Something to Remember

Chapter 13

The Final Mission

"I really wish you would go home." Jack said, not for the first time. "The two of you should be at home. With that nursery we spent months getting ready."

"We will go home when you go home." Sam answered, also not for the first time. She motioned towards the portable crib that she had made him set up in one of the private quarters on base. "We will be fine here. Honestly, I will be able to relax more knowing what is going on than I would be able to at home."

"Relax." Jack laughed glancing at the baby in her arms that had yet to sleep more than two hours at a time. "I don't think relaxing is happening anytime soon."

"Exactly." Sam agreed before kissing him. "Which is why I am staying here. Now, it's time for you to go save the universe."

"Again." He sighed.

"Getting old is it, Sir?" She answered with a smile.

Jack pulled his wife and daughter into his arms, "Not if it means that this is the last time. If It means that I get to spend the rest of my life focused on the two of you then this will be worth it." He kissed Sam slowly before placing a kiss on Catherine's head.

"Then go save the world Colonel." Sam told him firmly hugging him close one more time.

"Come watch from the command room. I want your faces to be the last things I see before I leave." He told her.

Sam nodded and settled Catherine into the carrier tight against her. She slipped her hand into Jacks, smiled at him and nodded. Despite being married, and the fact that she had just given birth to their daughter days earlier, they usually shied away from public affection while on base. Not today however, today she kept her fingers locked around his as they walked towards the gate room. She caught the looks of the base personnel as they walked. Some smiled and nodded others tried to hide their looks of concern. Afterall, in this moment Sam was a military spouse with a newborn child, sending her husband into battle.

They stopped at the door to the command room and Jack didn't hesitate to pull them to himself again.

"Daddy had one last business trip Baby Girl." He said as he gently stroked the back of Catherine's head.

"You better bring her back a souvenir." Sam joked trying to keep her emotions in check.

Jack smiled, "I bet there's a stand where I can get her a shirt that says, "My Dad defeated the Goa'uld and all I got was this t-shirt."

"Perfect" Sam nodded placing a hand on the side of his face. "Just don't do anything stupid Jack"

"That's what I am there for." Jacob's voice answered. "I'm making sure my granddaughter gets her father back."

Sam hugged her dad. "She's going to need her grandpa back too." She reminded him.

Jacob nodded, "We'll see you two soon."

"See you soon Dad." Sam answered for the first time truly realizing she was sending her husband and father both into the most dangerous battle yet. Jacob turned and walked to the gate room.

"What is your main job while I am gone?" Jack asked Sam.

"To tell Catherine everyday that her Daddy loves her, is going to get her a puppy, and teach her to fish." Sam answered the tears threatening to fall.

Jack smiled at her before his face turned serious. "And are you going to go through that gate? Under any circumstances?" He asked her. Sam hesitated because it was the hardest thing he had ever asked of her. "I mean it Samantha, no matter what you hear, no matter what kind of danger I am in, you stay here."

"Jack…" She started and his face hardened.

"I will go to Hammond right now and tell him to remove you from the base." He told her, his voice as firm as it had ever been. "Please Sam, promise me."

Sam nodded, "Yes Sir." She said trying for a smile as she blinked back her tears.

Jack reached up around his neck and pulled his dog tags off and placed them around Sam's neck. "Keep these safe for me." He told her before placing one last kiss on her forehead and turning to the gate room.

Sam made her way into the command room. If anyone thought strange that she had an infant strapped to her chest they said nothing. She stood back her eyes trained on Jack, even without hearing him she knew he was making jokes. It's what he did before every mission. She watched as the Stargate engaged and SG-1, 4, and 5 walked up the ramp. He stopped halfway up the ramp and turned toward the gate room he gave a salute, then continued up and through the gate. The gate closed and as if she knew what has happened Catherine let out a cry.

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The mission had been planned with excruciating detail, if all six System Lords would be attacked almost simultaneously, there was no room for error. They could not allow for one System Lord to notify another, there could be no where for a Goa'uld to seek refuge. Jack, Jacob, and the rest assigned to this part of this mission waited silently in the woods, surrounding Anubis's fortress.

"We had to draw Anubis didn't we." Jack muttered.

"Only the best for SG-1." Jacob answered.

"We're sure your spy has disabled the transport rings?" Daniel asked Jacob.

"That was the last thing we were waiting on, and yes he did." Jacob confirmed.

"Now we just wait for the Asgard to do their thing." Jack said.

"They should be arriving any moment O'Neill." Teal'c said scanning the sky for any sign of Asgard ships.

Suddenly a signal came through on the device Daniel was carrying. "They are here." He told them.

"All right everyone, you know what to do." Jack said, "follow your orders, we are all making it back home, understand?"

A round of "Yes Sirs" went up and Jack nodded. "Move out." He ordered and the mission was on.

A light flickered in the distance, "That's for us." Jacob told them leading them to where they would meet the Tok'ra spy.

"The Asgard will have the defense shields down in two minutes." Daniel told them. "There will be approximately three minutes until Anubis's guards are notified, they will immediately try the transport rings, when they realize they are deactivated he will be evacuated through the tunnels."

"Then it sounds like we have five minutes to get into place." Jack answered indicating for Jacob to lead the way.

They met the Tok'ra spy and followed him into the tunnels. He led them through the twist and turns finally into a cavernous chamber.

"We are directly bellow Anubis's private chambers." He explained and shinned a light upwards to reveal a secret door.

"We will bring Anubis through that door when the rings do not engage. His escape ship is directly down that tunnel." The spy named Zakor explained. "It is my job to go before Anubis into the tunnels."

"You must have been serving Anubis for many years to have been given such a position." Teal'c commented.

