Okay, due to threats from some un-disclosed fans, I'm posting part of this futuristic novella of the never-ending CHOSEN HEARTS SERIES that's been in stasis far too long. I apologize and forewarn this is a work-in-progress and will be completed in the unknown future . . .But I thought better to be like honest Jack, err--um, Abe. But I assure you, there's a ton already written.
You don't have to read the 'Chosen Hearts series,' to enjoy this novella. Although I'd appreciate if you did wander on over. Please start with 'Charades.'
Another warning: This novella is based from everything up through the 1st part of season 10. A few things might get revised after seeing the rest of season 10 but nothing major.
Title: Never Say Never
Author: HailDorothy
Season: Future
Spoiler: seasons 1-10 or whatever!
Pairing: Jack/Sam, Daniel/Cassandra — Surprise! But there's a logical explanation . . .really, this is after all, Sci-Fi!
Song: God Shaped Hole – Plumb, copyright 2000
Brief Summary: Jack once told Daniel, "Call it O'Neill intuition, Daniel, but never say never." And he'd meant it. (Check out Tangent Hearts (CH series) for that line…yeah, yeah, so it was a time ago. You go read, remember, ponder, keep me apprised with a review. Yeah, I'd like that a lot!
Full Summary: The Stargate has gone public. SG-1 has been permanently disbanded. Despite their Ancient DNA that has genetically altered them and their children, Jack and Sam O'Neill live boring lives and love each other more than ever. Yep, everything's peachy until Thor beams up SG-1 for a mad romp through the galaxy to save planet Earth from Fifth and the Wrath. So hold on to your seats, kids, it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This series may include script excerpts from the TV Series 'Stargate SG-1.' This fan fiction was created for entertainment, not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks are intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of said author, HailDorothy 2004 ©, revised 2006©.
Special 'Thank You' to my betas Dinkydow and Carol Sue. Hey, you two rhyme. What would I do without ya?
And to God Almighty, You daily remind us how insignificant we maybe in this vast universe, but how important we are to You. Thanks!
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CHAPTER ONE: It's A Family Affair
God-shaped Hole
Every point of view has another angle
And every angle has its merit
But all comes down to faith
That's the way I see it
You can say that love is not divine and
You can say that life is not eternal
All we have is now
But I don't believe it
There's a God-shaped hole in all of us
And the restless soul is searching
There's a God-shaped hole in all of us
And it's a void only He can fill
Does the world seem gray with empty longing?
Wearing every shade of cynical?
And do you ever feel that There is something missing?
There's a God-shaped hole in all of us
And the restless soul is searching
There's a God-shaped hole in all of us
And it's a void only He can fill
That's my point of view . . .
The old rock and roll lyrics pumped through Jack O'Neill's head and temples as it boomed from his nine-year-old daughter's IPOD for the entire neighborhood to hear way too early in the morning.
"There's a reason you've got an internal earphone, Gracie." He snapped the newest technical device onto her right earlobe like an earring. "And why I'm going deaf."
"Yeah, but I always lose it," she groused as she clipped it to her left ear just to annoy him.
"And that's why Dad always has a spare." He winked.
"Whatever." She reached over and pinched her brother's arm.
"Ow!" JJ smacked her back.
"Girly face." She stuck out her tongue.
"Am not. Gonna be like Dad and have lots of hair on my arms, legs and chest."
"Uncle Daniel has more chest hair than Dad."
"Does not?"
"Does too."
"Ah, nah!" JJ pinched her.
"How do you do it, Sam?" Jack groused as Grace and Jonathon Jacob strapped themselves into the back seats of the O'Neill brat-mobile err um. . .minivan. He glanced at the squabbling brats, umm, angels, children, okay definitely brats with a capital B! Unlike most parents, Jack acknowledged his two kids were spoiled rotten creatures that had already sucked the life force from his caffeine-pumped veins before 0700. When he once suggested Goa'uld possessed them Sam cut him off for a week. That was just wrong on so many levels. Getting cut off that is.
