Death
Death
Sally Murphy
Title: Death
Author: Sally Murphy
Email: majorsallymurphy@yahoo.com
Category: Action/adventure, adult, angst, drama, romance.
Spoilers: None.
Pairings: Sam and Jack.
Season: Season five, before Summit.
Sequel: None.
Rating: 13+.
Content Warning: *Apparent* character death, foul language, graphic violence.
Status: Complete
Summary: Everyone dies-or maybe not!
Disclaimer: Don't own them, didn't come up with them, get no money from them.
Author's notes: I can't stand death stories! So, this is my twisted take on it. This little fic is dedicated to all the authors that love to kill! Happy endings rule!!!
Copyright-Jan.'02 By Sally Murphy
"Welcome back SG-1," Hammond said, walking up to his premier team and smiling.
"Thank you, General. Uh, do you mind if we shower before our briefing?" Colonel O'Neill asked, waving his hat in front of his face to cool off.
"Oh, Colonel, I insist," the general said, smirking.
"Bad?"
"Yes."
"Again?"
"Yes."
Quickly glancing at his team, who were also smirking, he motioned them to follow.
"You know, General, if I had any feelings, they'd be hurt!" Jack yelled over his shoulder, walking away.
Just as SG-1 made it into the hallway, the klaxons went off, signaling another gate activation. As quickly as they left, they came back, along with half a dozen SFs to boot.
"General...."
General Hammond looked up to the control room. The Sgt. shook his head.
"Close the iris!"
With the iris firmly in place, they waited for the thump to arrive.
No thump.
Suddenly the iris shimmered, almost becoming transparent, before depositing soldiers on the other side.
Our side.
Before anyone could react, the soldiers began firing. SG-1 ducked out of the way, letting the security force do their jobs. General Hammond wasn't quick enough, as he was nicked on the shoulder. But Colonel O'Neill was just as quick, running out and grabbing the general, pulling him behind some equipment with the rest of his team.
"General, are you alright?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, son, but stay back!"
Daniel wasn't swift enough, and was shot, falling back heavily onto the ground. Major Carter quickly leaned over him, and was greeted with an image that would forever be etched into her mind. Daniel was shot point blank in the middle of his forehead. He was dead, and it didn't take a doctor to realize that.
"Daniel! Oh, my god, Daniel!" Sam screamed.
Hearing Sam's cries, Jack hastily made his way over to her, sliding along the floor. As soon as he saw Daniel, he knew that there was nothing that could be done. Looking up at Sam, he knew she knew the same. As he began to reach out to her, his attention was diverted to the shouts coming from the guards. Following their gaze, he saw, with horror, more and more alien soldiers coming through the gate.
"Shit! General, permission to--"
"Janet, no!"
Jack suddenly glanced at Sam, and seeing her panicked expression, followed her gaze. Doctor Frasier was slowly but surely making her way into the gate room. There were so many injured and dead in the room already that he knew that holding her back was harder than stopping an eruption. He watched her with almost sick fascination, slowly crawling towards a wounded guard. As soon as she got to him, she glanced up at the colonel, but her face blanked, seeing Daniel lying dead on the floor. Abandoning this victim, she began to make her way over to them.
"Janet, stop!" Sam yelled.
She came anyway, literally dragging herself on the floor. Coming up to an alien soldier dead and blocking her path, she began to move around him, only to be grabbed by him.
It was quick. In one swift move, the apparent dead soldier pulled a knife out of his belt, and pausing only a moment, brought the knife up to her throat.
"NOOOOO!"
With a look of pure evil, the soldier slid the knife across Janet's neck.
"Janet!"
Sam began to move towards her friend, but Jack stopped her. He knew a death kill when he saw one-he'd done enough of them in his time with Special Ops. Janet was slowing dying, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Like with Daniel, it was hopeless.
Turning towards Sam, he saw her life force slowing ebbing from her. Two of her best friends just died in front of her. She'd never recover from this, he knew. Neither will I, he thought, watching Sam pull into herself.
