~How lucky I am to have known someone who was so hard to say goodbye to~
-Unknown
Chapter Fourteen
My Best Friend
Katelyn walked into the briefing room for their mission briefing to PX2-115. In about an hour, they would be embarking to another far away planet in their galaxy. When the briefing was finished and they were standing in the gate room looking up at the spinning gate Katelyn couldn't help but think about Daniel. It was well over six months since he had died and Jonas joined the team, but every time Katelyn stood in the gate room looking at the thing Daniel helped make work, she thought about the things Daniel helped make possible and every time, she felt the sting of loss.
The blue wave shot out horizontally toward the waiting SG-1 and settled back into the watery gateway. SG-1 ascended up the ramp and walked through the portal separating them from the rest of the universe. Katelyn opened her eyes and found herself looking at a very green planet. She walked over to Jack as she rested her hands on her P-90. She had gone through a lot of training in the years she had been at the SGC. Katelyn felt going off world like she did was training enough, but she obliged to the SGC's request.
They walked a little ways before they ran into a young man who was running the direction of the Stargate. He ran into Katelyn's arms. She held him as he spoke in struggled, shallow breaths. "They're here. They're here!" The boy said. "Who's here?" Jack asked the frantic young man. The man didn't respond. He had been shot in the back by a staff blast. SG-1 saw Jaffa coming from the trees. They had their answer as to who was terrorizing the planet. Katelyn gently set down the boy on the ground. She put her finger on the trigger of her gun and followed her team members. They moved slowly and silently until they came to the village. It was crawling with Anubis's Jaffa.
SG-1 waited in the cover of the thick trees shooting only when necessary. Eventually their position was made and they had no choice but to fight. Fortunately, there wasn't so many Jaffa that they could over power SG-1 and the people of PX2-115. The Jaffa were run down and SG-1 went to meet the people of the planet. The high counselors wished to meet the people who saved their village and their lives.
Katelyn came across a young woman who was crying. She stopped and sat by the woman. "Hey, are you alright?" Katelyn asked. "I think my best friend died." The woman sobbed back. Daniel's face flashed through Katelyn's mind. "I'm sure a lot of people died. What's your name?" The woman sniffed. "His name was Orin. He was going to the big circle to get help. My name is Areida." Katelyn remembered the first person they encountered, the one who died in her arms. "I'm so sorry Areida."
Katelyn sat down with Areida. "I know how you feel." Katelyn said empathetically. "No you do not! You are just saying that to make me feel better! How could you know what it is like to lose your best friend?" Areida yelled. Katelyn's expression went cold. "I know what it's like to lose a best friend. I lost mine when he didn't deserve to go just like yours. For four days, I sat and watched Daniel die slowly and painfully. For four days I watched him being tortured wishing I could help, but knowing every second that I couldn't. No one should have to go through that. He was more than just my friend, he was family. You have no idea what it's like never wanting to lose your family, but knowing every time you walk through that gate there's a chance you might. It's easy to put your life in danger because you know it's only your life in danger. It's harder to watch your friends put their lives in danger. People would rather die than watch their friends die. I know what it's like to lose a best friend wishing every moment they could come back. You cherish the memories yet they cause you pain. You walk past things that remind you of him. It never gets easier, but after a while, the memories make you smile rather than cause pain. So please don't tell me I don't know what it's like to lose a best friend because I do."
After Katelyn's speech she walked a short way to look at a lake glistening as the sun started to set. Tears began to fall. Areida walked up behind her and put her hand on Katelyn's shoulder. "I am sorry. I had no idea. I think you may have had it harder. At least I did not have to watch Orin suffer as you had to watch your Daniel suffer." Katelyn laughed. My Daniel. She thought
"I would have helped if I could. I'm sorry I couldn't." Katelyn said. "It is okay. You had no time. You saved my planet. You have no reason to be sorry." Areida replied softly. Areida and Katelyn sat in silence for a while until Katelyn heard a twig snap behind her and Areida. Katelyn turned around quickly pointing her gun in the direction of the broken twig. Jonas put up his hands in surrender and walked out of the trees. Katelyn lowered her gun. "Jonas, what the hell are you doing? I could have shot you." Katelyn said exasperated. "Sorry, I was just coming to see what you were doing." Jonas replied innocently. Katelyn rolled her eyes and smiled. Jonas smiled back. "Hey are you alright? You seem a little distracted today." Jonas asked walked toward Katelyn. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been thinking about Daniel a lot today."
Jonas' expression turned pained for a fleeting moment. "Oh, I'm sorry Katelyn." Jonas said. Katelyn wrapped her arms around Jonas' waist. "Jonas, not a day goes by when I don't think about Daniel. His death was not your fault and no one blames you. If anyone was going to blame you, it would have been me and I know you know I don't blame you at all." Jonas smiled and kissed Katelyn's forehead. Katelyn smiled and tightened her grip around Jonas' waist. Areida was standing behind them the whole time smiling. "Katelyn, when we get home would you like to go to dinner." Jonas asked. Katelyn smiled. "Dinner would be nice." Jonas smiled. He kissed her forehead again and then left to let Katelyn be alone with Areida. "I'll wait for you over there." Jonas said motioning over by the trees with his chin.
Katelyn nodded as Jonas walked away. Areida was still smiling. "Who is that?" Areida asked. "That's Jonas Quinn. He replaced Daniel. We're kind of dating." Katelyn replied. "He is very good looking." Katelyn laughed. "Yeah, I suppose he is, but listen I'm really sorry about Orin. It will get easier though. I promise you that. Good luck with everything." Areida smiled at Katelyn. "Thank you. Orin will always be in my heart and I could never forget him. I wish you the best of luck with your Daniel as well and with Jonas too." Katelyn smiled and waved as she was about to walk away she turned toward the young woman she had so much in common with.
"Hey, I know I should be the one taking this advice, but someone very wise told me that when life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show it you have a thousand reasons to smile." Katelyn said. Areida smiled and Katelyn ran to where Jonas was waiting for her. This new life had given Katelyn many reasons to cry, the world almost ending, the death of people around her, the death of her best friend, the cruelty of the world, but it had given her more reasons to smile.
The memory making moments with her team, nights spent at Daniel's house, missions with happy endings, movie nights spent watching alien movies, pointless laughter, the special moments she shared with Jonas, the moments that simply took her breath away. Those moments where she could look back and smile overshadowed those moments where she would look back and cry or feel sad about the state of the universe. She was living her life through all the bad and focusing on the good. As it is said by many, life's too short.
They walked together for a moment then Jonas nudged Katelyn's shoulder with his and smiled. Katelyn smiled and they walked on to the Stargate and their waiting friends, their waiting family. Sam was already walking through the event horizon. "Race you there." Katelyn said and broke into a run. Jonas smiled and ran after her right into the Stargate. It closed behind him. He walked through the other end still running down the ramp. Katelyn, Jonas, and the rest of SG-1 continued on to the locker room to change.
"Dinner tonight at seven?" Jonas asked as they walked into the briefing room. Katelyn smiled as they sat down. "You're on." With that, they sat and began debriefing on their latest mission to PX2-115. SG-1 sat with General Hammond. They were more than team members; they were more than friends. SG-1 was a family that couldn't be torn apart. Even with Daniel gone physically, everyone felt he was still around somehow. In his ascended form, invisible to his still grieving friends, Daniel sat in a chair around the table looking at his family and smiling to himself knowing they were going to be okay after all.