Author's Notes: Here is the fourth part of the series. Part 5 is MASSIVE. So, more is coming. This story is more of an interlude than a full-blown story. It shows the bonds of the team and how they plan on moving to the next part of their lives.
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WHAT DREAMS MAY COME
Part 4 of the Little Jack Grows Up series.
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"To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub: For in that sleep of death what dreams May come." -From Shakespeare's Hamlet (III, i, 65-68)
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Jon tossed his suit jacket on the chair while pulling his tie loose. Finally, it was done. No more high school. He sat down in the lazy boy and gave a satisfied sigh. He had decided against attending any of the graduation parties that he had been invited to. Graduating a year early had been a significant achievement, but it also meant that he graduated with kids he hadn't actually attended classes with.
As Jon relaxed, he sent out a gentle query to his older version. It was his equivalent of a knock at the door.
Hey, kid. Ceremony over?
Yes, thank God! There were more speeches than at the opening of the USAF Museum.
Yikes! That bad. I'm glad you convinced me to stay away.
Hey, old man, are the guys still on for Saturday?
Yup. To think that the only way we could get them all up to the cabin was for you to invite them.
Yeah, well, I have avoided them for not quite 2 years now. That tends to make one curious.
Jack's tone softened, Are you sure you're ready for this?
Jon considered his answer. He had avoided Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c because the awkward conversations were more painful than their absence. When they were briefly reunited a year ago, they were still having a hard time separating Jon from Jack. Granted, they had more similarities than differences, but they were still getting used to the clone thing. Jack being frozen in stasis hadn't helped. Now, they'd had time to adjust. They could see him separate from Jack without the burden of grief for Jack that had clouded their last meeting.
Yeah. I think I am. It'll help to be on home turf though.
Yeah sure! You keep telling yourself that, kid. Jack added as an afterthought, Oh, we found a ZPM.
Really, where?
Apparently, we stole it from Ra.
We… meaning?
SG-1 and I, using the Ancient Time Machine.
Uh-huh…
We did! We even took a video and left it in case we screwed something up in the timeline.
Did you?
What?
Screw up the timeline. Ya know, Sam gets a little snippy about the timeline. Jon could still feel her outrage from the last time, when Sam had discovered that Jack had 'borrowed' the little ship to go on a joyride with Jon. She was certain they would use it to joyride through time. She had made Jack swear to never, ever, under any circumstances use the time machine.
Don't I know it! She all but boxed my ears for that joyride. I spent the next week fending off 'Generals' and 'Sirs' left and right. It's not like I didn't tell anyone.
Jon laughed out loud, I don't think she counts you telling Walter. Besides ya only told Walter that you were going to go paintballing and to call only if the world needed saving.
Yeah sure, take her side.
Only when she's right, old man.
Which is always! And ya know she only complained because she tried to sneak into the ship to play with the doohickeys while I was gone.
Too true. Jon paused, How is she holding up?
Jon felt Jack hesitate, She seems good, but ya know how she is. It's helping that her brother stayed after the funeral to help her pack.
Good. Speaking of packing, I need your truck tomorrow. I got the last of my stuff packed up.
Sure, swing by in the morning and drop me at the mountain. I'll hitch a ride home.
No problem. See ya tomorrow, old man.
See ya, kid.
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Jon approached the cabin with a small amount of trepidation. These were his friends, and they weren't. He had never planned on staying away permanently, just long enough to get his shit together. Just long enough to let them get some distance, some perspective.
But now as the time to reestablish their friendship neared, he was worried. He wasn't sure that they would be able to work past the initial weirdness of talking to him like a separate person, instead of a bad copy of Jack.
Oh, suck it up, kid. If we could get past the weirdness, the wonder twins will have no problem. And it was never weird with T, Jack's thought pierced his doubt.
Sorry. Didn't mean to leak all over you.
Just get your ass back here. Carter is killing all the fun of fishing. I can see her calculating the trajectory of each cast. And Teal'c! Teal'c just declared war on the mosquitoes.
On my way. Jon took one more deep breath and walked around to the back of the cabin.
When he rounded the corner he could see all of them relaxing by the small lake. Jack and Sam were on the dock fishing and Daniel and Teal'c on the shore. Daniel was reading and Teal'c was trying to slap the mosquitoes out of the air.
"Hey, guys!" Jon announced awkwardly.
