Chapter 1
Oma stood beside Daniel after his ascension. Life as an ascended being was not what he imagined nor was promised. He found he was limited on what he could do. Gifted with true power and yet he was restrained.
Neither of the two were visible to the people of earth. Daniel projected an image of his old body wearing jeans, a t-shirt and leather jacket with boots. Oma was dressed in jeans, sneakers and a flannel shirt thus the two could blend in if they choose to be seen.
Daniel looked about the area. He found they were centered on a fire station in a small city in New York State. He asked, "Why are we here, Oma?"
"There is someone I want you to meet." she told him. She winked and in a fraction of a second both were suddenly visible to the naked eye.
"Everyone can see us now." he knew.
"It helps." she confessed. She then rapped on the side door of the fire station.
Soon the door opened. A young female firefighter and paramedic answered. She wore a blue uniform and had light brown hair and brown eyes. She was rather short and athletic and about 20 years old. She grinned at her friend. "Oma!" she stepped outside. "What are you doing here? Fish Fry isn't until Friday."
Daniel recalled. "Fish fry. That's a New York thing."
She smiled. "Hey there, handsome." she greeted. She then looked to Oma. "What's up?"
"I want you to meet a friend of mine, Jackie. This is Daniel Jackson." she introduced.
"Daniel," she continued. "Meet Jackie Converse. She's a paramedic and a psychic."
Jackie winced. "Please don't go around telling people that."
"Psychic?" Daniel asked rather amused.
Oma announced. "She can remote view and see things before they happen. She can read a body pretty good. I think she should get a job in Colorado Springs."
She shook her head. "I'm not moving all the way to Colorado. Why are you obsessed with that?"
Oma smirked. "Cute guys. Lots military age men."
She rolled her head back. "Please don't go there." Jackie's pager then went off with a buzz. She glanced down at the text. "I got a call. Hey, I'll catch up with you later, Oma. Nice to meet you, Daniel." She quickly slipped back inside the station to get to the paramedic's car.
Daniel asked, "Why did you want me to meet her? Just because she's physic."
"No," she shook her head. "Ten percent of humans are physic. I wanted you to meet her so you can help her find her father."
"Who is her father?" he asked curious.
"Jacob Carter." she told him.
He stood beside himself. "What?" He then realized. "She would be Sam's sister."
Oma nodded, "Jacob doesn't know. It was right after he lost his wife. He had an affair with Jackie's mother. It was short lived. She has no idea she has a family. Her mother passed. She's all alone. I think we should help her find her family."
He asked, "How do we do that without alerting the others?" he wondered as he and Oma began to walk the sidewalk.
"Become her friend." she instructed. "Jackie's mother had the gene. Jackie has it too. She would be an asset to your friends."
He agreed. "I can be her friend."
Later
Daniel focused on befriending Jackie so he could find a way to unite her with her family. She was the opposite of Sam and Daniel found that aspect refreshing. Jackie was physically much shorter than her sister, had brown eyes like her father and was not the genius that Sam touted.
Being an ascended being, Daniel did not have to eat, drink or sleep. But to blend in, he needed to pretend. He found himself sitting on the sofa in Jackie's apartment and watching a movie after dinner. He sat back with his arm over the back of the sofa and Jackie leaning against him as they shared a bowl of popcorn. He found himself watching a animated movie called Shrek. The movie was mind numbingly stupid yet fun and entertaining at the same time. The movie soon ended much to Daniel's relief. For him it was like watching a movie that Jack would drag him to see.
Jackie sat up and found the remote to stop the player. "That was fun." she laughed.
"I know someone who would love that movie." he confessed.
"Who?" she asked curious.
"An Air Force Colonel. Jack!" he told her.
She leaned back into him. "He sounds like a fun guy."
"That's an understatement." he sighed.
She leaned her head back against his upper arm. "There are openings for the fire department. You could join up. Free training! Plus, you get to drive a big ole engine."
He smirked. "As tempting as that sounds I think I will pass."
She asked, "Don't you want to get a job?"
"I'm taking some time off." he told her.
She wondered, "What did you do before moving to Rochester?"
"I worked in Colorado Springs as a contract worker for the Air Force. I'm a linguist." he reminded her.
