Title: It Takes Two to Tango.

Author: Lingren.

Email: Dalintel@aol.com

Status: Complete.

Category: Action, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Smarm.

Pairings: Sam/Pete, Sam/Jack.

Season: Late 8.

Spoilers: New Order, Affinity.

Content Level: 13+

Warnings: Character Death. Keep a tissue handy! Suicide. Torture. Well, you should know me by now!

Summary: Jack’s unexpected action takes everyone by surprise.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Stargate SG-1. No copy-write infringements intended. Just borrowing the characters for a little fun, fantasy and imagination.

Author’s note: I started writing this before I saw Threads and the final episodes.

File Size: 173K

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.

By Lingren.

Brigadier General Jack O’Neill rounded the doorway to Daniel’s office, and came face to face with all the members of SG-1.

Seated around the desk, where Daniel Jackson was half-heartedly studying an artefact, were Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, and the Jaffa Teal’c.

The conversation came to an abrupt halt as Jack entered and Sam leapt to her feet in deference to her superior.

“General!” she exclaimed. It wasn’t often lately that he wandered the corridors and sought out their company; usually he was bogged down with paperwork.

Daniel placed his ‘treasure’ back onto the desk and looked at his friend curiously, wondering why Jack was seeking them out; it didn’t happen very often these days, not since he took over the reins of the SGC.

Jack shot her an exasperated look, wondering why, with her intellect, she still couldn’t understand the concept that she needn’t snap to attention whenever he walked into a room. He didn’t feel it was right despite his exalted rank these days. Being ‘The Man’ still took a little getting used to. He was far more comfortable with his old title and the camaraderie he’d enjoyed before they’d promoted him.

He waved an impatient hand at her.

“Stand down Carter!”

Sam relaxed and wondered why he sounded so worried and tense.

“Jack...you okay?” Daniel asked solicitously, seeing Jack’s worried frown creasing his brow. He knew most of Jack’s little facial expressions and prided himself of being able to interpret them, and right now Jack looked as if he had something big on his mind.

Jack huffed a long sigh and flopped down into a spare chair, stretching his long limbs out in front of him, before releasing the tension in them suddenly with a shudder.

“Um...that would be a no!” he answered, bringing puzzled frowns to his friends’ faces.

“No?” they all responded aghast. It certainly wasn’t like Jack to admit there was anything wrong.

Jack picked up Daniel’s discarded artefact and absently turned it over in his long thin elegant fingers.

“Is there something troubling you O’Neill?” Teal’c asked, voicing the team’s thoughts

The three team-mates waited with bated breath. Something was weighing heavily on their Commander’s shoulders and he was obviously trying to find the right words and the courage to tell them something that was important. Jack, they knew, was never that good at expressing his innermost feelings.

With a deep breath to steel himself, he replaced the ancient object and turned his attention on three of the finest people he had ever had the privilege to work with, let alone call friends.

“Actually...yeah. I’m thinking of retiring!” he said, dropping a bombshell on the team.

Daniel Jackson and Lt. Colonel Sam Carter stood; mouths falling open, agog at the news.

“What has transpired O’Neill for you to consider this course of action?” Teal’c asked, as he seemed to be the only one who still had the power of speech left to him.

“Sir...?” Sam gasped, eventually able to find her voice though still stunned at his sudden announcement.

“Why Jack?” Daniel demanded, finding his own voice at last.

Jack shrugged.

“Because!”

“That’s not a valid reason Jack and you know it!” Daniel snapped, perturbed by his friend’s reticence, though not surprised by it either. Getting Jack to open up about anything personal was like trying to get blood out of a stone.

Jack looked down at the floor, feeling like he’d just betrayed his best team.

“Because, I’ve had it Daniel. I’m not cut out for...this...” He waved a hand in the air, encompassing the whole SGC. “I can’t be ‘The Man!’ I’ve tried, and I...I just can’t...” he paused, sighing in frustration, unable to express how he really felt in words, let alone explaining the real reason.

“Come on sir. You’re a great Commander! Everyone thinks you’re a first class leader,” Sam confirmed positively.

“It’s driving me nuts Carter. I can’t do this any more!”

“Jack...what’s the real problem here?” Daniel asked, knowing there had to be another more potent reason for his decision.

“The problem is, Daniel, that I can’t do this. I’m gonna retire, and neither you nor anyone else is going to dissuade me! This isn’t just an empty threat; I really mean it this time!”

“Okay, so you need an assistant. Surely they’ll let you have...”

Jack raised both index fingers, shaking them at his friend.

“Daniel!” he barked. It was a warning not to pursue it.

“Jack!” Daniel replied even more frustrated that his friend wasn’t about to listen to anything he or anyone else said.

“I’m going and that’s all there is to it!”

“Jack!” Daniel tried again.

“What?”

“Don’t do this!”

“Too late!”

“You can’t!”

“Yes I can!”

“We need you here!”

“That’s not gonna work!”

“What will?”

“Nothing!”

“Why?”

“Because!”

“Jack! Please...” Daniel begged.

“I’m sorry, but that’s how it is. I’ve had enough kids. I want out while I’m still...” his words trailed off in the wave of a hand. He rose abruptly from the chair and stalked towards the door. He didn’t want to continue this conversation any longer. He knew telling them about his decision was going to be tough, he really didn’t want to argue the finer points over it. Just as he reached the door however, Teal’c spoke up, arresting his steps.

“You are going back on your promise to do your best to lead us O’Neill?” Teal’c accused, recalling Jack’s oath to lead the SGC to the best of his abilities from his official hand over. “How can you turn away from everyone who has stood by you over these last years; those who look up to you and need your support, now more than ever?”

Jack stood rooted to the spot on hearing the Jaffa’s words, designed as they were to cause him maximum grief and make him reconsider. Well, he wasn’t going to reconsider, ‘Damnit’! He’d had enough paperwork to last him a lifetime; he missed all the action of off-world exploration but there was no way back into active participation in the service for him now. He wasn’t fooling anyone within the mountain that he was pulling his weight; he just wasn’t cut out to fly a desk. His knees were shot and he wasn’t getting any younger; being on the wrong side of fifty too, he’d had his brain scrambled twice, and he was on the downward slide towards sixty. Retirement was the only option left open to him.

He couldn’t even rely on Sam being there for him anymore. She had forsaken him; trading in her feelings towards him for a younger model in the shape of Pete Shanahan, and wrecking his heart in the process. How was he supposed to sit back and watch her enjoying life with another man? All he’d hoped for in their near future had been shattered. It was tearing him apart, crushing the very life from his battered heart and soul. He needed to go, and go he would, by one means or another, no matter what the cost.

“I never thought to see you walk away from any challenge O’Neill, perhaps I have badly misread your character and integrity,” Teal’c continued, twisting the knife even further.

Sam was startled at Teal’c’s tone and accusation and let a surprised gasp escape before she could stop it.

Jack felt like he’d been stabbed in the back, but he didn’t turn round to face them; how could he? Neither did he respond to the bitter allegation. Instead, he just tilted his face up towards the ceiling and raised a fist to jab painfully at the wall, anything to take away the sting of Teal’c’s words releasing a long shuddering sigh of bitterness and frustration. Then blinking back the sudden sting of unwanted tears from his eyes, he dropped his head again and resumed his exit, leaving them all shocked and upset.

Daniel slumped over his desk with a sigh, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Well, that went well!” he sighed.

Sam forced her own tears back and wondered if her Commander really would leave or if he was bluffing. This just wasn’t like him.

“O’Neill appears to be very resolute in considering his threat to leave,” Teal’c observed.

“More like a definite threat I think Teal’c,” Daniel mumbled from his slumped posture.

“Indeed! He also appears to be unusually morose,” Teal’c added.

“You mean he’s depressed?” cried Sam in disbelief.

“I do.”

“Then maybe we should try and cheer him a bit, instead of feeling like the end of the world just happened,” she enthused.

“We don’t have a lot of time Sam. We’re due off-world tomorrow,” Daniel reminded her. “For a start, we don’t know when Jack’s thinking of standing down.”

“Then we’ll just have to go and find out!” she snapped, wondering why Daniel hadn’t already discovered that yet.

“Oh sure. Somehow I get the impression that right now, he won’t want to see any of us in particular.”

Sam slumped down in her seat, maybe Daniel was right. After this it wouldn’t surprise her if he didn’t want to see them at all before they left for PZ5 898 tomorrow. What were they to do?

**********

Daniel had tried to go and see Jack several times over the last 24 hours, but hadn’t managed to get any time alone with him. Sam hadn’t had much success either. He was either too busy with paperwork or was tied up in meetings. Teal’c had approached him too but was cut short by Jack declaring he was tired and was going home. Teal’c debated whether to follow and confront him there, but couldn’t bring himself to go as his warrior friend really did look tired and worn, and in need of a rest.

They finally got to see him when he stood in the control room watching as the gate spun to open the wormhole to their newest destination.

Sam cast a worried glance up at the window overlooking the gate-room. Jack was standing there silently, his arms folded across his chest, shoulders sagging a little; looking for all as if he was carrying the world on them.

As Daniel followed her eyes, his own filled with concern at the sight. For once during his career with the SGC, he was very reluctant to go on a mission. Despite the excitement that had been there during the briefing two days ago, he felt that for some reason he shouldn’t go. Something was nagging at him and he had a feeling that Jack would need him here. He couldn’t explain why, he just had a feeling that going off-world right now would be the biggest mistake of his life. He had half a mind to refuse to go, but Jack had already squashed that notion, insisting that he went.

Daniel dropped his gaze to settle it on Sam again whose own eyes had locked onto his. Something of their shared concerns passed silently between them, but they felt powerless to act, not knowing what to say to Jack for the best. They didn’t want him to leave, needing him here at the SGC to watch their backs just as he had when he had led the team on their missions.

Teal’c stood silently brooding, wondering if his words had had any effect whatsoever on his friend, or whether they would have ended their friendship altogether.

Jack’s gaze was steady, but he wasn’t looking at them, at least not when they were watching him. He kept his eyes fixed on the action of the Stargate, only dropping them to see the backs of his friends as they disappeared somewhat reluctantly into the event horizon. His “Good luck and go careful kids,” reverberated hollowly round their otherwise silent departure.

