Look What the Tornado Blew In
"Are we going to tell them about the other baby or do you want to wait?" Sam spoke into the silence as Jack drove to the restaurant.
Taking a quick look over at Sam, Jack screwed up his face, "It's up to you." He said looking back to the road. "I'm not sure I'm ready for full disclosure with them yet. I want to see how this evening goes, and we can take it from there."
Sam nodded, adding quietly. "Then there's your clone." Knowing how Jack felt about his duplicate, she hesitated. "He's their son; are you going to tell them about him?" Jack picked the bridge of his nose. "That's a harder question. I'm not even sure where he is. He stayed in high school for about a month and then dropped right off the radar. The Air Force doesn't even know where he is. I can't tell my parents they have another son, but I have no idea where he is. That would be cruel, and I think it is up to him if he wants them to know. Also I would have to get permission to tell them and that's a headache that I just don't want to deal with it for now. So for now, we'll leave mini-Jack out of the conversation as well."
A thick silence filled the air and Jack felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle.. "What is it?"
Sighing heavily, she reluctantly confessed. , "I saw a truck parked across the street today(or whenever). Your clone watched me load Grace into the truck. When I realized who he was, I tried to talk to him, but as soon as I moved to cross the street he pulled away. Jack, I think we need to find him; he must be staying somewhere in town. I know this is the last thing you want to do, but if we wait too long, he may be gone."
Jack could only imagine what his other self would be going through. Jack O'Neill had everything he had always wanted and his mini-me had nothing, but his memories. "Okay. Let's get dinner and the snake head's visit to the SGC over with, and then we will go look for mini-me."
Giving him one of her mega-watt smiles, she leaned over kissing Jack's cheek. "Another reason why I love you." ~o0o0o~
The waiter had just brought the bill when Jack's phone rang, "O'Neill!" Jack grunted, hoping for some little emergency, but not too big. That way he could deal with it quickly and be home for the Simpsons. He'd enough of nicey-nice talking and he wanted to go home.
"Jack, it's me, Daniel." Came the archeologist's voice over the phone. "The System Lord's are here, well not here yet. They arrived at the meeting site and contacted us. They want to come to the SGC tonight. It seems Ba'al has stepped up his attacks on their territories and they would like to formalize the treaty sooner rather than later. They're a little early."
Jack replied with his typical sarcastic tone"No kidding, Daniel. I'll be there in a few minutes." Faking a serious demeanor, he looked over at the Admiral and shrugged.
"Uh, Jack that's not all. Sam has to come, too. They demanded SG-1 be there for the negotiations."
Jack squeezed his eyes shut for a second. Damn, he'd hoped to keep Sam away from all this and Grace away as well.
"We'll figure something out. See you in a few minutes." He closed the phone and turned to his parents. "Sorry guys, , we have to go. There's an emergency on base. Next time you are passing by, stop in, or if we're in DC, we'll call you and say hello."
Jack laid a wad of cash on top of the bill, motioned all to follow and led the group outside.
Scurrying out behind Jack, , Monica asked, her voice full of confusion, "You do Deep Space Radar Telemetry, how can there be an emergency at this time of night?"
Taking her hand, John cleared his throat, "Monica, don't ask. Remember when I was in the Seals. It's like that. That is all they can tell you."
Jack's mother looked at him, then Sam and back at John. "You know what they do, don't you?" With a sigh, the Admiral nodded and Monica reached out squeezing Jack's hand. "I understand. Jack, Sam, be careful. I will come back and visit soon. I want to see that granddaughter of mine again." She offered her arms to Sam.
Leaning in close to Sam's ear, she whispered, "Thank you for saving Jack. For a long time we were really worried about him - after Charlie. He moved out of his and Sara's house. He lived alone, not talking to anyone. You helped to bring him out of the place he locked himself in. I can never thank you enough."
Sam hugged Jack's mom tighter. She couldn't imagine going through what this woman had gone through; losing a son and a grandson, only to watch the remaining son slowly slip away and not being able to help him.
Stepping back, Sam nodded. "It was nice to meet you, Monica, and I hope to see you again soon. I would love to talk more but we really have to go." Sam grabbed the car seat and said to Jack, "Grace and I will meet you in the truck. I'll see if Cassie's home and if she is we can pick her up on the way."
Handing her the keys, he nodded, "I'll see you in a few moments." He watched her go before turning back to his parents. "Well, Mom and Dad, it's been fun. Like I said, call us when you're this way again."
His mother smiled and hugged him. "We will, Jack. Your daughter is beautiful, so is Sam. I'm happy to see you happy. Charlie wouldn't have wanted it any other way." She pulled Jack into another hug. "I love you, son."
Jack withdrew from the hug, stepping back, offering his father his hand. The Admiral took it and pulled his Jack clumsily into his arms. "I meant what I said earlier. I never thought the accident was your fault. I just couldn't talk to you like I could Pat; we were always at loggerheads. Pat wouldn't have wanted it that way, please forgive my words earlier. I heard things that worried me, but I have no more fears, Sam loves you and you love her. Anyone who wants to, can see it. I should never have listened to Kinsey. That man is poison."
