Into The Future

Season: Future/S10 and beyond

Pairings: Jack/Sam, Daniel/Vala, Teal'c/Other, Cameron/Other

Summary: Years after SG-1 is finally dismantled for good, a friend comes back with some disturbing news.

A/N: What will happen to the team long after "Unending?" My shippy side won out on this one. If one of the films involves time travel, and it takes place even remotely in the future, this is how I want the team to end up. Sort of. There are some things that perhaps I wouldn't necessarily want to see, but I've come to be pretty pragmatic about what we're going to see and what we're not going to see… Might as well humor the muse, right?


Run.

That same word must've gone through her head a hundred times as she dodged the low-hanging trees at a rapid speed. The denseness of the forest made it nearly impossible for her to accurately calculate where the Stargate was. All she was knew was that he was in trouble, and she needed to help him.

She'd told him dozens of times that the altar seemed inexplicably shady, however he'd scoffed at her superstitious tendencies and told her that she was being ridiculous. Now he was alone, in that very altar. She couldn't think. They'd been prepared for just these instances, they had supplies and sufficient training. He'd translated the text on the altar, something about a replacement and a punishment, prior to being stricken. Somehow he'd known that it would be impossible to leave the altar. Even still, she'd convinced him to try to no avail.

Before he'd fallen completely unconscious, he'd been able to choke out three words: "Ba'al" and "time travel." The bleeding had long ago stopped, yet he simply wouldn't rise. She'd panicked, and headed for the one source of help she knew to be a constant.

Not long after she silently cursed him for picking a planet with so many trees, she spotted the top of the Stargate looming ahead. Picking up the pace for the last stretch, she reached the DHD in record time and pounded symbols she hadn't used very often, but which nevertheless seemed to blink in her mind like a beacon of hope. It was Daniel's only chance. They were his true home, no matter how often he tried to deny it.

Vala waited a moment for someone on the other side to grab a radio. They'd given them radios (but no GDOs) nearly two years ago, when they'd first left the SGC after SG-1's dismantlement. She dared not go through to the Chulak – there was no way she was leaving this god-forsaken planet without him.

"This is Vala MalDoran," she shouted into the radio. "This is Vala MalDoran, requesting medical assistance for Dr. Daniel Jackson. Is anyone there?"

"Identify yourself," a booming voice demanded shortly thereafter.

"This is Vala Mal Doran," she shouted again, "requesting medical assistance for Dr. Daniel Jackson!"

There was a lengthy pause. She assumed whatever newbie who was at the Gate was asking for clearance. Sighing, she almost lost her patience and repeated her cry when a very familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I am here ValaMalDoran. Do you copy?"

"Yes, Teal'c, yes! I copy! " Vala nearly fainted with relief, her exhaustion kicking in once she knew Teal'c was there. "Daniel needs medical attention immediately!"

"I will depart momentarily with medical assistance. We will bring Daniel Jackson to the SGC."

"Oh, I wish it were that easy, Teal'c," Vala replied. "But Daniel cannot be removed from the altar. Any help is going to have to come to him."

"Understood," Teal'c's voice sounded as concerned as she felt. He wasn't sure the doctors on Chulak would be able to do much good for Daniel, yet he also knew that getting a hold of members of the SGC would be equally difficult. Deciding instead to bring what he had at the moment, Teal'c brought the radio back to his mouth and said, "I will be there shortly."

He did not know if it would do much good. And if it didn't, Teal'c still had a Plan B. Even if it involved visiting Earth once more.


Sleep.

She was experiencing probably the best sleep she'd had in weeks when the doorbell rang and the dog yelped in reply. Wincing, she squeezed her eyes tight, hoping he'd get up and answer the door instead. Alas, he was dead to the world.

She glanced at the alarm clock – 3:34 AM, wonderful – and sighed. The doorbell rang again.

Barely stifling a groan, she sat up and stepped over the side of the bed. The coldness of the hardwood floor almost made her jump right back in, and she would have, had their early morning visitor not taken to knocking now. Trooper knew better than to bark again, for which she was grateful. There was no need to wake up the whole house.

Bending down to give him an appreciative pat and dodging a toy and two pairs of Haley's shoes on the way to the door, her annoyance grew into concern. There really weren't that many people who'd turn up at this hour, and there certainly weren't people who were that persistent. Maybe years ago, but not now.

Peering through the curtain, expecting the worst, Sam was met with a welcome surprise. She swung the door open and grinned at her snow-covered friend, barely giving him time to register her disheveled appearance before throwing her arms around him in a suffocating embrace.

"Teal'c," she squeezed him tightly. "Oh my god. How long have you been here?"

Teal'c smiled despite his grave reasons for coming, returning the hug easily. It had been a long time since he'd seen her, and she looked well.

"I arrived at the SGC only an hour ago," he answered. "And though I wish my presence here was under more pleasant circumstances, I am afraid I have been sent here to pass along information concerning Daniel Jackson."

Sam's smile fled, as did the color from her cheeks. Motioning Teal'c to follow her inside, she quietly closed the door and led him to the front room. Teal'c didn't sit, which wasn't unexpected given the way he was standing, and Sam couldn't bring herself to sit either.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I spoke to him three weeks ago, when he was at the Beta Site. Is he OK?"

Teal'c paused before responding, not sure how to start. "We recently received a message from - "

"T?" a voice from the hallway interrupted. "Buddy? How's it going?"

Grateful for the momentary interruption, Teal'c turned to Jack and smiled. "It has been well, however of late, circumstances have changed. I am here to discuss Daniel Jackson."

Jack frowned and stepped further into the room, revealing a Homer Simpson T-shirt and matching boxer shorts. "What's going on, T?"

Teal'c turned back to Sam and bowed his head ever so slightly. "We received a message only hours ago from Vala Maldoran… Daniel Jackson is dying."