Rising from the Ashes of Ascension

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: As much as I might wish, I do not own Stargate: SG1, Highlander: the Series, or any recognizable characters from either show. If I did, I wouldn't be working in the public schools system. However, any characters that are not from either show are mine and I will use and abuse them as I see fit. Everyone else will be returned eventually, for I am only borrowing for awhile, but they might end up a bit scuffed.

Warnings: Potty language, violence, and occasional sexual references

Jack left Daniel alone in the VIP room they had given him. He called the main control room and had them page Adam, Siler, and Abbott. He told Walter to tell them to meet him in Carter's lab and to ask General Hammond to join them if he wished.

When he arrived down at Carter's lab, he found Sam fiddling with the computer.

"What'cha doing?" he asked.

Sam didn't even bother to look up. "I've tapped into the security system and I'm feeding the cameras a loop of nothing. I figured that you wouldn't want anyone to overhear or see anything."

"Nice," Jack said, grateful that his team could read his mind at times. It made getting the job done so much easier when he didn't have to explain everything to people.

They waited for everyone to file in: Hammond, Janet, Siler, Abbott, Teal'c, and Adam before Jack closed the door and Sam started up the loop of nothing to cover their backsides with security.

"What was that scene with Adam all about?" Janet asked.

Adam grimaced. "He was feeling my Quickening as I approached and the sensation freaked him out," the Immortal replied, straightening his olive green over-shirt fractionally.

"He doesn't remember being Immortal? He still is an Immortal right?" Abbott asked, ever the Watcher. His fingers itched for a pen that could write all of this down. Unfortunately, the nature of the SGC and what went on under the mountain could never be fully revealed to the Watchers, unless he wanted be fired from the organization for turning in such fantastical bullshit and then be sent straight to Leavenworth (if he wasn't shot first).

Adam sighed. "He feels the same way he did before he Ascended, Immortal-wise. The power of his Quickening signature is off the scale, hell it could be even more so than it was before he died. We don't know what a year of Ascension will do to an Immortal," he said, as he sat down on one of the stools in the lab.

"Have any of you," Hammond said, directing his question at Dr. Pierson, Sgt. Siler, and CWO Abbott, "ever heard of an Immortal losing his memory like this?"

Adam and Abbott shared a look. Siler looked blank

"There have been a few cases of temporary amnesia among Immortals brought on my stress or traumatic events. Also, a few of the older ones' memories have holes in them due to time or something tragic occurring," Abbott said, remembering a few key individuals and events whispered about in Watcher lore.

"He told us that he was crossing some major lines by helping us," Sam said. "Maybe as a form of punishment the others took his memories."

"So making him forget who and what he was in hopes that he would get himself killed is the punishment set for him by the Ancients? What kind of messed up logic is that?" Jack asked.

"Maybe the memory loss is just temporary. I think he might have remembered a few of my more colorful escapades from the past," Adam said, looking thoughtful.

"Your past," Abbott sarcastically said. "So can I now officially confirm that you aren't the newbie Immortal that you led everyone to believe?"

"No," Methos replied, looking at the Watcher with dark eyes.

Abbott rolled his eyes, grousing to himself that it was so unfair that he couldn't tell the whole truth about the Immortals he worked so closely with and was assigned to watch. Even if he were to write in their journals a fraction of what he knew, it would make him a superstar among the Watchers – or be known as a raving lunatic, he acknowledged grudgingly.

"I think he remembered something from my more nomadic times and that's what freaked him out, along with the skull splitting headache he got when I came near. Honestly I can think of only one thing from my past that would have that kind of effect on Danil, so maybe it's a sign that his memories are just repressed rather than erased," Adam said, switching back from his older personality in a blink of an eye.

"Do we have to tell Daniel about his status as an Immortal? Can't we just not say anything and let him have a normal life?" Sam naively asked.

Siler jumped in to the conversation at this point. "When I first met Daniel, he told me that no matter how hard we try, we can't avoid the Game. Even if he stayed on Holy Ground, he would always be a part of it. Also, how would we explain away his lack of noticeable aging plus what if he ran into another Immortal and they went for his head? How kind is it to not let him know how to defend himself and why there are people who give him a massive headache and want to kill him?"

"It would seem," Teal'c rumbled, "the most merciful thing for us to do is to be honest with DanielJackson and allow the feline to escape from the container."

"That's let the cat out of the bag, T," Jack said. He could have sworn that the Big Guy was becoming more and more of a smart ass with each passing day. It was a thought that warmed his heart, knowing that he had something to do with it.

Teal'c responded with a nod of his head while letting a sly grin play upon his lips.

"So what now people? Who's going to tell Dr. Jackson the truth?" Hammond asked, his Texas twang deepening just a bit.

Jack looked at Sam and Teal'c. They looked expectantly back at him.

Shit.

"I will, but I want Adam to be there to fill in things that I can't explain," Jack sighed.

"Very well people," Hammond said and stood up from his bench stool. SG-1, I'll expect your mission reports on my desk by thirteen hundred hours, tomorrow. Good luck Colonel and Dr. Pierson, you're probably going to need it."

"Thank you sir," Jack heaved another sigh. While he was beyond ecstatic that his best friend, one of them anyways, was back on Terra Firma, completely healed and healthy and no longer a member of the Glow Club, his return would not be simple nor would it be without complications.

A/N: Well, what do you think? Crap or not? Hit the shiny review button and let me know. Its short I know, but I felt that the part about Jack and Methos telling Daniel about himself deserves its own chapter. Thank you to Lorilei for pushing me to post this chapter (I am glaring your general direction I hope you know).

Also, Don S. Davis is from southern Missouri (hoo-rah!) and in no way sounds like he's from Texas. I felt the same way when the show said that Cameron was from Kansas, but he has a drawl that marks him from the South. If he had more of a prairie twang, then I could buy it, but his voice isn't exactly right for the area. Just a small issue I have with accents.

Thank you for reading my stuff and giving it a chance. I can't begin to express how much I appreciate the kind reviews, people putting me on their lists, and just reading my story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.