Jack sighed and without a word to those seated at the controls, he made his way back up the stairs to his office.

Walter took him in a cup of coffee and some more papers to be signed a little after 1800 hrs, and merely receiving a simple nod, he left; his working day over with until his next shift started early the next morning.

Hours later, Jack sat back in his chair, casually glancing at his watch, and wondering if he could leave the paperwork for another day. It was nearing 0200 hrs now and he was still at it, the pile seemed endless tonight. He leant on the desk with his elbows; his hands threaded through his grey hair and studied the words of his resignation yet again, trying to ensure they summed up the proper reasons for his departure. He couldn’t in all honesty convey the real reason he felt he had to leave. The sting of rejection ran deep, but he wasn’t telling anyone that.

His thoughts turned inwards, feeling every bit of his tired aching soul; recalling all those events leading up to this moment. All those things that seemed to drive another nail in his coffin, and it was all just too much.

**********

Walter filled the flask of coffee ready for when General O’Neill arrived. The General didn’t always drink it but you could never tell one day from the next if he would. Jack always managed to keep them all guessing. He went through the papers on his desk and gathered together an armful, deciding that maybe it wouldn’t look so bad to the General if he only took a few of them to meet him with. He would lay the rest on his desk ready for when he entered his office.

The Master Sergeant entered the General’s room, head down, studying the papers before he reached out to drop them into the in tray and...

His hands hovered in mid air; his mouth gaped in surprise at the sight before him. It robbed him of his speech; it deprived him of all movement, he was sure even his heart stopped for a moment.

The General was still seated in his chair, his head and shoulders slumped onto the pile of papers covering the desk.

With one mind blowing shock, Walter found his voice, and yelled for assistance. When he discovered he could move again, he grabbed the phone and dialled the infirmary.

“Medical Emergency, General O’Neill’s office!” he barked, but even as he uttered the words he knew it was too late. There was nothing anyone could do for the General now.

One of the SF’s came dashing into the room, his haste arrested when he spotted the scene before him. Walter was still standing there, unable to take in the full implications of the General’s actions.

The security guard holstered his weapon and led Walter away from the scene, gently seating him back at his own desk, ordering the other technician to stay with him and make him drink the coffee he had poured out for the General. He then returned to the office and took a closer look. The General was practically face down on the desk. A bright scarlet pool of blood had flowed over the papers beneath from a jagged hole in his right temple; the 9mm pistol with its silencer attached was held loosely in his right hand which rested on the desk just a few inches from his face.

Moments later Dr. Brightman hurried into the room only to stop suddenly with a disbelieving gasp, her hand flying to cover her mouth as she gazed in shock at the General’s inert form. The SF, warned her not to touch the evidence, but just confirm what they already knew; that General O’Neill had died from a bullet to the brain, and most probably, looking at the evidence in front of them, by his own hand.

The Doctor approached the desk, and gingerly reached for the General’s left wrist; the only available pulse point within easy access. After a moment, she could only confirm the worst. She shook her head at the sheer waste of a good man. She hadn’t known him for long and they had clashed a few times, but she knew that it was only out of a deep concern for the men and women under his command.

Her eyes filled unexpectedly and she blinked furiously to clear them away. When she felt her voice wouldn’t break, she spoke.

“There’s no pulse, and he’s stone cold. There’s nothing I can do here.”

An immediate ‘eyes only’ was slapped on the events, preventing the full truth from being released. The shock wave rippled through the base in no time, causing consternation and heartfelt grief as news of the General’s sudden demise swept along the grapevine. No-one knowing the true cause, could believe that Jack O’Neill would actually kill himself. Some of the personnel felt guilty, thinking that perhaps they had added to his burdens, but most were simply left in shock. He had been a popular leader; perhaps not in the same mould as General Hammond had been, but just as authoritative and still as amiable and easy-going as he had been when he was just Colonel O’Neill.

What, they wondered, had gone so wrong?

**********

General Hammond stood at the door to his former office and swallowed the sudden lump that had constricted his throat. His eyes were drawn to the desk. Although they had scrubbed it clean, all George could see was an imaginary pool of blood. Jack’s blood. It turned him cold just to think of it. Just why the hell Jack had killed himself he would never understand; and in this office at that?

Guilt flooded his mind again when he thought how Jack had almost begged him to take back his old job. Had it really been too much for him? He’d never given any indication that he was the type who could take his own life without a damn good reason. So why had he done it? Why hadn’t he listened when Jack had come to him bemoaning the fact that he wasn’t enjoying being ‘The Man’; that he’d missed the action of off-world missions? Was this all his fault?

A cough behind him startled him and he reluctantly entered, sitting very slowly in the chair that had so short a time ago been relinquished by him.

Walter followed him into the room, manfully trying to avoid looking at the desk. The images he’d seen earlier that morning still vivid in his memory.

“Sir...these are the teams currently off-world. SG-1 is among them sir. Should I recall them General?”

Hammond closed his eyes briefly, bracing himself, and then nodded.

“I think that’s a foregone conclusion Sergeant,” he grimaced sadly, thinking how much of a shock the team was in for.

“Yes sir, I’ll get onto it right away,” Walter had assured him. He didn’t want to be in Hammond’s shoes when the team came back looking for their former CO. He’d known all the members of SG-1 for a long time and knew just how close they had all been.

“Are you alright Walter?” Hammond asked, stunning the Sergeant by using his first name. “You were the one to find...General O’Neill. Are you sure you want to stay? You could go home...”

“No sir. I’m fine thank you sir. I’d...er...I’d rather immerse myself in work if you don’t mind General.”

“That’s alright son,” Hammond nodded in understanding and Walter hurried away to carry out his orders.

Hammond couldn’t bring himself to lean on, or even to touch the desk, instead he took his things and set up in the briefing room to await what was rapidly feeling like his execution; the moment he had to inform the members of SG-1 that their friend, and Commander of the SGC, had committed suicide.

So lost in his thoughts had he been, that he failed to hear the klaxons warning of an ‘incoming wormhole’ and was suddenly shaken from his thoughts when the Stargate blossomed into life outside the window.

He pushed his tired body up from the chair and walked with a heavy heart down to the control room.

Walter turned in his chair and watched him approach.

“It’s SG-1’s IDC sir.”

Hammond nodded mutely, watching as the iris spiralled away from the centre to reveal the shimmering blue event horizon. He made his way down the steps to await them in the gate-room.

Sam was the first one through, quickly followed by a more than curious Daniel, wondering why they had been summoned back to the SGC. Teal’c was as usual bringing up the rear, making sure his team-mates were safe first.

One look at Hammond standing where he always used to, at the foot of the ramp, had Sam and Daniel looking decidedly worried. A lump of lead settled in the pit of their stomachs and dread gnawed away at their nerves.

“Welcome home SG-1,” Hammond greeted them, though his welcoming smile never reached his sad grey eyes, echoing the hollowness he felt in his heart. “Would you please follow me to the briefing room!”

Although spoken softly, it wasn’t a request but rather an order which they all recognised as such. Something was wrong. Daniel could feel it, and Sam could sense it. They exchanged worried looks and confirmed their feelings when even Teal’c looked positively unsettled, despite his dead-pan facial expression.

One look at those on duty as they passed by had the hairs on the back of their necks standing to attention. Then Daniel, unable to contain himself any longer asked the burning question uppermost in all their minds.

“General Hammond, what’s happened? Where’s Jack?”

Hammond’s footsteps faltered momentarily but he continued on to the briefing room without answering Daniel’s request for news.

Daniel was burning with curiosity and almost desperate to know what was going on by the time Hammond waved them to their seats.

They sat, dreading whatever it was that had changed the General’s normal easy-going nature to one of what appeared to be of deep sorrow.

Hammond sat down in the chair he had vacated only a few moments ago, and rested his elbows on the table, pressing his finger-tips together against his lips while he calmed his scattered thoughts.

“Sir?” Sam begged, barely able to contain herself; her military discipline shattering under the tension in the room.

Hammond took a deep breath, releasing a huge sigh as he at last focused on the team.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news people...”

“Oh God...it’s Jack isn’t it?” Daniel stabbed at a guess. He knew it! He just knew he shouldn’t have gone on that damn mission.

“Yes, it is son.”

“Sir, what happened?”

“Is he badly injured in any way?” Teal’c asked, hoping that perhaps all would be well, though deep down he doubted it.

“I’m afraid not son. He’s...I’m sorry people, he ‘died’ early this morning.”

“What?” Daniel gasped, his jaw dropping open.

“No!” Sam cried out with a sudden gasp of denial. “H...h...he can’t be!” she exclaimed horrified by the announcement.

“How?” Daniel demanded, his voice breaking with emotion.

Hammond swallowed, fearing how they would react to the startling news he had to relay to them.

“Sergeant Davis found him in his office this morning at 0630. He...” Hammond swallowed at the persistent lump. “...he’d shot himself with his own gun.”

The irony of that statement wasn’t lost on the General or on those sitting round the table with him. That same gun had also taken the life of Jack’s only child too. Jack had kept it by him all the time.

The stuttering gasps of shock, disbelief and distress that followed this statement sounded like a grenade exploding in the silence. To Hammond’s ears their despair was as palpable as his own had been, if not more so because of their unique bond. They had been Jack’s ‘kids’, and now the head of their ‘family’ had gone. It was a bitter blow to their hearts.

Hammond could see that Sam was barely able to contain her tears, knowing how close she had been to her former CO. Deep down he knew there was more than mere friendship between them at one point, but they had remained so professional at all times he was able to overlook it. Had her engagement to the Denver policeman have any bearing on Jack’s decision to take his own life? He wondered; or was he reading into things that were never there?

Daniel didn’t even bother trying to hide his deep grief; the bottom of his world had just fallen out from under him again. He had lost so much in the past; his parents, Sha’re, and now Jack. He sat there, dumbstruck, shaking his head in disbelief and desperately trying to deny it had really happened.

