Title:No Greater Love
Author: Punkyrabbit
Warning: See the end of the story. It would spoil it, here. Nothing major.
A/N: Thanks to my beta, Brynn.
No Greater Love
Daniel looked around at the team, plus Janet and Cassie. They were having a cookout at Jack's house to celebrate the successful mission they had just completed. They had run into trouble, as usual. But they had managed to get out of it and vanquish the Goa'uld without incurring any casualties, except for the snake-headed bad guy, and his minions. That event was at least their cover story for the reason to have the cookout, although Daniel felt that it might have also had something to do with the fact that none of them had been off base in a while. He laughed as he watched Cassie try to tell Jack how he should grill the hamburgers. The silver-haired leader finally good-humoredly smacked her hand with the spatula, and went back to his burgers. The rest of the group smiled as they watched the playful banter. Cassie, who had set down her camera to improve the burgers, picked it up again, and started snapping pictures.
As O'Neill continued tending to the burgers, a tiny flame began to rise from the grill, but was immediately squelched. Daniel pounced on the opportunity to tease his leader, "Hey, Jack, try not to burn the house down! It would be a shame to have to share what was left of dinner with a large group of firemen."
Jack thrust the spatula at Janet, who was next to the grill anyway. He then tackled his friend and, after a good bit of tussling, managed to get him in a headlock. Teal'c and Sam were behind them laughing at their friends' little scuffle, while Cassie snapped a picture. When she showed it to the rest of the team, they liked it so much that she, with Janet's help, and Jack's permission, immediately went into the house to print out copies for each of the team members.
"" "" "" ""
The next day, Daniel sat at his desk holding his copy of the picture, and laughed. SG-1 was like one big family, anyway, but the picture proved it. As Daniel set it down and started working on a translation on his computer, Oma Desala entered the archeologist's office.
"What are you doing here?" asked the baffled linguist.
"I need you to do something for me, Daniel."
"Ooo-kay." Daniel said tentatively.
"A long time ago, a race of aliens called the Coladrylikx, felt that the sentient life forms in this galaxy were too selfish. So, they decided that they would give the egocentric populace, who inhabit the galaxy, a deadline of exactly five-thousand years to find a person who was selfless enough to sacrifice himself for the entire galaxy. They decided that if such a person could not be found within the time allotted, they were going to destroy the entire galaxy. They built a machine, whose radiation would kill that selfless person who would sacrifice himself, but it would harm no one else. The machine itself wouldn't destroy the galaxy, but if that one selfless person could not be found, they themselves would destroy it."
"So, what? I'm your one selfless person?"
"I've been looking for five-thousand years for one selfless person, then I met you. I knew right then that you would do it, but I did still have a few years left before the deadline. Besides I had grown quite fond of you."
"So, I was your ace in the hole."
She nodded, then continued, "The device is on a planet, near the edge of your galaxy. You call it P2M-336. I can not allow this to happen, but I can not stop it."
"Yeah, the "rules"" Daniel rolled his eyes.
Oma nodded, the resumed, "That, and the fact that the Coladrylikx require someone to give up their life for the cause. If I tried to interfere, they would simply destroy the galaxy immediately."
"So, we wouldn't be able to go in with hazmat suits or anything." Daniel interrupted the ascended being with his thoughts.
She nodded then resumed, "I'm afraid not. Daniel. It wouldn't do any good anyway. The actual device really isn't strong enough to destroy the whole galaxy by itself. The destruction would be caused by the Coladrylikx when we reach the deadline. You know I wouldn't ask this if there was any other way. I have literally searched everywhere, but have come up empty handed. That is why I have been helping people ascend for all these years, I was trying to find someone whose soul was pure, who would sacrifice themselves. You are the only one I have found in all of that time."
"I can't believe that I'm the ONLY one in the entire galaxy. There are a LOT of other people in the galaxy…currently, let alone over all those years, throughout all those generations. Besides, five-thousand years is a relatively long time, I would think that someone other than just me would be willing to do this." He let his thoughts run wild. "I'm not even that special…certainly not so special that Oma found no one else like me in all the time she was looking.
I've got the same reservations that everyone else would have had. I'm selfish enough not to want to give up everything I have now…everyone I know now. I've finally found a family! I finally feel like I'm a part of something. Growing up as a foster child I'd always felt like an outsider. I had a family for a year on Abydos, but lost it. I finally have a pretty permanent family here, and Oma is asking me to give it all up.