His attention was drawn to the screams coming from every point in the room. Scanning everything at once, he saw the aliens fighting his people, and winning. Glancing quickly to the general, he saw the same expression on his face that he knew he wore. It was beyond bleak. His side, the good guys, were losing badly. Looking up at the gate, he saw another squad of alien soldiers come through.
Enough.
"General, permission to blow these fucking monsters off the face of the earth," Jack said calmly.
The general was in pain, but was still in command. This was quickly becoming a no-win situation, and earth's protection was the utmost of importance. Returning the colonel's stare, the general knew that his next order was also going to be his last. He took a moment to look at his friend and colleague, a man that had become more like a son than his second in command. No going back after this one, Jack, he thought glumly.
"Do it," the general said quietly.
Sam watched their exchange. They were all going to die. There was no other way. She didn't have time to think of one. She watched Jack reach out and touch the general's arm with affection, before turning his attention to her. They sat there only a few seconds staring at one another, but everything that they had and would never have came to mind. No dating. No first kiss. No marriage. No babies. No happily ever after. No chance.
Just as he began to move away, she reached out and grasped his arm. He stopped, looking at her with so many emotions that her breath caught. How do you tell someone that you love everything you want to say in five seconds? She gave up.
"Colonel...Jack, I wish....I love you," she whispered.
"I lo..........I love you too," he said quietly, covering her hand with his own.
Seconds passed, but the continued shouts and cries of death brought them both quickly back to the moment.
"It was on honor serv--"
His hand quickly went to her lips, silencing her.
"No."
She frowned.
"No goodbyes, Major. I'll see ya in heaven," he said, smiling, sliding quickly away from her, going towards the stairs.
She watched him making his way slowly over the floor, scooting around the dead. As he reached the stairs, he looked back at her and smiled. They shared a smile as he began to stand up.
He didn't see the soldier coming down the stairs towards him.
Neither did she. All she saw was the blade that went through him, gutting him like an animal. She also saw the blank stare that he gave her as he slowly slid down the wall.
There were no words to describe the horror, the hell of that moment. With a scream that could shatter glass, Major Carter let loose a sound that couldn't be duplicated. The sound of loss, of grief, of so much hatred that it consumed her. Running out of air, she stopped, gasping deeply. Suddenly she felt something touch her shoulder. She turned quickly, but with having no weapon, the only thing she could use were her hands.
"MajorCarter!" Teal'c said, holding up his own in defense.
She nodded, slowly lowering her hands.
"Major Carter?" the general said.
She turned towards him.
"It's now up to you and Teal'c to do this...do you understand?"
He knew that she was over-whelmed with grief, but she had a duty to perform. He needed her. The whole world needed her.
He watched her slowly pull herself together.
"Yes, general," she said, looking up at Teal'c. He nodded as well.
He watched the remaining members of his finest team maneuver their way around the dead, heading for the stairs.
They reached the stairs, but stayed down. Sam tried, but failed, to not look at the colonel. He was propped up against the wall, his eyes staring blankly into the distance. The urge to close them was over-whelming. She glanced at Teal'c, who was looking toward the top of the stairs, before looking back at the colonel. He deserved this, she thought, as she began to slide away, towards Jack.
As she approached him, she heard Teal'c yell for her to stop. She turned back towards him and smiled. In that instant he knew what she was going to do. He bowed his head, giving her his silent approval. As she reached for his face, she heard Teal'c gasp. When she turned to him, she saw an alien standing over him, his knife dripping blood. Teal'c's blood. Well, there's another friend, she thought, slowly turning back to the colonel. As she began to shut his eyes, she felt a sudden pain. Looking down, she saw a blade sticking out of her stomach. She nonchalantly went back to her task, closing the colonel's eyes. Suddenly something grabbed her hair, pulling her head back roughly. Looking up, she saw the face of the enemy. Ugly, she thought, as she saw him bring his blade to her throat.
She smiled.
Absently she wondered why she wasn't feeling any pain. Numbly, she realized that she was already dead. She died the moment the love of her life died.
"See you in hell," she mumbled, as she felt the blade press against her throat.
