Jack pounded the bag, occasionally moving away to kick at it a few times. Kawalsky stood off to the side and watched him, warily.
SG-1's mission had been a walking disaster from the get go. On the surface, it was a typical search and rescue mission. They gated to a world were Daniel would pull off his usual miraculous translating magic and they would find the Russians, bringing them home.
But that's not what happened.
This time, there was something waiting for them. A flesh-eating creature had been imprisoned with a Goa'uld and had been repeatedly killing it every time the snake revived before it jumped hosts. It had become a nightmarish, death trap and the Russians paid the price for their secrecy. Their determination to get that artifact. They all died, save one.
From experience, Charlie knew that Jack was taking the Russians deaths to heart. They may not have been on his team permanently but they were a part of his command. Their deaths meant that he had failed as a leader.
Everyone now knew what had happened in the meeting with the Russian general. He had practically accused Jack of killing his team. Kawalsky shook his head at Ferretti, not time yet. Both men waited silently at their posts, trying to keep well meaning-but unknowledgeable people-mainly Dr. MacKenzie-away.
After which, it was up to Teal'c to take point and look scary while Dr. Jackson healed the Colonel. As only he could.
6
"He's coming?" Jack's voice asked. There was a barely disguised growl of disgust and anger in it, though some hope that he'd heard wrong.
Over the phone line, Daniel's voice came to him, sympathetic though the phone line made it sound distant and cold. "He wants to protect his investment. Meaning that he wants to keep an eye on the DHD, afraid we'll steal it or something."
"Daniel, you know I want to be there to support you but..."
He filled in the blanks. "It would be better for diplomatic relations if you were elsewhere."
"Exactly," he paused, thinking of someway he should make up for his desertion. Even if it was understandable. "When it's over, meet me in Glastonbury. There's a few tales that I'd like to share with you that sound better there. Plus, it's much safer."
"All right. I'll tell you about Teal'c's fate," the statement sounded more like a question.
"Great. Teal'c knows. That's one of the reasons behind his decision to join us," he told him, reading between the lines of Daniel's words. He recalled that he had never told his friend what Teal'c had told him after they had broken Apophis' mind control and restored him to himself. Jack still found himself unbelieving of the Jaffa's knowledge-though he shouldn't have been. Teal'c picked up on a lot of things and would have noticed the physical differences of Jack's body while he had been in it.
He should've confronted him then. Asked him what he knew. But it didn't seem worth the effort because Teal'c was someone he trusted.
"So, that's why you still trusted him after Apophis' brainwashing. He kept your secret safe from his 'god'," Daniel exclaimed. "I always wondered."
"I finally asked him how he resisted telling him," he was silent for a moment. "T couldn't explain it, just that he knew no word of my true character should pass his lips. We've got to get him back."
"We will," Daniel vowed. "One way or another, I will see it done."
"I know you will," Jack replied before hanging up. Daniel knew why he had to go, now all he had to do was come up with a plausible reason for the general.
656
Sam sighed, relaxing against Martouf on the swing. "I hate to admit it but even the Goa'uld have their moments of charity."
His hand ran through her hair, "it would seem so, Samantha. It would have been grievous to lose one such as Teal'c. But I cannot help but wonder what the Goa'uld will exact as payment for his generosity."
"The General feels the same way," she replied.
"And what of Colonel O'Neill?"
"Daniel's going to tell him."
He echoed her wince. "As cowardly as this may sound, I am glad it is not me."
"You aren't alone in that sentiment," she said.
6
"Be careful, Daniel."
"Why? Don't you trust me to do a mission like this without you?"
Jack inhaled sharply, then slowly let it out. "I trust you. It's the company you'll be keeping that I don't trust-especially if Osiris shows up."
Daniel's eyes froze, "so, I may behave unprofessionally when I meet up with her, is that it?"
"No. I'm trying to..."
"So, I'm not bad at undercover, just a liability when old lovers are the foes?"
"Daniel," he tried again.
