Lady Lazarus
Spoilers- S7 Heroes pt 2 and S8 Threads mainly.
Disclaimer- none belong to me, I make no money yadda yadda yadda.
Note- everyone else was doing it. :)
xxx
Daniel Jackson stepped into the waiting elevator and adjusted a file under his arm. One of the SFs jumped in just before the doors closed and hit level 27, giving Daniel a respectful nod when he realized who he shared the elevator with.
Ever since the first time Daniel had descended the military personnel had been very respectful. It was interesting, the fist few times Daniel hadn't even noticed, although he was aware that people had stopped running into him. Teal'c had pointed out that there was a difference in their behaviour. Jack, of course, had laughed his ass off. Teal'c had considered it Daniel's due since in his eyes Daniel had been a formidable warrior for some time. Sam had unabashedly encouraged it. General Hammond had never said anything but there was a certain look he'd get. Cassie agreed with Teal'c, though with a lot more giggling, and Janet-
Daniel sighed. Janet had just grinned and asked him if it meant he would get injured less.
God, he missed her. She had been gone a year but there were still times when he would think he had to tell her something or show her something or get someone to her for medical attention. He had even made it to the infirmary once before he realized what he was doing.
"Um, Doctor Jackson?" The SF cleared his throat. "Is this your floor, sir?"
Daniel shook his head to clear his thoughts and gave the SF a small nod and smile of thanks for holding the doors. Daniel stepped out of the elevator, glancing down at his watch. Daniel cursed quietly under his breath in Chinese. He was running late for the briefing, not that it really mattered much, Jack was always running late for SG-1's briefings. Nevertheless, Daniel picked up the pace.
Just as Daniel had predicted, Sam and Teal'c sat at the briefing table waiting for Jack to arrive.
Sam grinned up at him. "A little late, aren't we, Daniel?"
Daniel shrugged, slipping into a chair beside her. "Captain Mathews from SG-19 found another artifact in his pack. Where's Jack?"
Teal'c steepled his fingers. "O'Neill is on the telephone."
"How long has he been in there?" Daniel gestured vaguely towards Jack's office."
"He got the call about half an hour ago," Sam informed him.
Daniel smirked. "Hiding out in your office again?"
Sam rolled her eyes. "He actually broke one of screwdrivers. Snapped it in two. I can't figure out how he did it."
Daniel chuckled. "He has a knack for destruction." He opened the file. "Who's Jack talking to anyway?"
"It was the President." Jack pushed off the door frame and strolled casually over to his chair.
Sam sat up straighter. "Is there anything wrong, sir?"
Jack lowered himself into his chair with a groan and swung it around to face the table. "Nah, he just wanted to check in, make sure everyone was okay. I think he was looking for some gossip about your second descension, Daniel."
"Really?" Daniel asked skeptically.
Jack nodded. "Yep, I told him we'd give him a call next time we went fishing. He can ask you all the questions he wants then."
"You invited the President to go fishing?"
"Yeah."
Teal'c quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure that is wise, O'Neill?"
"He said he was looking forward to it."
"Really?" Sam couldn't help but ask.
Jack looked hurt. "You enjoyed it."
Sam shifted in her seat. "That was more the company, sir."
"Right." Jack cleared his throat. "What was this briefing about again?"
Daniel adjusted his glasses. "Ah, 3XA-829."
"3XA-829?" Jack frowned. "The singing people?"
"Chanting," Daniel corrected.
Jack shrugged. "'Potato, potato. So, you want to go back there why?"
"Sir, initial analysis shows that 3XA-829 could hold the key to curing hundred of diseases-"
A bright flash of light and the sound of a body falling to the floor interrupted her, drawing everyone's attention to Jack's office. Jack shared a look with Daniel.
"Aw, for cryin' out loud!" Jack pushed back his chair angrily. "What now?"
He stomped the few steps to his office door and looked inside. Jack froze, staring at whoever had appeared. Jack blinked, snapping out of the daze. In a familiar move he snagged the flag off one of the two flag poles and carried it into his office.
"Sir?" Sam rose.
Jack's voice could be heard as he quietly spoke to someone. There was no reply. Jack emerged from the office, one arm wrapped around the shoulders of a person. A petite person, who was pale, trembling and very naked but for the American flag that was wrapped around her.
Sam gasped, her hand fluttering by her throat as tears filled her eyes.
"Janet."
xxxxx
Jack cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. Sam glanced over at him, her eyes quickly returning to her resurrected friend. Teal'c stood beside the bed Jack was perched on, his arms held formally behind his back and a stoic expression on his face. Daniel gnawed on his lip as he watched doctors and nurses take Janet's temperature, test her reflexes and carefully examine the machines she was connected to.
"What do you think happened to her?" Jack asked abruptly.
Daniel shook his head. "I don't know."
"Maybe she was doing the glowy higher power thing as well."
Daniel shook his head more forcefully. "I don't think so. Are we-" Daniel hesitated. "Are even sure that's Janet Fraiser?"
"That's why the doctors are testing her now. Ah, speak of the devil."
Dr Brightman nodded as she approached. "Sir, I just received the preliminary reports back from the tests. It's a match. This is Janet Fraiser and as far as we can tell she's in perfect health. There isn't even a scar."
