The Life he Left Behind

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a/n: This story basically goes completely AU after season 4's episode 'Beneath the Surface'. FYI, in case some of you didn't already figure that out.

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Retired Air Force Colonel Jack O'Neill sat on the deck of his house boat, docked on the shore of Lake Michigan, contemplating his next move in life. Mike was back to good health, completely healed from his stroke over two years ago. His physical therapy was over, so Jack no longer had any reason to stick around Chicago. He was quite fond of his house boat, 'The Homer', that he had bought shortly after moving to Chicago. However, it didn't compare to his cabin and pond in Minnesota, and with Mike no longer needing his help and Sara in an established relationship with David, he felt he was no longer needed here.

The thought of going back to Colorado Springs popped into his head. He would love to return to his house, his truck, his friends. But, as quickly as the hope of going home came into his heart, he pushed it out, his friends hated him now. He left them. He refused to come back, to talk to them. He ignored their pleas. Called them liars when they claimed Carter needed him. He couldn't expect them to forgive him. Hell, he couldn't forgive himself.

Just as Jack had set down his fishing pole to get up, he was engulfed in a white light and then the familiar gray of a familiar ship was all around him.

Jack was half way to a standing position when he was beamed aboard the asgaard ship, so he was able to keep his balance and avoid falling on his butt. He stood to his full height, taking in the familiar surroundings when a door lifted and Thor came walking into the room.

"Thor, buddy! Long time no see," Jack exclaimed, exuberantly.

"O'Neill. It is nice to see you once again. It has been a long time, indeed," the small gray alien replied, looking up at the retired colonel.

"So," Jack said, rubbing his hands together. "You are aware I'm retired? Would this happen to be a social call?"

"I am afraid it is not," Thor replied.

"Ah," was all Jack said.

"In the time that you have been away from Stargate Command, the Asgaard and the Tauri have become great allies. We have fought together against the Goa'uld and the replicators. However, I am afraid that several of your stargate teams have been captured. A powerful goa'uld by the name of Anubis is holding your former teammates with Ancient technology."

"So…what does this have to do with me?" Jack asked, at the same time wondering if SG-1 was one of the teams being held captive.

"You have the ability to use Ancient technology. If you can shut off the force shield where the other stargate members are being held, I can beam them aboard my ship."

"So, what's the catch?" Jack asked. He had been gone awhile, but, he still remembered how all their alien allies always withheld some small tidbit of information.

"I am afraid I cannot beam you directly inside because of the force shield. You will have to find your way to the Ancient device."

Jack scrutinized the little gray alien for a few seconds. "Yeah, all right. You beam me up some firearms and you've got a deal."

Moments later the firearms were beamed aboard.

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Claire Reynolds walked into the infirmary with two unwilling toddlers at 1500. "An Janet, An Janet, pwease don't give us shots!" shouted Jonathon Carter, running over to a bed and crawling up into it.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. But, you have shots due. You have to get them or you could get really sick," Janet tried to explain to the young boy.

"You said 'could'. Could dunnot mean for sure," he argued.

"But, it's better to be safe than sorry. Right?" Janet reasoned.

"Then you get the shot!" he said, standing up on the bed and pointing his finger at the doctor.

"I'm sorry, Jonathon, but you and Chloe both have to have shots. If you're good I'll take you to see Uncle T afterwards," Janet offered, knowing Teal'c was one of his favorite people.

"Okay," Jonathon agreed, plopping down on the bed and holding his arm out to Janet.

By the time the check-ups were over, Janet could barely constrain the excited two year old.

"Are we done yet, An Janet? I wanna go NOW!" Jonathon complained, loudly.

"Okay, okay. Chloe, do you want to visit Uncle Teal'c, too?" Janet asked the quiet little girl, still sitting on the bed Janet had put her on.

"No. I wanna color," she announced.

