AN: So there's something weird going on. Apparently my DM is going to be gone for a while? But no one has told me why, how log or when this happened. I mean I critique the guy but I still want to know. Geeze. Ok yah it's because I'm nosy but still... On another note if you are in a store and on the phone and a clerk tries really hard to get your attention because your mask is on your chin like a bib... kindly do NOT yell at the clerk and act like you intend to punch her for enforcing a state wide mandate to cover your germ holes. This clerk would have put you on your butt and you wouldn't have known how it happened... signed... irked manager who's Marine Corps dad taught her how to take down guys 2x her size.

Prologue:

A lone passenger hopped out gingerly from the chopper and ducked. The foils were still sweeping overhead and it was instinct to bend over though he had reason enough to do so regardless. Away from the sweep of the blades, the tall man straightened and absently tugged down his blue dress uniform jacket with one hand. In the other, he carried an attaché case. The guards at the door saluted him crisply as he walked up. He saluted them back with a serious expression.

"We were expecting you yesterday, sir." One told him.

"Yah… something came up." He said dismissively. "Can you get an interview room ready with a projector?"

"We have one on standby at all times, sir. I'll have someone clear it for you and bring the guest up."

"Thanks, Private." Jack addressed the Marine guard and walked through the waiting door. He knew this place well enough. A small slice of Cuba no one came to and less knew about. Or were supposed to, anyway. It had come to national attention in recent history, much to Jack's annoyance but he couldn't blame civilians for objecting. The whole point was for them to never know the kind of horror the people inside those walls could wreak upon their pleasant lives.

His heels clicked purposefully on the cement floor as he traveled the halls, knowing where he was going. He reached an ordinary metal door with a small window and a metal plaque that said 'Interrogation Room 3'. He entered and placed his case down on the aging metal table and sat with some relief.

Sammy's family had gotten on his ass about staying off his knee so it could heal. The kids had handled their personal situation fairly well without anyone's intervention this time. They were navigating being kids again better than he and Carter had initially figured. At least he hoped they were. Perhaps they could ease back with the check-ins. But he had a niggling thought that once Jon went to the Academy next year, they may be needed by both of them more than ever before. No one had ever accused him or Carter of being bright when it came to navigating their relationship obstacles and while Sammy had a few more years of figuring out how not to hurt him he couldn't honestly say his clone had done as much soul searching.

The door swung open.

A guard nudged his charge forward and the man in question frowned balefully at Jack. "I don't want to talk to you." He said with contempt.

Jack gave him a wry look. "Good. I only want you to listen anyway… well, and watch. Watching is going to be pretty important."

The guard just nudged the man forward until they reached the vacant chair and pointedly made him sit then attached the lead for his restraints to the table. "He's all your, sir."

"Thank you, Private. You can go now."

"Yes sir."

When the door closed, Jack's former captor looked at him with hate in his eyes. "I suppose you're going to get back at me now for what I did?"

Jack frowned thoughtfully. "Revenge is more my wife's thing. She's going to be very put out with you." He said dismissively. This guy was probably lucky he wasn't somewhere Sam could get a hold of him.

"Whatever. Just get it over with." He said fatalistically.

Jack shook his head and pulled out a folder with 'Classified' emblazoned across from it.

"You expect me to read that?"

Jack thought for a moment. "No. Not really. Most of it is redacted anyway and you only have my word for it… well… except I just happen to have the video feed from the Gate room from that day. It took Walter a few days to compile it but it's the only room in the facility we record sound - just in case." Jack shrugged as if it wasn't terribly important.

It didn't take long for Jack to set up the laptop and the projector. The ease in which he had done so belied the universal belief that Jack couldn't do anything technical without help. Minutes later, they watch the scene on the projector together.

The feed breaks up a couple times and the voices sound hollow and stretched out but distinguishable, O'Neill and Cromwell are both heard. Each man was clinging to their own ropes, the gravity pull in the room and on the two men were obvious. Both men were struggling against the forces as they prepared the bomb.

"We won't make it out!" Cromwell shouts hollowly.

"Twenty seconds!" Jack shouts back insistently.

"Set!"

"Do it!" O'Neill barks.

The iris that had held back the black hole starts to break apart and crumbles into the wormhole with a sickening tearing sound as pieces are sucked in.

The resulting gravitational pull starts to drag O'Neill in despite his struggles. Cromwell grabs him and hauls him aside. "I got you." He says, placing a steady hand on his arm.

"Get up there and arm the damned bomb." Jack growls, clearly less concerned about his survival and more about the survival of mankind.

"I've got you. Just climb!" Cromwell insists.

"Arm the damned bomb!" Jack barks again, refusing to move.

"Climb!" Cromwell counters.

But while they are arguing about it, a shard of glass from the observation window of the briefing room flew off and lodges in Cromwell's rope and quickly slices through it. Cromwell lurches and is pulled towards the black hole but Jack grabs him and hangs on tightly. Jack clearly strains to pull the other man up but the look he's given is one of calm acceptance. Cromwell never tries to grab hold of Jack at all. He lets go and falls away even as Jack frantically tries to grab hold of him again but the other man's body is pulled through the iris and into the black hole in horrifying slow motion.

Jack struggles to right himself and haul himself up, looking regretfully into the void as he sets the bomb that eventually shuts down the Gate and sends Jack hurling against the wall with an unceremonious and inglorious thud. The video goes bright white with the force of the explosion and ends abruptly. The feed having been cut by the concussion of the blast.

"Not one of my better landings." Jack admitted as he shuts down the video and turns off the laptop.

His companion sat staring with both horror and disbelief at the footage he had just seen.

"He volunteered." Jack said quietly.

"Why?"

"Probably to atone for what he did to me." Jack said with a shrug. "It's not like I can ask him now."

"I was so certain you had…"

"Yah. You should have asked."

"I tried to. The entire file was redacted."

"Well, you did quit the team right after this. Did you really think they were going to let you read the full file?"

His companion sighed and shook his head. "So all this was for nothing."

"Pretty much, yup." Jack agreed dryly.

"Why are you showing me this now anyway?"

"Because the truth is important." Jack said simply, putting away his laptop. "I don't think we will be seeing each other again. Even if they try you, they won't need my testimony to put you away and, frankly, I have more important things to deal with." Jack stood slowly, clearly still in some pain. "Just be very glad my wife won't be able to get a hold of you in here. She's blown up entire suns just to get at one guy." Jack said ominously then grinned as he starts to walk away. "Nice chat." He said affably. He rapped on the door once and walked out when it immediately opened.