So ends another of my stories. Thank you to all my faithful readers and reviewers! I hope you enjoyed this story - and please remember those who are without homes and who live on the streets. They are people, like you and me, who have been unfortunate, but who deserve dignity and hope.
Thank you all.
He arrived back before the others had returned from their day out. He figured they were all having a good time at Disneyland and he couldn't help but smile when he thought of Teal'c. He really hoped his friend had a chance to meet Mickey Mouse.
He was glad, actually, that they weren't back yet. He needed some time alone to think about all that had happened and about where he was going from here.
He couldn't but be grateful to the Nox. If it hadn't been for them he knew he'd probably been in some mental institution somewhere. As it was, he felt pretty good. He was beginning to be at peace about everything. He knew that bringing the culprits to justice had helped.
Oh, he was feeling sad right now, and slightly depressed, but he decided that was more to do with the end of the adventure and finding out about BJ than it was about all that had happened to him. He knew he still had to heal, but he was well on his way.
He was lying back on his bed, just staring at the ceiling, when he heard the door open.
"Jack?" Daniel came in, followed by Teal'c and Sam. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." He rolled over and put his legs over the side of the bed and looked and his friends – and immediately burst out laughing. It had been a long time since he had felt so relaxed, or so free.
It took a few minutes before he could gather himself back together. Every time he looked at the premier team of the US Air Force, the people who had saved the planet more times than he could count, who had defeated countless aliens, ascended beings and super soldiers and were some of the smartest people he knew – all wearing Mickey Mouse ears, he started laughing again.
"O'Neill, I do not understand what has amused you", Teal'c said, looking solemn. "Is it not appropriate, when one visits the Magic Kingdom, to dress accordingly?"
That set him off again. He really didn't know why he found it so funny. Maybe it was because Teal'c was so dignified usually or maybe because his two geeks (he thought with affection) didn't usually show their childish sides. Whatever it was, they looked hilarious.
He looked at Sam and was pleased to see her laughing along with him. He didn't know if it was because of the ears, or because she was happy to see him laugh. Whatever it was, it gave him a warm feeling. There was nothing like seeing Carter laugh!
When he had finally calmed down, after his team threatened him with all sorts of dire consequences, he was able to ask them how their day had been.
"It was fun Jack", Daniel answered, a gleam in his eye. "You should have seen Teal'c on the log ride. I thought he was going to wet his pants when we went down the big drop!"
"Jaffa do not – wet their pants – Daniel Jackson", Teal'c replied in a 'huffy' tone of voice. At least as huffy as Jaffa ever got. Jack suspected that if it had been a few years ago he would have shot Daniel with a staff weapon for saying such a thing. Oh, how things had changed. He almost started laughing again when he thought of Teal'c wearing his Jaffa armor, with Mickey Mouse ears.
"Well, I'm glad you guys had fun", he finally said. "Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"
"No we have not O'Neill. We wished to wait for you."
"Good, because I'm starved." He stood up. "Let's go for some good Mexican food."
"Did you have a good day Jack", Daniel wanted to know as they headed out of the hotel. "You didn't tell us what you were up to."
Jack paused briefly and then kept walking. "I just had a couple of – goodbyes – to make. It was a good day."
"Did you see BJ Sir?" Sam asked gently, pretty sure she knew what he had been doing.
"No, I didn't – but he's okay. He's with his family and I know he's happy." Jack replied.
Sam and Daniel looked surprised. "I didn't know he had any family", Daniel said.
"Yes", was all Jack replied. He glanced up briefly, almost expecting to hear his friend call out 'hey General!' He was sure BJ was okay now.
They spent an enjoyable evening together, much more relaxed and happy than they had been in a while. They didn't speak about the future or about what had happened or about work – they simply chatted about anything and everything, the way old friends, and family do.
They were walking back to the hotel when Jack decided he wasn't ready to go in. "I think I'm going to walk for a while guys. I need some fresh air."
"Do you want some company Sir", Sam asked, much as she had done before.
His lips quirked but he nodded. "Sure, as long as you don't mind being with a grumpy old Colonel."
"You're not old Colonel", she said, tongue in cheek.
"But I am grumpy?" he asked with a grin.
She grinned back. "Not today Sir."
"What are you implying Major?"
"Nothing Sir, nothing at all."
"Hmmmph!" he replied. "Okay you two" he said to the men, "be good and stay out of trouble. We're going for a walk."
"Don't be too late Jack", Daniel cautioned. "You know you get crabby if you're up too late!"
