Chapter 28
Standard Discalimer Applies
AN: Big cheers to Lori, the best Beta in the world!
The Worst Cut is the Deepest - Chapter 28
Jack makes a joke -- it's a bad joke, but Xander laughs anyway and does a funny, 'snorting' thing with his nose that sends him into a choking fit. Jack slaps him on the back smartly and nearly sends him flying, and Xander turns to rebuff his father, but can't because of the choking and the fact that Jack is laughing, too.
They don't see the shooter; they're too busy trying to breathe through snorts of mirth, and it's not until they hear the shot that they are aware that someone has been in the woods following them. The bullet hits Xander in the chest and blows a hole the size of an orange out of his back as it exits his body. Jack turns, pulling his sidearm from his holster, and has taken out the shooter almost before Xander has hit the ground. His son is choking for real now, choking on blood and unable to breathe. Jack helps him slow down the gasps of air and he's calm and collected as he puts pressure on the wounds, using a satellite phone to call for help. But it's too late, and help never comes.
As Xander snaps back to reality, Jack holds the gun on Skye, unwavering, and Xander is unable to get the look of loss in Jack's eyes out of his mind.
"Jack," Daniel warns. One word, low tone.
If Jack hears, he doesn't acknowledge, doesn't turn or even look away from the old man before him. An old man who just admitted to stealing his son's life away. Who is responsible for causing the overwhelming grief Jack had been feeling for fourteen years.
"Daniel's right, General: we need him to tell us what's going on," Sam tells her commanding officer. But Jack's still standing, weapon drawn and held with both hands, pointing it at the old man.
"You want to save the world, you'll need me alive," Mr. Skye says quickly, and he turns to Xander. "Tell him. Tell him he needs me alive to save the world."
"If I tell him anything, it'll be to kill you," Xander states, watching Jack closely, wanting to make sure that he wasn't standing in the way of a good shot.
"Xander," Daniel says warningly, and Xander shoots a glare at the archaeologist. "We need him alive," Daniel continues.
"Not really. There'll be more players, and they're fighting the same battle, apparently. This way, Mr. Skye here doesn't get to take over the world after we've cleaned up his mess," Xander explains rationally in an irrational situation.
"Xander!" Mitchell snaps, moving up to stand beside Jack, who seems aware of what's going on around him, despite the fact that his team has cut him out of all conversation, instead mediating their arguments through the very child he's avenging.
"Sir, I can't even begin to explain how justified you are in wanting to put a bullet in this guy's brain. But then the world ends, and we all get got by whatever is coming to get us, and you lose him again," Mitchell says softly.
For the first time Jack's eyes snap away from Mr. Skye and move back and forth between Mitchell and Xander, before settling on his son, watching Mr. Skye in his peripheral vision.
Suddenly, behind him he hears his team's weapons snap up as Xander calls out a warning.
"Glory, no!"
Jack glances behind him, but he can't see much of a threat: the 'witch' that was their visitor earlier had walked into the chamber and was now just standing by the door casually, unarmed. Xander seems terrified by this, and Jack looks back to his son, who snaps out of his daze.
Xander moves quickly, very quickly. He pulls a knife he'd 'acquired' -- for want of a better word -- from the belt of Daniel Jackson earlier, and slips behind Mr. Skye. In a blink of an eye it seems he's gone from standing and staring to grabbing the old man roughly and jamming the knife up against his neck.
"You going to stop me with a knife?" Glory asks sweetly. "Aw, Sweetie, did you forget how hard it was to take me down last time?" She takes a step forward, cocks her head to one side, and sends a sweet smile at Mitchell.
"Glory," Xander warns, and Jack can see the fear in his son's face.
"You think I'm just going to play nice? You haven't forgotten who I am, but they have, and it's pissing me off," Glory says, as she starts forward.
"No! You take one step more towards them, and I'm going to jam this thing in his spine and out his throat," Xander replies, his tone dark.
The comment puts the armed team on edge, because Xander is afraid of an unarmed woman in stiletto heels.
