this chpater doesnt reflect my faith and excuse some errors, as i have never stepped foot into a church myself... i got the idea from watching x-files where scully confesses about seeing signs from god, but mulder didn't, so i thot it might just work... tell me what you think.

Jack looked up at the giant ornate building in front of him. Not being a religious man, he hadn't stepped foot into a church since his wedding so many years ago. He sighed and went up the steps. Inside, he found it devoid of life. Up front was the altar with the massive stained glass windows behind them. The colonel went to the candles and lit one. He paused then lit another.

"For you Charlie, and Sara," he muttered and headed to confessions. Feeling embarrassed, he looked around to find no one. Poor priest, he was probably as lonely as the officer approaching him. He sat down and the curtain slid away.

"Father, I have sinned." He paused there as the priest waited for him to continue.

"How so my son?"

"The… the woman I loved… she, she," he stopped there and tried to compose his thoughts. The least it would do is keep him from stuttering. He took a deep breath. "My ex-wife and I can't love each other because of me." It all came out in a breathless rush.

"Why? God has faith in you my son."

"It was my son… he died by my gun…" The priest and Jack went silent. The priest didn't know what exactly to make of this situation. Jack spoke up again. "Why has God been cruel to me? First he takes my son, thinks about taking me, then takes my wife from me." He'd never confessed like this and he never would. Jack had never believed in God anyway, but all of a sudden he had some little faith despite what he had been through.

"God has his reasons for misery. Misery makes people learn from their mistakes." The priest knew he was being harsh, but it seemed this man had had this evil energy all pent up in him for a long time.

"But why my innocent son?" Jack pleaded.

"Perhaps his death let you go onto greater things." O'Neill stiffened at that, he couldn't possibly know about the Stargate. Jack almost missed what the priest said next. "… I imagine your son would want you to succeed."

"Yeah, I guess so Father," Jack sighed. The colonel's faith was diminishing slightly. Yet, it was a comfort to let it all out knowing that the priest could never tell anyone about him. The strong, elderly, knowledgeable voice came back to him.

"My son, God chooses who needs to come and who needs to stay, but take pride in your son's sacrifice. He has become apart of a higher, more holy, and nobler thing than we mortals could ever do."

"Really…?" he said sadly to himself.

"What was that my son?"

"Nothing Father, I'm glad I have had the time to confess to you."

"May God forgive your sins and those of others, amen."

"Amen," Jack concluded and left the 'stall.' He looked at his candles still burning in their placeholders and a single tear rolled down his face. He carefully wiped it away; it wouldn't do to show weakness in a house of God. Jack turned tail on the altar and left the church.

Carefully, the colonel clambered back into his truck and retrieved his gun, which was usually strapped on him, but because it was a church, it thought it best to leave it in his car. Jack strapped it back on and took it out of its holster. He cradled it again, out of sight from anyone else. After a few moments he replaced it and drove away, back towards his own house.