In Ruins

Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine.

A/N: Hey guys! My first time back in awhile, so I feel a little rusty. Please read and review to let me know if I should continue!

Enjoy!

The world was burning. Great plumes of smoke rose into the air over the scorched ground and skeletons of trees stood blackened and withered. The flames lashed out at everything they touched, but the fire was receding, diminishing before his eyes. Soon there would be nothing left but ash and death.

Jack stood in silence, the complete and utter shock of what had just happened settling over him. Slowly, he moved his head to the side, surveying the damage that had been done. The world was completely changed from what it had been only an hour ago. Had everything really been normal just an hour ago?

P4X959 was supposed to be just a regular planet—inhabited by humans who had been taken there long ago by the Goa'uld, but abandoned only a short while later. They were very similar to the people of Earth; they had cities and suburbs and cars and were just as technologically advanced. Their world was divided into Slivers, which was synonymous to Earth's countries. And those Slivers had tenuous alliances much like Jack was used to back home.

The only difference was that this planet had been in the middle of a world war. Had being the operative word. There was nothing left now. It was over. Jack felt guilt boil in his chest. He hadn't known they were engaged in a world war until it was too late. And staring out into the vast expanse of the horizon, past the still burning husks of buildings he knew that it was his fault. He alone was to blame for what had happened to his team.

They had been separated in the end, trying to direct people to the Stargate and to safety, but it had happened too fast. The alarms went off and Jack had time only to catch Carter's eyes before they all started yelling and running. Trying to save the people. Trying to save each other.

Daniel was the first one he lost sight of. He heard him yell and then his head disappeared from sight as the people following him panicked and stampeded. Jack tried to get to him, but was carried away by his own terrified followers. Teal'c was next—he had shouted for Sam to keep going as he too disappeared from sight. Then it had been him and Carter. They were running full tilt through the streets, trying to maneuver through the mass of frightened people.

And then she was gone. Just gone.

And the world exploded.

Jack's eyes still burned from the explosion, the air thick with the stench of smoke and chemicals. He didn't know what kind of bomb had been dropped, but it was devastating and Jack wasn't really sure if he had survived at all. What if this was some kind of awful limbo? Was this his punishment for losing his team?

Jack took a step forward, wincing as his boot crunched on something that looked like bone. He had to get back to the Stargate and get General Hammond to mount a rescue mission. His team was top priority, but any native survivors needed to be helped too. 'But what if the Stargate is gone too?' The thought hit him like a ton of bricks. He stopped short. The gate was kept in an underground arena, but it was that deep under. Could the Stargate even survive a blast from a bomb? He wasn't sure. Carter had mentioned something about the resilience of Naquadah, but he couldn't remember.

Carter. She was gone.

Sam was gone.

Jack felt his chest constrict and the smoke was suddenly choking him. His hands clenched at his sides feeling utterly useless. He hadn't saved her. He hadn't saved any of them. A burning pricked at his eyes that Jack knew had nothing to do with the smoke or ash. He couldn't leave. He needed to find them.

With a new purpose and the impossible hope that they had survived too, Jack ran through the destroyed streets, shouting their names over and over. He didn't know how long he had been running for, but his sides burned and his throat was dry and ragged. He took a deep breath, ignoring the smoke he inhaled into his lungs, and was about to shout again when he heard it. The faintest moan coming from somewhere across what used to be a street. Jack paused, hardly daring to believe.

He heard it again.

The Colonel ran toward the sound, heartbeat thundering in his ears. A pile of blackened rafters shifted ever so slightly and a figure with short blonde hair crawled out. Jack's stomach leapt into his throat.

"Carter!" His voice caused the figure to pause. They turned slowly and Jack felt like his world had exploded all over again. It wasn't his Major at all. The strange woman looked at him, her eyes pleading, but before he could move to help her, her eyes closed and her head fell against a rafter. Jack turned away. She looked too much like Carter.

"Jack?" He froze, hardly daring to believe what he just heard. "Jack, thank God, we thought you were dead."

Jack turned and almost cried out in relief. Daniel and Teal'c were standing a few yards away, Daniel carrying what looked like a small sack. He jogged toward, but paused before just before he reached them. Two things hit him at once. Carter wasn't them and Daniel's sack wasn't a sack at all. It was a little girl. Big blue eyes stared at Jack and her brown curls ruffled in the too-hot breeze.

"Where's Carter?" He could barely breathe. If they said anything other than alive and well, he would be hard-pressed not to scream in desperation.

Daniel's face was somber. "We thought she was with you. We hoped she was."

Jack's face set into a hard expression. "We need to find her."

Teal'c bowed his head. "O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and I have found a small pocket of survivors. They are hiding in an underground shelter, waiting for the all clear alarm."

"There won't be one." Jack turned away, hiding his expression from the two men.

"Mama?" The little voice was high and watery. Jack turned back around and saw that the child was looking around, eyes wide and searching. "Mama?" The word turned into a wail and she buried her head in Daniel's chest. Jack's heart clenched. The girl was an orphan now, the one she loved most snatched from her.

Just like him.

"Daniel, Teal'c, take the girl and head for where the gate was. Under the small chance that both the gate and DHD are intact, take her through. Then come back with every single available SG team. Do you understand? Every single one of them." His eyes were blazing and his determination returned with a new vigor.

"But Jack-,"

"Daniel. Every single one of them." He swallowed. "If the gate is gone, go to that underground shelter. With any luck, they'll have supplies enough for a few days. "Daniel looked like he was going to protest again, but Jack held up his hand. "I'm going to find her Daniel. I don't care how long it takes."

"O'Neill-," Teal'c started.

"Dammit, I need to!" Jack yelled before he could stop himself. He felt the burning in his eyes again, but he refused to give in.

"I was merely going to wish you good luck." Teal'c's voice was hard, but with no anger. He nodded again and took the younger man's forearm. "We will find Major Carter. She is most resourceful."

The corner of Jack's mouth twitched. "Thanks, T. Be careful."

Daniel looked searchingly at Jack's face for a long moment, then said, "Bring her home."

"I will. If the radios work, report back the gate situation." Unable to stand around any longer, Jack nodded and jogged away, not turning to see the other men leave. If he had, he would have seen them exchange a mournful, knowing look.

Sam had been the closest to the actual blast. If she wasn't in the immediate area, it was unlikely that she would ever be coming home.

Holding the little girl tighter, Daniel followed Teal'c through the ruined city, trying not to notice how silent the world had become.

To Be Continued…

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