Hammond knew how much Jack had meant to the young man; he was more than a friend, he was like a brother; someone the young man had looked up to. Jack always looked out for him, and despite their constant arguments, they were close. Hammond knew Jack had always indulged the man where he wouldn’t tolerate the same from anyone else, except Lt. Colonel Carter of course.

Hammond could see all three of them glancing towards the office behind him with suspicion and loathing, and sheer astonishment.

Sam held her hand to her mouth, but whether this was to stifle the sobs or to hold onto the contents of her stomach, Hammond wasn’t sure; he was still feeling pretty numb himself.

Daniel who had now closed his eyes, sucked in a shaky breath, his hand swiping uselessly at the constant stream of tears running down his distraught face. Learning that Jack had died was a bitter blow, but that he had killed himself was even more devastating. Anger as well as grief welled up in his soul. How could Jack just end it all? How could he do this to him? Did his friendship mean nothing to the man after all?

Teal’c who appeared to have more control over his emotions, stood and walked round the table to stand just behind his team-mates, laying a reassuring and protective hand on a shoulder of both of his tearful friends. He felt that it was his duty now to look after them in their hour of need, despite his own deep feelings of guilt and grief. Perhaps his own harsh words had been the final straw and had tipped the scales of despair in his warrior brother?

Hammond felt helpless. He’d known they would take it badly, but what could he do? Rather he told them now, than they find out later via the grapevine, and get it all wrong. All sorts of rumours were rife at the moment.

“What transpired here this morning General Hammond?” Teal’c asked as he was the only one that could find their voice.

Hammond sighed deeply again. He hated doing this, but it was his duty.

“We believe that Jack took his own life early this morning. There was a note for his resignation on the desk. Dr. Brightman confirmed that he died from a gunshot wound to the head and that he had died...almost instantly. Forensics are checking the fingerprints on the weapon to see if it was indeed the one used by Jack and that he actually been the one who fired it...”

“Didn’t anyone hear anything?” Daniel gasped, interrupting the General.

“Jack used a silencer, so no, nobody heard a thing. Dr. Brightman placed the time of death at around 0300hrs.”

“Didn’t security check up on him?” Sam couldn’t believe that nobody had made sure the General was okay before Walter had arrived on the scene hours later.

“Apparently Jack dismissed the guards, telling them that he didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Oh god, Jack!” Daniel sighed sadly, shaking his head again, unable to come to terms with the evidence. He couldn’t take it in. It was too unreal for him to admit that Jack was dead, let alone that he’d actually killed himself. He’d known Jack had been suicidal when they were on that very first mission to Abydos after Charlie’s death, but he’d been fine since then. If only he had been here to talk to him, to try and persuade him to put things into perspective. All this might have been avoided. Why hadn’t he seen the signs for crying out loud?

“It is ‘him’ I suppose? Not a...a clone or anything?” Daniel asked, begging for anything that might prove that Jack could still be alive somewhere.

“His body is in an Iso room Dr. Jackson if you wish to take a look for yourself,” Hammond offered.

Daniel declined, knowing he wouldn’t be able to look at his best friend lying cold and grey in that room, just covered by a single white sheet. That wasn’t Jack. Jack was a vibrant person; always full of confidence and exuding sarcasm. He wasn’t a dead body. That wasn’t the Jack he knew.

“No!” he affirmed, “I...er... It’s not that I don’t believe you...it’s just I can’t believe...it,” he confirmed.

“I’m finding it all rather hard to take in myself Doctor,” Hammond admitted.

“I’m sorry General. I forgot that Jack was a good friend to you too,” Daniel apologised.

“He couldn’t be cloned Daniel,” Sam stated morosely, sniffing back the tears. “Loki tried, and look what happened!”

“Yeah, I know. I guess I just wanted this to be a big mistake that’s all.”

“I think we all wish that son!” Hammond sighed.

“So, what will happen now sir?” Sam enquired, through the tears which had welled up again.

“I’m going to remain here, to run things, though there will be a mandatory shut down while the base is in mourning. Then, later, the Joint Chiefs will appoint a new Commander and I’ll be returning to Washington.”

“What funeral arrangements are to be made General Hammond?” Teal’c asked.

Hammond pursed his lips and blew out a long breath.

“There is to be a full military funeral here in the Springs, and then we will hold a private memorial service in the gate-room. Only a few select people know that Jack actually took his own life. The less said about it the better. Most rumours have him dying from a sudden heart attack and we haven’t denied it.”

“Does...” Daniel squeaked, then coughed to clear his throat and regain control of his voice, “Does Sara know? Has anyone bothered to tell her?”

“Colonel Dixon is on his way there now. They were friends before Jack’s marriage broke up. He volunteered to break the news to her.”

Daniel nodded his approval.

“Should he not be buried as a hero in your Arlington cemetery General Hammond? I believe it should be a fitting tribute to the outstanding warrior that O’Neill was,” Teal’c queried. “He did save this world on a number of occasions.”

“That’s true Teal’c and it should be a fitting place, but Jack... Jack didn’t want that accolade. According to his records, he wished for a simple funeral and to be buried near his son.”

Daniel nodded, knowing that would be just so like Jack; he’d want nothing to make him appear to be a hero or to be recognised as such. And he would certainly want to be buried as near to Charlie as possible.

“Has anyone told John yet? Jack’s younger clone?” Daniel asked, ever mindful of his duty. “I think he would want to know about this. After all... it is basically...him. I mean...he is...was essentially Jack.”

“It’s next on the agenda Dr. Jackson.” Hammond turned to his files and pulled out an envelope. He tapped it against his fingers for a few moments before handing it to Sam. “This was found on Jack’s desk this morning Major. I won’t ask what it contains and you don’t have to tell me, unless you wish to.

Sam stared at the envelope a long time and gulped. It was addressed to her in Jack’s recognisable sloping script. Gingerly she took the proffered envelope, loath to open it in company. She slipped it into her BDU pants pocket to read later, wondering what Jack would have to say to her.

**********

Sam sat down heavily on the stool at her bench. She’d closed the door and hoped that no-one would disturb her. She could more or less guess what the letter would contain, but did she really want to know what Jack had to say to her? Did he blame her?

Dear Sam,

I guess by now you know what I’ve done, but not the why.

The reason being I just couldn’t face life without you. When I say without you, I mean without you in my life. I couldn’t sit back and see you happily married with that...guy! I couldn’t stand by and see you with another instead of me.

Nearly eight years of my life I’ve waited for the right time. I was gonna retire at the end of this year because I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you. When you said we were okay. I was happy to wait. Big shock huh? I waited for you alright, but you couldn’t hang on, and you went and got yourself engaged to another. You snuffed out the candle that was my whole life!

I hope you’ll be happy with Pete.

But I’m dammed if I’m gonna live my life watching you from a distance, full of joy and being carefree with him. I’m only human Sam, fallible like the rest of our kind. I can’t live with this. Sorry.

It’s time to call a halt to my misery. Good-bye Sam. Hope you enjoy your life. Please, don’t feel guilty over this. Just pretend I was killed in action or something.

Say goodbye to the others for me.

I love you Sam. Always have, always will.

Jack O’Neill.

Sam sniffed back the sobs but her grief was too overwhelming to stop them from coming. How the hell was she going to live with the guilt, knowing that she was the one who had caused Jack heartache enough to take his own life?

‘God, Jack; if only you had waited,’ she sobbed, “I wanted to tell you that I’d called it off. I gave Pete his ring back last month Jack! I wanted to tell you but I wanted to wait until the right moment,’ she whispered to the empty room, ‘now it’s too late!’ Collapsing across the bench top, she buried her head in her arms and wept bitterly; for fate; for Jack; for her loss, and for herself.

**********

The thick black clouds scudded past on a stiff breeze, and rain fell persistently, adding misery to the melancholy mourners gathered around the flag draped coffin standing silently over the empty grave.

Father O’Malley stood at one end, his solemn features reflected in those who had come to pay their last respects. His prayers for the resurrection ending with the sign of the cross.

The honour guard raised their rifles and fired a salute to a fallen hero. The noise shattering the peace of the quiet neighbourhood, as another of America’s sons was lowered into his final resting place. The flag duly folded and presented to Sam, who accepted it with quivering lips, though determined not to break down in front of everyone.

Those that considered themselves friends of the departed, filed slowly away; drifting back to their respective cars, and leaving only SG-1 at the graveside, still unable to believe the truth before their eyes.

Teal’c stood impassive as ever, his protective nature watching over his team-mates as they wept openly now; the strain too much to keep their grief at bay any longer.

Sara approached them and reached out to touch Sam’s hand, patting it lightly in a comforting gesture. Sam looked up into the tear swollen eyes of Jack’s ex-wife, not knowing what to say to her. They had both loved and lost him; what was there to say?

“I won’t come back to the house,” Sara sniffed. “It...I wouldn’t feel right. I’ve said my goodbye. Thank you for letting me come. I always knew, I guess, that one day he wouldn’t be coming home. I’m sorry…” Sara couldn’t finish. She turned and with a long glance at Charlie’s grave she hurried away, leaving Sam to gulp back fresh tears.

Daniel watched her go, knowing that she had still loved Jack despite everything, and that Jack had still loved her in a way but had known it wasn’t meant to be. They’d both moved on.

He put his arm around Sam’s trembling form and led her away from the graveside and back to the car. Teal’c followed, spying the young John O’Neill watching from a distance. He looked more like the Jack they had all known now that he had grown a little older. Teal’c graced the youth with a regal bow of his head and saw a hand wave back in acknowledgement before he too left the scene.

John couldn’t risk getting too close to the others; Sara might have noticed the startling resemblance to Jack and start asking him too many awkward questions. Chiefly about her ex-husband’s loyalty to her during their marriage, which he wouldn’t be able to answer. He was glad she had been there; Jack would have appreciated it, though it would have been absolutely devastating to her had she known the true cause of his death.

Sara hadn’t asked Colonel Dixon how Jack had died. Knowing the military as well as she did, she believed it wasn’t worth the asking; she’d probably only be fobbed off with a lie anyway. A ‘training accident’ being the usual spiel. It would make no difference; Jack was dead and buried now. So it happened later rather than sooner; either way she’d been expecting it at some stage of his career.

