex-husband, Janet wasn’t the best at feeling these things
out. Her thoughts went to Sam and Jack,
and how they had managed, somehow, to find each other. Yet everyday, she had to watch them endure
the pain of keeping their love a secret because they were not allowed to be
together right now.
Looking into Daniel’s face, his eyes
waiting for a response, she felt like a foolish schoolgirl, about to tell her
first crush how she felt. “Well…what I
want to know is….do you…” Taking a
breath, she suddenly decided to throw caution to the wind. “Oh, to hell with it!” Moving forward quickly, her lips connected
with his, softly at first, and then with a little more passion. When she pulled back, she found herself
looking into an astonished face.
Daniel’s eyes were temporarily still closed and his mouth hung open,
unsure of what to do.
Daniel opened his eyes and stared
back at Janet as he sat up a little straighter.
“Wow…um…wow.” He was stunned and
didn’t know what to think or say. His
mind was mush. He was always much better
at dealing with ancient artifacts then with people.
Janet held her breath in
anticipation. But she was unsure of how
to take his hesitation. “Is that all you
have to say? I know I’m not the greatest
kisser…well, to be honest, I’m a bit rusty.
It’s just that…well, I guess I thought….with all the times you spent
with me, with Cassie…oh, just forget it!”
Flustered, she stood up and started back towards the camp, wanting to
forget that anything had even happened.
As she continued to mentally curse
herself, she failed to hear Daniel’s approach until a hand was placed on her
arm, halting her in her tracks and turning her around. Before she knew it, Daniel had her in his
arms and without further hesitation, had his lips firmly placed on hers. Enveloped by the moment, nothing else existed
as they continued their gentle yet urgent kisses from a passion that had been
stored up too long.
When Daniel finally let her up for
air, the world was spinning, and all Janet could muster was “Wow!”.
Daniel smiled at her and smoothed her
brown hair with his hand. “So…have we
come to an understanding?”
Janet giggled and moved into his
arms, laying her head on his chest and closed her eyes. “Oh, I think you can say that.” They had so much to catch up on, but as far
as she was concerned, they had all night to do it.
Daniel opened his eyes and smiled. A real memory…it felt wonderful and scary all at the same time. So much time had passed, and he had so much to catch up on. Suddenly, a hand was placed lightly on his shoulder.
Jack guided his voice in a gentle tone. “Hey…you okay?”
Daniel looked over at Jack for a moment and then gave him a curt nod, returning his gaze quickly to the window, afraid that his emotions would get the best of him. After a moment, he took a shaky breath. “So…has she moved on?”
Sam moved over to where Jack was and reached out, taking Daniel’s hand. “I know she is dating someone…and has been for about a month now. But as far as moving on…your death really hurt her, Daniel. I can say for certain from a recent conversation I just had with her that she has never truly gotten over you.”
Squeezing her hand, Daniel looked over at her. “So I guess I need to find some time to talk to her.”
Sam smiled. “I think that would be best. It would probably help both of you to decide where you go from here…and rather if closure is needed, or if a new opportunity might be possible.” Moving to him, she gave him a quick hug and then released him. Glancing over at Jack, she met his eyes, indicating that he needed to step in.
Jack did just that. “Hey, how about we put the memories to rest for one night and dust off the ol’ poker chips. It might be fun, and I may even let you beat me…once.”
Teal’c, who was now standing a short distance away, spoke up. “I do not believe that you have yet to beat either myself or Major Carter at that game, O’Neill.”
Jack looked over at Teal’c. “Okay…so maybe I’m talking hypothetical here!”
Daniel smiled. “I appreciate it, Jack, I really do. But if it’s okay with all of you, I think I’m going to call it a night. I’ve got a lot to work through.” Looking at each of them, he continued with obvious sincerity. “You’ve all done me a great favor here tonight by taking the time to help me remember some things. It means a lot.”
Jack placed a hand on his shoulder again and gave it a friendly squeeze. “You’re welcome…anytime. That’s what friends are for.” Hesitating for a moment, he then went on. “I know you feel like a stranger here right now, but I hope you know you are among people who care about you and will do anything they can to help you retrace your life. That’s a promise.”
Daniel appeared truly relaxed for the first time that night, but also under obvious emotional strain. “I know…and thanks.” Looking over at Teal’c, he spoke up. “Um, Teal’c, would you mind giving me a ride back to the base?”
Teal’c gave him a short bow. “I would be glad to, Daniel Jackson…my friend.” Giving him a smile, he moved over towards the front door to put on his coat and collect his keys.
Daniel looked over at Sam and Jack and smiled softly. “Thanks again for tonight. It really has helped me.” Moving in the direction Teal’c had just gone, he stopped and looked over at Sam. “Are you leaving too?”
Sam glanced over at Jack. “I’m going to stay and help the Colonel clean up before I leave. If I don’t, who knows how long those dishes might stay in the sink.”
Jack pretended to be hurt by her comment. “Hey! I resent that, Major!”
Daniel watched as Sam gave Jack a playful smile. He could see the close bond between the two of them, and he found himself hoping that one day soon, he would be able to feel that ease of friendship again as well with all those he apparently knew but had yet to remember.
Jack and Sam walked to the door with Daniel and said their goodnights to both him and Teal’c. After the door had been shut and locked, Sam fell into Jack’s embrace and held him tight.
“I feel so sorry for Daniel. It’s got to be so strange for him to have to fight to remember his life.” Sam’s voice was peeling back the emotional layers of the evening, leaving her raw.
Jack kissed the top of her head. “We’ll help him. It’s just going to take time. He’s got a lot to work through…but the important thing is we have him back…no matter how much he tends to get on my nerves.”
Sam looked up at him and gave him a kiss filled with longing. When her lips released his, she smiled up at him playfully. “Come on, Jim…let’s get those dishes done so we can get to more important things!” Laughing lightly at the purposeful misuse of his name, mimicking what Daniel had been doing, Sam released him and headed into the kitchen.
Jack smiled after her. “Well, Dorothy, I guess I’ll just have to do everything I can to make that wish come true.” Moving into the kitchen, they began rinsing off the plates. It had been a long night, but it had also been fun to reminisce. And Jack was looking forward to making more memorable moments…starting with tonight.