AN: Thank you to whoever made it this far, for reading the brain child of that time I woke up in cold sweat at 3 am one night. Most of this was written in a cathartic haze, honestly. SG-1 'dies,' yes, but they live on in every way that counts, and hopefully I've wrapped that up in a satisfying way.
'I tried to tear them both apart,
I felt a bullet in my heart…
Your tears will fall
To make love grow:
The briar and the rose.'
"The Briar and the Rose" ~ The Cottars
"Unscheduled off world activation! Unscheduled off world activation!"
Sam bolted upright in her infirmary bed.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah!" Carolyn scrambled over. "You were walloped over the head less than twelve hours ago, Colonel. You can't just go running off—"
Sam had already unhooked herself from the monitors, tearing them off in a haze, and sprinted down the hall. Her sock feet and scrubs didn't garner one ounce of attention, nor the concussion bandage around her head.
Walter's PA announcement had never sounded so excited.
It was contagious. Men and women jumped out of bunk beds and sleeping quarters, commissary tables, labs, and medical suites, and even janitors burst out of doors in a chattering clump. Teal'c handed his swaddled granddaughter to Cam and ran after Sam.
Sam didn't stop at the control room, nor even the lab, but ran directly into the embarkation room.
"It's PX-725's gate address!" said Walter through the microphone.
Sam swallowed. "Open the iris!"
That hellish planet. She could still feel Cam's weight over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. Teal'c hurried to her side, his eyes roving even though the wormhole hadn't locked yet.
When it did, two figures stumbled through, arms laced around each other.
There exists a perfect brand of hush, so exquisite few ever hear it in their lifetime. It descended in a mousse-thick fog over the room.
Sam didn't move. Neither did Teal'c. Neither did the crowd in the control room.
Four faces gazed at each other.
Sixteen years of heartache and bliss and war and family filled the air.
What happened next was a moment never archived. Walter later found the footage and made copies for close friends but those five minutes were curiously scrubbed.
Daniel and Jack ran down the ramp. Sam and Teal'c opened their arms instantly and the four landed in a messy huddle on their knees. Their heads pressed together. They wept into each other's shoulders and kissed foreheads and caressed scars, some new and many old. Daniel slurred out his joy at seeing Sam alive.
Cam wheeled to the open door, bawling in front of God and country. The baby clapped her hands.
Then Teal'c began to laugh. A full bellied sound, full of rejoicing, that they'd never heard from him before.
It echoed off the walls, rising, growing, building. Those in the control room erupted, deafening cheers and laughter that could be heard two floors above. The SGC had never witnessed such a happy ruckus. Papers were thrown, tears shed, hugs exchanged.
Carolyn pushed her way to the window. She glanced at Walter, then at an ambient light in the embarkation room. "Are…are they…glowing?"
Walter smiled and it highlighted twin droplets on his cheeks. "Don't they always?"
"You have to hold her head, Jack."
"I know that, General Carter."
Sam smiled. "Not for another eight hours, I'm not."
Jack winked at her and then at Laeyana in his arms, bouncing his knees to make the little Jaffa girl smile her gummy smile. She had her grandfather's chocolate eyes and round cheeks, which Jack tickled mercilessly.
The four stood in the embarkation room, dressed to the nines. A private jet would take them to Washington—and to the future. Two months since Jack and Daniel's near-death debacle and the president had at last made a decision.
"I recommended you for the project, you know." Jack wiggled his brows. "There's still time …"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "Jack, we've been over this. Sam is the best liaison. So are Teal'c and Cam and Landry. They'll do a great job acclimatizing the world to…this."
He gestured to the stargate at their backs.
Quiet reigned over their corner of the world. The base was empty and deserted. Everyone was on leave until the heat blew off from Landry's televised announcement tonight, along with Sam's private christening.
"The program is being made public." Sam blew out a noisy breath. It lifted the bangs off her forehead. "And no more SG-1. Who knew we'd get to see this day?"
Teal'c shared a look with Daniel. The Jaffa wore a black fedora to match his black silk tie. Teal'c would show the world that not everything in space was evil, that most of it was beautiful and full of love.
"You're the best family I've ever had," said Jack, without shame or self-consciousness, and everyone got bright eyed and sniffled into their sleeves.
"The feeling is mutual," said Teal'c.
Sam pulled Daniel into a tight embrace. Teal'c wrapped his huge arms around them both and Laeyana giggled.
A high whistle from the door got their attention. Cam threw up his hands. "You four lollygaggers are the last people left! Bunch of saps." His eyes narrowed, fond. "We've got a plane to catch!"
"She's beautiful, Teal'c," said Daniel as Jack handed Laeyana over. "Congratulations."
Teal'c bowed. "And congratulations on your retirement."
Jack nudged Daniel. "Yeah. Us old fogies can do whatever we want now. You'll see, Carter—generals can't have as much fun."
Sam smirked. "Ah, but if I'm to be a general, I can finally do this."
She yanked on Jack's tie and met his lips. Both closed their eyes. It was a melting sort of kiss, fizzing the air. They created more electricity than a nuclear plant.
Daniel rolled his eyes again but he grinned.
Jack smile was a mile wide when they pulled apart. Sam winked and sauntered out, leaving Jack and Daniel standing alone.
"You finally going to pop the question?" asked Daniel.
Jack flipped a velvet box out of his pocket.
Daniel opened it and gaped at the diamond. "You sneak! You've had this planned all along!"
"Bought it last week." Jack canted his head. "If this began with a ring, it's only fitting it should end with one."
Daniel silently agreed, still reeling from it all, and turned to the stargate. Without his glasses, his eyes now shone, cheeks turned up in a wry smile.
Jack pressed close beside him, the heat from his arm warming Daniel.
Three long minutes passed. If anyone were to peer in, they'd see two men in a dimly lit room, gazing at the catalyst that had brought them together. One silver haired and loyal, one lanky and wise eyed.
"I've always doubted…but I was wrong. I don't regret opening it."
Jack ducked to catch Daniel's eye. "I'm glad you did. Wouldn't be here if it weren't for that thing. For you."
Daniel smiled. "In the words of Teal'c—the feeling is mutual."
Years later, the world ate up books about the famous SG-1 and the relationship between General Jack O'Neill and Doctor Daniel Jackson. They became the monolith figures of legend. They had withstood Time's wrath, multiple deaths, and managed to stay together across millennia of world history.
In this pocket of Time, they were none of those things.
They were the men who defeated despair.
"Feels weird to be saying goodbye," said Daniel.
"We're not, Danny." Jack pulled him under one arm and tapped his temple with his own. "We're going home."
Daniel followed Jack to the door. They took one last look and then Daniel reached out and switched off the lights. He felt the breath catch in Jack's lungs. With that action, Daniel had turned the last page.
Nobody ever dreamed he'd be the one to do it.
Daniel tightened his own arm around Jack. He breathed out an airy laugh—a sound of freedom.
"Jack?"
"Daniel?"
"I already am home."
FIN
Written in 2016-2017.
