Here we are guys at the last chapter. Thanks to my faithful few for keeping my spirits up with their reviews. Hope you've enjoyed reading this. Please R & R to let me know.
Special thanks to Revvie-S; Froggy0319; SG-Fan; Gwil; debcole; pain-in-the-mikta; and spacejunkie82 for their constant reviews…thanks guys for all you support, it's much appreciated.
Spacejunkie: Probably not, but it was the only way I knew you all would understand how important the characters were, especially the nasty General.
So here we are, an extra long chapter for the finale.
DISTANT MEMORIES
By Lingren
Previously:
The Jack O'Neill stalking the halls of the SGC just wasn't the same any more. He listened attentively, and sat still while people explained things to him. Although this was good from Hammond's point of view, it wasn't what they really wanted. They needed Jack to be the way he was before. Sarcastic, impossible, impatient, belligerent, and downright annoying at times. In other words just for him to be...himself.
Chapter 11
The Kel-no-Reem helped a little and Jack now recalled and understood what went on around him. He could make sense of the things he saw and heard now. He knew his place in the SGC and could begin to recall people and places and a few past missions.
Another week later and he had been allowed to leave the base to go home but Daniel, Teal'c or Sam had always been there with him. There were still a lot of blanks in his memory, but gradually they were filling in.
Over the ensuing weeks he'd felt much closer to Sam than ever and she was happier now that he could recall their 'more than' friendship, though he was rather put out that he couldn't be that close to her while under the scrutiny of the SGC, and in particular General Hammond. He didn't like tiptoeing around the issue of their feelings. For Sam's sake though he understood the intricacies of the regulations and so his feelings remained hidden at work.
Then came the day when General Hammond decided that it might do him good to go on a short trip off-world to a familiar and safe planet.
Jack felt great. He had been restless and eager to get back to work, though Janet hadn't yet signed him off as fully fit for normal duty as yet, he still wasn't the same Jack.
This trip, to a designated safe planet, would be undertaken as a re-introduction to gate travel. It would be to him, like his first trip, and Sam was going to be the officer in charge.
Jack didn't mind, so long as he got to go somewhere other than sitting around on his butt getting bored inside the mountain or at home in front of the TV, and it was with Sam.
They all met up in the gate room, and he had a distinct feeling of déjà-vu, when he recalled the last time they were here.
"Sir. What is it?" Sam asked, touching his elbow when she saw him shake his head.
"I remember this," he said, pleased he could recall standing there ready for a mission. "We did this a lot."
"Yes sir, we did," she grinned.
"Bananas!" he recalled suddenly, grinning, though what it had to do with anything was beyond him.
Sam giggled, and Daniel gaped.
"Yes sir," she grimaced. "Our last mission was to Ban Danara. It's where... where you were...wounded."
"Oh!" he said, his face wrinkling into a scowl when he recalled what he had been told about how he'd been treated.
"Not going there now are we?" he asked worriedly.
"No sir. No way!"
"Good! That's good."
"Ready Colonel?"
Jack swung round to face the General up in the control room.
"Yes sir," he answered brightly, saluting the senior officer. He was raring to go.
The wormhole established and Sam grinned at him. Together they walked into the shimmering flux, followed by the others.
When they stepped out onto the planet, everything was calm and peaceful. There was lush vegetation in abundance and a bright sun shone in a clear blue sky.
Jack stood and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
"Okay sir?" Sam asked.
Jack snapped out of his reverie, and grinned.
"Fine Major. Just thinking," he shrugged.
"About?"
"I remember this. Not particularly this place, but others like it. I remember the wild ride and the rush."
"That's great Jack. Maybe this will help you recall more."
Sam got her bearings and put Teal'c on point and Daniel on their six while she and Jack walked side by side between them. Not talking, but comfortable. He was taking in the countryside and Sam left him to soak up the atmosphere, hoping that it would further jog his memory of doing this on a regular basis.
They hadn't gone more than 100 metres when there was an explosion right behind them. They dropped to the ground to see where the attack was coming from. Luckily it wasn't coming from where the Stargate stood, but from an area by the trees to their right. With Jack out of action, all because the General insisted he carry no weapons as yet, Sam knew that they had to get back to the gate or risk getting captured or worse.
"Daniel, get back to the gate and dial up. We're getting out of here," she yelled above the barrage.
Teal'c was on his knees, firing into the bushes around them. Jack was lying flat on the ground, hands over his head trying to keep down out of the way. Sam too opened fire to protect him as they were near to each other, and as soon as the wormhole established she ordered Jack to run for it.
He did so, scrambling to his feet and running, but something made him look round, and he saw Sam get blasted, falling to the ground. He screamed out in denial.