"Okay, well that's fine," Janet said, pulling a notebook and crayons out and setting them on a meal tray and rolling it over Chloe's bed. "Here you go, sweetie. I'm going to run your brother down to Uncle Teal'c's room and then I'll be right back. Okay? If you need anything , just ask nurse Jenny."

"Okay, Aunt Janet," Chloe replied, already pulling out the crayons.

Janet told the nurse to keep an eye on Chloe and then headed for Teal'c's quarters holding on to the hand of a rambunctious two-year old who, Janet thought, acted just like his father.

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Major General George Hammond was sitting in his office. He was worried about his teams captured by Anubis. They were only past due a couple hours and if it were not for Thor informing him of their capture, he would have no idea where they were. Thor had informed him of his plan to recruit Jack O'Neill to rescue the teams. General Hammond was unsure of Thor's plan, but, he knew Jack well, and was pretty sure Jack wouldn't turn down Thor. All of a sudden a white light engulfed the room and left behind one Retired Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"Jack!" Hammond exclaimed, standing up out of his seat.

"Hey, George. How's it going?" Jack asked, standing in the room acting as if only a day had gone by since the last time he saw him.

"Well, considering you were just beamed into my office, I'm hoping I have reason to be in a good mood," George replied.

"Yup! Thor beamed them all into the gate room. He figured they wouldn't all fit in here," Jack answered, looking around the small office.

Now that the stress of his captured teams was off his shoulders, he focused on the man in front of him. "So, how have you been, Jack? We miss you around here."

"Yeah, I have to say, I miss this place. Quite a bit, actually," Jack responded , regret evident in his voice. He looked at General Hammond, a look of remorse clearly written on his face. "Look, General, I was way out of line. I've been wanting to apologize to you for two years."

"You're forgiven, Jack. I'm well aware you were under a huge amount of stress at the time. I just wish you would have come back and talked about it. We could have worked something out."

Jack looked at the general with an unbelieving expression. "I doubt you could have fixed my problem, sir."

"You'd be surprised, Jack. You'd be surprised," the general replied, sadness in his eyes.

"So, my team?" Jack asked, curious and nervous about his old friends. Would they forgive him?

"Dr. Jackson is working on some Ancient text. He's probably in his office. I believe Teal'c is in his quarters. Probably doing his Kel'no'reem. Col. Carter is at Area 51 for the day."

"Colonel Carter?" Jack asked, stressing the colonel part and raising his eyebrows.

"Lt. Col. Carter was promoted last year when she took over command of Research and Development."

"Well, good for her!" Jack exclaimed, proudly. "So, she's not leading SG-1?"

"No, Col. Carter had personal issues and asked to be removed from gate travel," the general answered, trying to be as vague as he could. It was not his place to inform Jack of his children.

"Is she ok?" he asked, concerned and a little frightened that something happened to Carter.

"Yes, she's perfectly fine. She should be home tonight. How long are you staying in town?"

"I don't know yet," Jack answered, honestly. "So, do you think I can go see if Daniel and T will forgive me as easily as you?"

"Stop off in the infirmary and get a check-up from Frasier first. Then, I'll allow you full access to the base."

"Aw, come on, sir! A check-up," Jack argued.

"My base, Jack. My rules," the general answered, smugly.

"Yeah, all right all ready. I hope her needles haven't gotten any bigger," Jack grumbled as he turned to leave Hammond's office.

Hammond just smiled. The base hadn't been the same since Jack's abrupt departure.

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Jack walked into the infirmary and looked around for Dr. Frasier. Not finding her, but noticing a small toddler sitting on one of the beds, his curiosity got the better of him. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hello," he said to the little girl. She looked up and he noticed how absolutely adorable the little girl was.

"Hi," she said, shyly.

"So, what's your name?" Jack asked her.

"What's yours?" she asked him back.

"I asked you first," he teased in his normal O'Neill childishness.

She looked at him as if she was trying to figure out what he was thinking. A look Jack was eerily familiar with. He just couldn't figure out why. "I'm Chloe," she finally said to him.

