Daniel sighed as he dropped the ink pen on his desk and looked aimlessly around his office. Despite the various tribal masks, ancient artifacts, and countless books that filled the room, Daniel's bright blue eyes settled on the calendar hanging on the wall. Checking the date, he realized it had been 5 months since Janet had died.
'Five months, today,' he reminded himself.
He'd been trying to move past his grief. Burying himself under a mountain of work usually helped, but this time it was different. He knew he would never forgive himself for once again failing to save someone he cared about. And the guilt he felt about not saving her was made worse because he'd never told her how he felt. Now, it was too late. Now, she'd never know how much she'd meant to him.
He was still staring at the calendar when he realized something was nagging at him in the back of his mind.
'What did I forget?' he thought, concentrating on the date. 'Someone's birthday or anniversary...no...' Daniel leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and willed himself to remember. It was something important, but he just couldn't grab hold of it.
"Damn Ancients," he muttered out loud.
His memory hadn't exactly been the greatest anyways and, to make matters worse, the Ancients had erased his memories a little over a year ago. Most of his memories were back, but it still made remembering things even harder for him.
Daniel allowed his mind to wander, hoping some random thought would trigger his memory. Once again, his thoughts drifted towards Dr. Janet Fraiser.
'She was so beautiful,' he remembered. 'Inside and out.' She really cared about people. She'd often gone days on end without sleep for her patients --- Daniel knew that from personal experience. Yet, despite her dedication and talent as a doctor, one thing about Janet stood out. One of the most endearing things Janet had ever done was adopt a little girl from another planet named Cassandra. As an orphan himself, Daniel's admiration for Janet had grown to new heights when Janet took Cassie in.
"Cassie!" Daniel suddenly exclaimed. "That's it!"
Daniel's mind was filled with images of a mission SG-1 had gone on about 5 years earlier. A solar flare had caused the Stargate to send them back in time to the year 1969. Using a note from General Hammond, they had managed to use the Stargate to send them forward in time. But their timing had been off, and they were thrown too far into the future. They were standing in the Gate Room trying to figure out what to do when an elderly woman came in. It was Cassie. She'd explained that long ago Sam had told her they would come and had taught Cassie how to send them back to 1999.
They didn't stay in the future for long. Cassie had opened the Gate and prompted them to get going. Daniel remembered how Sam, Jack, and Teal'c walked through the Gate just before him. He was about to follow when Cassie stopped him. She quickly stuffed something into the pocket of the ridiculous hippie outfit he'd been wearing. Before letting him go through the Gate, she made him promise that he'd respect the wishes that she left with him.
Once he'd gotten home from that ordeal, Daniel pulled out what Cassie had given him. It was a tightly sealed envelope. On the outside she'd written "Please do not open this until July 20, 2004."
'Today' Daniel realized.
He had never told anyone else about the note. If Cassie had wanted Jack, Sam, or Teal'c to know, then she would've given it to him while the others were there. Time and time again he'd looked at that envelope and wondered about what she'd written in it. But, not wanting to go back on his word to her, he didn't open it.
Daniel glanced at his watch and realized how late it was. 'Good, time to go home anyways.'
Daniel quickly looked around his office and grabbed his notebook, pager, and car keys and headed for home.
Daniel's excitement grew as he turned his key in the lock and opened the front door. He immediately walked down the hall and into his bedroom. He sat down on a chair and picked up a framed picture that was sitting on the corner of his desk. He'd put the letter inside the frame for safekeeping.
Daniel paused as he looked at the picture. It had been taken almost a year ago by Sam at a cocktail party in Washington D.C. The President had invited SG-1, General Hammond, and Dr. Fraiser to an awards ceremony. At the reception following the ceremony there was dinner and dancing. Daniel knew that Janet loved the song "Unchained Melody", so when it started to play, he couldn't resist the urge to ask her to dance.
Daniel didn't remember Sam taking that picture at all. What he did remember was being lost in Janet's deep brown eyes and how good it had felt to hold her in his arms as they danced.
Snapping out of his reverie, Daniel removed the cardboard backing from the frame and retrieved the letter he'd waited so long to open.
Daniel opened his desk drawer and found his letter opener. Carefully, he cut into the top edge of the envelope and pulled the letter out. The paper felt strange to him as he unfolded it. He noticed the date on the top of the letter read April 12, 2050. He could hardly believe he was about to read a letter that wouldn't be written for another 40-some years. Settling back in his chair he began to read.
