A/N - I have no idea where this came from. Definitely not my usual style, to say the least. Thanks to my beta MidKnight Rider, who advised me to include a hanky warning. Enjoy.
Where You Lead
Jack watched the rain dripping off Daniel's graying head. Daniel had always been good with words, and Jack knew he would do a far better job than he ever could. As usual, the archeologist-turned-diplomat didn't disappoint. As Daniel spoke of their time together as SG-1 with fondness and good humor, Jack couldn't help but think back to the beginning. He shifted in his wheelchair and allowed his mind to wander.
The first time he saw her in the SGC conference room, all gorgeous blond curves and legs, full of piss and vinegar, he knew she would be trouble.
Then they'd been trapped together in Antarctica, and he'd realized that she was an extraordinary soldier, one of the best he'd ever had under his command.
The moment the snake Jolinar took over her mind, he understood that she was more to him than just a damn fine Second in Command.
When he looked at her from the wrong side of a Gou'ald force field, he knew he was in love with her.
When he kissed her in the time loop, he knew she felt the same way.
Once, they'd been other people and he'd held her to him and all they'd had was each other, and he'd been the happiest man in the world, even if it wasn't his own.
The second he pulled the trigger that killed her, he thought his life was over, even though she ultimately came back, no thanks to him.
After he lost her to the deep reaches of space, he swore that he would do everything in his power to bring her back, and nothing would stop him.
But when he lost her to another man, he decided to let her go.
The minute she returned to him, he knew his life had changed forever, and he would spend the rest of his days loving her.
It took awhile for them to learn how to touch each other, as they'd spent the past eight years trying so hard not to. Their first night together had been slow and awkward, careful and sweet. The morning after had been anything but.
On their wedding night, he promised her that anywhere she led, he would follow. Even when she was halfway across the galaxy - or the next one over - he found ways to be with her, whether it was the occasional exchange of emails or the rare private video conference.
When she finally beamed down from the Hammond for good, she caught him off guard, materializing right in the middle of his DC brownstone, still in her flight suit. She had simply smiled and kissed him, then unzipped the garment to reveal nothing other than creamy skin and red lace. They did things that night he was fairly certain were illegal in most states.
She moved back to Colorado Springs to take over command of the SGC, and he retired a year later to join her there. It was then that they finally lived together as a married couple for the first time, nearly eight years after their wedding.
They had many more years full of love and laughter, and a few tears, as well. When she retired from her position as commander of the SGC, she had attained the rank of Major General, still one of only a handful of women in the Air Force to achieve that honor. Despite his protests, she had left the position to help take care of him, his knees having finally given out completely.
From the moment she received the diagnosis, he hadn't left her side. But it hadn't taken long. He'd begged her to contact one of their allies, to find a sarcophagus, anything, but she had just smiled and said it was her time.
The first shot of the rifle volley brought his attention sharply back to the ceremony.
As a lone bugler played Taps, Cassie placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze, reminding him that despite the fact that they had never had children of their own, he still had family there.
During the flag ceremony, Jack struggled to get to his feet until a large hand grasped him under his arm and hauled him into a standing position. He gave the Jaffa a nod of thanks and turned to accept the folded flag.
The young officer placed it in his arms, and he glanced skyward at the gliders she helped design flying overhead in missing man formation. He shook his head. She was 72 and he was 88, and it made no sense to him that she would go first. It wasn't supposed to be that way.
Her last night on Earth, he'd held her hand and told her how much he loved her, as she slipped into unconsciousness. When she took her last breath, he broke down and wept. It was something he'd never done before that moment, not even when his son had died.
Before she slipped away, she'd given him a small smile and told him that it was time to let her go; she was going the one place he couldn't follow.
But she was wrong.
That night, after all of the visitors had gone, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes and waited. As she moved through the darkness toward him, he saw that she looked just like she did when they walked alien planets together. And when she held her hand out to him and pulled him to his feet, he knew he'd never need that damned chair again.
"I thought I told you not to follow me," she said, her eyes twinkling.
"I never was any good at following directions," he replied, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Besides, I made you a promise."
"You did," she whispered, as he held her face with both hands.
"I did," he replied, before he leaned in and captured her lips with his.
"Time to go," she told him softly, once they finally broke the kiss. With a brilliant smile, she held out her hand again.
"Lead the way," he replied, as he took it in his own.
The End