Jack hated Mondays. Actually he hated the fact that summer and Labor Day weekend had come and gone and so had ninety days of fishing bliss at the cabin with his family. The only good thing was that thanks to Thor's wedding gifts of the Asgard transport stones, he, Sam, and the kids could beam up there whenever they wanted or anywhere in the world for that matter. It also meant Sam could beam home from the SGC anytime. He hoped she was reading his mind. Now, Sam!
"I hate you, snake face," Grace taunted her kid brother.
JJ blew her a raspberry and then pinched her . . .again!
On mornings like this, Jack concluded he got the raw end of their parenting arrangement. Sam had the first no talking back, love you mummy, years. Jack got the, "Man, Dad, you're a geek," years. Yeah, they actually used his 'Daniel' handle on him.
"And you got Thor's dog breath, smarmy pants," JJ countered.
"Better that than being a dorky pinhead, O'Neill, with one L!"
Ten years later it was hard to believe he was married to Sam and a father again. How'd they go from being a lovesick CO and 2IC couple to husband and wife with 2.3 kids and still not break the regs? Soon as he and Sam finally admitted they still loved each other, Jack handed over his wish list to TPTB, which they eventually honored. SG-1 got disbanded. Jack got promoted and reassigned to head Home World Security and Sam got some much-needed downtime working out of Area 51. Of course, SG-1 then got recalled with the then Colonel Cameron Mitchell and the queen of hemorrhoids, Vala Mal Doran—now Mrs. Mitchell, yah go figure. But that was another story . . .Had Jack known it would have been that simple, he'd have done dropped out of the SGC years ago. So much for rear-ended hindsight clichés.
Yep, he and Sam agreed that they'd given up way too much for Air Force regs, when they had put their love on hold. It became the longest running wager at the SGC as to when-if-ever, he and Sam got past the 'can't hold hands' courtship stage. Well, when it did happen they concluded it had been a ten-year engagement and went straight to the main course. Marriage. Not that they hadn't considered themselves married since their vows on Chulak, but they needed to make it official on Earth and didn't waste time. They proceeded to make long-range plans—well Sam did, which included to start their family of three point two kids eighteen months later, giving them a nice long honeymoon. She had it all figured out, yeah right.
"At least I don't gotta gum my food, toothless wonder!"
"Dad!"
"Nah ah!" Jack dropped their backpacks on the van's floor and rolled his eyes. Again.
Funny thing about theoretical astrophysicists, it's all based on hypothetical theory, just another confirmation for Jack that too much thinking destroys gray cells. Of course, considering their unorthodox courtship they should have known better. Less than six months at Area 51, Sam returned to temporarily (her words) work with the new SG-1 which put her back into active off world duty. Jack had always known she was happiest when she was physically active and using her wits and brains.
On their official Earth six-month wedding anniversary which in and of its self was a monumental delayed event, (um, no, it wasn't a shotgun wedding. Yes, Sam was full-term but that's another Ancient-thingy story) Grace O'Neill came screaming into their world and hadn't shut-up since. Man, he loved their curly haired girl! Eighteen months later, Jonathon Jacob arrived without a whimper until Jack smacked his pink butt to make sure he was a-okay. A mad scream assured O'Neill his son had a strong set of lungs. However, after JJ's breech birth Sam insisted Jack get a snip job. The fact Daniel and Teal'c had to duct tape him to the surgical table still haunted him. All in all, Jack had no regrets. Everything remained operational and their love life remained excellent!
In fact this Ancient bonding thingy had it perks. Like needing to have wild monkey sex with your wife a minimum of once a day when most men his age would be sucking down Viagra like aspirin to make that happen twice a week. Not Jack. Mind you, that wasn't even when Sam ovulated and there was a full moon. Ah yes, they were more than making up for all those years of living like monks. He snorted.
"Stop it!" Grace smacked JJ on the arm.
Biting his tongue, Jack didn't intervene. Yet. Little JJ could take care of himself where his bratty sister was concerned.
"Ow!" she wailed.
Sweet!
At an intersection Jack continued to reminisce, which kept him from going brain dead listening to his bickering but lovable brats. God had been good to them and Jack took a moment to utter a heartfelt thanks to the Keeper of the Stars, "I know they're a blessing, Lord, just make sure to remind me at such wacko times like this, wilya."