Dear Daniel,
I know you've waited a long time to read this, so I'll cut to the chase. From your perspective, my mom has been dead for 5 months, but for me, she's been dead for many, many years. I've waited most of my life to give you this letter, in the hopes of changing what happened to her.
Daniel sat up in his chair and quickly continued to read.
A year before my mom was killed, Sam explained what happened when you were all sent back to 1969 and she told me that I was the one who sent you home. She taught me about the solar flare's effect of the wormhole and how to measure the flare, so that when you came, I could send you back to the right place in time.
A few months after my mom's death, I realized that I had the only way to go back and save her. I immediately began to study solar flares, hoping to catalog one that could be used to go back to the right point in time and save her.
Once we were able to accurately predict solar flares, I'd hoped to send a warning message to her myself, or at least get the information I had gathered as a child back in time to you. Unfortunately, by the time we had the technology, the SGC had a new leader who denied my request to send a message back in time. But, in the end, it didn't matter because I knew that you would come to me...Sam had told me that you would. And so, now I am writing this letter to you.
You may be wondering why I instructed you not to open the letter until now. I had many things to consider, and much time to think about it. I didn't want to alter human history any more than I had to. The Grandfather Paradox still applies. Had I warned you about her death before it happened, she wouldn't have been sent off-world that day and Simon Wells would have died. We both know that Mom would never have wanted us to sacrifice him in order to save her.
My other reason is you, Daniel. You once told me that after my mom was gone, you realized just how much you'd loved her. I hope that if you go back and save her, you'll also be able to convince your past self to act on your feelings for her.
'My past self?' Daniel thought with a sigh 'Oy, this could get complicated.'
Enclosed are two categories of solar flares. The first has the date and time of 3 different flares that will happen over the course of the next few days. Any one of them will take you back to the right point in time. The second category has 7 solar flares that will send you back to where you are now. However, there are no guarantees. You may not make it back to your own time, and if you do, the ramifications of saving my mom will change many things in your world.
It's your world and this is your decision to make. I'll understand if you decide that you don't want to change the past, but I had to take the chance that you'd want to see her again as much as I do.
'I do, Cassie' Daniel thought as he looked at the date and times of the solar flares. Below the specifics of the flares, Cassie's letter continued.
These were the only flares of the right size and intensity that will send you back to the right points in time. Here's what you'll need to do:
To go back you must dial the coordinates for P3X-666, punch in your IDC code, and enter the event horizon at the exact time I've written down. You'll exit the wormhole on earth, 5 months ago. Immediately redial P3X-666. You'll only have about 15 minutes before my mom is killed. It's the best I could do, and hopefully it will give you enough time to save her.
To go back to your time, you must go back to earth and repeat this procedure using the second category of flares.
I know this is not an easy thing that I'm asking of you, but I've seen you do some pretty amazing things in my time. I'm confident that you will be able to save her.
'That makes one of us' Daniel thought as he set the letter down. He wasn't at all confident in his ability to save anyone. After all, he hadn't been able to save Sha're, and he hadn't been able to save Janet the first time around. All he'd been able to do was watch helplessly as her life ended in front of him.
Janet's death was one of the most painful things he'd ever experienced. Although it had happened months ago, he was still haunted by the painful cry Janet had let out when she was shot. Thinking back on that day, Daniel began to sob, 'She sounded so surprised' he remembered. So many of his memories were nearly inaccessible because of the Ancients, yet he was positive that he would never forget the heartbreaking sound of Janet's last breath.
Looking up, he caught a glance at himself in the mirror by his desk. His hair was a mess and his eyes were red and puffy from crying. 'I look terrible' he thought, realizing that his appearance perfectly matched how terrible he'd felt ever since Janet had died.
His eyes shifted back to the picture of Janet dancing with him. Both of them look so happy and content. How many times had he wished for the chance to go back and changed what happened to her?? A determined look crossed his face. Cassie had given him that chance.
Daniel picked Cassie's letter up again and read about the first flare. It was supposed to happen in a little over 24 hours. 'Hopefully, that'll give me enough time to come up with a plan to pull this off'.
"General Hammond, please!" Daniel begged, jumping up from the seat in front of the General's desk.
"I'm sorry Dr. Jackson, but you know I can't authorize use of the Gate without knowing more information."
He couldn't tell Hammond the truth; Daniel knew that he'd never agree to it. He was far too practical for that. Daniel could all but hear the lecture he'd get 'Dr. Jackson, we can't risk good people getting hurt just because a note from the future may or may not bring Dr Fraiser back. Never mind the fact that you're not even sure if it'll work or where you'll go if it doesn't.'
