Title: Though a Candle Burns…
Chapter: 9 of ?
Email: What if Daniel had managed to get Jack to ascend in Abyss?
Category: Angst/Romance
Rating: Teen
Pairing: S/J
Season: 6
Spoilers: Meridian and Abyss are the obvious ones, but there are spoilers through all of season 6.
Content Warnings: None
Archive: My Site: Yes
SamandJack: Yes
Anywhere else: Yes
Disclaimer: Only the story belongs to me. Nothing else. Clear? Good.
Author's Note: There is an adult chapter that goes before this, however since does not allow adult fic, its on my site.
"I think we can stop watching them now," Daniel said slowly, "I think they're okay."
"What gave you that impression, Daniel?" Oma asked as the image of Sam and Jack faded.
Daniel looked at her, catching the amused glint in her eyes.
"We're close," he informed her, "but not that close."
Oma nodded, smiling.
"Are we gonna talk about what I did?" Daniel asked.
"You were wrong to do what you did, Daniel." Oma said gravely. "We never help people to ascend when they are not ready; when there is no need; or when they are still needed."
"I know, I just-"
"I am not finished, Daniel," Oma admonished mildly. "You acted irresponsibly," Daniel hung his head, "and hastily, out of concern for your friend. And for that reason I cannot condemn you."
"Oma, I- What?"
"I cannot condemn your actions, Daniel." Oma repeated. "You only wished to help your friend. It was an understandable mistake."
Daniel stared at her, dumbstruck for a moment. "Thank you."
Oma smiled benevolently. "You are welcome. However, it cannot happen again. Your friends will time and time again be placed into situations that look bleak. Not just SG-1."
"Do you know something?" Daniel asked before he could stop himself. "Sorry."
"This cannot happen again." Oma reiterated. "I will not be able to stop the others from punishing you if you do this again."
When Jack awoke he was alone.
He sat up, scanning the room. His Tok'ra clothes were still on the floor, mixed up with what Sam had been wearing yesterday.
He stood and stretched. Realising he had no choice, he pulled on the Tok'ra clothes, grimacing as he saw the holes in the top.
He wandered out of the bedroom to look for Sam.
As soon as he opened the bedroom door he knew he was completely alone in the house.
He meandered into Sam's kitchen, in search of something to drink; he'd decide what to do later.
He was halfway through making himself a cup of coffee when he realised what was wrong with the kitchen.
Instead of lying fractured and broken on the countertop, the toaster was complete, looking none the worse for its treatment.
He tried it out. Perfect toast in thirty seconds.
He wondered again at where Sam had gone. And why.
There was a sound outside. A car pulling into the driveway. A door closing. The front door.
Sam was home.
Jack looked guiltily around her kitchen to see if he'd messed it up too much.
He was washing the plate and the cup he'd used when he felt her enter the kitchen.
He turned. "You okay?"
She was standing by the breakfast bar, watching him closely. She smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I just keep expecting you to disappear."
Jack smiled back. "I won't."
"I brought you some clothes." Sam said, holding up the bag she was carrying. "I figured you'd want to change." Her eyes swept over the Tok'ra outfit, flashing something akin to pain.
Jack stepped forwards and gently took the holdall. "Thanks." He said softly. "I'll go change."
As he moved past her she turned. "What happened?"
Jack looked at her. "I'll change first, then we'll talk, okay?"
Sam nodded and smiled at him.
Jack smiled back and headed for the bathroom.
As he went Sam could hear him muttering, "Damn stupid Tok'ra outfit. Uncomfortable, horrible colour…"
She smiled to herself and walked further into her kitchen, deciding that they should have coffee.
Aside from what had happened to him, the biggest question in her mind was: What now?
He was officially KIA.
But it would not be unusual for someone to come back from the dead. Granted, people outside the SGC had been informed of his death, his ex-wife, Sara, for one, but anything could happen. He could have been found, half-alive, in some far flung corner of the planet.
All the Air Force needed to do was say it was classified, and anyone who had known Jack well enough to have been informed of his death would understand.
Besides all that, she'd overheard General Hammond and her father talking about once before when Jack had been presumed KIA, before the SGC.
She couldn't imagine what Sara must have gone through. Believing him dead and then having someone come and tell her it wasn't true. He was alive and in an Air Force hospital. To ask what had happened and to be denied the truth.
At least Sam had known where he died and why, if not how.
But he hadn't died, he couldn't have, or he wouldn't be here now.
Sam rubbed her eyes, frustrated and confused.
"Remember Orlin?"
Jack's voice made her jump. "What?" She asked, turning to face him.
"Do you remember Orlin?" He asked again walking into the kitchen and taking one of the cups of coffee.
"Yes, why?" Sam asked.
"That's how come I'm here now."
Sam sent him a weak glare; sure he was being obtuse on purpose. "Orlin helped you?"
Jack shook his head. "No," he took a sip of his coffee, watching her over the rim of the cup, "Daniel did."
"Daniel?" Sam repeated.
"Well, I say helped…" Jack said.
"You said Daniel." Sam corrected.
"He is an ascended being, Sam." Jack reminded her softly. "My word and the glowy thing not enough proof for ya?" He asked wryly.
"You saw Daniel?" Sam pressed.
"He ascended me." Jack said, "Completely against my will, might I add." He looked up at Sam and sighed. "Sit down, Sam."
She took one of the seats at the breakfast bar pulling it around so that she was facing him where he sat.
"What do you wanna know?" Jack asked.
"Everything." She replied. "What happened to you? Daniel ascended you, and then what?"
"Oma turned up. Turns out you guys woulda saved me before Baal got bored and killed me. Daniel jumped the gun."
"What did Oma say?" Sam asked.
Jack recounted what had happened to him since he 'died'. What he'd seen. What he knew.
Sam just sat there, listening to every word. Dazed.
"Sam," Jack called softly, "you with me?"
"It's just a lot to take in." Sam replied.
"Tell me abut it." Jack said wryly.
"Everyone died?"
"Yeah. I didn't believe it either." Jack said.
"I do." Sam assured him. "It's just so much to take in." She said again. "I can't believe what Baal did to you." She said, looking at him finally.
Jack shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing.
"What made you decide to descend here? Why now?"
"There were a couple of reasons actually." Jack said. "One: I couldn't go back to Baal. Even knowing that you guys would save me eventually, I could never willingly go back there."
"Why here?" Sam repeated the question with something like urgency in her voice, her eyes searching his face.
"Because you knew I was here, before." Jack said slowly, trying to work it out as he went along. "When I was here with Daniel and Oma. You knew I was here."
"You were angry." Sam remembered.
"Yeah, with Daniel. He was on my back about not descending. You know what he's like."
Sam smiled in acknowledgement. "What now?" She asked.
"I don't know. I have to stop what I saw." He thought for a moment. "I have to go back to the SGC."