His verbal reverie was duly noted by his offspring and their immediate reverent silence. Jack's thoughts gravitated back to his Godsend, Sam. Sharing the leadership role with Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell she'd stayed with SG-1 until she couldn't run due to her pronounced pregnancy. A lot happened during that course of time. For one, the Air Force officially shut down Cheyenne Mountain, well all but the SGC, and then the Stargate program went public.
To this day, Jack believed that had been a big honking mistake, that lead to SG-1 officially retiring, after which Hank Landry left to join Jack at HomeWorld Security. Meanwhile, Jack played hopscotch between establishing two additional Alpha and Beta sites and being CO of Home World Security.
Even though family planning 101 backfired, they did follow through on their child rearing strategy. Although she'd resigned from the Air Force after the SGC went non-military, Sam was offered to head the SGC astrophysics department and then last year the entire Science facility. She accepted and had worked primarily from home. This allowed her to rear their kids through the formative years. Something she didn't want to miss out on. Jack being old school supported her decision. Most of the SGC staff was shocked to learn that Colonel Samantha Carter-O'Neill wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Jack still chuckled over that announcement. He'd not been the least bit surprised at her decision. There was far more to his former 2IC than playing with Naquadah generators or ZPMs.
Financially they were solvent. No, they weren't multi-millionaires but all those years of paychecks and no time to spend them had proven a blessing. Jack had invested wisely, so had Sam. Two years ago, Jack retired to become full-time Mr. Mom, but remained a paid consultant to the SGC and at least once a month got to accompany an SG team off world if he wanted. However, his attitude and priorities had come full circle and he turned down the last mission when he learned it involved two warring factions with nuclear warheads. Jack wouldn't risk his life anymore, at least not off world. He had too much to live for and two reasons sat behind him, squabbling like typical siblings.
Meanwhile, Sam returned to the SGC on a twenty-eight hour workweek that allowed her time with him and the kids. For the first as long as he'd known her, Sam no longer volunteered to work overtime or travel off world. She had a life outside the SGC and three important reasons to come home. A cantankerous Irishman who was passionately in love with her and two adorable kids who thought their mom ruled! Jack smirked. Yeah, Sam definitely ruled their hearts and their home and he wouldn't have it any other way. Although, when push came to shove, she respected Jack and he usually had the final say.
"I'll make you eat a rotten snakehead!" Grace threatened her seven-year old brother with a pinch to his forearm.
"Daddy!" JJ whined as he reached out and knuckle rubbed her leg.
"Enough!" he delivered his Black Ops death stare. "The next one to touch the other is not, I repeat, going to Uncle Daniel's barbecue this weekend, which means you also won't see Uncle T, Aunt Ishta and your cousins. Oh, not to mention uncle Cameron, Aunt Vala and uncle George."
"But I wanna see Uncle T!" JJ vented.
"Well, Uncle Danny loves me best, doesn't he, Dad?" Nine-year old Grace asked in her honey-coated voice that only meant one thing. Trouble.
"He brought me rocks from Chulaky," JJ replied smugly.
"It's Chulak, frog face, and they're not rocks . . .they're artifacts."
"Grace." Jack scolded in his paternal I'm going to lose it voice.
"Huh?" She donned the O'Neill confused face into the rearview mirror.
"Nah ah." He wagged a finger over his head.
They made their father-daughter eye contact and she sighed with a muttered, "Jeez, okay."
"Thank you." He felt a headache coming on. Leave it to Grace to give him one. He slipped in a Pavarotti opera CD and heard them grouse. He grinned. Ah yes, he had his moments.
"Dad?"
"What?" Jack eyed-balled his daughter, whose bouncy long hair had been a gift from her granddad Jacob. Who'd have known the balding Carter once had a head of tight curls? Not Jack. He just hoped the going bald thingy didn't apply to Grace.
"Are you still mad at Cassie for dating Uncle Danny?"