"Don't worry, Colonel. I can be as emotionally dead as you when I need to be." He left the room, his steps sure but Jack stayed back, shaken by the vehemence in his friend's attitude towards him.
Could it be because of what happened with Reece? He had thought that Daniel understood why he had done it. Why he had to do it. With the base about to blow up, there was no time to make another move. They had seemed to come to an understanding when they had talked about it later.
Now, he wasn't so sure.
656
"Marty, we don't leave anyone behind, if we can help it. I am not leaving you," Jack looked around, then at Daniel and Jacob. "Is the shuttle an option?"
"No. But it will buy us time as they search it and the area surrounding it. Why?" Jacob asked, his gaze on Martouf's injured body doubtful. "He won't make it that far, Jack."
"Do you have any of this?" he rattled off a list of odd items.
"Yes, why?"
He gave an enigmatic smile, those who knew him felt more than a little nervous. "I'm having what some would call a MacGyver moment."
Jacob's eyes widened and he snapped. "This is not the time to indulge in fantasies, Jack."
"Do it, Jacob," Daniel interrupted quietly. "Jack's never let us down before." But his eyes didn't leave his friend's.
"I will help you gather the requested items," Teal'c offered.
"Sam, would you please talk some sense into them? This is insane."
"You owe it to us to try, dad. I believe I know what he's planning to do." Sam replied, though silently agreeing with her father. What was the Colonel up to? Did he honestly think that he could work up a solution like the legendary MacGyver?
He gave in and followed Teal'c. "This is absolutely crazy."
"Crazy has yet to fail us," Teal'c replied stoically.
656
They made it home, safe and sound. After debriefing the General, the team went their separate ways to write their reports and get their physicals. Sam and Jacob went out to dinner, while Martouf stayed behind for observation. He felt foolish, knowing that Lantash would care for his needs sufficiently but knew that it would relieve Samantha's mind.
"You do much to please this Tua'ri woman," his friend noted.
"I do, do you find it offensive?"
"Not at all, for she does the same for you. Your emotions do us no harm."
Martouf was silent, "I had begun to fear that I was losing my objectivity. To hear you speak so, relieves my mind."
"I know it has. Your sleep has oft been troubled. But I would not let you stray into such dangerous paths," he replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing that would go against all we believe, my friend."
Though he did not fear that Lantash would take over his body, he knew that it must mean that he would seek another host. "You would do without Jolinar?"
"In comparison to our life span, yours is short. I would that you enjoy what time with Samantha and her as you can," he finally answered the question.
It was not much of an answer but it was enough for Martouf. "I would miss you if it came to that."
"And I, you."
656
"MacGyver moment?" Daniel cornered Jack in his office where the man had been hiding from him. "Is there something you wish to tell me?" There was anger in his voice and hurt too. He had finally begun to believe that Jack had stopped keeping secrets from him-though he did know that his Black Ops years were off limits. Those were things he had no desire to learn. Those years haunted his friend enough-and he knew what they would do to his own peace of mind.
But this was something different. Something important to who Jack was. MacGyver literally was a legend. And if Jack knew him-if Jack was him-why did he say nothing to him about it?
Surely he wasn't ashamed of it?
Jack fought the urge to tell him what he wanted to know valiantly. Quite a fight because it went against his own nature to deny his friend the knowledge he sought. "Why do you feel I owe you an explanation? Your performance a few days ago led me to believe that you wished to have nothing more to do with me."
"About that, I'm sorry." The linguist collapsed onto the empty chair, shaking his head and almost wished for the other one Jack had. He shouldn't be so comfortable for this, it wasn't right. "I had no right to say those things-especially to you."
"Why?"
"Sometimes I feel like I need to justify my position as more than voice for the SGC," he paused, gathering his thoughts together. It was important that Jack understand him in this. "You, Teal'c, and Sam all have 'hands' moments. Except for when I need to fight, all of my work has been spoken. I have nothing to show after five years working here. And don't bring up treaties, they rarely hold."