Not only that, the NID had been breathing down their necks since Janet's death. There's no way Hammond would authorize the mission if he knew the details. Woolsey would come running to conduct another one of his investigations about the incompetence of the personnel at the SGC.
Daniel pounded on Hammond's desk angrily. Usually Daniel's temper only flared if Jack was provoking him. But, Daniel was just so desperate to save Janet that his normally rational mind was creating worst-case scenarios. It seemed like his own thoughts had turned against him.
"Dr. Jackson?"
Daniel breathed deeply and said, "I told you, General, I received a note from the future and I have to act on it or else our history will be altered!" Well...that wasn't exactly the truth, but he was at the point where he didn't care. It was worth it if Hammond agreed to let him go.
"What exactly did the note say?"
"I can't really tell you, sir, without altering our history further and without serious consequences." Another lie.
"That may be so, Dr. Jackson, but I can't send you off-world without knowing where, or when for that matter, you are going. Or what you are going there for. The President, not to mention the NID, has been watching us like a hawk, and I'm afraid I can't afford to send you on a mission like this --- no matter what the real reason you want to go is. I'm sorry, request denied."
Daniel stormed out of the General's office. 'Time for a Plan B' he thought.
Daniel sat down in his lab considering his options. He couldn't tell Hammond the truth, but maybe he could tell Sam, Teal'c, and Jack what was going on. He thought about that for a minute. As much as he loved them, he doubted any of them would agree to help. Sam would probably go off on one of her scientific tangents about something like 'the ramifications of using time distortions to alter history.'
Teal'c would probably give him one of those "looks" of his. He'd raise his eyebrow and say in a completely even tone "Daniel Jackson, would it not be unwise to attempt to change the historical course of the Tau'ri?'
And Jack would probably make a noise between a laugh and a cough and say, oh so delicately, "Are you nuts? Our asses got kicked the last we were on that damn planet."
Daniel sighed, realizing his mind was in "worse-case scenario" mode again. It wasn't fair of him to prejudge what his friends would say. Daniel remembered the memorial service they'd held for Janet. He thought about the kind words Sam had spoken, and recalled Teal'c's contribution to her speech. It was all Daniel could do not to cry when Sam had read his name aloud. It was a wonderful way to honor Janet's life. And injured as he was, Jack didn't beg out of attending. Daniel knew Sam, Teal'c, and Jack cared a lot for Janet. And they would want to see her again as much as anyone.
Daniel pondered over why his thoughts were so negative towards his friends --- hell, his family! Daniel's mind raced with images. Memories of his parent as they died...of Sha're as she gave birth to the child of Apophis...of Sarah's deep depression after Osiris had been removed, and of Janet as her lifeless body lay before him. He had failed every one of them. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the terrible things that had happened to those whom he cared for the most. Daniel realized that the nagging voices in his head were not those of his friends, but those of his own self-doubt.
'I don't know if I can do this.' But he had no choice. Daniel wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't at least try to go back and save Janet. If nothing else, he could tell her that he loves her and finally release this terrible burden he'd been carrying around for so long.
And if he truly couldn't save her, maybe this time he'd be lucky enough to die with her.
Daniel shook his head, willing his thoughts to clear. It dawned on him that Sam and Teal'c weren't even there. Sam had been sent to help overhaul some of the systems on the Prometheus. And Teal'c was off-world with his son, Rya'c.
'What about Jack?' Daniel wondered, hoping his friend wasn't off somewhere fishing.
At that moment Jack chose to walk into Daniel's lab. 'How's that for timing?' Daniel thought.
"Hey Danny-boy, I was just headed down to get some cake, wanna tag along?"
"Actually, Jack, I need to talk to you about something very important."
"More important than cake?"
"Yes." Daniel said as he got up to shut the door.
"I doubt it," he heard Jack mutter as he sat on the corner of Daniel's desk. "What's up?"
Daniel sighed, silently praying that this conversation would go better than the one he'd just had with General Hammond.
Daniel finished explaining the situation to Jack. "So, what do you think?" he asked expectantly.
Jack reached over and placed his right hand across Daniel's forehead.
"What are you doing?" Daniel asked, pushing Jack's hand away.
"Just checking for a fever or something because either you're sick or you're just plain nuts!"
"Jack, I'm not making this up I swear."
"Well, I'm not saying you are but ...some proof would, you know, be nice."
Daniel pulled out the letter Cassie had given him and showed it to Jack.
