I found myself sitting on the ramp leading up to the Stargate. I drew my legs up o my chest and hugged them. I wanted to cry, but no tears came out. So I just sat there, drowning myself in sorrow.
"Sam?"
My head jerked up in confusion. No one had even noticed me before, now someone was talking to me? I turned around.
"Daniel!!" I leapt up and hugged him, overjoyed. "Jesus, Danny, where the hell have you been?! I missed you so much, and Jack, well he, and I, and, oh my god, guess what?! I ACTUALLY saw Teal'c smile! Can you believe it?!" I babbled. Then, despite myself, I giggled. Daniel laughed too. I hugged him harder.
"God, it's good to see you again."
"I missed you too Sam."
I let go of him and took a step back. The scientific part of my brain started to kick in once again. I laughed bitterly.
"Of course, you're not really, are you." It was more of a statement then a question. "Jesus, I should've known. Duh, Sam! He's dead! This is just a hallucination!" I stormed down the ramp.
"Sam, I'm really here."
"No you're not, Daniel! You're dead!"
He ran after me and grabbed my shoulder.
"Sam, it's really me. I ascended," he said calmly. I twirled around, ready to slap him. Suddenly his words penetrated my outraged brain.
"What?"
"I ascended," he smiled at me. "I'm really here,"
"Ascended? Like Oma Desala?"
"Yeah."
"Sweet. How's that working out?"
He smiled.
"You sound like Jack."
I giggled once again. Then I stopped suddenly.
"Wait, if you ascended, that means you're all powerful, right?"
"Well-"
"So that means you can heal me!" I grinned.
"Sam, I can't."
My face fell. "Why not? I thought you were all powerful."
"I am, but-"
"Well then, why can't you heal me?"
"I'm not allowed."
"Then why the hell are you here Daniel?!" I was starting to get annoyed.
"I'm here to offer you ascension," he said, unfazed by my sudden mood swings.
"So you can't heal me."
"No."
I sunk back down to the ramp.
"But I don't want to die," I said softly. Daniel sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I leaned into him.
"I know sweetie, but there's nothing anyone can do. All you can do is choose whether to simply die, or move onto greater things."
I was silent. Finally I spoke up.
"How do I ascend?"