Jack silently studied him, before speaking. "You have SG-1. Do we mean so little to you?"
"What?" he stammered, startled by the question.
Jack rose and stood in front of him, studying the bent head. "Look at me, Daniel. This is important," he waited patiently for the blue eyes to rise to meet his. "We are your life's work, Daniel. We are more than a team because of you. That ability to force us to see beyond our training, to look for other solutions to our problems, to listen to others and not think that we are the supreme rulers of all we survey is because of you. Don't you get it, Daniel? SG-1 is the premiere team because of you.
"You are our voice, yes. We need that voice, annoying though it sometimes can be. But you are also the soul. It is together that we make the impossible possible. Without you here, our world would be gone. We know of two examples were this is truth. Daniel, you are the linchpin. I just wish you could see it."
The room fell silent, almost heavy with the weight of the words. Jack held Daniel's eyes for a long time before letting them drop away. This wouldn't be the time but he knew that one day Daniel would realize just how valuable he was. And he hoped that he was around to see it.
Because every word was true. Without Daniel, they would fall.
6
Daniel was waiting for them when they returned from disabling the bomb. Once they were out of their suits, he smacked Jack, "think you took long enough to tell us that everything was fine?"
"Had a MacGyver moment," he shrugged.
"Of course you did," his reply was dry. "And what does that mean anyway?"
"Back in special ops, I was sent to learn from a man by that name. It was more my decision than theirs but I convinced them that it would be a good idea to learn of other ways to solve problems than just guns. There have been many times when my life has been saved through such 'outlandishness' as the big man calls them. Take the bomb, all the wires were yellow. If I hadn't had that 'MacGyver' moment, I would've cut the wrong one."
The explanation came easily to him now. In the back of his mind, something twinged guiltily, reminding him that he had not told Daniel all. Following Teal'c and Daniel to Carter, he pushed it aside. While fun, his time as MacGyver was more dream than reality.
656
They were having a barbeque to celebrate and General Hammond provided the food, though the entertainment still seemed to Jack's domain. His granddaughters ran around screaming as Jack chased them in full bear mode. Daniel's head shook as he watched Jack tumble onto his knees before rising and continuing to chase his 'dinner'. Oh, he'd be moaning all weekend because of that little stunt, he thought ruefully.
He and Teal'c waited in beneath the shady trees, watching their antics, relaxing, and sipping iced tea. There was still a light twinge of guilt as Daniel watched the general moving about, preparing for their dinner. But he'd learned not to offer help, his hand had smarted for weeks after their last picnic.
A blast of water soaked the colonel suddenly, unbalancing him, and they chuckled as Cassie gave a battle cry. The sixteen year old then leapt on him, taking him down and covering his clothes in mud. "Get him, girls!"
Daniel let out a howl of laughter as they surrounded Jack. It was an all out tickle fest, the girls definitely having the advantage over him. Teal'c's eyebrow raised, "should we not rescue him from them, DanielJackson?"
"Why? Jack got himself into that mess, let the great warrior get himself out," his voice trailed off as he saw a familiar pair. "Teal'c, why didn't you tell us?"
"Inform you of what?"
"That you were going to be a father."
"My husband did not know until this moment," Drey'ac answered for the Jaffa. Her arms wrapped around him affectionately. "Hello, father to be."
Ry'ac smiled a greeting at his father before going towards the scuffle. The position of his head said that he felt a dilemma. Should he help out his 'uncle' Jack? Or the superior warriors in this unequal battle? He was not Teal'c's son by accident and threw in his lot with the colonel, deciding to battle the seemingly unconquerable odds.
Sam and Martouf followed Janet, stopping in shock. Janet shook her head, "good thing I brought extra clothes."
Martouf stared at her, "this happens a lot?"
"Every time they get together where there's enough room," Sam answered.
"You Tua'ri are a strange race. I like it," Martouf replied after a moment.
"Good. Because I don't intend to let you go," Sam glanced at him mischievously. Her arm tightened around him and her smile widened when his own surrounded her shoulders.
