Spoilers through Mobius 2
A/N: Thanks to Claira and Jara for their creative input and
making me think.
Atypical
Is today a normal day? I think I'll spend the morning reading, the
afternoon furniture shopping, and the evening with Jack.
It's a summer Saturday. I'm not going to mow the lawn, work in the
garden, or tune my motorcycle. I'm not going to work in my lab, save
the world, or eat jell-o in the commissary. I'm not going to get
married today.
My left hand is bare. There isn't a shade of difference that would
have indicated I actually wore the ring I never should have accepted
in the first place. Ever since the appearance of the tape from the
past, I can't shake the feeling that I'm living in an alternate
reality.
In some reality, I'm getting married today. Perhaps my father is
giving me away, but I doubt it. Maybe my brother is there. In one
reality, General Hammond gives me away; in another, he and Daniel are
still in the Pegasus Galaxy.
I've played a lot of "what if" lately, and not just for the events of
the last few weeks.
What if I'd married Jonas? I can barely fathom a reality where I'm a
soccer mom and Air Force wife. What if Jolinar had lived and I'd
joined the Tok'ra, giving up all Earthly ideas of normal to be with
Martouf? Is he alive somewhere because I chose him? Did I go to
Atlantis with Dr. McKay?
I don't know when I first began my search for normal. Somewhere along
the line, I decided I would be myself, typical or not. At some point,
I decided to give normal a try. I've met one version of myself who
seemed pretty typical: she had a job in a lab, a loving husband…
Somewhere, Dr. Carter has been married to (General?) Jack O'Neill for
six years, four years, two. How many times could we have done what it
took us eight years to do? What is Dr. O'Neill's idea of normal a
son and daughter, a cat or a dog? I don't have to ask if she's happy.
She has found her soul mate. I'm not sure I've ever gone for sappy
concepts like that , but lately I feel a sense of destiny.
It's Saturday morning.
I'm going to have breakfast with Jack. Afterwards, I'll stay in with
my laptop and a couple of journals. Eventually, he'll tire of yard
work and decide it's more fun to distract me. Later, we'll hit the
mall or maybe just a few shops. I'm not going to think too far ahead.
After all, it's just another Saturday at Jack O'Neill's house.
Retirement suits him, and we've started making plans. It's kind of
nice to work out for ourselves what it means to be normal.
Copyright Allie O'Neal (c) 2005