"See. The letter is real. Look at the date it was written!"
"Looks like normal paper to me, Daniel. You know your memories have seriously been tampered with...who's to say this isn't someone's idea of a sick joke or something?"
"Crumple the paper up." Daniel told him.
"Um...why?"
Daniel could feel his temper starting to rise again, "Just do it!"
"Fine, but only if you stop being so melodramatic." Jack said as he took the paper and crumpled it into a ball.
As he wadded it up, he noticed the paper almost felt like some sort of soft cloth. He tossed the balled up paper on the desk. "Now what?"
"Watch." Daniel said as he picked up the crunched paper. Jack watched as Daniel smoothed his hand over the page. Almost instantly the letter returned to being as fresh and wrinkle-free as it was before O'Neill had gotten a hold of it. There wasn't even a crease from where it had been folded.
"Uh...Ok, so, Cassie sent this, huh?" Jack said, trying to hide his amazement
"Jack, you know how much saving Janet would mean to me...and to all of us. I'll do it alone if I have to, but I'm asking for your help."
"Daniel, have you heard of a court martial? Hammond already said no. If I help you with this little hair-brained scheme of yours, I'll live out my retirement days in a tiny gray cell instead of on a quiet lake in Minnesota."
"I've thought about that."
"Well, gee, your concern is overwhelming"
"I could use a zat gun on the cameras in the Briefing Room and the General's office. Then before I go through the Gate I could zat you, too. That way they'd never know you were involved."
"Hey, wait a sec, I can't let you go back to that planet alone...besides I hate getting shot by that thing"
"I don't think it'll work any other way. You know how many jaffa were on that planet while we were there. I'll have a better chance of making it to Janet in time if I go alone. Besides I need you to make sure I make it through the Gate. And if it works, none of this will matter anyway since everything will change."
O'Neill sighed, realizing Daniel was right. "All right, we'll do it your way."
Half an hour before the solar flare was to occur, Daniel stepped off the elevator on Level 28. He was grateful for the slightly lighter security of the early morning hours. It gave him a better chance of making it through the Gate. The alarm on his watch was set to go off as soon as he was supposed to step through the even horizon. Daniel double-checked that his GDO was strapped securely to his arm.
'Anything for you, Janet' Daniel said to himself as he thought about what he was about to do. He swore to himself that if this works, this time he'd make sure that Janet knew the truth.
'One thing left to do' Daniel thought as he snuck up to the Briefing Room. He zatted the camera in the corner of the room, and made his way over to the General's door. Grateful that Sam had taught him how to pick locks, he managed to open the door with minimal trouble. He decommissioned the camera and hoped that it wouldn't be noticed by security too quickly.
Daniel turned around as O'Neill ran into the General's office. "Go Daniel, I'll take care of this. Secure the Control Room."
Daniel ran out of the room as O'Neill grabbed the eagle statue on the shelf behind the General's desk.
"Sorry George" Jack said as he placed the large bird on the table in the Briefing Room.
Then he strapped a small brick of C4 to it. Hopefully it would make a big enough bang to draw security away from the Gate Room.
'And best of all' he thought with a smile, 'after all these years, this room will finally see some excitement!'
'This just has to work' Daniel told himself 'There's just no other way to save her.'
Two Gate technicians were working the night shift in the Control room. As Daniel quietly descended the stairs, he shot both of them with the zat gun. The effects of the zat gun weren't always the same for everyone but, to Daniel's relief, both technicians were knocked out cold.
Jack leapt off the remaining 4 stairs as the C4 blew in the Briefing Room.
"Have any trouble?" Daniel asked him.
"Piece of cake...hey, speaking of which...I never did get to..."
Before Jack could finish, the Control Room was suddenly filled with SFs.
"It came from upstairs!" O'Neill shouted to them. "You go, we'll keep this area secure."
The guards nodded and ran to find out what had happened.
"Sometimes being a colonel comes in handy...they didn't suspect a thing."
Daniel nodded while he accessed the computer and shut down all entry into the mountain and to Level 28.
"There is one problem," Jack said. "If this doesn't work, Hammond's gonna be majorly pissed. We just blew his eagle and probably half that table to hell."
A huge flash of light coming from the level above told them that the Goa'uld shock grenade O'Neill had planted in the Briefing Room had gone off.
"Yeah well, those SFs probably won't be very happy when they wake up, either." Daniel said, getting up from the computer as the Gate began it's dialing sequence.
Three guards were left in the Gate Room. Daniel used his security card to open the door and Jack ran in.
