Continued....
They reappeared in a hospital room, the only sounds the clicking muted hums of medical equipment and the ragged hoarse breathing of the person lying in the bed. Daniel looked closer, not recognizing the frail figure. A ragged sob coming from the person sitting by the bed, one of the woman's lifeless hands held in his, drew his attention and he looked closer.
The man looked old and broken, tears tracking down his cheeks as the monitors slowed and then stilled. His sobs filled the small room as he leaned over to kiss the pale cheek. "Goodbye," he whispered softly. Leaning back in the chair, George Hammond stared at the lifeless body of his wife. Daniel looked from one parent to the other. "I don't understand. Why bring me here to see this?" "The General's wife died of cancer. He had nowhere to go, nothing to do with his life. He visited his children, but he just gave up on life himself. Your Stargate project recalled him, gave him purpose and reason...It made him feel needed and useful at a time when he needed it most." Daniel looked at the broken man, sitting in the chair, the tears still coursing down his cheeks. He would never equate this man with the fiery General at Cheyenne Mountain. But still... "Perhaps there is another you should see." Taking his hand they appeared in an old folks home and a lone woman sat in the wheelchair, her gray hair mussed, her eyes unfocused. "Catherine?" Daniel knelt beside the chair and reached out a hand. "She can't see you, Danny." His mother reminded him. He looked up into the doctor's unseeing eyes. "What's wrong with her? Why is she here?" "The Air Force had less use for her than it did for Samantha. Catherine knew far too much about the secret goings on of the government. Whe she had a stroke, they made sure her memory was destroyed as well. All her knowledge was lost." "And Ernest? Where's Ernest?" "There is no Professor Littlefield Daniel. He's still on Tantalus. You weren't there to see the film and mount the rescue. He's still there alone, just as Catherine is alone here." He shook his head in denial. "No, no, no..." "You see, Daniel, a person's life and what they do affects more than just themself. A life is like the rings formed when a pebble is dropped inot the water. They continually circle outward, going on and on, touching other rings, other lives. Surely you know you own life has touch so many others." His mother explained. "Think of those you have helped on other worlds...Melosha, Kendra, Gairwyn, Nem, Hanno, Omoc, Harlen, Roshure, Shyla...should I go on?" "No, but..." "You still doubt." His father read his thoughts. "Then there is one last thing you need to see." The nursing home vanished in a blaze of brillant whiteness and he found himself in another room. A child's room. Airplanes hung suspended from the ceiling, posters covered the walls, trophies and sports gear lay scattered everywhere. A man sat on the small bed, staring into space. "Jack?" Daniel whispered in disbelief. This Jack had longer hair, was unshaven and his face was pale, his eyes hollow and blank. Pain and desperation was written on his lined face and as he looked closer, Daniel saw he was holding something. There was a sudden loud blast and the room vanished, to be replaced by the outdoors. Blue sky, green grass, tombstones, a falg draped casket. He looked around frantically. "Jack!...Jack!" He stumbled toward the people gathered. "Jack?" His mother's gentle touch on his arm stayed his forward movement. "There is no Jack." "Yes there is! I just saw him!" He screamed at her, as tears began to form in his blue eyes. "You know what you saw, Danny." "No," he denied. "No!...No..no..." he repeaated over and over as the tears escaped and ran down his cheeks. "Yes son. There was no Stargate project. Colonel O'Neill was not recalled, and the Air Force officers who stayed his hand that day didn't show up..." She waved her hand toward the granit stone marker. Daniel's eyes blurred as he read the words carved there. "Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill, Colonel, Air Force Retired. Oct. 15, 1996" "Noooo," he whispered, violently shaking his head in denial. "Nooo..." "Jack killed himself when his depression and guilt over Charlie's death overwhelmed him." His mother pointed out softly. "Not Jack..." Daniel argued. "You don't know him!...He wouldn't have...No...NO!" He continued to deny forcefully. "Didn't he intend to kill himself on that first mission to Abydos?" His father asked softly. Once again pointing out the logical truth. "You knew than he was in a fragile state of mind. Your friendship and your trust in him saved him from himself. Can you honestly say it was not worth opening the gate now? Knowing these things?" "I..I...How