The scene that met his eyes this time was not much unlike the first time, only this time, the figures of his team were a good deal larger, and grouped together in the center of the room.
"It worked," Janet breathed beside him, shaking him from his reverie. He crossed the room in three strides to kneel next to the closest, which happened to be Daniel. He pressed his fingers to the young man's throat, feeling the reassuring steady thrum of the man's pulse. Across from him, Janet was doing the same with Sam while one of the medics checked on Teal'c.
Jack gazed down at the sleeping faces of his teammates, reassuring himself that they were whole and unharmed. He couldn't help but note the differences in their faces. The stronger lines, harder curves. Slight wrinkles at the corners of the eye. Faint stubble on the men's faces. Things he hadn't really noticed or paid attention to before. Closing his eyes, he almost thought he could hear them breathe.
"Sir, we really should check them out," Janet said next to his ear, a gentle hand on his arm. Startled, Jack's eyes flew open.
"Uh, yeah, sure, you betcha," He stammered, regaining his feet for what felt like the millionth time that day. As he walked away, he thought he should feel happy that his team was back to normal, but he only felt like he'd lost something dear to him.
AsLongAsWeGotEachOther,WeCanTakeAnythingThatComesOurWayIt was nearly two hours before the recently transformed members of SG-1 regained consciousness. Thor had assured them that there was no way to reactivate the chamber except by the remote station before leaving orbit, so they'd decided to leave them there rather than risk transporting them down the treacherous pathway to the stargate by stretcher.
Teal'c, like the first time, was the first to stir. Although stir might have been an understatement. The big man went from passed out to sitting bolt upright in less than ten seconds. Jack winced in sympathy as the man no doubt had gotten quite a head rush, though he certainly didn't act like he had.
"O'Neill," he said. "What has transpired?"
"Easy there big fella," Jack told him, his explanation interrupted by a groan from Daniel.
"Why do I feel like I got run over by a truck?" the archeologist muttered from behind his hands. "I distinctly recall that this society was pre-industrial, so therefore, no trucks."
Jack chuckled, reaching down to pat the man on his shoulder. Janet and her medics were already moving in on the unwary victims.
"Sir?" Jack looked down to see Carter awake, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened?" she asked, as Janet affixed a blood pressure cuff to her arm and shined the ever present pen light in her eyes making her wince. Teal'c and Daniel were getting similar treatment to either side.
"So, you don't remember anything from the last few months?" Jack asked, casting about for a starting reference. Thor had warned them that removing the memory suppression might in turn cause the memory of the last few months to be lost rather than risk the confusion that two sets of childhood memories might cause. But part of him had still at least halfway hoped they'd recall even some part of their time with him.
"I do not," Teal'c replied.
"Whoa, wait, did you say months?" Daniel asked, sitting up with only slight assistance from the medic at his side.
"But we were just in here, you mean we've been here for months?" Sam asked, even more concerned. She looked around as if trying to spot a calendar or some other indication of the time passed.
"Well not exactly… Are you sure none of you remember, oh, I don't know, a little adventure with a bicycle and a pair of roller skates?" Jack asked, an evil gleam sparkling in his eyes. Of course, on the other hand, what they didn't know…
Janet snorted. "Or how about setting the Colonel's living room on fire? That happened just yesterday." She gave Jack a conspiratorial look, as if she'd figured out where his mind had taken him, and saw nothing wrong with a little harmless fun.
Jack grinned. "Trick or treating?" he tried. "Or what about frying the microwave or digging up the lawn?" More solemn head shakes, and just a bit of concern starting to appear. All three were sitting up now. "Nothing?" Jack tried one more time. They had no idea.
The three exchanged glances. "I had the strangest dream," Daniel admitted reluctantly.
"Me too," added Sam. They both looked at Teal'c, who frowned.
"I too have seen unusual images during my recent resting period," he allowed after a pause, as if unwilling to confess even that much.
"Well, I guess that might happen when you've been children for the last three months," Jack said, somehow hiding his smile over their expected reactions.
"Whoa, what? Children?" Daniel said disbelievingly.
"You're kidding, right sir?" Sam added, running her hands through her hair and frowning as her fingers encountered a different length than she remembered. Looking around, she noticed Teal'c was no longer smoothly bald. "Teal'c?" she asked, staring. Teal'c reached a hand to his own head, a momentary look of surprise coming over his face.
"You know, Uncle George is going to be so happy to see you kids," Jack said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "Something about overdue reports."
Sam gave him a hard look as if to confirm he wasn't joking, then groaned, burying her face in her folded arms atop her knees.
"We are so never living this one down, are we?" Daniel asked, a hand wavering upwards as if to adjust his glasses before he belatedly realized the glasses were missing.
"Indeed," Teal'c replied, although Daniel had not really expected an answer.
And suddenly as the group fell back into familiar banter and a feeling of camaraderie settled over them, Jack didn't feel quite so much like he'd lost something, but rather like he'd just found something a long time misplaced. While he knew he'd never forget the last few months, which were now burned like an imprint on his soul, he knew he'd rediscovered something much more important. He'd found his family. Big or small, they were still his.
"C'mon kids, boots on, hop to. You know the best thing for growing pains is to walk it out!" Jack walked off, whistling tunelessly and ignoring the three groans behind him as his kids, his family, grudgingly moved to comply. They were going home.
Together.
---finis---
A/N: At last! The final chapter. Hold tight for the epilogue! I know, I know, a lot of you were really hoping that the "kids" would retain their memories… Especially those that were hoping for a little ship… But I couldn't do it, at least not this story. This just felt more like the ending that fit, something a bit more about Jack then about the rest of the team.
So I hope you'll stick it out for the epilogue, and might also take the time to click that little review link and maybe even take the time to check out some of my other fics, if you havne't already. Keep a look out for a new fic I'm hoping to start posting soon, title still undecided. It's a bit of a departure from my usual, in so much as its less humor and more of a serious bent. (not that there won't be ANY humor, you know I can't stay away from it!) And I still intend to complete Eros, for those of you waiting for more kisses between Jack and General Hammond. Erm. Or not. At any rate, Eros will hopefully be my humor outlet while I work on the new fic.
And lastly, a very special thank you to Janissima and SG1-Fanfic, for being my betas. Their comments and ideas so often helped get me out of a corner or break out of writers block. You guys were great! Even still, I'm sorry, but I'm not getting them a dog. I think Billie caused more than enough havoc on her own, can you imagine the chaos a dog would have created? Poor Jack! Lol. Thanks again you two!
One more thank you, to all my readers… for patiently, or no so patiently, sticking with the story despite several long periods without updates. For not giving up, for your encouraging words, and even those leaving silent hits on the counters. Hope you enjoyed it!