"Well, hello Chloe. That is such a pretty name! My name is Jack. Jack O'Neill."

The moment he said his name, Chloe's head shot up and she looked at him with a curious expression on her face. "It's nice to meet you," she said, holding her hand out to shake his.

Jack laughed lightly when he saw her gesture and shook her little hand. "You are very polite."

"Thank you, sir. So are you," She replied in a very familiar way. Jack was starting to feel like he somehow knew this little girl. He knew that was impossible. He hadn't even been around here in over two years and the girl couldn't be older than that.

"You're very pretty, too," he said, taking in her cute little blonde ringlets.

"Thank you. I look like my mommy. 'Cept for my eyes," she told him.

"Really? Who's your mom, does she work here? Maybe I know her."

"Yeah, she works here. She's…."

"Colonel!" Came Dr. Frasier's voice from the doorway of the infirmary. She quickly made her way over to Jack and Chloe.

"Doc! How's it going? Miss me?" He asked, cheerily.

"Of course, Colonel. We all have," she told him, picking Chloe up off the bed and standing her up on the floor. "Chloe, why don't you take your paper and crayons to my office?" She said to the toddler.

"Okay." Chloe said, pulling the paper she was coloring on out of the notebook and handing it to Jack. "Here. I want you to have this. I made it for you."

"Oh! Thank you, Chloe. You didn't have to do that," Jack said, awed by the little girl's gift.

"It's a picture of my family. Me, Jonthon, Mommy and you," she told him and then kissed him on the cheek. "B-Bye, Jack," she said and ran into Janet's office.

Janet was shocked, surprised, worried! And, probably 5 or 6 more emotions as well. The last person she was expecting to see with Chloe was Jack O'Neill. She was worried about what they talked about. If Chloe told him who her mom was. If she knew who he was. She couldn't know, could she? But, why did she draw him in the picture? Janet was confused. "Sir. What are you doing here?" She finally asked him.

"Ah, I just got back from a little trip with Thor. Hammond sent me down here for a check-up before allowing me to beg forgiveness from Daniel and T."

"Oh," Janet said, making a funny expression, then gathering her supplies to look over O'Neill.

"So, Doc. Will they forgive me?" Jack asked her, a sad expression on his face.

Janet looked at him for a few seconds before answering. "Well, you know how Daniel is. But, Teal'c will probably be happy to see you again. I suggest going to Teal'c first and then approaching Daniel."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"Hold on and I'll call Teal'c down to meet you as soon as your check-up's over." Jack shook his head in agreement, so Janet went over and picked up the phone on the wall. "Teal'c, could you come down here in about ten minutes? Drop Jonathon off in my office using the outer door before coming in? Good. See you soon," she quietly said into the phone.

Ten minutes later, Jack's check-up was over and Teal'c was entering the infirmary through Frasier's office. "O'Neill. It is good to see you," the stoic jaffa said after taking in the sight of his estranged friend.

"T, buddy! It's good to see you, too," Jack exclaimed. "Uh, T, I want to apologize to you about my behavior. I took your friendship for granted and I'm sorry. I never should have left you guys."

"Your apology is unnecessary, O'Neill. I have not held a grudge against you. However, I do believe you would benefit greatly in apologizing to Colonel Carter."

"Yeah, T. I plan to, trust me," Jack admitted. "So, want to accompany me to a certain archaeologist's office and watch me grovel, unabashedly?"

"Indeed," Teal'c answered. A very small grin gracing his lips for a quick second.

As soon as the men left, Janet let out the breath she had been, unknowingly, holding. The one thing she was relieved about was that Chloe's drawings were indecipherable. She only managed to draw lines and circles as of yet. Nothing resembling actual humans. She was pretty sure Col. O'Neill wouldn't be able to figure out who Chloe's mom was from the drawing. Still worried about Col. O'Neill's encounter with Chloe, Janet quickly gathered the twins and headed out of the mountain for home, planning on calling Sam as soon as she got in her front door.

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