Sam pretended to cover her ears in shock at Jack's reply, but was giggling at the same time, so he knew she wasn't serious. He turned and held out his arm gallantly, and she smiled and put her arm through his. They walked in companionable silence for a while, until they arrived at the beach.
"Wanna sit for a while?" he asked. The sun had just gone down and the moon was shining out on the waves. There were a few people still out, walking slowly down the beach.
"I'd love to Sir", she said softly, as they made their way to some rocks and sat down. "This is beautiful", she murmured softly. "I love the ocean."
"Yeah, me too. It always makes me feel so – insignificant. I feel like my problems are somehow – smaller when I look out into the water. I get the same feeling when I'm in space."
"Really? That's always the way I've felt. And it always feels so peaceful – as if all the noise and commotion of the world just fades away. I often wished I could live by the ocean."
"Or in space?" he asked softly, turning to look at her face in the moonlight.
"I guess", she laughed, "although that isn't very likely. I think going through the Gate and the occasional flight with Thor or the Tokra are about as close as I'll get."
"Don't forget the times we've hitched a ride with a System Lord or two."
"Yeah – not my idea of a fun time though. We're always too busy either trying to escape or thinking we're about to die."
"I guess not so much fun then?"
"No, not so much."
They both sat quietly again, listening to the waves as they moved in and out. Pretty soon there were fewer people on the beach and it seemed to grow quieter, although that was probably an illusion.
"Were you there?" he asked so softly she could barely hear.
"What?" she turned and looked at him.
"When I was with the Nox. Were you there? You and Daniel and Teal'c?"
She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lie but – "yes, I was there."
"Was it real?" he asked, "or just a dream?"
"It was both", she said. "The Nox – wanted us to help you. They said you'd come a long way but that you would only get better with our help." She glanced at him and then back at the water – because looking at him was too frightening. She didn't know how he felt about this. "We didn't – all we did was sit with you. What happened then – I don't know if it was real or what but it was as if we were -"
"In my head?"
"Yes."
He didn't say any more and she couldn't figure out what he was thinking. Was he angry? Upset? Hurt? She didn't know. "How did you find out?" she finally asked.
"When Daniel talked about the Nox the other day, I got to thinking. I knew there was something you were keeping from me and the more I thought about it, the more I felt like you really had been there."
"I'm sorry", she said gently. "We didn't mean to intrude – we just wanted to help."
"I know", he said, continuing to look out into the water. "It's okay."
She sighed gently and turned back to the waves. She had hoped – but no, that wasn't fair of her. She'd already burdened him enough with her feelings.
"So, you and Pete – really not together?"
"No, not for a long time."
"You were – settling?"
"Yes. I knew that's he's not what I wanted – or needed."
"Oh."
She wanted to scream, to say something, to ask him, but she knew she couldn't – they couldn't. Things hadn't changed.
She was starting to feel chilly, but didn't want to break the silence. It was as if everything had stopped, as if everything was frozen and if she moved it would destroy the tenuous bond that threaded them together, even if only for a short time.
"I told Hammond I wanted to retire", he said.
She turned and looked at him and frowned. "Retire Sir?" she asked.
"Yeah. I didn't want to go back. It's – enough."
"Oh." She looked away, biting her lip. She wanted to cry. "I'll miss you Sir – we'll miss you." She was really afraid she was going to cry.
"He wouldn't accept it."
"He wouldn't - ?"
"Accept my resignation. Said I was 'too valuable'", making quote marks in the air with his fingers.
"I'm sorry – no actually, I'm glad. I don't want you to retire."
"You don't?" he looked at her in surprise.
"No – I mean – I'd miss you and you are too valuable."
"I see. Well, Hammond actually offered me another job."
"He did?" she said in surprise.
"Well, it wasn't really Hammond, although he told me about it. It came from the President."
"The President? He offered you a job?" She was thoroughly confused.
"Well sort of. It was actually Thor."
"Sir?" Her forehead crinkled in confusion. What was he saying?
"Thor approached the President on behalf of our allies – you know, the guys who were there the other day?"
"I know who our allies are Sir. But what did they want."
"Well, it seems that – after I spent time with the Nox – they decided that we were ready to start taking our place with the others." When she still looked confused he went on. "You know – the fifth race stuff? It seems that the Nox and Asgaard and even the Tollan, believe we should start to learn more about what's going on out there and to take our place 'beside' them. But they said we have a lot to learn still. For some reason, they decided that they want me to represent earth and to spend time with them."
"You Sir?" she asked in wonder.
"Yeah – makes me wonder if they really are advanced races. They could have done a helluva lot better. I really can't figure out what they see in me."
"Oh, I think they got it right Sir! But – what does this mean? Where will you be? You are taking this position, right?"
