EPILOGUE

Jack O'Neill smirked at the man across from him for a moment before uttering a single word.

"Checkmate."

Jack's shorter, rounder, and balder opponent sighed, leaned back in his chair, and scrutinized the chessboard in front of him. After a brief, fruitless search for a way to save his king, he shrugged.

"Well, that's three in a row to you. I'm out."

Jack began to jokingly argue. "Oh, come on, Burke. You know I just got lucky. You'll probably win the next five. Let's play again."

Jack's voice was almost wheedling, and Burke laughed a little as he stood and stepped away from the overturned shipping crate that was serving as a table on the porch of Jack's cabin. His expression left no doubt that he knew Jack's victories had nothing to do with luck.

"Nope. I'm done. It's about time for me to go, anyway."

Jack frowned grumpily. "Where do you have to be that's so important?"

"I happen to have a date, if you must know, with a pretty little thing from town that I met the other night." Burke hesitated, then spoke again. "Look, it's not my fault you're stuck up here and bored out of your mind. Where's your lady, anyway?"

Jack shrugged. "Dunno. Probably out shopping or something."

Burke laughed out loud for a full thirty seconds before he managed to speak. Jack began to chuckle, too.

"You mean out fighting some alien bad guys on some other planet, more like."

Jack snorted. "Something like that."

Burke looked at his friend with admiration. "Don't know how you do it, man."

"Do what?"

"Live with knowing what she's doing out there."

Jack grunted. "Well, I won't pretend I don't have some sleepless nights over it, but that's nothing new, and even if I could stop her, which I can't, I wouldn't."

Burke grunted back. "Duty, honor, sacrifice, and all that?"

"Something like that," murmured Jack, taking a sip of his beer.

"Still," mumbled Burke, "it's tough, isn't it?" Burke reached for his jacket as he spoke, still preparing to leave.

"What?"

"Being on this end, missing the action."

Jack shrugged again. "I manage."

"Oh, whatever, Jack," laughed Burke. "I can see the frustration coming off you. You're bored as hell up here, buddy. Fishing and solitude is great, but only for a while. This is as bad as D.C. for you. And you know it."

Jack's long fingers drummed on the chessboard. He looked at Burke with hooded eyes. A spark of something alive danced behind his pupils. Burke recognized it for what it was-a beast that thrived on conflict, aggression, and battle. Proof he was right. The beast quickly vanished, however, and O'Neill merely shrugged yet again, silently.

It was a long time before Jack spoke. Burke looked out over Jack's still pond, watching the sun sink lower toward the horizon and appreciating the beautiful Minnesotan evening. Jack's voice startled him a little with its roughness when he finally answered.

"I wouldn't go that far. I stay busy. I'm fine."

Burke pulled his jacket over his shoulders and shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

O'Neill's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Burke? What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," Burke said with unconvincing innocence. "It's just that…in my line of work, I could always use a man of your rather singular…talents."

Jack's eyebrows lifted briefly, and he gave a slight nod while a knowing smile crept across his face.

"I'll keep that in mind." O'Neill didn't pretend not to be a little interested.

Burke nodded back. "Yeah, ok. Just let me know. Looks like my cue to go is here, though, so I'll see you around, Jack."

O'Neill looked up at his friend. "Yeah. Ok. Later, Burke."

Burke walked the short distance from the porch to his truck and waved once as he climbed inside and started the engine. As the vehicle pulled out of the drive, it was replaced by another. Jack left his hand up in the air and waved a fresh greeting to the newcomer as a wide, toothy smile cracked his face in two.

Three minutes later, Jack O'Neill pulled Daniel Jackson into a crushing bear hug and patted him on the back twice before giving the younger man's hair a loving ruffle. His smile, if anything, was wider than it had been, and his soul was warm with joy. Daniel had limped to the porch, but he'd done it without help, and while he still bore the marks of his recent captivity, most of his physical wounds were mended. His emotional scars were another story, but he was battling his demons as well as could be expected. He would cry a few more tears on the shoulders of his friends and would wake from a few more nightmares before his struggle became only a memory, but he would prevail. It would be a long time before he joined Sam and Teal'c in the field again, but he would.

And while Jack would be staying behind, he would always be someone any one of them could come back to.

Like chocolate cake, old books, and candlelit meditation, Jack O'Neill would always mean home.

END

AN:This story has inspired several tie-in stories that will be coming soon. They may be posted as additional epilogues here, but I suspect they will be posted as solo works (or both). I will try to keep everyone notified when changes are made, but I can give no gaurantees. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this fic. Your input means the world, and helped shape this story along the way. You are invaluable and treasured. Thank you.

Long live fandom.

Update: August 11, 2007-first tie-in story posted. "A Long Road Home"