6
Jack listened to Carter go on about this element, this naquadriah. Or whatever the devil the stuff was. "Carter, how exactly does any of this help Daniel?" He finally lost patience and asked outright.
She stopped, "it doesn't, sir. You've heard the prognosis from Janet. There's nothing we can do for him."
"What about his reputation then? They're trying to pin this on him because they don't want to admit to their own incompetence and murder. Because that's what this is," he ran frustrated hands through his hair.
"What can we say, sir?" she asked. "They won't believe us over their own people. They have no reason to. As far as they are concerned, we are the interlopers. And we need this element, sir. There's nothing like it on Earth, even naquadah doesn't come close."
"I'm glad you aren't my commanding officer. That element gets most of your compassion, your attention. You scientists with your inhuman dispassion about people's feelings really bother me! And I thought you were better than most of the breed."
Sam watched him go, the door slamming behind him. "Do you think that you're the only one hurt by this?" she asked the silent air.
656
"I understand how you feel because I feel the same way. But I cannot stress how important it is that we get a sample of this element," she tried to soothe him.
"Oh, do you? Thanks for telling me, I wasn't sure. Your behavior seems so sorrowful for what's happening here," he sarcastically snipped. "I'm so glad you don't get the chance to make the hard choices of life over science, Carter. Your science will always come before the human race. At least it doesn't die and will always give you the accolades you seek. Its something you can study and predict unlike the human race-and it will never cause you pain."
"Colonel," General Hammond warned.
"No, sir. Her observations, the notes we were able to procure prove that the element is unstable for practical use. She told me so-both parts of her did. Daniel is dying and while we sit here, they crucify him to save their imaginary honor. Are we to serve him up to them on a silver platter to get an element that even the Tok'Ra don't know a thing about? I may not be their biggest fan, but even I believe that they know more about these things than we do. Shouldn't we trust their disbelief?"
"That's enough," he snapped. "I've written a letter..."
"General, you cannot capitulate to these liars."
"Give me some credit, Colonel." There was no hostility in the voice, only resignation. "You will deliver this letter which states that we never gave the order for this act. It neither accepts Daniel's culpability in this. Nor does it deny it."
"General," he protested.
"This is not debatable."
A paper slammed down on the desk, his tone was abrupt. "Neither is this, sir. Once Daniel is gone, so am I."
The chair practically screamed as he shoved it back roughly. It clattered to the floor as he stood up. "You both disgust me. We are losing the best part of us and all you want is that crap. I want no part of an organization that capitulates on someone's integrity. No matter how you disguise it, sir, that's what you've done. You've played Judas to their Sadducees and Pharisees." With that, he was gone.
656
Daniel felt Jack sit by him and forced his eyes open. Their conversation was stilted, unusual for them but the emotions of both men choked the words. His heart twisted at the raw pain in Jack's eyes.
Yet words had never meant much because their emotions were so in tune. And Jack had somehow found words for him. Words that would not come now. Jack was hiding something from him. The air was heavy with grief and guilt. Yes, he knew Jack blamed himself for what had happened.
He always did.
But this was something else, something other than Daniel's predicament.
Something directed towards another source. Daniel wished that he had the strength to ask what was wrong. All he could say was, "why do you care?" Because he wanted to hear again Jack's comforting words, wanted to feel the strength of their friendship reaffirmed.
Jack's words brought a smile to his face and a small chuckle-which hurt. Oma pulled him away, he tried to fight back. The worry in Jack's voice followed him into the embracing darkness, he wished he could tell Jack that he was all right.
656
Jonas went through the gate, the anger of his colleagues ghosting over him in waves. But he'd done right by Dr. Jackson. Finally. He just hoped that Colonel O'Neill wouldn't strangle him on sight.
Shivering, he remembered those eyes. The barely leashed power of the man revealed that he would given the slightest provocation. And all over one man.
"I am General Hammond, you are?"