"Can we see her?" Sam slid off the bed she was sitting on, her legs slightly unsteady underneath her weight.
Dr Brightman gave her a small smile. "I can't see why not. Just keep in mind she's had a big shock, try not to excite or startle her in any way."
"Does she… remember everything? Anything?"
Dr Brightman sighed. "As far as I can tell, her memory is intact."
"Thanks, Doc."
Jack, Daniel and Teal'c instinctively fell back, allowing Sam to go first. They watch silently as she gingerly approached Janet. Jack slid off the bed and joined Daniel and Teal'c. Sam stopped at the foot of Janet's bed, fidgeting awkwardly. Their low voices carried in the deathly silent infirmary.
"Hi."
Janet smiled wanly. "Hi, Sam."
Sam returned the smile with a watery one of her own. "How are you feeling?"
Janet shrugged, idly playing with the hospital blanket. "Pretty good for a person who's supposed to be dead. How's Cassie?"
"She's survivor. We've been looking after her, but she misses her mom." Sam bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "I missed you."
Something broke and suddenly the two were crying and hugging each other.
Jack inhaled deeply. "Okay, let's go."
He very carefully put his hands in his pockets and sauntered over in a pseudo casual manner. He stopped at the corner of the bed, clearing his throat to let the still hugging women know they had company.
Sam pulled back from Janet, sniffing loudly and wiping at her eyes.
Janet smiled up at the four people surrounding her bed. She reached out and grasped Sam's hand firmly, her small frame belying her strength. "I'm so happy to see you guys."
"We are extremely pleased to see you alive and well, Doctor Frasier."
Jack nodded and hitched a thumb at Teal'c. "Yeah. What he said. So, what the hell happened? Not that we're not grateful you're alive or anything."
Janet looked around the infirmary, searching for another familiar figure. "Shouldn't we wait for General Hammond?"
Daniel coughed. "Um, General Hammond's been promoted. We have a new General in command."
"Who?"
Daniel nodded significantly at Jack. Janet frowned, her brow wrinkling. She looked to Sam, who also nodded. Janet's eyes widened.
"Oh. I- um- Congratulations, sir. I never would have guessed."
Daniel smirked at the frown that provoked. "Yeah, well, you die and you kinda get left out of the loop. It's something I'm all too familiar with."
Jack tried to get the conversation back on track. "Doc, I don't wanna push, but I've got the President demanding answers and you can be sure that everyone out there has an opinion. What happened?"
Janet tightened her grip on Sam's hand. "I-I'm not sure really. I remember being called out and that injured solider. I remember Daniel filming a message for his wife. Is he okay? Did he survive?"
"He and his new daughter Janet are fine."
Janet relaxed. "I'm glad. Um, after- I remember being hit." Janet ran hand over the area, surprised when the skin was smooth and unscarred. "After that, it- I- it was like was trapped."
"Limbo," Teal'c supplied.
"The dance contest thing with the stick?"
Daniel glared at Jack. "It's said that people who die violent deaths or who die before their time, they get stuck. In a kind of limbo. Unable to return to the living or to move onto what comes next."
"That sounds about right," Janet confirmed.
"So the question becomes, how exactly did you escape?"
Janet looked up, her eyes dark and shiny. "I didn't. Oma saved me."
xxxxx
Daniel tapped on the infirmary door frame. It had been unusually silent in the infirmary since Jacob had died. Janet's bed was the only one filled.
Janet looked up at the noise, smiling at the familiar face. "Come in, Daniel. It'd be nice to have some company while I'm stuck here."
Daniel walked in and settled himself in the chair beside her bed. "I have to say I'm surprised Siler isn't here. He must be having a run of good luck."
"It's nice to know some things haven't changed." Janet shook her head. "I can't believe they promoted Jack O'Neill to General and put him in command of the base."
"Who better?"
"He does know this place inside and out," Janet coincided. "It's not just that. Sam was engaged. No more Replicators. Goa'uld no longer a big threat. And Cassie's at college."
"It's a lot to take in," Daniel agreed. "Plus, we kind of sold your house and got rid of most of your stuff. That's always the part I hate."
"At least I'm alive again." Janet wrapped her hand around the metal frame of the bed, enjoying the sensation of cold, hard metal after feeling nothing for so long.
"Yeah, ah, I wanted to talk to you about that actually."
"Oma." Janet grinned. "She's nice."
"She is." Daniel leaned forward. "Did she explain to you why she saved you?"
"I shouldn't have been there. She kept saying something about how it was a shame so much time had been lost and how much would need to be rebuilt and how I was needed."
"Don't know how we survived this long without you." Daniel patted her on the arm. "I have to say you are handling this remarkably well, but if you need anything just let me know."
"I may hold you to that, Doctor Jackson."
"Please do, Doctor Frasier."
"Mom?"
Daniel and Janet turned to see Cassie standing in the doorway. There was a flash of blonde hair as Sam turned back down the corridor.
"Mom?" Cassie's voice cracked, silent tears running down her cheeks.
"Cassie!" Janet threw back her blankets and ran to her daughter. They both started to cry as Janet held her daughter to her, stroking her hair.
"Mommy."
"It's okay, baby."
Daniel left Janet and Cassie, wanting to give them some privacy for their reunion. He felt a grin spread across his face. It felt like things were finally starting to look up.
xxx
end.