The wake was a sombre affair, at least for the members of SG-1 and General Hammond. Colonel Dixon wasn’t there; he had been left behind to watch over the base below Cheyenne Mountain during the General Hammond’s absence for the funeral.

There was the occasional eruption of laughter coming from the group of airmen who were reminiscing about the time Jack had them fooled over something, but Daniel couldn’t be bothered to pay them much heed. He wandered around the familiar house, a glass of ‘Jack Daniels’ in his hand, though most of it remained there untouched. He gravitated towards Sam again, and sat down beside her on the sofa. He placed the one-third full glass on the tabletop, turning towards his friend.

“How’re you doing Sam?”

“I hate this Daniel,” she said, looking at him with tears in her eyes. “I...I just can’t believe he’s gone. Just like that! I can’t believe he would do such a thing.” Her voice wavered as she broke down again and Daniel enfolded her into his arms, kissing the top of her head offering her a little comfort.

“I know how you feel Sam. It’s not right. I just know something is off about this whole thing and it’s bugging me.”

“Daniel. Both Teal’c and General Hammond formally identified him. It was definitely him,” Sam retorted bitterly.

“I know, I know. It’s...I can’t...I just don’t understand, that’s all. I never expected him to get that bad again.”

“Again?” she gasped looking up at him, wondering what he had meant.

Daniel sighed and leant his back against the cushion, gathering his thoughts.

“After Charlie. Jack was thinking of killing himself after the tragedy of Charlie’s death. That’s the real reason he was chosen to take on that first mission to Abydos. He had a death wish Sam, and they never expected him to come back again. It was meant to be a one-way mission for him. By the time we had finished off RA though, he felt a lot different; better in fact. He’d come to terms with what had happened, and although he still felt bad, he did assure me he would be fine. And he was...that’s why I don’t believe he could...would...do this to himself...to...us!”

“He was depressed Daniel. We all saw that.”

“I know Sam. And I should have seen this coming, but I didn’t. I can’t help wondering if I shouldn’t have followed my instincts and foregone the mission,” he sighed, and then added bitterly, “Maybe then he would still be alive.”

“Daniel you can’t second guess this. We had no idea things were that bad.”

“But I should have seen the signs Sam,” he argued passionately. “I’d seen it in him before. This time I ignored my own forebodings and look what happened. He’s gone!”

Daniel jumped up from the sofa and hurried from the room. Sam went to follow, but Teal’c, who’d stood nearby and had been listening, stopped her with a hand on her forearm.

“I believe Daniel Jackson needs to be alone Colonel Carter. I will ensure he comes to no harm.”

“Thanks Teal’c. I’m worried about him. He’s blaming himself.”

“Indeed he is.”

‘As am I,’ Sam thought despondently.

**********

Sam, Daniel and Teal’c were gathered round the briefing room table. They had been summoned there by General Hammond. It had been a week since the funeral and this was their fist day back after taking some well deserved personal leave that Hammond had insisted they take to get over the sudden tragic death of General O’Neill.

Hammond entered the room, his face stoic and determined. He dropped the folder onto the table and nodded his greeting to SG-1, allowing them to resume their seats.

He paused for a moment looking at each of his best team-members and heaved a deep sigh, hoping that they were up to his enquiries. He wasn’t sure they would like it, but they had to investigate the probable cause as to why O’Neill had ended his life.

“Okay people. I trust that you have sufficiently recovered enough to face this inquiry. So do you have any clues as to why my best officer decided to end his life?”

Daniel gulped a little and wouldn’t take his eyes off the surface of the table. What could he say. He didn’t know why Jack had done that. He only knew that he should have been there to help him over whatever crisis he was going through. He had failed his friend in his hour of need.

Sam blushed, feeling Hammond’s eyes on her. What difference did it make now if they knew the truth, maybe it would help her to sleep if she told the truth.

“Sir...”

“Colonel...you have something to tell us?” Hammond knew he was being brutal, but sometimes it worked out for the best.

“Yes sir.” She pulled the letter which Jack had written her, from her pants pocket and handed it to the General. It was folded in half and quite dog-eared and tear-stained now from constantly being read and carried around in her pocket all the time. “I believe this explains it all sir.”

Hammond was about to push it back at her. After all he had a pretty good idea of what was written in there.

Sam insisted he read it, if only to explain the real reasons why Jack had died a desolate death.

Hammond removed the single sheet of paper and read it through. Why hadn’t he realised how devastated Jack had felt at losing Sam to Pete Shanahan? Why hadn’t she waited? It was his understanding that things between them had been pushed aside after so long; he thought the separation was mutual. Obviously not. He felt for Sam deeply. He reached out and laid his hand over hers and gave it a little squeeze, before passing the letter back to her.

“You didn’t have to show me this. I can’t report this. It wouldn’t do your career any good if the Joint Chiefs knew the true reasons Colonel.”

“It’s okay General. Nothing matters any more. I want to resign from the Air Force anyway. There’s nothing for me here now.”

“What? Sam? What about the SGC? What about SG-1?” Daniel argued.

“SG-1 Daniel, died when Jack...General O’Neill moved up the ladder. It was just a matter of time before it broke up anyway.”

“Sam...please! Don’t do this. I can’t lose you too!” Daniel pleaded.

“I have to go Daniel. Don’t you see? There’s too many memories here for me to ever be comfortable again. It’s time I...moved on with my life,”

“Isn’t that why Jack...?” Daniel couldn’t finish his angry tirade; his voice gave out on him and he was unable to continue for a moment.

Sam spun round to face him, her face portraying her shock at his accusation; tears finding their way down her cheeks.

“Because you moved on and left him behind?” Daniel managed to finish bitterly.

“God Daniel...I didn’t know. I swear to god I didn’t realise he would...take it so bad.” Sam broke down completely, burying her head in her hands while she sobbed.

Teal’c was by her side in two strides, comforting her and glaring at Daniel.

“Daniel Jackson your anger is not worthy of O’Neill’s memory. Was his friendship with each of us meaningless? He would not wish us to fight among ourselves, casting the blame upon each other. I believe there was more to his death than was written in a personal letter to Colonel Carter. I am just as guilty of his death as anyone. I cast a slur upon his pride as a warrior and doubted his honour and integrity.”

Daniel wilted under Teal’c intense gaze and his admission. Knowing he was just as guilty of ignoring Jack’s loneliness, and distance, throwing himself into his work instead of being there when Jack obviously needed someone to talk to.

“I’m sorry Sam. I never meant to hurt you. I’m just taking out my own guilt on you. I’m sorry, but please Sam, don’t leave us too!”

Through all this Hammond had sat and listened to this team, working out their problems.

“I’m not accepting any resignations Colonel. You’re too valuable here for me to allow you to turn away.”

Sam sniffed back her tears.

“I will stay for a while General, but I will be leaving. Sorry Daniel. I don’t want to do this any more. I can’t!”

“Will you consider staying on as a civilian scientist Colonel?”

“I don’t know yet sir. I don’t know what I want to do.”

“Then stay until you can think clearly and without reproach. I’ll give you some time to sort yourself out and if you still want to resign then I won’t stand in your way.”

“Thank you sir.”

Daniel gathered his things from the table and left without a word or a glance in her direction.

SG-1 was finished. Friendships forged through battles fought together were now severed forever.

Sam felt terrible about her decision, knowing how much it had hurt Daniel, but without Jack here, everything felt wrong. He had been her mainstay for the past eight years and now he was gone, it was like the life had been sucked out of the SGC. Nothing was the same any more. The whole atmosphere of the base had changed overnight since Jack’s death, and she wanted to get away from the claustrophobic feeling that hung about even now. She just couldn’t get away from Jack’s lingering presence and the guilt was crushing her.

**********

The Ha’tak vessel continued to orbit the planet, shielded from the primitive detection devices below. The Jaffa ever mindful of their duty, stood guard over the prisoner sitting forlornly in solitude in the bare cell. His uniform was tattered and dried blood stained it in several places.

Orders were received and the sound of marching feet drifted towards the small secured room.

The door opened and two Jaffa stepped up to the prisoner who had stood to face them when he’d realised they were coming for him again.

They each grabbed an arm, securing him against any attempt to escape, and marched him down the passageway to meet their master.

The guards only released him once he was standing in front of their god. His legs were knocked out from under him and he fell on his knees when he was made to stay. He knew the routing by now.

“Ah, I see you have recovered. Excellent. We will continue with our little ‘game’ shall we? You will tell me the codes to your iris shield!”

“Not a chance!”

“Then perhaps you could be persuaded to tell me of your secret weapon! The one that defeated Anubis!”

“No way!”

Pain erupted through his body, but he adamantly refused to tell his captor anything.

“Tell me the secrets of your super weapon or you will die Tau’ri.”

“Geez. What part of ‘No way!’ do you not understand?” he gasped.

Sharp agonising pain lanced through his back once more and he lay on the floor, gasping in agony even after the pain stick was finally removed.

He’d been through this umpteen times now and it still hurt like the devil. How much longer could he endure this punishment? He wondered. Why weren’t they coming for him? Where the hell was he anyway? His mind was clouded and he was feeling worse for wear with every death he was dying. His worst nightmare was happening again. Ba’al had him in his clutches once more. How he had managed this, Jack hadn’t got a clue. He just woke up and found himself a prisoner.

There he was, working away in his office when he was suddenly transported up to a ship. His first thoughts were that Thor had beamed him aboard his new ship, The Daniel Jackson, but as soon as he had materialised, he was struck down by a Zat blast and had woken up as a guest of the Goa’uld system lord. He knew that he was on board a Ha’tak vessel, but just where they were in the vast darkness of space he didn’t have the slightest idea.

“You will tell me this information or you will suffer a tortuous death once more!” Ba’al snarled.

General O’Neill’s attention was pulled back to his predicament once again.

“Go ahead! I’m still not telling you!”

“No-one will come for you O’Neill...everyone you knew believes you are dead.”

“Not without a body they won’t!” Jack retorted, knowing that if he was missing, they would never give up searching for him.

“But they have a body...your body. Poor General Jack O’Neill, was forsaken by Samantha Carter and took his own life.”

“What?” Jack was confused now. A body? His body? How did he know about Sam or his feelings for her?