Jonas turned towards the voice, introducing himself nervously. "Jonas Quinn of Kelowna. Uhm, I was the man who showed your team, SG-1, around our city."
"Yes. I am aware of that. What I do not understand is why you are here?" He did not lessen his suspicious posture, this man was not an ally. And it was his people who created the situation whose fall-out he was trying to predict. Plus, there was the box he carried under his arm.
"To see Colonel O'Neill, if I may?"
General Hammond waved off the armed guard and led the delegate out into the hall. As he did, his eyes studied the young man. About Daniel's height, his eyes and hair were a dark brown but they were intelligent-and fearful. Obviously, the colonel had made an impression on him. Not a good one either.
"What's in the box?" He continued to study him and saw why Daniel and he had gotten along.
"Something for Colonel O'Neill. It isn't dangerous, but I would rather give it to him in person." He paused, thinking about it. "Its naquadriah."
"I see," General Hammond replied, keeping his thoughts to himself. Jonas Quinn must believe he owed something to Jack. Thinking of the colonel, he frowned. The behavior exhibited by the man had not lessened. He would not leave Daniel's side and spoke to no one but Teal'c and Janet. He should really warn the man.
Though he was hard pressed to say which man he meant.
Meanwhile, Jonas was doing some looking around of his own. After studying the gray building and noting all the people wandering around, he looked at the man on his right.
General Hammond did not look anything like the military personnel on Kelowna. Or any of its enemies for that matter. His friendly, open countenance gave him hope that his request would not be ignored.
It was convincing Colonel O'Neill of his sincerity that was giving him nightmares. If one could have those while wide awake.
Seeing that isolated room, with its lonely occupant and the stalwart sentinel by his side-made him realize how hard that was going to be.
May be he should surrender that box to someone else, like Major Carter. She, at least, would be reasonable about his presence. Or may be Teal'c. Both looked like they could talk to the Colonel, may be even protect him if necessary.
Before he could suggest it, the man looked up. Anguished eyes met his briefly. They were shuttered so fast by a polite interest that Jonas wondered if he'd imagined it. He rose and made his way towards them.
The Kelownan swallowed as Jack approached. Through dry lips, he told of his choice. He spoke of what he had done and help out the precious box. The two stared at each other until the younger man's eyes dropped.
Only then did Jack move to accept the box. With it, he accepted Jonas' conditions. He was to be granted asylum. The general moved between them, taking the box from the colonel's hands. "I'll see to it that Major Carter and Sergeant Siler get this. Mr. Quinn, one of our doctors, a Doctor Warner, will give you a check-up to make sure you're all right."
"Of course, General Hammond. I know you won't believe me, Colonel, but I am sorry for what's happened," he paused and took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry for my part in it."
Jack just nodded, eyes hard before he returned to his anam cara's side.
656
"Where are you going?" he asked, hands in his pockets as they stood in the iridescent gate room. Though he projected an image of calm, the reality was far from it. He ignored his head's yelling at him for going against his beliefs.
Ignoring how hard he'd jammed his nails into his palms to prevent them from reaching out to his friend. They were sticky with his blood, yet the desire to stop Daniel from going stayed strong. But this was Heliopis all over again. The choice was not his own. It had to come from Daniel's soul.
If he intended to call himself Daniel's friend, he had to respect that.
"I don't know," he replied, a little giddily, and stepped through the event horizon. The light left the Infirmary, rising over them all and giving them a semblance of peace.
As it did, Jack awoke from his standing slumber and turned on his heels. No word passed his lips, he'd said all he needed to. It was an unspoken vow he made to himself-he would not return unless Daniel was there.
The SGC was Daniel. He made it possible. He made it what it was. They were nothing without his presence among them.
And Jack had no intention of serving without him.
656
"You're really leaving." It wasn't a question.
Jack finished his packing, ignoring the pain in his hands. "Yes, Jan, I am."
