Author Notes: This is the final chapter! It's almost been a year and it's finally complete. I hope you've enjoyed it and thank you for all the encouragement you've given me.

Just as a warning, the language is slightly worse in this chapter than usual, but I mean no offence.

Chapter 25: Madmen and Destiny

"What the hell?" Jack untangled his limbs and sat up.

"Welcome back."

"No way!" Sam scrambled to her feet and reached for her gun, but it was gone.

"Who the hell are you?" By the reactions of three of his team mates, and lack of weapons, Jack's anger was already building. And then in dawned as to where they were; the sandstone walls, weird carvings, admittedly the Stargate was a new addition to the décor, but they were definitely back. They had come full circle.

"Aquiell, I presume." Teal'c could not have put more venom into a neutral tone if he had tried. Anyone else would have been running for the hills if Teal'c had looked at them like that. In contrast, the alien simply smiled.

"It is wonderful to finally meet you both in person, Jonathan, Teal'c."

Jack looked like he had swallowed a Goa'uld, "You're testing my patience as it is, so don't push it baldy."

"I apologise; Jack."

Daniel's eyes hardened and he spat out in a voice very unlike his own, "Why did you do this to us? What gave you the right?"

"It was necessary."

"Necessary?" Jonas spoke for the first time, his voice cracking from the recent strain and emotion, "How the fuck was it necessary to screw with our already messed up lives? You're fucking twisted!"

Jack would have added something, but he was too deep in shock; he had never heard Jonas swear, nor had he ever thought it possible. The change to this once gentle character only riled Jack's temper more.

"You will let us go. Now." Teal'c rumbled; there was no DHD, or any apparent exit to the room.

"Indeed I shall, but not just yet. First, let me introduce myself."

"Thought you did that already," Jonas spat.

"I am Aquiell, of the Furlings."

"Say what?" Jack wrinkled his nose. "I always imagined you as, I dunno, more furry, and shorter."

"Any insult that may come from that is completely nullified by your amusing mental image of us, Jack. But no, I assure you, I am of the Furlings, one of the four races of the Alliance."

Sam gave a hollow laugh, "I would have thought you might be more responsible."

"On the contrary, dear one, it is through responsibility that I did this."

"Speak straight for once." Daniel interrupted.

"Each of the four races has, or had in the case of the Ancients, a specific place in the universe. The Asgard have always protected the weaker and younger; the pure. The Nox use their skills to heal the worlds. The Ancients built vast civilisations and constructed technology to further the advancement of all. And we, the Furlings, we See." Aquiell clasped his hands in front of him, inviting conversation.

"I'm sorry, you 'see'?" Jack laughed.

"What is it that you see?" Teal'c asked.

Before Aquiell could reply, Jonas spoke, "No way, we are not having this conversation again. Let us go."

Aquiell's expression turned sad, "Our insights are far more advanced than those that the Goa'uld gave you, little one."

Jonas took an involuntary step back, "Get out of my head!"

Sam frowned, the scientist in her coming to the fore, "You see into the future?"

"We see shadows and flickers, possibilities and probabilities. And what I saw when you first set foot on this planet spurred me to act. You were not ready then, now you are as ready as you can be."

"I don't understand."

"Your race has always had promise, we have always known this. The Tau'ri especially, and the SGC more so. But the five of you are the most special. You have all faced danger and complicated situations many times over. You have even cheated death. But each time, you return to each other. As such, fate has placed you in the foreground for what is to come. You will need all the skills and strength you possess, and all the allies. It is all I can do for you."

Jack looked at each of his team mates in turn. All were exhausted. Teal'c shoulders sagged and dark shadows circled Sam's eyes. Bruises still mottled Daniel's face, only now just fading, and an ugly red mark of raw skin and bruising was forming along Jonas' neck. His voice low and soft, Jack raised his eyes to meet the Furling, "What could be so bad, that it could merit all of this?"

"Something is coming." The gate began to spin and dial to create an outgoing wormhole.

"So? Why them? Why any of us?" The plume of the wormhole shot outwards.

"It is all I can do for you." A light built in Aquiell's palm.

"What is coming?" Jack yelled desperately.

They were all thrown backwards by the light through the wormhole and hurled out the other side into a heap on the cold metal ramp of the SGC as the Iris grated close and the power flickered back on. Their heads span as fatigue overcame them. However, one word echoed through their minds, through the Gateroom, and through the whole SGC:

Evil.

FIN

Author Notes: It's finally over. I'm desperate to know what you thought – of this chapter and the story in general. Before you ask, I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but I doubt it, I sort of want to leave it there. Thank you all for the support and encouragement, I ask only for a final review.