He sighed softly as he felt her arms encircle him and her warm breath dance across his neck.
"You're having second thoughts."
It wasn't a question...it was a statement. He gave a rueful smile. She knew him far too well. He placed his thesis down on the table and took his glasses off. Gently rubbing the bridge of his nose he turned to face her. He stared into her brilliant green eyes and found what he was looking for.
"You believe in me. You've supported me through all of this. You've spent hours questioning me, forcing me to ensure my theories match my proof." He gently reached out and touched her cheek. "Why? Why do you have so much faith in me?"
She smiled and took his hand from her face, entwining her fingers with his and led him over to the couch. She pulled him down beside her and kissed him tenderly.
"People are always scared of what is different. They are often afraid to question what has been true for so long. If people like you didn't exist...we would all still believe the world was flat, that flying was purely for birds and that people can't change history." She laid her hand over his chest. "You live...from here. You don't just look at things, you feel them. In your heart. You hold a passion for your work that...I haven't seen in a long time. I believe in you because you seek the truth, where ever it hides. And you want others to know, you want to share the wonder of your work with the world. You change people Daniel. You change the way people look at things. You make people question what they are told...you make them want to find the truth. And that is something...something that great people throughout our history have done."
He looked down at their entwined hands. "What if they don't believe me? What if they laugh me off the stage? What then? I'll never be able to work again."
She softly raised his head and looked into his eyes. "Would it matter? You know the truth...and one day, so will everyone else. And it will change our lives and our world forever. And you will be remembered."
*-*
Daniel stood infront of the headstone and silently said a prayer. He'd lost so much over the years, he was beginning to wonder if that was all life held in store for him. If he was committed to a life of suffering and loss. To lose those he loved. To care too much. To want too much. He sighed as someone came to stand beside him.
"I had this memorial placed here, because it was close to home. I wanted somewhere, where I could talk to them. Somewhere I could come...when I needed to gain some clarity." He looked up at his friend and saw a look of understanding cross his face. "You know it's funny. How we can never talk to people when they're alive...and yet, we spend so much time going over the things we wished we'd said."
Jack looked at the memorial. Clare and Melbourne Jackson. Daniel's parents. "They would have been proud of you Daniel. Of what you've done. Of what you've achieved. The person you've become...I know they would have been proud."
Daniel smiled softly. "Thanks Jack."
Jack fell silent and let his friend say his good-byes. The memorial garden was quiet and held an air of tranquility about it. He watched as a lone figure approached a nearby plaque and placed a single red rose by it. He moved away from Daniel slightly and studied the woman. She was about Daniel's age, with curly brown hair and even at this distance, he could tell she was attractive. In the stillness of the air, he heard her whispered words.
"...your son asks about you everyday. I tell him what I can remember but...I sometimes wonder if it's enough...I wish he'd known you...he has your eyes...and your passion...you would have been proud of him." Jack watched the silent tears track down her face. She raised her hand and brushed them away. "I often wonder...if I'd found out sooner...if you'd have known...would you have gone? Would we be here...like this...today...or would you still be with us?" She placed her fingers to her mouth and kissed them, then gently laid her hand on the stone. "We miss you." She slowly stood up and walked away from the memorial, nodding politely to Jack as she passed him.
Jack sighed. So many people he'd known had lost someone. He'd lost so many of his friends in the past few years. Not to mention his son as well. He slowly walked over to where she'd been standing and glanced at the plaque. His heart beat slowed as he read the words...they burned into his mind, as if in slow motion. The world around him became hazy and all he could see, was the inscription. He didn't feel Daniel shake him softly. He didn't feel Daniel's hand suddenly grip his arm. But he did hear Daniel's voice reading out the words infront of him.
In loving memory of
Dr Daniel Jackson
Born: July 8th 1965
Died: November 22nd 1995
You were never given the chance to know your son.
Know our thoughts are forever with you.
May you have finally found peace.
"Jack?"
His voice sliced through Jack's heart and pulled him back to reality. "There...there was a woman here...she..." He looked around quickly, trying to see which direction she had taken, but Daniel was already running. He skidded into the parking lot as the car pulled out onto the main street. He moaned and bent over to catch his breath, torn between the insane desire to run after that car until he collapsed and the sensible suggestion that he needed more information. Still breathing heavily he looked up as Jack appeared next to him.