"Even though he won't be reported as KIA or MIA?" Janet tried, though she felt the change in his soul. The absolute loss of all that was Jack O'Neill. It worried her and frightened her. "The released story will be that Dr. Jackson's going on a sabbatical for an unknown length of time."
"The house is still in his name, take care of it for him. If he doesn't return in five years, sell it. Keep the money for yourself or give it away. I could care less."
"Why five years?"
"I know Daniel. And I remember what Orlin said about non-interference. Daniel will tow the line for a while, then he will do what his heart tells him to."
"If you do this, it'll confirm the rumors about you and him," she said.
He looked at her then, naked and raw pain bleeding out of every pore. A flash of what he was going through, briefly shown before it was locked tightly away. "I don't care. To do this job, I need Daniel. He's not here, neither am I." Giving her a tight hug, he attempted to walk out.
She grabbed his bleeding hands and scowled at him. "At least let me patch you up before you go."
Jack conceded, knowing that she needed a little more tactile time with him. Plus, he wouldn't win anyway. He never did when it came to his heath. One thing he'd learned early on was which battles to fight. You did not become a colonel because they pulled your name out of a hat. Sutures on, he rose and turned, not surprised to see the Jaffa standing in the doorway. "Good-bye, T. I may check in on you through the Asgard, so take care."
"I will, O'Neill. You will be missed but I understand."
His smile was tight and sad. "I'm glad someone around here does." Without warning, all the power shut off. The startled trio made their way out and towards the control room. As much as he wanted to walk away, he remembered that the only time this happened was when the Asgard paid them a call.
Freyr was standing on the ramp, "Thor is gone."
"What?" Jack heard the words from his position behind the glass clearly. It was like a fingernail running down the chalkboard in his soul. He rushed into the gate room after tossing his bag at Walter. Ignoring the looks he was getting from the general and Carter, he addressed the Asgard. "To the replicators?"
"No. The Goa'uld Anubis has acquired some new technology that is able to penetrate our shields. His ship, under the command of one Osiris, blew up Thor's vessel while he was over one of our planets. He was there to retrieve our scientist, Heimdahl."
"What are you asking?"
"We would like you to rescue Heimdahl in your Goa'uld shuttle craft. There are many shuttles in the area, they will not notice another."
"I'll do it," Jack stated. "I will not lose another friend. This was Thor's mission, I will honor his memory by completing it for him."
The General had never heard such an iron, heartless voice come from the colonel. Even at his most insubordinate, there had been respect. Now, it was nothing but the perfect soldier he'd heard about. He was almost afraid of the man. "Very well, SG-1 will accompany you."
"Thank you. We will be watching. If things go wrong, be assured of our aid." Freyr left.
Jack faced Carter, snapping. "Get one thing straight, Major. You may led SG-1 now, but I call my own shots. Just stay out of my way and we'll get along just fine."
Carter didn't know what to say, so she resorted to the familiar. "Yes, sir."
656
"What is he doing?" Heimdahl asked, puzzled by his actions that they were seeing. "We have rescued Thor. Why does he go to the Pel'Tak?"
Sam shrugged, "the colonel has never confided in me. That was always Daniel's privilege."
"And where is the elusive Dr. Jackson?"
"It isn't common knowledge but he has ascended."
"Ah, he will be missed by many."
656
With the Ancient modified Goa'uld 'grenade', Jack released it into the room. It rolled along until it hit a chair and released the gas into the room. The occupants slipped into a deep, painless sleep. Gas mask in place, he approached the slumbering Osiris. Bending down, he picked her up and left, ringing down into the ship bellow.
"Return to me that which you have stolen," Anubis demanded.
"You first," Jack shot back.
"You would defy me? Challenge me?" he was incredulous.
"Wasn't thinking about it, blanket boy. Actually, I was thinking retirement until you reared your 'I'm so ugly even I can't bear to look at myself' face and captured a good friend of mine. Or were you shooting for the look of dirty laundry? You know, I should've believed it when Danny said my laundry would become an evil new life form." Jack glared at the hooded man, itching for a fight. But there was still some sense of self-preservation making itself known in his head.
