Title : Passing On
Author : Booster
Rating : PG-13
Summary : Daniel Jackson had promised her that he'd give Dennis the message. Part of Jinni's 20 minutes with Dennis challenge.
Disclaimer : Buffy and the gang belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Stargate personnel belong to Gekko Productions, Double Secret Productions, MGM/UA, and Showtime/Viacom.
Setting : Mid-Angel season 4, and after "Fallen" for Stargate : SG1.
Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, FanFiction.Net, if anyone else wants it, just email and ask.
Feedback: Yes, please.
There was a noise at the apartment door, and Dennis immediately focused all his attention there. Was it Cordelia finally coming back?
The old familiar taste of disappointment and resignation washed over the ghost as the door swung open only to reveal two men there. Dennis didn't recognize either of them. Dully he supposed that he should get rid of them, but the length of time without her around had sapped him of interest in a lot of things.
The grey haired man stood up from where he'd been kneeling by the door lock, and packed what looked to be a set of picks away. Dennis felt a small surge of anger that these people would try to break into their apartment. The grey haired man turned to the other man and spoke "You sure this is the right place, Daniel? God knows if I'm going to be arrested for breaking into someone's apartment, I'd prefer it to be the right one."
The second person, a tallish dark haired man, pushed his glasses up his nose and stepped inside the apartment. "Don't worry Jack," he said reassuringly, "I definitely remember the address she gave me." He gave the first man a smile and closed the door behind him, shutting his friend out, "It won't take long."
If he had eyes to narrow, Dennis would have, as the man with glasses strode into the middle of the front room and stopped, looking curiously at the place. How dare he come in just like that. A vase dropped off the table behind the man and fell to the floor, shattering on impact. See how he liked that then.
He raised his eyebrows and glanced behind him at the mess. Focusing his attention back in front of him, the man spoke "Dennis? Hi. My name is Daniel Jackson, and I've got a message for you. From Cordelia."
He what? How did he know about her? Or him for that matter? Only Cordelia and her friends knew about Dennis… Maybe he did know something. Dennis focused intently on the man, and felt something…odd about him. As if he was an ordinary human, but at the same time as if there was a trace of something other… and familiar.
The man (Daniel?) cleared his throat and glanced around again, looking slightly ill at ease. "Um… This is going to sound a little silly, but then for all I can tell, I'm speaking to an empty room." He sighed. "Anyway, about a year ago, I died."
Died? He felt normal enough – definitely not a vampire given the blazing sunshine outside, thought Dennis. And what about Cordelia?
"I ascended." Daniel said simply. "I became a higher being, thanks to a little help. And that's where I met Cordelia. She, too, had ascended to become a higher being." He looked off into the distance for a moment, lost in the memories. "We were drawn together, both having somewhat unfinished business back here on earth, and friends who tended to put their lives on the line."
He coughed, looking slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, I sorta did some stuff that got me kicked out and back down on earth. But I promised Cordy before I left that I'd pass this message on to you."
She was alive! In a non-alive alive type of way if he understood properly, but then that was Cordy all over, wasn't it? But what was the message? Concentrating hard, Dennis made one of the curtains draw back, spreading sunshine into the room and illuminating Daniel Jackson.
Certain now that his audience was present, Daniel again pushed his glasses up. "She said that she won't ever be coming back here. There might well be someone running about right now with her physical body, but she's gone. And she's not coming back."
He paused, and just as Dennis's heart was breaking, continued; "But you can go on to where she is. She could do with a very loyal assistant in her new job, and she can't think of anyone better than you. Just let yourself finally relax and let go, she said. Cordy'll be waiting for you."
Stunned, Dennis paused for a second. And inside him, felt the truth of this man's words. Focusing all his strength, all his might, he whispered "Thank you" and let go.
Daniel Jackson smiled happily, and felt the apartment grow both colder and warmer at the same time. Secure that his message have been safely delivered, he crossed back to the main door and left. "Jack? We can go home now."
"Oh?" Jack O'Neill said, straightening up from his pose against the wall. "Someone there, after all?"
"No," said Daniel, casting one last look back into the apartment as he closed the door behind him, "No, there's no-one there any longer."
The end.