"Airmen, report!" Jack shouted.
As he spoke Daniel came around the corner and zatted the airmen before they even had a chance to react.
The wormhole opened as the 7th chevron locked.
"Thanks Jack" Daniel said simply as he zatted his friend.
O'Neill squirmed as he hit the ground "Don't mention it," he said through clenched teeth.
Daniel walked up the ramp, punched in his IDC and waited. His timing had to be precise. The second his watch alarm sounded, Daniel stepped through the shimmering puddle.
When he exited the Stargate, Daniel found himself back in the Gate Room looking at a dozen armed SFs. General Hammond was watching him from the Control Room.
"What's going on, Dr. Jackson? Didn't you just go through?" Hammond asked into the microphone.
"There's no time to explain right now, sir, redial P3X-666 right now!" Daniel said as he walked down the ramp.
Hammond gave a nod and the dialing sequence began.
"I expect a full explanation when you return, Dr. Jackson"
"Yes, sir!" Daniel said, grateful that Hammond had let him go without debate.
The Stargate activated and Daniel ran through. Suddenly Daniel found himself back on planet where Janet had died. Gunfire was going off all around him and he could hear various explosions in the distance. 'De ja vous' he thought as he raced off in the direction he and Janet had been taken 5 months ago - to the side of Simon Wells.
The terrain wasn't the best for sprinting, but Daniel ran hard anyway, ignoring the growing ache in his legs. He just had to make it to Janet in time. He stumbled a little over a tree limb, but he regained his balance and willed himself to go faster.
He really hadn't thought this part out. He had no idea what he would do if he ran into a jaffa, but fortunately there didn't seem to be any nearby. The distant chattering of gunfire in the distance was his only reminder of the battle.
He poured on more speed. He just couldn't lose her again. The gunfire was getting closer, but he didn't seem to care, he was too absorbed with making it to Janet's side. 'Please, God, let me make it in time' he prayed as he ran through the trees.
Just then his radio click to life, a voice was saying, "Colonel I need more time to stabilize this patient. He can't be moved yet."
Daniel's heart leapt into this throat. It was Janet. 'Dear God, she's still alive.'
Daniel ignored the growing pain in his legs and the fact that he was gasping for air. Hearing her voice had spurred him on. He knew all too well that those were some of the last words Janet had ever said.
"Jaffa! Kree!!" A voice shouted. Daniel could tell that the voice had come from the clearing ahead, the place where Simon Wells had been shot.
His brain slowly processed this information. 'That's probably the jaffa that shot Janet! No! No! No! Please not yet!!!!!!'
Finally, he reached the clearing. Daniel could see Wells lying on the ground. Janet was busy treating his wound while Daniel --- well, himself really --- was videotaping beside her. Both were too busy to notice that a second Daniel was running full speed towards them.
The gap between them was closing, but not fast enough for Daniel's liking. He just couldn't let it happen to her again. He was close enough to hear Janet saying to Wells:
"...we're gonna get you home with your family in no time ok..."
"Janet!" Daniel heard himself scream as he threw his body into the air, praying that he'd be able to block the shot that had killed her once before. His body landed in a heap and in the next instant he felt his back explode with pain.
"I love you, Janet" he tried to say as he lost consciousness.
Daniel moaned as he felt himself being rolled over. His head ached and his back felt like it was on fire. Through the fog in his mind he heard a shocked gasp from a person standing over him. He squinted his eyes as the person came into view; it was himself, 5 months ago.
"Is she alive?" Daniel managed to ask through much pain and gritted teeth. "Did I save her?"
The Daniel standing over him was too shocked to reply.
"Please" Daniel begged, "just tell me if she's alright."
He watched, as the Daniel above him seemed to snap back into reality and quickly left his side. Daniel hoped he'd gone to check on Janet and Wells.
"Well??" Daniel called out, anxiously.
The answer finally came "She's unconscious, but alive. Wells is doing okay too"
Relief flooded Daniel's mind. While getting shot wasn't originally part of his plan, it really didn't matter to him anymore. Even if he died here and now, Janet was alive, and that's all that mattered.
Daniel could hear the other Daniel speaking into the radio "I need a medical team and three stretchers in the clearing southwest of the Stargate."
Then Daniel watched as a very confused version of himself sat down and said, "Um, I have a few questions for you."
Daniel took a deep breath, hoping the pain in his back would subside. "Long story short - Cassie from the future gave me letter that helped send me back in time so I could save Janet."
"You mean Janet would have died?"