"I think so. They want me to spend some time on the Nox world and then with the Asgaard and finally with the Tollan. I don't mind the Nox, they're great. The only thing is I'll miss meat. The Asgaard – well, they promised me they'd have frozen pizza and they'll stock some Guinness for me. I told them there was no way I'd eat those little disgusting triangle things."
"The yellow ones were-"
"Just as disgusting as all the others."
'Yeah, they were."
"Now, the problem is going to be the Tollan. They're arrogant and I really don't like them."
"No, I know you don't. Narim isn't so bad", she said.
He practically choked. "Uh – he likes you Carter, he doesn't like me."
"Oh, that's not true. I think he just – well, he's just a little more serious than you usually are Colonel."
"Right! That and he's a -" he looked at her quickly. "Uh he's a very, straight kind of guy."
"So, you're going to do it? You're going to go off and what – learn things about our allies."
"I guess. It comes with a promotion, although I don't care about that. The President thinks it's important somehow though, if I'm representing earth."
"You're going to be a General? Congratulations Sir!"
"BJ would have been happy", he said to himself. He then took a deep breath. "Thanks. Uh, that's not all though."
"There's something else?"
"Well, I said I would go, but not if I had to learn all their history or study all their science. Those really aren't my things Carter."
"I know Sir."
"So, they told me to bring some help. I thought maybe -"
"Daniel Sir?"
"For the history stuff – yeah. You think he'd like to do it?"
"He'd love it." After a moment she took a deep breath. "What about the science - stuff Colonel?"
"Well, I thought about McKay", he answered. "He's pretty smart and I figured he'd be easy to get along with."
She choked. "Get along – Uh, yeah, he's smart but-"
"But?"
"Lemons Sir."
"Lemons?"
"Yes, he's violently allergic. He probably has other allergies too."
"So, it probably wouldn't be good to take him?"
"No, probably not."
"The Nox probably eat lemons."
"I expect they do – lots of lemons." He stared off into the dark water. "Well, there's Dr. Lee", he suggested.
"Yes, but he's awfully short, and bald."
"Teal'c's bald."
"But not short."
"No, there's that. You think short is a problem? I mean, the Nox aren't that tall, and the Asgaard, well, they're puny."
"But you might get tired of having only two humans with you and one who is – short."
"True. It might be difficult."
"So, any other ideas?" she asked, not looking at him.
"Well, there was one other person – my first choice actually."
"Really? I thought McKay was your first choice."
"No – definitely my second."
"So, who is – this first choice?"
"Well, she's really, really smart."
"Smart?"
"Yes, and not short."
"Good, that's good."
"And she's not allergic to anything."
"That's important", she paused. "Are you going to ask her?"
"Well, I was thinking about it, although she might not be interested in going."
"Or she might."
"True, but I wouldn't want her to feel obliged. I mean, she has a wonderful career here and I wouldn't want her to lose out by coming with me."
"I think it sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I don't think she would think she was losing out on anything."
"It might be for a couple of years."
"Probably need at least that long to learn everything."
"You don't think she'd mind – being away – with me – for that long?"
"No, I don't think she'd mind at all. I think she would enjoy it."
"You do?"
"Definitely. But this person would still have to report to you and that might – make things hard."
"No, I made sure she'd report to Hammond. She would work with me, not for me."
"Even if you're a General and she's – in the Air Force. I assume she's in the Air Force?"
"Yes. But I I won't be in charge of the science portion at all. I'll be more of an ambassador than anything."
"Oh, I see."
"You do?"
"No – I mean – this – scientist person wouldn't report to you then?"
"No, not at all."
"No chain of command?"
"Nope."
"No regulations?"
"Nope."
"Would she be there as a colleague?"
"And a friend", he said softly, glancing at her.
"Just a friend?", she said breathlessly.
"As – more than a friend – I hope."
"Really?"
"Really – if she wants."
"I'm pretty sure –she wants it very much – Jack."
"You are?"
"Yes."
"Sweet."
He let go of the breath he'd been holding and closed his eyes briefly, hardly believing, but giving thanks that he was so lucky.
They continued to sit, side by side in the dark of the late evening. Although , not touching, their hands were resting close to each other. She felt his finger touch hers and for a moment she didn't move, but then she inched her hand closer, letting it rest completely against his.
He moved his hand until it covered hers, the warmth of it sending a shiver through her. They continued to look out at the black water as it crashed against the rocks – both thinking of what the future had in store for them. It had been a long journey – but now it was almost ended. They were now ready to start a new and different one, together.
Jack smiled. He was at peace.
The End