Okay, even if I was willing to do this, what about my friends? Jack threatened to quit the last time he thought I was dead. What would he think if he knew that I knew the consequences, but did it anyway. He'd probably be mad at me, and he'd probably quit. I don't want him to quit. If he quits, the team will fall apart. I REALLY don't want that to happen. Sam is like a sister, and will probably take it hard, but she's tough, and as long as Jack doesn't quit, I don't think Sam will. Teal'c is…well, Teal'c is just Teal'c, but he's special in his own way. I know that what I'm already doing is important to the galaxy, but I don't think that it would end just because I wasn't here. I don't think I'm that important.
But, what it really comes down to is that I really don't have a choice here. If there is really no one else who can/will do this, and why would Oma lie to me about something like that, then I HAVE to do it, because if I don't, I'll still be giving up all the good things in life, family, friends, being a part of something meaningful, as will everyone else in the entire galaxy. I know that no matter how much I like being a part of SG-1, I can't put my personal happiness above the actual LIVES of the whole galaxy," When his silent debate yielded his decision, he said aloud, "Okay…what do I need to do?"
"You need to take out the central crystal in the main part of the machine that the Caladrylikx built."
"OK…where on the planet is the device, and where is the central crystal?"
"You will know, when you arrive."
"Well, isn't that a cliché." Daniel stated, then, looked surprised at how much of his leader had rubbed off on him.
"The Coladrylikx will provide you with the information that you need."
The archeologist remained silent. He knew he had to do this. He knew he was going to die. He also knew that Oma wouldn't, under normal circumstances, put his life on the line if there wasn't some way around it. Then, bringing his mind back into focus, he inquired, "So, you'll help me ascend again, or what?"
She shook her head gently, "I wish I could Daniel, but the Coladrylikx were very specific that this had to be a complete sacrifice…no ascension….no last minute save….nothing that would make this anything less than a totally unselfish act, with no hope of any kind of reward."
"So, I'll be dead?"
She gave him a small, gentle nod. "Of course, you don't have to do this."
"Well, you've already said that I'm your last hope, so if I don't do this, the entire galaxy will be blown to shreds, and I'll be dead anyway, yes?"
"Yes"
"Then what choice do I really have, Oma. I'll do it."
"Are you sure?"
"I can't just sit back and watch all those worlds be destroyed."
"Very, well."
"Can I tell Jack what's going on?"
"No. You mustn't tell anyone, for if you do, they will not permit you to complete your task. The time is running out, Daniel. We don't have time to try to convince them."
"Well, how about a note? Can I leave a note for them to find when they clean out my office?"
"As long as they do not interfere with the mission, then, yes."
"So, I don't even get to say goodbye?"
"Most people don't, when they die."
"Most people don't know when they're going to die."
"There is some truth to that. But, I am afraid you can not say goodbye, at least not in person."
"OK." He acknowledged solemnly.
She turned to leave, then, after a few steps, turned back, touched his face with affection and added, "Thank you, Daniel Jackson; you are truly a good man."
As he watched her fade away, he mumbled to himself, "So, I've been told."
"" "" "" "" "" ""
The next day, while SG-1 was gearing up for their mission to P2M-336, Colonel O'Neill noticed that Daniel looked a little preoccupied. "Hey, Buddy, you OK?"
"Yeah, sure. This is only going to be the LAST mission I EVER go on. But, yeah, I'm peachy." He knew he couldn't say that out loud, but that was what was on his mind. Without missing a beat, he responded, "Yeah, I just didn't get much sleep." Of course that was true, and he knew the reason, but wasn't allowed to tell anyone.
Once they got to the planet, SG-1 saw how primitive the people were: mud huts, camels, nothing fancy. "Well, this is going to be a piece of cake." The overconfident leader hadn't a clue of the turmoil which would soon occur.
"No, it's not." Daniel reminded himself.
"Hey, look at that." Sam pointed to a rather structurally advanced temple in the middle of the city. It was large and shiny, completely out of place in this otherwise backward society.
"Let's check it out." Their leader started toward the building, and the other three soon followed.
"Here we go." Daniel silently braced himself for the upcoming event.
As they entered the building, Daniel silently wondered how they were going to find the thing, let alone shut it down. The team began down one hallway, while Daniel suddenly was internally directed down the other.
Jack halted the team, when he found some text on the wall. "Hey, Daniel, what's that say?" When Daniel didn't respond, the three of them turned around, only to see that the linguist was no longer behind them. The three of them exchanged glances, then sprang into action, when the leader nodded his head toward the other end of the hallway.