"Didn't you say you are also an archeologist?" she wondered.
He nodded, "That too."
"What does the Air Force need an archeologist for?" she asked bewildered.
"This and that." he shrugged it off.
She confessed. "I almost joined the Air Force."
"Why didn't you?" he wondered.
She told him. "Mom got sick and I needed to be around to help her. So, I joined the fire department and became a paramedic. I always wanted to learn to fly through. I don't know why but it always seemed interesting to me."
He remarked "Maybe it's hereditary." He then thought of Jacob and Sam both being pilots.
She shrugged. "Who knows. I never met my father." She then glanced over at him. "You staying tonight or heading out."
Daniel pondered for staying at Jackie's meant sleeping on the sofa and he didn't require sleep. It would be a long night alone, in the dark in the living room.
"You don't have to sleep on the sofa." she suggested.
"You only have one bed." he replied not really understanding what she was trying to hint at.
"Right." she agreed.
"If you want me to stay with you. I can." he stated knowing the events of the terror attack on new York City was still fresh in her mind.
"I would like that." she confessed. She turned closer to him and snuggled her head on his shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. Oddly, he felt at peace and comforted. Her little apartment was an escape for the being. All his worries and concerns melted away as she settled into his embrace. Ironically, it almost heaven. The ascended were far from angels. The ascended realm were far from heaven. But for a moment he found peace in his ascension. She leaned closer and gently kissed him on the lips. He returned the favor and soon found himself standing up and being pulled towards the bedroom.
Next Morning
Daniel lay awake in the bed as Jackie slept beside him. He felt very much alive after spending the night making love. He wasn't even sure he could at first. But being ascended didn't hinder him. Jackie suddenly woke and called his name.
"Daniel!" she gasped. She reached out as if she was trying to grab an object.
He soothed. "I'm right here."
She let out a heavy sigh. "It was another dream." she rolled onto her back and seemed frustrated.
"Tell me about the dream." he urged.
"You were in it. You were dressed in a military uniform. You had a gun with you. There was this really big ring. And inside the ring was water. It looked like a swimming pool but on its side. You walked right through it and you were just gone." she reported.
He blinked as she described walking through the Stargate. He soothed. "I'm sure I come back."
"It was kind of scary." she groaned. She pushed herself up and grabbed her robe. "I dreamed about that big swimming pool thing at least six times now."
"Maybe the government has some top secret program." he hinted.
"I wouldn't be surprised." she rolled her eyes. She stood up. "I'll make the coffee." she then walked out of the bedroom to make breakfast.
Daniel laid back for a moment and simply closed his eyes. Then he felt as if something was different. He opened his eyes and found himself standing before the other ascended naked. He stood rather flustered. "Do you mind?" He looked about at the annoyed faces surrounding him. "Can I have some clothes?"
The leader of the group spoke. "You have broken a cardinal rule of the ascended." He was an older male with gray hair and an olive complexion.
"Which is?" he barked annoyed. The rules were idiotic to Daniel.
Oma winced. "Daniel! We cannot have sexual relations with humans. That's how giants came about."
"Oh!" he growled. "Now you tell me."
The elder stated. "You have a choice. Ether you descend or your human lover must die. If she can ascend on her own, she shall be welcomed."
He stood beside himself. "What?"
Oma explained. "Either you go back and be human or Jackie has to ascended and if she fails, she dies."
He miffed. "Well…that's some choice. Send me back. Okay! Just send my ass back."
The elder looked to Oma. "He's your responsibility."
"I will send him back." she assured.
"Great! Just put me right back where you found me." he instructed.
"We can't." she shook her head. "You slept with a mortal. You have to go back off world and you won't remember anything. That's the punishment the council decided on."
"That's not good." he insisted.
"Sorry." she winced.
Daniel was then gone as his punishment was carried out.
Meanwhile
Jackie came back into the bedroom carrying a cup of coffee for Daniel. She found he was gone. Nowhere in sight. "Daniel!" she looked about. She went to the bathroom. Still, he was gone. "Daniel!" she called. She walked through the apartment. He was simply gone. "I guess he left." she concluded feeling used.