Daniel looked up in confusion before turning to see Jon by the cabin, and then he smiled in recognition. Teal'c nodded and continued to focus on his battle with the bugs. Jack just smiled and kept on fishing.
Sam turned and gave him one of her thousand-watt smiles. "Jon!" she welcomed. Her eyes scanned over his frame, noting the changes. "You look good."
"Thanks!"
Daniel stood up and walked over, smiling, "It's good to see you again, Jon."
Jon sighed in relief as only thoughts of welcome and curiosity flowed around his mental shields.
Told ya! came Jack's snarky thought. Out load he hollered, "Ya gonna fish or what?"
"Just try and stop me, old man."
"Then stop the yappin' and start the fishin'."
The other three traded amused smiles and got back to the 'silent' art of fishing.
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They spent the evening catching up. Reconnecting old bonds and sharing their new adventures. Throughout the evening, whenever the conversation turned uncomfortable, Jon or Jack would throw out an odd comment and break the tension. Eventually, Jack and Jon traded quips and snarky comments as a competition. That is until Daniel finally cracked.
"Can you two just stop? Please!" he pleaded. Daniel stared in surprise as Jack sighed and handed Jon a $20. "What?"
"Oh, I just won a bet," replied Jon casually.
"You bet against Jack?" Daniel asked.
"And won?" added Sam.
"Yup," Jon replied.
Sam laughed at the look Jack gave her, "What was the best?"
"That you or Daniel would snap long before Jack and I got tired of verbal sparring."
"You did?" Daniel said looking at Jack as if he couldn't quite grasp the concept of the bet.
"Yup," Jack replied.
"Why?" Daniel asked slowly.
Jon and Jacked looked at each other than shrugged.
"'Cause we could?" Jon ventured.
"Sure. Works for me." Jack replied.
Sam was silently laughing at their antics. "You both are incorrigible."
"Thanks!" they both replied.
Now? Jon asked Jack mentally.
Yeah, now is good, Jack replied. "Well, kids, I know you have been curious as to why Jon asked us up here. He had several reasons. One was because I have an announcement to make. Apparently, my asking isn't enough, so…" Jack looked each of his former teammates in the eyes before continuing, "General Hammond is retiring in a few weeks. He's asked me to take his place in Washington." He gave them a moment to let that news sink in, "and I've decided to accept."
"But…" Daniel started, clearly speechless.
Sam looked shocked and saddened but didn't say anything.
Teal'c broke the silence, "You will be missed at the SGC, O'Neill."
"Thanks, Teal'c. As will you, but I'll be stopping back in every now and then, to help General Landry settle in." Teal'c gave a solemn nod.
"But…" Daniel tried again, his emotions overpowering him once again.
Jack and Jon could both feel his loss. All his friends were leaving him, Sam for Nellis and Area 51. Teal'c for the Free Jaffa. He had been counting on Jack being there. But now he was leaving too. Leaving him alone.
"Daniel? You won't be alone," Jon stated.
"How?" Daniel accused but not really angry.
Jack smiled sadly, "Because you'll be too busy to be lonely. I assigned you as the senior scientist to the Atlantis rescue mission."
"What? When? But…"
"Easy, Daniel, or you'll pop a gasket," Jon soothed.
Sam gave Daniel a sad smile and pulled him into a quick hug, "Congratulations, Daniel. I'm going to miss you even more now that I can't just call and talk."
"What about you, young O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
The two scientists turned their gaze on Jon. "What?"
"Do you not have one more year of Tau'ri schooling?" Teal'c asked. "Will O'Neill's move affect the location of this schooling?"
"Oh, that. No, I tested out and completed the diploma a year early."
"Really? Well congratulations to you too. What do you plan to do now?" Sam asked. "College?"
"No way. I learned my lesson with high school. Don't care to repeat it." Jon looked up, taking in their confused expressions. "They were all so… young," he explained.
Daniel leaned forward, "So, what do you plan on doing?"
"Oh, well, since Hammond made it very clear that my commission would be reactivated when I reached," he raised his hands in air quotes, "'21 and not a day before.' I figured I could harass the other parts of the Air Force that Jack has neglected over the years." Jon grinned at their expressions; curious and waiting for more. Jon waited.
Daniel broke first, "Um, like what?"
"Oh, enlisting, of course."
"Of course," Daniel echoed. "Enlisting as what?"