"It's okay, Xander, we've got her covered," Mitchell says, as Jack leaves his vengeful thoughts behind and spins around to cover Glory.
"Put your weapons down, and I might let you live," Glory instructs. She's still moving, but now she's bypassing the team and coming directly towards Xander.
"Xander?" Daniel asks, looking away from his target and back towards the kid who seems sure of what the woman is threatening to do.
"You shoot her, you're just going to piss her off," Xander explains, watching Glory. Somewhere in his mind, the hyena is laughing: it's afraid.
Glory strolls past the team, her hips swaying, and she arrives next to Xander, who holds his ground and gets ready to carry out his threat.
"I want to thank you," Glory says in a whisper, with a sly smile. Xander doesn't answer; he can tell he's being baited and doesn't play into the game. "You reminded me of what it's like. You were right, Xander. I'm sick of being a pawn," Glory sighs, with a smile.
She's going to kill him. The warning comes from himself and the soldier at the same time, and Glory's hand is whipping forward, crimson red nails flashing like blood, as Xander pulls Skye back. But it's too late: the claws have torn through the front of his chest and found the old man's heart, leaving Xander holding onto a corpse. He lets the body drop to the ground, where blood spills from Skye's chest and pools on the floor.
Mitchell fires first -- a single burst of P90 fire that hits Glory in the torso and does absolutely nothing except punch holes in her dress.
"Hold fire!" Jack barks, because Glory is now staring at the team outraged.
"That dress was Prada," she states, and turns back to Xander. "You know how much I hate to see good fashion ruined," she says coyly, flirting.
"Giving yourself a promotion?" Xander asks, amazed at how calm he managed to sound despite the fact that the situation was spinning out of control.
"Well, I think I deserved it. So now, I guess, you answer to me," Glory replies, smiling. Then she breaks into a grin. "And I know all your soft spots," she finishes.
"You go there, and you lose the war," Xander snaps coldly.
Glory points a finger at the team.
"You know, I'd hate to have to kill you. Some of you are nice to look at. But I have needs," she says, winking at Sam.
"Leave them out of this. I got one offer for you, Glory," Xander says, stepping in front of Glory and blocking her view of the team.
"You have an offer for me?" Glory asks, amused. "What could you possibly offer me? I'm holding all the cards, Love. You need me to boost your side, and you're going to let me do whatever I want in order for me to do that."
"Not the way this works. You want to hear what I can offer?" Xander asks, stepping closer to the goddess -- so close that he's standing inches away from her. He leans closer still and brings his lips right next to her ear.
"I'll be your champion," Xander starts to whisper. Jack can't hear what his son is saying, but he can see Glory's eyes light up in glee, and it makes him nervous.
"Oh, I like that!" Glory announces, bouncing happily. She turns her head and catches Xander's lips with her own and kisses him. "Deal!" she says after pulling back, biting her lip and staring at Xander' own lips.
"I guess I know some of your soft spots, too," Xander says in a low voice as he licks his lower lip.
"Are they flirting?" Mitchell demands in a stage whisper, and Glory snaps her head up and glares at him.
"You can go," she says, and waves her hand.
"Excuse me?" Sam asks, because she -- like the rest of the team -- had been experiencing a huge sense of doom about the current encounter.
"You may leave. The first path on the left leads back to the Stargate," Glory explains.
"I'm not going without Xander," Jack states, and Glory rolls her eyes.
"Did I say he couldn't go with you?" she asks, and Jack looks at Xander, who shrugs.
"Okay, let's go, then," Daniel suggests, although he doesn't move.
"I'll see you later," Glory tells Xander, and her hips sway as she stalks away, deeper into the temple.
"What the hell was that about?" Jack demands of his son, who is the only one heading for the door.
"Ah, that would be about me saving your butts," Xander states as he heads out into the sunshine, forcing the team to follow him.
"And why did we need saving?" Mitchell demands as they head down the steps. Xander is leading, and he's setting a quick pace.
