She knew it had to be done. And that it couldn't wait any longer! In a few months time she was going to have a baby and would need the extra room. Luckily, Jack had arranged that the Air Force would pay for the storage, for however long it took.
Shelley sat on the edge of the bed, their bed. The one they had brought together, when she'd moved in, to their now empty apartment. Shelley hadn't wanted to stay there alone and had moved back in with her brother. Jack kind of liking having her around. And he didn't mind her staying after the baby was born. He loved kids and would take care of his niece or nephew when they arrive. Just like Daniel would have wanted him too!
Shelley stared at the closet, knowing what was ahead of her and wanted to cry. Her head turned as she heard the key in the door. For one brief moment, she smiled and her heart pounded. She whispered his name, then remembered it wasn't Daniel.
"Shell," A female voice shouted.
It was Sam. She heard footsteps moving through the apartment, stopping outside the door of her bedroom. Sam popped her head around the door, seeing Shelley sitting on the bed.
"Hey, are you ready?" she asked.
She wasn't really ready, but it had to be done. Shelley nodded slowly and stood up. Sam offered a comforting smile. It had been 5 months since Daniel had gone and it felt as though it was yesterday.
Shelley followed Sam into the main room of the apartment. Seeing Jack and Teal'c carrying several cartons of unpacked boxes.
"Where do you want to start?" Jack asked.
She thought for a moment, trying to think of the quickest way to get it done.
"In here I guess. Anything personal I don't want to go into storage. The furniture stays."
Shelley had decided that whilst she was staying with her brother that she would sublet her apartment. Hoping to move back in once the baby was born. And she turned to go back into the bedroom. Sam stayed behind. Jack watched his sister as she closed the bedroom door behind her.
"Is she going to help in here?" he asked.
Sam shook her head.
"I doubt it. She's got the hardest things to pack in there."
A few hours later, it was over. The rest of the apartment was totally cleaned out. Sam had labelled which boxes go into main storage and what goes with Shelley. It was heartbreaking. Packing away Daniel's things. Most of the items in the house were his, leaving only a few trinkets they he had brought with Shelley during their time together. Sam felt so sad for her friend. They had only been married for 6 weeks and were planning on going away for the weekend after his accident. She couldn't begin to imagine what Shelley had been going through. Especially now she was pregnant. Shelley's pregnancy had come as a shock to everyone. When she had claimed that Daniel was the father. And they believed her. Sam had said that after seeing the way Shelley used to look at Daniel, how could there possibly be anyone else in her life, but him.
Sam looked around the room, seeing the empty apartment. But there was still one room to go. Shelley hadn't come out of the bedroom for 2 hours.
"Do you think she's okay in there." Sam asked.
Jack didn't say anything. Instead he walked the short distance to the bedroom, knocking softly on the door. He opened it, seeing Shelley still sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the closet in front of her. Looking like she hadn't moved in 2 hours, frozen to the spot.
She felt Jack's hand on her shoulder and turned, letting him see the tears in her eyes.
"You okay, kiddo?" he asked.
Shelley turned back, looking at the closet.
"I opened the door and I… I couldn't do it."
"Do you need some help?"
He sat next to her on the bed, holding her hand.
"When I opened the door, all I could smell was him. Like he was still here."
"I know."
"Have can I pack all this stuff up? Its like I'm giving up. That I've accepted the fact that he's not coming back!"
Jack shook his head.
"I don't think that's what your doing. Its been 5 months Shell. And nothings been touched since that day. Your not accepting that he's not coming back, your just trying to move on. Well, as much as you can," he said.
"Sometimes it feels like he's still here. That I see him out of the corner of my eye."
Jack held her hand tighter.
"I know. It gets easier. Sometimes you might think you hear him or see him. Or you'll find something that reminds you of him."
Shelley looked at her brother. Knowing that he wasn't just talking about Daniel, but Charlie.
"I was at the base yesterday and I found this in his office."
She reached under her pillow, pulling out Daniel's leather bound note book. She held it tightly in her hand, not wanting to let go.
"I thought I was okay, until I found it. It's like I'm on some kind of emotional tightrope. I'm taking my time crossing it, but one false move and I trip and fall. And I'm about to fall, Jack," she said.
Tears began rolling down her face. Tears that she hadn't let anyone else see in 5 months.
"How am I going to do this?"
"Because you have to. Your stronger than you realise. After what you've been through the last 10 years…And now.. You have someone else to help you through it."
Shelley held her hand on her stomach, smiling through her tears.
"What if I cant cope without him?"
"Then we'll all be here to help you. All of us, including Teal'c. You know how he is with kids,"
Shelley's smile widened, even laughing a little.
"Anything, anything at all you need. Are you ready?"
She stood, standing in front of the closet and opened it. Her eyes closed for a moment, breathing in.
"I'll go and get a couple of boxes." Jack said.
He disappeared into the living room, picking up the spare boxes for Shelley's room. As he went back, Jack saw her clutching Daniel's notebook and one of his shirts. She turned her head, showing her brother her face. But she wasn't crying, she was smiling.
"He wore this on our first date. We were both so nervous that the couple we didn't mind when the couple on the next table joined us. We didn't realise at the time that we'd been holding hands all the way through it," she said.
Shelley turned, placing the shirt on the bed behind her and taking a box from her brother.
"We should get started before the new tenants arrive."
Jack nodded. The Air Force had even arranged new tenants. Requesting that they can leave on a weeks notice. Depending on how Shelley was coping after the baby was born. Or when Daniel came back!
Jack reached into the closet, pulling out several hangered shirts and placing them in the boxes. Shelley reached inside, picking up her wedding dress, still protected in its plastic bag. It hadn't been the wedding she had always dreamed of, but she had married Daniel and it was all that mattered.
It didn't taken them long to empty the closets and cupboards. Shelley already packing her own stuff away the day before. But not able to pack away Daniel's.
Jack picked up the last of the boxes, heading out into the living room. Shelley followed him, turning off the light and closing the door.
In the living room were several boxes all marked, keep and storage.
"Thanks for this," she said. "I don't think I could have managed it myself."
Sam and Jack nodded.
"Anything we can do to help," Sam said.
Teal'c nodded.
"When we were packing, we came across this. We thought you might want it."
Sam handed Shelley a shoe box full of pictures. Shelley opened the lid.
"Their of Daniel's parents. The only ones he had."
She picked up a few, seeing one picture of Daniel and his parents and showed it to Sam.
"He sure was one cute kid," Sam said.
Shelley nodded, smiling.
"Would you mind giving me a couple of minutes. I'll meet you guys downstairs."
Jack nodded, kissing his sister on her forehead.
"Take all the time you need."
Shelley waited until they'd all left.
"This seems really silly. Talking to an empty apartment. But I know you're here, somehow. I may have left this place but I'm taking the best of you with me," Shelley said. "I'll never be far away and when you come back to us, we'll be waiting. And I love you. I'll always love you. Where ever you are."
Shelley felt the tears fall from her eyes again and wiped them away. She turned, picking up the shoe box and headed for the door.
"And I miss you,"
And she left. Leaving behind a year of memories, love and laughter. Not sure what the future held for her and their unborn baby.