Home

Eventually, it's just time to go home. J/D, not explicit.

Don't own them, wish I did - they should be treated gently.

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Jack sat at his desk and sighed. It was hard for him to believe it had been two years since he'd started here and left the Mountain, the SGC, and SG-1 all behind. Or tried to leave it behind, in any case. It hadn't worked, he realized, and it was time to finally admit it. Sifting through the papers in his inbox, he wondered if there was an alternate universe where he was actually happy in the Pentagon. But he couldn't picture it. He was tired, lonely and more than halfway across the country from where he wanted to be. He was done - it was time to go.

As he finally reached the bottom of the inbox, he found the letter that his secretary had typed up the day before. She had looked at him with something that wasn't quite shock, but it was the most emotion he'd seen from her since she'd been with him. Part of him was sad that she would, apparantly, miss him. Part of him was surprised, and the rest of him just couldn't find the energy to care much at all.

He signed the letter, and then walked over to the personal copier sitting on the credenza. Making two copies to take with him, he then placed he original into an envelope, sealed it, and left it dead center on his desk. Taking a final look around, Jack grabbed his briefcase and duffle and walked out the door for the last time.

I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

Jack could feel the plane begin to drop out of the sky and he shifted in his seat. Adjusting his seatbelt, he put down his glass of obscenely expensive scotch, and took one last glance around the jet. This was one perk that he'd miss – flying commercial had never been much fun and space-A wasn't much better, although at least it was, and would remain, free.

At Peterson, the waiting car came with its requisite waiting airman. Jack looked him over, wondering if the kid was even old enough to shave, much less drive. But he figured they didn't want to kill him off on his way to the Mountain, so it would likely be okay. Darn shame to crash and burn on today of all days. There were still folks to talk with. As he got into the car he felt his phone vibrate. Taking it out, he glanced at the screen and smiled.

"Yeah, Jeanne, I just got in. Now, about the house …."


The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love, remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

SG-1 came through the gate hot, once again. Daniel shook his head as he handed off his weapons. Vala touched his arm briefly, raising an eyebrow in question, but he shook his head. He recognized her look, and was grateful to have her. She alone, it seemed, knew what he'd been feeling, maybe because she'd been feeling it herself. Adria was gone but the Ori weren't and the more they did the less it mattered. He genuinely liked Vala, respected her, and even found her attractive. And in another lifetime, in another world, it might have gone somewhere for both of them. But they both seemed to know that it wasn't going anywhere here and now.

Still, their partnership worked. Cam and Sam both were pretty hands off, unlike Jack would have been, and let them do it their way. Even if no matter what they tried didn't seem to work anymore. Walking to the infirmary, Daniel took his glasses off to rub his eyes. He felt Vala watching him and staying close, while the rest of the team walked on ahead. Suddenly he turned to her, grasped her hand, and smiled.

"Thanks," he told her, "Some days I just don't know how much more of this I can do."

She smiled. "I'm going to miss you, you know?"

He nodded his head, and gave a half smile. She'd read him correctly once more. Knew what he was planning even before he'd said the words to anyone at all. "Me too, Vala. Me too."


So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.

As Daniel approached Landry's office, letter in hand, he wondered how long it would take to talk with him and convince him that he was serious. He wondered if he'd have time to get to the airport tonight and catch that last flight. Glancing at his watch, he sighed as he realized it wasn't likely. But then he looked back to his other hand, and the envelope he held, and realized it was okay. Soon.

Walter met him as he took the final turn. "The General wants SG-1 in the briefing room now, Dr. Jackson."

"I was hoping to get about five minutes with him before that."

"Sorry, sir, he's pretty adamant. I think something's happened."

"Such as?" Daniel was curious, but Walter wasn't giving anything away these days. He used to be more forthcoming, back when Jack was here, back when he realized that the best way to the General was through SG-1. Landry was more traditional, and Walter had followed right along, though. It was just one more thing that had changed, and made the SGC no longer feel like home.

Opening the briefing room door, Daniel saw the back of General Landry and someone else. Someone taller, greyer ….

"Jack?"