The monster wasn't quite quick enough, as he howled in pain. Looking down, he saw a knife sticking out of his groin. Glancing back at his victim, he saw her smiling. With the last of his strength, he drew the blade roughly across her throat.
She felt that. She also knew that it was over. She had failed the general. She hadn't accomplished her mission. She failed.
Slowly she collapsed to the floor, lying on her side near Jack. She heard the general scream out, and knew that he had died as well. Her colleagues, her friends, they were all dead now. So was the human race if these monsters weren't stopped. But she knew she wouldn't be the one to stop them. She was dying, and dying fast. She was lying in her own blood, which was already pooling at her head. She wanted to turn to Teal'c, to look at him one more time, but she knew she wouldn't be able to. Her vision was beginning to blur. So, this is what it feels like to die, she absently thought. She looked at Jack, wanting to touch him before she died. It was only a couple of feet to him, she thought, I can make it. With all her strength, she began to pull herself towards Jack. It was a lot harder than she thought, as her vision blackened around the edges.
Just a little bit farther.
I can do this.
Pulling herself up to his lap, she rested her head on him. She couldn't breath. She couldn't feel. She couldn't think. She couldn't wait to join him. With the last of her life, she focused her eyes on Jack.
She smiled.
He was the last thing she saw as the black encompassed her.
She was free.
She was already with him.
******
A flash.
The lights flickered.
Slowly, very slowly, everything came into focus.
Standing together at the base of the ramp was SG-1.
"Uh...what just happened?" Daniel said, looking from his friends to the Stargate, which was shimmering and alive.
"I...I...what 'did' just happen?" Jack said quietly, looking at each one before settling on the major.
Sam still stared at the wormhole, seemingly transfixed by it.
"Carter?" Jack said, looking at her with apprehension.
Slowly she turned towards him. She saw him waiting for an answer.
"I have no idea what just happened, Colonel," she whispered.
They stared at each other, not saying a word.
Suddenly the general came into the gateroom.
"What the hell happened?" he said, literally running up to them.
No one answered.
"Does anyone kno--"
Waves of images hit him. They were so strong that he felt his breath still. There was no pain, just images of events sweeping through his mind. He quickly glanced at the others and saw that they appeared to be going through the same thing as he. He continued to stare at them, seeing memories super-imposed over them. He saw an invading force come through the gate. He saw Daniel killed. Janet killed. Jack killed. Teal'c killed. He saw nothing after that.
The feelings that came over her were almost painful. She saw their deaths. Her friends, her family, murdered in front of her. She saw herself dragging herself to the colonel, wanting to die beside him, touching him.
It hurt.
Her chest felt like it was going to explode.
"Sam..."
She turned to the voice.
It was instant. Instant knowledge of what they had shared. They said they loved each other. The words they weren't allowed to say. The feelings they weren't allowed to feel. They gave in, or gave up, admitting what they'd always wanted to say to the other. But...
She frowned. How could....why....
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She knew something was going to happen. Looking quickly to the gate, she saw the event horizon shimmer, only to omit someone.
Him.
One of them.
The murderer of her friends.
The murderer of Jack.
She knew the others recognized him as well, as out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack jerk, reaching for his gun. It was gone, already handed to security.
The alien, forestalling the fight, put his hands up.
"Listen to me."
Seeing them pause, he continued. "Who I am is not of importance. What I can do to you is."
The general tensed. "Now wait just a minute! What are you--"
"You are going to visit my planet on your next mission. Things appear to go well, but in reality, they are a prerequisite to war."
"What are you...why..." Daniel muttered.
"Hear me."
They gave him their attention.
"This is the way of my race. We conquer. But, when we scanned your minds, we realized that you were very much like us. You are capable of great compassion, but also great violence and hatred."
"Scanned our minds?" Sam asked.
"Yes, we scanned your minds while you traveled through the wormhole."
"You...that's impossible!"
"Why and how is not of importance, heeding my warning is!"
"Okay...okay, we're taking your warning seriously, but...but what just happened to us?" Jack said, flexing his gun hand nervously.
