Okay, I can't stand it! The look "Jack" gets at the end of Tin Man got my muse going again for Stargate! One shot – at least for now. My muse certainly has ideas, but I don't know if I have the time! We'll see…
"Harlan… people are not supposed to live forever."
"Maybe not. But if you try just a few hundred years, perhaps you might change your mind!"
Jack shook his head. The Wizard of Oz had certainly gotten one thing right – no heart. But this Tin Man didn't seem to have a brain either. At least there weren't any flying monkeys or green witches running around. As if the situation could get any worse. He was stuck on a forsaken (literally) speck of rock – a clone of himself – created by the dumbest genius that ever lived (if that word could be applied).
Why me? Jack mused as Harlan walked away. The thought of living for thousands of years – cut off from Earth – made Jack's stomach turn. Or, made him feel like his stomach would be turning. If he had one.
Whatever.
Despite the gloom that threatened to overtake him, Jack knew there was more to his frustration. It was one thing to be forced to stay behind himself, and another to condemn his team. What he couldn't accept was the idea of damning the rest of SG-1 to this fate. He couldn't imagine Daniel without his books – and was still trying to get used to his face sans glasses (now that he thought about it, that should have been his first clue that something was up). Teal'c, the warrior, with only the elements to face off against. Carter…
He blinked.
Captain Carter was not a Captain here. Just as he was not a Colonel. There was no Air Force, no regulations. And he had to admit, ever since their visit to P3X797, he had started seeing Carter in a new light. Possibilities ran through his mind in less than a second, and he began to think that there might be a silver lining to their exile from Earth. He didn't know what the future would hold, but he did know that he had years to find out.
He may even get to see Carter in a tank top again.
The corners of Jack's mouth turned up as he walked to meet the departing SG-1. Maybe life could be good here after all.
What do you think? That was just begging to be written!