"Hey," Jack O'Neill grinned in response, as he stood up and walked to Daniel to embrace him. "Hey."


Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked as he gripped Jack's arm. "And civvies? What's going on, Jack?"

"Well, it's an interesting tale to tell," Jack began, as the door opened one more time.

"Sir?"

"O'Neill?"

"General O'Neill?"

"Hi guys. Carter, Teal'c, Mitchell, Vala. Have a seat, have a seat. There's news from HomeSec, and you'll never believe it." Jack smiled, and Daniel began to wonder. It had been a long time since he'd seen that particular grin.

"Jack, did you…?"

"Retire? Yup. Have copies of the letter right here. Hank," he passed one over to the SGC leader, "guys," as the other one went to SG-1. "Getting old and tired and want to enjoy life before the Pentagon sucks it all out of me."

"Sir, who'll take over? What will you do?" Sam Carter looked ready to continue with her questions and Daniel wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the ones she hadn't spoken yet. Despite time, distance, and a complete lack of anything beyond close friendship, Daniel couldn't help but think that Sam's feelings for her former CO weren't as dead and gone as she'd like to think. He thought he saw a hopeful look in her eyes, and he swallowed down the bitter taste in his mouth.

"O'Neill, are you giving up the fight for freedom?" Teal'c certainly pulled no punches with his question.

"Time out, guys," Jack replied. "Relax, grab a cup of coffee. Give me a chance to catch my breath. It's not like I've been here that long."

"Long enough to change," General Landry grinned.

"Yeah, well, that was numero uno on the list, Hank." Jack looked around and took a breath. "You are looking at the new senior engineering consultant to the SGC. Part time consultant, that is."

"And you'll be working on what, specifically, sir?" Carter inquired. She looked concerned, as if she could picture him fiddling with the items in her lab.

"Ships?" Daniel guessed. "The new fleet for Pegasus?"

"Got it," Jack nodded.

"It is good for you to use your expertise once again, O'Neill. The changes you made to the X-302 design were most helpful." Teal'c nodded, satisfied.

"Ships?" Sam asked.

Daniel wondered why she seemed surprised. Jack had done some major modifications to the 302s, and wanted to do more but the promotion to Brigadier General hadn't given him the time he'd hoped for, and the move to D.C. took it even further from him. Didn't she realize that was his love? How he relaxed? Hadn't she seen all of the technical specs around the cabin when they had been up there? Whose did she think they were?

"Time to get back to basics, guys," Jack explained. "Find those things that make it worthwhile, and go with it. Getting the house reopened here, getting a new bike," he grinned, "telescope back on the roof." He turned his head to look at Daniel, and Daniel tensed. "Maybe time to find that life I'd been telling you all to get all of these years."

While Daneil struggled with how to reply, Vala cleared her throat.

"It will be good to have you here, General," she stated softly. "You've been missed."

Daniel watched the unspoken comments between them: Jack's raised eyebrow, Vala's slight nod in his direction. He noticed Sam's look of confusion, Teal's complete lack of surprise, and General Landry's perfectly blank face. Finally he turned to face his friend.

"Getting a life?" Daniel asked quietly. He took the crumpled envelope out of his hand where it had been clenched. "Sounds good," he noted as he passed it to Jack and watched the smile appear as Jack read it.

"Dinner?" Jack asked him, and then looked to Hank. "We're done, right? I'll be back in on Monday."

"Monday's fine," Landry agreed.

"Where to?" Sam asked, and Daniel winced.

"Um, Carter, look," Jack stammered a bit and looked around. He took a breath while Hank Landry left the briefing room. "Why don't we all meet for lunch tomorrow? Tonight is just, well…" and Daniel saw when she got it.

Lips pursed and eyes slightly glassy, Sam stood and nodded. "Lunch it is," she said clearly, like the professional she was. "Good to have you back home, sir." And she turned and left.

Daniel stood as well, facing Jack. "I've got that beer you like," he smiled.

Quietly, the rest of SG-1 exited the briefing room.

"Beer, a good steak, you and me," Jack smiled. "Sounds like home."

"Sounds like home."