Chapter Two:

Jack closed his cell phone and used the visor mirror to look at Daniel. "Daniel, weren't you going to call Cassie and let her know you're coming up to see her tomorrow?"

"I'd still rather not do this alone." Daniel sulked.

"I get that, but I have to be here tomorrow to supervise the clean up team and deal with the legal stuff before the briefing." Jack flipped his phone open again.

Daniel sighed and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Jack talked to Landry about getting clearance for Mike and his team while Daniel quietly talked to Cassie. Teal'c went to the drive thru window of a fried chicken joint near Daniel's apartment and ordered a twenty-piece meal with potato wedges, corn, slaw, fruit salad, green salad, a gallon of tea, and a quart of lemonade. Daniel shook his head as Teal'c hand him bag after bag. Once Daniel's lap was full Teal'c gave Jack the tea and salad to hold.

Jack was still on the phone as Teal'c pulled into a parking space at Daniel's apartment. Daniel fumbled with his keys as he tried to maintain his tenuous grip on two bags of food. Jack kept talking while Teal'c patiently waited for Daniel to open the door.

Teal'c began filling his plate as Jack put away his phone.

"Everything's set for tomorrow morning. When are you leaving to go see Cassie?" Jack asked as he watched Daniel pull out three plastic cups from the cabinet beside the sink.

"The first thing she mentioned when I asked her how she was doing was her differential equations exam tomorrow afternoon. She's really worried about it, although I doubt she has any reason to be worried. I told her I'd call back tomorrow to see how she does on it." Daniel kept his back to Jack as he told his version of the conversation.

"You chickened out. You're determined to not do this so you found an excuse!" Jack slammed his palm flat on the kitchen counter. Teal'c kept placing food on his palte, which was beginning to sag.

Daniel's chest puffed out, he turned around and stood straight. "That's not true! You don't want to do it either. That's why you're finding excuses to stay here!"

"We shall all attend to Colonel Carter's house tomorrow. After the briefing we will go together to the group residency of young Cassandra and fracture the information to her." Teal'c walked out of the kitchen towards the living room.

"He knows it's break the news." Daniel handed Jack an empty cup.

"I think he does it just to annoy us. Don't you have any adult beverages?" Daniel shook his head no. Jack picked up the sweet tea and poured himself a cup. "Teal'c did you think you were feeding an army?" Teal'c ignored the comment and searched for a show on cable. Daniel and Jack each put a little food on their plates and sat across the room from Teal'c. The three men ate in silence and watched a Star Trek Next Generation rerun.

Daniel watched Jack pick at his chicken. He was concerned about how Jack was going to accept Sam's death at her own hand. Teal'c went back for thirds while Commander Data was practicing his jokes on a holographic stage.

"Jack, you've been gone a while." Daniel sucked in a shallow breath when Jack cut his eyes towards Daniel.

"Just say it Daniel." Jack clinched his fist around his tea and wished he had a beer.

Daniel took another breath and straightened his back. "Things have been different lately. You haven't been here to see it."

"And you would be telling me this why?" Jack's jaw tensed as he leaned back in his chair and tried to appear relaxed.

"I want you to be prepared if the evidence indicates it was suicide."

"Prepared! You want me to be prepared!" Jack leaned forward, and placed his elbows on his knees. Tea sloshed out of his cup as he jerked forward. "You can't seriously tell me you think Carter killed herself. She's the most stable of all of us!"

Daniel shook his head and looked over at Teal'c who remained motionless on the sofa. "The old Sam was a rock most of the time. Lately Sam's been…different."

Jack's cheeks pufferd out as he blew a breath from between his puckered lips. "How do you mean different?"

"Moody…depressed. She'd been unhappy for weeks. We all tried talking to her. General Landry finally ordered her to see a psychiatrist. As you can imagine that didn't help cheer her up." Daniel ran a finger around the edge of his cup as he spoke. Teal'c nodded in agreement.

"I am afraid Daniel Jackson speaks the truth. Colonel Carter has not appeared happy for some time and she was unwilling to disclose the source of her discomfort. She was a proud warrior and like others with whom she was close she would not easily reveal her feelings."

Jack stood up and paced the small living room. "That doesn't make sense. I talked to her Friday night and she was fine. She seemed happy to me. It was an upbeat conversation."

Daniel watched his friend pace. "What time Friday night did you talk to her?"

"It was one in the morning Colorado time." Jack leaned on a bookshelf and watched as Daniel pondered Jack's answer.

"You were probably the last person to talk to her. Are you sure she didn't say something that might have indicated something was wrong? Did you say something to her that she might have taken the wrong way? I mean…you know how much your opinion mattered to her."

"So now you think I drove her over the edge!" Jack pushed off the bookshelf so hard it shook. Daniel stood up and held his hands out in front of him in a protective stance.

"Of course not! I know you'd never deliberately do anything to hurt Sam." Daniel's eyes widened as Jack fumed.

"Nothing on purpose, but I'm thick headed enough to do it on accident, huh?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it. I know you're angry but don't take it out on me just because I'm trying to let you know everything wasn't ok." Daniel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Why didn't either of you call me?" Jack looked from Daniel to Teal'c.

"I did not believe Colonel Carter's trouble warranted an escalation in intervention. This error in judgment weighs heavily upon me. You entrusted Colonel Carter's safety to me and I failed you. I do not ask your forgiveness, and if you offered it I would not accept it." Teal'c took his plate and cup to the kitchen.

Jack rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and glared at the wall. "Let's wait and hear what the forensics team comes up with before we start trying to lay blame."

Daniel shook his head. "How about we try to not place blame at all?"

"I will find out who did this and they'll pay." Jack picked up his dishes and followed Teal'c into the kitchen. Daniel loaded the dishwasher while Teal'c put what small amount of food remained in the refrigerator. Jack went out on Daniel's balcony and looked towards Cheyenne Mountain. Sam's life revolved around that mountain and in his gut Jack knew something about that same mountain resulted in her death. Images of her smiling face flashed through his head. He could hear her laugh in the breeze. He felt her hands…

Daniel opened the door to the balcony. "Teal'c and I are calling it a night. He's taking the sofa bed. The guest room is ready for you."

"Thanks." Jack kept his back to Daniel. Daniel shook his head as he closed the door. Jack slumped forward and leaned on the railing once he heard Daniel's steps fading away.

I royally messed up the web address last time I tried to tell every one about Nibikko's great new site. I'll get it right this time:

Go to http/nibikko(dot)com

Her vids are amazing and I'll slowly get all my stories up for your viewing pleasure!