Jack's grip on the wheel tightened, his knuckles whitened. "Can we not talk about that, princess?" his rigid tone conveyed he didn't want to discuss the matter, let alone with a nine-year old.
"Told ya," JJ elbowed her. "Dad's pissed off. That's why he and mom had a blowout and why Cassie's not talking to him."
"Ah, we're all talking just fine." Jack snuffed a breath, hoping that ended this conversation.
"Not according to Cass." Grace injected.
"And how'd you know?" Jack asked before he could stop himself. Dang! As if she wouldn't have an answer.
"Coz, she's my big sister, that's why. We talk all the time, ya know."
"Which explains why my phone bill is so freaking outrageous," he muttered.
"And you think Danny's too old and worldly for Cass." Just like Sam, Grace didn't give up the bone.
"Ah, here we go." JJ bemoaned and did the O'Neill hands scrubbing his face gesture then slid down his seat, crossed his arms muttering, while a set of dimples tucked deep on either side of his flat lined mouth. Oh, yeah there was that darn line between his brown brows. Jack shook his head. No doubt about it. JJ was the spitting image of him at that age. God had a sick sense of humor.
"Well?" Grace pressed.
"I think it is none of your business, young lady!" Jack felt irked.
"But you and mom are thirteen and half years a part in age," she exerted.
"Yeah, but coz of that Ancient download, Dad hasn't aged like everyone else. So technically they're only seven years a part." JJ noted sarcastically.
"Six," Jack corrected, nodding at his brilliant son.
"Whose side you on, bonehead?" Grace shot JJ a challenging glint.
"Dad's o' course. Us guys gotta stick together right, Dad?"
Yes! Jack did a silent high-five to his son, and winked at him through the mirror.
"I don't care if Dad never ages another year, the point is that in human years he's still eons older than mom. Man, oh man, he's ancient. Just look at his white hair and that crater between his brows when he frowns like now. A person could get lost in there."
"Yeah, mom does all the time." JJ chuckled.
"Well, that makes me feel so much better." Jack groused, as the arthritis in his lower back kicked in reminding him of his true age and that all that sarcophagus downtime with Baal had finally expired. Apparently so had being an Ancient.
"Sorry, Dad. I'm just saying." Grace jutted out her chin in Carter fashion. "What are a few more years after that? I mean you're always saying that when God chooses two hearts to become bonded like yours and mom's, nothing matters, not even if one of you is a cantankerous SOB flyboy."
"Stand down, O'Neill!" Jack's hand flew up waving her off and her mouth. Sam was right he had to stop swearing around the kids.
"Oy!" JJ winced and elbowed Grace. "You so don't wanna push this, Sis. Remember he decked Uncle T once when they were boxing."
"Yeah, years ago and only coz, he was wearing a Tok'ra armband."
"And tha's when mom and dad said they loved each other and almost got cormarshmellowed."
"It's court martial, duck brains. And stop changing topic . . ."
"Oh, please do!" Jack groused. Yep, a migraine was brewing.
"Fine. But, Daddy, if you love Cassie, you'd want her happy and Daniel's great with her . . ." she trailed off as he delivered his 'you're dead' glint, that thankfully made her gulp and sink back into her seat. Parental fear factor ruled!
"Toldcha'," JJ muttered.
"Stuff it, barf breath!"
Jack exhaled.
Jack inhaled.
Crap. This wasn't Grace's fault. He shouldn't be so hard on her. It was just that Cassandra was their firstborn and they'd not know the truth of her conception until Teal'c confirmed it and his involvement. The truth being that he and Sam had been abducted as one of Nirrti's genetic engineering test subject eighteen years prior and then had their memories altered. When the truth finally came out, they were shocked and relieved. They'd always felt an uncanny parental bond to Cassie, but neither had confided that feeling to the other.
Far worse for Sam, discovering one day she was pregnant when she'd never been with a man, only to find later, she'd lost the baby. When in fact, Nirrti had altered Sam's DNA, taken Cassie by C-section and then given her over to Cassandra's foster mother.