The archaeologist came to a large room with a huge window in the wall. Peering through it, Daniel saw a large device in the center. As he entered the room, he heard a whirring noise that told him the device had already been turned on. He wondered what he was supposed to do, and, as if on cue, he received his answer as if it was his own thought. He circled the device, until he found a panel on the left side. His mind kept trying to go through every possibility, searching for some way around the 'dying' part. Of course, he had already gone over every possibility he could think of: hazmat suits, sending in a MALP, or some kind of remote controlled machinery, along with several other possibilities. But he came to the same conclusion about all of them; someone had to die during this process, and that, like Oma said, it wasn't the device that was going to destroy the galaxy, it was the Coladrylikx. His ultimate conclusion was that there was no way to cheat death this time; he had to die, and actually stay dead.
As the team ran down the long hallway ending in the device room, Jack shouted, "Daniel, What are you doing?!"
When Daniel heard Jack's voice, he seemed to immediately know how to close and lock the door. There's no reason for Jack to die, too, Daniel thought. There really is going to be radiation in this room.
Teal'c heard a grating sound as a three inch solid stone slab slid into place in the doorway to the left of window. He ran as fast as he could and grabbed at the door just as it 'snicked' into place. Jack got to the door just after the door locked. He went to the window and began to bang his fists against it.
"Damn it, Daniel. What the hell are you doing?" Jack screamed at Daniel, taking out his pistol to shoot the window.
Daniel continued his task, unperturbed. He pried open the panel, and inside, found a large, bright red, glowing crystal. He knew what he had to do. So, as the machine began whirring faster, indicating that the time left before the deadline was running out, Daniel took in a deep breath, and reached for the crystal. He immediately fell over.
Jack squeezed the trigger, shooting directly at the glass, but the window stayed intact. He battered at it, hit it with his rifle, and threw things at it. He shot at the door, battered that until his hands were bruised. Just as he gave up and collapsed against the unyielding door, it sank back into the recess in the wall. Jack wasted no time. He burst into the room, closely followed by Sam and Teal'c. Jack had started CPR by the time the other two arrived. Sam took air samples, filmed the machine in the center of the room from every angle and checked for radiation. She picked up residual radiation but it was at tolerable levels and was fading quickly.
Teal'c ran toward the gate to get medical backup. After a minute or two, Sam tried to relieve the Colonel and take over the CPR, but he wouldn't budge. After several more minutes, Janet and a small med team showed up.
"Colonel," Janet said gently, authoritatively, "I'll take over now."
Jack refused to move, and Teal'c laid a hand on his shoulder. "O'Neill, would it not be best to let the doctor take over?"
Jack reluctantly agreed, and moved aside. Janet and her team launched into action. They quickly had the paddles ready and applied them to Daniel's chest. His body lurched, but otherwise there was no change. Janet tried for several more minutes, much longer than she would under normal circumstances. It was quite obvious to her that Daniel was dead, far past the possibility of revival. Still, she was reluctant to stop. This was Daniel, the heart of SG1, and perhaps of the entire SGC. She just couldn't give up.
Finally, Janet had to call 'time of death', after almost a half hour since the time of Daniel's collapse. Everyone in the room was solemn and silent. Throughout this whole procedure, everyone had been waiting for a glowing light to rise from Daniel's body, but there never was one. Could it be that Daniel was truly dead this time?
"" "" "" ""
After the funeral, and the memorial service, the team started cleaning out Daniel's office. They carefully packed up all the artifacts, and books. As Jack walked past the desk, a strong gust of wind blew all of the papers off it, most of which landed across the room, but one landed right between Jack's feet. He picked it up and noticed that it was stained with tears. Then, he began reading it. It said:
Jack, Sam, and Teal'c,
I know you're probably wondering why I did what I did.
Oma came to me the night before the mission, and told me about this race called the Coladrylikx. They needed someone who was pure of heart to sacrifice themselves for the good of the galaxy. They established a deadline of five thousand years, and if no selfless person was found in that time, they would destroy the entire galaxy. Oma had been searching all of that time; trying to find someone with a pure heart, who would be willing to do this for people they didn't even know, and I was the only one she found. She told me that she couldn't help me ascend this time; that I would truly be dead. She also told me that I couldn't tell you all what was about to happen or say goodbye, or anything, at least not in person, because you would try to stop me and we were running out of time. She's right about that: you would have tried to stop me. And we couldn't let that happen. I had to do this, and I had to do it now. I really had no choice.