"Take me back to the base."
"You're having second thoughts."
It wasn't a question...it was a statement. He gave a rueful smile. She knew him far too well. He placed his thesis down on the table and took his glasses off. Gently rubbing the bridge of his nose he turned to face her. He stared into her brilliant green eyes and found what he was looking for.
"You believe in me. You've supported me through all of this. You've spent hours questioning me, forcing me to ensure my theories match my proof." He gently reached out and touched her cheek. "Why? Why do you have so much faith in me?"
She smiled and took his hand from her face, entwining her fingers with his and led him over to the couch. She pulled him down beside her and kissed him tenderly.
"People are always scared of what is different. They are often afraid to question what has been true for so long. If people like you didn't exist...we would all still believe the world was flat, that flying was purely for birds and that people can't change history." She laid her hand over his chest. "You live...from here. You don't just look at things, you feel them. In your heart. You hold a passion for your work that...I haven't seen in a long time. I believe in you because you seek the truth, where ever it hides. And you want others to know, you want to share the wonder of your work with the world. You change people Daniel. You change the way people look at things. You make people question what they are told...you make them want to find the truth. And that is something...something that great people throughout our history have done."
He looked down at their entwined hands. "What if they don't believe me? What if they laugh me off the stage? What then? I'll never be able to work again."
She softly raised his head and looked into his eyes. "Would it matter? You know the truth...and one day, so will everyone else. And it will change our lives and our world forever. And you will be remembered."
*-*
Daniel stood infront of the headstone and silently said a prayer. He'd lost so much over the years, he was beginning to wonder if that was all life held in store for him. If he was committed to a life of suffering and loss. To lose those he loved. To care too much. To want too much. He sighed as someone came to stand beside him.
"I had this memorial placed here, because it was close to home. I wanted somewhere, where I could talk to them. Somewhere I could come...when I needed to gain some clarity." He looked up at his friend and saw a look of understanding cross his face. "You know it's funny. How we can never talk to people when they're alive...and yet, we spend so much time going over the things we wished we'd said."
Jack looked at the memorial. Clare and Melbourne Jackson. Daniel's parents. "They would have been proud of you Daniel. Of what you've done. Of what you've achieved. The person you've become...I know they would have been proud."
Daniel smiled softly. "Thanks Jack."
Jack fell silent and let his friend say his good-byes. The memorial garden was quiet and held an air of tranquility about it. He watched as a lone figure approached a nearby plaque and placed a single red rose by it. He moved away from Daniel slightly and studied the woman. She was about Daniel's age, with curly brown hair and even at this distance, he could tell she was attractive. In the stillness of the air, he heard her whispered words.
"...your son asks about you everyday. I tell him what I can remember but...I sometimes wonder if it's enough...I wish he'd known you...he has your eyes...and your passion...you would have been proud of him." Jack watched the silent tears track down her face. She raised her hand and brushed them away. "I often wonder...if I'd found out sooner...if you'd have known...would you have gone? Would we be here...like this...today...or would you still be with us?" She placed her fingers to her mouth and kissed them, then gently laid her hand on the stone. "We miss you." She slowly stood up and walked away from the memorial, nodding politely to Jack as she passed him.
Jack sighed. So many people he'd known had lost someone. He'd lost so many of his friends in the past few years. Not to mention his son as well. He slowly walked over to where she'd been standing and glanced at the plaque. His heart beat slowed as he read the words...they burned into his mind, as if in slow motion. The world around him became hazy and all he could see, was the inscription. He didn't feel Daniel shake him softly. He didn't feel Daniel's hand suddenly grip his arm. But he did hear Daniel's voice reading out the words infront of him.
In loving memory of
Dr Daniel Jackson
Born: July 8th 1965
Died: November 22nd 1995
You were never given the chance to know your son.
Know our thoughts are forever with you.
May you have finally found peace.
"Jack?"
His voice sliced through Jack's heart and pulled him back to reality. "There...there was a woman here...she..." He looked around quickly, trying to see which direction she had taken, but Daniel was already running. He skidded into the parking lot as the car pulled out onto the main street. He moaned and bent over to catch his breath, torn between the insane desire to run after that car until he collapsed and the sensible suggestion that he needed more information. Still breathing heavily he looked up as Jack appeared next to him.
"Take me back to the base."