Teal'c's confiding of being a witness to their abduction and later to Cassandra's birth, was later followed by conclusive DNA tests that had changed all their lives for the better. That revelation brought Jack and Sam to admitting they were still in love with each other to not mention it undid Fifth's brainwashing. Since then, they'd become a real family. Cassie was twenty-eight now and a genius genetic physicist working at the SGC. But being a dad, Jack was not inclined to see her married off, least of all, Daniel.
Not that Jack didn't love Space Monkey. Heck, Daniel was Jack's best guy bud. They were brothers. It's just well, he was Daniel, and the idea of Daniel being intimate with his little daughter sucked eggs and gave Jack a royal gut ache! He reached for his antacids and chewed two down, followed by coffee, Daniel's special brew. Jeez!
Why couldn't Daniel's warped infatuation with Vala have turned serious? Well, it had for a while. In fact, Vala and Sam went bridal gown shopping, secretly, of course. But Daniel being Daniel and slow on commitment –something he'd apparently learned from Jack, failed to notice the sparks flying between Vala and Cameron. By the time he did it was too little too late. The fact Daniel hadn't seemed overly heartbroken spooked Jack. He came to the conclusion that Daniel was either A-sexual or gay. Not that he asked of course.
Only recently did he realize why Daniel hadn't been gung-ho about his brief romantic relationship with Vala. Because the four-eyed doctor had been in love with Jack's daughter Cassandra far longer than Jack cared to know, that's fricking what!
Jack had been in denial that there was more between his daughter and best friend. Everyone, including Teal'c knew what was beneath the surface and upon more than one occasion mentioned it to Jack, who quickly slammed the door on such warped dialogue. He so didn't want to talk about the possibility that his little girl was in love with his best friend, not to mention their gigantic age difference. But catching them necking on Jack's sofa last week while babysitting his kids, confirmed that fear. Then discovering that Sam had known made him furious. True, Cassie had sworn Sam to secrecy, but that his own wife managed to block that pertinent knowledge from him almost sent him over the lunatic fringe.
Oh fercryinoutloud, it did!
Jack had lost it that evening and kicked Daniel out--physically. They hadn't talked since. What followed was the biggest O'Neill father-daughter fallout ever, another fiasco Jack hadn't handled well. Sam through and through, Cassandra confronted Jack telling him to keep his nose out of her love life.
Of course, she had to bring up his and Sam's long-suffering courtship as an example that he was the last person to dictate or hand out advice of whom she should fall in love with. Cass had no intention to wait to be with the man she loved. She then informed Jack they'd been a couple for two years, were engaged and planned for a spring wedding. The only reason they'd not told Jack was because they knew he'd object and be an asshole.
Cassie was right. Jack was an asshole!
"Daddy?" Grace's small hand tugged at his shoulder.
"Huh?" He blinked from his grim musings and glanced back at her.
"I'm sorry." Her large blue eyes shimmered with regret.
"Hey, my fault, princess." He patted her hand before returning it to the wheel. "I'm sorry for yelling."
"Cass loves and misses you, Daddy."
"And I love her too." He restrained the parental tears that stung his eyelids.
"She just wants your blessing."
"Ya think?"
"Yep. So call her."
"That an order, Ms O'Neill?"
"Yeah sure yabetcha!" She grinned her toothless grin.
"Sweet." He chuckled and waggled his brows.
"Ah, jeez," JJ muttered and rolled his blue eyes. "Stop with the mushy stuff wilya?"
Grace giggled and yanked JJ's baseball cap down over his eyes.
"Hey, hey, hands off the merchandize," he snapped her fingers with his own.
The rest of the drive to school was typical O'Neill fashion. They started head butting, again. This time on a quieter level, because JJ was diplomatically lecturing his big sister. "Mom said dad said he's getting too freaking old to deal us brats."
"You poked me first, ooze head."
"Hey knock it off, before Dad knocks us off with his zat and goes back to work in Washington."
Jack frowned. Why did that zat sound more and more appealing? He could put one in the glove compartment. Yeah.
"Nah, dad wouldn't do that. Coz, he likes being a kid too much. Besides, he can't pitch hoops at the SGC or Pentagon." JJ asserted.