Jack, please don't be angry at me for doing this. I had to, for the good of the galaxy. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me someday, because I'd hate for my best friend to be mad at me forever.
Sam, I just want you to know that I've always admired your intellect, and I was glad that, despite your military background, you always got emotionally involved. I knew that it was because of that, that my death would absolutely tear you up, but I need you to stay strong.
Teal'c, please take care of Jack and Sam. I've always admired your strength. Even though you don't like people to know that you are emotionally affected by things, I know you are. Maybe you can help convince Jack that I had to do this. I think Sam will understand.
I want you all to know that this was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made, not because I'd be dead, but because I knew it would hurt you all so deeply, and possibly even break up the team. I don't want that to happen. Please, don't stop saving the world because of me.
I'm gonna miss you guys. You all have become more than my co-workers, more than my friends. You are the family I never had growing up. I finally felt like I belonged when I was with you. Thank you so much for that.
Goodbye.
P.S. Feed my fish for me.
Jack's emotions took the form of anger, just as Daniel knew they would. "Dammit! He knew! He knew that if he did this, he would die, and he did it anyway!"
Sam and Teal'c approached their leader, and he shoved the letter at Sam. She and Teal'c read it while Jack paced around the room trying not to kick something.
When Sam finished reading, she was about ready to cry. She tried to extinguish her leader's anger. "That just goes to show how much he cares. If he had known about all the imminent deaths and had not done something about it, he wouldn't have been the Daniel we knew and loved." Her voice started to break, but she was trying really hard not to cry. "He really was a wonderful man through and through. Not just someone who appeared to care, but someone who genuinely cared about everyone, not just his friends. He was just….nice."
O'Neill leaned against the desk, and stared into space. "Well, sometimes he was just too damned nice!"
"I know." She knew that sitting, silently doing nothing, was what they needed at that specific moment in time, so she too, leaned up against the desk, and they sat there, silently, letting everything sink in. Then, several moments later, as she was getting up to continue packing up her friend's office, she continued, "He needed to do what he did, we all know that. He wouldn't…he doesn't," she held up Daniel's letter, "want us to stay upset over his death."
"Indeed." The response came from across the room.
"I'm not upset over his damned death, I upset over his damned ignorance!" They all knew that that was Jack's way of basically saying, 'I am upset over his death, but I am not going to admit it, and I am NOT going to cry, and the only way that's not going to happen, is if I'm mad at him.'
Sam and Teal'c each resumed their tasks, while Jack continued to stare at the letter, which Sam had returned to him.
"" "" "" ""
A few days after that, Jack packed up all of his personal belongings at the SG-C. As he was on his way to the elevator, to leave the SG-C for the last time, he ran into Sam and Teal'c.
"Where are you going?" Sam was afraid she already knew the answer.
"I'm retiring."
"But, this is exactly what Daniel didn't want to happen." Sam tried desperately to keep Jack from leaving, but knew that if he had made up his mind, then nothing she could do would ultimately change it.
"I know, Sam." He held onto his anger, because if he didn't, his emotions would fly out of control, and he refused to cry. "But, he didn't even tell us."
"He addressed that, though. If he told us we would have tried to stop him, and he couldn't let the entire galaxy die, just because we didn't want him to leave."
"It was no different than fighting in a battle, O'Neill, " It was Teal'c's turn to speak, "Sometimes we must all make sacrifices to benefit the nation. Daniel Jackson did what he knew was the better thing for everyone concerned."
"I've lost too many people already. If being a part of all this, SG-1, the SGC, is going to cause me to lose more people I care about, more…family…" Jack's voice broke and he took a moment to collect himself. "… then I don't want anything to do with it anymore." By that time, Jack had already made up his mind, and he turned away from what was left of his team, and continued on his path out of the SGC.
"" "" "" ""
Within the few days following, the very thing Daniel was afraid was going to happen if Jack quit, happened. The team fell apart. They tried to keep it together, but Sam didn't trust her judgment. Without Daniel and Jack, it somehow didn't feel the same. She eventually made arrangements to go work at area 51. Teal'c was willing to continue SG-1's mission, but since there wasn't an SG-1 anymore, he decided to go back to Chu'lak. He needed to do something useful, as did Sam.
"" "" "" ""
About a week after Jack quit, he was sitting in his house, drinking a beer…certainly not his first. He was working hard at doing nothing. He didn't have the will to do much of anything anymore. As he sat the empty beer bottle on the floor to join its dozen or so cousins, there was a slight glow, and a figure appeared in his house. It was Daniel!