“General O’Neill’s body was discovered in his office, where unfortunately, he had committed suicide. Your funeral has already taken place!” he sneered, laughing at the shocked look on Jack’s face. “So touching too. All your friends were there. Oh, and I do believe that Dr. Jackson blames himself for your death, as well as Colonel Carter. The Shol’va Teal’c also believes he is to blame too. Such a shame that SG-1 couldn’t stand the strain and has now been disbanded. No-one will come looking for you O’Neill. You are mine for eternity to do with as I please.”

“I don’t believe you. You’re bluffing!” Jack couldn’t help a little doubt creep into his voice. He sincerely hoped the evil snake was lying.

“No. I don’t think so. Would you like some proof General? I had one of my spies watching the whole thing. Colonel Carter was very upset. I do believe she was almost inconsolable; as was Dr. Jackson. I think you will find these images very interesting!”

He handed Jack some photographs, which Jack took with shaking hands. He skimmed through them, seeing Sam hunched over with Daniel’s arm draped over her shoulders offering her comfort as she stared sightlessly at the flag-draped coffin. General Hammond, and even Sara had tears in their eyes as they all stood around the grave. His coffin. The tombstone standing by, announcing his resting place to the world.

He read the inscription on the close-up, still disbelieving...

Brigadier General

John `Jack’ O’Neill. U.S.A.F.

October 20, 1952 –

September 29, 2004

Sadly missed.

May God rest his soul.

Jack cringed inwardly. How could they believe it was really him? How could they believe he would do that? How could Sam weep so much for him when her heart was committed to another?

Ba’al’s evil laughter filled the room as Jack closed his eyes, dropping the pictures on the floor in abhorrent dread, knowing that if they believed the evidence, then he was well and truly dead and buried; despite the fact that he was here, alive, if not 100% himself right now if ever again. There would be no search party to find him; no rescue. There could be no end to this torment now. He gave up all hope; there was nothing left. His battle for sanity was all that remained, for however long it would take for the Goa’uld to break his mind.

With the painful reality of his own supposedly suicidal death, Jack knew that there would be no reason for the SGC to change the Iris codes, and that eventually under the punishment of his constant torture and revival, he would break. He had almost broken before. He felt powerless to stop this, but he was determined to hold off for as long as possible. He could not, would not, be responsible for giving Earth to Ba’al or any of the other Goa’ulds. He could not let them in the front door.

“You wish to know how I effected this charade?”

Jack looked up at him, still shocked by the revelation. What must his friends must be going through? What had it done to Sam?

“I had some help from my little friend here. Come, show yourself to our guest little one.”

Loki emerged from his hiding place, his head down in remorse and shame.

Jack looked on in disbelief. Then anger when he recognised the Asgard.

“Loki!” he gasped. “God...No!” His anguished thoughts screamed denial in his head, even though he knew them to be true. There was no hope at all now.

“I am sorry O’Neill. It was not my choice to clone you,” he said remorsefully.

“I had our friend clone your body. I was hoping that it would serve me well, but the experiment failed and the clone’s mind was malformed. His death was indeed a blessing in disguise. I have you for eternity O’Neill,” he laughed again. An evil, chilling shriek of insanity, and it made Jack cringe and hope to god he could die sooner than later or break his mind altogether into a pulp that would render his usefulness negligible.

What thoughts he had were shattered once more under the pain as he was prodded again with the rod.

Ba’al prowled around him, walking slowly teasing him with the blade of a knife, trailing it over his body, cutting into the flesh slightly and leaving a crimson trail in its wake.

Jack fought against reacting, lying still, fighting his own inner pain that threatened to overcome him more than anything Ba’al could ever do to hurt him.

He could feel the point of the blade digging into his back, as Ba’al ground out his demands for the secret weapon.

Jack ignored him, closing his eyes and waiting for the end.

It couldn’t come too soon as far as he was concerned.

The blade slowly pierced his back, severing the spinal column between his shoulder blades and on into his heart making Jack sag lifelessly on the floor.

Ba’al waved a hand at his Jaffa and ran his fingers through the blood on the blade, smiling at his own evil deed. They removed Jack to a side room where they laid his inert body inside the sarcophagus once more, and then stood back to await the miracle of rebirth. Their master’s toy would rise again.

**********

The little grey alien retreated to the corner of the room. Watching the strange and horrifying tableau as it had unfurled before him, he had sighed sadly. Then he’d watched as the Jaffa had dragged the dead body from the room. This was all his fault, and he wondered how he had been persuaded to do the much such a disservice to the man. Had he known exactly what Ba’al had in mind, then he would have refused, even though he had been threatened on pain of death by the Goa’uld. He was as much a prisoner as Jack O’Neill was, except for his relative freedom on board the ship. He had lost count of the number of times the human had been killed and revived, and knew that the fragile human mind would not withstand the effects of the sarcophagus for much longer. Regretting his involvement, he had to think fast and act quickly before it was too late.

**********

Sam Carter sat in her lab toying with a gadget that one of the teams had returned with from a mission. Her mind wasn’t on the object though; it was still churning over the recent events. In the weeks before Jack’s death, she had broken off her engagement with Pete. He couldn’t understand how she’d felt about Jack. And later, after she’d told him to leave, she couldn’t admit even to herself that she was still in love with her Commanding Officer.

Then she started blaming herself for Jack’s suicide after breaking the news to the General that she was planning on marrying the detective. She hadn’t realised that he would take it so badly; coming to the conclusion that it had been Jack all along that she had loved so deeply and not Pete.

Now it was too late. In all honesty she couldn’t fool herself into marrying Pete knowing her heart had been taken by another. It just wasn’t fair to Pete; she couldn’t do it. She’d apologised to him, and although he was bitterly disappointed, he’d recognized only too well where he’d stood in her heart.

Suddenly there was a flash of light around the room and she dropped the doohickey onto the desk, wondering what was happening. Then the hologram of an Asgard stood in front of her.

“Loki?” she gasped recognising the mischievous little alien. He had caused no end of problems for Jack in the past. What did he want now?

“Colonel Carter. Please, I cannot stay long. I am being watched. If you wish to see General O’Neill again, you will have to trust me,” he said quickly, looking round for any stray Jaffa.

“What? The General’s dead Loki!”

“No! No, he isn’t, at least he was...”

“ What? What have you done?” Sam gasped as the alien tried to explain hurriedly. Jack was alive?

“He’s here on this ship, but you have to help him!”

“You cloned him again?” she gaped as the penny dropped. “It was his clone that died?”

“Yes,” he replied sadly. “I am very sorry! The clone was just a shell of the General’s body. He had no conscious mind.”

“How? I mean, I thought Thor made that impossible? He said you wouldn’t be able to do that again with General O’Neill’s DNA?” she was growing more excited by this news.

“I managed to find a way to extract the Gene,” he admitted, looking miserable. “I have been captured by Ba’al and was ordered to reproduce a clone of the General. Then using the transporter device that he, shall we say... persuaded me, to make on this ship, we swapped the General and his clone over. I don’t know what happened down there afterwards, but I overheard him tell the real General that he was supposed to be dead. I am very sorry Colonel Carter. I never meant to cause him harm, but Ba’al threatened to invade the Asgard home-world with his super soldiers. He’s having me reproduce a clone army of SGC personnel too and he hopes to replace all your original people with his clones so that he could take over the base. Please allow me to help you and the people of your world. I cannot in good conscience, allow this to happen. Ba’al’s ship is in orbit above your planet. He is torturing the General until he dies, then he has him revived again and again. I do not believe O’Neill will survive for much longer. He is near breaking point.”

“But why...? How...?”

“Please. I have to go, someone is coming...I will...call you back!”

With those words he disappeared and Sam sat there stunned by the information she had been given. Then as his words sank in, she shouted for joy that Jack was still alive. Her heart sang, but she knew they would have to act quickly if he was to survive his ordeal.

Jumping up from her stool, she ran down the corridor to General Hammond’s office to explain everything, and hopefully to come up with a plan to rescue the General.

She didn’t bother knocking; she just flew into the room, startling the occupants.

As luck would have it, Daniel was already there, chatting with Hammond, seeking permission to visit some planet with SG-6 that, according to the UAV sweep, held some interesting looking buildings.

They both looked up as she entered.

“Sam?” Daniel frowned as he took in her florid features and bright eyes. He hadn’t seen her so elated since long before Jack’s death.

“Colonel Carter?”

“General, sir. I just had a visit from Loki!”

“What?” the General and Daniel both gasped.

“Loki? What did he want?” Daniel asked seriously puzzled.

“He’s a prisoner on board Ba’al’s ship which is at this moment orbiting Earth,” she gasped, trying to get her breath back. “Apparently Ba’al captured him and is using Asgard technology to reproduce an army from clones of the SGC personnel. He said, Ba’al has him prisoner and is torturing and alternately killing and reviving him again and again, and unless we can rescue him, he will continue to suffer until it’s too late. He’s already near to breaking point. Sir we have to mount a rescue.”

“Whoa! Hold on a minute Colonel. Who are we talking about here?”

“General O’Neill sir. The one we found was a worthless clone!”

“What?” Daniel shouted, leaping out of his chair. “How?”

“I thought that the Asgard couldn’t do that to General O’Neill any more?” Hammond said puzzled. “That it wouldn’t work because Thor put a marker in his genes?”

“Well sir, Loki said that he had found a way round that problem, and that Ba’al had him swap them over. He obviously didn’t want us to know that he had the real General O’Neill in his possession.”

“Can we trust Loki? Do you think he was telling the truth? Could it be a trap?” Daniel asked sceptically. “Personally, I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him,” he added wryly.

“I don’t think he was lying Daniel. Not this time. He actually looked scared.”

“You could tell? They all look the same to me!” Daniel muttered.

Sam shot him an impatient glare, and he shrugged in defence.

“Sorry!” he muttered. “So what’s happening?”

“He said he would call me back again with more details. He had to leave off quickly, because he heard someone approaching his position. He is still a prisoner sir.”

“What sort of ship is it we are talking about? Asgard or Goa’uld?” Hammond enquired, needing to know if they were going to rescue Jack.