"Yes he can. You were too young when he had a basketball hoop on his office wall. And he taught me to play golf on the Stargate ramp when the toilet bowl was open and we shot a ball all the way to PX—"
"Grace!"
"Whoops! Sorry, Dad." She grinned.
"Yeah, right." He snorted, trying to suppress laughter. It amazed him how different the kids were and how much they were like Sam and himself. Fortunately thanks to Sam's genes, they were smarter than Jack. Well that and a secret that was best kept secret. He frowned as the memory of going Ancient tickled his subconscious and the changes that'd like it or not his mind and body had undergone. Jack forced his musings back to his Grace.
God love the girl. Jack did. She was risk-taking stubborn, outspoken and faithful to a fault, O'Neill. Way too much like him. And like Jack she tended to keep her feelings tucked too deep, so he was working to help her be more expressive. He sure didn't want it to take her forty-three years before she could open-up to whomever she eventually fell in love with. Not everyone was as long-suffering and patient as Sam.
A natural leader, Grace insisted she'd follow mom and dad's footsteps and join the Air Force. Jack wasn't a happy camper. But following Sam's advice, he didn't express his feelings. Instead, he assured Grace no matter what career path she opted, he would support her and be a proud father. Heck, he didn't know if he could get any prouder than he was now of his golden-brown haired, blued-eyed daughter.
Then there was their blonde, brown-eyed bookworm, Jonathon, a tad smarter than Grace he had been tested at genius level, just like Sam at that age. Patient to a fault and a peacemaker, JJ was more reserved than Grace, but equally stubborn when he believed to be right. On the other hand, JJ tended to over-analyze everything. Like mother like son in that area. 'Course the boy's love of sports, hiking, camping, hockey, soccer and fishing was classic Jack.
Even now as they badgered each other, Jack could hear and see the love the two siblings had for each other. He glanced at Grace, thankful the left-eye shiner she'd acquired defending her kid brother two weeks ago had almost faded. She was one tough little O'Neill and had fared far better than the eleven-year old bully who had chosen the wrong O'Neill to pick on. Of course, the fact Jack had been teaching Grace to box put the odds in her favor. Sam had not been happy. But making-up had been fun.
"For crying out loud, O'Neill!" Grace gagged, "Yuck! That's wrong on so many levels. I'm telling, Mom, when she gets home. Dad, he's—"
Jack raised his shut-up hand, deciding he didn't want to know what his son just ate. No doubt another booger. His stomach pitched. He wished he'd not eaten those Fruit Loops this morning. Driving up to the school grounds, he opened the electronic side door, helped them out, and then passed over their backpacks.
"Mom'll pick you up at 1350 hours."
"Dad, she can't." Grace corrected, "She rode the Indian."
'Oh." He nodded. "Then I'll be here." He wagged his brows.
Grace muttered about him going senile, and then took her backpack.
"Hey, look it's the General!" Someone yelled. Heads turned as a swarm of school children tackled Jack.
"Hi kids!" Jack chuckled hugging as many as he could handle without falling over.
"Crap! Not again!" Grace rolled her eyes. "This is so not cool!"
"Oy." Red faced, JJ scrubbed his hands over his face and into his unruly blond hair, "Ya'd think he was a hero or something."
"Wish they'd get a life." Grace scrunched her face at her friends and slipped her backpack over her shoulders, turning away to gag out loud.
Jack glanced at his unimpressed children. He didn't like humiliating them, but what's a guy to do? "Need to go now, campers." He untangled the last tentacle of a twelve-year-old girl with stardust in her eyes.
"Will you come visit Art Class again?" One of Grace's classmates asked.
Jack glanced at his flat-mouthed daughter shaking her head no.
"We'll see." He shrugged, patting JJ on the head only to hear, "Dad, don't do that here."
Jack took his cue and jogged to the driver's side to escape. Of course, he stayed put until both kids had walked through the double doors of the building and were safely inside. He was forever the dotting father.
"Besides," he reassured himself. "What could happen to two whiz kids with the gifts of the Ancients locked inside their skulls and DNA?"
Anymore-stupid questions?