"Daniel." Jack stated, not believing that his friend was really standing in his living-room. He was aware of the fact that he was drunk, and he figured that it was certainly possible that that many beers could mess with his mind, and cause him to hallucinate. "You're not real."
"I am real, Jack."
"I'm definitely hallucinating." He more or less said to himself.
"You're not hallucinating, I'm really here."
Jack picked up one of the empty beer bottles, and hurled it at Daniel. When the bottle went straight through his friend and shattered on the wall behind Daniel, Jack looked at him and said, "Oh, really?"
Daniel let out an exasperated sigh, and continued, "Jack, you know that didn't work last time, either."
He remembered "last time". It was when he was captured by Ba'al, and Daniel appeared to him, in his cell. He had thought he was hallucinating then, too. "Alright, let's assume for the sake of argument that you are real. I could really use someone to talk to, even if it is my own hallucination."
Daniel looked relieved. Now, all he had to do was figure out how to say what he really wanted to say. After a moment of silence, Daniel inquired, "Jack, why'd you quit?"
"I've lost a lot of people whom I've cared about, over the years. Many of them, including you, died because of the Stargate program. So, if people I care about are going to lose their lives because of the damned program, then I don't want to be a part of it anymore."
Daniel let out an exasperated sigh, then responded, "Jack, I've died several times because of the Stargate program, but I haven't let it stop me."
"But you died for a galaxy full of people you don't even know."
"Wouldn't you have done the same thing? If you knew you were the ONLY person in the entire galaxy who could save everyone in it, wouldn't you do the same thing?"
Jack just looked at him, and Daniel continued, "Yeah, I thought so. I couldn't let the entire galaxy be destroyed, Jack. I had to do what I did."
"I know." That moment is when Jack confirmed the fact that Daniel was definitely not a hallucination, because he thought that even when he was drunk, he could win an argument against his own hallucination.
"So, how are you here? Are you ascended, again?"
"Yeah."
"But, how? I thought you said you weren't able to ascend, this time."
"That's what I thought, when I wrote the letter. That's what Oma thought, when she told me. And, when I really think about it, all she said was that she couldn't help me ascend. But, since I had ascended twice before, with help, I was able to do it myself this time."
"Third time's the charm?" Jack gave him a little grin.
Daniel chuckled softly, "Something like that."
"So, you ascended on your own?"
"Yep. Although, it took me a while to figure out how to appear to you."
"Why? You've done that before, too."
"Yeah. But, I still don't have all my memories from when I was ascended the first time. So, I can't remember how I did it before…You know Oma, for all I know, she could have crossed that line, and helped me appear to the first time."
"Oh. So, can't you just come back, like you've done before?"
"No, none of us have the power to do that on our own. The others have to banish someone or allow them to return to human form, but at least I'm not dead. I need you to go back to SG-1. What we…you do is just as important as what I did. Please Jack. I can't stand to see you like this and know that I caused it. I can't stand the fact that, in my effort to help the people of the galaxy, I hurt the people of my own planet by taking their best line of defense away. The SGC will continue with or without you, so there will still be some defense, but SG-1…You're special. You're the best the planet has to offer.
"Yeah, we were special," Jack mumbled as he took a swig from a new bottle of beer, "when we had you."
"Jack, you guys are special with or without me. Please don't make me live with the knowledge that I caused the downfall of SG-1."
"Live with the knowledge?" Jack exploded, "I could accept it if you could live the knowledge." It took great effort, but Jack calmed himself down. "It's not like you're really alive here Daniel."
Daniel responded quietly. "It's better than being dead. It's the best I could do, Jack."
Jack seemed to have burnt out his anger in his short outburst. He decided that if this was the last time he was going to see Daniel, he didn't want to waste it by yelling at him. "You're really okay then? You're with Oma? She's gonna keep you out of trouble and everything?"
Daniel smiled a little. "As best she can, yes. And I really am okay. I miss you guys so much. But hey, I know how to appear to you now, so you never know, I may pop in from time to time. I don't think the others would care as long as I didn't interfere. And even if you don't see me again, know that I see you. I'll be watching. And what I'd rather be watching you do is saving the galaxy, not sitting here by yourself trying to re-carpet your living room with beer bottles."
Jack smirked a little at that. He really did miss the action at the SGC. Staying retired wouldn't bring Daniel back, and somehow Jack wasn't quite as devastated now that he knew Daniel was ascended. He'd still miss having his friend with him every day…in a way he could see…but he thought he might be able to cope, knowing that Daniel was okay, somewhere.