"You were given the chance to see what 'would' have happened had you come to our planet."
"Would have?" Sam said.
"Or will, if you proceed to our planet."
"What did we--" the general began to say.
"No more words. No more questions. All you need to know is that we gave you a chance. We have never done this for any other. What you saw is what would have truly happened to you, to your planet, to your entire race. You are being given a second chance."
He saw the woman begin to speak.
"Enough. If you come to my planet, you will all eventually die. Even though you saw your future, and you might think you could prevent it, you can't. It will happen, just like you saw it. Once you come to my planet, once you set it off, your memories will fade, and all of it will happen again. You'll die."
With his memories still haunting him, the general closed his eyes briefly and sighed.
"Then we don't go."
The four members of SG-1 turned to him. He expected them to say something, to protest, but he knew that they'd come to the same conclusion as him. We're being given a second chance, and we are sure as hell not going to screw it up.
The alien stared at them. After a few moments, he smiled, and turned towards the gate. They watched him ascend the ramp, only to stop at the event horizon, glancing back at everyone once more.
"Take this opportunity we have given you," he said.
Turning back, he slowly walked into the wormhole, it collapsing immediately behind him.
No one said anything. No one moved. This was all so unbelievable, but they knew it happened. It happened in their heads, but the memories and emotions felt real nonetheless.
General Hammond was the first to speak.
"Colonel...Jack, put the entire base on stand down."
The colonel glanced at him with glassy eyes.
"Are you alright, son?"
What a dumb question, he thought. Of course he's not alright. None of us are alright.
"Jack..."
"I'm alright, sir."
He saw him take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Yes, ever the professional. I can always depend on you, Jack.
Sam watched the general smile and walk away. She looked back at her friends, who looked like they'd gone through hell. She knew just what they felt.
"Daniel, will you take a look around, see if everyone is alright?" Jack said.
Daniel nodded, and moved away.
"Check on the doc too, okay?"
"Yes," he said, disappearing around the corner.
"Teal'c, will you check on the general, he looks a little worse for wear?"
"I will O'Neill."
Teal'c paused a moment, looking at Sam straight in the eye. So, she thought, he remembers what happened. He remembers how it was my fault. His death was my fault.
He smiled at her.
She frowned.
And then she knew. He would have done the same thing as her. He loved Jack too.
She smiled her thanks to him, watching him turn and walk away.
This left her and the colonel. Her and Jack.
She felt her pulse quicken. Her chest hurt. Her heart hurt.
"Major, will you take out P3X...whatever, out of the computer? I really don't want to go there for some reason," he said quietly, smiling.
She turned toward him. "I'll be glad too, sir. In fact, soon is not enough," she said, smiling in return.
She didn't move.
They merely stared at one another.
She knew, without a doubt, that he was remembering.
Remembering.
"Just delete their address out of the computer, okay?" he murmured.
"Yes," she whispered.
She felt like she was in a trance. This was all so surreal. Willing her muscles to obey, she began to walk away.
"Carter."
She stopped and turned.
"Yes?"
"...Later, we'll talk, will that be okay?" he said quietly.
She smiled.
"That...Yes, that would be okay...that would be very okay," she said softly.
They stared at one another before he turned his attention to the Sgt. that had approached.
She took this opportunity to leave, walking towards the stairs. As she approached them, her gut tightened, knowing that this was where she and Jack had died. She ascended the stairs as quickly as she could.
As she entered the control room, she saw the haunted faces that greeted her. More victims. Walking to a chair, she sat down, her hands immediately going to the keyboard, punching in the correct sequence to allow her to accomplish her task. It was easy enough. Five moves and she could delete the address. Change their future.
Finishing, she stood up. She glanced at the others and knew that they understood what she'd just done. Their tight smiles were their replies.
She began to leave, but instead turned around, heading for the observation window.
She stood there, looking out.
Looking at him.
I'm not burying this, she thought. I can't. I won't. In almost every way, this did happen.
Suddenly he looked up at the window. He looked straight at her.
At that moment she knew.
We are never going to be the same.
Good.
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