"Well, I considered Fire Fighting and Medical, but figured I'd get bored too easily. Aircraft maintenance is so not me. ASOS is so terrestrial. They won't let me cook with beer, so no services. Radar is boring. Para-Rescue… been there and done that. I can't pilot until I re-commission. And I just can't do admin. I have too much respect for Walter to try. So, I opted for Security Forces. I have it on good authority that my first posting will be very exciting."
"Security Forces?" Daniel echoed again.
Sam snorted as she figured it out. "You just can't stay away, can you?"
"Hell, no. I've been away too long as it is."
"Security Forces?" Daniel asked, still very confused.
"Oh fer cryin' out loud, Daniel," Jack interrupted. "I can't believe that you've been working for the Air Force for over 8 years and you don't even know who the Security Forces are. You see them every day. They are base security. The gate room guards are all Security Forces. You think we'd trust something that critical to the Marines, did ya?"
"Oh, OH!" Daniel said as he finally understood. "But… Isn't that a waste… I mean…"
"Pish-shaw," Jon interrupted this time. "I'm just bidding my time. Besides, the replicators are gone, the System Lords are on the run, and the Jaffa are free. It's going to be a bit slow on the intergalactic front."
"True," Sam remarked. Then she gave him an evil grin, "So… when's BMT graduation?"
"Why?" Jon asked cautiously.
"Because I want to make sure to take leave around then."
"Again, why?"
"You can get us the date, right, Sir," Sam asked Jack.
"Of course," Jack replied laughing at Jon's discomfort. "It should be in about nine weeks."
"Damn, I'll be at Atlantis by then," Daniel swore.
"I have never visited the facility where young Tau'ri are turned into warriors." Teal'c added. "I would also like to attend."
"But…" Jon tried to interject.
"Good idea, kids. Let's all meet up to see Jon's graduation. I bet Hammond would like to come too."
"Oh, yes, and Cassie."
Jon sighed, as they continued to rattle of the names of everyone who would like to celebrate Jon rejoining the USAF. Jon just hoped they could keep President Hayes out of it. That would surely give the TI a stroke. Then again, it could be fun.
Jon let their voices and emotions flow over him like a warm blanket. Surrounded by his friends once again, he was happier than he had been for some time. It was good to have his friends back. While they still had some bumps to work out, they would continue to be his friends.
Not just friends. Family, came Jack's quiet whisper in his mind.
You're right. Family… It's time for cake.
Ummm, Cake.
Jon silently got up as the two scientists continued to make detailed plans for Jon's BMT graduation. When he returned, they looked up surprised. "Cake," he stated simply.
"Sure," Daniel replied, and then frowned as he took a closer look at the cake decoration. It showed a star field with a little green alien in one corner and the phrase, 'Congratulations! You saved the Galaxy! Again!'
"Cute, Jack."
"You're welcome, Daniel. Oh, and if anyone asks, you are the Space Invaders champion for Colorado, two years in a row."
"Space Invaders. Couldn't make it Super Mario Brother's or something a bit more up to date, could ya?"
Jon interjected, "Nah, you wouldn't stand a chance against some of the kids out there. They take the Jedi Master's game way too seriously."
Yes, definitely family. Hey, maybe they would help him torment some hapless TI. Of course, that's what family is for.
END OF PART 4
Next, Part 5 of the Little Jack Grows Up series, Second to None.
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Work Title: What Dreams May Come
Summary: Jon and Jack are ready to move on to the next challenge. Part 4 of Little Jack Grows Up series. Gen. AU.
AO3 Sequel Information: For In That Sleep of Death
AO3 Series Information: Little Jack Grows Up Series
Rating: AO3 [Teen (T)] [Teen (T)]
AO3 Archive Warnings: AO3 [No Warnings Apply]
Fandom Category: Stargate (1994), Stargate SG-1: Season 8, 9
Spoilers: Stargate SG-1: 0818 Threads, 0819 Mobius Part 1, 0820 Mobius Part 2
AO3 Relationship Categories: AO3 [Gen]
AO3 Pairing: None
Characters: [NOTE: FF limit of 4] BG Jonathan 'Jack' James O'Neill, Clone Jonathan 'Jack' James O'Neill, LtC Samantha 'Sam' Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Master Teal'c (Apophis) of Chulak, Col Harry Maybourne,
FF Genre: General, Family,
AO3 Additional Tags: Mild Language, Angst, Episode Tag/Missing Scene, POV
End Notes:
BMT – Basic Military Training
TI – Training Instructor (some other services use DI for Drill Instructor, but the USAF likes to be different. Go figure!)
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