"Incoming Traveler!" Sergeant Siler announced, automatically hitting the control to close the iris as the alarm klaxons blared through the underground complex and armed troopers rushed into the embarkation room taking positions to protect their world from intruders.
"Is anyone scheduled back?"
"No, sir." Siler again worked the controls for the iris stunned to discover nothing happening. "No ID code coming through sir."
"Close the iris!" Hammond ordered.
"I'm trying, sir! The system's refusing the command!" The general watched the sergeant's frantic attempts to bypass the system. All eyes settled on the gate as the vortex formed a shimmering blue pool, waiting, expectant, anticipating trouble.
"What the hell!!!" Three figures were suddenly spit from the event horizon, landing hard on the ramp.
Daniel cried out as his shoulder slammed into the hard metal. He automatically curled into a ball as he rolled toward the bottom of the ramp. Realizing where they were, the young man jumped to his feet and made a mad dash back toward the gate only to be tackled by Teal'c. To enter the event horizon now would mean certain death. Stunned as Daniel wiggled away, from his strong grasp Teal'c made a last grab, pulling the smaller man back against his massive chest as the horizon winked out of existance.
"NO!!!! Jack!!! Jack!!!! NOOOOO!!!!" Daniel's anguished screams of heartache filled the air as Hammond rushed into room, followed closely by Dr. Fraiser and her medical team. Teal'c continued to hold his young friend, feeling Daniel's struggles lessen as his energy slowly ebbed away with the tears flowing down his cheeks. "Jaaack!!!!"
As the general helped an unsteady Major Carter to her feet, Dr. Fraiser pulled Daniel's jacket sleeve aside and trusting the Jaffa to hold the young man steady as he still strained toward the stargate, quickly injected a strong sedative into his upper arm.
"Major Carter," the general's quiet question rang loudly through the room, "where is Colonel O'Neill?"
"The people of PQ5483..." Carter dredged up every drop of military training as her voice broke, "The people of PQ5483...executed him, sir."
At her words, Daniel's muscles turned to jelly as the sedative finally took affect and with a last weak call to his lost friend, the scientist's eyelids fluttered closed and his body went lax. Only Teal'c's tight grip prevented him from crashing to the floor. With a look to the petite doctor, the former Jaffa carried the slight man from the room, headed for the sick bay
******
Janet checked Daniel's vitals and adjusted the IV before sinking wearily into the chair beside his bed. Jack's chair. It should have been the colonel sitting here, keeping his customary vigil over Daniel yet if he were here, Daniel wouldn't be. It had been two days. Two heartbreakingly sorrowful days of Daniel screaming hysterically for his missing friend. Each time he woke from the drug indused sleep he began calling for the man who had been more than his commanding officer.
Yet this morning, Daniel's wild hysteria had given way to detached resignation. That submissiveness worried the doctor even more. Although Daniel worked hard at hiding it, he was an emotional person who didn't seem to realize he wore his heart on his sleeve. If a person knew the man, they could read every thought racing through his mind on that expressive face. Now, there was a strange blankness to his features, a nothingness like she'd never seen before. Again Janet wondered if she'd made a mistake.
Against her better judgment, Janet had finally given in to Daniel's insistant desire to make his report to General Hammond. Thinking perhaps in some small way, it might help the scientist deal with what happened, she had allowed a video recorder set up in the infirmary. Janet had watched with concern as Daniel calmly reported on the misson to PQ5483, his eyes blank, his voice flat, the only sign of emotion was the tears sliding down his pale cheeks. When he finished, Daniel turned his face to the wall and closed them all out
She had tried talking to him, receiving no response. Rising slowly, ignoring the tears slipping down her own cheeks, Janet was barely aware of the silent Teal'c standing motionless next to the door. Unless he was ordered to rest or eat, the former first prime of Apophis remained at his self assigned post, keeping watch over the youngest member of SG-1.
Slipping into the privacy of her office, and closing the door behind her, Janet sank into her chair and allowed her own sobs of sorrow to escape. Sorrow for the loss of the man whose effervesant personality had made the military complex a little more bearable. With his wicked sense of humor, his stupid practical jokes and sarcastic comebacks, O'Neill had made the mountain complex a little less drab. Millions of people who had never even heard of the man owed their lives to Jack O'Neill and SG-1, not only on Earth but on planets throughout the galaxy.
Her teary eyed gaze drifted to the one picture hanging on the wall. Taken in the city park, it captured the four members of SG-1 gathered around Cassandra. Their bright smiles of happiness rivaled the child's as she tenderly hugged the puppy Jack had given her as a surprise.
Janet's disjointed thoughts digressed to the previous afternoon. She had found Sam in this room, away from the prying eyes of the military complex, wrapped in her own grief and sorrow. As she had gathered the young major in her arms, a flood of tears had broken through the soldier's military facade and they had both wept bitterly over the loss of a man they both cared deeply about. Janet knew while Sam would never admit it, she had a crush on her commanding officer and with his slightest encouragement, would have fallen heads over heels in love. While it was against regs, Janet herself knew regulations had nothing to do with the ways of the heart.
The sudden buzzing of the intercom, startled her. "Yes?"
"Dr. Fraiser, Dr. Jackson is regaining consciousness."
"Thank you. I'll be right there." Wiping away the tears, Janet quickly washed her face, unable to do anything about her red rimmed eyes. Straightening as she stepped from the office, she put aside her own feelings of loss and pulling her military facade about her, she returned to her duty.
******
The following afternoon, as the entire complex gathered for Jack's memorial service, Ferretti's eyes traveled over the people gathered in the embarkation room. His worried gaze came to rest on the one lone civilian. The honor guard had just presented the scientist with Jack's folded flag and Daniel stood between Sam and Teal'c clutching it to his chest as if the flag were a lifeline, his face an impassive mask, his eyes vacant.
Unlike the others, Ferretti hadn't been surprised when it had been Major Carter, who had given O'Neill's eulogy rather than the archaeologist. From what the doc and Teal'c had said, Daniel hadn't uttered a word since his report to the general and that worried the soldier.
He'd been with Daniel and Jack on that first mission to Abydos and he'd seen the change in both men over the years they'd been a team. Jack had become more open, letting go of the pain and anger which had overwhelmed him after the death of his son. Daniel had become more confident, learning to depend on others and be a part of a team. The two men had brought out the best in each other. Daniel had taught Jack to love life again and in turn Jack had been teaching Daniel to enjoy all aspects of that life.
It seemed everyone always secretly worried about what would happen to O'Neill if Daniel was killed, but Hell they'd already had one memorial service for the kid, and the soldier had survived. Another chunk of his heart missing, another piece of his soul torn apart but he had survived. However no one ever seemed to worry about this particular scenerio. There was an inner strength about Daniel that had allowed him to survive so much they all just assumed this would be another emotional obstacle he'd get past. Knowing loss was a two way street, and there was only so much a person could deal with, Ferretti had worried.
As taps finished playing, and the mourners milled in small groups consoling each other, Ferretti saw Daniel slip through the door, unable to escape the room fast enough. With a quick look at the other members of SG-1, knowing they had comfort and support, the soldier slipped through the crowd and followed the scientist.