"Yes, instantly. I couldn't do anything but watch." He paused and looked the other Daniel straight in the eye, "The months following her death made me realize how much I'd cared for her. Don't make that same mistake. Don't wait until it's too late before you realize your --- well, our--- feelings for her. I went through hell because she died without knowing how much I loved her."
The pain was making his words come out more ragged. "I came back not only to save her, but also to save myself from a life without her. Please, promise me you'll tell her the truth!"
The other Daniel looked shocked at this revelation. "I've always cared for Janet, but..."
Daniel trailed off as thought back on the past several years. He shook his head slowly as he realized that he'd been denying how much he really cared for her.
He looked over at Janet, who was still unconscious. Faced with her near-death, he realized all the things he'd never told her. Could he live with himself if he never got the chance to say those things to her? The Daniel that lay half-dead on the ground obviously hadn't been able to live with what happened. And he had risked everything for the chance to come back and change it.
Daniel knew what he had to do. Looking the dying version of himself in the eye, he said, "You're right. I guess I have been denying my feelings for her. But, I swear to you I'll make it right."
It was the only time Daniel had ever seen such a contented smile cross the face of someone who was wounded as they slipped back into unconsciousness.
By the sound of it Daniel could tell the battle was winding down. Both sides were retreating. Janet moaned and Daniel leaned over to check on her. She'd hit her head on a rock when future Daniel had thrown himself on top of her. She'd lost consciousness, but the wound was only superficial, and it was a lot better than what would've happened to her had future Daniel not shielded her with his own body.
Janet felt like a thousand needles were stabbing her body. She groaned as she slowly sat up. She could feel Daniel wrap his arms around her.
She was finding it hard to think straight, though couldn't figure whether it was from her injury or from being in Daniel's arms.
"What happened?" Janet finally asked.
"Long story."
With Daniel's help she managed to stand. That's when she noticed the other person who'd been lying on the ground next to her. It was Daniel.
A confused look crossed her face as she looked between the Daniel on the ground and the Daniel that had helped her up. Janet groaned and rubbed her pounding head.
"You're okay, Janet " Daniel said tenderly, taking her into his arms again.
Looking back down at the second Daniel, Janet said, "No, I don't think I am..."
"I'll explain later. Right now, we have to get back to the SGC and get you patched up. And when you're feeling up to it, I really need to talk to you about something important."
A questioning look crossed her face and Janet opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted as the medical team appeared.
They brought the stretchers Daniel had requested and loaded Wells and future Daniel into them. Janet had tried to refuse the stretcher that was for her, but Daniel insisted, and she finally gave in. Then, they all headed back to the Stargate.
'I hope you're right about this flare, Cassie.' Daniel thought as he stepped up to the open Stargate.
He was still sore and fairly injured from the staff blast that he'd taken, but fortunately it hadn't hit anything too important. He'd recovered enough to use the last solar flare Cassie had given him to return to his time. 'If it works' he thought.
He turned from the puddle and gave a small wave back to his friends that were watching him.
"Good luck, and Godspeed, Dr. Jackson" General Hammond said.
With that, Daniel took a deep breath, punched in his IDC, and stepped through the puddle.
He stumbled through the Stargate and dropped to the ground on the ramp in the Gate Room. Going through the Stargate while injured was never much fun. He heard a flurry of activity around him. Over the intercom he heard the words "Dr Jackson, report to the Gate Room!"
That didn't make sense. 'I'm already in here, what more do they want?' he thought.
He was attempting stand as the Gate Room door was opened. In walked Janet, her medical team, and 5 months of memories Daniel didn't have until right then. Watching Janet as she ran to check him over, Daniel started to remember what had happened.
In the days following their return from P3X-666, and his return to the future, Daniel had kept the promise he'd made and had confessed his love to Janet.
He remembered watching the tears well up in her eyes as he finally revealed to her the things he held in his heart. He remembered holding her close and softly kissing her lips. He remembered feeling whole again; which was something that, up until then, he never imagined was possible.
It had been less than a month since their marriage. And they'd loved every minute of being together. And although Janet had been teased more than once for now being known as 'Janet Jackson', she would simply smile and reply, "A small price to pay..."
A smile crossed his face as he thought about the journey he'd taken. 'Thank you Cassie' he thought 'Thank you for giving me my life back.'
Janet's voice snapped him back to reality, "What did you do this time!?" Janet asked, looking worriedly at his injury.
"Nothing I'll ever regret," he said with a smile as he pulled her into his arms.
THE END