Jack O'Neill straightened his jacket a little as he moved up the walkway. All the briefings and debriefings were over. But he still had this one last thing he had to do. He had made a promise and intended to see it through.

He approached the door and knocked. After several moments, he heard footsteps beyond and the door opened to reveal a young woman.

She looked at him quizzically. "Yes?" she questioned politely.

"I'd like to see Katherine. Ms. Langford," he corrected.

"Is she expecting you?" she asked, well trained in screening her employer's visitors.

"No. But I think she might see me." 'I hope,' he added silently.

"Ms. Landford is very busy. Might I suggest you call and make an appointment?" It was a polite, but firm dismissal.

Jack chewed his lip as she started to close the door. "Please, just tell her Daniel Jackson."

"One moment then." The door closed and Jack stood bouncing from one foot to the other, nervously smoothing his short hair. He heard footsteps returning and when the door opened, it was not the maid, but Katherine herself.

"Dan..." She broke off, staring at him. "Colonel O'Neill. I wasn't expecting you." There was a note of recrimination in her voice and just a touch of bitterness toward this man who had usurped her authority at Cheyenne Mountain. "Is Daniel with you?" She looked around outside, before bringing her gaze back to the colonel.

"Ah, no. That's why I'm here. May I come in?" He didn't want to break the news to her standing on her doorstep.

She hesitated for a long moment, then nodding, motioned him inside. He followed her to a sitting room full of ancient artifacts, where she indictated the sofa. "I was just about to have my afternoon tea. Would you care to join me?"

Jack wasn't a tea drinker, but under the circumstances, he nodded. She excused herself, and he sat looking around the room. There were antiquities and little finds from all over the world. Egyptian, Mayan, Native American. Katherine had obiviously led a very busy life.

She returned with a tray and set about making tea. The pleasant aroma of bergamont filled the air as the Earl Grey brewed. Handing Jack a danity cup and saucer she sat back in her armchair.

"What is this about, O'Neill? Why didn't Daniel come with you? You made the jump okay, didn't you"

Jack swirled his tea and chose his words with care. "Katherine, Daniel didn't come back."

His words sank in and Katherine's face washed out. "Daniel...didn't..... My god, Colonel, what happened? How did he die?"

Jack held up his hand. "Whoa, Katherine. He's not dead."

"Not dead?" she repeated. "But you said he didn't come back."

"He didn't. He stayed."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. Maybe I'm old and slow on the uptake, but did you say he stayed? Where? What did you find on the other side of the Gate?"

He gave her a sly smile. "Now you know that's classified above top secret, Dr. Langford." She gave him a disgusted look and his smile slowly faded. "What I can tell you, and it goes no further than this room, is Daniel is alive and well on Abydos." His smile returned. "He even has a wife."

"Jack....Colonel, you are making no sense whatsoever. Alive? Abydos? Wife? Do I get an explanation or do I ask twenty questions. Where is Daniel Jackson?" she reiterated.

Jack took a sip of tea and began. "We landed on the other side. Only Daniel couldn't find the symbols to get us back home. What he did find was people, ruled by Ra." He reached in his pocket and withdrew something. "This," he lowered the locket into her hand, "made everyone believe he was a God. The elders gave him a gift. Sha'uri. His wife. Very pretty, but shy. He finally figured out the language, found the seventh symbol and we thought we were headed home."

He paused to take another swallow of the tea. It wasn't bad after the first initial taste. "Only Ra showed up. We ended up in the middle of a war, and Daniel did get killed." Katherine gasped aloud, but he raised his hand to silence her, "Ra brought him back to life somehow and wanted him to kill us." He smiled wryly. "He didn't, obiviously. When all was said and done, we transported the bomb to the mothership, killed Ra, and Daniel is living happily ever after on Abydos."

"Bomb? What bomb?"

"Oh, that. No one knew, but my mission was to destroy whatever we found beyond the Stargate."

"Sucidial..... That's why they chose you," she whispered. "There was a method to their madness in assigning you. You were not to come back at all."

He nodded slowly. "I was to send Daniel and the team back. I was to stay behind and detonate the bomb. It's what I wanted at the time."

"And now?" she questioned softly.

"I can retire, enjoy the stars, get my life on track. Maybe write a book one of these days." A wide smile came to his face. " Daniel and Abydos would make one hell of a science fiction novel. Maybe even a movie."

"Daniel? What happened to Jackson?"

Jack cleared his throat, embarrassed. "I figure a man saves my life, I can call him by his first name."

Katherine looked at him intently. "Why are you violating security by telling me this? " He had been so difficult when he took over the project, she could hardly abide him, but this Colonel O'Neill was not the same man who had entered the gate. There was a softer side to him now, a warmer side which she was finding herself drawn to, despite her own misgivings.

Jack shrugged. "They treated you pretty sh---crappy, and you worked so long on the project. You deserve the right to know. You earned that." He smiled again. "It was just dumb luck Daniel figured out that seventh symbol, here and on Abydos. Like it or not, the kid is a genius. A dorky one, but genius nonetheless."

"So he is living every anthropologists' dream. That's good, Jack. Maybe he can find something on the other side of the gate he couldn't find here."

"I'm sure Sha'uri will help him find something," he grinned wickedly.

Katherine looked exasperated. "That's not what I mean, Colonel. Daniel, well, Daniel has had so much missing from his life.... love, family, security. Maybe that's what is on the other side of the gate for him. I hope so, anyway."

"You're fond of the youngster."

It was not a question, but Katherine nodded. "He reminds me so much of someone I once knew. Someone who worked on the gate with my father, a long, long time ago. He has the same passion, the same questing nature. I knew Daniel would unlock the secrets of the gate the minute I saw him." She shrugged and laughed. "I guess I'm getting old and unbalanced."

"In a pig's eye," Jack retorted. He put the tea cup aside and stood. "I really should be going."

Katherine rose to her feet as well. "I'm so glad you came by, Colonel.....Jack." she ammended with a small smile. "And don't worry, it will go no further. Our secret and Daniel's."

"You'll be invited to his memorial service, but I just wanted you to know the truth."

Katherine nodded as she draped the locket about her neck. "I understand."

Jack reached out and rubbed Ra's eye between his thumb and forefinger. "Daniel said to tell you it brought him luck. I think it brought it to all of us." He dropped his hand. "I've got to be going. I'm sorry I barged in on you like I did."

"It's all right, Jack. My door's open anytime." she offered.

"I just might be back for more of that tea," he quipped as he moved for the front door.

"And I'd like to hear more about Abydos."

"I think I'd enjoy telling you, Katherine." He paused in the open doorway. "I think I'm going to have to rethink my feelings about scientists," he half teased. "They're not so bad after all."

"And neither are you, Colonel, neither are you."

He gave her a small wave and smile as he walked to his Jeep. Somedays, life was just worth living.... His smile widened. It had taken a dweeb scientist on Planet X to make him realize that. Maybe there was hope for him after all.

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