"How dare you?"
"I could ask the same of you," he quipped. "But I do it because scum like you have had the run of the galaxy for far to long. I do it because you slimy, stinkin' snakes hurt a good friend of mine. I've just lost him. I will not lose another-especially to the likes of you."
Anubis chuckled suddenly, startling his Jaffa. "I do not normally like spirited people but I could learn to tolerate you. If I took hosts, you would make an acceptable one for me. You are tolerable on the eyes and your voice has an interesting resonance to it."
Jack snorted, "don't care for the snake thing. Already did it, I wasn't that impressed."
"Who said that I possess a symbiote?" he queried.
Before he could form a reply, three Asgard vessels flanked them. One of the Asgard commanders addressed Anubis. "This ship resides under our protection. Leave now or face our wrath."
Anubis was given no choice but to flee. As sure as he was of his new toy, he was not going to test it out on more than one ship. Retreat would not reflect badly on him. Living to fight another day was all that mattered.
One of the Asgard beamed aboard their ship. "I am Brunhilde. We shall remove the symbiote from your friend as a sign of thanks and a renewal of our alliance."
"Daniel would like that," Jack smiled. For once, it was not forced.
"Shall we return her to Earth when we have finished?"
Carter shook her head. "It would be best to leave Dr. Gardner somewhere safer. If she were to return to Earth, she would not have the time to recover before questions would be asked of her. With all she's the memories she'll be dealing with, she doesn't need to deal with the NID. Or her friends probing inquiries into the nature of her disappearance, something she should not have to deal with immediately."
"Understandable," Brunhilde agreed. "Then we shall leave her among the Tok'Ra." The woman was beamed away, along with Thor's unconscious body.
"I'll let my dad know," she murmured.
The Asgard left them to their own devices and the small shuttle found its way home. Upon arriving, Jack retrieved his things. "Walter, take care of yourself and SG-1 for me."
"I will, Colonel," he hesitated. "Is there anything you want me to do for you?"
"No, but thank you for the offer, Walter." Nodding to him once, he disappeared from the control room and went upstairs to a familiar place and person. "Siler," he greeted, passing over the keys.
"Sir." The man accepted them slowly, reluctantly, knowing what this meant. Giving his plane to Siler to take care of finalized his good-bye, he knew what to do with the plane and it hurt that it had come to this.
Thanking him for all his help and support over the years, he left the SGC and went to the place he'd called home for six years.
Before he could leave, there were things he needed.
"You are O'Neill?" a voice asked when he entered the house.
Whirling about, he saw an Asgard standing there. "And you are?" It was odd the way he found comfort in these little gray guys. Of course, it was also slightly disturbing that he wasn't more annoyed at the way they made free with his life.
"I am Frigga, once the consort of Odin. He entrusted this to me before his grievous injury that robbed us of him. I was told to wait until you were ready for it. If you ever need anything, call upon me."
A crystal of unusual clarity and beauty, with an intense heart light was pressed into his hand. He accepted it with a bittersweet smile. The Asgard inclined her head and left him alone. Jack found a hole at the tip of the gift and secured it to his dog tag chain. It would never do to lose it.
Leaving the house and his life behind, he drove out of the state into the unknown. He knew the place to go before reality came crashing down on his head. Stopping only once, he made a phone call. "Adam, it's me."
"Hey, Jack…what's wrong?" Adam had picked up on the note of unusual sobriety in his voice.
"I just lost my best friend. Thought you should know that I won't be anywhere near a phone or computer or any other kind of communication device."
There was a sigh, "I understand. You will call me sometime though. The life you live worries me sometimes."
A sad smile graced his face, "yeah, like yours doesn't?"
He laughed, "I'm not the one with the dangerous lifestyle. So? Will you?"
"I can do that." With a bittersweet good-bye, they hung up and he left.
End, Act 9.
Author's Note: new program doesn't like the dividers. 6 is change of episode. 656 is change of scene.
