The Things You Write When You're Dying
A/N: I know I know, everybody's done the letter thing. I'm sorry. This is just my drab attempt. This fic may slot into the other SG-1 one I'm writing, but you don't need to have read that.
Title: The Things You Write When You're Dying Season: After Season 7 Spoilers: Lost City, Divide and Conquer Pairings: S/J Summary: Daniel translates documents Jack wrote whilst under the influence of the Knowledge of the Ancients, but not all of them are what he expects. Daniel's POV.
Disclaimer: I don't own stargate, I don't own the characters, if I did then I would have made the movie and Sam and Jack would be living in the cabin. So clearly I don't.
I was doing the only thing I could to try to save Jack. Sam, she could work on the science, Teal'c, he could go out there and try to find the information. Nearly every SG team were doing just that, desperately seeking the Asguard.
And what am I good for.? Chatting to people, analysing artefacts, translating things. Well, I can't exactly negotiate to save Jack; they didn't have anyone to negotiate with. And the device he was stuck in was...well everybody knew what it was, I didn't need to analyse it further.
So I was translating, but at least there was some hope that what I was translating held the key to saving Jack, he had after all written them.
It was 2 weeks before they were able to successfully and safely transfer Jack back home to the SGC. And 2 days after that she had brought them to me.
Sam had claimed she had gone to his house to 'water any plants', but I knew it was simply down to the fact that she missed him, and needed to be near some part of him.
"They were just lying there, on a pile on the table," She said. "He must have written them Sunday night; I can't imagine why he didn't bring them in."
I stared at the bundle of A4 pages she had slapped down in front of me and considered explanations.
"Perhaps he didn't remember writing them, or maybe he knew what was in them wasn't useful," I suggested, flicking through them.
"You'll translate them right, because Daniel, the answer may be here!" She said it with a rush of emotion and the glimmer of hope in her eyes she got whenever incoming wormhole was announced. The hope it might bring news of how to save him.
"Of course I will Sam, I'll start straight away."
She attempted to smile briefly, and walked out of the room, leaving me alone in my lab where I have indeed spent the last twelve hours carefully translating the texts, surrounded by books, typing them up as I go.
The first set of pages, clipped together undoubtedly by some part of Jack's subconscious at least proved to be as fascinating as it was long. It was a brief document (only the 15 pages) detailing the reasons the ancients had left earth. Most of it was to be expected, continental drift, glaciers destroying there cities and so on He recorded it all eagerly, feeling guilty for almost enjoying himself.
I knew the second set was different before I even began translating them. For one thing they weren't bound like the others, instead neatly folded. Also this set was just over 3 pages long, by far the shortest lot in the pile.
And when I looked at the writing, though it was clearly in Ancient, it held a familiarity about it. It seemed in away closer to Jack's handwriting.
I began to translate.
Dear ardor, It began. So it was a letter, I stared at the word "ardor". I knew its meaning, and I also knew it wasn't exactly a name. So I guess, hoping the rest of the text would prove me correct.
Dear Sam,
If you're reading this then everything has gone to plan and I am dead.
I hesitated, knowing Jack was not actually dead, just as close to it that he had ever been. I also knew that realistically hope of saving him was low; his condition had been much more advanced than when previously saved by the Asguard. Even if we managed to find them, there may be no way they could help him. So he carried on.
Hopefully I went out in style, taking Anubus with me. If you're reading this then obviously you're alive, so that's probably true. Mind they do have a habit of returning from the dead don't they?
Look at me, I'm babbling. For the last hour or two I've been writing out pages of ancient script. I have no idea what they say, but for some reason I do know they have little to do with saving the Earth. You know, I've just realised I'm writing this in Ancient to. Great, Danny boy gets to read it first.
Oh well Danny, I'd prefer you over anybody else.
I paused for a moment. Even though I knew I was the only person who could possibly translate it, I still felt honoured in an odd sort of way. I suppose I was touched by the fact that even though Jack knew I would see whatever he wrote, he still choose to carry on.
I'm aware time is short, relatively so. That's my excuse for only writing this letter to you. Yet in reality I know it's because you're the only one who I can't properly say goodbye to, not until now, after I'm gone.
Sam, I want you to have everything. They better have given you command or I swear I'll come back and haunt them. You're going to have everything. You'll make General one day and take over the SGC. You'll be around when it all goes public, in charge, like you deserve to be. I can see it all know, and I've decided that's how it's going to be!
I breathed a sigh of relief, now almost certain that I had chosen the recipient of the letter correctly.
And naturally you'll not just be successful at work. You'll get married and have a couple of super-bright kids who'll be splitting atoms before elementary school. Maybe you'll even call one Jack, but that might curse the kid so I don't actually want you to.
I want you to do everything you can to get that life because you of all people deserve it. You are the most incredible person I know.
I'm still actually avoiding the real reason I'm writing this letter. I don't know why, I'm dead. It doesn't matter what you think, or how you feel. I'm gone, you can't exactly reject me.
And if you do feel the same, I'm sorry I never said anything before now. But I wanted you to have that life, that future, and I thought me and my feelings only stood in the way of it.
I love you.
Good, I've managed to say it a page and a half in.
I tried not to fall in love with you, really I did. I tried to pretend I didn't love you. I am honestly happy or you and Pete, incredibly jealous as well mind, but happy...
I don't exactly know when I fell in love with you, I never acknowledged it until that whole armband incident, I kept it hidden away. But at some point between then and when I met you I fell in love with you.
For crying out loud, this is soppy isn't it? See, you make me completely out of character some days.
I loved your smile first. When I saw you smiling for the first time I took a vow to try and make you do that as much as possible. If I made you laugh: bonus.
Even after all these years I'm still blown away by you. My stomach still flips and my heart skips a beat if I see you unexpectedly...
I had to grin at this. I knew Jack had a softer side but this was getting a bit cringe worthy...
I did actually look behind me for a second and then, smiling, I carried on translating.
I don't think anybody can get over how brainy you are, especially not simple little me, I'm now defiantly sure you're that national treasure.
Beautiful, intelligent, strong, funny, passionate, loyal and kind. The Asguard SO should have picked you as there representative of earth.
I love you, thought I'd mention that again. And if I were to be greedy and selfish and have one wish, I would choose to be the one who gets to share that life with you. To marry you, have children with you, wake up every morning and see your face. I would say grow old with you but I appear to have already done that.
But you deserve more than me, and in my death perhaps you'll gain it.
I love you so much. Part of me wishes you hadn't turned up when you id Danny, cause maybe I would have chanced to kiss you Sam.
I immediately felt overwhelmed with Guilt. I and Teal'c had argued briefly over whether they should visit Jack then or leave it a while. Teal'c seemed to think it was a good idea to leave them alone, but I had thought Sam would be feeling awkward and we should go then.
I knew you were unsure of what to say to me (At least I'd been partially right...) but I still wanted you there. I wanted to hold you like I have before, to stroke your hair and for you to rest your head on my shoulder. But that didn't happen and perhaps that's how it's meant to be.
By the way, I don't talk to her that often, maybe once or twice a year.
Well, I think me talking on and on for more than 3 pages is enough, don't you?
Do everything you can and everything you want with your life Sam, don't have any regrets ever.
Love you always,
Jack
Finishing the translation, I found myself unsure of what to do. There they were, all of Jack's feelings, typed out neatly into a word document ready for me to decide there fate.
Then she walked in.
"Anything useful?" Sam asked.
A:/N: Its time to review people! Tell me what you think, any ideas you have and such! They're all welcome!
And please refrain from being overly nasty because I'm annoyingly sensitive. I am aware I'm a crap writer, so you don't need to tell me!!!