"Will you go back, Jack?" Daniel said, with that look that Jack never could quite resist, "Please?"
"Now that I know that you're safe, yeah."
"Thanks, Jack." Daniel was genuinely relieved. "I'll go tell the others. I want to say goodbye to them properly, too. I'm so glad you're going back." He turned to leave, then, turning back, continued, "Just remember, I'll be watching you guys, so, try not to get into any trouble, Okay?."
"Oh, you know us. We would never get into any trouble."
"Uh-huh." He rolled his eyes. "At least I'll have plenty of exciting things to watch." Daniel stood, silent for a moment, not really wanting to leave. But he finally concluded, "See ya, Jack."
"See ya, Danny Boy."
"" "" "" ""
Sam was just about finished packing up her things, to take to Area 51. Teal'c was helping her pack. He had already finished packing up his own stuff. He didn't have much stuff to pack up, so it didn't take long.
They had been silently working for a few hours, when Daniel appeared in the doorway. "Daniel!" Sam shouted with joy, as she dropped the box she was carrying. Teal'c turned around, still clutching the box he was holding, and when he saw his friend, he turned back around and gently set the box down. Without even thinking, Sam ran over to her friend, and tried to give him a hug, but simply passed right through him.
Daniel saw how brokenhearted she looked, about not being able to hug her friend. As she reentered the room, and perched herself on the edge of her desk, he, too appeared to be upset that he couldn't hug her. He said, "I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that I didn't get to say goodbye in person."
Sam nodded because she understood perfectly, why he couldn't tell them goodbye. She then inquired, "How are you here? No offense, it's great to see you're Okay, but in your letter, you said that you wouldn't be able to ascend."
He smiled, and responded, "Since I had ascended with help, twice before, it was easier to do it on my own this time."
"I'm just glad you're OK. I'm sorry that we couldn't keep the team together, even after we knew how much you didn't want that to stop. But, after Colonel O'Neill quit…" she let her voice trail off.
"Yeeeaaaahhh. About that… I've already talked to Jack, and convinced him to rejoin SG-1, so…"
It was obvious that he wanted to know if they would stay, so Sam responded, "We'll stay too, then."
"Indeed."
Daniel chuckled and continued, "Since I'm not here, I'm gonna need somebody to keep Jack in line, and out of trouble."
Sam chuckled, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow, then Sam, still smiling, responded, "Don't worry about it, we got it covered."
"I don't know why I was so worried about you guys, you're as tough as nails."
"Maybe we are now, but somewhere in there, these nails had a weak spot, and bent like a wet noodle."
Daniel chuckled, then after a brief moment of silence, sighed and continued "Oh, I really miss you guys."
"We miss you, too, Daniel."
"You take care now, OK?"
"Yeah."
Sam smiled, but realized that that may very well have been the last time they ever saw him. Although it was a chance to say goodbye, and she was glad that they got that chance, she really didn't want it to be the last time she ever saw him. Desperately hoping the answer was 'yes', she asked her friend, "Will we ever see you again?"
"Sometime…maybe… I hope so."
"Me too."
"Bye, Sam." Turning toward Teal'c Daniel added, "Goodbye Teal'c"
Teal'c bent a little at the waist and nodded his head in silent salute to his friend, while Sam simply said, "Bye."
"" "" "" ""
A few days after that, Jack had all of his stuff back in the SGC, and the team was ready to go on their first mission without Daniel. They were standing at the foot of the ramp, watching the chevrons lock into place, when a gust of wind blew through the gate room. The team saw a small piece of paper ride the gust of wind, and skid along the floor until it landed at Jack's feet. Jack reached down and picked it up. He could tell that it was a photo, by the thickness and feel of the paper. It had some writing on it, so the other two leaned in closer, and read it, at the same time as their leader. It said, "SG-1: One Big Happy Family". As Jack flipped it over, they saw that it was Daniel's copy of the picture Cassie had taken when they were at the cook out at Jack's place: the picture of Sam and Teal'c in the background with Jack and Daniel tussling in the foreground, the latter in a headlock. The three of them stared at the picture, and smiled. As the seventh chevron locked, and the wormhole was established, Jack put the picture in his vest pocket, where it would stay safe. "Thanks, Daniel." Jack said, knowing that Daniel was watching them. Sam smiled, too, and the three of them stepped through the event horizon.
The End
Warning: A semi-death story. Only in the SG1 universe does that word make any sense at all.