Title: Home
Author: DizzyDrea
Summary: He hadn't wanted to need her, want her, love her as much as he did, but he simply couldn't help himself.
Rating: M
Spoilers: All Stargate cannon to date
Author's Notes: When I wrote "Colder Weather", I hadn't written much angst—not necessarily on purpose, just that I don't usually write what I don't read. But, the story sort of dropped into my lap fully written, so I had no choice. I felt at the time that if I'd written a sequel, it would turn out badly for our two favorite 'gaters. After some reflection, and encouragement from my readers, I've decided to give a happy ending a try. Inspired by the song "Home" by Daughtry.
Disclaimer: Stargate and all its particulars is the property of MGM, Gekko, Double Secret, Acme Shark and a lot of other people who aren't me. I am doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~&O&~

Doctor Daniel Jackson sat in the main conference room of Atlantis, fidgeting as he waited for Chuck to connect his call to the mainland. His eyes scanned the room, his mind filling in the memories of past visits, until they lighted on a familiar face. His companion sat quietly by, unhurried and composed. Daniel wished he felt so at ease.

Chuck's voice roused him out of his thoughts, informing him through the radio earpiece he'd started wearing when he arrived that his call was connecting.

"Thanks, Chuck," he said, then turned his attention to the monitor in front of him.

The screen lit up, the familiar face of Major General Jack O'Neill coming into focus.

"Daniel!" the General exclaimed, his face lighting up. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you. How's it going?"

"Hey, Jack," Daniel said, a smile on his face. Then, it fell, and he squinted into the screen. "You look like hell."

"Gee, thanks," the older man said.

"Sorry," Daniel said, shrugging his shoulders, even though he clearly wasn't.

It hadn't escaped his notice that, ever since he'd moved to Washington, Jack had been less than diligent when it came to taking care of himself. At least when he'd been in Colorado, his teammates and friends had been able to keep an eye on him. But as they'd all gone their separate ways over the last few years, that had become next to impossible.

"S'okay," Jack said. He scrubbed his hands over his face and up through his hair. "Things have been kinda busy around here. I did take a shower this morning."

"I really didn't need to know that," the archeologist said, cringing at the picture that conjured. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen in person, but he so didn't need that image. "When's the last time you went home?"

"I don't know," Jack said, "Monday. Tuesday, maybe?"

Today was Friday. "Jack, go home," Daniel said. He let his concern for the man come through the video feed.

"Did you call all the way from the Pacific Ocean just to tell me to go home?"

Daniel winced. "No, but somebody's got to do it."

"As it happens," Jack said, straightening up a little, "I was just thinking about going back to my place."

"I wasn't talking about your house in DC," the younger man said. "Go home. To Colorado."

"I can't just pick up and leave, Daniel, even if I wanted to," the general retorted. "This place—"

"Will be just fine for a few days," Daniel finished for him. "Davis can handle things while you're gone. That is why you keep him around, isn't it?" He paused, then went on in a quieter voice. "You need a break, Jack, even if you won't admit it."

Jack gusted out a sigh. "Yeah," he admitted grudgingly.

"I talked to Sam the other day," Daniel said, changing the subject without warning.

Jack just blinked at the non-sequitor. "And?"

"And," Daniel said, rolling his eyes, "The Hammond is on its way back from Pegasus. They should be arriving over the weekend."

"And?"

"And, you haven't been to Colorado in a while." He let that sentence hang, hoping his friend would connect the dots.

"Daniel," Jack said, sighing again. "I appreciate the thought; I really do, but…"

"But you're not going to let yourself go with her, are you?"

"Daniel." This time, the tone was a warning.

"Look, Jack," Daniel said, rubbing his hand at the back of his neck, "I know it's none of my business—"

"Damn right," Jack said, interrupting.

"But," Daniel said, voice rising as he pressed on, looking his old friend in the eye. He knew he was treading on dangerous ground here, but what he wanted to say needed to be said. By somebody. He'd just been the one duly elected to say it. "You've got to stop this. Stop punishing yourself. You deserve to be happy, and it's clear that being with her makes you happy."

"It's not that simple, and you know it," Jack retorted sharply.