“He said they were in Ba’al’s ship and that it was in orbit above the planet, so whatever it is, it’s probably cloaked. I could run an emissions test sir. That would tell us if there is definitely a Goa’uld vessel out there, and where it is.”

“Do it! In the mean time I want Teal’c in here.”

“Yes sir!”

Sam hurried away to run the tests, and Daniel rang for Teal’c who was in the gym, sparring with some trainees.

**********

“Tell me of the weapon you created to kill the Replicators!” Ba’al demanded again.

Jack was slumped on the floor; his head was hurting fit to explode. His side was bleeding profusely from another stab wound, weakening him just enough to make him docile.

He ignored the question and closed his eyes instead.

A Jaffa boot kicked him into opening them again. All he wanted to do was go to sleep; forever. He couldn’t stand this kind of treatment much longer; he knew he was breaking apart and although he was hurting badly, he knew he couldn’t divulge the secrets his mind held.

“Tell me!”

Jack shook his head.

“I can’t. I don’t know how it works!” he groaned in pain. “All gone,” he muttered, “It’s all gone.”

Ba’al had him dragged upright again and stood staring straight into his eyes. A knife blade just touching the skin of his throat.

“Once you reveal your secret, you may go to sleep Tau’ri. But first tell me of the weapon!”

Jack wanted to let his heavy head drop through weariness, but the blade would then pierce his throat. He thought about that; realising that it was one way in which to finish this again. As far as his friends were concerned he was dead anyway, so what difference would this make?

He pulled his head as far back as he could, and jerked it sharply downwards again.

Ba’al wasn’t fooled for a moment, and withdrew the blade quickly. It merely nicked the skin making a shallow cut in Jack’s chin which then bled heavily, though no real damage was done.

“Not so fast O’Neill. We would not have you kill yourself just yet. Though the idea of this amuses me greatly. I wonder how many ways in which you would try this given half the chance?” Ba’al sneered. He ran the blade over the tense muscles on Jack’s torso. Picking at the blood-stained holes in his T-shirt; he slit open the fabric to reveal his bloodied chest.

Jack tensed, waiting; watching from under half closed eyelids as the blade approached his heart, and then using his inner strength, he surged forwards, hoping to catch Ba’al out, but his ploy failed once again.

“I see you are desperate Tau’ri. You want so much to die? I would merely revive you again and maybe this would be so much more fun for us to play. Is this what you want? To die once more?” His laughter filled the room. “There is no such thing as death O’Neill; ‘never’ for you.”

Jack’s eyes betrayed his need, and Ba’al’s evil laughter rang triumphantly round the room again. More than anything Jack wanted to finish this. He knew that he was suffering from sarcophagus abuse, it didn’t matter any more. He’d been there before, yes. He also knew that his mind was weakening under the strain. If he could only force himself to keep dying, then the end would come quicker. Even if they revived him again and again, his mind would have gone by then, and he would be of no use to anyone. Ba’al would be left with no choice but to allow him to die in the end.

The jolt of the pain stick, shot through his body, and Jack collapsed into a heap on the floor; his body quivering in agony. Each time they used it, it was more painful than the last. He guessed it was because he was growing weaker and it was taking longer for the effects to dissipate. They prodded him several more times until he felt nothing; until he fell thankfully into oblivion.

**********

The ship shook.

Alarms blared.

Hurrying footsteps arrived in the room.

Ba’al turned from his gloating over O’Neill’s unconscious form to see one of his Jaffa standing in front of him. The minion knelt before his god.

“My lord. The Tau’ri forces have infiltrated the ship.”

Ba’al didn’t have that many troops on board the vessel. He hadn’t envisaged having to put up a fight on this mission. Somehow the Tau’ri must have detected his ship in orbit.

Cursing and ranting at his Jaffa, he ordered all of them to find the perpetrators and to fight off the attack.

Loki looked on helplessly, hoping that O’Neill was still alive. It was difficult to tell, his body lay bloody and unmoving.

Ba’al glanced over to him, seeing something in the alien’s eyes, that betrayed the fact that he was responsible for this. His outraged shout brought the Asgard’s gaze onto him, in time to see a flash of bright light.

Loki was thrown like a rag doll against the wall, where he slid down in broken heap at its base, barely conscious.

With a last look at the inert form of Jack O’Neill on the floor at his feet, Ba’al ran to the console and set the controls to self destruct in ten minutes, then he hurried away to make good his escape, knowing the humans would easily overcome his men. He would not be around when that moment came.

**********

Sam fired her P90 again; its bullets zinging loudly against the metal of the breast-plates on the Jaffa’s armour and he fell under the onslaught. Daniel was on the opposite side of the doorway, wielding his own P90 too. Teal’c watched their backs, firing his staff weapon into the troops amassing behind them.

In the background of the fighting, a Goa’uld voice echoed that the self-destruct was counting down the minutes. They didn’t have much time.

During a lull in the fighting, SG-2 headed out towards the cells, hoping to find their General. While Sam, Daniel and Teal’c moved onwards, towards the bridge, hoping to find Loki and Ba’al so that they could rescue the Asgard and perhaps get the chance to kill Ba’al. SG-11 held the ring transporter room, ready to make a hasty escape when the time came.

Sam ducked down just in the nick of time as showers of sparks rained down over her from the staff blast as it hit the wall only inches from her head.

Daniel glanced over at her to make sure she was okay.

“They’re getting better!” he commented. They were having to dodge the enemy fire much more now.

“Ya think?” quipped Sam, mimicking the General.

Daniel shot her a quick look but she was already concentrating on shooting another Jaffa that had rounded the corner. Daniel turned and fired on another warrior too.

Gradually they moved on further, inch by inch they gained the upper hand until they reached their destination. Daniel operated the door, and once they were through they found the limp and blood covered form of Jack O’Neill on the floor and Loki’s mutilated but alive body propped against the wall, Daniel locked the door behind them.

“Oh god Jack!” Sam whispered at the sight of him.

She rushed over to the General’s side, dropping down on her knees to check him over. Jack’s eyes were open but he gave no recognition of her, or of anyone’s presence. She placed a hand around his cheek and called softly to him. An agonisingly long minute later, his eyes tracked towards her. He frowned, then groaned in pain when he tried to move.

“He’s alive!” she yelled to her companions.

“Carrrddda?” Jack slurred, responding to her voice.

“Yes sir,” she grinned. She couldn’t help it. It was just so good to see him again, even if he was badly hurt. At least he stood a chance of living again.

“Wh...wha’...kept ya?” Jack whispered through the pain.

Sam had to strain to hear him, and she managed to fight back her tears of pure joy. She had sorely missed his sarcasm. She set to work to clean him up a little, fixing dressings on the worst of his bleeding wounds.

Daniel went to check on Loki, while Teal’c stood by the door, ready for action, happily doing so, knowing that his friend was really still alive.

Daniel found the Asgard awake but very weak. His long limbs either broken or badly bruised. A large gash split his over-sized grey head, but his thoughts were for the human he had saved.

There were several thumps against the doors. The countdown had reached minus 5 minutes. They would never make it back to the ring room in time with Jack in the state he was in.

It was too late.

Loki begged Daniel to help him to the ship’s controls.

“Can you stop the countdown?” Daniel asked, desperate to get his friend home again, after all the trouble they had gone to, to rescue him. Loki blinked.

“I cannot and I am dying, but, I can assist you to escape. Stand together around General O’Neill. I will use the transporter to beam you directly to your base. I will then endeavour to enter Hyperspace in order to avoid the explosion from polluting to your atmosphere, and thereby causing any unnecessary questions put to your government.”

“Fine do it, but wait just a second!” Sam ordered. She toggled the radio. “SG-2, SG-11. This is Colonel Carter, come in!” She waited for a response.

“Colonel Ma’am, SG-2 reporting.”

“Sir, SG-11 here.”

“Get yourselves back to the ring room ready to transport to the Prometheus. Then get the hell out of there, this ship’s gonna blow any minute! SG-3, do the same! Do you copy?”

“Yes sir!” Came the reply from all the teams.

“What about the General and SG-1 sir?” Major Piper of SG-11 asked, worried about the General and how they would escape.

“We’re fine. We have the General with us, and are beaming straight down to the base. Good luck!” She released the button and waved a hand at Loki. “Okay Loki. I’ll tell Supreme Commander Thor of your heroism in doing this for us,” she yelled as the beam surrounded them in a flash.

Loki managed to work the controls, setting them to fly the ship into Hyperspace just before he collapsed and died from his injuries.

The door at last yielded under the fire-power of the remaining Jaffa.

A second later a huge fireball lit the darkness of outer space.

**********

General Hammond paced the floor of the briefing room, his mind sifting through the information that he had received from the Prometheus a little while ago. His teams were in position and raring to go.

Since then he had heard nothing of his men and women; and had no idea what was happening on board the Goa’uld vessel high above the stratosphere.

Suddenly a bright light blinded him and then he saw Teal’c, Dr. Jackson and Colonel Carter, who was kneeling and bending over General O’Neill.

Sam looked up quickly to see which part of the SGC they had appeared in and sighed with relief that her first sight was that of General Hammond striding towards them.

“We need a medical team here sir!” she cried urgently.

Without further ado, the General diverted to the phone on the desk nearby.

“Medical Emergency in the briefing room!” he barked at the CMO; his worry for his friend overriding his feelings. He made his way back to the little group. Daniel now kneeling down beside Jack too; his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Hammond peered down at the General, taking in his puffy bloodshot tired eyes, and his emaciated hollow cheeks. Jack’s torso was covered in blood, though a lot of it had dried maybe several days ago; but a fair amount of it was also fresh. His clothes were torn and ragged, giving him the appearance of a street waif. Hammond could only imagine what Jack had gone through, and knew without a doubt that his recovery would be a long and painful one. Perhaps they would never know exactly what he had suffered. Jack wasn’t one to share with them the horrors of his time in captivity; just as he had kept quiet about his imprisonment in Iraq many years before.

Jack sighed with relief when Hammond’s face appeared over him and he offered his one-time commander a slight smile; it was all he could manage.

“You came for me?” he gasped weakly, slowly, as if each word was an effort to concentrate on getting out.