"Sam! Noooo!" he ran back to her, dodging the blasts that spat dirt around his feet. There was no way he was leaving her behind. He never left anyone behind if he could help it, and another piece of the puzzle that was Jack O'Neill slotted into place. The noise of the battle was familiar and he saw it played out in vivid Technicolor in his mind as he ran towards her.
"Sam!" She couldn't be dead; she couldn't leave him. He loved her.
The next thing he knew he was flying from his close proximity to an explosion. That's when the lights went out, and he knew no more.
Sam lifted herself off the ground. Her head hurt but she looked up just as Jack screamed her name, just in time to see him get blown into the air. A blast from a death glider had exploded into the ground next to him, tossing him into the air to land in an unconscious heap. She scrambled over to him, reaching him at the same time as Teal'c.
Together they hoisted him onto Teal'c's shoulder and ran quickly towards the safety of the open wormhole, while Daniel covered their sixes.
General Hammond hadn't long returned to his office when he was summoned by the call of "Unscheduled Gate activation."
He ran back down the stairs to hear the Sergeant confirm who was calling.
"It's SG-1 sir. They're coming in hot!"
The iris swirled open immediately and he ordered a medical team to the gate room. He was wondering what the hell had gone wrong for his premier team now. They'd only been gone a matter of minutes.
Puffing slightly, he hurried into the gate-room in time to see Teal'c rush through with Jack's unconscious form slung over his shoulder, quickly followed by Sam who was being supported by Daniel and then several blasts from staff weapons which made everyone duck down quickly.
Someone yelled for the iris to be shut, but Hammond's concentration was centred on the limp figure of his 2IC. Did this man never cut a break? He wondered.
"What the hell happened Major?" he demanded, standing back as Janet and her staff rushed into the room.
For the first time he took a closer look at Sam. She was resting her hands on her knees, gasping in great gulps of air, and when she stood up at his question, he could see she was bleeding from a graze along her forehead.
"Are you okay Major?" he asked taking her arm when she wavered slightly.
"I'll be fine sir. It's the Colonel. He was knocked out by a blast from a death glider sir."
They stood silent for a moment while they watched Janet quickly examine the Colonel, keeping their gaze fixed on the gurney as they rapidly wheeled him away.
"They came out of nowhere General. We didn't see any sign of them until they opened fire."
"Go get yourself to the infirmary Major. We'll debrief in two hours. Dr. Jackson?" Hammond called, indicating that he should help Sam to the infirmary. He was full of curiosity as to why a safe planet had been overrun with Jaffa troops but it would have to wait until the team was cleared by Dr. Fraiser.
"Yes sir."
Daniel took Sam's arm, holding her steady as they walked from the room. Hammond knew she was worried about O'Neill. Hell, they all were. This was all the Colonel needed now on top of everything else.
An hour later, Janet loomed over the inert figure lying on the infirmary bed, lifting an eyelid to shine her pen light into the Colonel's eye.
She had a marked reaction to the first one, but the second eye blinked rapidly and Jack pulled his head away sharply, regretting it immediately with a deep groan of pain.
"Jeeez Doc. Do ya mind, for cryin' out loud?" he grumbled, trying to stop his head from spinning; blinking away the bright spots now in front of his pupils. He knew a concussion when he had one.
"Sorry Colonel, but I have to check your reactions. How do you feel?"
"Like I just got blindsided by a semi-truck!"
"That's to be expected sir. That blast could have killed you."
"Well it didn't, though come to think of it, maybe it did," he replied. "God...I hurt."
"Well if it's any consolation, you're covered in cuts and bruises."
"Gee thanks for the visual Doc."
Janet took his temperature and checked his pulse and BP again.
"Where's Carter? Is she okay?" he asked, panicking slightly as he recalled her going down.
"Sam's fine Colonel. She took a little knock but she's... Colonel?" she queried, her face showing puzzlement.
"Doc?" Now he was equally as confused by her reaction.
"You called her Carter?"
"And? So? I always call her Carter or Major; that is her name."
"Sir, What do you recall of your visit to PZ8 927?"
"Not a lot. I remember getting shot to pieces after we arrived. How'd we get home?"
"What about the mission before that sir?"
"Piece of cake Doc. Nice quiet planet. No wildlife tryin' t' eat us, no-one shootin' at us. Why?"
"That was over two months ago Colonel."
"What?" he gasped. "Two months? What the hell happened in between?"
"It's a long story sir. But I'm sure Sam will fill you in soon, but not now."
He sighed resignedly. It was a total mystery to him as to why he'd just lost two months of memories, and his head hurt already.
"Do you recall getting injured this time round?"
"Yep. Carter went down and the next thing I know, I'm flying through the air like a bird only without the wings. Then someone turned the lights out."
"How's the head? Headache?"
"Nail in the head type Doc."
Janet smiled at him, understanding his head ached badly, she injected another dose of pain killer, telling him she'd be back in a minute, then disappeared much to his further bewilderment.
