Chapter 5-A Time to Die

Jack entered his DC home with a heavy sigh. His flight from Nevada had been delayed by bad weather in the mid-west. As a result, he had arrived even later than planned. He loosened his tie and tossed his jacket over the couch before kicking off his shoes.

The trip to Nevada had failed to live up to his expectations. But he was reluctant to call it a complete failure. He had reconnected to Sam. Not in the way he had expected, but something was far better than nothing. Anything, even if it was a bitter 'Sir', was better than never seeing her again.

"Jack…" a chiding voice echoed around him.

He sighed again, "Why are you still here?"

Janet's apparation stepped out of the shadows slowly. Her smile was sad as she replied, "Because you still need me."

He snorted in disbelief. "I'm fine. I've managed to fix things with Daniel. I talk to Sam at least once a week. I'm going to talk to Teal'c the first chance I get…I don't need you anymore." He glared at the ghost, challenging her to contradict him.

She smiled and looked pointedly at the boxes stacked in his entry way. The boxes that he had still not unpacked. He stumbled past them every day for nearly eight months. He had tried to unpack them once. He never got past fingering the tape. He just couldn't bring himself to bring those particular articles into the light. They were all the pictures he had kept in his old house.

He just couldn't bear to look at those pictures. Not yet.

Even now, his body refused to step forward and open the box. To look at photos from a happier time. Maybe soon, he would be ready…

He ran his hand over his face and through his hair before turning back to Janet's ghost. "Alright, you may have a point," he conceded. "I'm probably still nuts. Big surprise there… you know, I don't really need you reminding me all the time."

"You're not crazy," she said seriously.

"Says the hallucination I'm having of my dead doctor friend. I'm sorry to say that you're not very convincing," he replied bitterly.

He stormed past the ghost and only paused when he noticed the light on his answering machine blinking. He frowned, trying to remember if anyone actually knew this number. All his work related calls were to his cell phone.

Probably just a wrong number, he surmised, even as he felt compelled to hit the button to play the message.

Daniel's voice echoed in the empty hallway. "Hey, Jack. I'm going to be flying in tomorrow for a committee meeting on Friday. I…uh…I wanted to know if…ah…you were free…you know…for lunch. Give me a call."

Jack smiled, instantly feeling better. He checked his watch as the machine beeped to the next message. Daniel was here already. He could talk to Daniel over lunch. Maybe, just maybe, Daniel could help him with Sam.

"Jack…It's me again." Daniel's voice started the next message. "I… ah…I have a surprise. Um… I really wish I had caught you." Daniel sighed over the recording. "Teal'c is here. He's coming with me tomorrow. I… I don't know…" another sigh, "He wants to see you… I hope it's okay. Call me if it's not. Alright… bye."

Jack leaned heavily against the small table. Teal'c was here.

Jack weighed the emotions that surged through him and was surprised to find that he was glad. Yeah, there was that small surge of fear, mixed with anger and pain, but mostly he was happy. He nodded to himself in approval. Yeah, he could do this. It was time to see his Jaffa brother and win back another piece of his heart.

He pulled out his cell phone and returned Daniel's call.

Unsurprisingly, Daniel answered within a few rings, "Hello?"

"Daniel," Jack replied with a grin.

"Jack! Hey, are you alright? When you didn't return my call, I… I was worried." Daniel's voice was cracked with embarrassment.

Jack winced, "Yeah, about that. I was in meetings all day Wednesday in Nevada, in the air Thursday, and I didn't get your message until a few minutes ago. I just got home."

"Oh," Daniel replied quietly.

"Yeah, I forgot to give you my new cell phone number. I didn't even think anyone had my home number." Jack said contritely. "But, anyway. You wanted to know if I minded if Teal'c tagged along?" he asked.

"Um… yeah. He's with me now, but you know… if…"

Jack cut him off, "It's fine, Daniel. It's great even. I would've gone to him if the President hadn't confined me to Earth."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Thanks for inviting him. It'll be good to see the big guy. He is coming to lunch, right?" Jack asked.

"Of course," Daniel replied. "If you're sure…"

Jack prayed for patience before replying, "I'm sure. I'll call you guys when I'm ready to go, okay?"

"Okay," Daniel readily agreed. "See you then."

"See you later, Daniel," Jack replied before hanging up.

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Jack was running late. No surprise there. But he was able to call Daniel and direct him to a quiet bistro that had the best cake in the city. Jack had a feeling that he would need a bit of comfort food. He eventually made it to the small restaurant only 20 minutes behind Daniel and Teal'c.