"Isn't it?" Daniel asked. He sighed, then went on in a quieter voice. "Do you love her? I mean, really love her?" He looked at his friend as he opened his mouth to speak, then added, "And don't lie to me."

Jack leaned back in his chair, staring at the man on the screen. Daniel could see the wheels turning in his mind. The General had always been a private man, preferring to keep his personal life private, even among friends. But Daniel had had just about enough of that. They'd talked about Samantha Carter on more than one occasion, but the conversation usually ended with Jack telling his old friend to stay out of it. Well, he'd stayed out as long as he could, but with two miserable friends, he'd finally reached his limit. And, by the length of time it was taking Jack to answer, it looked like he'd finally reached his, too.

"Yeah, I love her," Jack said at length. "More than you'll ever know."

Daniel sat blinking at the screen. He hadn't expected an answer, much less an honest one. Rallying his thoughts, he pushed just a little harder. "Then come home, Jack. Come home to Sam. Stop running away from the best thing that'll ever happen to you."

Jack gave a surprised smile. "Did you take a graduate course in mind reading that I don't know about?"

"No," Daniel said, chuckling. So, he'd guessed right. "I just know you. Better than you know yourself."

"And you called all the way from Atlantis to tell me this?"

"No," Daniel said, shaking his head. "I actually called to tell you that my research is going so well I'll be staying on for another week or two, at least."

"That's gotta be driving Vala nuts," Jack said, chuckling at the thought of the raven-haired mercenary rattling around the halls of Atlantis with nothing to do.

"Vala left after three days. Cam took her on an 'inspection tour' of the Valkyrie," Daniel said. SG-1 had arrived in Atlantis together, one of their last missions before Cam Mitchell took command of the latest Daedalus-class ship. When he finally took command, Colonel Reynolds would step in to take over of SG-1, so they were savoring their last few missions together. Snapping himself back to the conversation at hand, he went on. "When they wouldn't let her play with the drones or sit in the chair, she basically lost interest."

Jack laughed outright at that. "That's not all I'm betting you wouldn't let her play with."

Daniel cringed. "No comment."

"Okay," Jack said when he'd stopped laughing. "I'll let Woolsey know that you'll be sticking around for a while longer. I only wish I could see the look on McKay's face when he finds out you're not leaving."

"Rodney will be thrilled," Daniel said, smiling that wicked smile he had, making Jack cringe.

"Okay, Daniel, get back to work," he said.

"Let Teal'c know when you get into town," Daniel said before signing off.

"How do you know I'm gonna—"

"I know you, remember?" Daniel said gently, a fond smile on his face.

Jack could only smile back. "Thanks. Take care."

"You too," Daniel said.

The screen went blank, and Daniel sat back in his chair. "Well, that went better than it had a right to."

His companion nodded solemnly. "O'Neill is ready to accept his love for Colonel Carter."

Daniel smiled at Teal'c. He'd opted to stay in Atlantis when Cam and Vala left, claiming that he found the city peaceful. Daniel suspected that he enjoyed sparring with Ronan Dex as much as Cam and John Sheppard had enjoyed taking Rodney McKay's money at poker. But, he kept that thought to himself.

"I sure hope so," Daniel said. "I'm tired of seeing him alone and hurting. Especially when I know Sam is ready and waiting."

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

They'd talked about what was happening between their friends. Teal'c wasn't one given to idle gossip and interfering in his friends' lives, so it was a mark of just how concerned he'd been when he'd brought it up with Daniel. Neither man had been overly excited about the idea of confronting the General, but in the end, they'd judged his self-destructive behavior enough of a reason. He wasn't only hurting himself, he was hurting Sam, and she was important to all of them.

Still, they had no guarantees that this would work. If Jack chickened out, or broke it off altogether, they'd be no better off, and maybe slightly worse. But they'd had to take the chance. For all their sakes, but for Jack's and Sam's most of all.

"Come on, Teal'c," Daniel said, rising up out of his chair. "We're gonna need to find somebody to run you back to the SGC."

"I believe Colonel Sheppard said that he would be willing," the big man said.

"Rodney says he loves flying the jumpers," Daniel said as they walked out of the conference room. "He probably just wants an excuse to get away from McKay for a while."

"I would not place blame on him for that," Teal'c said solemnly.

Daniel laughed. "Neither would I."

...continued...