“Yes Jack. You know we would never have left you there for so long had we known about the clone,” Hammond stated with a grin.

Jack shook his head slowly.

“I was...dead. You...didn’t...know. Buried...me,” he drawled, stopping for breath after nearly every word. “How?”

“Later Jack,” Hammond said reassuringly. Dr. Brightman will soon get you sorted out. Relax son, you can rest now, you’re home.”

“Yes sir. Thanks,” he whispered before closing his eyes and for once obeying an order to sleep. He was just so damn tired.

The door burst open and Dr. Brightman and her team entered, shocked to see the condition the General was in. Daniel stood, giving her clear access. He stood behind Sam, his arms wrapped tightly round his chest in anxiety, watching as the Doctor ran through her checks.

She stood again, ordering her staff to lift the General onto the gurney while she filled in General Hammond and the others.

“From what I see, I think apart from exhaustion, malnourishment, dehydration, and the obvious sarcophagus abuse, he has a puncture wound to his side, several smaller cuts, bruises and several burns; I believe he should make a full recovery General. But...it will take some time and a lot of patience to rid himself of the addiction. That’s where his friends will come in. He will need to be grounded, something to keep him focussed on down to earth reality.”

Hammond grimaced. It was a tall order, but he could see that SG-1 would be there, no matter what he said or ordered. They weren’t going to let Jack out of their sight for the next few weeks or however long it took. Jack was a luck man to have such a devoted team.

“Thank you Doctor. Take good care of him; he’s a very special kind of man. Everyone at the SGC is rooting for him.”

“Yes sir. I’ll do my best, though withdrawal from any drug is unpredictable at best.”

“I know, but do your best anyway Doctor. We have a long list of volunteers to help with things when they get bad.”

The medic smiled, knowing that for a fact. So many people, on hearing that the General was still alive, had volunteered to help out if she needed them. She could only wonder at the special camaraderie here at the Cheyenne Mountain base.

They whisked Jack off to the infirmary and an isolation room for privacy where the withdrawal symptoms would soon draw him into a living nightmare.

**********

Sam Carter watched from her spot behind the observation window. The writhing figure on the bed below struggled to break free of his restraints. Daniel had volunteered to sit with Jack while he underwent the tortuous withdrawal, arguing that if Jack had been gracious enough to spend hours by his side during his own ‘cold turkey’, then he was going to do it for Jack because it was the least he could do.

The struggling stopped, but the sweating and moaning didn’t. Sam couldn’t hear what was said, Jack’s voice wasn’t strong enough to be heard above a whisper yet, although on occasions he had managed to scream his anger at being restrained and begging to be allowed to die.

Daniel wrung the cloth from the bowl of tepid water and dabbed at the sweat beading over Jack’s face and neck, calming his over-heated friend down, lulling him with softly spoken words.

It didn’t matter what Daniel said, it was just his quiet voice that soothed the savage beast inside Jack’s head, and lulled him back into a gentle sleep.

Daniel settled into his chair once more, turning back to offer a smile of encouragement to Sam behind the glass of the observation window. Even from this distance he could see how much strain she was under as she stood by helplessly watching Jack’s fight to regain control over himself from the addiction which drove his wild thoughts and actions.

Daniel was already sporting a few bruises, and so were the nursing staff that saw to Jack’s daily needs. The young man wasn’t sure how long this would take, but they had been like this for days. He can’t say he’d seen much improvement, but it really all depended on how many times the man had been subjected to the sarcophagus’ effects.

General Hammond kept popping in to see how Jack was progressing, and now he had joined Sam in the little glass fronted room once more; Daniel could see them talking and wondered what was being said. He couldn’t spare them much of a glance though as Jack was once again hit with stomach cramps; crying out in pain.

Jack opened his eyes, recognising Daniel by his side. He mumbled whispered words of hate that Daniel tried hard to ignore as Jack wasn’t in his right mind yet. Words that stung the back of Daniels throat with unshed tears. He detested seeing his friend like this. Hated what it had done to this strong man, but he would stay by his side no matter what Jack said or did to him. This wasn’t Jack talking; it was his alter-ego; the demon inside that had temporarily robbed Jack of his true nature.

Dr. Brightman joined General Hammond and Sam; her notes tucked under her arm.

“How’s he doing?” Hammond asked, needing to know.

“There is some slight improvement in so much as he is calmer than before, and the stomach cramps have eased a little, but it’s a long way from better yet General. His signs are stable most of the time, though that can change with each episode. I can’t really say how much longer he will experience these symptoms sir; it really depends on how many times he went through the whole resurrection thing. And there’s no way of knowing that until he tells us.”

“Which, knowing the General, could be never; I see your point Doctor,” Hammond sighed. He knew from the last time Jack spent imprisoned by Ba’al that Jack would never reveal exactly what he underwent during that time, let alone this one. Based on that experience and the state of his clothes and being, this time he was a hell of a lot closer to being lost for ever. If Loki hadn’t intervened, they could still have lost him. Mentally if not physically.

Jack did have more lucid moments when he was awake, and these more than made Daniel and the others aware of just how much they had missed Jack during his enforced absence.

“Any news from Thor sir?” the Doctor asked. They had sent word to Thor asking for his help, seeing as Loki was responsible for Jack’s condition.

“None so far. What about his physical injuries?”

“That’s easier to tell you. The stab wound is healing, but it’s slow progress as the General isn’t still long enough for it to heal properly; he keeps pulling the stitches out. I’ve sedated him all I dare. I don’t want to put him totally under, he has enough ‘drugs’ in his system as it is, but I’m having to keep that in mind if it doesn’t begin to heal properly soon and he keeps this up. As for the rest of his injuries, well they’re fairly minor General. Mostly bruises, minor cuts and burns and all of which are healing nicely.”

Hammond watched as Jack curled up on the bed as best he could. Daniel was rubbing soothing circles on Jack’s back as he retched pitifully from the stomach cramps torturing his body. He realised that Daniel would be the one to do this; hadn’t Jack done the same for him when he went through the same experience. The two of them were really good friends and this would cement their friendship even more. Who else would spend hours, days even, with someone who swore at them, begged them, threw up over them and stood patiently through it all to offer words and actions of comfort when they most needed it? He sighed wistfully, thanking god that he could number these people among his friends as well as his subordinates.

He turned on his heel abruptly, leaving the little scene below him, not wishing to intrude on Jack’s distress any longer, knowing that he was essentially a private person and would hate the idea of being watched when at his most vulnerable.

**********

A week later they were discussing Jack’s progress in the briefing room when they were joined by Thor.

“Thor!” Sam and Daniel shouted with delight when he appeared suddenly.

“Greetings General Hammond, Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson. Teal’c. I came as soon as I could. How can I be of assistance?” Thor asked in his meticulously slow speech.

“It’s General O’Neill, Thor. He’s suffering from Sarcophagus abuse and isn’t doing too well,” Sam explained.

“I am sorry to hear that,” he replied. “I will do all I can to rectify the problem immediately.”

Before they could add anything further, he’d disappeared in a flash and then the phone on the nearby desk rang and the alarms blared out.

Hammond smiled. He knew the reason why the base was now on alert and he cancelled the alarms.

Picking up the phone, the Sergeant listened for a moment before informing the General that Dr. Brightman was on the line. General O’Neill just disappeared from the infirmary.

Hammond took the phone and explained to the Doctor that there was nothing to worry about as Thor had taken him aboard his ship and was attempting to heal the General.

**********

They waited hours.

Daniel was wondering why they were taking so long. He doodled on his note pad trying not to think too much about the possibility that Jack wasn’t doing so well if it was taking this long to heal him.

Sam was pacing the floor in agitation, her thoughts wholly fixated on Jack and how he was faring. She would stop every now and then and gaze blindly at the giant rings of the Stargate. Every time she closed her eyes she could see Jack’s abused body lying so still as they’d rushed into that room on board the Ha’tak vessel. She tried to blot the images out, but she couldn’t.

She fought to keep the tears at bay and keep calm though it was easier said than done. She kept berating herself for treating him so badly, and vowed that when, not if, but when, he came back, that she would tell him she was sorry and hope he could forgive her for hurting him. It was then she wondered about the note from him that she had been given after his death. Had he actually written it? If so why? Was it written before he was captured of after? There were so many questions and no answers were forthcoming as yet.

Teal’c sat silent and unmoving. Deep in meditation while he waited, and it was helping him to stay calm. He had been concerned for his warrior brother, but was more than glad his friend had in reality, not taken his own life.

General Hammond retreated to his office and tried to finish some paperwork, but he was finding it damn nigh impossible to concentrate when he knew that Thor was trying to help Jack. He stood and paced a little, then watched SG-1 through the window. They were all worried, he could tell exactly what was going through their minds right now. Except perhaps Teal’c. Jack was the only one who seemed to know exactly what the Jaffa was planning to do. The two soldiers had so much in common that they appeared to have an inborn instinct that meant they knew what the other was thinking. Although Teal’c carried out his orders without question, he had a feeling that if push came to shove, the Jaffa would literally only take orders from Jack. They had a special bond between them that inspired true loyalty.

Hammond left the office and walked across to the coffee pot when the room was filled with light once more. Thor stood before them, and blinked his over large dark eyes. They stopped whatever they were doing and all of them wondered where Jack was.

“O’Neill has been cured of his addiction as well as his other injuries. I am pleased to say that he is once again himself, though much weakened by the process. He will need time to recover so I have returned him to the infirmary.”

Sam wanted to dash off right away but held back from doing so. Daniel however didn’t have to wait for military protocol and ran from the room. Hammond was mindful of his duty and thanked Thor for helping General O’Neill.

“It was Loki’s doing Thor. He was captured by Ba’al and forced to make new clones, not only of the General but of other SGC personnel too, only we don’t know of who exactly. He said that Ba’al threatened your home world and if he didn’t comply he would invade using the super soldiers hat he’d amassed from Anubis’ own army. He died on board the ship, having been set to self destruct, he piloted it away from our solar system.”

“We had realised that Loki had escaped from his confinement, but we were not sure how he had accomplished this. Perhaps Ba’al is holding your original personnel on his home world. If you would like General Hammond, I will attempt to retrieve them for you. For this I will need Colonel Carter’s assistance.”