He shrugged as best he could, wishing he hadn't, and lying back, closing his eyes he rested but wondered what the hell was going on.
Janet came back a little while later, but this time, General Hammond, Daniel, and Teal'c came, and so did Sam who was sporting several neat stitches in her forehead. Jacob entered the room too.
All the time Jack had lost his memory, Jacob had not visited the SGC, but as he stepped into the room with the others, Jack greeted him in his usual manner.
"Jacob. Hi! So what do we owe this visit to? You can't tell me you came all this way to see me?" he asked, frowning at their beaming faces.
"Hi Jack. Good to see you're still with us," Jacob replied.
"General, Daniel, Teal'c," he nodded at each of them in acknowledgement. "Carter, you okay?" he asked pointing at the row of stitches in her brow.
"He's back!" stated Daniel grinning.
"Oh yeah! Still as irascible as ever," added Janet.
"What?" Jack demanded, getting a little annoyed with their comments and keeping him in the dark as to what they were talking about. He hadn't got a clue as to what they were inferring. "What's goin' on?"
"See what I mean?" Janet said with a grin.
"It's good to have you back sir," Sam smiled, placing her warm hand on his arm, where it tingled before she removed it quickly. "It must have been that concussion that knocked everything back into place," she speculated. Janet had to agree.
Jack still didn't know what had happened, and no-one seemed in a hurry to enlighten him.
"Yeah? Sorta brings a whole new meaning to the phrase – 'knocking some sense into you', doesn't it Jack!" Daniel laughed, and Jack glowered at him.
"Hey, I resent that!" Jack cried indignantly.
"Aw c'mon Jack...you got to admit it, it worked!" Daniel snorted in amusement, drawing sniggers and laughter from those around the bed.
"It's good to have you back son," Hammond chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.
"Indeed O'Neill," Teal'c rumbled.
Jack wasn't sure that he was awake even. Everything seemed unreal. What the hell were they talking about? He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as his headache spiked with confusion.
They all took the hint at Janet's silent shooing motion.
"Catch you later Jack," Daniel called as everyone made for the door, leaving Sam behind. Even Janet hurried away, satisfied her patient was back to his normal self, and would recover well after his latest escapade.
"Yeah sure!" Jack sighed wearily, he really was tired and his head was pounding. He was still waiting for the meds to take effect.
The door shut, plunging the room into silence.
He looked up at Sam, feeling beyond tired now after all the weird fuss he'd just witnessed. Maybe he'd gone through one of those mirror thingies and had just returned. He didn't know what to think.
"It's really good to know you're going to be okay sir. I thought we might have lost you again."
"Can't get rid of me that easily Carter," he quipped.
"No sir. So I've noticed. Still, it's not through lack of trying though, is it?" she sniggered.
He pouted a little at her joke, but then grinned too because it was Sam.
"And I'll keep bouncing back for as long as I can," he promised.
"Oh I so hope you do," Sam giggled, taking his hand in hers. "Do you...em ...do you remember this?" she asked hesitantly, lifting his hand to show him their entwined fingers, then bringing it to her lips to brush a sweet, tender kiss over his knuckles.
He squeezed the hand beneath his fingers gently.
"Oh yeah. That's something that's deeply engrained into my memory Sam. I'll never forget you, no matter what they do to me."
Sam thought back over the last mission. It was true, even when he couldn't recall anything about his life prior to his brain-washing, he'd still remembered her. He'd known her, even then, drawn to her by something deeper than memory. The recollection of that mission brought a tear to her eye, and a huge quivering smile to her lips from his words.
"No, I don't think you would Jack. Ever," she replied brokenly. "Like I could never forget you."
"Hey! C'mon, what's with the tears," he asked gently, reaching up to wipe the moisture away.
"It's a long story Jack. One that you won't remember anything about, though it almost cost you everything."
"That bad huh?"
She nodded, her voice deserting her.
He squeezed her hand again and smiled.
"I love you Sam. I always will."
"I know Jack. I know."
And she did.
He had proved it without even trying to. And she loved him all the more because of it. She sat down on the edge of the bed, and smoothed his silver hair away from his brow, carefully avoiding the obvious damage. She could see he was tired now, the effects of the blast still too recent.
"Rest Jack and I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."
"Okay, I can do that. You staying?"
"Wild horses Jack." She whispered as his eyes closed involuntarily; weariness setting in. "Wild horses couldn't drag me away."
"Love you Sam..." he whispered drifting off to sleep.
"I love you too Jack!" she whispered back, gently caressing his cheek.
He fell asleep with a smile on his lips at the slight pressure of a sweet kiss on his brow and dreamed dreams of a smiling face with blue eyes that lit up whenever he drew near.
The End.
Thanks for reading this. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks to all of you who bothered to send reviews. I appreciated them a great deal. Thanks.
Another new story on the way!