He told his driver that he would call when he was ready for pickup and braced himself for this meeting. He stood at the door and spotted his two friends at a table in the back. He pushed his anxiety aside and walked towards his friends.

Daniel and Teal'c stood up when they noticed his approach. Daniel wore a relieved and worried smile, but Teal'c was unreadable. Jack plastered a smile on his face and tried to appear excited instead of anxious.

"Teal'c, long time no see," he started easily.

Teal'c's face remained impassive as he inclined his head, "O'Neill."

Jack waited for more, but instead felt uncomfortable with Teal'c's piercing gaze. Finally, he turned to Daniel, hoping to quiet his rising panic. "Daniel, I'm glad you could make it to DC."

Daniel glanced between the two men before replying, "Yeah. General Landry needed someone to brief the Appropriations Committee. I volunteered."

Jack smiled at him. Trust Daniel to find a nice neutral topic. They bitched about the need to report to politicians and about endless meetings in general. Lunch came and disappeared, and Daniel and Jack were able to catch up while avoiding sensitive topics. But Teal'c remained a passive observer. Jack tried to draw him into the conversation, to reconnect as the friends that they once were, but aside from a few clipped words, Teal'c remained silent. But during the entire conversation, Teal'c focused all of his attention on Jack.

Jack had a hard time quelling his fear. He knew it was irrational. Teal'c was his friend. But his friend was staring at him and Jack couldn't read the thoughts going through Teal'c's mind. It was taking all of his stubborn resolve to finish lunch instead of running screaming from the restaurant.

Daniel had noticed and was doing what he could to keep Jack focused on the conversation, instead of the hole Teal'c was boring into his skull. It helped and Jack thanked all the powers that be for Daniel's presence. Without Daniel, lunch would have gone far worse.

Eventually, lunch ended and Jack called for his driver. Daniel and Teal'c followed him outside and Jack had to fight the urge to keep Teal'c in his sights. His car arrived and Jack had to suppress the sigh of relief as he bid Daniel his final farewell. He turned to Teal'c as he opened the car door.

Teal'c had stepped up close to him and Jack flinched back. Jack braced himself and looked into Teal'c's eyes. For the first time that day, he could read the pain and sorrow in his friend's dark eyes and Jack felt his fear melt away.

Time seemed to stand still as Teal'c slowly drew his Jaffa fighting knife from behind his back. Jack recognized the blade. Teal'c would clean and polish that blade every evening before he would kel'no'rem. It had been his father's knife. It was Teal'c's most prized possession. Teal'c had said that it symbolized his honor.

Teal'c stepped up to Jack again and forced the hilt of the dagger into Jack's hand before placing the tip of the blade over his heart.

"For my dishonor, my life is yours, O'Neill."

Jack stood there looking into Teal'c's eyes with his heart pounding in his ears. He finally understood why Teal'c had left. Teal'c had placed himself in exile, because Jack wasn't there to pass judgment on him. How many times over the years had Teal'c told them about Jaffa justice? How many times had Teal'c calmly explained the Jaffa's brutally fair system? How many times had Jack wished such a simple, if harsh, system was in effect on Earth? A system where the victim was Judge, Jury, and Executioner.

Jack flipped the blade and handed it back to Teal'c hilt first. "Then use it to keep my people safe, my brother," Jack stated formally.

Teal'c cradled the knife in his fist and slowly brought it over his heart. He bowed his head and shoulders to Jack in acceptance of the verdict. "As you wish, O'Neill."

Jack gently touched the Jaffa on his arm, "It was good to see you again, Teal'c."

Teal'c slowly raised his head to look at Jack in wonder, tears glistening in the sunlight "Indeed," he replied with the slightest smile curving his lips.

Jack grinned in return and slapped his arm once, before climbing into the car and signaling to his driver. He looked back once to see both of his friends raising a hand in farewell. And another piece of his heart found its way back home...

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LtCol Cameron Mitchell was surprised when he was approached by Dr. Jackson and Teal'c shortly after their trip to DC. Surprised, but pleased. They wanted to know if he was still looking for team members for SG-1.

Daniel had apparently decided that Atlantis needed more military types. He would wait until the expedition was found and relatively safe before venturing there. In the mean time, he felt that Cam could use his experience and expertise. Cam didn't buy the excuse, but he accepted Daniel back to the team.

Teal'c simply stated that he was needed on Earth. No amount of cajoling would pry anything else from him. He was also accepted back to the team.

So, with little fanfare, SG-1 went from 1 to 3 members. Cam was still certain that they still needed Sam. But, he started to go on missions with his new teammates… and he kept the faith.

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TBC