"Because Glory likes to suck the life and sanity out of people and leave them with a whole bunch of crazy nothing swirling around their noggins," Xander explains, walking so fast he's near jogging.
"And the bit where I shot her and it did nothing?!" Mitchell demands, jogging to get next to Xander.
"I told you not to shoot," Xander answers.
"Tell us what the hell is going on!" Mitchell orders in a firm yell.
"Glory's decided that she's done being the bitch and would like to be the master. This is bad, because she gets a little obsessed with her quests for world domination," Xander answers.
"World domination?" Jack asks, his tone more curious.
"She tried it back in Sunnydale, killed a bunch of people."
"And you just made a deal with her?" Jack asks, and Xander nods.
"Skye told me that people called the Uri . . . Auroa ... " He frowns, trying to recall the name.
"The Ori?" Daniel asks, and Xander breaks into a grin.
"That's it, the Ori! The Ori are coming, and they're basically going to take over the world," Xander says, and discovers his quick pace has lead him back to the Stargate.
"The Ori are on their way to earth?" Daniel demands, and Xander nods.
"Yup, and apparently that's scary enough for both sides to come together and fight as one. Which I don't think has ever happened before." Xander muses for a moment, stuck on that point.
"'Both sides'?" Sam asks.
"Good and Evil," Xander replies, looking at the DHD with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. Daniel steps up to it and starts punching in the address.
"And your deal with Glory?" Jack asks as the wormhole is established.
"I fight as her champion," Xander says, and Jack shakes his head, not understanding.
"Her champion?"
"Well, the champion. I guess if both sides have merged, I'm really just 'the champion.' But with an affiliation to Glory. . . I think."
"And what do you get in return?" Jack demands.
"I get you. I get you non-crazy, still compos mentis, and with a full load of brain,". Xander replies. Then he shrugs. "Hence, the reason for the hasty retreat. Because that deal sounds a little too good for Glory -- she's not a big fan of letting people go, unharmed," Xander hints, looking at the Stargate.
"You think she'd renege?" Sam asks, and Xander nods, looking over his shoulder.
"I know she will, so we need to get back to Earth, like, NOW," Xander says, making a hurry motion with his hands.
"And if she follows?" Jack asks.
"She can follow, but she can't do anything once she's there. She was banished from Earth, and she can't make with the touchy, brain-sucky-sucky, there," Xander explains, staring at something off to his left.
"Why not?" Daniel wonders.
"All questions can be answered someplace where there isn't an evil former goddess trying to kill us!" Xander snaps, and Teal'c tilts his head and speaks for the first time.
"He is right, we must move away from the threat and return to safety," he states, and heads towards the gate, ducking slightly as he steps through the wormhole.
Teal'c's departure starts the others moving, and Mitchell and Sam step through together, followed by Daniel. Jack stands at the watery-looking event horizon and waits for Xander to move towards him.
"Does it hurt?" Xander asks, looking at the Stargate and stopping a few feet away from the water-like surface.
"No," Jack says with a smile, and Xander looks at him doubtfully, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings as well.
"You wanna hold my hand?" Jack asks, extending his hand, and Xander looks at it and rolls his eyes, but he keeps eying the hand like he's thinking about it.
"Okay," Xander agrees, taking Jack's hand.
Jack steps forward, but Xander doesn't move. Jack stops and stares at Xander: his son is gripping his hand so tightly Jack's knuckles have gone white.
"You'll get it, one day," Xander says with a sudden cold look in his eyes, and Jack sees the knife coming towards him, but he can't make sense of it, can't believe it. The blade is past Jack's defenses in an instant and buried up to the hilt in Jack's chest.
Jack's eyes open wide in fear and betrayal, and Xander lets go of Jack's hand and pushes him back into the wormhole.
"Bye, Daddy."
TBC
So do you like? Hate? It's been so long and honestly I've lost the flow of the story and am trying to just finish it off. Oops I'm a bad writer.