Hammond shot Sam a look, that said, she didn’t have to go, but she should anyway. Left with no choice, she reluctantly agreed. She did so want to go and check on Jack, but before she could voice her request, she was surrounded by a bright light and found herself on the deck of Thor’s ship. Within seconds, they were across the galaxy on their way to Ba’al’s planet.

**********

The telephone rang, and Hammond broke out of his silent reverie after Sam disappeared and answered the phone. He was now sitting in his office with Teal’c and waiting to hear from Thor once more. It had been several hours since he had taken Sam with him.

“Hammond.” he barked.

“General sir, Dr. Brightman here. Sir I think you had better get up here right away. Something strange is happening.”

What now? Hammond grumbled to himself.

“I’ll be right there Doctor,” he assured her then hung up the receiver and hurried along to the infirmary with Teal’c hot on his heels.

It only took a few minutes to reach the infirmary and when he arrived he looked onto a scene of chaos. There were several people lying on the beds, and some sitting on the floor. He could see the Doctor rushing from one patient to another but there was no sign of Jack or of Daniel.

“Doctor?”

“General Hammond sir, these people started arriving a minute or so ago. They keep coming from out of nowhere sir. There’s a bright light and then they suddenly appear.

Hammond surveyed the scene, knowing it had to be Thor returning his people to the base.

“Do what you can Doctor. Are they injured or sick?”

“No sir. Most of them are merely fatigued, in shock, and suffering from dehydration and starvation but there doesn’t appear to be any injuries or other damage, and their blood-work is okay.”

“Where is General O’Neill?”

“He’s resting in isolation room two sir. I thought with all this activity around him he wouldn’t be able to sleep, so I had him moved. Dr. Jackson is still with him.”

“Is he okay?”

“Yes sir he appears to be fine, except for exhaustion.”

“Thank you Doctor. Carry on.”

Hammond was shocked at the sheer scale of people that had been cloned. He wondered exactly where the clones were right now. He called security and started a man hunt for the rogue personnel, using the growing list of those being returned. It was a frightening thought that perhaps this facility would have been overrun by suicidal clones that Ba’al had programmed to take over the SGC.

He heard sporadic gunfire coming from the stairwell and knew that the clones had begun their assault. He ordered a lockdown and issued orders to destroy every last clone on the base.

Hammond and Teal’c hurried away to the armoury, but came across some enemy fire themselves. Protected by those who were defending the base, the enemy was soon dealt with and once again they were on their way.

Teal’c secured himself a Zat gun and one for Daniel Jackson too. He also requisitioned two 9ml pistols. Hammond armed himself with P-90 and while he headed with a party of guards back to the control room, Teal’c and several others made their way back towards the infirmary.

By the time Teal’c had reached there, Jack was sitting up, looking beyond weary. His eyes were deeply shadowed and his body trembled from weakness, but he was ready to help defend the base, before giving in to sleep again. Teal’c handed him the Zat gun instead, and gave one of the 9ml guns to Daniel who would be able to shoot straighter than Jack for now, then gave them each a flack jacket to wear for protection.

Jack hopped off the bed and wavered, but Daniel was there to support him. Once he’d regained his balance, he brushed off Daniel’s supporting hand and they headed into the main corridor and took up defensive positions outside the main infirmary doors to protect those within its walls.

Jack slid to the floor and leaned against the doorpost, while Daniel stood behind him to fire over his head. Teal’c was standing against the opposite wall with several guards behind him.

When the attack came, they were ready but not prepared for the few that had gotten behind them.

Two of the guards fell before they realised they had been surrounded, and Teal’c turned his attention to the rear while the others fought those in front. Jack spun round in time to see the attack coming. He fired at one man who had Daniel in his sights, and they fell under the blue static charge as Jack fired twice in quick succession. If he hadn’t spotted the man when he did, then Daniel could well have been killed; as it was the bullets only just missed his head.

After an hour the silence seemed to echo round the grey walls and guards and other SGC personnel crept from their positions to take stock of the situation. The pockets of resistance had been silenced and the bodies of comrades and clones alike were collected up and delivered to an isolation room where their names were checked and double checked against those who had been returned from Ba’al’s prison and those who had died defending the SGC.

Hammond returned to the infirmary to survey the damage. Jack was talking quietly with Daniel and Teal’c as they scanned over the bodies.

“Report General!” Hammond snapped and Jack joined him outside the ISO room and gave Hammond the numbers of fallen.

Jack swayed on his feet with sheer exhaustion after having given General Hammond his report.

“Get some rest son,” Hammond had ordered, placing his hand on Jack’s shoulder as a sign of gratitude. Teal’c and Doctor Jackson can help with the reports.

“Yes sir, I’ll do that. Thank you sir,” Jack replied wearily. He hurt, he ached, he was dog tired, and right now sleep sounded real good.

Jack turned away from his friends and took a step forward only to collapse when his legs gave way.

“Jack!” Daniel cried on reaching out to stop his friend from hitting the floor.

“O’Neill!” Teal’c cried out too, and between himself and Daniel they managed to lower their friend to the floor a little more gracefully.

Daniel leaned Jack against his thighs while General Hammond had yelled for Dr. Brightman.

“Guess...” Jack stated with a wry smile, “...guess I am a little tired sir.”

With that his head rolled against Daniel’s chest as he passed out.

Dr. Brightman was surprised to see General O’Neill lying on the floor when she had left him sleeping in the ISO room only an hour or so before.

There was a momentary bright flash and Sam appeared in the corridor in front of them.

She was just in time to see the Doctor disappear through the doors followed by Teal’c carrying a limp Jack in his arms.

“What happened to the General?” she asked, her fear escalating at the prospect that Jack had been hurt again.

“He’s just exhausted Sam. Thor said he would be, but he insisted on helping us to save the base. Now he’s paying for it, but he just needs to rest for a day or two.”

Sam was still staring at the closed doors when General Hammond asked her to report on her part of the mission.

Her reply was mechanical, her mind on what was going on behind those doors, but Hammond seemed to accept her story and dismissed them all so that they could see how Jack was doing.

**********

Jack stepped into his office again after what had seemed to be months away from it. It seemed strange to do so after so long.

Walter felt almost disconnected by the past events and it came as a bit of a shock to see Jack sitting calmly behind the desk again. His mind still replayed finding Jack slumped over the desk with a bullet wound to his skull. He shook the image free and smiled in response to O’Neill’s “Good morning Walter.”

“Ah it’s good to see you back General...Here are the reports that General Hammond said you would need to read...”

Jack tuned him out as Walter droned on.

There was a knock on the door and he grasped at the opportunity of an interruption to Walter’s endless agenda for the day.

“Carter. Come on in. Thank you Walter. I’ll deal...later, okay!” He waved a hand at the sergeant and Walter took the hint and removed himself quickly.

“Yes sir. You have a meeting with...”

“Ack!” Jack snapped, waving his finger at the technician. “Later!”

“Yes sir,” Walter sighed. General O’Neill was back alright! He grinned as he shut the door behind him. He wouldn’t have it any other way if the truth were known. He’d sorely missed the General, and was glad that it had been a mindless clone he’d found that day.

“So Carter, what can I do for you?”

“I’d like to ask for your forgiveness sir,” she said hesitantly, avoiding his suddenly suspicious eyes.

“For what?” he asked, genuinely puzzled as to why she should make such a request.

“I’m sorry I hurt you sir. I didn’t think you would be...”

“Forget it Carter. It’s all irrelevant now anyway,” he grumbled cutting her words off.

“Sir?” Now it was her turn to be confused.

“You’re engaged to be married Carter. It doesn’t matter any more.”

“Sir. When I tried to talk to you before...before all this business began, you all but refused to see me. I wanted to tell you that I had broken off the engagement.”

Jack sighed, he really didn’t want to hear all about Pete; so it took several minutes before her words actually penetrated his tired mind.

“What?”

Sam grinned.

“I said, I broke off the engagement,” she repeated.

“Why? I thought you were happy?” Why was this conversation giving him a headache? He wondered.

“I was,”

“Then I ask again. Why?”

“Because although he was fun to be with, he wasn’t the person I was in love with.”

“Carter. My brain is still trying to catch up with everything, ya gotta give me some time to work all this out.”

“I didn’t love Pete sir.”

“You didn’t?”

“No sir.”

“Sooo…?”

“I couldn’t fool myself into thinking I did love him and I couldn’t marry him under those circumstances. It wasn’t fair to him.”

“What?” He was growing more confused by the minute.

Sam was enjoying baffling him.

“I couldn’t go through with it. I didn’t love him. I was in love with someone else.”

“Oh!” Jack muttered, sitting back in his chair and studying her face. She was highly amused over this conversation, he could see the laughter in her eyes. “So tell me...who is it this time?”

“You sir.”

“Oh? Is that the right thing to do?”

“No, but it’s the truth!”

“Yes. Well, What do you intend to do about it Carter?”

“I intend spending some down time fishing at a little cabin in Minnesota. Just me and a very close friend.”

“Really? Does he know about this?”

“He does now.”

“Just supposing he says no?”

“I don’t think he will. I know him too well. He’s been asking me for years to join him away from it all.”

“Is he a nice guy?”

“The best! He’s honest; loyal; a great leader; fun to be with, and kinda cute too.”

“Ack! Okay, okay. Enough with the epithets!”

“So what does he say to all this?”

“I think he’s gonna love it sir.”

“Ya think?”

“Oh yeah. Just the two of us; moonlight shimmering on the lake; skinny dipping in the warm water; a whole week with no worries… Shall I continue sir?”

Jack swallowed with difficulty at the images running through his brain and tried to stop all the blood from flowing south.

“Okay! Enough! Stop right there Carter!” he snapped.

Sam wondered if she’d gone too far, but then she looked into his dark eyes. Eyes like chocolate that sparkled in mischief and adoration.

“When do we leave Sam?” he asked, grinning.

“How about now sir?”

“I just got back!”

“Okay...how about later?”

“You’re on!” he agreed. First though, he needed to clear things up. “Oh...Walter...!”

The End.