"Ah crap, Dad, Kinsey? You listened to that twerp ? He hates me, Sam and a few others Let me talk to Hammond, maybe I can get you cleared for the whole story. I won't promise you anything, but whatever he told you, it was filled with lies and more lies and a few more lies. We brought him down; we're the reason that he's not the Vice President anymore."
John pulled Jack a few steps away from Monica, "Jack, are you serious? You better watch out, there were some big hitters that weren't happy when he lost his office. Are you sure you should be telling people that?" Fear and worry were evident on John's face.
"For cryin' out loud, Dad, I've faced much worse than Kinsey and his cronies. Don't worry about me."
His father stepped closer. "I'm not that worried about you, Jack. You have a family now. Those men could hurt Sam and they could hurt Grace."
"I said, don't worry, Dad. I have people watching over me and my family. No one will hurt us. You think Kinsey's friends are powerful, mine have even more powerful." Jack planned to say more, but his phone rang again. "Excuse me," he said as he lifted it to his ear, "O'Neill." He listened for a while and then hung up the phone.
He kissed his mother's cheek saying, "I really have to go. I'll call you. Bye for now." Without looking back, he jogged over to the truck and climbed behind the wheel.
He started the truck but didn't put it into gear. Sam touched his arm. "Jack, are you alright?"
Jack looked over to where his parents were standing beside their rental car and smiled. "Yes, I think I will be." And he put the truck into gear and pulled out of the lot.
Jack, Sam and Cassie were met by Daniel, who paced back and forth by the first elevator. "They've been dialing every five minutes. I don't know how much longer I can put them off."
"Daniel, calm down," Sam touched his shoulder. "We're all here now. Just give us a few minutes."
Laughing, Jack raised a brow. " What'd you think they were gonna do, leave? I don't think so. Now, Sam and I have to take Cassie and Grace to our quarters. W'llill be back in the Gateroom in ten minutes tops."
Daniel relaxed a little. "Okay, I'll tell them fifteen more minutes. They won't like it, but they should be happy that you're here now," Daniel called, as he rushed off in the direction of the control room.
With a smile on their faces, the three of them hurried to Sam and Jack's quarters. Once they were inside, Cassie's brow arched. "Are you really going to trust them?" Jack could tell that she was remembering what Nirrti had done to the people of her planet.
"No, we won't, but they asked to come and we have to at least give them a chance to be heard." Sam hugged Cassie. "I know this is hard for you. If you don't want to be here I can get one of the nurses to watch Grace while a SF drives you home."
Taking Grace, Cassie shook her head. "No, I'm fine. It is just a little bit creepy, that's all. " She took a breath, "Go get changed. There's an SF outside if I need him as well as an emergency phone and a radio. I'm safe here."
Sam looked around their quarter's concrete walls, and tried to stamp down her anger, they should be at home. Maybe she should resign her commission like she had thought about a few days ago before she they offered her this promotion. The SGC was really the safest place for the two of them, but Jack had just instigated some new protocols to make their home safer.
Sam smiled, for the first time in her life, the thought of staying home didn't terrify her as it once did. In fact she wanted to be at home with her children.
Jack and SG-1 stood at the bottom of the ramp waiting for the wormhole to open. This would be his first official action as the Commanding Officer of the SGC.
With a snap, the wormhole engaged and the iris opened at his command followed by the kawoosh.
Soon, four figures emerged followed by SG-3. Lord Yu, Camulus, Amaterasu, and Lord Yu's first Prime Oshu, stood at the top of the ramp studying the assembled humans.
Jack stepped forward. "I'm General Jack O'Neill. Lord Yu, welcome back, Camulus and Amaterasu, welcome to Earth. I hope you don't plan to stay long. Nice to see you again Lord Yu, I see Yu brought-"
Amaterasu spoke, the hood of her cloak concealing her face.. "We know who you are. Jack O'Neill and SG-1. We wish to get started; we don't want to be here long. We have other pressing concerns."
With a wave of her hand, the female Goa'uld pushed back her hood to reveal a woman with long wavy black hair. "I am not Amaterasu, she was...shall we say... detained and I have taken her place. I am Qetesh, and I am in charge of negotiations."
Beside him, Jack felt Daniel tense and one word came out of his mouth in a whisper so quiet that no one else heard. "Vala!"
The Goa'uld descended the ramp, walking past SG-1 without acknowledging them.
Daniel stared at the woman descending the ramp, how could the woman from his dream be a Goa'uld?" There was no doubt in his mind that Vala Mal Doran had just walked past him. He detested fate for tormenting him! What the hell did I do to deserve this!He wished he had something to throw.
He couldn't save Sha're from Amaunet, but now he had the means to save a complete stranger. But on the other hand, thanks to the other Daniel's memories he had feelings for her that he couldn't explain.
Loneliness had tinged Vala's voice when she spoke about the horror she had to endure while host to Qetesh. He knew then that Vala yearned to be free and now, he he knew he could save her.
He felt Jack's eyes on him aware that the general would demand an explanation, but at the moment he didn't have one. According to his dreams, Vala should have been freed five years ago. It didn't make any sense. Now Qetesh was one of the delegates, and it should have been Amaterasu.
Confused, Daniel looked around the room hoping his other self would show up so he could ask the man some questions, but as usual, the Ascended weren't around when you needed them.
There you have it. More on the way next week but if you can wait you can go to my website and read two more chapters at kellethmetheus. com. Enjoy!