do I know it's what would have happened? You aren't real...You're dead...This is just a dream..." Tears still shimmering in his anguished eyes, he looked from one to the other. "It's just a dream....Isn't it?" "You decide for yourself, Danny....Come..." His father took one hand in his and his mother took the other. Everything vanished in a blinding flash of light. "Daniel?...Danny?" The scientist opened his eyes to see the worried faces of his teammates hovering over him. He moved and groaned in pain. "Hey, easy, big guy..." Jack warned him, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That was some trip you took! Bring back any souvenirs?" "What...Jack?..." He looked into the man's face. "You're alive..." he whispered. "Of course I'm alive. You're the one who went for the E ticket ride." "Ride?" "He doesn't remember what happened," Sam offered as she stepped into his line of sight. "You slipped on the ice and knocked yourself unconscious." She explained, seeing his look of puzzlement. "Where...where am I?" He questioned. "You're home. We stopped by to see if you wanted to join us at my place for a little nog and Christmas spirit." "And?..." Daniel prompted as he struggled into a sitting position, taking in the sight of his darkened apartment and its woeful lack of signs of the holidays. "You said no, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c offered bluntly, as he stood behind Carter. "I did?...I did." He remembered now. They had burst in on him, full of high spirits and singing and although he was amused at the sight and sound of Jack and Teal'c caroling, he had made up the excuse of a headache and begged off. With somewhat dampened spirits they had left, but for some unexplainable reason, he'd grabbed his jacket and ran after them. He'd seen them driving off and in an attempt to catch them, hurried down the steps without watching, hit an icy place and... "Are you sure you're okay?" Carter asked softly as her fingers gently probed the sore lump on the back of his head. Daniel reached up to touch it and winced, but nodded. "I think I'm fine now." he looked from one to the other. "You guys drove off...I saw you...Why'd you come back?" "I remembered I wanted Teal'c to see a movie and I thought you might have a copy of it." Jack explained. "What movie's that?" Daniel asked as he climbed to his feet. "It's a Wonderful Life...You know, about the guy who finds out what life would have been like if he wasn't born.." Daniel froze in mid action to look at them and a wide smile broke over his face as he looked at each of them. "Ya know something? It really is..." As they exchanged looks, frowning in confusion, he waved his hand dismissively in the air. "Ahhh..it's nothing. Just something my parents once showed me." "You remember seeing that movie with your parents?" Sam asked surprised. "Ahhh...noooo...They showed me my life..." He smile again, his voice trailing off. "Thanks guys. It really is wonderful." "What are you rambling about Daniel?" Jack grasped him by the shoulders and stared him full in the face. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe that knock on the head did more damage than we thought." His smile widened. "I'll find your movie, Jack. But for the record, I know how it ends." "Okay, Clarence..." Jack teased as he dropped his hands and stepped back to observe the younger man. Daniel frowned as he studied the older man. "Why did you call me that?" "Isn't that the name of the angel in the movie? The one who jumps in the river knowing George will save him." "Uhhh...Yeah." "I seem to recall someone who put his life at risk to save me on Abydos a long time ago..." He eyed the younger man. Moving behind the scientist he tugged at Daniel's jacket. "Jack?...What are you doing?" "Oh nothing. Just looking for your wings, but I guess like Clarence you ain't quite earned them yet." He grinned at the expression on the archaeologist's face. "I think I've had too much eggnog...but you know something?" "What?" "No man is poor Danny, when he has friends...I think I'm one of the richest men alive." Daniel's smile widened yet again as he threw an arm about the soldier's shoulder. "You know Jack, I think you might be right." With a sidelong glance and a slight nod at the two misty figures by the fish tank, he followed his friends from the apartment. The shadowy figures exchanged looks. "You think he will be alright now Mel?" The woman asked softly, a loving smile touching her lips. "He'll be fine, honey. Jack isn't the only one who's rich." Pulling her closer, they vanished as if they had never been as from beyond the closed door, four voices joined in a slightly off key rendition of Jingle Bells, and the joyous spirit of the holiday filled the night air. fin