"I have only ever known service to Anubis." Zakor answered. "Selmak and her former host spent many years bringing me to the side of the Tok'ra . I will gladly give my life to see people free of Goa'uld rule."

"Well, I don't plan on it coming to that." Jack told him.

"I must go now." Zakor answered running back down a separate tunnel.

A minute later the silence above them was shattered as Anubis's guards burst into his chamber. They heard the shuffling of feet and frustrated yelling when the transport rings would not engage.

"You must get to your ship, My Lord, through the tunnels." Zakor instructed.

There was more commotion and the dirt surrounding the tunnels shifted as the door began to open. They saw several guards enter first and they held their fire allowing those guards to go further down the tunnels to where members of SG-4 would box them in. They saw Zakor emerge from the ladder. Jack's hand went to his weapon and beside him he felt Jacob do the same. Then Anubis was in front of them. They went unseen by him as they hid among the rocks. Four more guards entered the chamber, and they heard the trap door close with a thud.

Jack signaled to Jacob who tossed the first flash grenade blinding Anubis and his guards. The guards began to blindly shoot their weapons hitting rock and causing the celling above to begin to crack. Teal'c fired his weapon taking out two of the guards. The other two that were in the rear scrambled behind rock where Daniel stunned them with a Zat.

"This way My Lord, to your ship." Jack heard Zakor say. Jack followed after them knowing Zakor was leading them to where SG-4 was waiting the first for guards having already been killed.

"What is this? Who are these Tau'ri who dare to enter my holy space?" Anubis shouted. "Surrender now and your God will be merciful on you."

"Not going to happen." Jack said from behind them.

"You are the Tau'ri they call O'Neill." Anubis said.

"That's me." Jack answered.

Anubis turned to Zakor, "Take him prisoner and kill the rest." He ordered.

"That's not going to happen Anubis." Jacob said coming from the other side holding out his weapon.

"The Tok'ra, I have been betrayed. Shol'va!" Anibus yelled eyes blazing at Zakor. He raised his hand and aimed his hand device at Zakor . Jack watched as Jacob jumped pushing Zakor out of the way and was hit by the device. Anibus threw him across the cavern and picked him back up again. Jack fired his weapon hitting Anibus causing him to drop Jacob. He turned towards Jack.

"You foolish Tau'ri you cannot kill a God!" He yelled.

"Well, it's a good thing I am only trying to kill a snake." Jack said firing his weapon hitting Anubis in the head. Anubis hit the floor immediately.

"Watch for the symbiote!" Daniel called and everyone's eye turned to the ground. Teal'c reached quickly to the ground and picked it up, holding it in the air.

"Think you should be holding it like that Teal'c?" Jack asked.

"It cannot harm me and without a host it will die quickly." He answered as he watched it desperately jerk about in search of a host, or at least water to survive in.

"Just to be safe let's put it in here, like we planned." Daniel answered holding up a metal box sealing it shut as soon as Teal'c dropped the wriggling begin inside.

"Let's get out of here." Jack ordered and turned to Jacob, "Jacob, you coming?"

Jacob's eyes went momentarily blank and Selmak's voice answered Jack. "Jacob's injures are severe."

"But you can heal them, right?" Jack asked.

"I do not believe I can. I am sorry." Selamak answered.

"That is not acceptable." Jack yelled.

Jacob's eyes blinked again, and it was his voice, "Selamk is right Jack, there is nothing she can do."

"Well, we will get you back to Earth, Doc Fraiser will be able to do something." Jack said.

"Jack, No, my back is broken and Selmak tells me I am bleeding multiple places internally." Jacob told him.

"I'm not leaving you here." Jack argued.

Jacob took a deep breath, "Let Teal'c and Zakor take me to the Tok'ra ship that is waiting. We need to get Selmak to a new host before it's too late."

"No." Jack said simply.

Jacob reached out and took Jack's hand, "Listen to me Son, I have done what I was meant to do. I should have been dead years ago, but Selamk gave me a whole new life. I got to see the universe, fight for the freedom of all, and…" His voice faltered. "I know that Sam is happy and that you will be there for her. Selmak gave me all of that. I have to do this for her."

"Jack, we have to go the Asgard will have this entire place destroyed including the gate in minutes." Daniel interrupted.

"Damn you Jacob." Jack swore holding his father-in-law's hand. "Don't make me tell her this."

"There is no other choice. She will understand." Jacob answered. "Kiss her and Catherine for me. You make sure that little girl knows that her grandpa held her and loved her. Make sure she knows she can reach the stars, but most of all make sure she knows that you love her just as she is."

Jack nodded as tears fell from his eyes, "Thank you Jacob, for giving me the greatest gifts of my life." He said then turned to Teal'c. "Get him to the Tok'ra."

Teal'c bent down and picked up the older man. "We will not stop until we reach the ship."

Jack watched for a moment as Teal'c and Zakor left with a dying Jacob. "Jack, we have to go." Daniel said quietly.

Jack snapped to attention, "Let's move out."

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Sam thrust her daughter into Cassie's arms when she heard the alarm announce the return of SG-1 and the other teams they had been with. Outside the gate room she put on a vest and grabbed a weapon just in case. The teams began to pour through the gate, she knew Jack would be last. Finally, she saw him, and the gate closed behind him. He turned back a watched the gate for a second before walking to her. She studied his face then she scanned the men and women who had come through before him.

"Jack…" She breathed out as he approached her. "My dad and Teal'c?"

He took her in his arms, "I'm so sorry Love, I am so sorry. I tried. Jacob insisted on saving Selmak."

"No Jack…no." She cried collapsing into him.

TBC

A/N

I apologize for the lengthy delay in posting of this chapter. The end of the school year and the beginning of the summer were unexpectedly busy and challenging. The next (and final chapter) will be up very soon!